Rock Harbor Search and Rescue - Colleen Coble

In the past, I have read many of Colleen Coble's books.  I saw this one aimed at a younger crowd and decided to give it a shot.  My daughter read it as well.

Having read the Rock Harbor series, I was pleased to see many characters that I had read about in the past including Bree.  She is the head of the Search and Rescue team in Rock Harbor and influences Emily, Naomi's stepdaughter.  Since this book is aimed for the younger crowd, it made sense to make it about Emily and a great choice.

Emily is 14 and loves to create jewelry.  Since being rescued in the forest by Bree's dog, Samson, she has also been wanting to have a puppy of her own to train for SAR.  She helps out Naomi from time to time and feels like she's ready.  After her parents tell her she can have the puppy she desires once she has the money, she decides to sell some of her jewelry pieces at a festival.  While watching a neighboring booth for a while, one of the lady's more expensive pieces goes missing and it seems like most everyone is ready to blame Emily.  Even her own father doubts her innocence and forces her to hand over her puppy money to the lady.

Poor Emily has so much to deal with.  Her birth mother is due to get out of prison early, everyone thinks she is a thief, and her former best friend is being mean to her every chance she gets.  Emily is determined to prove her innocence, but she only has limited time to get together the money before the puppy is scheduled to be sold.  It's up to her and her best friend, Olivia, to find the true culprit.

I think this was a good read and I enjoyed it.  It had me guessing as to the motive and how Emily would be able to find the culprit and clear her name.  It is listed as ages 8 and up, but as the mother of a 9 and almost 11-year-old, I would up that to at least 10 years old.  I base that on the length and the depth of the writing.  Overall, I was glad I read it and look forward to reading the next one, Rock Harbor Search and Rescue: Lost and Found, which is due out October 8.  Good Book!

My daughter's opinion: " I really liked this book.  I was on the edge of my seat or area the whole time. I read it before my mom so HA!  PEACE!"

A Home for My Heart - Anne Mateer

In the past, I have had the opportunity to read Wings of a Dream and At Every Turn.  I enjoyed those and looked forward to reading this one.

Sadie has been at the Raystown Home for Orphan and Friendless Children since she was very young.  As she grew, she felt like she had to make up for her past.  When the opportunity comes up for her to become the matron of the Home, she agrees.  She's been in love with Blaine for many years and hopes that the pay increase will help them gather the money they need to buy property together faster.  The head of the Home can't be married, but Sadie doesn't see this as a problem since she knows that Blaine needs more time to raise the money he needs.

The problem is that Blaine had planned on surprising Sadie with the land that he has just purchased.  When Sadie is told and breaks the news that she has no plans of going back on her word to run the Home, they feel like they have hit an impasse.  In her efforts to forget Blaine, Sadie tries to fill her head with another man, but she just can't shake her feelings for Blaine.  On top of that, her extra responsibilities at the Home are wearing her down.  Will there be a solution to the problems at the Home as well as her relationship with Blaine?

This was a fairly decent read, but there weren't any surprises.  It was a well written book, but the story line is predictable. I got a little annoyed at the way Sadie treated Blaine over and over again.  While I could appreciate the moral inserted of God's timing being perfect, it didn't end up being one of my favorite books.  It was still a decent read and I'll still be on the lookout for more from this author.  Decent Book!

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley through the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Whisper of Peace (Heart of the Prairie #7)

I've been working my way through this series, picking and choosing the ones that interest me.  I've been able to read Waiting for Summer's Return, A Promise for Spring, A Hopeful Heart, Courting Miss Amsel, and Song of My Heart.  This series is easily read out of order for the most part.

Lizzie has been excommunicated from her tribe in Alaska.  Now that her mother is dead, she is determined to fulfill her mother's last wish to make peace with her grandmother and then go find her father in San Francisco.

Clay and his stepsister, Vivian, have come to Alaska to bring God's Word to the people. While he is intrigued by Lizzie, visiting with her could jeopardize everything he is attempting to accomplish in the village.  Standing up for himself and the woman he is coming to care about is going to test both of them.

Vivian is fighting her own demons.  Her mother and stepfather doubt her ability to help her brother.  They think that she's too fragile and at times she can tell Clay feels the same way.  Determined to prove herself and pay for her past "sins," she befriends Lizzie where the two learn from each other.

This was a good read.  I was mildly disappointed with the end where too much time had passed with events that I felt warranted explanation.  The acceptance by the grandmother of Lizzie and Clay could have used some depth and I just didn't understand Vivian's short explanation of what had happened to her.  Ideally, I believe it could have been another book, but overall this was an entertaining read.  Good Book!

Lovelier than Daylight (The Saddler's Legacy #3) - Rosslyn Elliott

I bought this one quite some time ago and have just given up hope of reading these in order.  Back in May, I was able to read Fairer than Morning, the first book and was happy with it.

Susanna is the niece of Will and Ann, whose story we heard back in the first book.  She is on her way to Westerville to attend college at Otterbein.  On her way there, she stops to check on her sister and family only to find the house deserted.  Her worry turns to despair when she learns that her sister is missing and the children have been sent to the orphanage.

Johann works for his father brewing beer.  While his passion lies in writing for the newspaper, he feels a dedication to his father.  He meets Susanna, but they are instantly at odds when she discovers his profession.  Having seen the effects of strong drink first hand, she tries to hold her feelings at bay even while she tries to find a way of freeing the children and finding her sister.  A saloon in Westerville brings an opportunity for both sides to show what they're made of.

I'm not sure why, but I wasn't as pleased as I normally would be to see the characters of the previous book old and not as spry as they were the first time I read about them.  I also found out more than I wanted to about Ben, the subject of book 2.

Overall, this book didn't appeal to me as much as the first one.  I took the second book off my watch list and finished this one feeling indifferent.  I missed the saddle-making, there was very little of it in there.  Susanna was one of those characters that was self-righteous and irritated me with the way she treated Johann.  The man treated her with patience and grace, only making me dislike Susanna more.  While I wanted to like the book, I grew up in Columbus, I found it lacking.  In the end, I just can't recommend it.

Skip Rock Shallows - Jan Watson

The summary for this book interested me, so I picked it up.  As far as I can tell, this is my first read from this author.

Lilly has come to Skip Rock to take over position as the doctor for the mining town.  The men are wary of her at first, as with all books about early female doctors, and she has to earn the trust of the town.  It seems that once she finds her place, she isn't in a rush to leave.  Her fiance from Boston arrives to check on her, but she begins to question her love for him.

Tern is in Skip Rock undercover to check on conditions in the mine and make sure that the men are being treated fairly.  He recognizes Lilly from a circumstance in their past where their lives crossed in an unfortunate manner.  While Tern has loved Lilly all his life, he doesn't feel like she could ever forgive him or have any sort of feelings for him.

This book was an interesting read, but I'm not sure that it was as good as it could have been.  There were so few interactions between Tern and Lilly that I wondered how she so easily fell in love with him.  Perhaps it was implied in some of the memories they had from the past, but I don't think it was explained well enough to make the relationship make sense.  I also can appreciate the author's use of appropriate terminology for the time period, but most of the odd words weren't explained.  It seemed like the circumstance in the past that brought them together in the first place was more of an afterthought than it was a part of why they were drawn to each other.

This is part of a series, but it isn't labeled as such.  The next book in the series, Tattler's Branch, just came out at the end of August and is the continuation of Lilly's story.  I happened to notice that by accident.  Since it is a continuation of the story and I feel like I got the happy ending I needed in Skip Rock Shallows, I have made the decision to end my journey with Lilly and Tern here.  Decent Book - just not one of my favorites.

Love by the Letter (An Unexpected Brides Novella) - Melissa Jagears

I saw this one pop up on the website where I check for free books.  I hadn't read anything by this author, but there was just something about the title that drew me in.  I also normally don't read novellas all that often, but again, this one sounded like it might end up being worth my time.

Dex has always had eyes for the smartest woman in town.  He's getting ready to leave for Kansas, but he needs a woman to help him.  His first choice is Rachel, but he's hidden the fact that he can't read and write.  He's written for a mail-order bride and the woman made it clear that his attempts were lacking.  With only days left before he leaves, he appeals to the one person he feels can help him: Rachel.

Rachel doesn't realize that Dex has held a torch for her all these years.  She figures his attempts to avoid her were based on the fact that he didn't think of her at all.  When she comes to the decision to put it all on the line, she risks her future happiness on his reactions.

This novella was a cute, easy read.  I really enjoyed it and was a little curious as to why it seemed to be reaching the end when I was at about 65%.  The reason being that the novella ends and the teaser for the author's first novel begins.  The first book in the series is called A Bride for Keeps and comes out the first of October.  It was an easy enough decision for me to place it on my wish list and hope for the best.  This novella is FREE and you've got nothing to lose.  I recommend it.  Good Novella!

A Hopeful Heart (Heart of the Prairie #5) - Kim Vogel Sawyer

In the past, I have read four of the other books in this series: Waiting for Summer's Return, A Promise for Spring, Courting Miss Amsel and Song of My Heart.  Some of this series hasn't quite been up my alley, but overall I've been enjoying the ones I've read.

Tressa has been sent to Aunt Hattie's school to have a second chance at a life.  With no dowry back east, she has little chance of getting married.  At Aunt Hattie's school, she will learn how to be a helpful wife to a Kansas rancher.  She's trying to hide her background so the other girls will accept her, but instead she seems standoffish and the other girls don't warm up to her quickly.

Abel has enough issues trying to keep his ranch.  Cows are disappearing and he's not sure he'll make it through the year.  He's been burned by a woman used to high living in the past and has no desire to go down that path again.  Even though he is drawn to Tressa, he is determined to fight against it once he figures out she's a learned woman from the east.

Overall, I liked this book.  The story was unusual regarding Hattie's school and I found her to be a lovable character.  It flowed well and was an easy read.  This series is great in that you can pick and choose which books you want to read and you don't miss anything. Most of them aren't related in any way.  Good Book!

 

On sale September 8 - books by Amanda Cabot and Maggie Brendan

I noticed that Summer of Promise, book 1 of the Westward Winds series by Amanda Cabot is up for free today.  I've been tracking the second book in this series, Waiting for Spring, for quite a while.  The third book, With Autumn's Return, is due out January 2014.  I'll be waiting for that one to drop as well.  This particular book has been up for free before, but if you've missed it in the past, I recommend you go ahead and pick it up.  What have you got to lose?

You can pick it up at amazon by clicking HERE.

Also, from September 8-10, Maggie Brendan's first book in her Blue Willow Brides series, Deeply Devoted, is on sale for $2.99.  I enjoyed that first book and have been waiting patiently for the second one, Twice Promised, to drop in price.  October 1, the third book will be released, Perfectly Matched.  Great author.  If you haven't read anything by her, this is a great opportunity to give her a chance.

You can pick that one up at amazon by clicking HERE.

The River of Time - Lisa Bergren

It's been about two years since I read the River of Time series.  Waterfall, Cascade and Torrent were such good books that I just had to pick them up.  I even paid more than my usual limit for two of them.  They also left me wanting more.  Fortunately, the author continued the story with two novellas, Bourne and Tributary.  These two novellas together are currently $3.99 and I've picked them up.  From the way it's listed on amazon, I'm not sure if this is the new price, but in the past it was $5.99.

If you haven't gotten into the story, Waterfall is currently FREE at amazon.  Cascade and Torrent are also at a reduced price of $3.99.  These may have been classified as YA books, but I really enjoy them and look forward to reading more of the characters I came to love reading about!  I highly recommend this series, but will warn you that it's the type of series where you need to read the whole thing.  I think it's worth it!

To pick up Bourne & Tributary, click HERE.
To check out Waterfall, book 1 of the series, click HERE.

Rescue Team (Grace Medical #2) - Candace Calvert

This one has been on my Kindle for a while.  I'm not sure why I hadn't read it yet, but I have so many books on my Kindle that it's been difficult to choose what books to read and so some things get pushed aside.  I enjoyed the first book in this series, Trauma Plan, and was glad to be able to pick this one up for $2.99.

Kate has stepped into the position of a much loved, but missing, ER director.  The woman seemed to be perfect, and by comparison, it is obvious to Kate that the staff thinks she's not.  When a young, desperate mother leaves a dead baby in the bathroom, it causes Kate to relive bad memories but also has the potential to hurt the hospital.

Wes has made it his goal to rescue as many people as possible.  He was abandoned in the woods when his mother drove her car into the water and drowned.  At first, he thinks Kate's prickly and unapproachable, but he soon realizes that there is much more to her than meets the eye.  When he gets close to her, he wants to know more, but Kate's secret could ruin their chances.

I felt like this book started a little slow, but it really picked up in the second half.  The story line was interesting and I look forward to the next book, Life Support, which comes out next March and tells Lauren's story.  She's Kate's best friend in this book and we get a little of her back story, but you can read these out of order and don't feel like you're missing something.  This is a prime example of my favorite kind of series - you can read them out of order and not miss anything, but there are threads of connection that reward the reader if you actually have read them.  Good Book!

September Deals

I was looking into what kind of deals amazon has up this month and wanted to share a couple:

Fearless
by Max Lucado
$2.99

I really enjoyed this book.  A link to my review of it is HERE.

Letter Perfect
by Cathy Marie Hake is $2.99 until the 14th of this month

I normally like this author's books.  My review of Letter Perfect gets into more depth on the story.

Some of this author's other books are $3.99 at present as well.  The titles I saw included Fancy Pants, Forevermore, Whirlwind and Serendipity (links go to my reviews).  I don't know how long they are on sale, so pick up the deals while you can!