Sarah's Orphans by Vannetta Chapman

 

The plot:  First her father dies, then her mother leaves. And 23-year-old Sarah Yoder must care for her four younger brothers and manage their household, too. Though two of her brothers, Andy and Henry, are grown enough to work the farm. But there are debts to pay. And they are struggling. Then Sarah discovers a young Hispanic boy and his 3-year-old sister living on their own in town, and she decides she and her brothers have room for two more. Luckily, they are not alone. Their Amish community is there to help, as is their new neighbor, Paul Byler, a 30-year-old bachelor who finds he might have room in his life not only for Sarah, bur for all her charges. 

My thoughts:  This is a lovely novel about found family, community, God, faith, and love. That Amish setting is one of my favs, and I liked Sarah and her brothers and their interactions with young Mateo and his little sister, Mia. Paul was a great character, very thoughtful and kind. I enjoyed the quiet romance between him and Sarah. All in all, this is a charming and heartwarming novel.

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Patton's Prayer by Alex Kershaw

 December 1944.

Bastogne, Belgium.

The Battle of the Bulge. 

"Perhaps God saved me for this effort."

--Gen. George S. Patton

"Drive like hell!" That was Patton's order for the tankers of his 4th Armored Division who had been tasked with reaching Bastogne. ... "Gentlemen," said Patton," this is a hell of a Christmas present, but it was handed to me and I pass it on to you. Tonight, the Third Army turns and attacks north. I would have much preferred to continue our attack to the east as planned, but I am a soldier. I fight where I'm told, and I win where I fight!"

This is a 5-star book of resilience, courage, faith and victory in World War II. Kershaw does an amazing job of relating the key role Patton's Third Army, and Patton himself, played in the Battle of the Bulge. It's an incredibly compelling narrative told with emotion, honesty and urgency. Though well-researched and full of detail, not once does it bog down. It's informative in the best possible way. I read it in two days and came away with a new appreciation for Patton, the men he commanded like Creighton Abrams and his 37th Tank Battalion, the 4th Armored Division, and the 101st Airborne who held Bastogne against all the odds while waiting for reinforcements to come. What a story! I loved it. 

"Just how important was Bastogne?"

"It was as important as the Battle of Gettysburg was to the Civil War." 

Happy Reading!

Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham

 

First line:  I'd love to say I became famous because of my excellent writing skills.

Setting:  Isle of Mull, Scotland

The plot:  Katie Campbell is a popular travel writer known for her misadventures. Everywhere she goes something goes wrong. But she somehow always manages to turn it into something humorous and positive. But while she's happy traveling the world, there's something she's missing:  Home.  "Sometimes it's a place. Sometimes it's a person. Sometimes it's both."  So when Katie meets Graeme MacKerrow, and the tall Scot not only rescues her more than once, but makes her feel seen, she starts to wonder if she's finally found it. But she's afraid...of falling, of failing, of not being enough. And of Graeme not loving her back.

Favorite quote:  "Love is always an act of faith because we cannae see the future...But love gives you the strength to leap, and faith gives you the vision to believe that the one you love will be on the other side to catch you."

My thoughts:  I love this book! More than a simple lighthearted romance, this is an engaging novel about finding family, finding home, taking chances and believing in oneself. Basham truly knows how to craft a story with layers and humor, depth, hope, faith and love. And her characters are so delightful. I loved Katie and Graeme and their journey. And I loved the picturesque setting. This book made me want to travel to the Isle of Mull. (And maybe meet my own handome Scot.) I found it captivating. And the ending made me smile. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Tap Code by Col. Carlyle "Smitty" Harris (Ret.)

 

The epic suvival tale of a Vietnam POW and the secret code that changed everything.

Shot down on April 4, 1965, Smitty Harris was the sixth American captured in the air war over North Vietnam. I'm sure you've heard of the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Smitty was there, as well as in seven other prison camps. For eight long years he suffered torture, solitary confinement, hunger, humiliation and abuse. But through it all, he never lost his belief in God, or his own integrity and honor as an American soldier. 

In the midst of his captivity, he remembered an old, long-unused World War II method of communication he'd once learned--the Tap Code. It's based on a 5x5 grid of numbers and letters that allowed him and his fellow POWs to covertly communicate with one another while imprisoned. And that ability not only unified these men, but enabled them to strengthen and support one another and help each other to survive their long ordeal, their "misery made bearable by camaraderie."

Meanwhile, back in the States, Smitty's wife, Louise, never gave up hope that he would come back home. As one of the first MIA wives, she had to learn to be her own advocate, as well as to be strong and optimistic for her three young children as she raised them on her own. Her memories of that time period are equally captivating. 

This is an incredible story of faith, resistance, hope and survival. And one of the best nonfiction books I've read all year. It's so good! Here's just one of my favorite quotes from it: 

"When times were really bad--and especially during those times when I feared I might not survive--I prayed frequently and fervently because I had nowhere else to turn. I knew I needed help. And help came. No, I didn't experience a personal miracle. The torture didn't stop. I wasn't free and back home. But I gained more than I even knew to pray for. After prayer, I knew I was no longer alone. Prayer gave me renewed strength to continue resisting a brutal enemy. And all those miracles I prayed for came true--just not on on my timetable, but on God's. Now I feel that I have everything I could have ever wanted. Through the difficulty of my years of captivity, I found a renewed belief in a Supreme Being--God, my Father--who looked after me then and still does today."

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Happy Reading!