Pages

29 November 2016

Diana's Review Of 'Such A Hope' By Sondra Kraak

Such A Hope by Sondra Kraak

Such A Hope By Sondra Kraak
Trail House Publishers, Oct. 2016

Reviewed By Diana Flowers
~5 stars!~
(No spoilers!)
A Compelling Must Read!

Seattle, Washington Territory - 1871

In Such a Hope, author Sondra Kraak has spun a powerfully emotive tale of a young woman's quest to find a sense of belongingset against the backdrop of the tree blanketed landscape and grandeur of the Cascade Mountains.

Spending her entire life growing up on the seat of a wagon and assisting her father's successful freighting business, Anna finally returns home to their cabin in Seattle. Her father's death has devastated her, and she longs to find camaraderie in her community and a chance to fulfill the calling God has placed on her life...the desire to pray for the sick. Two stalwart, handsome men enter Anna's lifeone the passionate, zealous Michael, who encourages Anna to use her miraculous gift in his revival meetings—the other, Tristan, an enigmatic and intimidating farmer her father had befriended. But praying for healing comes with a high price and ugly rumors begin to surface about Anna's spiritual gift and her property. Both men must learn to surrender their plans for the future in different ways—a sacrifice neither is sure he is willing to make. 

I accidentally "stumbled" upon Sondra Kraak online and she was one of the best discoveries I have ever made. I was entranced by the cover of her new book, Such a Hope, and the blurb intrigued me as well! Tackling the subject of laying on of hands and miraculous healing took alot of courage and Ms. Kraak did so with finesse and wisdom...addressing the question as to why some people get healed and others do not. The multifaceted main characters were admittedly admirable, but not infallible. And ooh, the romantic tension almost stole my breath away! 😯Sondra Kraak is an amazingly talented author, and I anxiously await the next book in the Paths of Grace series! Be sure to order your copy of this emotionally stirring story of passion, forgiveness, and redemption today!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This book may be purchased through AmazonB&N, and BAM.

GIVEAWAY: Sondra Kraak has generously offered a paperback copy to one blessed commenter (US entrants only!) For contact purposes should your name be drawn, please be sure to leave your email addy written (at) and (dot) to protect yourself against spammers.


86 comments:

  1. Isn't Sondra an amazing find, Diane?!! I had only discovered her books recently myself too, and after reading the first, immediately had to purchase her others! :) A beautiful review!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Noela! She is one author I definitely plan to keep my eye on! Such a great book!

      Delete
  2. I've heard fabulous things about Sondra's books from my buddy, Rebecca Maney! Sounds like I will have to add this book to my wish list. :)

    Have a blessed day, my OWG sisters!!!! Love y'all!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OHHH, you must read this one, ANNE! I was so pleasantly surprised by Sondra's writing.
      Blessings and love sent right back your way, sis!

      Delete
  3. Wow this book sounds right up my alley! I'll have to look into her books! Thanks for the lovely review, Diana! Hugs and blessings!

    fujitani69 (at) gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, REGINA! I loved the way Sondra stayed true to the genre "Christian" fiction, too. A very spiritual book and a great storyline as well! Hugs, blessings, and thank yous back your way!

      Delete
    2. Thanks for stopping by, Regina!

      Delete
  4. Yep. I just recently discovered Ms Kraak as well. Love to have her new book. No worries if I don't. It's only $3.99 for the Kindle version. tojoleen(at)gmail

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a great price for such a fabulous book, JOLEEN! Thanks for coming by and for sharing!

      Delete
  5. This sounds like an author I need to get to know. Hope to win her book.

    Gpk1946(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad I did, PHYLLIS! Good luck in the drawing!

      Delete
  6. Looks like I have another book to add to my "read" pile - which seems to get bigger by the day.
    connie.tillman82 at gmail dot come

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know the feeling, CONNIE! lol I hope that you get the chance to read this one ASAP!

      Delete
  7. Aaah Sondra's such a talented writer! And that cover is too die for!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed she is, LUCY! That cover is what attracted me to Sondra in the first place, but sometimes covers can be deceiving. Not so in this case!

      Delete
    2. And Lucy's debut is out--a Christmas novella! Thanks for stopping by, Lucy!

      Delete
  8. What a great book this will be to read. Thanks for the chance.
    Jhdwayne(at)peoplepc(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, DEANA! Hope you'll have an opportunity to read all about the lovely Anna soon!

      Delete
  9. Sondra is new to me and I would love to read her book. Thank you for the opportunity. mauback55 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad I could help you discover another great author, MELANIE! Good luck and God bless!

      Delete
    2. Thanks for stopping by, Melanie!

      Delete
  10. Sondra, you're a new to me author, exciting! I absolutely love your cover & the excerpt is very interesting & grabbed my attention. Thanks so much for sharing a chance to win! Merry Christmas!
    rw620 AT aol DOT com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The cover, the blurb - there's just not anything about this novel that's not to love, ROBIN! I think I just used a triple negative there, but you get my meaning. lol

      Delete
    2. And Merry Christmas to you as well! :-)

      Delete
    3. Thanks, Robin! I absolutely agree about the cover. My designer did a great job! Merry Christmas!

      Delete
  11. Ohhhh, this sounds like a GREAT read, thank you for the chance to win a copy!

    wfnren at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is indeed, WENDY! I hope you get a copy in your hands ASAP!

      Delete
  12. The cover is lovely.
    Karenskrayons(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it though, KAREN! I just couldn't resist it so flew to Amazon. lol

      Delete
    2. Thanks for visiting the blog today, Karen! I also love the cover. :)

      Delete
  13. This sounds like an excellent book. Love the cover.
    CherylB1987 AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  14. It's always fun to stumble across a new author!

    Love the beautiful cover of this book...

    Pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope she didn't get hurt when I stumbled across her, PATTY! haha It's truly a sublime cover, isn't it? Thanks so much for coming by!

      Delete
    2. Patty, thanks for stopping by. Diana--no, not hurt. :) Again, thanks for having me here.

      Delete
    3. I'm glad! ;) You're so welcome...it's such a pleasure having you!

      Delete
  15. Oh wow, sounds very interesting. I have not read any of Sondra Kraak's books, thank you Diana for sharing Such A Hope with us.
    Blessings, Tina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're so welcome, TINA! I hope to read the rest of this series for sure - as they are released! Blessings!

      Delete
    2. Thanks for visiting today, Tina!

      Delete
  16. What a lovely cover for a lovely book. Thanks for the giveaway.
    JoanEC128{at]AOL[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I love the cover and the contents! Have a blessed day, JOAN!

      Delete
    2. Joan, thanks for coming by. Lovely is a great word to describe the cover!

      Delete
  17. I know I will enjoy reading this book.Thanks for the giveaway.
    MarionMPC[at]AOL[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thank you for the opportunity to win this lovely book.
    MarilynDKC[at]AOL[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, MARILYN! Blessings on your day! :)

      Delete
  19. I've heard great things about her writing. I need to find the time to read her books. Sounds great! Nancycooks4u(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I squeezed this one in, NANCY, and it was well worth my while! Thanks and good luck!

      Delete
  20. Great review. Sounds like a good read.
    debsbunch777(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, CHAPPY! I know you'll enjoy it! :) Thank you!

      Delete
  21. OK, first things first. That cover is blowing me away! I didn't even see the author before I knew I wanted to read it. Next, I love that it is in Washington. I read an interview with Sondra Kraak awhile back where she talked about using WA as the setting for her historical books. Being a Washingtonian, I enjoy reading books that are set in my home state, as well as Idaho and Oregon. I wish I could say that I have already read Sondra's previous books, but I have the ebooks purchased with great intentions. I purchased them based on such great reviews such as Diana's glowing one here. Congrats on Such A Hope's release. I wish for only God's best. tlhcoupon(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TERRILL, I love reading your thoughtful posts. Some book covers can be deceiving as you no doubt have found out, but this one -- not so. Covers sell books which makes me wonder why authors/publishers sometimes settle for some of the worst covers! So much work is put into writing a book and it's worthy of a fabulous cover at least. This is definitely Washington in those early years and I believe from what you said that you'll thoroughly enjoy it! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Delete
  22. She is a new author to me, also. Appreciate the introduction and interesting review. Beautiful setting for the book and a more unusual premise. dixiedobie at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you'll enjoy getting acquainted with Sondra's books, CATHY! Very descriptive setting and the premise is unusual to say the least!

      Delete
  23. Wow! What a great idea for a story! It sounds incredible. It is now on my wish list.
    c4kwhite(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Totally incredible, CONNIE! I hope you get your wish fulfilled & if not here I would do some not so subtle hinting at Christmas time. ;)

      Delete
  24. This is a new author to me, and this book sounds wonderful. Thanks for the great review, Diana. What a wonderful giveaway!
    bettimace(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, BETTI! I'm so thrilled to be able to introduce Sondra to you! She's been a well-kept secret from some, so we'll just have to rectify that! lol Thank you! Blessings on your day!

      Delete
  25. Thanks for your beautiful review, Diana!! I love the subject/storyline of 'Such A Hope' and definitely will be purchasing a copy as well as checking out Sondra's other books. Thanks for introducing me to her writing!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're so welcome, BONNIE! My pleasure! And thank you for purchasing a copy! :)

      Delete
  26. Sounds like a real toe-curler. ;) Wonderful review blondie.
    Luke

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, DD! It was indeed a toe-curler -- when they finally got around to it! These characters kept me on tenterhooks with their romantic tension. I was like get to it!! lol

      Delete
    2. I'm with you. Get to it. Why waste all that time? Haha.

      Delete
    3. To fill up 300 plus pgs. of a book and keep readers like me in an emotional upheaval. chuckle...

      Delete
  27. Gorgeous cover! I love it! This book sounds really interesting! :)

    Blessings!
    swordmaidenofthelight (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SHANTELLE, welcome to OWG! We have definitely got some cover love going on here this past couple of days! The cover attracted me and drew me in - the storyline and characters kept me there. Blessings!

      Delete
  28. DIANA, thank you for the STELLAR review! Sounds like a great story. I love this cover! (((((HUGS)))))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CARYL, thank you! I hope you get a chance to read it really soon! I would very loudly hint for an Amazon gift card for Christmas. lol

      Delete
  29. I've read and reviewed "Two Ways Home" and really did like her writing. I love the gorgeous cover of this one (who doesn't love a wedding dress?) and the premise :-) Thanks for your always lovely reviews Diana & for the chance to win a copy!

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TRIXI, bless you and thank you! Hmm...just wondering who she is wearing that wedding dress for? ;) I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and I hope they do equally well with the cover. It'll be a hard one to beat!

      Delete
    2. That IS a wedding dress, right?? I could be wrong....lol!

      Delete
    3. Mum's the word, TRIXI. LOL! I'm letting you sample a little of that romantic tension I was talking about. hehe

      Delete
    4. Gee, thanks!! HAHA!! I love it :-)

      Delete
    5. As Kav always likes to tell me on her blog...bwahahahaha. I've always wanted to use that on our blog, too, so Trixi you're the first! :P

      Delete
    6. You're welcome Diana! Glad to indulge you :-)

      Delete
  30. Sondra is a new author to me. This book sounds like a great one with some suspense and romance included. Thanks for the review and giveaway. d[dot]brookmyer[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DONNA, welcome to OWG! Hope you're having a great holiday season so far! Such a Hope has a little something for everyone and men will also enjoy reading it as well. Good luck in the giveaway. Thank you!

      Delete
  31. This sounds like an amazing read. I was surprised to read in the description of the book that Anna was involved in her father's freighting business. That is such an unusual occupation to write about and interested me right away since I worked in the transportation industry as did my Dad. I always said it was in our blood. Would enjoy reading the book. Thanks for the chance.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She just grew up beside of him on that wagon, DIANNE, and finally longed for roots and friends. Pretty spunky but so vulnerable, too. I truly believe you will enjoy this novel a lot! Thanks so much for sharing.

      Delete
  32. Congrats to Joleen who won a copy of Such a Hope via random number! Happy reading, Joleen!!

    ReplyDelete
  33. I see that the contest is over,but I just had to comment on the lovely cover. I will check out this author for sure. :) Jacqueline Kimball,ACFW member

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and am wondering if they come up with a cover as lovely as this one. It'll be hard to beat for sure! Thanks for coming by, JACKIE, and congrats on the release of your new book as well!

      Delete

Google Analytics