Jesseca is a daughter, sister, and a child of God. Her days are spent reading, cooking, spending time with siblings, or playing piano. And writing, of course! At an early age words fascinated her, and her love for the printed page has only grown. She lives with her parents and seven siblings in the sunny state of Kansas, and she’s convinced there’s no place like home.
*happy sigh* Well, that was so emotional, and sad and heartbreaking, and beautiful, and lovely and amazing and just AHH! <3333
Real review to come after publication.
Merged review:
An epic conclusion to the Questions of War series! I think this one might be Wheaton’s best yet. A lot of difficult subjects are tackled in A Question of Loyalty, and the author does so with a great deal of thought, heart, and delicacy.
From A Question of Honor, we all knew Micah needed his own book--and now he finally does! He is such a complex and fabulous character, I fell in love with him right away. Ann, too, is an equally interesting and realistic character.
I love diving into one of Wheaton’s books. She does a fabulous job capturing the World War Two time period in her writing style. It totally sets the tone for the story, and I instantly feel like I’ve gone back in time when I start reading. The plot is fairly fast-moving, and while there were a few jumps in time that were somewhat jarring, overall it is quite seamless. The ending climax had me on the edge of my seat and brought on buckets of tears. (Somehow I can’t read one of these books without crying my eyes out.)
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this series finale! I’m just sad it’s over; I’m going to miss these characters! I highly recommend fans of gripping historical stories check this whole series out! Well done, Miss Wheaton!
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. A positive review was not required; these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
I’ll admit that I started reading this book with a slight sense of trepidation. I mean I knew this author wouldn’t include language or intimate scenes, but I’m not that big of a WWII fan when the story deals with Nazis. However, I was going to read it because I’d read the other two books, and I wanted to finish the series.
To my delight, the story focused more on the characters and not as much on the war crimes being committed. Yes, there were really tough situations, yes, there was some description of a concentration work camp, and yes, there was talk of deaths, mentions of blood and wounds, but nothing was overtly graphic. The characters felt real and dealt with real emotions. There were times I smiled, and times I just kept reading because I had to know what happened next.
This story dealt with some tough issues, but the author handled each one well and biblically. I appreciate that she didn’t shy away from these things or just gloss over them. Not only does this story wrap up the series well, but it also wraps up the war in Europe even though Japan had not yet surrendered.
There is one mention of a kiss at engagement, but it was sweet and I smiled over it. There might have been another kiss or two, but if so they were just mentioned in passing and I don’t remember them.
I would recommend this book to any who love WWII fiction books.
WOW. This was incredible. I'm fairly certain this is Jesseca's best work yet. I'm also certain that this review is going to be very difficult - and I might dissolve into flailing nothingness. However, I shall try my best to compose myself and write a good review.
BUT HONESTLY FOLKS, WOW. I was really blown away by this book! It's so solid. There's pretty much not a bit of fluff - don't get me wrong, it's incredibly enjoyable to read - but just the depth of what is in here! I really don't know how Jesseca did it.
First off, the funny banter, in the beginning, was hilarious. I kept giggling (especially over the southern talk jokes)! I LOOOOOVE the relationships between Ann and her siblings...I really wish I had older brothers like that. ❤ And Micah! HE IS SO THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN. I'm worried about spoilers but .
I legit cried a lot in this book. As I was reading, the realization of what it must have been like nursing on the front set in, and I wept over it. I can't imagine how difficult that must have been, but I saw a glimpse. *shudders* It was awful, but oh, so needed, and she handled it so well. Nothing was gory, but it was real. And also I loved Arnold and Erich's relationship!
Basically, if you want a book that has romance, funny banter, and well-handled WWII horrors in it - this is it for you. It's SO well-written, SO good, and although heartbreaking at times, ends really well too! I loved this book so much.
*I was provided with a free copy of this book to review. My thoughts and opinions are completely honest, as a positive review was not required.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Wow, an amazing grand-finale to this series. I had the honour to beta-read all three, and it was fun to get to know these fantastic characters. If you love suspense, war, family relationships, and a bit of romance, you will love this one! Also, the challenging spiritual content will encourage you in your own walk with the Lord :) (I will rate this after I've read the published version, but I totally recommend this book!)
* sniff * Oh my. This book...the perfect ending to the trilogy. I'll write a real review later when I'm not at a hospital and have a real computer =) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EDITED:
Okay -- a full review =) This was probably my favourite of all the "Questions of War" books. It was so. good. And I don't want to give anything away, so there's not too very much I can say ;-)
I fell in love with Jesseca's writing in the first two books, and this was no exception. It was a book that was beautifully written, wonderfully worded, and the words all flowed together to create a picture that was so sweet, and so sad, that it was perfect. The conflicts the characters face cause them to grow so much, and brings them to life. By the time the book ended, I knew these people. And I didn't want to leave them.
First of all, Micah Wilson was one of the main characters. I love that guy! Then Erich Essler the German. . . I had been wondering about him since the first book, and I was glad to have my questions answered :D
And then to learn more of Anne Sullivan, the sister who wandered away to play the church piano during one of the other books. A girl after my own heart <3 I was SO happy to get to know her! And she is the quintessential nurse, willing to give up her own comfort and safety to care for others, no matter who they are.
The way Anne's brothers take care of her and watch out for her and encourage her is SO sweet. The relationship she has with her father is perfect. That good-bye -- I was crying. Actually, to be totally honest, I cried throughout the book, so =D And the meddlesome older brother -- oh. my. That was hilariously funny! I love that guy! The way the brothers tried to prepare her for the reality of war and battle and facing death was heart-wrenching, yet precious, to read, and it mad me admire them even more than I already did.
The surprise character I never saw coming, who meant so much to Anne and Micah, was essential to the story, and I quickly fell in love.
I enjoy how Jesseca's books always have such a strong theme of Biblical principles running throughout them. Woven in, effortlessly, the book isn't preachy or "goody-two-shoes-y", but the very fabric of the storyline is about the God who is sovereign over all, and how the characters can glorify Him and share Christ's love with others. I loved the theme of forgiveness and trust in this book, and I loved the reconciliation between siblings. It. was. precious.
I would recommend this for ages 14+, simply because of the war and the death and the blood. Nothing gruesome, but it's there. *POSSIBLE SPOILER* There are scenes involving Jewish internment and work camps, as well, and there was nothing pretty about those. Also mentions of torture and coercion to get information, as well as one execution. Again, not detailed, but disturbing for very young readers. *SPOILER FINISHED*
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to enjoy the book, just to be honest about it* *In the interest of full disclosure, I'm definitley going to be purchasing a solid copy of this for my own library. And to give as gifts. I definitely need to share the emotions in this book with others!*
Yep, this book did make me tear up again, although not quite as much as the last one. :') War is never a happy subject, and these books certainly don't shy away from the pain, the scars, and the questions that come with it. But I still felt like this book brought some really good closure to the series and offered enough lighthearted moments and nuggets of truth throughout that I wasn't overwhelmed by the pain and sadness.
And there's my favorite part of the book--the banter. Oh, boy! From Ann and David and Rafe to David and Micah to Arnold and Erich to Ann and Micah--it was all so spot-on and perfect! :D And yet it didn't feel out of place with the serious backdrop, but more like the kinds of normal patterns that are so ingrained in our personalities that we fall back on them even when everything around us is grim and serious. Like the little flickers of light and normalcy that give us hope in the darkest of places.
Ann and Micah were both very sweet (okay, we already knew this, but getting more of a focus on them was excellent). And the scenes between Ann and her brothers as she's getting ready to head out just about had me in tears before the story ever started. <3<3<3 Arnold took me a little longer to figure out, although the way he purposely irritated Erich made me smile from the beginning. And Erich--hmmm... I'm still not sure I fully understand him, although definitely more than in the first book. Also with all the characters who were injured/captured/missing/sentenced to death, I was holding my breath through a large portion of the book!
There was a lot of great historical detail, although there were a few times when a word or phrase or detail felt just a bit out of place for the time period. Also a lot of really hard questions without easy answers that were wrestled with--for example, the morality of assassinations in wartime. And with Micah a doctor and Ann a nurse, there's also quite a bit of medical detail, war injuries, and death, although those scenes are handled with a very light and respectful touch.
Overall, I think A Question of Courage is still my favorite of the series, but this one definitely comes close. My favorite part is definitely the sibling bonds, loving friendships, and playful banter. :) Thanks to Jesseca Wheaton for giving the world such a sweet and powerful series!
I received a free copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.
Content--battle scenes, including injuries and deaths; some medical details, including blood, wounds, amputations, etc.; some details of concentration camps described; torture and executions; debates over the morality of assassination in wartime; accusations of marital unfaithfulness; mentions of drinking, smoking, and cursing; one use of "the devil" and one of "damnation" (in a spiritual sense)
Where to begin? *draws a long breath* I knew from page one that I'd enjoy this third book in Jesseca Wheaton's Questions of War series. But I didn't count on loving it, and especially not to the extent that I did. By far it's my favorite of the trilogy - the one that broke my heart, challenged my mind, and kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time. I don't necessarily agree that Micah and Ann should've kissed during engagement (especially since, in previous books, Jesseca stressed saving that first kiss for marriage), but that's probably my only major complaint. :) Overall, I give this book a shimmering 4.5 stars, and I look forward to reading more by this author.
((Oh, and one more thing. Chapter 44 was my absolute favorite. *allllll the hearts*))
Oh my goodness. An absolutely brilliant end to a wonderful trilogy.
This is quite possibly my favorite book out of the series (though granted, I haven't re-read the first two yet so that may change). It also marks the first time I've sent almost-death threats to an author over particular events.
Likes - ARNOLD. Hands down my favorite character (after Gil, of course). - Arnold and Erich's relationship. Just... everything about it. - - Erich's character arch. It was so satisfactory and made me really happy and exactly what I wanted. - Ann and Micah's relationship. - I just really liked the characters, okay. They're relationships and them on their own and the character dynamics and just urg. They're so good. - The realistic portrayal of sibling relationships. - The humor. I laughed out loud so many times reading this. - The themes, and how it doesn't shy away from wrestling with hard questions. - The plot. It was more complex than I was expecting, with lots of moving parts to all come together, and it kept me glued to the page.
Dislikes - A distinct lack of Joyanna. - There's one point where Arnold (a Brit) talks about something that happened in 10th grade, and I'm 99% certain they say Year 10 or Year 11 in England.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. You could probably even dive into it without having read the first two (though you should definitely read them). I barely remembered everything that happened (mind like a leaky sieve) and I figure out who was who and what was going on before the first chapter was over.
I received a free copy in exchanged for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. Ahhh... wow. I’m still not sure what I think of this book. It was so not what I expected. It’s a bit darker than the other books because it deals with the concentration camps... I give you my word that about 50% through I was wondering if anything worse could happen to the characters and if it would all end okay. The cool thing is that since the author has grown older & more mature, the characters seem to also be older & more mature, which totally fits the plot and I love it. I loved Micah but Arnold was the best. <33 His snark is AMAZING. I also really loved seeing Erich again... his storyline was perfect. This book was... harsh, to not say brutal. It showed the real horror of the war. The glory was gone from it now. The thing that bugged me most was a kiss (which totally disgusted me because Micah in the first book would never have done it). The romance was a bit touchy but not too bad, apart from this. There were some gory bits, and one happening totally grossed me out but that’s just because I’m sensitive. Also a few mentions of guards keeping their hands of a woman prisoner, taking liberty with a woman prisoner, & looking at her. I totally related to the message of the book... trusting God’s plan when you don’t understand. As usual with these books, I think I’ll like it better when I reread it since I know what’s coming. This was a awesome, if unexpected, end to the series. <33
A Favourite Quote: “But in the end, she realized that it wasn’t so much what she’d done that mattered, but what God had taught her through it. And even though she still didn’t understand it all, she knew that He had a plan that one day would be made known to all.” A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “...reality settled back onto Micah’s shoulders like a cold drizzle. Nothing that would kill him, but it sure did make life miserable.” A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘But I have to say, that’s the most effort I’ve ever seen put into looking casual.’ ... “‘Yeah, and it failed utterly,’ Arnold said with a grin. ‘Maybe next time I’ll try to make a scene and end up looking casual.’”