Tag Archives: donna alice patton

Book Review: The Search for the Madonna

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It’s always a pleasure to read a novel by the talented Donna Alice Patton.
Woven into her stories are enticing themes of mystery, suspense, faith, hope, and trust. The Search for the Madonna incorporates all these elements in an adventure story for girls. It reminds me of an American Girl novel, but longer, with more substance, and geared especially for Catholics!

The characters come to life in a genuine historical atmosphere. In the midst of the Great Depression, eleven-year-old twins–timid Maggie and spunky Em–spend the summer on their Aunt Sophie’s beautiful farm. Maggie hopes this idyllic place can finally be a permanent home. Unfortunately, the bank is ready to snatch the farm if the overdue taxes aren’t paid soon.

To save the farm, Maggie determines to find the family’s long-lost Brandenburg treasure and the priceless jewel-studded Madonna statue. But mysterious “ghost” trespassers, eerie lights, and confusing clues frighten and befuddle Maggie’s efforts.

With a developing devotion to the Blessed Virgin, Maggie learns to overcome fear and to trust in the Madonna not only in times of crisis, but always.

Entertaining, educational, memorable, and moral, The Search for the Madonna makes a delightful read for girls seven and up.

And stay tuned, because the author has a sequel in the works!

The Search for the Madonna is available in paperback and as a Kindle ebook.

Book Review: The Gift of Summer Snow

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The Gift of Summer Snow by Donna Alice Patton is a beautiful, wholesome quality mystery novel for young girls about age seven to thirteen.

Eleven-year-old Becky loves to garden and she is determined to win a top prize at the county fair with her Summer Snow rose. The problem? Someone is snatching her best blooms! With time running out, Becky determines to hunt down the culprit and solve the mystery. Along the way, she learns lessons in faith, friendship, and kindness. She also increases her devotion to a favorite saint, St. Theresa.

The writing, plot, and characters are lively and entertaining enough to hold the attention of the most reluctant readers, and suspense will keep readers turning pages to reach the satisfying conclusion.

The Gift of Summer Snow is a refreshing, sweet, and interesting story that you can feel good about giving your daughter to read. The role models and the depiction of a solid family unit are inspiring. This book would make a great gift or addition to a homeschool collection. In addition, the black and white illustrations are quite charming.

I would have loved the opportunity to read this book as a child. My little girls will read this someday for sure. It’s a keeper!

The Gift of Summer Snow is available in paperback from the author’s website.

Book Review: Roses are Red, Diamonds are Blue

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From the clever title and stunning cover, to the well-written story, Roses are Red, Diamonds are Blue by Donna Alice Patton is a mystery suspense novel that delivers what it promises.

The novel has an engaging beginning with plenty of tension. A mere week before Christmas, Laura Barkley receives a desperate call from her husband, Peter, right before he dies tragically in the museum where he works. When the priceless blue Anastasia Diamond is revealed missing, suspicion falls on Peter—and thus Laura—adding to her burden as her life crumbles around her.

Eleven months later, Laura is doing her best to eke out a stable existence for herself and her little twin daughters, when the threats and fear begin anew. Whom should she trust and where should she go? And will she ever be able to decipher Peter’s final clue and find the Anastasia Diamond before it’s too late?

The mystery kept me reading, and the touches of romance added to the enjoyment of the layered story. Characters are rounded and real, and I truly felt for Laura and her girls and all the hardship they’ve endured. This is a novel that grabs at your emotions and a book that any lover of suspense could enjoy.

Many potential readers will also be happy to know that this is a clean read. The Catholic faith elements are minimal, but a very nice touch. Laura progresses from a lapsed Catholic who thinks she must rely on herself for everything, to realizing that, both humanly and spiritually, she can’t (and shouldn’t) always go it alone.

Roses are Red, Diamonds are Blue is set in the late 1970s, a time period that I don’t often come across in a novel, so I found it quite interesting as well as unique. The time period and setting always felt authentic to me, and I particularly enjoyed experiencing the Blizzard of ’78 in the climax.

Thank you, Ms. Patton, for a great story!

Roses are Red, Diamonds are Blue is available as a Kindle ebook.