Tag Archives: time travel

Spotlight on Sci-Fi/Time Travel — Midnight Rider

17 Sep

Midnight Rider JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Midnight Rider by D.K. Till, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Midnight Rider

Title: Midnight Rider
Series: Time Passengers #2
Author: D. K. Till
Publisher: Spring Mountain Publishing
Release Date: July 31, 2025
Genre: Christian/SciFi/Time Travel

Journalist Thea and her fiancé, Giles, couldn’t be more excited about joining Coltrane McMurray’s inaugural journey to the year 2123. Or is it apprehension? After all, what if something goes wrong?

Their fears are validated when they arrive to find an alien world of scorching heat, flying cars, and eerie, human-like robots.

And a brutal murder by person or persons unknown.

As murder suspects, they are not allowed to leave. Until the police claim they solved the crime.

Finally free to go home, Thea’s nagging doubts about the case continue to haunt her. But to learn what really happened that awful day, she and Giles must give up their happy lives in 2023 to return to the future.

But unforeseen setbacks and heartbreak devastate them in 2123. And who is the mother-daughter duo that bear such an uncanny resemblance to Thea? Forced to master technology far more advanced than anything she’s ever seen, Thea vows to solve her friend’s murder. But will she ever see her home again?

Excerpt

From zero to ten decades in five seconds flat.

“Welcome to June 8, 2123,” McMurray announces in his best radio-DJ voice. I freeze at the scene out the window.

Oaks Amusement Park is gone. In lieu of the dance pavilion and old skating rink, tall, sleek buildings assert their right to be there. No roller coaster visible.

UFOs crisscross a sky that gleams an unearthly shade of periwinkle blue.

We all grab our backpacks and step out, one by one, into a wall of heat like walking into a sauna. I break into an instant sweat and fumble for my big red sunglasses, the relief from the glare instantaneous.

“It’s a hundred fourteen degrees,” says McMurray behind us. “You can go change in the public toilets over there.”

I clutch Giles’s hand and lead the way to the public toilets. Hordes of barely dressed, emaciated people shove past us, staring as though we’re the aliens. I rise onto my toes, craning over them. Where are they all going and why do they look like they just emerged from a famine?



PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

More in This Series


About The Author

D.K. Till

>strong>D.K. Till writes Split-Time Fiction With A Twist, a blend of the dual timeline fiction she enjoys mixed with a big helping of the sci-fi she loved as a child. The indie author from the land of microbrews and coffee snobs fell in love with reading in kindergarten when her older sister taught her to read. She used to impress her parents’ friends by reading aloud the entire short story The One Hundred Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. In first grade, she knew she wanted to write stories, too. Throughout her childhood and teens, she either had her nose in a book or was attempting to write one.

But life got in the way, marriage and children set her dreams aside for higher purposes. Today, with children grown and enjoying retirement, she’s reopened that dream package and is now living the life she had only imagined.

The author is a huge fan of the Back to the Future trilogy, inspiring her to write time travel, too. Thus the Time Passengers series was born, perfect for fans of Back to the Future and The Terminator. A classic rock lover, she names her titles after hit rock songs of the 60s and 70s – Starry, Starry Night, Midnight Rider, and Nights in White Satin.

Connect with D.K. Till by visiting dktill.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.


Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a print copy of Starry, Starry Night plus a $10 Amazon gift card!

Midnight Rider JustRead Tours blog giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 16, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 23, 2025. Winners 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 JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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

JustRead Publicity Tours

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.

Top 10 Tuesday — Let’s Speculate

5 Aug

Today is a Genre Freebie on TTT. I love a good speculative novel — a label that encompasses a lot of sub-genres like fantasy, sci-fi, horror, etc. I really like when a novel takes a real world setting and adds a twist that alters that reality, whether it’s time travel, immortal humans (sometimes, but not necessarily vampires), and other unique elements. Today my list includes books that fit that category and are Christian. So if you like what-ifs, then you will be in for a treat.

For more bloggers’ favorite genres, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Speculative Novels

Blink by Ted Dekker (seeing into the future)

The Bright Empires Series by Stephen Lawhead (time travel/multiverse)

Darcy by Any Other Name by Laura Hile (Freaky Friday meets Pride and Prejudice)

The Immortal by Angela Elwell Hunt (immortality)

Kiss Series by Debbie Viguié (immortality/vampires)

The Secret of The Journal Series by C. F. Dunn (immortality)

The Timeless Series by Gabrielle Meyer (time travel)

First Line Friday — Every Hour Until Then

1 Aug

I love the Timeless series by Gabrielle Meyer. Each book in this historical time-traveling series is fascinating and unputdownable! I have books 4 and 5 to read before book 6 releases in November. It’s a daunting task, but someone has to do it! Today I am featuring book 5, Every Hour Until Then.

Here’s the first line:

October 31, 1887

London, England

A cold wind rattled the window frame in my bedroom at 11 Wilton Crescent as the edges of a tree branch scraped across the glass.

Gifted with the ability to time-cross between Victorian-era London and World War II Washington, DC, Kathryn faces two lives fraught with danger. In 1938 amid the looming shadow of war, Kathryn is invited to the London Museum as a guest curator to create a groundbreaking exhibit on Jack the Ripper and his reign of terror. As she delves into her grim research, she uncovers a chilling truth: Her own sister is destined to become the Ripper’s final victim decades earlier. 

In 1888, in a race against fate, Kathryn is assisted by her handsome childhood friend in hunting down history’s most elusive killer. As they unravel the threads of mystery woven through time, Kathryn must decide if she’ll unmask the murderer history has chosen to hide, forfeiting a life with the man she loves to save her sister.

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.

First Line Friday — For A Lifetime

20 Jun

Happy Friday! Have you read any of the books in Gabrielle Meyer‘s Timeless series? I am hopelessly behind, but am determined to get caught up. I am currently listening to the audiobook of For A Lifetime, but I do have it downloaded on my Kindle too, so I am hoping to get this book finished quickly. It is a dual timeline/time travel novel featuring twins who live in 1692 and 1912. Whew! It sounds really complicated, and it is, but it is also a riveting story of two women choosing their paths in settings rich in historical detail. I love it and cannot wait to find out how it is all going to end for Grace and Hope. If you have read it, I would love to know your thoughts.

Here’s the first line:

It was a strange reality to be on the precipice of tragedy and not be able to stop it.

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.

Find Gabrielle on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/AuthorGabrielleMeyer, Pinterest at http://www.Pinterest.com/gabriellemeyer/, Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MeyerGabrielle, Goodreads, and her Website at http://www.gabriellemeyer.com.

Book Review — In This Moment

4 Jun

I absolutely loved When The Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer, so when I was given the opportunity to read the second book in the Timeless series, In This Moment, I grabbed it! While it’s possible to read In This Moment on its own, I recommend you begin at the beginning — you do not want to miss a moment of this series.

Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives–and everyone she knows in them–forever. 

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of a senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she joins a hospital ship going to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she’s a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?

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.

Find Gabrielle on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/AuthorGabrielleMeyer, Pinterest at http://www.Pinterest.com/gabriellemeyer/, Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MeyerGabrielle, Goodreads, and her Website at http://www.gabriellemeyer.com.

My Impressions:

I loved the first book in Gabrielle Meyer’s Timeless series, When The Day Comes. When I learned that book 2, In This Moment was available, I jumped at the chance to read it. The books are part historical fiction, part romance, and part time-travel, which the author has wonderfully wrapped up in an intriguing read that I just could not put down! Book 2 features the first person voice of Margaret/Maggie,/Meg, daughter of main character Libby from book 1. Maggie has not just two paths to live but three. As her twenty-first birthday approaches Maggie must decide if she will stay in 1861, 1941, or 2001. I am not going to elaborate on the rules of time-crossing — that’s part of the fun of the novel — but will say that Maggie is aware of the importance of two of her paths. Only the reader knows what she will encounter in 2001. The history in this book is fabulous. If that was all there was to her story it would be enough, but Meyer introduces romance too! But that’s not all. Maggie knows she has a purpose for her life; she just needs to decide which time period best fulfills her desires and God’s will. I know this sounds really complicated, but the narrative flows effortlessly. I never was confused by the time period change — Maggie is Maggie in each era. There are twists and turns galore which Maggie faces with fear, doubts, grief, hope, and faith — everything a non-time-crossing person faces in life. 😉 I approved of Maggie’s choice, and loved how Meyer wrapped it all up. There’s a teaser at the end that sets up book 3. Can. Not. Wait!

Don’t be daunted by the time travel aspect of In This Moment. It all comes together in wonderful ways that will keeping you thinking about this book for a long time. Get a reading buddy or two and settle in for some riveting reading.

Very Highly Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: Adults and Older Teenagers.

(Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

First Line Friday — In This Moment

12 May

Happy Friday! I am so excited to begin this week’s First Line Friday selection — In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer. I read the first book in the series, When The Day Comes, and was blown away by the unique story, the fascinating historical settings, and the characters that captured my reading heart! If you haven’t read book 1 yet, get it and this book too. You won’t be sorry.

Here’s the first line:

Most days, I could pretend that my life was normal.

Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives–and everyone she knows in them–forever. 

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of a senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she joins a hospital ship going to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she’s a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?

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.

Find Gabrielle on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/AuthorGabrielleMeyer, Pinterest at http://www.Pinterest.com/gabriellemeyer/, Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MeyerGabrielle, Goodreads, and her Website at http://www.gabriellemeyer.com.

Top 10 Tuesday — Most Recommended Books

9 May

I have a long list of must-read authors and always have a recommendation when someone asks for (or hints at needing 😉 ) a suggestion. This week’s TTT calls for those books we most recommend. I probably have 100s depending on genre likes and dislikes. But I decided to stay within the parameters of 10 only. Whew! It was hard. I know I’mm leaving some deserving novel off my list, but the ones I chose are those I suggest to people who want a thought-provoking book, one that is special. There are a number of genres represented because a good story well-told is my only criteria. You’ve seen these books in lots of other posts — they are that good! I probably need to post a part 2 in an upcoming Freebie week.

Check out other bloggers’ favorites at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top 10 Most Recommended Books

Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese (contemporary romance)

Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there’s only one match she’s committed to now–the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first-grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency’s requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.

Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.

With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.

Hidden Among The Stars by Melanie Dobson (dual timelines/historical)

The year is 1938, and as Hitler’s troops sweep into Vienna, Austrian Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to his family’s summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker’s daughter, who is eager to help the man she’s loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at the castle, it complicates Annika’s feelings and puts their entire plan—even their very lives—in jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure gone.

Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her quiet life, running a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambithat connects her to Annika’s story . . . and maybe to the long-buried story of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she’s built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love.

Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert (mystery)

Child of the Appalachian mountains, Tess Spencer has experienced more than her share of heartache. The Glock-wielding, knife-carrying housewife knows how to survive whatever life throws at her. 

But when an anonymous warning note shows up in her best friend Miranda’s mailbox — a note written in a dead woman’s handwriting — Tess quickly discovers that ghosts are alive and well in Buckneck, West Virginia. Hot on a cold trail, she must use limited clues and her keen insight into human nature to unmask the killer . . . or the next victim might be Tess herself.

Tinged with the supernatural and overshadowed by the mountains’ lush, protective presence, this twisting psychological mystery is the first in A Murder in the Mountains series.

No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert (general fiction)

When an impoverished school district loses its accreditation and the affluent community of Crystal Ridge has no choice but to open their school doors, the lives of three very different women converge: Camille Gray — the wife of an executive, mother of three, long-standing PTA chairwoman and champion fundraiser — faced with a shocking discovery that threatens to tear her picture-perfect world apart at the seams. Jen Covington, the career nurse whose long, painful journey to motherhood finally resulted in adoption but she is struggling with a happily-ever-after so much harder than she anticipated. Twenty-two-year-old Anaya Jones–the first woman in her family to graduate college and a brand new teacher at Crystal Ridge’s top elementary school, unprepared for the powder-keg situation she’s stepped into. Tensions rise within and without, culminating in an unforeseen event that impacts them all. This story explores the implicit biases impacting American society, and asks the ultimate question: What does it mean to be human? Why are we so quick to put labels on each other and categorize people as “this” or “that”, when such complexity exists in each person?

The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox (dual timelines/historical/general fiction)

Present Day. After tragedy plunges her into grief and unresolved anger, Sarah Ashby returns to her childhood home determined to finally follow her long-denied dream of running Old Depot Grocery alongside her mother and grandmother. But when she arrives, her mother, Rosemary, announces to her that the store is closing. Sarah and her grandmother, Glory Ann, make a pact to save the store, but Rosemary has worked her entire life to make sure her daughter never follows in her footsteps. She has her reasons–but she’ll certainly never reveal the real one.

1965. Glory Ann confesses to her family that she’s pregnant with her deceased fiancé’s baby. Pressured into a marriage of convenience with a shopkeeper to preserve the family reputation, Glory Ann vows never to love again. But some promises are not as easily kept as she imagined.

This dual-timeline story from Amanda Cox deftly explores the complexity of a mother-daughter dynamic, the way the secrets we keep shape our lives and the lives of others, and the healing power of telling the truth.

Stories That Bind Us by Susie Finkbeiner (general fiction)

Betty Sweet never expected to be a widow at 40. With so much life still in front of her, she tries to figure out what’s next. She couldn’t have imagined what God had in mind. When her estranged sister is committed to a sanitarium, Betty finds herself taking on the care of a 5-year-old nephew she never knew she had.

In 1960s LaFontaine, Michigan, they make an odd pair. Betty with her pink button nose and bouffant hair. Hugo with his light brown skin and large brown eyes. But more powerful than what makes them different is what they share: the heartache of an empty space in their lives. Slowly, they will learn to trust one another as they discover common ground and healing through the magic of storytelling.

Award-winning author Susie Finkbeiner offers fans a novel that invites us to rediscover the power of story to open the doors of our hearts.

Water from My Heart by Charles Martin (general fiction)

Charlie Finn had to grow up fast, living alone by age 16. Highly intelligent, he earned a life-changing scholarship to Harvard, where he learned how to survive and thrive on the outskirts of privileged society. That skill served him well in the cutthroat business world, as it does in more lucrative but dangerous ventures he now operates off the coast of Miami. Charlie tries to separate relationships from work. But when his choices produce devastating consequences, he sets out to right wrongs, traveling to Central America, where he will meet those who have paid for his actions, including a woman and her young daughter.

Will their fated encounter present Charlie with a way to seek the redemption he thought was impossible — and free his heart to love one woman as he never knew he could?

When The Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer (historical/romance/time travel)

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she’s the same person at her core in both times, she’s leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives–and any hope of love–are put in jeopardy.

Libby’s life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about–women’s suffrage–is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she’s not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other–but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

Where The Blue Sky Begins by Katie Powner (general fiction)

Sometimes the hardest road of all is the road home.

When confident and handsome Eric Larson is sent to a rural Montana town to work in the local branch of his uncle’s financial company, he’s determined to exceed everyone’s expectations, earn a promotion, and be back in Seattle by the end of summer. Yet nothing could prepare him for the lessons this small town has in store.

At forty-six years old, eccentric and outspoken Eunice Parker has come to accept her terminal illness and has given herself one final goal: seek forgiveness from everyone on her bucket list before her time runs out. But it will take more courage than she can muster on her own.

After an accident pushes Eric and Eunice together, the unlikely pair is forced to spend more time with each other than either would like, which challenges their deepest prejudices and beliefs. As summer draws to a close, neither Eric nor Eunice is where they thought they would be, but they both wrestle with the same important question: What matters most when the end is near?

Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt (historical fiction)

Zosia Lewandowska knows the brutal realities of war all too well. Within weeks of Germany’s invasion of her Polish homeland, she lost the man she loves. As ghetto walls rise and the occupiers tighten their grip on the city of Krakow, Zosia joins pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewicz and his staff in the heart of the Krakow ghetto as they risk their lives to aid the Jewish people trapped by Nazi oppression. 

Hania Silverman’s carefree girlhood is shattered as her family is forced into the ghetto. Struggling to survive in a world hemmed in by walls and rife with cruelty and despair, she encounters Zosia, her former neighbor, at the pharmacy. As deportation winnow the ghetto’s population and snatch those she holds dear, Hania’s natural resiliency is exhausted by reality. 
Zodia and Hania’s lives intertwine as they face the griefs and fears thrust upon them by war, until one day, they are forced to make a desperate choice . . . one that will inexorably bind them together, even as they are torn apart. 

Amanda Barratt’s meticulous research and lush, award-winning writing shine once again in this moving look at a group of unsung heroes who fought for hope and humanity in the most harrowing of times. 

First Line Friday — When The Day Comes

10 Jun

A time-traveling novel? Yes, please! Today’s First Line Friday features When The Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer. Set in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and 1914 Gilded Age New York City, this book is beyond intriguing. Find out all about it below.

But first, here’s the first line:

For as long as I could remember, my mama had told me that my life was a gift.

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she’s the same person at her core in both times, she’s leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives–and any hope of love–are put in jeopardy.

Libby’s life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about–women’s suffrage–is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she’s not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other–but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

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.

Find Gabrielle on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/AuthorGabrielleMeyer, Pinterest at http://www.Pinterest.com/gabriellemeyer/, Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MeyerGabrielle, Goodreads, and her Website at http://www.gabriellemeyer.com.

Book Review — When The Day Comes

6 Jun

I knew that When The Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer was a time travel book, but I had no idea how much I was going to love it. This novel is not about people blithely hopping from one time period to another, but a complexly written novel with deep spiritual themes. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up — you won’t be sorry!

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she’s the same person at her core in both times, she’s leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives–and any hope of love–are put in jeopardy.

Libby’s life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about–women’s suffrage–is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she’s not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other–but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

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.

Find Gabrielle on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/AuthorGabrielleMeyerPinterest at http://www.Pinterest.com/gabriellemeyer/Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MeyerGabrielleGoodreads, and her Website athttp://www.gabriellemeyer.com.

My Impressions:

Libby Conant/Fairhaven is a time-crosser. That’s the main premise of Meyer’s novel, When The Day Comes. With that distinction comes a good bit of responsibility, sacrifice, and reliance on God’s provision. As her 21st birthday draws near, Libby knows she must make a choice. Will she spend the rest of her life in Williamsburg in the 1770s, or will she choose a life in 1915? I thought that would be a know-brainer given the lack of indoor plumbing during the American Revolution, but I was certainly wrong. 😉 When The Day Comes, along with being very well-researched for not one time period, but two, explores the themes of identity, our place in the world, and the necessity of letting God direct our paths. The storyline was excellently written — I bought all the time-crossing Libby had to endure. I never felt lost, although Libby did at many points in her journey. She knew her decisions had consequences and was very deliberate. I think this is something that we all should be aware of. Can our actions change history? Maybe not in the ways Libby’s could have, but every choice we make should be examined for the impact on our and others’ lives. Deep themes aside, I loved all the historical detail Meyer added to make the reader’s journey feel authentic. The romantic thread isn’t a slouch either. It’s just what any lover of romance fiction could want.

I could sing the praises of When The Day Comes for a long while, but just know this is a book you will love while reading and will think about long after the last page is turned. I think it would make an excellent book club selection — so much to talk about. I very highly recommend it. It will definitely be on my best of the best list this year.

Very Highly Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)