The Melody of the Soul

Something that soothes that savage beast is music. It can take us back to memorable moments of the past or even help us pass the time during a tragic situation until something better comes along. That is the common thread in the latest novel by Liz Tolsma, The Melody of the Soul. This is the first novel in the Music of Hope Series. World War II genre fans will adore this as the setting between Anna Zadok who has just watched her family step away and left her behind to tend for her aging grandmother while the Nazi's occupy their small town in Prague. It is the one thing she didn't want to happen, for them to be separated but also knows that she can't give up on the one thing that she loves, which is playing her violin. Not from reading music, but from hearing it in her heart and soul. It defines who she is and what she is feeling with each note she plays.

However all musical instruments are outlawed and those found in possession of them will face harsh repercussions. But it is all that remains of her and the love she has for her family. Yet when a Nazi officer, Horst Engel, takes possession of her home and removes the occupants living on the lower level, she believes it is only a matter of time before they will force her and her aging grandmother to leave. She prepares to pack up what meager belongings they have so when it is time, they are ready. During the time she waits however she begins to play and what connects her to the music is the very same thread that reaches into the soul of Horst and he locates the source of the music.

He summons both of them into the lower level of the house he is occupying and asks her to play specific music that she knows and he loves. Perhaps they both are in situations they have no control over and while both know what roles they must play, it is the music that connects them to a better place before the war began. Yet will it connect them in other ways as well? Can a Jewish Christian find love with a Nazi officer in the midst of a war that threatens to divide who they both are? You'll have to check out The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma to find out.

I received The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Gilead Publishing. What I really enjoyed about this novel is first, the setting. I am a huge fan of WWII and using that as a setting really forces readers into a place in history that is vibrant, real and terrifying depending on whose side you might find yourself on. Second, placing a budding romance between two very different characters who have their own shared beliefs, enemies really makes you wonder what will be the catalyst that changes for them both that will cause them to defy the odds for love over war. There are some amazing historical notes at the conclusion of the novel that show how the author incorporated real events into the creation of not only this novel but the series! For me, this one easily rates a 4.5 out of 5 stars and I can't wait for the next novel due out in the Fall of 2018.

For more information about The Melody of the Soul, Liz Tolsma or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma

You can find Liz Tolsma on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Melody of The Soul, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.

Travel back in time to 1943 and meet Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian and concert violinist whose career is ended because of Nazi occupation in Prague. Don't miss the new historical novel, The Melody of the Soul, by Liz Tolsma. Though musical instruments have been declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to play the violin. But Officer Horst Engel, quartered in Anna's flat and dissatisfied with German ideology, enjoys her soothing music. When Anna and her grandmother face deportation, Horst risks everything to protect them.

Join Liz Tolsma and other bookworms for a Facebook Live event on February 6, plus enter to win Liz's prize pack giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• One copy of The Melody of the Soul
• A garnet bracelet
• A box of Czech Republic chocolate

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 6. The winner will be announced at Liz's Facebook Live Party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Liz and other readers, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word-tell your friends about the giveaway and Facebook Live party via social media and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 6th!

Remember the Lilies

There is something so amazing when an author can utilize some historical facts to create not only an unbelievable novel but capture your heart in the process. I guess that is why I love historical fiction, because based on history, there are so many stories out there that can be captured in a book, stories that impact you in profound ways that you are never the same after reading them. Remember the Lilies by Liz Tolsma is one such novel.

Based on events that happened in the Philippines just as WWII was underway and days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, those in the Pacific Theater wondered how the war would impact them. When the Japanese took over the small islands, they created the Santo Tomas Internment camp and thus is where our novel takes place as American citizens find themselves prisoners of war with no little hope of making it out alive.

Rand Sterling was a night club owner with two successful clubs providing him with the lifestyle he loved and plenty of money to expand if only the war hadn't happened. Now he finds himself locked behind fences and planning an escape from the prison camp. He knows if he is unsuccessful, the torture and subsequent punishment at the hands of the Japanese will cost him his life in a slow and painful death. Rand knew he had to do something, because people around him including little children were slowly dying by the conditions they were all faced to live in.

Irene Reynolds, a previous missionary along with her aunt Anita, has a job censoring the communication being allowed to the prisoners in the camp. When she removes a couple of sentences from a letter to Rand Sterling, she doesn't realize the implications of how important they were. When she realizes he might be planning an escape, she suddenly understands that his source on the other side is telling him that tonight is not the time for the escape and to wait. She knows she must find Rand before he follows through on his plans and gets caught. If she doesn't reach him in time, it might just cost him his life and she will be forever responsible.

I received Remember the Lilies by Liz Tolsma compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions found in this review are strictly my own. Liz Tolsma takes readers into the heart of what it was like for many Americans who found themselves as prisoners of war by the Japanese just at the beginning of WWII. I never considered the implications of how difficult it was to survive in camps where they were refusing to provide all the contents of the Red Cross kits to help them survive while the Japanese kept them barely on the brink of being alive. Disease and malnutrition were slowly killing them while they struggled to find hope in the midst of a different kind of victim of war. I easily give this wonderful novel a well deserved 5 out of 5 stars. There is a Reader's Discussion Guide included at the conclusion of this novel that is perfect for book clubs.

For more information about Remember the Lilies, Liz Tolsma, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Remember the Lilies by Liz Tolsma

You can find Liz Tolsma on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Remember the Lilies, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page. 

This gripping new tale from Liz Tolsma, Remember the Lilies, is a must-read for fans of WWII-era fiction. When Irene is attacked by a sinister Japanese guard and their secrets are exposed, she and Rand must learn the true meaning of forgiveness—if they can stave off starvation until the American troops bring freedom.

Help Liz celebrate the release of Remember the Lilies with a Kindle Fire giveaway!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• One copy of Remember the Lilies

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 2/19. Winner will be announced at Liz's Remember the Lilies Facebook author chat party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Liz and WWII fiction fans, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!   

{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 19th!

Daisies are Forever

I love finding exceptional novels that are written with World War 2 as their backdrop. So often when we think about World War 2, it's something that can be easily glossed over from what we read in a couple of pages in a history book, but for those that lived among what was happening in countries like Germany and France, it's a whole different picture.

When I was invited to review Daisies Are Forever from author Liz Tolsma, I knew this would be something more than your typical love story of people who discover each other in the war. This was and is so much more than that. First of all, it is told from some aspects of historical fact as you will discover when you get to the end of the book and share the author's insight's into her creation of this compelling novel.  The first half is told from the story of Ruth Sabine Hildegard Lippert who at seventeen had to flee from the many bombings that were taking place from the Russian planes to get back home any way she could. The second half of the novel was told from the memories of Liz Tolsma's Aunt Lillian Tolsma who moved from the United States to Germany in the late 1930's just before the outbreak of the war. These two wonderful facets created such a powerful story, the reader can't help but be captivated to know who will make it home and who will pay the ultimate price.

Twenty-year-old Gisela Cramer has received warning that she must flee from her home leaving behind her ailing Grandfather who is simply too weak to travel along with her older sister Ella. She vows to take care of Ella's two younger daughters Annelies and Renate and get them to safety in Berlin. As much as she doesn't want to leave them behind, she knows if she stays they won't survive. They will all be sent away to camps or possibly killed before they make it that far. Even as her grandfather ensures her they will join her, she has to face the compelling journey with her neighbors and stay one step ahead of the Russian army.

She doesn't expect help to come from Mitch Edwards,  a British POW who is impersonating a German SS officer who has been wounded. But when his attempt at the German language is questioned, Gisela convinces those around them, he is her husband who was brought up in a German -American home and often gets confused with his attempts at communication. Without Gisela's help, he would be sent back to the POW camp or worse, hung as a traitor. Now they will have to face the odds of both his shortcomings being in disguise as they attempt to make their way amid being shot at by soldiers and bombed by Russian planes as they join hundreds of others trying to flee for safety. Will they make it to safety or will one of them pay the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their life for someone they love? You'll definitely want to pick this one up to find out.

I received Daisies Are Forever by Liz Tolsma compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained in this review are strictly my own. If you are a lover of historical romance or WWII fiction, than you will absolutely love the heart racing action and danger you will find behind the cover of this novel. A Reading Group Guide is included at the conclusion of this novel as well as author notes sharing the story of the two women whose stories breathed life into the pages of this novel. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and look forward to many more from this author in the future. If you love this novel, be sure to check out her previous novel Snow on the Tulips.

For more information about Daisies Are Forever, Liz Tolsma or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Daisies Are Forever by Liz Tolsma

You can also find Liz Tolsma on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Daisie Are Forever, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page. 


Liz Tolsma's latest WWII historical fiction novel, Daisies are Forever, is getting rave reviews. 

". . . compelling and fast-paced tale about the atrocities and tremendous losses. . . ." —Library Journal

"Excellent storytelling, accurate historical reporting and gritty, persevering characters make this WWII-era novel a must-read." —CBA Retailers + Resources

Liz celebrating the release with a Kindle HDX giveaway!
One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• Daisies are Forever by Liz Tolsma

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 31st. Winner will be announced June 2nd on Liz's website.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Liz's website on June 2nd to see if you won.

Snow on the Tulips

"I'm asking you to quit acting like a tulip covered in snow. Don't hide in this house until the Allies free you. They may not come for awhile."

Cornelia de Vries know quite a bit about the sacrifices required from being involved in the war. She has lost not only her husband Hans within the first 24 hours of being married and then widowed in the same day. Now she is struggling to keep her brother Johan Kooistra alive when the call of war is beckoning at his door. Being a onderduiker, a under-diver, a Dutch man hiding to avoid being sent away to a German work detail, he hides in a secret place when the Gestapo arrives for unexpected raids looking for men. But when he discovers a group of Dutch resistance workers taken down to the canal to be executed, he knows he can no longer sit by and just hide.

No one has survived his own execution. The Nazi's weren't that sloppy. But somehow that is the prayer that was answered as Gerrit Laninga faced down the barrel of a gun. Now if he could only pretend he was dead long enough for them to leave, he might just get that second chance at life. He is discovered by Johan who went to see if he knew any of the Dutch men who were executed and takes him back home to tend to his injuries. Surviving a bullet wound is no easy task considering that there are countless people who would turn him in rather than face making the German soldiers suspicious. Now if he can only convince his sister Cornelia to help.

In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Is that what someone might have offered to Hans if they found him laying wounded? How can she turn away a man clearly in need of help. Despite Hilter's pledge to respect the Netherlands neutrality, he invaded anyway. This war had a way of turning everything upside down, like a jigsaw puzzle whose pieces didn't fit together. They had lost so much. Too much. What could they do now?

I received Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are my own. Being a huge lover of historical WWII fiction, I was immediately drawn to this story. It had me wondering just what I would have done in the same situation that Cornelia faced. Would she turn away a wanted man and risk her own safety as well as her brothers? She knew that once the soldiers discovered that one of the men they had executed was missing, they would come looking and they wouldn't stop until they discovered him. Their own army was no match for the German soldiers and faced with food shortages and raids at any hour of the day as well as bombings from the allied planes, life for Cornelia was anything but normal. This story was based on the true story of the author's family which she does an incredible job at drawing the reader in and making them feel a part of the action. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars. There is a great discussion guide included as well as a sneak peek into the next novel Daisies Last Forever from Liz Tolsma, one I will definitely be picking up!

For more information about Snow on the Tulips, Liz Tolsma or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma

You can find Liz Tolsma on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Snow on the Tulips from the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour, please click here. 

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 6, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401689108
• ISBN-13: 978-1401689100
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1 inches

Liz Tolsma is celebrating the release of her novel, Snow on the Tulips, by giving away an Amazon Reading Pack to one lucky winner. Find out what readers are saying about the book here.

  One winner will receive:

• A $50 Amazon gift card
• Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 16th. Winner will be announced November 18th at Liz's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Liz's blog on the 18th to see if you won. (Or, better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox! Just enter your email address on the left sidebar of her blog.)