Dear Abby - Favorite Movie Dogs: Lassie

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a good week!

We talked about Lassie before as a TV dog (you can read that blog post here:  Famous TV Dogs:  Lassie), but before Lassie was on television, she was in the movies.

Lassie Come Home was a 1943 MGM movie starring Roddy McDowell and collie Pal.  When Lassie is sold to a wealthy man, she finds a way to return home to the boy who loves her.

Son of Lassie (1945) continues the story with the same boy, now grown up.  It is about Lassie's son who becomes a "war dog" during World War II.   This movie stars Peter Lawford and June Lockhart - who later appeared in the Lassie TV series.

Courage of Lassie (1946) is about a collie named Bill who loves a young girl (played by a young Elizabeth Taylor).   He is separated from her and becomes a war dog.  However, he finds his way back to the home he loves.  This movie costars Frank Morgan, the wizard from The Wizard of Oz.

Hills of Home (1948) is about a Scottish doctor who has a dog named Lassie.  Lassie is afraid of water, but fights this fear to rescue the doctor.  The doctor in this movie is played by Edmund Gwenn, who played Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street.

The Sun Comes Up (1949) tells the story of a former opera singer (Jeanette MacDonald) who lives with her dog Lassie and bonds with a young orphan in the Brushy Gap area of the Smoky Mountains near Asheville.

Challenge to Lassie (1949) is about a collie so devoted to her deceased person that she does not want to leave his grave.

The Painted Hills (Lassie's Adventures in the Goldrush) is a 1951 movie about a collie who wants to find revenge when her person is murdered.

In all seven original Lassie movies, the role was played by Pal.  Pal was a male Rough Collie who lived 18 years (1940 - 1958).  

There are also later Lassie movies after this series of 7 collie films:  Lassie's Great Adventures (1963, made for TV), The Magic of Lassie (1978), and remakes of Lassie in 1994 and 2005.

Have you seen any of the Lassie movies, or the Lassie TV series?   I would love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Book Review and Giveaway - The Lost Castle by Kristy Cambron

Book Synopsis

Broken-down walls and crumbled stones seemed to possess a secret language all their own. What stories would they tell, if she finally listened?

Ellie Carver arrives at her grandmother’s bedside expecting to find her silently slipping away. Instead, the beloved old woman begins speaking. Of a secret past and castle ruins forgotten by time. Of a hidden chapel that served as a rendezvous for the French resistance in World War II. Of lost love and deep regret . . .

Each piece that unlocks the story seems to unlock part of Ellie too—where she came from and who she is becoming. But her grandmother is quickly disappearing into the shadows of Alzheimer’s and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family’s history. Drawn by the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty—a forgotten castle so named for Charles Perrault’s beloved fairy tale—Ellie embarks on a journey to France’s Loire Valley in hopes that she can unearth its secrets before time silences them forever.

Bridging the past to present in three time-periods—the French Revolution, World War II, and present day—The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged in the hearts of men, and an enchanted castle that stood witness to it all, inspiring a legacy of faith through the generations.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

My Review
The Lost Castle is a historical novel set in three time periods:  the present, World War II, and during the French Revolution.  In the present day it tells the story of Ellie and her grandmother.  When Ellie finds a mysterious picture of her grandmother at a castle in 1944, she goes off to France to solve the mystery of the photo for her grandmother, who has Alzheimer's.  The story also flashes back to Ellie's grandmother, Viola, in the 1940's, and further back, to the story of Aveline in 1780's France.

This is such a lovely, complex read.  I loved the layers of history, the characters, the story that builds as it moves back and forth in time.

The castle itself is almost a character in this book.  It is referred to as The Sleeping Beauty castle and there is a lot that is apt about that name.  Cambron writes:

"Vi had come upon a storybook castle first, the ruins of stone walls enveloped in a thick layer of ivy.  She'd rather have hidden there, to get lost in its crumbling secrets and forget the world for a time.  Maybe sleep in one of the lofty rooms and imagine the soirees that had enlivened it centuries before" (p. 28).

The writing is beautiful.  I knew I would love this book from the epigraph that sets the tone:  "If I'm honest, I have to tell you I still read fairy tales, and I like them best of all" (Audrey Hepburn, p. x).  The descriptions bring the castle and the characters to life.   Kristy Cambron does an especially good job at delineating very different characters in vastly different times.

I loved every minute of The Lost Castle, and am sure it will be one of my favorite reads this year.  I cannot recommend this novel highly enough for fans of historical fiction.  Five stars!

Author Bio

Kristy Cambron has a background in art and design, but she fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. She is the bestselling author of The Ringmaster’s Wife, named to Publishers Weekly Spring 2016 Religion & Spirituality TOP 10. Her novels have been named to Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books and RT Book Reviewers’ Choice Awards Best lists for 2014 & 2015, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations. Kristy’s first Bible studies, THE VERSE MAPPING SERIES, will release in 2018.

Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years of experience in education and leadership development from a Fortune-100 Corporation. Kristy lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and could probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

Visit Kristy online at www.KristyCambron.com, Twitter: @KCambronAuthor, Facebook: Kristy-Cambron-Author, Instagram: KristyCambron.

 

Connect with Kristy

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Giveaway

Kristy Cambron is hosting a giveaway on Instagram -- click here to see all the info!  (Ends 3/13/18)

I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.

Book Review - Out of the Ashes by Tracie Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse

Book Synopsis
Can the Majesty of Alaska Foster Hope and Healing for Those Who Need it Most?

After the death of their father, Collette and Jean-Michel Langelier are no longer tied to post-war France. While his sister dreams of adventure, Jean-Michel is hoping to finally escape reminders of the horrors he faced in the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925. When an unexpected invitation for them to visit Alaska and the Curry Hotel arrives, it seems the perfect opportunity.

Young widow Katherine Demarchis is also traveling to the foot of Mt. Denali with her grandmother--a last trip before she retreats into a quiet and solitary life, finally free of the dangerous husband she was forced to marry. Yet when she encounters there a Frenchman from her past, her plans for the future are thrown into question.

Both haunted by the violence of their pasts, can Katherine and Jean-Michel rediscover the bond they once had? Or, when Jean-Michel's nightmares return with terrifying consequences, will it be impossible to heal what's been broken for so long?

My Review
Out of the Ashes tells the story of Katherine Demarchis.  Katherine is a young widow who travels with her grandmother to the Curry Hotel in Alaska in 1926.  While they are at the hotel, she meets her lost love, Jean-Michel Langelier.  Katherine is cautious of men because of an abusive marriage.  Jean-Michel is recovering from fighting for France in the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925.  

Both Katherine and Jean-Michel are warm, sympathetic characters.  They both are vulnerable and trying to be stronger individually -- and they long to see if they can also be stronger together, with each other's support.

I loved the glimpse of Alaska in the 1920's and the workings of the Curry Hotel - with both guests and staff.  There was an upstairs-downstairs feel to the book that was very appealing.  I was curious and looked online.  The Curry was a real hotel that burned in 1957.

There were a number of other characters included in this story:  Katherine's grandmother;  Jean-Michel's flighty younger sister, Collette;  Cassidy and Allan Brennan, who work at the hotel and are expecting their first child;  Mrs. Johnson, chef at the hotel, and Cassidy's boss and friend.  This is the second book in The Heart of Alaska series.  It took me a few chapters to catch up with the large number of characters, but once I did, I enjoyed this novel as a standalone read.

Faith plays an important part in this story.  Both Katherine and Jean-Michel are exploring ways to deepen their faith, and this gives them a connection to each other as well.  

Out of the Ashes was a lovely, uplifting read.  I recommend it to fans of historical fiction and inspirational fiction.   I hope to read the other books in this series!

Author Bio
Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana. Learn more at www.traciepeterson.com.

Kimberley Woodhouse (www.kimberleywoodhouse.com) is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than fifteen fiction and nonfiction books. A popular speaker and teacher, she's shared her theme of "Joy Through Trials" with more than half a million people across the country at more than 2,000 events. Kim and her incredible husband of twenty-five-plus years have two adult children. She's passionate about music and Bible study and loves the gift of story. You can connect with Kimberley on her website and at www.facebook.com/KimberleyWoodhouseAuthor.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House.

Dear Abby - Favorite Dog Movies: Benji

Dear Friends,

I'm back to continue talking about dog movies with you here this week!  Our movie this week is Benji.  This was the third most popular movie at the box office in 1974.

Benji tells the story of an adorable, shaggy mixed breed dog.  Benji is a stray, but he picks out the perfect family.  The only problem?  The father in the family does not like dogs!  When the children in the family are kidnapped, Benji saves the day ... and finds the perfect family as a result!

Benji was portrayed by Higgins the dog.  Higgins was rescued from the Burbank Animal Shelter by dog trainer Frank Inn.   He was a Poodle - Cocker Spaniel - Schnauzer mix.  He made guest appearances on Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies, but found fame when he portrayed "Dog" on Petticoat Junction.  He had already retired, but came out of retirement to play Benji in this movie.  He retired again afterward and lived to the fine old age of 18!

Higgins the Dog with his person, Frank Inn

Higgins had famous puppies, including Mac, who played Tramp on My Three Sons, and Benjean, who starred as Benji in For the Love of Benji.

This was the final movie of Edgar Buchanan (Uncle Joe from Petticoat Junction) and Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith Show).

It is said that Alfred Hitchcock considered Benji a favorite guilty pleasure.

Here is the movie trailer for this 1974 film:



Have you seen Benji?  Do you have any other dog movies you would like to recommend?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Book Review - The View from Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble

Book Synopsis

After her husband, Jack, dies in a climbing incident, Shauna has only her five-year-old son and her helicopter charter business to live for. Every day is a struggle to make ends meet and she lives in constant fear of losing even more than she already has.

When her business partner is murdered, his final words convince Shauna that she’s in danger too. But where can she turn? Zach Bannister was her husband’s best friend and is the person she blames for his death. She’s barely spoken to him since. But right now he seems her only hope for protecting her son.

Zach is only too happy to assuage his guilt over Jack’s death by helping Shauna any way he can. But there are secrets involved dating back to Shauna’s childhood that more than one person would prefer to stay hidden.

In The View from Rainshadow Bay, suspense, danger, and a longing to love again ignite amid the gorgeous lavender fields of Washington State.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon | iBooks | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

My Review
The View from Rainshadow Bay tells the story of Shauna McDade.  She is a widow putting her life back together and taking loving care of her young son Alex.  Her life once again is turned upside down when her friend and mentor is murdered.  She turns to her late husband's best friend, Zach Bannister.  As they work to solve the mystery of her friend, they only discover more mysteries from the long ago past and from recent years as well.

This is a romantic suspense novel, and Colleen Coble does an exceptional job at balancing both aspects of the book.  I really liked the characters of Shauna and Zach, and wanted them to find happiness and healing together.

The mystery was very fast paced and had a number of interesting facets.  I loved the little pieces of the mystery -- an old, one-of-a-kind necklace, some aerial photographs, a surprising video message.

The setting for this novel was amazing.  I have never visited Washington state but have always wanted to.  This novel only made me want to visit more!   It is set in the small town of Lavender Tides:

"Most of the Victorian buildings and storefronts had been constructed in the 1880s, and the town often drew in tourists searching for a short stopover on a trip from Port Townsend to Sequim.

Many aging hippies had found its charm irresistible enough that they'd moved in and opened everything from coffee shops to pottery studios.  In the golden glow of the late afternoon sun, the town looked magical with its bustling pier stretching out into the blue water" (pp. 4 - 5).

There is a faith message in the book as Shauna reconnects with her church family after her husband's death, and Shauna and Zach share similar faith and values.

The View from Rainshadow Bay is the first book in Colleen Coble's new Lavender Tides series.  I am already looking forward to reading the next book!   I recommend this novel for fans of romantic suspense, well written mysteries, and Christian fiction.

Author Bio

USA Today bestselling author Colleen Coble has written numerous romantic suspense novels including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and Beneath Copper Falls.

 

Connect with Colleen

Website | Facebook | Twitter

I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.