The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson is an awesome retelling of Rapunzel. Melanie has an incredible talent for re-working the original fairy tales we have known since childhood into plausible tales set during Medieval times. Her characters while still portraying good versus evil are well thought out and quite realistic. These stories are complex enough for young adults and adults who are still young at heart. Melanie also weaves in Christian values such as love and forgiveness. The story is engaging and draws one into it.
I was given The Golden Braid by the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are truly my own. 

The Girl From The Train by Irma Joubert

rma Joubert's novel, The Girl From the Train, covers an aspect of World War Two that I was not aware of, the placement of Aryan orphans into South African families. Gretl Schmidt, the six year old,orphaned daughter of a Nazi soldier and a German- Jewish mother escapes a train bound for Auschwitz. She is rescued by 21 year old Polish rebel Jakob Kowalski. He manages to protect her through the war years.
  This novel can best be summed up by the Bible verse 'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' Jeremiah 29:11. It is a novel of hope and survival. I have not read any books about South Africa before, but found the word pictures painted by Joubert to be fascinating. The characters are complex, with real life flaws. I would recommend this book to any fan of Historical fiction.
  I was given this book by The Fiction Guild for review purposes. I was not required to post a favorable review. These are my true thoughts on the book.

Until The Dawn by Kristi Cambron

Elizabeth Camden has created a wonderful cast of characters in 'Until The Dawn' Sophie van Riijn is happily taking readings for the weather bureau and helping take care of the long abandoned Vandermark mansion. She and the other remaining staff have kept everything in tip top shape. They have ever become possessive of the mansion. The sudden appearance of bitter Quenton Vandermark and his emotionally crippled son  has put everyone into a tizzy.soon after Quentin's grandfather arrives with the intentions of blowing  up the mansion.
            This is a story of how self pity and physical pain can turn a man to bitterness, And how G-d can use our broken lives to bring about good. The characters are quite complex and Elizabeth uses beautiful word pictures to create the backdrop to the story.              I was given this novel for review purposes by Netgalley. All opinions are entirely my own..

A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter

 'A Lady always pays attention to her guests, even when she finds them boring.' 'A Lady never gives her servants something to gossip about.' Even when her mother is not present, Lady Miranda can here her mother's Lady lessons. Miranda has done fairly well at obeying these lessons, all but one. 'A Lady never has correspondence with a gentleman who is not a close relative.' Miranda has been writing to Marsh, her brother's school chum for years, but she has never mailed any of them, so it shouldn't matter, right? But when her brother's new valet finds one of her letters, everything changes.
      A Noble Masquerade will keep you on the edge of your seat, and may cause you to miss sleep. Even after finishing the book, I find myself wondering what everybody is doing. The characters and plot was so plausible that it is easy to believe that they are continuing their lives long after the book was done.I look forward to the next Hawthorne House book.