Stranger Things - Erin Healy

When this popped up in the donations for the church library, I was interested.  I'd read a bit of this author in the past, but it was a few of the books she wrote with Ted Dekker.  I wasn't as fond of those as I was when I read Dekker alone, so I wanted to read one of Erin Healy's books to see if I liked her better on her own.

Serena's life comes crashing down one day when she's accused of sexual misconduct with one of her students.  She tries to get away from the accusations only to end up witnessing a shooting.  After that, she ends up involved with human trafficking and there doesn't seem to be a way out.

This book does a good job connecting you to the characters, which is good and bad at the same time.  Getting connected to a character who ends up murdered was sad, but it wasn't as tough as reading the parts about the abused women.  Those were just rough.

While I would consider this a page-turner, it was a relief when I finished it.  The older I get, the more invested I seem to get in my fiction.  I understand that it's not real, but knowing the trafficking is a real problem colors my view of the book as a whole.  It had a "happy" ending, but this kind of story was so hard to read.

Healy has great style, and I appreciated the depth to the characters.  It was a well-written book, just not one I enjoyed.

Raven's Gate (The Gatekeepers #1) - Anthony Horowitz

Matt has been in trouble for years.  Up till now, it's been petty stuff, but one night changes everything.  Now, his aunt doesn't want him, so his options are jail or a new program called LEAF.  Matt decides to try LEAF, but little does he realize that the woman taking him in has chosen him and has plans for him.  Matt doesn't know what those plans are, but one thing he knows for sure: they're not good.  Anyone who tries to interfere with Mrs. Deverill's plans or help Matt ends up dead.

This one left me feeling...uncomfortable.  The black magic, the Lord's Prayer backwards, the upside-down cross - all these things made me cringe, but the main issue I had with it is that evil seems to have the upper hand for almost the entire book.  There never seems to be a victory for the good guys, and if there is one, it's a hollow victory that is soon taken back by evil.  Also, a fair number of people die in this book, all in horrible ways.  The descriptions of those deaths aren't what I would call graphic, they were more...grisly.

You're led into the next book, but this is a complete story.  Amazon has Raven's Gate listed as grades 5-8 (the book has ages 10+ on it), and I have to disagree on that.  I think it would be more appropriate for older kids, I'd say 15+.  Maybe it's the prude in me, but even though I made it to the end, I don't feel the need to go farther.  I've read books in the past where evil is conquered, but this was too dark for me.

The Sea Before Us (Sunrise at Normandy #1) - Sarah Sundin

This is the first book in a new series about three brothers: one in the Navy, one in the Army Air Corp and one a Ranger.  This first book is about Wyatt, who is part of the Navy.

Dorothy is part of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, helping prepare for D-day.  Her childhood crush walks back into her life, and she’s determined to be the woman she knows he wants.  Even though she’ll have to change just about everything about herself to be that person, she’s determined to do what it takes to win his affections.

Wyatt is an American on the run, from his past and his mistakes.  After a tragic accident, he disappeared from his family’s life and took his brother’s college money with him.  Feeling like he’ll never be forgiven, he throws himself into his work.  When he meets Dorothy, she convinces him that he should reach out to his family.

Both characters are dealing with home troubles.  Wyatt refuses to contact his family until he’s collected enough money to repay his brother, and Dorothy is worried about her father, even though the man doesn’t seem to notice, or appreciate, her presence.  Wyatt is truthful about his past and becomes a friend to Dorothy and her father, but Wyatt is attracted to her.  Unfortunately, she’s only got eyes for that childhood crush.

As usual, Sundin seamlessly adds well-researched details to an engaging story.  I read this in two days, it was so enjoyable.  And I have to say, I always love when there’s a shout out to the B-26 Marauder.  My grandfather flew one of those, and it seems to be an overlooked aircraft in most WWII novels I read.

On the horizon (literally), Adler’s story will be told in The Sky Above Us in 2019.  Then, Clay’s follows in The Land Beneath Us in 2020.  I can’t wait!  Great Book!

*I received a copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Keturah (Sugar Baron's Daughters #1) - Lisa T. Bergren

Keturah is a broken woman.  After her failed marriage to her abusive husband, she’s vowed never to be under the control of a man ever again.  She’s decided to travel from England to Nevis to turn around the family’s sugar cane plantation.  Her two sisters make the decision to travel with her, and they leave their old lives behind.

Once they arrive at Nevis, things are much harder than Ket anticipated.  She’s been offered help from her childhood friend, Gray, but she’s reluctant to let any man have any control in her life.  She’s also made an unexpected discovery at the plantation, and she doesn’t have enough slaves or even a foreman.

This book was a bit of a roller coaster for me.  It’s definitely a journey of healing for Keturah, but there’s some hard moments in there.  The treatment of the slaves and abuse of them, while accurate to the time period, are hard to read.  Also, there’s recollections of the abuse Ketrah suffered at the hands of her husband and some of the things the sisters have to deal with as females trying to run their own plantation can be troubling.  There’s beatings and attempted rape.  Just something to be aware of if those things bother you.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I had a problem with the pacing.  For the first third of the book, I was reading about Keturah’s journey on board the ship.  It just seemed like she’d never get off the ship.  The thing that redeems it for me is the characters.  I want to find out what happens to Verity and Selah, Keturah’s sisters.  I want to read more of this family and look forward to the next book.  Good Book!

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.