When a soccer mom is pulled into another world she is forced to either love and help the people of that world or find a way home
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Susan, a mother, worn-out by her kids needs a break, so her husband finished their attic as her "kid free zone' to relax and unwind when she needs some time to herself.  When she gets her first chance to use the room and enjoy time away from her kids she starts to enjoy the freedom when suddenly she is pulled through a portal into another world.

The world of Lyric is different than the world she knows and she has to learn their customs and ways as she adapts to the life she was thrust into.  Along the way she meets some questionable characters and despite her fears she chooses to trust them and it pays off for her.  She learns that the people of the world of Lyric have long awaited a Restorer that would come to them.  As she begins to try to find a way back home she learns more of the people and their ways.  Sharing what she has learned from her faith in God on Earth to a people unfamiliar with His ways is hard, but her words lead the people to believe that she is the restorer that has come to save them.  As she continues to try to return home she struggles with missing her family and wanting to help the people of Lyric.

The Restorer is well written and thought out.  The world of Lyric comes to life, as I read it I felt like I was watching a movie seeing the land and communities before my eyes.  The characters have depth and feel so real as you read through the story that by the end you feel like you have known them your whole life.  The pace is great and kept me wanting to read just another chapter, and then another, and another.  I found it hard to put this down and read it in just a few sittings.

Beyond the world of Lyric and the Earth that we know there is a truth of God's word written throughout the pages of this book in a very subtle yet powerful way.  The Villains seek to deceive and lurer people away from the truth, thus wreaking havoc in their lives and world.  The element of Spiritual warfare was clear to me as I read, yet it is so seamlessly woven into the story that it doesn't stand out until you stop reading and start thinking through what happened.

When I first bought this book based on the description that interested me, I wasn't sure if it would be right for me.  I read some fantasy books and they are growing on me, but I have found a lot that just didn't resonate with me, but The Restorer grabbed me from the start and now I can't wait to read the next four books in this series.

5 Stars.
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What would it take to make you leave everything you know and love behind to start over somewhere else?  Your family, your friends, your house, your language, all you know and love and that makes up your identity.  It must be either overwhelming difficulty where you are or the hope of an amazing opportunity somewhere else.  In The Book Of Unknown Americans, Cristina Henriquez introduces the reader to characters who have made this decision.

There is the Rivera family.  Arturo is a business owner in Mexico.  When his daughter is injured and needs special schooling, he gives up his business and moves his wife and daughter to the United States, where he is now a mushroom picker, spending his days in a dark room, thrusting his hand over and over into the dirt to search out and retrieve mushrooms.  He daughter Maribel slowly starts to get better as the months go by and her school helps her retrieve her former skills.

The Toro family lives in the same apartment complex.  They came from Panama and the dad works as a breakfast cook in a diner.  Mayor is the youngest son, always trying to live up to the reputation of his big brother, who won a soccer scholarship to college.  When he sees Maribel in the local Dollar Tree, he is struck by her beauty.  As the families become friends and the two teenagers get to know each other, Mayor and Maribel fall in love.  Their families do not approve and attempt to keep the two apart.  This relationship and the fallout from it make up the mainspring of the novel.

Henriquez has written a book that will open readers eyes to the lives of our most prevalent minority, that of the Hispanic population, although their immigrant stories ring true from those who come from other countries as well.  She deftly outlines the difficulties of starting over in a land where you must struggle to support yourself, to even make yourself understood.  The incredible hope in a better future it takes to start over is demonstrated, along with the difficulties.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction and those interested in the changing population in the United States.
3173482
A childrens crusade tugs at the heartstrings of those who are witness to it. Youngsters desperately attempting to change or make claim to something bigger than themselves --- something they feel the need to have in their lives to make them better, complete, important --- have spent thousands of years trying to exact change in a world not of their own making. The children in THE CHILDRENS CRUSADE, the latest novel from the author of the highly moving THE DIVE FROM CLAUSENS PIER, spend most of their lives trying to make a change in their own lives through their personal crusade, a situation that will do nothing more than bring their mother back to them --- which they all feel would make their own lives as complete as they could become.

When Bill Blair bought land in 1954, in the Northern California utopia that would eventually become Silicon Valley outside of San Francisco, he had plans. He intended to invest in this land with a life well-lived --- as a doctor, with a loving and faithful wife by his side, and his offspring running in the placid natural haven he would create. When he met the shy Penny Greenway, he thought he had found the perfect partner for this adventure towards domestic bliss. But, as the years passed by, and the demands of work and parenting wore the couple down, Pennys artistic dreams became more important than Bills domestic ones, and her children began a crusade to bring her back into their fold, where they felt she rightfully belonged.

THE CHILDRENS CRUSADE takes a particularly novel approach to the idea of tired women who wish to throw aside the strictures of domestic drudgery and child rearing in order to realize their own dreams and find fulfillment well outside of their home. Pennys journey speaks to the burgeoning womens movement and the feminist ideals that started to become part of the national conversation as her large brood was growing up. When she has a fourth and unplanned child, all hell breaks loose (at least in her mind), and she sets into action a furtive and fertile trajectory of life choices that continue to enslave her children to her as she is and as they wish her to be, even when they are old enough to have their own homes and kids. Baby James, the unplanned, manages to bypass the daily domestic security that his siblings engage in and thus is the straw that stirs the drink of dissatisfaction in all of them, even as they attempt to musketeer it out. They stay loyal to each other against all odds and try desperately to bring their mother back into the fold in one way or another.

The novel tells the story from the perspective of the children and Bill, as opposed to letting Penny have the floor and reveal her own story. It is an effective narrative decision, but ultimately keeps us from feeling as if we know enough about Penny not to blame her for James lack of direction in his adult life. As the siblings tell their version of the story, there is always the underlying sense that Penny is to blame, no matter how hard they try not to do so. I would have liked to have heard Ann Packer, who beautifully portrays each of the children in his or her own glorious individuality, give voice to Penny after all is said and done. But this is a small wish given the glorious scope and lovely honed writing in this compelling story.

Coming from a large family myself, I was fascinated by the family dynamics of the Blairs. However, you need only be a lover of insightful and emotional writing to enjoy the talent that put together THE CHILDRENS CRUSADE. Packer's latest novel is a very American and human portrayal of a family as it grows long past cute, aging together in a modern and changing world.

Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
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*****SPOILER******* (has one quote from the novel)

It has taken me awhile to complete this review because I am not quite sure how to word it with the amount of greatness it deserves. Emmi's goal is to be a soccer player, she is the best on the field even pushing through a debilitating cold to play in another game which isn't such a good idea when she finds out this risk has caused her the health of her heart. The virus she had has reached and caused unfixable damage to her heart. This is heartbreak one for her; she can't quite cope yet with the information that if she doesn't receive a heart transplant, the likely hood of her dying is quite high but even so, slowly she is getting more tired, out of breath by just walking down the stairs. Life changes wholly for her, nothing is the same and she is left wishing for the life she had, knowing if she had it now she would never take it for granted again.

She has days, months before her that seem grim in their possibilities, she is afraid of hoping because to be disappointed makes everything ten times worse but hoping is sometimes the only thing that keeps her going and sometimes to hope for the best is all you can do to cope and get through another day. The first couple of chapters were extremely difficult to get through because my heart was breaking for her because on some level I felt every emotion she experienced and in a way I needed to back away but the gripping hold this novel had on me wouldn't allow me too.  The emotion at times was overwhelming and a break is something that was needed but before long I had the novel back in my hands to find out, to discover what Emmi's fate would be.

Emmi is a character I won't forget anytime soon; her courage to stand above her fear is commendable. Her strength even when her walls are falling around her is an amazing feat. The way she handles the fact that the body she has always known as hers is failing her because a heart that had once been strong and healthy was broken beyond repair and this leaves her fighting to take back a life that is hers and come to terms with the fact that for her to live another must die. I can't imagine that would be easy to come to terms with but would give her two reasons to live; for her and the heart of the person who saved her life.  "Sometimes I feel guilty that I got some kid's heart. But then I realize he was already dead and there was nothing anyone could've done to change that. This way, at least a little part of him stays alive," he said. Page: 171

SHE KNOWN AS JESS
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The main character Jill has just suffered the loss of the child she was carrying, only to walk in on her husband having sex with another woman in her house, in her bed. The shock and sadness sends her fleeing to the mountains to escape the nightmare of her life and to be with people that love and comfort her. Her best friend and her uncle, among others, help her return to the person she used to be and Jill starts enjoying her life again. She starts skiing again and befriending others in Sparkle.

This story is uplifting and you're glad to see Jill get back on her feet and leave the loser husband behind.
1165562
After her relationship implodes and she is left with a broken heart Abby McCord decides a fresh start is in order, so she makes a plan to move home. She is hoping moving home will give her a comfortable place to heal and also give her the opportunity to help out her sister with her son who has ADHD. She takes a job as a teacher and in her free time she coaches a kids soccer team, which proves to be a little challenging, but she enjoys spending time with the kids. When a spectator sees that her little team is struggling and could possibly benefit from his soccer playing expertise he decides to offer his help to Abby, but her trust in men has her wanting to send him packing. While she will admit he is handsome, he has a bad boy reputation that precedes him, and she doesn't do bad boys so she should be safe around him right?

Pierce Harrison found success abroad on a soccer field, but when scandal rocked his world, he was forced to give up his time on field and left with no other choice then to head home and hide out stateside for a while. Now he must decide what his next step in life will be, but until then he decides to offer his soccer expertise to a gorgeous woman coaching a kids soccer team. She is beautiful, intriguing, and so unlike the women he usually dates... and he wants to make her part of his future, but she isn't so willing to let the soccer playing bad boy in!

This was my first experience with Ms. Gracen's work, and I have to say if left a pretty memorable first impression, Pierce's charming bad boy personality really lured me in, and had me swooning the whole way through. I thoroughly enjoyed Pierce and Abby's story, it instantly grabbed my attention, and had me flying right through the pages, and staying up well past my bedtime just to see them find their well deserved happy ending. I've got to say it is definitely one of the most enjoyable first reads I have had in a while!!
2980163
If you have ever lived with someone who has a mental illness or loved someone from a distance, you know how little your world can get. How the every day things get out of proportion and overwhelming. Fig is a strong character who has to deal with so much with a schizophrenic mother. While this was hard to read at time, it is worth the effort and struggle to see the world from a different perspective. Heartbreaking and frustrating at times. I found myself wanting to step in and be a parent to her.
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I love how the story flowed. A girl who wAnts her dream and her mom and friends have it, but she just can't get there but her friend for life shows her the way
2046370
This is the story of Vida, a woman who has allowed herself to become detached from the world and those she loves because she has refused to deal with her tragic past. When events force her hand, her son steps up to aid in her redemption. The writer has a wonderful way, almost poetic, with the storytelling, description and emotion. The end, while making the reader feel good, is probably a little too convenient. I did enjoy the book, the plot and the characters, and would recommend it.
451961
The story drew me along into the world of love, happiness, despair and hope.  Through a weird twist of fate, a father and young daughter are stranded alone.  This story shares in the experience of the father giving everything he has in order to save his daughter.  Poignant and touching stories of love and life between husband and wife are shared with the daughter.  These stories give the father hope and energy to find a way to save his daughter.  A great read.
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Does a child have to carry the burdens of the parents choices?  Does a child have to take on the pain that a parent can not let go of? Can a child free a parent of the pain and burdens they have kept as a part of their identity?

Those aforementioned questions came to mind as I read The Woman Behind the Waterfall by Leonora Meriel. Meriel tells the story of Angela, a seven-year-old Ukrainian girl who comes upon her mother crying uncontrollably at the beginning of the novel.  She learns that her mother is carrying the wounds of the past and can not let go of them.  Angela wants to help her mother release those wounds and find happiness again. The child learns that she has a connection to her grandmother who appears underneath a waterfall by a local river.

Angela realizes from her grandmother that the mother could be trapped by the past forever if she does not show her the way out from that pain.  The child has a connection to a spirit that assists her in getting the mother to see she has something living for despite what has happened in her life.

Meriels ethereal and subtle prose reminded me of another novel, The Messenger by K.M. Tremills, I reviewed.  The prose was layered and poignant like the aforementioned novel.  And I believe would reveal more of itself upon a re-read.  If you are looking for a book to escape into for a few days, then The Woman Behind the Waterfall is an excellent choice.  Recommended.

I received a copy of the novel from the author in exchange for this review
2213280
Pushing up the Sky recounts the story of one familys journey into the world of adopting unwanted Korean children.  An American Indian woman, her Caucasian husband, and their young daughter first welcome a Korean baby boy into the family, and then a few years later a ten-year-old Korean girl.  The challenge of the multiracial family they created is huge, but is nothing compared to the emotional roller coaster of daily rejection and the raw grief of deadly cancer.  This book will tug at your heartstrings.  It will make you laugh, cry, and marvel at the strength Terra Trevor had to have to endure not only the joy, but the unparalleled pain of motherhood.
1138536
I have never been on an international missions trip. I have never been out of the cushy comfort zone of the USA. By USA standards, I wasn't born into wealth, but by the standards of the Third World, I was rich. I have never had to send my children to bed hungry or worry about how to clothe them.

This book teams together a group of women from the U.S. facing varying issues in their personal lives. These women embark on a missions trip to South Africa. Their reasons for going are anything but altruistic, but what they encounter changes them all forever.

If you like being complacent and selfish, this isn't the book for you. If you want to be thankful for what you have, where you live and be challenged to think about someone besides yourself, then this book is a MUST read. The book is well-written, easy to read, compelling and heart-breaking.

I love the face that the novel was inspired by the nonprofit organization Beaded Hope. Their mission is to fight HIV/AIDS one person at a time by providing South Africans with the opportunity to earn an income, support their families and nurture their creativity while preserving age-old African beadwork traditions.
A portion of proceeds from the sale of the novel support the organization.
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Vivid prose and swift pacing propel this story of an teenage girl and her parents, a Chinese mother and Italian father, in  Shanghai at the end of WW II and their escape to Sicily as refugees. When her father dies, Rafaella becomes the sole support of her mother and makes her way to Rome to find work. A penniless stranger, young and vulnerable,  Rafaella finds reserves of strength and courage and creates a new life for helself and her mother. And, in the end,  finds love with a fellow refugee, a Chinese-Italian like herself. A story of hope, not to be missed.
1121377
This is the story of a Mother's denial, despair, and finally acceptance of the progonsis given in her child's terminal illness. It tells the story of her beloved son's life from the beginning to the end. Her words are at times warm and funny, and at other times heart wrenching. It is a very human story where you can get lost in her words as you envision this happening to your own child. When a Mother has done all she can do, we learn that love endures until the end.
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A young woman is on top of the world.  She is engaged to the man of her dreams, has graduated college and is ready to start the next phase of her life when she is in a devastating car accident that leaves her fighting for her life then struggling to walk again. In the midst of her struggle her fiance lets her know that if she isn't walking by the time he is ready to move he will go without her as a crippled wife and sympathy vote might do harm to his political ambitions.  She shows her character and grit by working harder than ever to heal.
2615293
Touching story of an immigrants struggle to forge a new life in the United States