The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma

The Melody of the Soul (Gilead Publishing, January 2018)

Anna has one chance for survival—and it lies in the hands of her mortal enemy.

It’s 1943 and Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian living in Prague, has lost nearly everything. Most of her family has been deported, and the Nazi occupation ended her career as a concert violinist. Now Anna is left to care for her grandmother, and she’ll do anything to keep her safe—a job that gets much harder when Nazi officer Horst Engel is quartered in the flat below them.

Though musical instruments have been declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to play the violin. But Horst, dissatisfied with German ideology, enjoys her soothing music. When Anna and her grandmother face deportation, Horst risks everything to protect them.

Anna finds herself falling in love with the handsome officer and his brave heart. But what he reveals might stop the music forever.

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{MORE ABOUT LIZ TOLSMA}

Best-selling novelist Liz Tolsma is the author of several World War II novels and prairie romance novellas. She also works as a freelance editor. She lives in a semirural area of Wisconsin with her husband and two daughters. Her son serves with the US Marines. All of their chidlren came to them through international adoption. Her other passions include walking, gardening, camping, and reading.

Find out more about Liz at http://www.liztolsma.com.

My Take:  Anna is a good Jewish woman but a Christian by heart.  She falls in love with a Nazi officer which in the world they live in is dangerous for both of them. This is a great story and shows how it is important to stand up for what is right even when the world seems to have crazy.  I can't imagine living during this time and having to live in an occupied country.  I hope that I would be one of the ones who stands up against the crowd and not turn my head and pretend it isn't happening.  You would probably like this story if you like historical fiction or are interested in World War II history.  I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story. 

I received a review copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Daisies are Forever by Liz Tolsma

About the book:

Gisela must hold on to hope and love despite all odds in the midst of a war-torn country.

Gisela Cramer is an American living in eastern Germany with her cousin Ella Reinhardt. When the Red Army invades, they must leave their home to escape to safety in Berlin.

However, Ella is a nurse and refuses to leave, sending her young daughters with Gisela. During their journey, Gisela meets Mitch Edwards, an escaped British POW. She pretends she is his wife in order to preserve his safety among other Germans, especially one wounded German soldier, Kurt, who has suspicions about Mitch's identity. Kurt also has feelings for Gisela and tries to uncover the truth about her "marriage."

Their journey to Gisela's mother in Berlin is riddled with tragedy and hardship, but they strive to keep Ella's daughters safe so they can reunite with their mother. During the journey Gisela and Mitch begin to develop feelings for one another beyond friendship. They reach Berlin, but their struggles are far from over. Gisela and Mitch must learn to live for the day and find hope in the darkest of circumstances.

In this moving, historically accurate portrayal of WWII Germany, the characters learn that, even with destruction all around them, some things last forever.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/wAD3T 

About the author: 

New York Times best-selling author Liz Tolsma is the author of Daisies are Forever, Snow on the Tulips, and the contributing author of A Log Cabin Christmas. When not busy putting words to paper, Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and children, all adopted internationally.

Connect with Liz: website, Faceobok,Twitter

My Take:  This book takes us to the last days of the World War II and takes us to a group of people that are trying to escape from Prussia into Germany.  This was interesting because you wouldn't think that Germany would be a place you would want to escape too during this war.  You follow along with this group as they learn to let God do the leading.  The story had some suspenseful spots as you wondered if everything would turn out ok.  This book was a great take on this time period.

I received a review copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma

Book Info

About the book: A stranger's life hangs in the balance. But to save him is to risk everything. The war is drawing to a close, but the Nazis still occupy part of the Netherlands. After the losses she's endured, war widow Cornelia is only a shadow of the woman she once was. She fights now to protect her younger brother, Johan, who lives in hiding. When Johan brings Gerrit Laninga, a wounded Dutch Resistance member, to Cornelia's doorstep, their lives are forever altered. Although scared of the consequences of harboring a wanted man, Cornelia's faith won't let her turn him out. As she nurses Gerrit back to health, she is drawn to his fierce passion and ideals, and notices a shift within herself. Gerrit's intensity challenges her, making her want to live fully, despite the fear that constrains her. When the opportunity to join him in the Resistance presents itself, Cornelia must summon every ounce of courage imaginable. She is as terrified of loving Gerrit as she is of losing him. But as the winter landscape thaws, so too does her heart. Will she get a second chance at true love? She fears their story will end before it even begins. Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/q92YR Meet the author: Liz Tolsma has lived in Wisconsin most of her life, and she now resides next to a farm field with her husband, their son, and their two daughters. Add a dog and a cat to that mix and there's always something going on at their house. She's spent time teaching second grade, writing advertising for a real estate company, and working as a church secretary, but she always dreamed of becoming an author. She'd love to have you visit her at www.liztolsma.com.  My Take:  Have you ever wondered about how other people in other countries felt about the World Wars.  How they lived through the time when loved ones were going off to fight but others stayed home and fought the war on the home front.  This book looks at the Dutch resistance and you may just learn something while your reading this.  This book is exactly why I enjoy Historical Fiction because you are learning without really knowing you are and you are having fun while you are doing it.  The love story in this book is good also and will keep you turning the pages till the very end. I received a review copy of this book from Lit Fuse in exchange for my honest opinion.

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