The Hangman's Daughter

A historical thriller set in 1660's Germany, after a dying boy is pulled from a river with a mark tattooed on his shoulder, hangman Jakob Kuisl is called to investigate whether witchcraft is involved. When more children suddenly start to disappear and another orphan boy is found dead marked with the same tattoo, hysteria threatens to create the witch trials of the past all over again.  Before the chaos forces Jakob to torture and execute  the woman who brought many of the townspeople's children into the world, including his, Jakob must find the truth.  With the help of his daughter Magdalena and Simon, a young physician, Jakob discovers pure evil and that the devil is truly alive in his town.

This book is not a normal read for me and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by not only the pace but also the way the story played out.  I was truly intrigued by the mystery and actually the characters were very believable. I enjoyed this book and felt like I got my money's worth at the end.  I am glad the Pullman Page Turner's picked this and I am glad I got to visit Jakob. 

I give this 4 out of 5 stars.

Happy Reading and enjoy a cup of tea! 

Kara

Life Without Limits

Life Without Limits is the amazing story of an amazing man born without arms or legs.  Nick Vujicic, tells the story of how he overcame his disability to not only live a fulfilling life, but share that life through his motivational speaking.  Nick shares how his physical disabilities and emotional battles and the love and support of his parents and family have brought him the strength to share his main message, which is finding your life's purpose no matter what odds face you.

Nick shares how his faith in God is his main source of strength and when he found his sense of purpose he found the confidence to build a productive life without limits.

This book was an absolute joy to read. I LOVED the stories of Nick's relationship of love with his family and his dedication to God and what that has meant to bringing his story to the world. Throughout the book Nick shares personal stories of his lowest points, where he thought of ending his life, to joking around with his cousins and pulling pranks on unsuspecting plane passengers as he climbs in the baggage compartment. Nick has wonderful stories of miracles happening in front of him and shares those with us as he describes his travels around the world.


I felt his pain, I laughed at his humor and his practical jokes and I am in awe of his spirit.  What a bright light Nick Vujicic is in this world.  I feel so lucky to have read this book and feel a little richer for having read this treasure.

5 out 5 stars for this book!!! 

Cutting For Stone

Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born to an Indian nun and  British surgeon at a mission hospital. Orphaned by their mother’s death in childbirth and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a connection that only twins know and can understand; they also come of age as Ethiopia is on the brink of revolution.  Their passion for the same woman will tear them apart and force Marion, just out of medical school, to escape his homeland. In  America, finding refuge in his work as an intern at an underfunded New York City hospital, Marion finds his father in an unsuspecting moment. When trouble causes problems for Marion again,  he must entrust his life to the two men he thought he trusted least in the world: the surgeon father who abandoned him and the brother who betrayed him.

I was unsure how I felt about this book when I started, especially with all of the reviews that are out there.  I found the beginning incredibly slow and actually very confusing with the names and even what was going on.  After the first couple of chapters it did pick up though.  I found the detail of the customs, the medical procedures and descriptions and even the character's interactions to be very detailed and colorful, so much so that I even dreamed about them. I loved the relationship between the twins: although Shiva was less than an admirable character, their dedication and bond was incredible. I loved the relationship between Ghosh and Hema, the two people responsible for raising the boys, and even Rosina's(the twin's nanny) daughter Genet, who truly was raised by Hema and ended up having a pivotal role in everyone's life as time went on.

Although the descriptions were wonderful, in some areas of the book I also found myself at times struggling to stay with the story and frustrated with the painstaking detail of the medical procedures that frankly  really weren't that important to the ongoing saga of the twins.  I felt  that the story may have been able to end sooner rather than later, especially when we got to Marion leaving the country.  I did like how it tied together in the end and of course was consistent throughout the family tie that bound Marion to his country and ultimately to Hema, his twin brother, and his allegiance to Gosh's legacy which  was what made me end the book with a great feeling of satisfaction. Overall a great story, however it's for a reader committed to really digging in for a detailed heavy read.

On a rating scale I would give the book 3 1/2 to  4 stars out 5.

Beyond All Measure

Ada Wentworth takes a journey to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee all the way from Boston.  Traveling alone and penniless after losing her aunt, father and her fiance, Ada accepts a position as an elderly lady's companion by the name of Lillian Willis.  With the hopes of starting a new life and intending to use her millinery skills, Ada hopes to save money and establish a future for herself.

Lillian Willis, a pillar of the community and her nephew Wyatt Caldwell, a wealthy bachelor who owns a lumber mill become Ada's main friends as well as a mulatto girl, Sophia, at a orphanage in town.  In a town still not completely healed from the civil war, Ada's friendship with the young girl creates tension and Ada is threatened when she refuses to end her relationship with Sophia. A cast of characters both good and not so good fill the story with interesting tales.  A relationship between Ada and Wyatt starts as a friendship and struggles both to grow and to maintain itself after Lillian dies and Ada is forced to look inside herself and trust in God.

Dorothy Love's novel Beyond All Measure was a wonderful read.  A historical romance that made the issues facing the south during that time period a main point.  It was a an easy story to get lost in by really enjoying the characters and story of a young woman coming to terms with who she was, what she wanted out of life and out of love. A great story of love, loyalty, friendship and character that will stay with the reader.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Thomas Nelson's BookSneeze program. *

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://booksneeze%c2%ae.com/> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.