Over Memorial weekend, I read quite a bit and have been listening to an audio book while working on a few art projects. These past few days has been reflective and I’m also busy with outlining a few ancient history articles I want to write. There is much work to be done on them and I have an extensive amount of research and studying to do. I’m thrilled with this endeavor and I’m looking forward to seeing where it leads me. In this post, I’m sharing a couple short books I read and one I started two days ago. This does not include my NetGalley reads or what I’m currently listening to. That may come in a later post.
Stephanie
The Time Between the Old and New Testament: A Zondervan Digital Short by Henry H. Halley
First published July 24, 2012
Derived from Halley’s Bible Handbook, a world-renowned, accessible guide to the Bible now in its 25th edition, this digital short sketches the history of the time between the Old and New Testaments. The rise of the Greek and then Roman Empires, the Maccabees, Herod’s Temple, the Sanhedrin—this introduction to a fascinating era not covered in the Bible includes all of the above and more. Useful for Bible students wanting to better understand the cultural context of the New Testament and for readers interested in Middle Eastern and early European history, The Time Between the Old and New Testaments shines light on a key period in world and religious history.
The Jewish People and the Holy Land: A Zondervan Digital Short by Henry H. Halley
First published July 24, 2012
Derived from Halley’s Bible Handbook, a world-renowned, accessible guide to the Bible now in its 25th edition, this digital short sketches the history of the Jewish people in the Holy Land from the time of Jesus until the present day. Useful for students of the Bible and church history, The Jewish People and the Holy Land will also fascinate readers wanting to better understand the historic roots of the modern state of Israel.
Currently Reading:
Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees in Palestinian Society
by Anthony J. Saldarin
Widely praised in its original edition and now part of the Biblical Resource Series, this volume offers a superb discussion of the role of the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees in Palestinian Jewish society. Applying a sociological approach to the biblical and literary sources, Anthony Saldarini accurately portrays these three most prominent groups of educated leaders in Jewish society and describes their relationship to other Jewish social movements from 200 B.C.E. to 100 C.E. Featuring a new foreword by James C. VanderKam, Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees in Palestinian Society will remain a standard point of reference for the continuing study of Judaism and Christian backgrounds.
Recent retiree Ally McKinley has stepped out with her puppy Flora for a walk by the loch in the tiny village of Locharran, taking a break from running the cosiest little guesthouse in the Highlands. But Ally’s peace and quiet is sunk when she and Flora find the body of a mysterious woman floating in the water…
Before she knows it, Ally finds herself wading into the middle of a new investigation. Who was the mystery woman and why was she killed? Her inquiries take her all over the from the corner shop and the nearby hotel to the turreted castle, home of local earl Hamish Sinclair where preparations are underway for his upcoming – and much gossiped about – wedding.
The body in the loch soon has the rumor mills buzzing. But then Elena, the earl’s new bride, is also found poisoned to death the morning after her marriage! With two deaths to investigate, the police appear to suspect almost everyone in Locharran, even Ally herself…
My thoughts:
Despite my enjoyment in cozy mysteries, they tend to be hit or miss with me. I’ve noticed that writers sometimes push the envelope-if you will-with this subgenre. What I like most about this genre is that you don’t have the usual run-of- the- mill graphic violence, profanity (kept to a minimum) or sex that a lot of mystery thrillers include. I love the idea of the murder happening off stage and how the story is written to reveal or discovery of the homicide. In this story, there are two murders that have taken place and we follow Ally McKinley in solving the case. I really enjoy her process of elimination of suspects and discovering motives for these crimes.
Murder at the Loch is an absorbing and entertaining mystery with an atmospheric setting and fantastic character development. Whenever a crime story takes place in a small village in the Highlands, I can’t wait to get my hands on the book. I love stories such as this one and Dee MacDonald certainly knows how to weave a captivating mystery. I will be on the lookout for more stories by this author.
My thanks to the publishers for providing me a review copy through NetGalley.
I tend to read multiple books at once due to my moods, what I’m studying or what I’m reading for pleasure. I know many say they can’t read like that but I’ve been able to do so for a long time now. Look at it this way, people usually watch multiple tv shows on a weekly basis and are able to keep up with the plots and characters without any problems. Taking notes or talking with a friend about what you’re reading is a good idea. I also like to go back a few pages sometimes to immerse myself back into the story. That said, if I’m really into a story and I don’t want to put it down or can’t wait to get back to it, I will focus on that story before moving on to the next one. I have finished a few books since the last time I blogged about books and I’m hoping to move on to a few books I’ve listed below.
I’ve had, “One Good Thing” by Georgia Hunter in my currently reading pile for quite a while now and haven’t been able to finish it. For some reason, I’m just not able to get into the story. Perhaps it is because I’ve read so many World War II stories and I’m experiencing burnout. That has happened to me before with this theme. I want to give the story a fair critique so I will be putting it aside temporary.
Side note: There are many books I’m using for study that I haven’t blogged about as of yet or I study and reference them on an ongoing basis.
Stephanie
The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman(I have an advance reader’s copy)
Pub Date Jul 29 2025
In rural 1930s Virginia, a young immigrant mother fights for her dignity and those she loves against America’s rising eugenics movement – when widespread support for policies of prejudice drove imprisonment and forced sterilizations based on class, race, disability, education, and country of origin – in this tragic and uplifting novel of social injustice, survival, and hope for readers of Susan Meissner, Kristin Hannah, and Christina Baker Kline.
When Lena Conti—a young, unwed mother—sees immigrant families being forcibly separated on Ellis Island, she vows not to let the officers take her two-year old daughter. But the inspection process is more rigorous than she imagined, and she is separated from her mother and teenage brother, who are labeled burdens to society, denied entry, and deported back to Germany. Now, alone but determined to give her daughter a better life after years of living in poverty and near starvation, she finds herself facing a future unlike anything she had envisioned.
Silas Wolfe, a widowed family relative, reluctantly brings Lena and her daughter to his weathered cabin in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains to care for his home and children. Though the hills around Wolfe Hollow remind Lena of her homeland, she struggles to adjust. Worse, she is stunned to learn the children in her care have been taught to hide when the sheriff comes around. As Lena meets their neighbors, she realizes the community is vibrant and tight knit, but also senses growing unease. The State of Virginia is scheming to paint them as ignorant, immoral, and backwards so they can evict them from their land, seize children from parents, and deal with those possessing “inferior genes.”
After a social worker from the Eugenics Office accuses Lena of promiscuity and feeblemindedness, her own worst fears come true. Sent to the Virginia State Colony for the Feebleminded and Epileptics, Lena face impossible choices in hopes of reuniting with her daughter—and protecting the people, and the land, she has grown to love.
Children of the Book: A Memoir of Reading Together by Ilana Kurshan (I have an advance reader’s copy)
Pub Date Aug 26 2025
In Children of the Book, Ilana Kurshan explores the closeness forged when family life unfolds against a backdrop of reading together. Kurshan, a mother of five living in Jerusalem, at first struggles to balance her passion for literature with her responsibilities as a parent. Gradually she learns how to relate to reading not as a solitary pursuit and an escape from the messiness of life, but rather as a way of teaching independence and forging connection. Introducing her children to sacred and secular literature—including the beloved classics of her childhood—helps her become both a better mother and a better reader.
Chief among the books Kurshan reads with her children is the Five Books of Moses, known as the Torah, which Jews the world over read in synchrony as part of the liturgical cycle. In the five parts of this memoir, Kurshan explores the surprising resonances between the biblical text and her experiences as a mother and a reader – from the first picture books that create the world through language for little babies, to the moment our children begin reading on their own leaving us behind, atop the mountain, as they enter new lands without us. A testament to the enduring power of shared texts, Children of the Book celebrates the deep pleasures of books.
The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans(I have an advance reader’s copy)
Pub Date Jun 24 2025
Estella Ecker has returned to Rockfall House, the last place on earth she wants to be. Years after she ran away from her overbearing father, she has been forced back home to walk in his footsteps, teaching at the college he dominated and living in the fabulous home where he entertained artists and scholars for decades—and perhaps she owns it now, because her mercurial mother has disappeared. At the center of everything—the whispers, the rumors, the secrets—is her father’s library of rare books, which she had been forbidden to touch while he was alive to stop her.
Everyone in town is watching Estella, with her dead father’s name on their lips, and no one seems to care about her missing mother. Who were her parents, really, and is the answer hidden somewhere in the depths of Rockfall House? And who will Estella be, if she gathers enough courage to find that answer? What she will discover is that no one can escape the secrets hidden in this dark library.
Suspenseful and unsettling but ultimately triumphant, The Dark Library by acclaimed author Mary Anna Evans is a compelling tale of mystery, family secrets, and the quest for truth.
Recently I have reopened my Etsy shop and I will be listing items for sale on a regular basis. I am a mixed media artist and I have so much planned for my shop. To stay up to date with what is new in my shop, please like my shop.
I have new decorating bowl kits listed on my Etsy shop. Instructions on how to decorate the bowl are included in each kit. The shells come flexible to make them easy to work with and they harden as you add more fabrics and decorate them. Free tutorials on my YouTube channel will be uploaded on a regular basis for each set of kits I list for sale. You can find my YouTube channel by searching on there, “Stephanie’s Art Studio” or by clinking on this link. This is a great project and these bowls make great gifts and has many uses including decor, and storage.
The bowl (shell) included was handcrafted with care and strong adhesive and muslin and linen fabric used for the structure and durability. This bowl hardens with a little flex. The bowl stands well and balance on a hard surface. This bowl is perfect for home decor and to hold items.
I also have handcrafted completely made bowls and a box listed in my shop as well. They are reasonable priced and the shipping is free.
Below are other items in my shop currently for sale.
I’ve got quite the collection of books I’m currently reading. I don’t usually have this many going at once but seeing as they are -for the most part-from different genres…For the exception of. “Letter from the Dead” and, “Murder at the Loch”. That said, those two mysteries couldn’t be more different. I’m just about finished with, “Murder at the Loch” and I just received, “Letters from the Dead” on Monday from the publishers. It has been ages since I’ve received a physical copy. That has been by design by me because of the volume of books I have in the house as it is and I’m currently working on acquiring physical copies of theology, ancient cultural background and early church history for studies.
Ever since I came back from a much-needed break from reviewing, I’ve only been reading books for review via ebook through NetGalley. I am listening to, “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” via audio-book and I’m really enjoying the story. I grew up knowing this story and it is among my favorites. Listening to the story is a real treat.
As far as reviews go, I do have a few coming up soon. Be on the lookout for those.
Stephanie
Letters from the Dead by Isabella Valeri
Expected publication Date: May 27, 2025by Atria Books
For the first eleven years of her life, the precocious daughter of a great European family tracing its roots back more than fifteen generations, never set foot on land that her family didn’t own. Cloistered on a sprawling estate in the Alpine foothills, as the youngest sibling of her generation she has little knowledge of the dark forces gathering in the shadows to strike at her family. But, when her insatiable curiosity leads her to uncover a priceless text hidden hundreds of years before, she shines light into corners meant to be left in the dark and threatens to uncover secrets that could trigger an internecine battle for succession.
Then, with no warning or explanation, she is whisked away on a private jet and exiled to an elite but isolated all-girls boarding school in the United States. More than a decade later, now in her twenties, she finds her bank accounts abruptly frozen by her family. She is recalled from her affluent but empty existence abroad. Little does she know that her family has plans for her, including an arranged marriage. Worse, as she draws closer to discovering the horrific act that sent her into exile a decade before, and shadowy enemies close in on her family, she must face her most dangerous and powerful foe: her own father.
Murder at the Loch by Dee MacDonald
Recent retiree Ally McKinley has stepped out with her puppy Flora for a walk by the loch in the tiny village of Locharran, taking a break from running the coziest little guesthouse in the Highlands. But Ally’s peace and quiet is sunk when she and Flora find the body of a mysterious woman floating in the water…
Before she knows it, Ally finds herself wading into the middle of a new investigation. Who was the mystery woman and why was she killed? Her enquiries take her all over the from the corner shop and the nearby hotel to the turreted castle, home of local earl Hamish Sinclair where preparations are underway for his upcoming – and much gossiped about – wedding.
The body in the loch soon has the rumour mills buzzing. But then Elena, the earl’s new bride, is also found poisoned to death the morning after her marriage! With two deaths to investigate, the police appear to suspect almost everyone in Locharran, even Ally herself…
Determined to uncover the truth and clear her name, Ally finds poison at the home of one of her suspects and thinks she might be on the right path to solving both murders. But with a killer on the loose in the Scottish Highlands, can Ally unravel the clues before the next person in a watery grave is her?
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by by Jules Verne
When an unidentified “monster” threatens international shipping, French oceanographer Pierre Aronnax and his unflappable assistant Conseil join an expedition organized by the US Navy to hunt down and destroy the menace. After months of fruitless searching, they finally grapple with their quarry, but Aronnax, Conseil, and the brash Canadian harpooner Ned Land are thrown overboard in the attack, only to find that the “monster” is actually a futuristic submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by a shadowy, mystical, preternaturally imposing man who calls himself Captain Nemo. Thus begins a journey of 20,000 leagues—nearly 50,000 miles—that will take Captain Nemo, his crew, and these three adventurers on a journey of discovery through undersea forests, coral graveyards, miles-deep trenches, and even the sunken ruins of Atlantis. Jules Verne’s novel of undersea exploration has been captivating readers ever since its first publication in 1870, and Frederick Paul Walter’s reader-friendly, scientifically meticulous translation of this visionary science fiction classic is complete and unabridged down to the smallest substantive detail.
Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up: A New Look at Today’s Evangelical Church in the Light of Early Christianity by David W. Bercot
Sex and money scandals. An exploding divorce rate. Drug-addicted youths. And an ever-growing worldliness. Today’s evangelical church is fighting battles on all fronts. And we seem to be losing these battles to the relentlessly encroaching world. Perhaps the answers to our problems are not in the present, but in the past. Because there was time when Christians were able to stand up to world.
The author takes you on an engrossing journey back to the time – back to the end of the first century. Here is an inspiring account of what Christians believed and practiced at the close of the age of the apostles – and how the church eventually lost the Christianity of that time.
But Will The Real Heretics Please Stand Up is not primarily a history book. It’s a fresh, creative look at the problems facing the church today – and the solution to those problems. It’s a call for today’s church to return to the simple holiness, unfailing love, and patient cross-bearing of the early Christians.
I believe every one of us at Gulls Nest is concealing some kind of secret.
1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop,Nora Breenasks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Seain Kent.
A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.
My thoughts:
Nora Breen certainly left no stone unturned in her search in finding a murderer and to discover what happened to her friend Frieda. She is a woman of sheer tenacity and grit which makes for a fantastic investigator.
This is the first book I’ve read written by Jess Kidd and I enjoyed her writing style, character development and the way she weaves a mystery.
The occupants at Gore-on-Sea were intriguing, secretive, baffling, corky, and at times I just wanted to shake them and at the same time to sit down with them, have a lovely cup of coffee or tea and a nice chat. That is if I know who is making the coffee or tea.
The mystery surrounding the murders and disappearance of Nora’s friend, Freida was well plotted and with all the right twist and turns. I look forward to reading the book in this series!
I rated this book three stars.
Stephanie
I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.
Publish date: March 4, 2025 by Sourcebooks Landmark
1613: King James – sixth of Scotland, first of England, son of Mary, Queen of Scots – has unified both countries under one crown. But the death of his eldest son, Henry, has plunged the nation into mourning, as the rumors rise the prince was poisoned.
Andrew Logan’s heard the rumors, but he’s paid them little heed. As one of the King’s Messengers he has enough secrets to guard, including his own. In these perilous times, when the merest suggestion of witchcraft can see someone tortured and hanged, men like Andrew must hide well the fact they were born with the Sight.
He’ll need all his gifts, though, when the king sends Andrew north to find and arrest Sir David Murray, once Prince Henry’s trusted courtier, and bring him a prisoner to London to stand trial before the dreaded Star Chamber.
My thoughts:
In 1613, Andrew Logan- King James’s Messenger- is given the task of arresting David Murray and bringing him back to England to stand trial.
Logan is a man of duty while holding true to a moral compass and discipline despite the pressures and opinions from his peers. I began to see this about Logan early on and was curious on how this task at the King’s demand would play out. His convictions to do right by others at his own peril had me cheering for him. Without giving too much away, I will say that Logan exemplifies the best of what a king’s messenger ought to be.
I must confess it isn’t often I read historical fiction stories that take place in the 1700s regarding King James’s – sixth of Scotland court. What do I mean by that? I have read a couple books and articles about King James and there was always something about his character and ruling I disliked or mistrusted-if you will. I was curious on how Kersley would depict him and I was surprised-in a good way-by her characterization of him. It I how I imagined him to be.
For me, the story really took off when Logan and others began their dangerous journey to arrest Sir David Murray. The interactions and growing camaraderie between the characters made the story all the more praise worthy and heart-felt in my eyes.
I must confess, I had my doubts upfront about the theme of, “Born with the Sight.” Will it overpower the story? How will it be dealt with and weaved through the story and will it be heavy handed? Kearsley’s out depiction of the Sight was balanced and well-drawn out and I was quite relieved.
What a wonderfully woven historical story with a fantastic cast of characters and a suburb historically depiction of court life, perilous duty and adventure. This is my top favorites of Kersley’s work and seeing as I have been a bit critical of her stories in the past, I’m giving The King’s Messenger five stars.
Be sure to read the author’s notes at the end. You won’t be disappointed and you will learn a few historical details that will enhance your thoughts on the story.
Stephanie
I received a review copy from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.
Closed off from the world, Evelyn and Lily are two elderly sisters who grew up inside a walled garden that includes a stately home and outbuildings. With both parents gone they must work daily in the decaying garden for survival. For decades, they obeyed the rules their mother set for them in a handwritten almanac. They must not break the rules. They must not venture outside the garden or enter the main house their mother boarded up decades ago. The decaying house contains secrets. Their mother told them that there were things that would harm them, which left the sisters contained in the kitchen and the garden with its outbuildings.
They thrive on routine for their existence and survival, and while each sister is attending to their appointed chores, Evelyn notices a bee box has been moved. This concerns her greatly and she wonders who could have done it? Her sister is afraid of bees and wouldn’t go near the hive. Then other things happen, and they soon discover a boy with no name hiding in their boarded house. Why is he here, who is he and what does he want? This new development disrupts the sister’s lives in more ways than one, and everything they thought they knew about their existence starts to unravel and secrets about their parents are revealed in the most shocking way. Will their haven world they built end as they know it?
There is a slow build-up throughout the story, and I felt it was needed. You get a realistic sense of the sisters’ relationship, dire situation and the world they live in. I was mesmerized by the sister’s lives, the garden house and their reliance on each other.
I was a bit taken back about how the story came to an abrupt ending. At first, I thought I must have accidentally skipped a couple pages or so-but I didn’t, but I was disappointed. I guess I will just have to imagine my own ending to the story. There are a few unanswered questions I have, especially about the boy with no name. This leaves me wondering if he was real or not.
I was truly immersed in this uniquely woven story and the sister’s lives. Despite being elderly, they maintained their childish innocence in so many ways. Particularly, Lily since she is the youngest and Evelyn’s need to protect her from the little details she knew about their lives.
With eerie dystopian elements, “The Garden” is evocative and beautifully written. A must read!
I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.
Propelled on a cross-country chase, devoted parents become desperate fugitives in a heart-racing novel of suspense by the author of Family Money and All He Has Left.
Thirteen years ago, Cole and Lisa Shipley were fostering an infant with hopes of adopting her. Overnight everything was turned upside down, when the child’s mother bled to death on their front doorstep. Her last words: He’s coming here…for her! Save her. Afraid, bewildered, and with a baby in their arms, they fled. The longer they hid, the guiltier they looked.
Now in a small Colorado town under assumed identities, they’ve been seemingly safe. But when a tip exposes them and Cole is framed for another murder, they take it on the run again, barreling across the western US—this time with a confused and resistant teenage girl awakening to a terrifying new reality. In the rearview is the relentless FBI agent who has never given up the hunt. And he’s not the only one.
Every frightening mile brings a family closer to the truth about that fateful night thirteen years ago. And to a killer who’s determined to finish what he started.
My Thoughts:
Lately I’ve been reading books involving the FBI and their race to catch criminals-particularly killers. I’m just going to come right out and say that I’m not a fan of the FBI nor stories written involving their investigations. There have always been or usually variables of their investigations and the way they often go about it that have irked me. That said, the ones I’ve read lately have been fast paced, better character development, uniquely written plots and entertaining reads.
In this story I felt they relied more on leads, technology -cameras, taps on phones, tips and etc. That is all well and done but one thing they failed to do in this story was look more closely at the murder, Cole “supposedly” had newly committed. If I’m correct, they didn’t look more into it until Cole spoke to the FBI agent of his innocence. Maybe I’m missing something and need to go and reread that part but that is what I’m recalling. Or it could be that it was written this way to add to the element of intensity and interest of the chase or hunt-if you will to capture the Shipleys?
When I read the scene of the murder that Cole is accused of, I immediately thought that a wider method of using forensics and a Ballistic report would definitely give the agents more information to help their investigation. Hmm… whatever the case, this story involving Cole’s family’s situation had my attention and I was completely invested in their horrific plight.
This was a fast pace, intense and thrilling read with twist and turns so much so that it had me finish reading the story less than a day. I couldn’t put it down! I needed to keep reading as I felt I was right there with the Shipley family, going through everything they were.
If you are a fan of FBI stories or looking for a great one to read, this story is for you!
I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.
Layered Pages 