Ladies and Gentlemen, The Phantom of the Opera meets The Greatest Showman in Joanna Davidson Politano’s historical romance novel A Midnight Dance. Enter Ella Blythe: orphan and dancer at the Craven Street Theater in London during the 1830s. She has formal training from Paris, dreams for a future on the stage, and the dance slippers … Continue reading Book Review: A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano
Christian fiction
Book Review: Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp
Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp exemplifies what Christian fiction should be: a story of Christian characters who aren’t perfect, of darkness juxtaposed with light, of real human tragedy mingled with real divine mercy, of truth-based themes that reach from the pages into the heart of every reader. What impressed me about Darkness Calls … Continue reading Book Review: Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp
Book Review: Something Else by Cher Gatto (Something I Am Not, #2)
Something Else: The Background When I heard about Something Else before its release last month, I didn’t know what to expect. After all, it was the original story, Something I Am Not, that had me sobbing on my bedroom floor after midnight. (No wonder it won the 2020 Christian Indie Award for Best YA and … Continue reading Book Review: Something Else by Cher Gatto (Something I Am Not, #2)
Book Review: Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano
Introducing Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano: Pride and Prejudice meets Little Women, wrapped in a bit of Charles Dickens, and tied with ribbon borrowed from Sherlock Holmes. As a writer and a reader, I appreciate few things more than reading books about writers. So when I opened my brand new, signed copy … Continue reading Book Review: Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano
Book Review: The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright
And I thought The Souls of Lost Lake was good. Jaime Jo Wright’s The House on Foster Hill—her debut novel, actually—was just as good, if not a little better. I loved it for some of the same reasons, and for some reasons unique to this story. Beethoven piano music in the middle of the night. … Continue reading Book Review: The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright
Book Review: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace
The question I asked when I first finished Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ was, Where has this book been all my life? I can’t believe it took me until my late twenties to read this famous literary classic by Lew Wallace. My earliest exposure to the story was in elementary school when my homeschooling … Continue reading Book Review: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace
A Christian Writer’s Mission Statement
Dear fellow creative, Not long after last year's ACFW VA Royal Writers Conference, I read Ezekiel 13 in my morning devotions. This passage held the verse that has since formed my mission statement as a Christian writer. Context: Ezekiel was a prophet to God's people, the Israelites (Jews), during their exile in the land of … Continue reading A Christian Writer’s Mission Statement
Book Review: Carver of Souls by J. J. Fischer (Soul Mark Duology #2)
Happy Book Birthday, J. J Fischer! Pirates of the Caribbean meets Francine River’s Redeeming Love in Carver of Souls, the second installment of J. J. Fischer’s Soul Mark Duology that releases TODAY. (See my review of the first book, The Soul Mark.) THIS BOOK picks up right where the first one left off, continuing the … Continue reading Book Review: Carver of Souls by J. J. Fischer (Soul Mark Duology #2)
Book Review: The Soul Mark by J. J. Fischer (Soul Mark Duology #1)
I can't wait to tell you about J. J. Fischer's newest book, just released in May! If you’re a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, Laura Frantz, or C. S. Lewis (or all three), The Soul Mark is right up your alley with its Colonial-era swashbuckling, sweet (and clean) romance, and rich, Christian allegory. I … Continue reading Book Review: The Soul Mark by J. J. Fischer (Soul Mark Duology #1)
Book Review: Calor by J. J. Fischer (The Nightingale Trilogy #1)
Happy book birthday, J. J. Fischer! Today is the release of her third book and the first installment of The Nightingale Trilogy, Calor. I absolutely loved reading this book and can't wait to share this review! Fairytale retellings are cool and all, but nothing is cooler (literally) than a fairytale retelling mashed with Greek myth … Continue reading Book Review: Calor by J. J. Fischer (The Nightingale Trilogy #1)
Melissa J. Troutman 