Shadow and Bone

Book Review: Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo Life has been hard for Alina Starkov, but until recently she has always been able to count on her best friend, Malyen Oretsev. Teen-aged orphans in the war-torn country of Ravka, she and Mal now serve in the army, which consists of regular troops and people with…

Painting Kisses

Book Review – Painting Kisses, by Melanie Jacobson After her divorce, famous artist Lia Carswell throws away her brushes, paints, and canvases, and she flees from New York to the mountains of Utah. There she invents a simpler life by changing her name, waitressing in a small diner, and helping to care for her sweet…

An Ensign of Liberty

In the New York Harbor stands a lady with her torch held high, lighting the way for millions who have come to America seeking peace, liberty, freedom to worship, and the opportunity to live, work, and grow here.  In the other arm she carries a tablet inscribed with the date of the Declaration of Independence,…

Fifteen Minutes

Fifteen Minutes, by Karen Kingsbury, caused me to think deeply.  Zack Dylan is a talented singer and songwriter who promises that nothing can change his devotion to God, family, and his girlfriend. But when he leaves his home on a Kentucky horse farm to compete on the reality TV show Fifteen Minutes, he has no…