Tag Archives: dual timelines

Top 10 Tuesday — Things Found in A Southern Garden

12 May

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT challenge is May Flowers. Since I’ve read only one book featuring Pilgrims 😉 , I decided to list books with titles that included things you could find in a southern garden, including things that have to be beaten back! I hope you find a book to catch your interest.

For more flowery lists, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books with Titles That Include Things You Could Find in A Southern Garden (whew! what a title!)

Already in The Kudzu by Hannah Hood Lucero

Burying Daisy Doe by Ramona Richards

Dragonfly Ashes by C. C. Warrens

Firefly Diaries by C. C. Warrens

He Should Have Told The Bees by Amanda Cox

Sea Rose Lane by Irene Hannon

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Specters in The Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright

Under The Magnolias by T. I. Lowe

Walking in Tall Weeds by Robin W. Pearson

When The Wildflowers Bloom Again by Donna Jo Stone

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Mini-Book Review — Specters in The Glass House

13 Nov

As with all novels by Jaime Jo Wright, Specters in The Glass House had me seeing ghosts! Never fear, though, this novel is Christian fiction and all the spooky goings-on had very real life explanations. I can’t tell you what they are, because that would certainly spoil things, but just know that things aren’t always as they seem and narrators are not always reliable. 😉 The complexly-plotted novel explores blessings and curses which presented an unsettling and sinister narrative that is juxtaposed with the goodness of God. The characters are troubling and troubled and are some of the most intriguing characters written by Wright. I found the mystery spread between two timelines to be intriguing as well — it kept me guessing until the very end. The atmospheric setting of the grand, yet puzzling, house and its greenhouse filled with butterflies was perfect. If you are creeped out by butterflies (I know someone who is), you may want to skip this book. LOL. All in all, Specters in The Glass House checks all the boxes for a twisty mystery with spooky elements.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I received the ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

In 1921, Marian Arnold, the heiress to a brewing baron’s empire, seeks solace in the glass butterfly house on her family’s Wisconsin estate as Prohibition and the deaths of her parents cast a long shadow over her shrinking world. When Marian’s sanctuary is invaded by nightmarish visions, she grapples with the line between hallucinations of things to come and malevolent forces at play in the present. With dead butterflies as the killer’s ominous signature, murders unfold at a steady pace. Marian, fearful she might be next, enlists the help of her childhood friend Felix, a war veteran with his own haunted past.

In the present day, researcher Remy Shaw becomes entangled in an elderly biographer’s quest to uncover the truth behind Marian Arnold’s mysterious life and the unsolved murders linked to an infamous serial killer. Joined by Marian’s great-great-grandson, can Remy expose the evil that lurks beneath broken wings? Or will the dark legacy surrounding the manor and its glass house destroy yet another generation?

Jaime Jo Wright, multi award-winning author–including the Christy and Daphne du Maurier awards–is a coffee-fueled and cat-fancier extraordinaire. She has entwined her life with the legendary Captain Hook, residing serenely in Wisconsin’s rural woodlands. Her literary vocation involves penning chilling Gothic tales, a baffling change from that of Austenites, with a strong preference to the master of dark, Edgar Allan Poe. Two mischievous urchins adorn their family, who keep their mother on her toes – providing an exhilarating amount chaos.

Visit her at: http://www.jaimewrightbooks.com and listen to her podcast MadLit Musings on your favorite podcast player or at http://www.madlitmusings.com.

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Top 10 Tuesday — Random Books from The Shelves

4 Nov

Happy Tuesday! Today TTT bloggers are posting random books from our shelves — either physical or digital. Sharing from either is really going to expose my lack of timely reading. 😉 My Kindle, physical shelves, and NetGalley shelf are filled with hopes and dreams — hope that I will finally choose a book and dreams of having all the time in the world to read! Sad for so many reasons. But I will play along anyway. I chose to go the physical book route — have you read any on my list? Tell me which should head to the top of the TBR pile.

For more random book goodness, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

10 Random Books from My Book Shelves

The Cairo Brief by Fiona Veitch Smith

Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

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Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer

A Gardin Wedding by Rosey Lee

The Secret Book of Flora Lee by Patty Callahan Henry

Outbreak by Davis Bunn

The Queen by Stephen James

Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green

Under The Tulip Tree by Michele Shocklee

Visible Threat by Janice Cantore

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Top 10 Tuesday — Atmospheric Reads, Halloween Edition

28 Oct

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is a Halloween Freebie. Last week bloggers posted about cozy/atmospheric novels. I chose cozy with a follow-up of atmospheric books today. To fit with the Halloween theme I am defining atmospheric as a book setting that conjures up a feeling of mystery and intrigue, with a little bit (or a lot) of spooky thrown in. It’s always good to have at least one spooky read during October. 😉 I hope you find one that intrigues you.

For more Halloween-ish posts, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Atmospheric Reads

The Devil Walks in Mattingly by Billy Coffey

Man of Shadow And Mist by Michelle Griep

Of Gold And Shadows by Michelle Griep

On The Cliffs of Foxglove Manor by Jaime Jo Wright

Queen of Hearts by Heather Day Gilbert

Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen

Shattered Sanctuary by Nancy Mehl

Specters in The Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright

Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard

Wicked Is The Hollow by K. E. Ganshert

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Top 10 Tuesday — Long Book Series

7 Oct

Happy Tuesday! Today TTT is all about favorite book series, and I am specifically focusing on series that are longer than the standard 3 books. Some have concluded, which gives you a great reason to binge read, and others are still on going, so you better catch up! All are great in my opinion. I have included a variety of genres so that you can find the perfect book for you.

For more fabulous book series, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Book Series with Lots of Books!

Daughters of The Mayflower series by various authors (12 books)

Hope Harbor series by Irene Hannon (12 and counting!)

Hugh De Singleton’s Chronicles by Mel Starr (17 and counting!)

The O’Malley series by Dee Henderson (6 books)

Psalm 23 Mysteries series by Debbie Viguie (21 books)

Timeless series by Gabrielle Meyer (6 and counting)

True Colors series by various authors (11 books)

True Crime Junkies series by Christy Barritt (10 books)

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Spotlight on Dual Time Christian Fiction — Through Water And Stone

1 Oct

Through Water and Stone JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Through Water and Stone by Karen Barnett hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Through Water and Stone

Title: Through Water and Stone
Series: National Parks
Author: Karen Barnett
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: September 23, 2025
Genre: Christian Fiction, Dual Timeline

In 1948, Zion National Park ranger Henry Eriksson and his wife, Alma, are less than one year removed from their infant son’s sudden death in a flash flood, and the weight of the loss hasn’t diminished with time. When Henry discovers an abandoned baby in a hatbox on his morning rounds, he’s unsure how to react, but Alma is delighted, and she reignites with purpose at what seems to be a miracle from God.

Nearly eighty years later, Talia Eriksson leaves her job at an athleisure company in Palo Alto, California, in disgrace and returns to Zion National Park to reconnect with her grandfather and review her life goals. But when an at-home DNA test exposes family secrets, Talia and her newfound friend, law enforcement ranger Blake Mitchell, work together to search for answers.

Talia navigates the rocky path into her past with Blake by her side, what she discovers may alter everything she knew to be true about herself. With the uncertain future looming, Talia must learn that family is deeper than genetics and that trusting God can mean being still and clinging to the Rock.

Excerpt

Don’t be ridiculous. Henry sat back to gather his senses. He studied the water both upstream and down, hoping for something—anything— to explain how this child came to be in this unlikely spot. Reaching down, he brushed a finger against the infant’s cheek, its skin clammy. The baby wailed, extended an arm from the coverings, and shook its balled-up fist.

“A fighter, eh? What happened to you, then?” Henry tucked the blanket back into position. “Where’s your mama?”

Duck nickered from the trail, rousing Henry from his reverie. Sliding his hands under the box, he lifted it from its hiding spot. “A child lost. A child found. Lord, what are You doing?” Bracing the container against his chest, Henry climbed the bank with careful steps. No matter how the child came to be here, getting him someplace safe and warm had to take priority.

Someplace far from the river’s greedy grasp.

* * *

Alma swished her fingers through the fragrant soap suds. The water had long gone cold, the breakfast dishes cleaned and stacked on the drainboard. But still she remained at the sink, a single verse echoing in her heart: “My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.”

She lifted her gaze to the dusty windowpane and the canyon walls beyond—layers of sandstone, deposited and hardened over time, much like her own spirit. Cast aside by the floodwaters, she’d become another rock in the landscape.



PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub | Bookshop

More in This Series:

When Stone Wings Fly Where Trees Touch the Sky

About The Author

Karen Barnett

Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of nine novels, including When Stone Wings Fly, Where Trees Touch the Sky, and the Vintage National Park novels. A former national park ranger, she’s also a hobby photographer and enjoys teaching writing workshops with both Cascade Christian Writers and West Coast Christian Writers. She and her family live in Albany, Oregon.

Connect with Karen by visiting karenbarnettbooks.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Through Water and Stone and $20 Amazon gift card!

Through Water and Stone JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight October 1, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 8, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

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Audiobook Mini-Review — For A Lifetime

11 Aug

Gabrielle Meyer‘s Timeless series is excellent! She combines multiple historical timelines with a time travel element. The main characters in each of the books in the series are time-crossers — living in two different eras. I love the historical stories that Meyer develops. Fans of historical fiction will love the books just for that. The time-crossing element is intriguing and adds thought-provoking and challenging decisions for the main characters. For A Lifetime is the 3rd book in the series and features twin sisters who share each other’s path in history. The two live in the late 1600’s Salem (during the witch trials) and the early 1900s in Washington, D.C. The witch trials, are of course, very interesting, but the early days of aviation in the 1900s is something I knew nothing about. Added to all this is the element of a women’s place in the world and in history. In order not to spoil any part of the story, I will just say that For A Lifetime shares intriguing historical details and perspectives, endearing and complex characters, thoughtful themes of a person’s purpose and place, and enough twists and turns to keep a reader engaged and turning the pages!

Highly Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Grace and Hope are identical twin sisters born with the ability to time-cross together between 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, and 1912 New York City. As their twenty-fifth birthday approaches, they will have to choose one life to keep and one to leave behind forever–no matter the cost.

In 1692, they live and work in their father’s tavern, where they must watch helplessly as the witch trials unfold in their village, threatening everyone. With the help of a handsome childhood friend, they search for the truth behind their mother’s mysterious death, risking everything to expose a secret that could save their lives–or be their undoing.

In 1912, Hope dreams of becoming one of the first female pilots in America, and Grace works as an investigative journalist, uncovering corruption and injustice. After their parents’ orphanage is threatened by an adversary, they enter a contest to complete a perilous cross-country flight under the guidance of a daring French aviator.

The sisters have already decided which timeline they will choose, but an unthinkable tragedy complicates the future they planned for themselves. As their birthday looms, how will they determine the lives–and loves–that are best for both of them?

Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people, places, and events. You can learn more about Gabrielle and her books at http://www.gabriellemeyer.com.

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Top 10 Tuesday — Most Recent Additions to My TBR Shelves

21 Jan

Have you added a lot of books to your TBR so far this year? My answer is, of course! While I have a seemingly unending reading list, I never shy away from adding just one, or two, or more books. Today TTT tasked bloggers with revealing the latest books that they have added to their shelves. I have focused specifically on my NetGalley shelf, since many of the books have not yet released. I hope my list piques your interest.

For more new books, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Most Recent Additions to My TBR Shelves

Before The King By Heather Kaufman

The Blooming of Delphinium by Holly Varni

Deadly Revenge by Patricia Bradley

Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

Midnight on The Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

Over The Edge by Irene Hannon

The Queen’s Cook by Tessa Afshar

Serial Burn by Lynette Eason

Specters in The Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright

Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard

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Mini-Book Review — The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater

8 Jan

I was on a suspense reading-binge in 2024, but fell far behind on reviews. So I am getting caught up with brief thoughts on the books I read. Jaime Jo Wright‘s dual timeline novel The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater was one of the best of the best that I read last year. Fans of Wright’s books will love her blend of mystery and history as she keeps her readers a bit unbalanced with what is real and what is supernatural. I love that in the end both time periods are wrapped up for the reader, if not always for the characters. 😉 This novel has as its centerpiece the historic Barlowe Theater renowned in its day, yet stained by the tragedy of the lost boys. No one is certain what is true about the legend, but it is certain that there were many lost souls in the this small Wisconsin town. The influence of Wright’s own background can be seen in her characters, especially present day Kit Boyd. The theme of belonging in a world where something seems missing is explored. I could tell that this was a deeply personal book for Wright, making it more than just your average mystery. The creep factor is always strong in Wright’s books, and no less in The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater. But don’t worry there’s always a rational explanation. Although evil is never a rational element in the world. I loved the setting, the characterization, the intriguing plot twists, the page-turning suspense — basically everything!

Highly Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

It promises beauty but steals life instead. Will the ghosts of Barlowe Theater entomb them all?

Barlowe Theater stole the life of Greta Mercy’s eldest brother during its construction. Now in 1915, the completed theater appears every bit as deadly. When Greta’s younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta engages the assistance of a local police officer to help her unveil the already ghostly secrets of the theater. But when help comes from an unlikely source, Greta decides that to save her family she must uncover the evil that haunts the theater and put its threat to rest.

Decades later, Kit Boyd’s best friend vanishes during a ghost walk at the Barlowe Theater, and old stories of mysterious disappearances and ghoulish happenings are revived. Then television ghost-hunting host and skeptic Evan Fisher joins Kit in the quest to identify the truth behind the theater’s history. Kit reluctantly agrees to work with him in hopes of finding her missing friend. As the theater’s curse unravels Kit’s life, she is determined to put an end to the evil that has marked the theater and their hometown for the last century.

Jaime Jo Wright, multi award-winning author–including the Christy and Daphne du Maurier awards–is a coffee-fueled and cat-fancier extraordinaire. She has entwined her life with the legendary Captain Hook, residing serenely in Wisconsin’s rural woodlands. Her literary vocation involves penning chilling Gothic tales, a baffling change from that of Austenites, with a strong preference to the master of dark, Edgar Allan Poe. Two mischievous urchins adorn their family, who keep their mother on her toes – providing an exhilarating amount chaos.

Visit her at: http://www.jaimewrightbooks.com and listen to her podcast MadLit Musings on your favorite podcast player or at http://www.madlitmusings.com.

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TTT– Most Anticipated Books of The First 1/3 of 2025

7 Jan

Happy New Year! With a new year comes new books. Yay! Actually new books release all the time, but it’s still good to celebrate whenever they arrive. This week’s TTT is most anticipated books of the first half of 2025. It really was hard to whittle the list down, so I just went with the first 1/3 of the year instead of half. 😉

Do you have any books that you are REALLY looking forward to?

For more great new books, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Most Anticipated Books of January — April 2025

January

Before The King by Heather Kaufman

The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

Serial Burn by Lynette Eason

February

Midnight on The Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard

March

Break My Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn

Shattered Sanctuary by Nancy Mehl

April

The Light on Horn Island by Valerie Fraser Luesse

Sunrise Reef by Irene Hannon

Tempest at Annabel’s Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright

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