Top book picks for Christmas gifts

Normally I scatter my book picks on random Fridays throughout the year, but this time I decided to save them up for one special gift recommendation post!

You have fiction-lovers on your shopping list, right? You know the ones–folks who could build a Christmas book tree just from the stacks towering near their bed? (Yep, that’s what I did).

These treasures will surely delight. Here are my top five picks for this gift giving season, in no particular order.

 

The Memoir of Johnny Devine by Camille Eide. This book is HOT off the press, releasing just today. After seeing the glowing five-gold-star “TOP PICK” review in RT Book Reviews (that’s never done…never!), I could not wait to read this new book. So when I saw advance copies available for review, I snatched it up in an instant.

This book earned every single star. I love stories that are set in unique time periods, especially when the author does the work needed to truly capture the era. Camille Eide does that in spades. From the magical silver screen and Hollywood gossip all the way through McCarthy’s hunt for communists, this novel drops you head first into the 1950s and you won’t step out until you’ve read the final page. And trust me–the finish is “sigh-worthy.” Not only is the romance tender, the story is a beautiful rendition of God’s grace and forgiveness. Don’t miss it.

Love can’t rewrite the pages of your past, but it can cover a multitude of sins—one page at a time.

In 1953, desperation forces war widow, Eliza Saunderson, to take a job writing the memoir of ex-Hollywood heartthrob, Johnny Devine. Rumor has it Johnny can seduce anything in a skirt quicker than he can hail a cab. But now, the notorious womanizer claims he’s born again. And so he seems to be. Eliza soon finds herself falling for the humble, grace-filled man John has become—a man who shows no sign of returning her feelings.

No sign, that is, until she discovers something John never meant for her to see.

When Eliza’s articles on minority oppression land her on McCarthy’s communist hit list, both John and Eliza become entangled in a HUAC investigation that threatens both John’s book and Eliza’s future. To clear her name, Eliza must solve a family mystery. She also needs to convince John that real love—not the Hollywood illusion—can cover a multitude of sins. But just when the hope of love becomes reality, a troubling discovery confirms Eliza’s worst fears. Like the happy façade many Americans cling to, had it all been empty lies? Is there a love she can truly believe in?

The Memoir of Johnny Devine is a dramatic story-within-a-story of a bad boy reformed and a good girl in need of reform. It’s a powerful tale of love, redemption, intrigue, and the miracle of deliberate grace.

Any of you who’ve followed my blog for a time know that I’m a HUGE Sarah Sundin fan. I adore her fascinating and historically-rich WWII romances. This year she’s launched a new series with Revell, The Waves of Freedom. In the new series, the author takes her sweet romances and has given them an extra little kick of suspense. The first installment, Through Waters Deep, is an intriguing look into the Boston shipyards as America prepares for the possibility of war.

As a shy book-worm, I immediately identified with Navy Ship Yard secretary Mary Stirling and appreciated her multiple references to Nancy Drew mysteries. I found myself wanting to take notes, like Mary, and join her in finding the saboteur. Ensign Jim Avery, facing down both surly shipmates and German U-boats, is a perfect match for this clever heroine. They will need to work together to find the saboteur before more ships are put at risk. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. Back on shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently, happy to be out of the limelight. Yet, despite her reserved nature, she never could back down from a challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges–and dangers–await them.

Typically I try to keep my reviews to new releases, but after finally getting around to reading Kristy Cambron’s The Butterfly and the Violin, there’s simply no way I could leave it off this list. Released in July 2014, Kristy Cambron’s debut novel took the Christian fiction world by storm, winning its way onto many top 10 lists for 2014 and earning a 4 1/2 star “TOP PICK” review from RT Book Reviews.

I enjoy novels where the author rotates between two different time periods, carefully weaving the two stories together into one rich tale. This device was perfect for The Butterfly and the Violin because of the emotionally challenging subject matter: the Auschwitz death camps. Just when you think you can’t face any more of the horror, Cambron gently guides the reader back to modern-day. As the modern characters seek pieces to the puzzle, you find yourself prepared to step back into Adele’s world–and find hope amidst the atrocities. This is a beautiful and poignant story.

A mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz–and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl–a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover–the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul–who maybe the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting’s subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy of 1942, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: the grim camps of Auschwitz and the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

I have to confess… When I first heard the premise of Elizabeth Camden’s novel, With Every Breath, my heart jumped into my throat. It was in the summer of 2014, and the story sounded frighteningly similar to the premise for my novel set to release almost a year later, Beyond the Ashes (already written at that point). There’s nothing that can send an author into panic as quickly as finding out someone else has had a brainstorm similar to your own. What if they did a better job? What if someone thinks you copied them? All of these fears raced through my head. I didn’t dare read the book, knowing I still had to finish editing my manuscript, regardless of any eerie similarities.

Now that Beyond the Ashes has been out for six months, I felt it was finally safe to read With Every Breath. There was no danger of picking up ideas and accidentally recycling them into my own book.

I am delighted that I finally got around to reading Camden’s novel.

Here are a few of the bizarre similarities: The heroine is an outspoken, red-headed widow afraid to risk loving again. The hero is a bachelor doctor conducting research on a dangerous and fatal disease, taking great personal risks. And without giving up any spoilers…there is a medical twist that appears at the climax that is similar to what my couple faced. Similar, but different. You’ll have to read both books to understand.

There were also many differences, and that’s where I truly became enthralled. After I shrugged off the disquieting feeling of reading a premise similar to my own, I throughly enjoyed Camden’s take on the story. It reminded me of reading re-tellings of famous tales and how every author makes their own mark on the story.

I was especially fascinated by the details about tuberculosis research and treatment in the 1890s. Much like the stories I read about cancer studies for Beyond the Ashes (and Out of the Ruins before it), the doctors working with tuberculosis frequently put their own lives on the line in order to further their research. I’ve never met Elizabeth Camden, but I have the distinct impression that I’d really like her. It’s obvious that she enjoys digging into obscure medical history as much as I do.

So, with all of that said, if you enjoyed the Golden Gate Chronicles, I’m confident that you will love With Every Breath.

In the shadow of the nation’s capital, Kate Livingston’s respectable life as a government worker is disrupted by an encounter with the insufferable Trevor McDonough, the one man she’d hoped never to see again. A Harvard-trained physician, Trevor never showed the tiniest flicker of interest in Kate, and business is the only reason he has sought her out now.

Despite her misgivings, Kate agrees to Trevor’s risky proposal to join him in his work to find a cure for tuberculosis. As Kate begins to unlock the mysteries of Trevor’s past, his hidden depths fascinate her. However, a shadowy enemy lies in wait and Trevor’s closely guarded secrets are darker than she ever suspected.

As revelations from the past threaten to destroy their careers, their dreams, and even their lives, Trevor and Kate find themselves in a painfully impossible situation. With everything to lose, they must find the strength to trust that hope and love can prevail over all.

 

Normally I only promote books I’ve already read, but for the final book on this list, I’m going to make an exception.

As a fan of Sherlock Holmes and strong/witty female characters, I’ve been anticipating debut author Rachel McMillan’s Herringford & Watts Mysteries for months now. The first full-length novel, The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder, doesn’t release until April. Fortunately for us, Harvest House Publishers is providing a special preview with an e-book novella releasing today, A Singular & Whimsical Problem.

It just arrived on my Kindle this morning. I can’t wait to dig in! The game is afoot.

Christmas, 1910. Merinda Herringford and Jem Watts would be enjoying the season a lot more if they weren’t forced to do their own laundry and cooking. Just as they are adapting to their trusty housekeeper’s ill-timed vacation, they are confronted by the strangest mystery they’ve encountered since they started their private investigation firm.
In this bonus e-only novella, what begins as the search for a missing cat leads to a rabble-rousing suffragette and the disappearance of several young women from St. Jerome’s Reformatory for Incorrigible Females. From the women’s courts of City Hall to Toronto’s seedy docks and into the cold heart of the underground shipping industry, this will be the most exciting Christmas the girls have had yet…if they can stay alive long enough to enjoy it.

Merry Christmas and happy reading to each of you. May all your bookshelves and e-book apps be overflowing!