Love And Death Among The Cheetahs Book Review

Title: Love And Death Among The Cheetahs

Author: Rhys Bowen

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Series,

Plot: With this latest installment in the ongoing saga that is Georgie's life in the 1930s, Georgie is on her honeymoon with the dashing Darcy O'Mara. After a long and bumpy journey, they finally arrive at their destination and begin to settle in with the locals who are an odd bunch, to say the least. But shortly into the trip, Georgie begins to suspect that Darcy didn't whip out this magical trip to Africa at the last minute just to amaze her. He is actually here on his secret spy business.

Needless to say, that knowledge does not sit well with Georgie and she begins to investigate his sneaky business. She gets a bit waylaid when a body is discovered and the question comes up of whether or not the dead man was connected to Darcy's shady dealings or not.

Likes/Dislikes: This is the 13th book in the series. I enjoyed reading about Darcy as a main character rather than the dashing hero who saves the girl at some convenient time. I don't really care for Georgie, even after watching her grow a bit over the course of the series. She's just not assertive enough and comes up with some really dumb ideas sometimes. In this particular book, it is very obvious that they were invited to an orgy. Even Darcy figured it out eventually and rumor has it that he's been around the block. All in all, this was a fun read but it won't make it to my favorites' list.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for content (dead bodies and talk of orgies).

Date Review Written: June 4th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Daughter Of The House Book Review

Title: Daughter Of The House


Author: Victoria Cornwall

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Series,

Plot: Twelve year old Evelyn Pendragon is young, spirited and curious about the world around her but hedged in by society's rules, expectations and opinions of her gender. She adores her gentle governess Miss Brown but longs for her parents' love and attention. Still, she is content with the company of her loving older brother Nicholas.

Right as her life is about to drastically and tragically change, Evelyn makes a new friend. Drake Vennor is a year older than Evelyn with ambitions to become the greatest landscape gardener of the century. To accomplish this, he becomes an apprentice gardener on the Pendragon estate and slowly falls in love with the lonely daughter of the house.

As the years crawl, creep and fly by, society and the expectations of a bygone era will test Evelyn and Drake to the breaking point.

Likes/Dislikes: I'm not entirely sure what I expected from this book and am still not completely sure I liked what I got. The bulk of the story occurs when Evelyn and Drake are teenagers, laying the foundation for the rest of the story but making me wonder when they would grow up and fight back like adults. Once that happened, the sense of timing was weird. They really should have waited a day or two before trying to elope - they probably would've succeeded with more planning in that regard. And the final twist at the end with Mawgan was predictable. I also didn't care for the cliche of one night together leads to a baby but I liked how it tied in with all the other dads and babies running around in the story. All in all, while it is not my favorite story, it wasn't a bad story either.

Rating: PG-17 and up, mainly for reading level and content (one rather mildly graphic sex scene and lots of implications and suggestions sprinkled throughout)

Date Review Written: April 12th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Choc Lit. Publishers and wasn't required tow rite a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

A Royal Pain Book Review

Title: A Royal Pain


Author: Rhys Bowen

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Series, Romance, Action/Adventure, 1930s, England, Royalty

Plot: Thirty-fourth in line for the throne might hold sway in Harrods department store but not in the areas where it counts. Georgiana is twenty-two and living on her in the family house in London and just barely getting by. She makes a half living by opening people's houses for them when they come to town but the season is ending. Furthermore, her family wants her to marry a prince she doesn't care for and she has fallen madly in love with a very unsuitable Catholic Irish boy.

As if all of that wasn't enough on her plate already, the Queen decides that Georgiana is the perfect person to play host to a young German princess just out of a convent school. The Queen is hoping to pair the princess with her wayward oldest son but needs to do it subtly. Unfortunately, Georgi has no money, no maid and this princess talks American like a real gangster. On top of that, people start dying all around her. So inconsiderate of them.

Likes/Dislikes: I'm not entirely sure why I like this series as it is rather girlish in character and wording. Most of Georgi's problems irritate me since I can see several different ways for her to get out of them. But I like Darcy and I really like Belinda. I wish Belinda was in the stories a lot more than she actually is. She just kind of flits in and out with a new boyfriend every few chapters. There was one spot in this particular story where Georgi is almost raped but it isn't graphic and she gets away. It still should be mentioned for trigger warnings. This is the second book in the series.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for content (talk of sex, attempted rape, murders)

Date Review Written: March 15th, 2019

The Bride of Ivy Green Book Review

Title: The Bride Of Ivy Green


Author: Julie Klassen

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, Series, Regency England

Plot: Mercy Groove has closed down her precious little school and anxiously awaits the arrival of her brother and his new wife from their honeymoon. Life soon settles into a new uncomfortable groove for them and Mercy decides to take the only option left open for her. So she moves to Fairmount House with Mr. Drake and his newly discovered little daughter as the governess. This position puts her closer to her handsome carpenter crush. Sadly, he doesn't seem to have much time for her right now and Mr. Drake does.

Meanwhile, Jane is torn between the man she loves and the inn she rebuilt and depends upon. But when a tragic accident occurs, Jane must make her decision before she waits too long and misses her one chance at happiness again.

With so much life crammed into one small village, not many secrets are left to spill. But one newcomer might just change all of that. The conclusion to the many intertwined adventures in Ivy Hill will have readers swooning.

Likes/Dislikes: I loved this book! It was so good to be back in Ivy Hill and I really hope more books set here will be forthcoming. I loved having Mercy as the main character more so than Rachel this time, and so pleased with her happy-ending. Jane was a touch annoying to me; she procrastinates her decision and then changes her mind so fast I'm surprised she didn't give everyone whiplash. Thankfully (as with all clever writings), her story ends beautifully. I liked Victorine but was confused by her arrival in the beginning and didn't care for the circus tie-in. I hate circus stories. All in all, a wonderful story!

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for reading level and content (some veiled discussion of pregnancy, miscarriages and a brutal assault on a minor character several years ago in the story's history but nothing graphic).

Date Review Written: December 22nd, 2018

I received a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and I wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

The Innkeeper's Daughter Book Review

Title: The Innkeeper's Daughter


Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance,

Plot: Johanna Langley is 25 and runs the Blue Hedge Inn with the occasional help from her ailing mother and rambunctious ten year old brother. Business isn't exactly booming and the inn has seen far better days but Johanna is determined to keep it afloat because if she doesn't, she could end up in the workhouse and separated from her family who depend on her heavily. With this type of stress on her shoulders, Johanna doesn't have time for Alexander Moore.

Alexander Moore is an officer in the Bow Street Runners and has accepted an incredibility dangerous undercover mission to expose a high stakes plot against the British crown. His life depends on his mission and he never thought a pretty face would complicate things quite so much as Joanna's pretty face does. While he would love nothing better than to swoop in and save the day for her, his crucial mission must come first or a great many lives will be lost.

Likes/Dislikes: 1808 in England is an exciting time for historical fictions and this story does not disappoint. It does take a little bit of a slow boil at times and is a squeaky clean romance so if you want something a bit more passionate then best look elsewhere. On the flip-side I would have no problem letting my tweens and teens read this if they wanted to. All in all, a nice little story. This is the second in a series but it is a stand-alone story which is so nice.

Rating: PG-13 and up, mainly for reading level.

Date Review Written: November 3rd, 2018

I received a copy of this for my honest opinion courtesy of Barbour Publishing group. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Risen Book Review

Title: Risen

Author: Angela Hunt

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Biblical Retelling, Novelization,

Plot: It is dangerous times for everyone in Jerusalem and Roman Tribune Clavius is very aware of this fact. He is sent to qualm a riot caused by Barabbas and then off to close up the crucifixions for that day. The man in the middle of a trio is quite clearly dead but he still has his men double check before taking down the body. A job nicely done.

Or so he thought. When the body goes missing, Clavius is sent to search for it. Many of the Jewish leaders claim that the man was calling himself the Son of God and suspect his followers of stealing the body to further propel this theory. Clavius goes on the hunt and begins his investigation in the halls of Herod Antipas and ends up in the Garden of Gethsemane. He meets many colorful characters and the reality of what happened to the body will shake his world to the roots.

Likes/Dislikes: For me, biblical retellings can be hit or miss and this was definitely a hit. I have not yet seen the movie (with three kids under five, we are knee-deep in Disney and anything animated right now), but it is now most definitely on my must-see list. I was a but disappointed to find out that Rachel didn't make it into the movie due to time constraints but that makes the book even richer for me.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for reading level and content (mostly a love affair and some death, obviously).

Date Review Written: November 3rd, 2018

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Bethany House Publishers and wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Where We Belong Book Review

Title: Where We Belong


Author: Lynn Austen

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Egypt,

Plot: Growing up in the rough and tumble of the Chicago streets in 1892 is hard on orphaned sister Rebecca and Flora Hawes but they make it work and they survive. From there, their unconventional personalities and love of adventure propel them out into the world to do good deeds and impact the people around them for the greater good.

Traveling from Chicago to Cairo and thence into the great Sinai Desert is a long journey peppered with many dangers, new sights and smells, and incredible experiences. But soon the sisters - along with their sturdy young butler Soren and a plucky young girl named Kate - find themselves trapped in a fierce sandstorm and must wait to see if they will survive the danger or perish at the end of their journey.

Likes/Dislikes: The main attraction to this book for me was the idea of another exciting adventure in Egypt. I love reading books set in Egypt, especially in this time-period. But this book is dense and very long, written in a rambling manner and the bulk of it is all in flashbacks from all four of the main characters which can get a bit confusing after awhile. There isn't a lot of time spent in Egypt like I'd imagined either. I really don't have much interest in Chicago during any time-period. Oh well, better luck next time.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for reading level.

Date Review Written: November 2nd, 2018

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Bethany House Publishers and wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Out of the Ordinary Book Review

Title: Out of the Ordinary

Author: Jen Turano

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance

Plot: Gertrude Cadwalader works contentedly as a paid companion to eccentric old Mrs. Davenport whose favorite hobbies include inventing new fashions before testing them on poor Gertrude and stealing things from other people when she's out and about. This usually puts Gertrude into some tight pickles {fashionable and otherwise}. One such misadventure soon lands Gertrude into serious trouble when she is caught returning some stolen items.

Meanwhile Harrison Sinclair is all the rage among the fashionable set and the most eligible bachelor now that his best buddy is engaged. But he doesn't have time or eyes for all the pretty females throwing themselves at him. Instead he focuses on work and his friendship with Gertrude, till she gets into trouble and then he finds himself drawn closer to her.

Likes/Dislikes: This book promised to be cute, fast paced and light-hearted with a few good laughs thrown in. What it didn't tell me about was how painful it would be to read it. It takes over four chapters to get Gertrude unstuck from behind the couch with multiple mentions of how stout she is {she's really not} and why does she keep letting herself get into these situations, etc. And every time someone has to talk, they have to use thirty or forty words to convey one simple idea. It's extremely tedious. And our dashing hero is one of those floppy guys that everything just flies right over their head, requiring a much smarter female {usually related to him} to whack him hard over the head so he figures the brutally obvious out and does something about it. Not exactly the type of book I needed at the moment.

Rating: PG-12, mainly for reading level. Squeaky-clean.

Date Review Written: January 6th, 2018

I received a copy of this book courtsey of the publishers for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a poistive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

The Ladies of Ivy Cottage Book Review

Title: The Ladies of Ivy Cottage

Author: Julie Klassen

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, Sequel

Plot: Since the scandal of losing all the family money and then her father's sudden death, Rachel Ashford has felt adrift in her social circle, unsure of where her place is meant to be now that so many things have changed. She's currently living with her friend Mercy Grove and Mercy's aunt, helping out with the girls' school as best she can but it's not enough to support herself. So she takes the advice of the local businesswomen and opens a subscription library with her father's vast collection of books and several donations. With the flood of attention at Ivy Cottage, Mercy finds herself the center of attention from two different men and must make a painful choice that will destroy her future as she knows it.

Meanwhile, James Drake learns some secrets of his own that cause a bit of an uproar in several local lives and Jane Bell finally has her coaching inn under control. She's made peace with her broken heart and thinks she's ready for love again but she suffered more than just the loss of her husband. Will the other losses keep her heart broken and cause her to reject the promise and hope of new love?

Likes/Dislikes: It took  me awhile to get started on this book, partly because my kids kept taking the iPad away and partly because it was a sequel and I couldn't remember who all everyone was. Once I got them straight in my head and the story started picking up pace, it was an easy read. I didn't like Rachel though; in the first book she had a lot of mystery about her but in this one she just came across as very whiny and pity me, I'm poor Rachel. It was annoying after awhile. I kinda want Jane to stay single and in control cause if she marries either James or Gabriel they'll just disrupt her life now that she's found her groove. And I'm rooting for a happy ending for Mercy cause the poor thing really needs it. I related to her the most. All in all, an excellent book. I'm just bummed I can't get the next one already.

Rating: PG-12 and up, mainly for content {romance, past miscarriages, etc. nothing graphic}

Date Review Written: December 30th, 2017

I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publishers for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Lady Jayne Disappears Book Review

Title: Lady Jayne Disappears

Author: Joanna Davidson Politano

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery,

Plot: Aurelie Harcourt grew up in debtor's prison with her father who beguiled away the days with stories of her mother, Lady Jayne. But he died before he could reach the end and finally tell her what actually happened to her mother. Released from the only home she's ever known, Aurelie is forced to stay with her father's stony cold relatives who do everything in their power to keep her from digging too deeply into the past and unearthing their dirty secrets. Meanwhile, she has a job to do. Her father wrote and published the stories he told her under the name of Nathaniel Droll and now, with a deadline approaching, it's up to Aurelie to take up the pen and finish the story. But how does it end?


Likes/Dislikes: The summary of this book intrigued me when it was up for review so I requested it and was sorely disappointed to find it was not what I'd hoped it would be. The writing is so weird. The descriptions come in jabs and broken fragments at badly placed moments {like the ridiculous wet skirt in the opening pages} and I couldn't relate to Aurelie as a writer at all. She kept getting stuck and picking the wrong moments to mentally drift off. It just jarred with me. I actually skipped ahead to see what happened next and it still didn't sit too well. There seemed nothing graphic or overly bad in it, just the writing style. Maybe I'll try again at a future date and see if time fixes our first impression.

Rating: PG-12 and up, mainly for reading level.

Date Review Written: November 18th, 2017

I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publishers for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

A Name Unknown Book Review

Title: A Name Unknown

Author: Roseanna M. White

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, World War 1, Writing, Drama

Plot: Rosemary Gresham is a talented thief whose family is a band of orphans and also more talented thieves. Ever since her parents died of fever when she was a child, Rosemary has been on her own and kept her back to a seemingly heartless God. With rumors flying and trouble from Germany brewing, Rosemary accepts a job that could pay off big time and finally allow her family a chance at food on the table every day and new shoes. But the cost of the job could be very high.

Meanwhile Peter Holstein flees London for his quiet country house to finish his story and try to dig into his family's past, hoping to unearth solid proof that he is in fact English and not a German spy. But given the state of his library, he's certain the needed information won't be found in time, possibly not even for years. That is, until a lovely lady librarian from London arrives on his doorstep.

With both harboring secrets of their own, will Peter and Rosemary be able to find the missing papers before its too late?

Likes/Dislikes: The premise of this book intrigued me and it had promise. Who doesn't want a capable girl thief running around pre-war? But it quickly lost its appeal; we only see Rosemary's thief family for the first couple chapters and then the last chapter {I skipped ahead} though she talks about them consistently. Peter stutters horribly and it was very badly written. Some characters who stutter are written so well that you hardly noticed but this was too obvious and his "fault" was repeated too many times. I can't stand a stuttering hero. I liked how his mental process went through working on his story; that was a familiar writing high. Rosemary's sense of organization for the library really bothered me, mainly because I would've done it differently. And it's four hundred pages of them whining stuttering, worrying and going off on tangents inside of actually doing something. At a different season in my life this would've made a great story but right now it just didn't gel with me. Maybe I'll try it again in a few years.

Rating: PG-12 and up, mainly for reading level. Very clean book.

Date Review Written: November 16th, 2017

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Bethany House for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Wings of the Wind Book Review

Title: Wings of the Wind

Author: Connilyn Cossette

Genre: Fiction, Christian, Biblical Retelling, Romance, Adventure, Drama,

Plot: After wandering the desert for forty years, the Israelites are posed to sweep the land and claim their inheritance. There's just one small problem; the land is currently occupied by bloodthirsty tribes who are not about to give up their land so easily. But God is on the side of the Hebrews and destruction lies in their wake.

Alanah, a motherless warrior Canaanite woman, enters the battle disguised as a man and bent on dying while avenging her fallen father and brothers. But instead she is found wounded by a Hebrew and saved. With her death wish going out the window, Alanah is forced to survive and live among the enemy. While doing so, she learns that these bearded warriors are not as savage as they appear and one in particular takes her by surprise. But Alanah's fight for survival isn't over yet.

Tobiah, a compassionate Hebrew, is a soldier and gladly does his duty but finding a woman on the battlefield wasn't something he was expecting. And the only way to protect her is to marry her. He never intended to fall in love with her.

Likes/Dislikes: This is the third and final book in the Out From Egypt trilogy and concludes the series on the brink of entering the Promised Land. Kiya and Shira are briefly in the story but are not central to the plot so this book can very easily be read on its own. Parts of this book were fun to read, like Alanah and Tobiah trying to figure each other out {though the instant love on his part was a bit unreal}, but several chunks were difficult to read. Set in a brutal time and among very vicious people, the atrocities hinted at in the story were once horrible realities for so many people. Nothing is overly graphic but enough is implied to make this book more geared toward mature readers only. Cossette does a splendid job of painting a vivid picture without traumatizing her readers.

Rating: PG-18 and up, mainly for content {brutal battle, heavy suggestions/implications/threats of rape, murder and prostitution, non-detailed flashback of infant sacrifice, two characters are sold into sexual slavery but escape before anything happens, etc.}. Not for tender-hearted readers, mature readers only.

Date Review Written: June 2nd, 2017

I received a copy of this book courtesy of BethanyHouse Publishers for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions in the above review are my own.

The Innkeeper at Ivy Hill Book Review

Title: The Innkeeper at Ivy Hill

Author: Julie Klassen

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, Community, Drama,

Plot: The young widow Jane Bell spends her days in a solitary haze, overlooking her inn with mild interest, still wondering why her husband left it to her in the first place. She was born a gentlewoman and doesn't feel cut out for the hard work of landlady. She's nothing like her fierce mother-in-law Thora, whose unexpected arrival coincides with the announcement of bad news from the banker.

Now Jane and Thora must work through their differences and combine their strengths to save their beloved inn in three months or watch it - and their futures - crumble under the weight of secrets and debt.

Likes/dislikes: a wonderful book and an excellent start to a series, though I was a bit distracted by trying to figure out which minor characters will show up in following books. I really hope we learn more about Gabriel, he was intriguing, and Rachel seemed very interesting. All of the cleaning done by the characters was very inspiring and I felt so sorry for Jane when we learned the heartbreaking extent of her losses. Overall a great book.

Rating: PG-16 and up mainly for reading level and content (one bloody miscarriage scene and some suggestions but nothing graphic)

Date Review Written: Dec 23rd 2016

I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publishers. I wasn't required a write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Honor Redeemed Book Review

Title: Honor Redeemed

Author: Christine Johnson

Genre: Christian, Romance, Fiction,

Plot: Prosperity Jones is set adrift in the big bad world of 1852 when her mother dies. Her father's ship had gone down years before and all that's left is a wealthy estranged aunt in Boston and her betrothed, David, in the Key Islands serving out his eight year tour of duty as an engineer. With nothing left for her in Nantucket, Prosperity uses her small savings and goes to Key West looking for her beloved, only to have her world shattered upon arrival to learn that David is married. Forced to stay with new friends and take a job as a laundress at the hospital, Prosperity doesn't know what to do with her future anymore and is unaware of God's hand in her life.

David made a mistake and seems to keep paying for it over and over again. Seeing Prosperity again only makes matters worse but little does he know, he's in for greater trouble ahead. With a tiny shred of future and an innocent life hanging in the balance, how will God mend these broken hearts?

Likes/Dislikes: I was intrigued by this book and hoped for a really exciting historical  adventure but instead, found a painfully silly romance set in a historical time with a bit of plant lore thrown in for plot filler. When you read a historical fiction, you want historical details and to come away feeling like you just time traveled and learned some pretty cool stuff, not a love triangle with everyone bemoaning their choices in life and going on and on about how so and so broke their heart and oooh, if only I could make things better without talking about them! Seriously, if everyone had just sat down and communicated, everything would've worked out so much better. It was a sequel but you barely noticed that fact unless you already knew it which was nice.

Rating: PG - 16 and up, mainly for content {bloody birth scene, suggestive content, nothing graphic}

Date Review Written: October 6th, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Counted With the Stars Book Review

Title: Counted With the Stars

Author: Connilyn Cossette

Genre: Christian, Biblical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Action/Adventure, Egypt,

Plot: Young Kiya has everything that wealth can bring, including an indulgent father, loving mother and sweet big brother. But her reality comes crashing down when her father's ships sink, taking down the family's livelihood with them and Kiya finds herself sold into slavery to pay the debts incurred. Thankfully, she is bought by the close family friend Shefu. Unfortunately, Shefu's bitter wife hates her and takes delight in Kiya's reduced status and humiliation. And on top of that, her handsome betrothed soldier Akhum abandons her for another wealthy girl of status.

But all is not lost. Kiya befriends a sweet Hebrew slave girl named Shira and watches in increasing horror and awe as ten devastating plagues sweep through her beloved Egypt, each one more terrifying than the last until, in order to save her brother's life, Kiya flees Egypt with the Hebrews. Homeless and godless, Kiya agonizes over whether or not she made the right choice, not realizing that she is on the very path that God wants her to be on.

Likes/Dislikes: This is a very unique story of Moses and the mass exodus out of Egypt from the eyes of an Egyptian slave who flees with the Hebrews. I really enjoyed that angle of the story though it flet like the author rushed through the plagues a little. It's rather obvious that this is a debut novel; it's very fancy worded which was close to overkill in some areas. "My chest ached after enduring the abuse of my furiously thrashing heart." Still, there's a lot of potential from this author. The main character, though apparently eighteen, is very immature for most of the book which annoyed me, though that's just my own personal thing. I like mature main characters and female main characters are often extremely hard for me to like cause they're just so wishy-washy and whiny. Kiya was okay mostly but wasted an awful lot of time being infatuated with Eben. All in all, a pretty good book.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for content {some suggestive hints of attacks on women and bloody deaths, etc.}.

Date Review Written: September 27th, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are y own.

A Beauty Refined Book Review

Title: A Beauty Refined

Author: Tracie Peterson

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Drama, Romance,

Plot: Phoebe Von Bergen is finally seeing more of the world when she accompanies her father on his sapphire hunting trip to America. They see all the major East Coast cities before making their way to a secluded resort in Montana near the sapphire mines. Little does she know, however, that her life is about to drastically change. First she meets handsome Ian Harper, a lapidary very skillful in refining raw sapphires into dazzling gems, and the cheerfully adorable Kenny. These new friends help while away the hours for Phoebe while her father is off at the mines. And then, with a twist of fate, she discovers the truth of her mother's death years ago. A moment in time that left Phoebe heartbroken.

On the road to healing, trouble waits around the corner. Ian knows her secret and thinks he knows how to save her from her life circumstances but it will take skills, trust and faith in God to see his plan to the end. But is the risk worth it?

Likes/Dislikes: This was a beautiful story. It wasn't overly ambitious, was just the right length with a lovely setting, detailed characters and an easy to follow plot that held my interest. I loved it, especially the bits about sapphires and how smoothly the faith element was blended into the story. That's hard for Christian authors to do sometimes. I liked Phoebe and I usually don't like the main female leads. Ian was a little odd at first but he's the kind of character that grows on you.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for content {past accounts of abuse and miscarriages, a main character is viciously beaten, bad guys are shot, etc. nothing overly graphic}.

Date Review Written: July 23rd, 2016

I received this book free from the publishers in exchange for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Little Men Book Review

Title: Little Men

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Genre: Classic, Fiction, Boys, Adventure, Family, Sequel, Christian

Plot: Jo March, the reckless headstrong writer from Little Women returns as a married woman with two babies of her own and a whole school full of boys to take care of. She and her professor husband take in boarders {some rich to pay the bills, some orphaned and in need of care, love and a safe environment to grow up in}. In addition to their charges and their own children, the couple also has the professor's teenage nephews and Meg's adorable twins, Daisy and Demi. The new kid on the block, Nat, discovers the workings of the school {whose nice, whose not, etc.} and makes a friend in Tommy and Daisy whom he rather develops a crush on. But soon he's not the only newbie; a wild girl named Nan and an even wilder boy named Dan soon arrive to help turn the school topsy-turvy in this delightful classic story.

Likes/Dislikes: I loved having a sequel featuring the March girls all grown up with husbands and babies and households to manage. The boys were a rambunctious lot, Nat and Dan being my favorites. Daisy was such a sweet little girl. I read this book out loud to my siblings {one of the few we actually finished} and their favorite scene was when Nan and little Teddy are lost in the woods and panic when Nan thinks a harmless cow is a big scary bear. For some reason, my brothers loved that.

Rating: G- all ages. Highly recommended.

Date Review Written: November 9th, 2015.

A Worthy Heart Book Review

Title: A Worthy Heart

Author: Susan Anne Mason

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, Sequel,

Plot: Coming to America has been a dream of Maggie Montgomery's for so long and now it's finally happening. She and her brother have just landed in New York, intent on visiting their older brother Rylan and his lovely wife. Seeing more of the world than just her little corner of Ireland gives Maggie a burst of fresh air and being away from the increasingly unwanted attentions of her suitor back home is an added bonus. But what neither brother knows is that Maggie intends to stay in America permanently.

Meanwhile, Rylan's no good brother in law Adam O'Leary has just been released from prison. Shrunken and dirt poor, Adam slinks back to his old family home to swallow his pride and ask for a job, knowing that his family will never see him the same way again. But keeping his head down proves to be a challenge when he meets the curious Maggie. Warned to stay away from Adam, Maggie finds herself intrigued by the mysterious man and wants to know more about him.

Despite the family's efforts, a bond is formed between the two that now must stand the test of the past and the pull of the future.

Likes/Dislikes: The description of this novel sounded so intriguing and exciting that I was eager to delve into the pages of what was sure to be an epic story. And while Maggie and Adam's individual story lines are intriguing and exciting, I didn't realize this was a sequel. Everyone else's stories are mysteries to me and therefore rather boring in the overall scope of the book for me. Because of this and the flipping between the main characters and these established secondary character's viewpoints, it's a bit hard to pick up the book and resume reading after a week or so. Toddlers can make reading for pleasure so hard sometimes. I haven't yet finished this book but I intend to because I want to find out more about Maggie and Adam's relationship and how it all comes into play. It'll just take me awhile to get there.

Rating: N/A, though clean so far with hints of a bad past.

Date Review Written: June 21st, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Jo's Boys Book Review

Title: Jo's Boys

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Genre: Classic, Children, Sequel, Christian, Adventure

Plot: In this third installment in a presumably unintentional trilogy, the March girls take a backseat and watch as their grown children take on the world. The boys of Jo's school are men now and branch off on their own paths, some to never return and some to strive, fail and ultimately triumph. One of the professor's nephew's is set adrift in the sea and survives the horrible experience, coming out alive with a beautiful wife, while the other nephew marries in a hurry to surprise everyone. Nan pursues her medical education and continues to refuse Tommy's marriage proposals, while Nat has his hands full trying to survive on a struggling musician's salary. And Dan? Well, he is perhaps having the greatest adventure and causes poor Jo the deepest heartache.

All of Jo and the Professor's hard work to raise these boys pays off in this sequel and we get to see how God carries the lessons through into their adult lives.

Likes/Dislikes: This is my favorite book by Alcott. I loved all the romance and meeting old friends all grown up, taking on the challenges in life and rising above the hardships thrown in their paths. Dan was my favorite character and I loved his adventures, but was sad that he never got to marry his true love.

Rating: G-all ages. Highly recommended.

Date Review Written: November 10th, 2015

Whispers in the Reading Room Book Review

Title: Whispers in the Reading Room

Author: Shelley Gray

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance

Plot: Working as a librarian is Lydia Bancroft's ideal job; she's surrounded by all her beloved books and can spend hours talking about books. But secretly, one of the perks of her job doesn't really involve books at all. It involves the mysterious gentleman who comes in regularly, sits in his usual chair, reads for an hour or two and then leaves again, all without ever speaking to anyone. And he doesn't have a library card so Lydia can't even put a name to such a handsome face. Still, she knows exactly what he likes to read.

And then one day all that changes when the mysterious man comes to her rescue in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel, revealing that he is the intriguing and wealthy Sebastian Marks. While Lydia may now have a name to the face, the accompanying reputation is unexpected and even more of a jolt is the fact that Sebastian owns an infamous saloon and gambling club. At odds over this new information, Lydia visits the club and lands in the middle of a murder investigation which not only threatens her life but Sebastian's as well and any chance at a happy future together.

Likes/Dislikes: In all honesty, I haven't entirely finished this book yet. That's a side-effect of an energetic toddler that I wasn't anticipating. That being said, the book so far flows well and the writing style is intriguing. The characters are interesting though hint at possibly getting annoying from too much exposure but we'll see how it all wraps up in the end. I'll update you with my conclusions when I finish the book.

Rating: Unavailable.

Date Review Written: April 1st, 2016

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed above are my own.