Rachelle J. Christensen

Romance, Suspense, Mystery Author

Book Review: Charming Artemis by Sarah M. Eden

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Book Thoughts by Rachelle

Charming Artemis by Sarah M. Eden brings together the saga of the Jonquil family and Lancaster family. If you’re like me then you’ve been fortunate enough to read over a dozen novels about these families. If not, then I highly suggest you go and read those first. It isn’t necessary, but you’ll have so much more fun checking in on all of the characters from the previous novels. There are so many different characters in this book that I’m tempted to go back and read all of the novels again to be reminded of the nuances in each of those romances.

Artemis Lancaster and Charlie Jonquil are sworn enemies, but in this enemies to lovers trope you will laugh, swoon, and maybe cry at the antics of the unlikely couple. There is a lot going on in this story and dozens of characters to follow. The Lancaster and Jonquil families are made up of wonderfully spirited and unique individuals. I enjoyed reading the banter between certain family members, (ahem, Adam and Phillip). I also enjoyed reading the kind, loving encounters between others and the way they solved problems together.

Artemis and Charlie have a careful, slow courtship after their marriage that will be sure to bring a smile to your face and warm your heart!

Here’s more about the book:

Charlie Jonquil is mild-mannered and kind—except when it comes to his one true adversary, Artemis Lancaster. Though Charlie has a brilliant mind for mathematics, Artemis poses a problem he can’t seem to comprehend: how can one be so lovely and so infuriating? A party in London brings him into the company of the maddening young lady, and it is clear that Charlie’s disdain is mutual. But when an unfortunate incident between the pair involving Charlie’s jacket and a glass of raspberry shrub leads to scandal, the sworn enemies are left with only two options: be ruined or be married.

So it is that Artemis finds herself in a most outrageous predicament: she must wed a gentleman she’s hated for years—and she pledges to avoid him at all costs. But it is only when they enter into this mockery of a marriage that Charlie and Artemis learn things are not as simple as they once appeared. As their tentative ceasefire leads to friendship, it seems their marriage born of desperation might lead them to a love that was destined to be.

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Book Review: The Bachelor and the Bride by Sarah M. Eden

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Book Thoughts by Rachelle

Another fabulous addition to the Dread Penny Society books from one of my favorite authors, Sarah M. Eden! I enjoyed reading this story about Dr. Barnabus Milligan and his marriage of convenience to Gemma Kincaid. This was a fun twist on the classic trope because we enter the story to discover that the marriage took place some time ago. A supposed bachelor, Dr. Milligan is actually married and working hard behind the scenes to rid London of crime, but his wife is in hiding from her family.

When new developments require Gemma’s assistance, she returns to aid Dr. Milligan hoping that he wants to make their marriage something more. She is disappointed to learn the real reason behind his request for her to return to his home, but doesn’t lose hope. Gemma’s personality is wonderfully developed and I loved the nuances of her upbringing trying to find footing in Dr. Milligan’s world. The ever-present danger and intrigue of her crime family ties brings a solid mystery to the plot.

The mystery of the Dread Penny society combined with the romance of a secret marriage make this book a page-turner. Familiar characters from other books made appearances but I think The Bachelor and the Bride could be read as a stand-alone.

Here’s more about the book:

London, 1866

Dr. Barnabus Milligan has always felt called to help people, whether that means setting a broken bone or rescuing the impoverished women of London from their desperate lives on the streets as part of his work with the Dread Penny Society.

Three years ago, he helped rescue Gemma Kincaid by secretly marrying her to protect her from her family of notorious grave robbers.

But six months after Gemma and Barnabus exchanged vows, she realized her love for her new husband was unrequited. To protect her heart, she left, telling Barnabus to contact her if his feelings for her ever grew beyond a sense of duty.

When Barnabus sends a letter to Gemma inviting her to return home, she hopes to find a true connection between them. But unfortunately, he only wants her help to foil the Kincaids, who have been terrorizing the boroughs of London, eager to gain both money and power.

Heartbroken, Gemma agrees to help, but she warns Barnabus that she will not stay for long, and once she goes, he’ll never see her again.

Yet as the couple follows the clues that seem to connect the Kincaids to the Mastiff, the leader of London’s criminal network, Gemma and Barnabus realize they might make a better match than either of them suspected. Perhaps the marriage that had once saved Gemma’s life might now save Barnabus—and his lonely heart.

But before the once-confirmed bachelor can properly court his secret bride, they’ll need to evade the dangerous forces that are drawing ever closer to the hopeful lovers and the entire Dread Penny Society itself.

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Book Review: Under the Java Moon by Heather B. Moore

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Book Thoughts by Rachelle

I love it when I read historical fiction and discover parts of history that I never knew happened. This book based on the Dutch East Indies or Indonesia is one such gem. Based on the true story of Rita, the narrative takes the reader inside WWII and the horrible conditions Dutch residents had to endure under Japanese rule on the islands.

Rita and her family endured heartache, abuse, and life-threatening conditions as they shared rooms in squalid conditions for years. All of the women and children were separated from the men and Rita’s family didn’t know if her father was alive. The narrative switches perspectives between Rita and her mother to George Vischer, Rita’s father. He was alive and through a series of harrowing events also put into a prison camp.

Moore is an incredible writer and her skill at mining historical details to paint an accurate portrait of history is one of the reasons I try to read every book she writes. The characters are strong, vivid, and fully enmeshed in a setting that really did exist. At times the book was difficult to read because the conditions these poor prisoners had to endure was depressing. But their determination and grit was also inspiring and I feel that I’ve experienced something remarkable by being able to read about the Vischers and their life.

Here’s more about the book:

Based on a true story, this gripping WWII novel captures the resilience, hope, and courage of a Dutch family who is separated during the war when the Japanese occupy the Dutch East Indies.

Java Island, 1941

Six-year-old Rita Vischer cowers in her family’s dug-out bomb shelter, listening to the sirens and waiting for a bomb to fall. Her charmed life on Java—living with other Dutch families—had always been peaceful, but when Holland declares war on Japan and the Japanese army invades Indonesia, Rita’s family is forced to relocate to a POW camp, and Rita must help care for her little brother, Georgie.

Mary Vischer is three months pregnant when she enters the Tjideng women’s camp with thousands of other women and children. Her husband, George, is somewhere on the Java Sea with the Dutch Navy, so she must care alone for her young children, Rita and Georgie, and her frail mother-in-law. The brutal conditions of the overcrowded camp make starvation, malaria, and dysentery a grim reality. Mary must do everything she can to keep her family alive.

George Vischer survives the bombing of his minesweeper but feels little hope floating on a small dinghy in the Java Sea. Reaching the northern tip of the Thousand Islands would be a miracle. Focusing on of the love of his life, Mary, and his two children, he battles against the sea and merciless sun. He’ll do whatever it takes to close the divide between him and his family, even if it means risking being captured by the Japanese.

Under the Java Moon highlights a little-known part of WWII history and the impact of war on Indonesia, its people, and the more than 100,000 Dutch men, women, and children who were funneled into prison camps and faced with the ultimate fight for survival.

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Book Review: Better Than Happy by Jody Moore

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Book Thoughts by Rachelle

Learn how to recognize the thoughts that influence your actions

I’m a huge fan of Jody Moore and all that she teaches as a life coach. Better Than Happy is excellent! I love the premise: Connecting with divinity through conscious thinking.

Jody Moore teaches how we can reframe the way we look at things. With a slight shift in perspective, we can become aware of our thoughts and then ask if they are serving us or not. Rather than stay stuck in limiting beliefs and thoughts, we can break free from old patterns and embrace a better version of life that is better than happy.

This book has real-life examples, anecdotes, great resources, links to examples of coaching, and so much more. It’s a self-improvement book, but so much more because as you read you’ll feel like you’re sitting down with a good friend and brainstorming how to understand your own thoughts better!

Here’s more about the book:

Our unconscious thought patterns determine our relationships, our spiritual life and our connection to God to a much greater extent than we know. That’s an alarming thought, because the subconscious mind is a mysterious realm that is really difficult to access and influence…right? No. It’s really not! And it’s the most urgent and impactful thing we can do. This book will show you how.

How do I choose faith over fear when my loved ones are making poor choices?
Why don’t I feel happier if I’m reading and praying like I’ve been taught?
How can I stop feeling like I’m just not good enough?
What am I to do when my spouse is judgmental of me?
How do I trust in Christ when everything seems to be falling apart?

Get answers to these and other tough questions in the context of Christ-centered principles throughout this book.
Jody Moore is a Master Certified Life Coach who has taught and coached tens of thousands of women through her in-person and online workshops and podcast. She brings her characteristic clarity, wisdom, humor and disarming honesty to this groundbreaking book.

In Better Than Happy, Jody shows how a simple 5-step model she uses in every session with her clients can reveal the unconscious patterns of thoughts that keep us from deeper and healthier connection with ourselves, with our loved ones and with God. Jody then shows how, once we clear the debris of our unconscious patterns of thought, new streams of understanding of Christ’s teachings begin to flow.

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Book Review: I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906 by Lauren Tarshis

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Book Thoughts by Rachelle

Powerful story packed into a quick read

I read this book aloud to my kids and they loved it. I loved reading it because it is rare to find an early middle-grade novel written with such excellent description and a moving storyline. The author did a wonderful job of dropping the reader right into the earthquake of 1906. We were riveted and my boys were begging me to read more each night.

It’s a quick read with fascinating facts. The I Survived books are great and my 12 year old son was so impressed that he went hunting on our bookshelf and found another book in this series to read on his own. Now I call that a win!

Here’s more about the book:

The terrifying details of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake jump off the page!

Ten-year-old Leo loves being a newsboy in San Francisco — not only does he get to make some money to help his family, he’s free to explore the amazing, hilly city as it changes and grows with the new century. Horse-drawn carriages share the streets with shiny new automobiles, new businesses and families move in every day from everywhere, and anything seems possible.But early one spring morning, everything changes. Leo’s world is shaken — literally — and he finds himself stranded in the middle of San Francisco as it crumbles and burns to the ground. Does Leo have what it takes to survive this devastating disaster?The I SURVIVED series continues with another thrilling story of a boy caught in one of history’s most terrifying disasters!

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Book Review: Swimming in a Sea of Stars by Julie Wright

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Book Thoughts by Rachelle

The Must-Read Novel About Suicide You Must Read

When I picked up Swimming in a Sea of Stars my daughter said, “Are you sure you want to read that one?” I said, “Yes, I love everything Julie Wright writes!” But I knew where her hesitation came from. This book is about a suicide attempt and as a survivor of suicide I was well aware that it might be difficult for me to read. I’m so glad that I mustered the courage to read it. Julie Wright has crafted a beautiful, original story that touches the heart, inspires the mind, and moves us to understand this devastating issue that is not going away just because we try to ignore it.

I devoured this book. I cried. I highlighted passages. I felt like Julie Wright had peeked inside my soul and understood the pain I feel because my husband died by suicide. I imagine that every person reading this book will have a different experience, but for sure they will experience something that will change the way they see the world. I also imagine that in a couple years when I read this book again I will cry in different parts and feel my heart warmed in others.

I sobbed over this line from the book:

“That was the thing I realized when it was almost too late. If I had succeeded, it wouldn’t have just been something I did to myself. It would also have been something I did to everyone who cared about me.”

Suicide is a problem that happens because of mental illness and we need to talk about it. Read this book, share this book, talk about this book, pass this book along. Please. Let’s give people the words they don’t know how to speak or understand–they are written here by Julie Wright for all of us.

Here’s more about the book:

Journal entry: Heading to school. I know what everyone will say. There goes the girl who tried to kill herself.

Addison is no stranger to feeling stressed, insecure, and sad. Her therapist recommended she keep a journal to help her understand those feelings better, which she really needs today. It’s her first day back to school, several weeks after she survived her suicide attempt. She knows there are rumors about why she did it: A lousy home life? Bullying? Heartbreak? None of them are true, but it doesn’t matter because Addison still feels like she’s drowning. She still holds secrets she’s not ready to share.

During the school day, Addison encounters four other students struggling with their own secrets:

Booker is anxious about seeing Addison. They were sort of a couple until he tried to kiss her. She fled and then tried to end her life. Those two things couldn’t be related, could they?

Celia feels trapped by her mother’s abusive boyfriend. She can guess why Addison did what she did.

Damion is TikTok-famous and thinks befriending Addison could boost his followers. But what no one knows is he needs the world to remember him since his sick mom doesn’t anymore.

Avery is considered a loner and doesn’t know Addison, but they have neighboring lockers. With Avery’s older brother in jail for dealing drugs, Avery is desperate for meaningful human connection.

Swimming in a Sea of Stars is a poignant and gripping novel about how we’re all interconnected, like the stars in the night sky that form constellations and map out the universe, and if even one star goes missing, the effect is profound.

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