Tangled Ashes - Book Review

THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED (BY ME) IN THE ANSWER NEWSPAPER

Well Written Historical Fiction
By Amanda Wynant
The Answer Staff Writer

Book: Tangled Ashes
By: Michele Phoenix
Price: $12.99
Available: Amazon.com

Lamorlaye, France - 1940: Meunier Manor, an elegant castle, is taken over by Nazi officials as they occupy the city. The Nazis make the castle their headquarters and the place where they'll institute their Labensborn program - a project Heinrich Himmler set up to promote the growth of the Aryan race by encouraging Nordic women and German Soldiers to conceive a child dedicated to Hitler and the Third Reich.

French teenage girls, Marie and Elise are forced into work for the Nazis at the castle, to help supplement their families' income. The girls have no knowledge of the Labensborn program at first, but soon discover the horrible plans of the Nazis as they turn the winsome castle into a maternity home. The young Frenchwomen must make brave decisions of loyalty and courage as they try to do what's right.

Fast forward 70 years. The Meunier castle is still standing, but in need of drastic renovations to restore it to it's original beauty. The castle is purchased by a wealthy businessman who has hopes of making it a fine hotel. Marshall Becker, an expert in historical renovations, flies from his home in the U.S. to Lamorlaye to begin the intricate and specialized task of rebuilding the castle and transforming it into what his client has requested. 
He opts to stay on the property while he renovates. During his time at the manor, Becker finds that many of the people associated with the grand building are hiding dark secrets of their own. Strange things happen in the midnight hours to lead Becker into further search for the mysteries of Meunier Manor - and attempt to face the demons in his own life.

Michele Phoenix is an amazing writer. She has a fantastic ability to take a story from the 1940's and one from today and seamlessly marry them into a narrative that's both extremely engaging and quite easy to read. Her storytelling is stellar and the reader is captivated by the end of the book's first paragraph.

With 384 pages, Tangled Ashes is a work of historical fiction that weaves the love of Christ into the story, without an overt, preachy tone. Phoenix writes in an educated and easily understood way that's sure to peak the interest of any mystery loving reader. Once the book is opened, it's hard to put down. 

Tangled Ashes is recommended for any adult reader looking for a novel this fall. The characters are lovely - easy to relate with and well created. The story itself is part historical record (Meunier Manor actually exists in Lamorlaye, France), and part fiction. Pick up a copy at your local bookstore or through www.amazon.com.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

His Love is Amazing

Image
Sometimes when I buy something for my kids - something special that I know they'll love, I can't wait to give it to them. And when I do, I love to see their little faces light up and it thrills me to watch them enjoy it. I think that must be how God feels when He blesses His children with wonderful gifts. I can imagine that He just can't wait to bless us. And that His heart is warmed when He sees our faces as we receive it. And I'm sure it thrills our Heavenly Father when he watches us enjoy His gift. Lately my family has been blessed by God in a plethora of ways. First - He led us to list our house for sale - a home that we had bought in 2010 for pennies on the dollar. Then - within 3 days of listing it - we had two offers on the home. We accepted an offer that was $10K more than our asking price, walking away with enough profit to pay off all of our debt and invest in a business my husband had been wanting to start for years. After that, we had less than 11 days t
Read more

In the Middle of the Mess, By Sheila Walsh - A book review

Image
Am I the only one with a messy life? Probly not. But it always seems that way. If I'm honest, I'm always striving for better. I want to be more organized, more tidy, more crafty, more resilient, more fancy looking, etc. Sheila Walsh's book is spot-on. She writes from a place of honesty and candor. I appreciate the truth in the pages and Biblical insight throughout. This book isn't just for Christians. It's for anyone who feels less-than-acceptable. It's for those looking to get a grip on life and keep climbing. You won't want to put this one down. It was nice to read a book reminding me that I can be whole - in the middle of my own mess. That life isn't perfect or always smooth; and that none of us was meant to stay bent beneath our loads. I recommend this book to the polished and unpolished alike.
Read more

The Sweetest Sunday

Image
Miss Lily's morning nap was interrupted by my phone ringing. It was the "centralized showing office" calling to let me know that a Realtor wanted to show our home in exactly one hour. We've been trying to sell our beloved home for well over a year. We've recently re-listed it and we get pretty consistent traffic. So the house stays pretty-well clean. However. . . I had, sorta, fallen off the wagon a bit and let some dust-bunnies reproduce here and there. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's - people generally aren't house-hunting. So, we hadn't done the spit-shine in weeks. I stammered on the phone, but agreed to the showing. I quickly carried the sleepy-eyed Lily to Adam and forced them both out the front door. I used my fifty-five minutes wisely and was able to make our house look like the inside pages of MetHome magazine. I walked out our back door just as the Realtor and his client were approaching our home. I joined Adam and Lily, who had found she
Read more