Title: Veiled In Smoke
Author: Jocelyn Green
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9780764233302
Publication Date: February 4th, 2020

About the Book:

The Flames Took So Much.She Can't Lose Her Father As Well.

Meg Townsend and her sister, Sylvie, seek a quiet existence managing the family bookshop. Meg feels responsible for caring for their father, Stephen, whose spirit and health are both damaged from his time as a prisoner during the Civil War. Her one escape is the paintings she creates and sells in the bookshop.

Then the Great Fire sweeps through Chicago's business district. The fiery explosions and chaos stir up memories of war for Stephen as he runs from the blaze and becomes separated from his daughters. Days later, when the smoke has cleared, Meg and Sylvie manage to reunite with him. Their home and shop are lost, and what's left among the ashes may be even more threatening than the flames, for they learn that a close friend was murdered the night of the fire--and Stephen has been charged with the crime. After he is committed to the Cook County Insane Asylum, where they cannot visit him, Stephen feels as lost to them as the shop that now lies in rubble.

Though homeless and suddenly unemployed, Meg must not only gather the pieces of her shattered life but prove the truth of what happened that night, before the asylum truly drives her father mad.

My Thoughts:
I look forward to this time of year. Not because of spring, oh no, it's book season! Several of my favorite authors are releasing new books and it is the most wonderful time. One of my all time favorite authors, Jocelyn Green, just released her newest book. And goodness, what a story it was!

I've only read one other historical fiction book on the Great Chicago Fire and it was very interesting. I was excited to see how the story in Veiled in Smoke would play out. I was not disappointed!

Veiled in Smoke was a book that had the Chicago Fire as the main focus of the story, but the characters we follow deal with so much from before the fire all the way through the rebuild. This book was one that yes, focused on a huge tragedy, but it also a book that brought other historical tragedies into the spotlight as well. The Chicago fire took place not long after the Civil War ended. The men that survived are back home with their families, some fully, some only in body. Their minds were elsewhere.

Meg and Sylvie are two grown sisters doing their best to get by running a bookstore and painting. They lost their mom a few years back, and their dad who served in the war is home, but has been injured mentally.

Having been dealt a hard blow to the family, Meg and Sylvie are close, but they are complete opposites in every fashion. They each view things differently and when that happens, like it does in many families, it can cause tension, when thrown into a huge stressful situation on top of it, family ties are tested. Jocelyn Green was able to write and portray this struggle so well. It is something so many people have gone through, in some form or fashion, and you can see both sides of it when reading this book.

Stephen, Meg and Sylvie's father has lived a hard life during the war. During this time, PTSD wasn't known about, wasn't studied, other then they didn't come back fully from the war and suffered a soldier's heart. Reading about Stephen and the struggles he faced and the internal battles he fights is heartbreaking. This is a struggle that many battle now and Jocelyn Green was able to spotlight the importance of care for someone who has been mentally hurt. You hurt for Stephen and the circumstance he is thrown into and for his family who are battling it in their own way. The emotional connection is strong with this story in so many ways.

Nate Pierce was the strength and the steady head in a lot of this book. He was a reporter. He was after the truth and seeking out details. He tried to not let emotions get to him, but he offered a whole new perspective and visual then what Meg and Sylvie and their father had. He brought a balance to the story. He brought a unique look of the outsider, who wasn't affected by the fire personally, but it affected him through others.

There is so much growth and depth in these characters. The background for this book is one that can be dark and depressing, but Jocelyn Green is able to write in and bring this story to one of hope.

I'm so glad that this is the first book in this saga, I enjoyed getting to know the Townsend family and I wasn't ready to say good-by.

This was just a stunning book in so many way.

5 out of 5

About the Author:
Jocelyn Green (www.jocelyngreen.com) inspires faith and courage as the award-winning and bestselling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King, Wedded to War, and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. Her books have garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, and have been honored with the Christy Award, the gold medal from the Military Writers Society of America, and the Golden Scroll Award from the Advanced Writers & Speakers Association. She graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a BA in English, concentration in writing. Jocelyn lives with her husband, Rob, and two children in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.






Thank you to the author, I received a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Title: Wedded to War
Author: Jocelyn Green
Publisher: River North
Format Type: Audiobook
Narrated by Laura E. Richcreek
Duration: 10h 34m
Publication Date: August 23rd 2019

About the Book:

A Christy Award-nominated title for best new author.

When war erupted, she gave up a life of privilege for a life of significance.

Tending to the army’s sick and wounded meant leading a life her mother does not understand and giving up a handsome and approved suitor. Yet Charlotte chooses a life of service over privilege, just as her childhood friend had done when he became a military doctor. She soon discovers that she’s combating more than just the rebellion by becoming a nurse.

Will the two men who love her simply stand by and watch as she fights her own battles? Or will their desire for her wage war on her desire to serve God?

Wedded to War is a work of fiction, but the story is inspired by the true life of Civil War nurse Georgeanna Woolsey. Woolsey’s letters and journals, written over 150 years ago, offer a thorough look at what pioneering nurses endured. This is the first in the series Heroines Behind the Lines: Civil War, a collection of novels that highlights the crucial contributions made by women during times of war.

My Thoughts:
I have not hidden the fact that I'm a huge fan of Jocelyn Green's stories. Her books have such an amazing, immersive ability. She brings history to life, while weaving a fictional character into the the story flawlessly to make it all the more relatable.

I first read Wedded to War in 2013. I loved it! You can read my previous review here. This book was just released as an audiobook and goodness, I didn't think I could like the story anymore then I already did! The narrator, Laura Richcreek really made this book pop! Her narration style was smooth and very easy to listen to. She modified her voice for each character to where you knew who was speaking and it had an effortless flow.

Listening to the story allowed me to really take it all in. It also made some of the little details I overlooked when I originally read stand out more an enhanced the story. I was sad when the book came to a close. I was wanting more. I'm looking forward to continuing this series with book 2, Widow of Gettysburg. It was one of my favorites!

About the Author:
Jocelyn Green. Award-winning author Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage in her readers through both fiction and nonfiction. A former military wife herself, she authored Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives and coauthored The 5 Love Languages® Military Edition (with Dr. Gary Chapman). Her novels, inspired by real heroines on America’s home front, are marked by their historical integrity and gritty inspiration. The books in the Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War series have been honored with gold and silver medals from the Military Writers Society of America. Wedded to War was a Christy Award finalist in two categories.

Jocelyn graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a BA in English (concentration in writing). She is an active member of the Christian Authors Network, the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Military Writers Society of America. Jocelyn lives with her husband, Rob, and two small children in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at jocelyngreen.com.



Thank you to the author, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Shelter of the Most High
Author: Connilyn Cossette
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780764219870
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2018

About the Book:

The daughter of a pagan high priest, Sofea finds solace from her troubles in the freedom of the ocean. But when marauders attack her village on the island of Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to the shores of Canaan.

Eitan has lived in Kedesh, a City of Refuge, for the last eleven years, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood and chafing at the boundaries placed on him. He is immediately captivated by Sofea, but revealing his most guarded secret could mean drawing her into the danger of his past.

As threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are uncovered within, Sofea and Eitan are plunged into the midst of a murder plot. Will they break free from the shackles of the past in time to uncover the betrayal and save their lives and the lives of those they love?

My Thoughts:
Connilyn Cossette is an author who I have followed since her first book, Counted with the Stars, came out. With each story she has told, the more detailed and emotionally involved I have gotten and it has just been a fabulous journey!

We were introduced to Eitan in the first book of Cities of Refuge series, A Light on the Hill, when he was a boy. He has now grown into a young man, who has learned a lot of things and still has a desire to do more. He has a stubborn streak that has been both good and bad. We see what the start of living in Kedesh was like for him when he moved there with Moriyah. You can check out A Light on the Hill for all of Moriyah's story, I promise to not spoil it for you here. ;-)

Sofea, goodness, when we are introduced to her, she is a carefree young woman, enjoying the waves and her village with her cousin. That changes however, very quickly. Her life as she knows it has been stripped from her. The journey to Kedesh is one of pain for her and her cousin. She is a woman in a strange land and doesn't know the tongue.

Eitan and Sofea are each broken in their own way. They each have a lot to learn. They also both learn a lot about their trust and faith in God.

This story hooked me from the beginning. I love the continuation of this series and the growth of the characters and keeping up with the ones we have fallen in love with all ready. It is the perfect mix. Seeing broken people and the struggles they face and the strength and hope that comes from it, it something that you really can't get enough of.

Connilyn Cossette, does an amazing job of presenting these Old Testament settings and bringing them to life. The research she has done shines through. She has stuck to the text, but has brought it to a new light with her characters. The information she has written about has made me want to look further into this time and settings.

This was a fabulous book, and I honestly can't wait to read book 3, Until the Mountains Fall, due out in July 2019.

I was able to listen to this story on Audible as well as read the book. I was thrilled to see that the previous narrator was back to continue the performance of this story. She was able to really bring some emotion in to her reading and made it pop.

5 out of 5

About the Author:
When she is not homeschooling her two sweet kids (with a full pot of coffee at hand), bestselling author Connilyn Cossette is scribbling notes on spare paper, mumbling about her imaginary friends, and reading obscure, out-of-print history books. There is nothing she likes better than digging into the rich, ancient world of the Bible and uncovering buried gems of grace that point toward Jesus. Her novel Counted With the Stars won the 2013 Frasier Contest and was a semifinalist in the 2013 ACFW Genesis Contest. Although a Pacific Northwest native, she now lives near Dallas, Texas.

Connect with her at www.connilyncossette.com.



Thank you to the author, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

More to follow soon!!

 Anyone else participating?

What is your favorite literary date?

Week 3:

What is your favorite book quote?
I'm always on the hunt for more of them.

And movie adaptations...do you like the older movies or the new adaptations?

Week 2: