Jesus Calling - Sarah Young - Devotional

I'm not a non-fiction reader.  It's been a long, LONG time since I've made it all the way through a non-fiction title.  I'm definitely not a "stick-with-it" devotional reader.  Normally, I'll make it a couple of weeks or a month before I lose interest and the devotional starts to gather dust.  But I have to say this book has been a real blessing for me.

Each day you're reading a short blurb that's written from the standpoint of Jesus.  For example, they start out like this:

"In Me you have everything..."

"Peace is My continual gift to you..."

"Draw near to Me with a thankful heart..."

After reading the paragraph for the day, there's around 2-4 reference verses that you can look up.  Amazingly, I've not only kept up with this devotional, I've only missed one day that I made up.  For me, that's pretty big.  I enjoyed the truths coming together in a conversational way and that they were short enough I didn't get bored.

If I had to complain about one thing, it would be when the author references a specific translation of the Bible.  I don't know about you, but I don't have 10 Bibles in various translations just sitting around my house.

I started this around April or May and have stuck with it the rest of the year.  I've really liked it and recommend it for anyone, especially people like me that can't get through most other devotionals.

Steadfast Heart (Brides of Seattle #1) - Tracie Peterson

This is the first book in a new series by Tracie Peterson called Brides of Seattle.  Living in Washington, I was drawn to this book, and the cover is intriguing.

Lenore has seen the man of her dreams.  Her family has money and is getting ready to leave Seattle, but Lenore hopes that her talkative friend, Abrianna, will sing her praises to Kolbein while she's gone.  Lenore knows almost nothing about the man, but she's determined that he's the one she's going to marry.

Kolbein has come from Chicago to try and find his sister.  He was trying to tell her what to do, so she ran away.  He's tracked her as far as Seattle and shows up at the Bridal School hoping to find answers.  Instead, he sees Lenore and she begins to consume his thoughts.

First off, I want to warn you that there are aspects of this story that make me think it's going to be a continuous series.  The main reason is that we have a villain smuggling drugs and branching out into smuggling women, but he's only dealt with on a superficial level.  There's also the story of Wade and Abrianna that is left unresolved.  I liked their characters more than Lenore and Kolbein and was disappointed to find that their story isn't the topic of the next book in the series.

Speaking of the next book - Refining Fire comes out June 30, 2015 and revolves around Militine and Thane.  I'll be on the lookout for it, since I'm not sure what's going on with the villain and I'm hoping to read more about Abrianna and Wade.  Overall, I think if you go into it with the mindset that you might be signing on for all three books for a complete story, you'll be fine.  Even though I usually shy away from this type of series, I'll give this one my Good Book! review.

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

Beyond All Dreams - Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden has become one of my favorite authors.  I find myself anxiously awaiting her next novel.  She always has such interesting elements in her stories.

Anna works in the Library of Congress.  Her father disappeared years ago and the navy's story is that the ship was lost in a hurricane.  Anna knows that's not true and is determined to find the truth.  Fixing a simple mistake turns out to be anything but easy.  Her duties in the map room lead her to meet an arrogant congressman who decides to take a shine to her.  She's not willing to give the up the two things that mean the most to her: her job and her privacy.

Luke was struck by lightning once before when it came to love, and he's sure that his fascination with the quiet librarian will fade soon enough.  He's mistaken and finds ways to spend time with her.  She claims they can never be together.  She'll never fit into the role of a congressman's wife, and Luke's temper is a cause for concern.  He's prone to rages and even though he vows never to be like his father, he sees similarities more often than not.

There's so much to this story to love.  From the sad backgrounds of Anna and Luke to the unusual cast of characters that surround them, this is a great read.  These two are about as opposite as it gets, but yet they're able to find the common ground it takes to fall in love.  It's not all peaches and cream, though.  There's instances of alcoholism, physical and verbal abuse and even death.

These things are dealt with in a way that you don't regret picking up the book, and I heartily recommend it.  This was a great book from beginning to end.  The author keeps you guessing from one point to the next - what happened to Anna's throat?  What happened to the Culpeper?  Will Anna ever find the truth?  I heartily give this one a Great Book! review.

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

Bluebonnet Bride (A Butterfly Palace Short Story) - Colleen Coble

After reading Butterfly Palace, I kept my eye on this short story since I wanted to find out what happened to the White family.  I ended up paying $0.99 for it and found the time to read it today.

This stand-alone story tells the story of Elli.  She's come from Finland to America as a mail order bride for Nathan White.  She's brought trouble with her, though.  She suspects that the man who's responsible for her father's murder is after her, but she's not quite sure why.  She dreams of settling down with her handsome new husband, but the danger is great and she thinks he just wants her to take care of his niece and that's it.

This was a quick story - about 100 pages - and I liked it.  With it being that short, the action moves fast and so does the relationship, almost too fast.  Mention is made of characters from Butterfly Palace: people like Belle, Lily and Andrew are mentioned but not in such a way that the stories are dependent on each other.  Good Story!

Secrets on the Wind (Pine Ridge Portraits #1) - Stephanie Grace Whitson

For my Kindle Unlimited book this month, I chose a book by an author I'd read before.  In the past, I've read Sixteen Brides, A Claim of Her Own, and A Most Unsuitable Match.  I've had some issues in the past with some of these stories, but I wanted to give this one a shot.

This story follows a few different people.  First off, we're watching Nathan, a sergeant posted at Camp Robinson.  He's out on patrol when he finds a wild woman trapped in a small room under the floor of a home that had been attacked by Indians.  She seems to be out of her mind and tries to take her own life.  Nathan stops her and brings her back to camp.  She survives, but her future is uncertain.

Laina's past is something that she's not proud of.  Ending up in that small room was the culmination of a bad past and bad choices.  Now that she's free, she isn't sure what she's fit for, but she's under the care of Granny Max, a godly woman who shows her the love of God.  Laina starts to believe that she can escape her past and look forward to the future.

Caleb is also trying to escape his past.  He's an angry man who places the blame for things on anyone else but him.  He knows Nathan from years ago, and explains that he's changed his name to try and get away from his past.  He hasn't done anything wrong, but he's not making friends in the camp and ends up in trouble more times than not.  He recognizes Laina from their shared past, and while he doesn't want to cause any trouble for her, he feels like he has a friend.

To me, this book was on the dark side.  There's a lot of deaths in there, and so many things happen to Laina, you're tempted to think she's cursed.  She starts to get over one thing, but then something else happens to her.  I did have an issue with the way the story line goes.  The author leads you to feel the story is going one way, then the ending is different.  I was confused with the way the relationships turned out and the ending felt really rushed to me.

I'm a "happily ever after" reader.  I need a happy ending and resolution for me to say a book is "good."  With this book, there was so much sadness and death, even toward the end, that I'm not sure how I feel about this book overall.  I wanted to like it, but I'm not sure that I did.  There are two more books in this series, Watchers on the Hill and Footprints on the Horizon.  I think the issues with the way this author writes will prevent me from reading the other two.

Tidings of Peace - Tracie Peterson

I wanted to read something "Christmas-y," so I found this set of four novellas from a talented author.  It's been out for a long time, but I hadn't heard of it until this year.

All four of these stories are connected by their ties to Longview, Washington.  A small town on the Columbia River, it's the setting for two of the stories and the hometown of most of the characters.  The stories are set around Christmas at different years during WWII.

Coming Home - David was at Pearl Harbor, but he wasn't where he was supposed to be. He feels that he should have died with his friend and is ready to end his life.  He's reminded of a promise he made to his friend, that he should visit the man's family and decides to fulfill the promise.  He fits into the family easily, and his friend's sister, Rachel, has fallen in love with him.  David feels that they wouldn't love him if they really knew him and he feels the same way about God.  He's going to have to let go of his hatred and accept God's love to move on with his life.

Remember Me - Erik is shot down somewhere around the Solomon Islands and has to try and survive.  He hasn't heard from home in some time and is afraid that his fiance has found someone else.  As he fights to simply stay alive, Mary Ann is working at the Boeing plant in Seattle.  She's far too trusting and gets herself into trouble.  Erik's going to have to trust God to help him through while Mary Ann looks to God for protection.

Shadow of His Wings - Melody is pregnant.  She married Collin before he went off to war, but she was already pregnant.  Her parents didn't take the news well and told her that God would never forgive her.  Collin doesn't want to trust God and mocks his friend, John, when he brings up the Lord.  John's mother, Ginny, has taken in Melody and is standing by her and showing God's love.  On the other side of the world, Collin and John fight for their lives as their plane is shot at and they have to try and make it to safety.

Parachutes and Lace - Clara is working with the Red Cross and is fortunate to be stationed close to her fiance, Michael.  He's unsure of the future and wants to marry Clara, but she's obsessed with having a wedding dress.  She puts him off numerous times and does everything she can to get a dress.  Eventually, she'll come to see what's really important.

I started this book and really liked it.  The first story was nice and had a great ending.  The next one wasn't as good, because there's the hint of a resolution, but we never see the reunion.  The third one had me disappointed as there really isn't any resolution at all.  We never read any interaction between Melody and Collin.  The fourth one was definitely my least favorite.  I found Clara to be a selfish woman with her priorities WAY out of order. Even after she realizes the truth, she ends up getting what she wanted anyway, so she'll never know if she would have been happy with the hardship or not.

Overall, this was an okay set of stories, but the lack of resolution was something that was disappointing.  I think an epilogue at the end would have been easily written wrapping everything up in a nice little bow.  A celebration after the end of the war or something. I've read books by Peterson that were much better than this.  I'd give it 3/5 stars.

The Bracelet - Dorothy Love

I enjoyed Dorothy Love's Hickory Ridge Romance series and was happy to see she had another book coming out.  I jumped at the opportunity to read it.

Celia is the main character in this book.  Her life is going just as she's planned.  She has a wonderful fiance, and her father has no qualms including her in his business.

A reporter starts to make waves in her little world by dredging up a mystery regarding her family.  She doesn't want anything to affect her plans, but she can't help being curious about the circumstances.  What actually happened all those years ago?

Strange messages and an ominous bracelet come into her possession and now she is more determined than ever to find the truth.  She follows leads on her own and doesn't feel comfortable confiding in anyone.

While I enjoyed this book, I did have the story figured out by the reveal.  Once the villain is unmasked, I wondered why there was so much left in the book.  There really wasn't much romance with Sutton in the book; it was more Celia solving the mystery than anything else.  They are in love all through the book.

I appreciated the author's note at the end telling of her inspiration for the story.  She also reveals that there will be another book in 2015 where we will see Celia again.  In the meantime, there's a Hickory Ridge novella, A Proper Marriage, that came out in October.  I look forward to more!  Good Book!

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

Stars in the Night - Cara C. Putnam

I've read a few of this author's books including A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island and Shadowed by Grace,  I liked both of those and saw this, one of her older books, pop up for sale and the story line intrigued me.

During WWII, Audra knows something is wrong when her sister misses calling the family from Hollywood.  Audra's already lost her brother under tragic circumstances and feels like it was her fault.  On the plane, she meets a minor celebrity who helps her get through the bumps of the trip.  When she arrives in Hollywood, she makes one horrible discovery after another.  She feels compelled to try and find out what happened to her sister, no matter the cost.  She ends up getting a job on a Victory Caravan that travels across the country raising money for the troops by selling war bonds.

Robert is one of the minor celebrities packing the train.  He sees that Audra is different from anyone he's ever met, but she seems determined to return to Indianapolis after she finds her sister's killer.  Audra's still in trouble, though, and he's going to protect her.  With the body count piling up, will they be able to solve the mystery before one or both of them ends up dead?

While I liked this story, I feel like some parts of the relationship between Audra and Robert were left out.  For instance, Audra seems to waffle back and forth on whether or not she believes Robert could be behind the murders.  I would have thought Robert would at least once question whether Audra was right for him if she couldn't trust him.  Also, the motive for the murders didn't seem to justify the number of bodies that piles up.

Even with the minor issues I had, I still enjoyed the book.  I hadn't known about the original Victory Caravan, so I also learned something new.  I liked Robert more than I did Audra, because she irritated me every once in a  while with her doubts.  Of the two books I've read that take place during this time period, I'm going to have to say that I liked Shadowed by Grace a little bit more.  Still, it was a nice read and well worth my time. Good Book!

Shattered (Alaskan Courage #2) - Dani Pettrey

This is the second book in the series.  The first book is called Submerged .  The others are Stranded and Silenced.  The fifth book in the series, Sabotaged, comes out January 2015.

At the beginning of this book, we find Landon drowning his sorrows.  He loves Piper McKenna desperately but thinks she'll never feel the same way.  Then a murder happens and the prime suspect is her brother, Reef.  Landon feels like he's part of that family and is worried how Piper will take the news.  He's a "play by the rules" person and likes to be logical all the time.  He went by his feelings in the past and was burned.  He likes to be absolutely sure of things before committing to a decision.

Piper is the opposite.  She runs on feelings and what she feels for Landon is quickly evolving into love.  She feels torn, because she's trying to find the real killer and sorting through her feelings for Landon.  He keeps giving her mixed signals, but they're going to have to talk through it eventually.

The murdered woman had a very tangled past, so finding her killer won't be easy.  The search takes them all over the place, including Canada.  The plot has a lot of twists and turns, making this an easy read.  I finished it in two days!

I love this writer's style.  She sets up the relationship between Gage and Darcy for book 3, Stranded, quite nicely, but you're going to be okay if you read them out of order, like I did. The author has a great way of making sure the stories are connected without penalizing you if you skipped a book.  I look forward to her new release in January!  Good Book!

Operation Zulu Redemption: Act of Treason - Part 4 - Ronie Kendig

IMPORTANT: Make sure you've read the first part of this series, Overkill - The Beginning, Collateral Damage, Out of Nowhere and Hazardous Duty before starting this installment or reading this review.

This is one story broken up into five parts.  The complete story includes:
Overkill - The Beginning
Collateral Damage - Part 1
Out of Nowhere - Part 2
Hazardous Duty - Part 3
Act of Treason - Part 4

In this part, everything comes together.  We find out what happens between Annie, Trace and Sam.  We also find out about Keeley, Francesca, Teya, Nuala and all the others.  The men behind the Misrata tragedy are unmasked, but the team has the chance to do more. You're left with something of a cliffhanger as it's not all wrapped up in a neat little bow as to what happens after the dust settles, but overall it was a great story.  I didn't get my wish in a lot of the situations, but I still walked away from it with no regrets.  It's a great book.

If you can manage to get all the parts and read them at once, I think you'll be doing yourself a favor.  When you're done with one part, you just gotta keep reading and find out what happens next!  Not sure if there'll be more about this team, but I keep track of this author, so I'll be able to look for more if it's written.  Great Book!

Operation Zulu Redemption: Hazardous Duty - Part 3 - Ronie Kendig

IMPORTANT: Make sure you've read the first part of this series, Overkill - The Beginning, Collateral Damage and Out of Nowhere before starting this installment or reading this review.

This is one story broken up into five parts.  The complete story includes:
Overkill - The Beginning
Collateral Damage - Part 1
Out of Nowhere - Part 2
Hazardous Duty - Part 3
Act of Treason - Part 4

In this part, Annie frees herself and discovers that Sam has been brought in with the team.  She's furious, because now she feels like she has to sort out her feelings for both men and choose between them.  Teya comes across The Turk again, but it isn't in a capacity that she expects and she could get in some serious trouble for it.  Keeley's health is deteriorating, causing Boone to be an absolute mess and possibly missing some things he normally wouldn't.  Luckily, Nuala is there.  She doesn't miss much.  Trace is getting called to the carpet again for the mess about Misrata.  They're after his job and his life, but he's not planning on burdening the team with it.

The whole tension with the love triangle between Annie, Trace and Sam is going to have to be resolved soon, I've only got one part left to read.  While I like Sam's character, I have to say that I'm hoping things work out with Trace.  There's so much left to wrap up, I'm curious as to how it all ends.  Will Teya get to go back to David and will he take her back?  Will Keeley make a miraculous recovery?  And what about poor Nuala?  That girl's heart is in pieces and I feel bad for her.  And most importantly, who set up the team in the first place?

My Kindle's charging, then I'm off to read that last part - can't wait!

Petticoat Detective (Undercover Ladies #1) - Margaret Brownley

Margaret Brownley is a fairly new author to me, but what I've read has left me wanting more.  This is the first book in a new series, Undercover Ladies.

Amy is working undercover trying to discover the identity of the Gunnysack Bandit.  Her cover has her acting as a "working girl" in Miss Lillian's unusual establishment.  Not only does the business involve entertaining "guests," it also houses a boot shop, barbershop, singing lessons and fortunetelling.

Tom has come to town to discover the truth about his brother.  Even though his brother had a criminal past, Tom wants to believe the letter he had claiming his brother had turned his life around.  Wanting to discover who murdered him, he's come to ask questions of his fiance, Rose, only to find her murdered in her room.

Amy/Jennifer needs to keep her virtue, but she also needs information.  Tom wants her help to clear his brother, and she needs the information for her assignment.  Tom doesn't want to fall for a working girl, but something about Amy leads him to believe that she doesn't belong there and he tries to convince her to leave.

This book was really entertaining.  I had no idea the Pinkerton's even had female detectives, so I learned something new in that respect.  I was smiling during the lead up to capturing the bandit, it was too funny. I'm not sure I was happy with Jennifer's ultimate decision regarding her sister, but it definitely wasn't a deal breaker.

The next book, Undercover Bride, is due out June 2015.  There was an excerpt at the end of this book, and it looks like the heroine in it isn't related to this book.  I look forward to more.  Good Book!

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

Operation Zulu Redemption: Out of Nowhere - Part 2 - Ronie Kendig

IMPORTANT: Make sure you've read the first part of this series, Overkill - The Beginning and Collateral Damage before starting this installment or reading this review.

This is one story broken up into five parts.  The complete story includes:
Overkill - The Beginning
Collateral Damage - Part 1
Out of Nowhere - Part 2
Hazardous Duty - Part 3
Act of Treason - Part 4

In this part, the team is starting to follow some leads, both in the United States and elsewhere.  Sam is still not letting it go, and he's getting closer to learning some things. Frankie's also dealing with some backlash from her actions and it's suggested to her that she try and team up with Sam.

The team travels to Paris and encounters a ruthless assassin called The Turk.  He decides to focus on Teya, and she ends up getting angry.  Real angry.  At the cliffhanger, the whole team is finding out that things aren't as they seem.  Annie and Trace are both in real trouble and you can't believe it's the end!

Again, it's a great story thus far and I'm off to read the next part!

Operation Zulu Redemption: Collateral Damage - Part 1 - Ronie Kendig

IMPORTANT: Make sure you've read the first part of this series, Overkill - The Beginning before starting this installment or reading this review.

This is one story broken up into five parts.  The complete story includes:
Overkill - The Beginning
Collateral Damage - Part 1
Out of Nowhere - Part 2
Hazardous Duty - Part 3
Act of Treason - Part 4

In this part, what remains of Zulu team is taken to the safe house.  With two members dead and one in critical condition, things aren't looking good for the team.  They need to switch their positions from defensive to offensive to find out who's tracked them down and who set them up in the first place.

Complications arise when the assassins go after Teya's loved ones.  She can't just sit there and watch, but trying to visit a man in the hospital ends up endangering her life. Annie has left behind a Navy Seal who isn't ready to just give up looking for her.  He's spreading the word and making a general nuisance of himself since the team is trying to lay low.  Trace also has Francesca on his tail making his job more difficult.

You're left not knowing what's going on with Annie and Teya.  They've been following leads and ended up separating.  Now I'm off to read the next one!  Great story so far!

The Secret of Pembrooke Park - Julie Klassen

I really look forward to books by this author.  So far, I’ve read them all including The Girl in the Gatehouse, The Apothecary’s Daughter, The Silent Governess, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, Lady of Milkweed Manor, The Tutor’s Daughter and The Dancing Master.  All great books.

Abigail has advised her father in a financial matter that failed.  They’ve lost most everything and have to take up residence in a house that has been shut up for years.  Her father is distantly related to the family and they have been offered the home.  From the moment they arrive, secrets and strange happenings keep Abigail on her toes.  Strange noises, letters and cloaked figures give the place an eerie feel.

William is the curate and is drawn to Abigail.  He has some secrets of his own and he’s going to find out more.  He knows that he’s in no position to pursue a relationship with Abigail and tries to rein in his feelings.  When one of her old flames shows up in the neighborhood, he feels his chances have dwindled even more.

The secret of the house’s treasure has consumed more than one person.  Rumors of murder and a secret room cause Abigail to become suspicious of everyone.  And it seems justified, as almost everyone in this book is hiding something.

I loved this book.  While I always enjoy books by this author, this one took me back to the days when I used to read gothic romances.  I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen one, but the covers usually involved a terror-faced woman running away from an imposing castle.  Sometimes during a thunderstorm.  I have to say, the story in this book was much better than most of those, and the heroine much smarter.  There’s also some great lessons in there about making up for others’ mistakes and finding value in yourself, but it wasn’t at all preachy.

I’m not sure what’s up next for this author, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for it.  Great Book!

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

Love Unexpected (Beacons of Hope #1) - Jody Hedlund

After reading the Michigan Brides series (Unending Devotion, A Noble Groom and Captured by Love), I was looking forward to more by this author.  This is the first book in the Beacons of Hope series.  There’s a free novella that comes before this book, Out of the Storm, which I recommend.  You don’t have to read it before reading this book, but it’s a good story and worth the time.

                                                               

Emma and her brother are aboard a steamship when it’s attacked by pirates.  The ship ends up on fire and they end up swimming to shore.  They’re rescued by the man who keeps the lighthouse, and they end up at Burnham’s Landing.  While her brother looks for a job to raise money to continue their journey, Emma is given a rare opportunity.  She’s told that she can be an answer to prayer.

Patrick’s wife has just died, and he’s been running himself ragged.  Trying to take care of a rambunctious two-year-old all day and tend the light all night, he’s at his wit’s end to figure out a solution.  Then the traveling preacher offers up the solution for Emma and Patrick to marry.  Patrick's had a criminal past and turned his life around, but he doesn’t think he’ll ever be judged by who he is now.

Emma’s never taken care of a child before and this one is definitely in his terrible twos!  Add to that she has no idea how to cook, and she feels inadequate.  Patrick is keeping his distance from her and while she falls in love with him, her ‘friend’ is whispering doubts in her ear.  Instead of judging her husband on his actions toward her, she finds her vision darkened by suspicion.

I loved this book.  While I was cheering Patrick on, I saw how his past could affect the way others saw him.  Patrick has turned his life around and is a godly man now, but a criminal past can ruin everything he’s worked for.  When the troubles come, Emma has the choice to judge him on how he’s treated her or to believe the worst.

I can’t wait for the next book in this series.  Hearts Made Whole comes out June 2015.  I like lighthouses and books with them incorporated always draw me in.  The cover of this book is beautiful and totally appropriate for this book.  There’s a brief mention of the characters in the novella in there, but the connection is minimal.  There’s some passionate kissing in there, but this prudish person wasn’t offended and didn’t blush, so I’d say it’s not a big deal.  Good Book!

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

A Most Inconvenient Marriage (Ozark Mountain Romance #1) - Regina Jennings

I’ve read some books written by Regina Jennings in the past and really enjoyed them.  I read The Ladies of Caldwell County series (Sixty Acres and a Bride, Love in the Balance and Caught in the Middle.)  I enjoyed those and was excited to read this one.

Abigail is a nurse in the Civil War and working at one of the prisons.  Her favorite patient is dying and convinces her to marry him.  That way, she can take care of his mother and sister.  He worries about them when he’s gone.  Abigail makes her way to the house and begins to find her place in the family when her new world is turned upside down.  Her husband is alive.  Sort of.

Jeremiah makes it home from the war, but he’s surprised to find a strange woman claiming to be his wife.  She doesn’t believe he’s Jeremiah Calhoun at first, she buried him back at the prison, but she can’t deny his family’s confirmation of his identity.  So what happened?  As they discover the truth, they're both placed in a most inconvenient position.  Abigail can’t go home and Jeremiah doesn’t seem to want her there.

Jeremiah returns to find his beloved’s heart isn’t his anymore and another man is after her.  He got a leg wound in the war and decides to do what he can to heal and replace his sweetheart’s pity with passion.  Abigail is helping him regain his strength, but she’s also slowly working her way into his heart.

It’s hard to put into words how much I liked this book.  It has been a long time since I’ve had this much trouble actually putting this book down.  The story was so unusual and so interesting at the same time.  Both Abigail and Jeremiah are lovable characters and I found myself smiling on more than one occasion.

This book is showing up as the first book in the Ozark Mountain Romance series.  I'm not sure when the next one comes out, but I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.  She has a great writing style and I recommend this book.  Good Book!

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

Operation Zulu Redemption: Overkill - The Beginning - Ronie Kendig

You should start reading this knowing that it's one story broken up into five parts.  The complete story includes:
Overkill - The Beginning
Collateral Damage - Part 1
Out of Nowhere - Part 2
Hazardous Duty - Part 3
Act of Treason - Part 4

In this 'episode,' we get to meet some of the team, and sadly, some aren't long for this world.  Five years ago, something went wrong in Misrata, leading to a tragedy involving innocent women and children.  The team members went into hiding and tried to leave that mission behind them.  Unfortunately, someone has tracked them down and is determined to take them all out.  The remaining members are being rounded up, hopefully ahead of the assassin to try and figure out what's happening now and what went wrong then.

This particular part of the story is 73 pages, and you don't even meet all the members of the team.  The rest of them range average about 185 pages with the long one being Part 1 at 238 pages.  I recommend picking them all up and reading them OR you'll have the chance to pick up the entire story together starting December 1, 2014.  You don't really risk anything by trying this out, Overkill - The Beginning is FREE and doesn't take long to read.  I personally got the other four episodes for $0.99 each, so I feel like I got a good deal.

I plan on reading these for the next few weeks, it's a great start to a great story by a wonderful author.  I got caught up in the action and can't wait to start reading the next one!  Good Story!

Wagered Heart - Robin Lee Hatcher

This is a book I picked up when it dropped in price.  It's one of Hatcher's earlier books, reworked to add the Christian element.

Bethany has come to Sweetwater with her father to start his church.  She meets an intriguing man and bets her friend that she can get him to come to church.  The wager made in jest is forgotten as she falls for him.

Hawk is used to people judging him by his heritage.  He starts to think that Bethany might be different, but when he hears about the wager, he's determined to get revenge.  The problem is, he's falling for her as well.  A warning to stay away from Bethany comes in the form of a beating.  He ends up on Bethany's doorstep and the town gossips draw the wrong conclusions.

Hawk feels like he's doing the right thing by offering to marry her, but then he reconsiders when he sees what kind of life she'll have with him.  He feels that she's much too good for him and tries to keep his distance for when she leaves.

There's an overzealous suitor for Bethany and he'll do anything to get what he wants. There's also a lot of sadness in this book.  Deaths, betrayal, scheming, etc. all come together in a kind of depressing way for much of the book.  We get the happy ending, but it comes through a lot of turmoil.  In the end, it's a good book, but keep the hankies ready just in case.  Good Book!

Hunter's Prize (Backwoods Brides #3) - Marcia Gruver

This is the third book in this series.  The first book is Raider's Heart and the second is Bandit's Hope.  After reading those two and liking them, I decided to go ahead and finish out the series.

Addie comes to Marshall to take the position as governess to a small boy.  Once she arrives, she discovers that there's more to the boy than she's used to dealing with and is determined to run back home.  Her mother asks her to reconsider and Addie sees that she might just have what it takes to give this little guy a better life.  When she meets a man who looks a little rough around the edges, she's not sure what to think of him, but her heart does.

Pearson has come to Marshall to find a wrecked steamship.  He's taken by Addie, but she seems peeved at him and he's not sure why.  In fact, she seems to have a knack for jumping to the wrong conclusion.  He eventually breaks through her assumptions, but then his character is questioned again when strange things begin affecting Addie's charge.

Add in the presence of two strange men from South Africa and you're wondering what will happen and if poor Pearson will ever be judged by his character and not the strange circumstances around him. I felt bad for him, since everyone, including the reverend, doubts him at one point or another.  I think Addie's initial problem with Pearson was somewhat confusing and they could have easily tested to see if he was the one little Cedric was afraid of.  Other than that, it was a decent read.

Addie is Tiller McRae's daughter.  Tiller and Mariah are the main characters in book two, but you could easily read this one alone or out of order and be okay.  Overall, my favorite book in the series was probably the first one, Raider's Heart, but none of them are duds. Good Book!

Beyond the Waves (Pacific Shores #1) - Lynnette Bonner

A while back, I signed up for Bonner's emails.  I haven't really been following her as an author, but a recent email got me interested in her new series, Pacific Shores.  The first book was up for free and the second one was $0.99.  In the past, I read through her Shepherd's Heart series (Rocky Mountain Oasis, High Desert Haven, Fair Valley Refuge and Spring Meadow Sanctuary) and enjoyed those, so I thought I'd give this one a shot. While the previous series is historical, this new one is contemporary.

Taysia thinks that she's finally moved on from Kylen when he shows up at her gym, turning her into a bumbling idiot.  She even tries to hide in the closet!  He's come back to town to tell her that he loves her.  The problem is that he's hurt her not once, but twice, in the past.  Her head tells her to run far and fast, but her heart begs her to stay.

Kylen realizes he was horrible to Taysia in the past and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to her and earn her love.  He's given his life to the Lord and he wants her to see that he's changed.  There's another man on the scene, but Taysia seems to still have feelings for him.  Can he prove to her that he's worthy of her trust, this time forever?

There isn't any suspense in this book, it's really all about the progression of the relationship between Taysia and Kylen.  You do get to learn a little about Marie's life. She's the topic of the next book, Caught in the Current.  I'm not sure how much of her background will be retold in the next one, so I can't say for certain if it's okay to read them out of order.

One little note: The book is listed at 237 pages, but in reality, it's closer to 200.  The rest of the book is an excerpt of Caught in the Current.  I still haven't 100% decided whether or not I'm picking up the second one, even if it is $0.99.  I find that I'm more drawn to reading books that have that suspense element in there, even if it's just a little bit.  Even with my reservations, I enjoyed this book and am glad that I read it.  Good Book!

Waking Lazarus - T.L. Hines

I picked this book up over two years ago for free.  I put it on my Kindle.  I took it off.  I just couldn't gather up the interest to start reading it.  I like to watch for Bethany House books that go on sale, and I would see this one pop up fairly often.  At that time, I would think, "Hey, I think I bought that.  I should probably go read it."  And then forget.  I finally got my courage up and decided to read it.

The first time Jude died, he was eight years old.  The strange thing is, he doesn't stay dead.  In fact, he comes back from the dead more than once.  His ability to return from the Other Side has drawn the attention of too many people.  As a result, he moves to Montana, changes his name and becomes terribly paranoid.

A woman shows up on his doorstep and he starts on an adventure that will show him that he's more than the paranoid man who's distanced himself from the world.  He has a gift that he's meant to use.  The problem is, he fights against participating until he's faced with losing the one thing that he actually cares about.

A Hunter/Normal is abducting children that he thinks of as Quarry.  Jude thinks he has a chance to stop the man, but he's going to have to embrace his gift to do it.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book.  It leads you to where you think you have things figured out, but then you find out you were wrong.  It's a little on the dark side, but it's not the gory, in-your-face stuff.  It's pretty benign in that aspect and I was pleased at the ending.

This book was the first release by this author and he's had a few come out since then.  I'm not tracking any of them at present, but this one was a real page-turner and a well-written story.  Recommended.  Good Book!

Life Support (Grace Medical #3) - Candace Calvert

This is the third book in this series.  The first two are Trauma Plan and Rescue Team.

Lauren has left her life in Austin to come back and keep track of her sister.  Jess has some problems, but Lauren doesn't believe other people when they tell her she needs professional help.  She's become a mother figure to her sister, something that Jess resents.  From the beginning, she's thrown together with Eli Landry.  She's dealt with him before.  He's the one who sent her sister over the edge recently.

Eli doesn't remember it that way, but when he spends time in Lauren's presence because of his brother, he finds the desire to spend time with her and see what happens.  He's having issues with his father, and the topic of family is definitely off limits.  If they start talking about it, they'll end up fighting again.  Eli also has to make sure that his daughter is taken care of.  She's definitely a priority in his life.

Add in the threat of a hurricane and these two have a lot to deal with.  Storms are a theme in this book and not just the ones bringing wind and rain.  Both these two have internal storms they're going to have to deal with.  Eli has an uphill battle as he's walked away from God and isn't sure he can trust Him again.

This was a good book and a nice addition to the series.  You don't have to read these in order.  I didn't see or read anything about the characters from the other two in there anywhere.  Good Book!

Love Without End (King's Meadow Romance #2) - Robin Lee Hatcher

I originally had that this book came out next week, but this morning I had an email telling me it was out today!  Nice surprise this morning.

In the past, I've been drawn to Robin Lee Hatcher's historical books.  I normally say that I don't read much contemporary fiction, but if I analyze what I've been reading, I would have to say I read more of it than I realized.  So, when I saw this book was about a horse ranch and a love story, I was excited to read it.

Kimberly is in Kings Meadow to start over.  And I mean start over!  After her husband's death, she lost everything and is now living with her best friend.  Her relationship with her teenage daughter is strained, but there's hope when her daughter is given a horse.  The problem is, the horse is a little green and the teenager is inexperienced.

Chet's family has run this ranch for over 100 years.  First it was cattle, now horses.  It doesn't make tons of money, but he does okay and he's passionate about it.  When he agrees to help train the somewhat wild horse, he ends up seeing a lot of Kimberly.  His first wife wasn't cut out for ranch life and left, so when he hears that Kimberly has no intention of staying in Kings Meadow, he tries to keep his distance.

These two are a little older than the characters I normally read, but it didn't bother me much.  Anna, the adopted grandmother of the family, was a great character and I liked reading some of her history.  I'm not normally a fan of the remarriage stories, I'm old school romantic, but this one was well done and I enjoyed reading it.

Kings Meadow shows up in A Promise Kept, a novel about Allison, who shows up in a minor role in Love Without End.  Next up in this series is Whenever You Come Around and is due out spring 2015.  Looks like more second chances in Kings Meadow.  The two main characters weren't in this book, making me think it's going to be okay to read them alone, but we'll see.  Good Book!

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

Love's Far Country - Colleen Coble

This novella is around 63 pages long.  I really like this author and decided to go ahead and use this book as my monthly "borrow" for my Amazon Prime membership.  This review will be short, since the book is short.  Otherwise, I'd tell the whole story and there'd be no reason to read it!

Alexandria's father is dead.  The only thing she has left is the Dawson Belle, a steamboat that brings goods to the miners in Alaska.  She feels the pressure to make sure her brother has everything chance to get his education, she travels to Alaska to make sure her source of income is being used in the best way possible.  When she meets Philip, she feels attracted to him, but he's angry at God for his wife's death.  Alex wants his heart to heal, but she's not willing to pursue anything unless he has a passion for God in his life.

Since it's a novella, there's not really time to deeply develop characters, so I didn't really expect much in that respect.  The story felt a little rushed (something I end up feeling often with novellas), but it was still a nice story that I enjoyed reading.  Good story!

When Love Blooms - Robin Lee Hatcher

I picked up a few books by this author when they dropped in price.  This is one of the ones I bought.

Emily originally left Washington to take care of her sister and nephew when they were very sick.  Returning to Idaho was something of a homecoming for her and she hasn't left yet.  The time just never seems right.  She longs to do something worthwhile, important. She sees an advertisement for a governess in the newspaper and thinks it might be what God wants her to do.

When she's given the job, she travels back with the husband and wife who hired her.  The wife, Dru, seems genuinely interested in her and likes her immediately.  Her husband, Gavin, doesn't think she'll last the winter.  Gavin and Emily don't know it, but Dru has just picked out her husband's next wife.

Gavin married Dru when she found out she was dying.  It was a marriage of convenience to provide a family for her two daughters, and they both knew that before they married. Gavin doesn't mind, he's sworn off women, especially beautiful ones like Emily.

These two are placed in an impossible position.  While Dru sees that they're starting to care for each other, the guilt that attraction places on them is unbearable.  Gavin feels like he should be faithful to his wife, and Emily doesn't want to betray her new friend.

I think this was a good book overall, but I felt bad for the main characters in this one. They have a pure attraction for each other, but they aren't given the freedom to embrace those feelings.  I don't know why Dru wasn't more clear with her plan or maybe she could have executed it differently.  I don't know, but it just bothered me for some reason.

The characters were well written and I enjoyed the book.  Not my favorite by this author, but still a nice read for a rainy day.  Good Book!

Amazon Prime review

We went ahead and signed up for Amazon Prime a few months ago, and there's so much to it that I wanted to review my experience in case anyone out there is thinking about it as well.  Some of the perks of Amazon Prime are pleasantly surprising and nice, while other aspects are underwhelming and not as useful.

1. FREE 2-day shipping.  I think this is the number one reason we signed up for this.  If you shop at amazon, you know that to qualify for regular free shipping, you need to spend at least $35 (this is an increase from the $25 it used to be).  Our items would arrive in a few days and we'd be happy.  Lately, we noticed that the regular free shipping was taking longer and longer.  It wasn't so much that the items were en route longer, they just seemed to sit before being sent out.  With Prime, I can get it in two days and the minimum purchase doesn't apply.  I can buy a $3 book and it's there quickly.  Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have Prime and choose "no-rush shipping" you'll end up with a $1 credit for things like music, ebooks and video.  So if you're not in a hurry for something, you get a little extra for your patience.

*Something to note with this.  We live in a semi-rural area where we don't have a lot of shopping choices.  The major retailer at present is Wal-Mart and I'm not fond of going there.  The closest Target/Kohl's is over an hour away, so sometimes it's more convenient for us to purchase something online and save the gas.

2. Amazon Prime music.  This has been the real surprise for me.  I find myself on this all the time.  There's a decent selection of music to choose from and they have playlists that aren't too bad.  We actually used a couple of them for Halloween sounds at my kids' party a few weeks ago.  I listen to Christian rock and since getting Prime, I've been able to find more artists that I enjoy listening to.  The one downfall with this aspect is that only one person can be on Prime music at a time.  So if I want to listen, but my husband wants to listen to something else, we have a problem!

3. Amazon Prime TV/Video.  This one has its pluses and minuses.  On the downside, there's not much current stuff and the movie selection leaves a lot to be desired.  On the plus side, you can watch a lot of the older VeggieTales for free.  You're never too old for those!  Also, there's a lot of the period pieces that I personally enjoy including Bleak House, Little Dorrit and Wives and Daughters.  Also, my favorite mini-series in this genre is included: North and South.  Not the one about the Civil War, the one with Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-ashe.  I have some of these on DVD already, so it's practically a wash on whether or not it's worth it.  You can have two people watching this at the same time.

4. Amazon Prime books.  You'd think with reading being such a big part of what I do, this would be an important part of my Prime membership.  You'd be wrong.  The selection overall is less than appealing.  Other than Colleen Coble's older stories and some other titles here and there, it wouldn't entice me to sign up for this alone.  The other negative is that you can only read one of these a month.  Once you "borrow" a book, you're out of luck until next month.  For some people, that might work but not me!  To check out a book, you have to do it through your Kindle device.  You also need to make sure you return any book you already have out before borrowing a new one.  Kind of a hassle.

Those are the major things I've noticed and overall, I think we're all happy with Amazon Prime thus far.  If you're thinking about a Prime membership, I hope this will help you see some of the things you'll be signing up for a make a decision that fits yourself or your family.

For Love or Liberty (The MacGregor Legacy #3) - Jennifer Hudson Taylor

This is the third book in The MacGregor Quest series.  The first two books, For Love or Loyalty and For Love or Country were interesting, and I was happy to have the chance to read this book.

Charlotte is crushed.  Her twin sister is dead and she’s leaving her home to travel far away.  She promised her sister that she would take care of her nephew and brand new niece.  She also needs to keep an eye on her sister’s husband, David, as well.  He’s fallen into a deep depression and she fears for him.

Conrad is David’s brother and chose the sea over Charlotte six years ago.  He’s come to regret that decision.  Not understanding their grief, he pushes his brother and Charlotte to move on with their lives.  Charlotte resents his interference and is determined to guard her heart against falling in love with him again.  Conrad is going to have a hard road convincing Charlotte he’s changed.

This was a good story, but it has a bittersweet ending.  Charlotte is Hugh and Tyra’s daughter and there are mentions of some of the other family members, but it’s okay to read these out of order.  Not usually being a fan of this time period, the series was a good one and I recommend it.  Good Book!

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

Bandit's Hope (Backwoods Brides #2) - Marcia Gruver

Last week I reviewed the first book in this series, Raider's Heart.  At that time, I wasn't sure about reading them out of order or alone, so I decided to read the next on in the series and make my decision.

Tiller has been away from Scuffletown for 10 years now, raiding with the gang and taking advantage of innocent people.  He's become tired of that life and when they take advantage of a poor old gentleman, Tiller needs some time away from the gang to decide what he wants from his future.  A storm brings him to the door of an inn, where he finds not only rest, but an attractive woman who seems immune to his charms.  When the beaten old man turns up as well, Tiller fears that his secret will be out and he'll lose the peace he's coming to cherish.

Mariah has her own secret.  Her father's dead and she hasn't told anyone.  She got his body out of the house and buried it without anyone seeing, but now she's going to have to secure the future of the inn.  That's going to take marrying a white man who can be molded to do her bidding.  Tiller doesn't fit into that mold, but she's drawn to his kind spirit anyway.  Her uncle shows up to take her back to family, but Mariah has no plans on leaving.

The addition of Otis and his wisdom has both these characters evaluating their lives and where they stand with God.  Tiller especially becomes close to the man and his guilt begins to weigh heavily on him.  Eventually, all their truths are going to come out and they'll see if their love is strong enough to take the strain.

I did like this book, but I have to say that you should either read the first book before reading this one or skip it all together.  Pretty early on, the main points of the first book are rehashed and all the cool twists and turns I experienced reading the first book were all laid out in this one.  If I had read this one and then went back to read the first one, I would have already known most of the important points and it would've taken away from my enjoyment of the unique story.  They're both good books, I just recommend you read them in order for the most satisfaction.

I looked at the names for the main characters in the next book, and I have to say that it will probably be a different story for that one.  Neither of the main characters are present in this book, so reading that one out of order shouldn't be as big of a deal.  I look forward to reading it soon.  Good Book!

Hawk (The Quiet Professionals #2) - Ronie Kendig

Let me start off by saying that Ronie Kendig is hazardous to my eyes!  Every time I start one of her books, I just know I'm going to be in for a thrill ride that is hard to get off of.  I find myself thinking, "Just one more chapter" a lot.

The threat to intelligence has escalated.  So has Hawk's temper.  His anger issues get him into a situation where disciplinary action needs to be taken.  A promise he's made to Fekiria leaves him without a defense for his actions.

Fekiria is Zahrah's cousin.  Zahrah was a major player in the first book, Raptor 6.  Fekiria has been hiding the fact that she's a pilot from her family.  If they found out, she'd be killed.  Strange things start to happen, and she knows something is wrong, but she's not prepared for the storm headed her way.

This was another awesome book by Kendig.  The main story line of cyber terrorism is continued in this book, so I recommend that you read Raptor 6 before reading this one.  There are many references to events in that first book, and you might be a little lost if you skip it.  There's also a connection to the Breed Apart series, but you don't have to read those to understand this one.

Next up is Falcon, due out next May.  I'll be anxiously waiting!  Good Book!

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

Loving Libby - Robin Lee Hatcher

I've read many books by this author and I can always count on a good read.  I was watching this one and picked it up when it dropped in price.

Libby ran away from her father when he tried to force her into a loveless marriage.  She thinks that she's finally found a safe have at Blue Springs, but times have been hard for her since her "aunt" died.  A neighbor wants her to sell and will do just about anything to push her away.  Suspecting the cad is lurking around her barn, she takes a rifle and shoots the man.  Unfortunately, it isn't her neighbor at all.  It's a stranger and she fears she may have killed him.

Remington has come to find the daughter of a wealthy man.  His main goal is vengeance for his father's death, but Libby piques his interest.  What could have forced this young woman to abandon every comfort to raise sheep in the middle of nowhere?  Since he's witnessed first-hand the ruthless nature of the neighbor, he feels the urge to protect Libby.  His main purpose fades as he falls in love with her, but he's afraid to reveal his secrets for fear of losing her.

Her father is a cruel man and will never give up looking for her.  No one defies his wishes. When Remington's secret is revealed, it's done in such a way that Libby questions everything she knows about him.

This was a good story.  I had no idea how this was going to turn out with a happy ending, but it was there in the end.  It was in a confusing way, but it was there.  I didn't understand the end where Remington is helped out by a friend and I felt like there were some questions left unanswered regarding Libby's father.  I don't want to say too much, since I don't like giving away too much about the story and these things happen at the end.  Overall, it was a good book, a quick, easy read and I liked it very much.  Good Book!

Raider's Heart (Backwoods Brides #1) - Marcia Gruver

This is actually the first book I've read by this author.  I'm not quite sure why I had this entire series on my watch list, because I normally wouldn't do that without at least reading something by the author first.  I took a chance and bought this series when each book dropped in price to $1.99.  This is the first book in the series.  The other two are called Bandit's Hope and Hunter's Prize.

Dawsey lives in a nice house in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  Her life isn't as nice as her house.  Her father has been in a strange daze for as long as she can remember.  All he does is sit by the window with a strange golden lamp.  Dawsey tends his needs, and late one night it changes her life forever.

Hooper comes from a family of people who do what they think is necessary to live.  His father tells the story of the golden lamp and it becomes something of a family legend. When Hooper is sent to pick up his young cousin who's going to live with them, he finds out that the lamp is real.  He just has to see it for himself and that's when he runs into Dawsey. Her shouts cause him to snatch her up and take her back to his family's home.

Bringing her to the swamp may have been on impulse, but looking at Dawsey in the light of day reveals the family secret that Hooper's sister, Ellie, is actually Dawsey's twin sister. Hooper's father felt justified in taking the child since he left one behind.  He had no idea that anguish it caused Dawsey's family.

While Dawsey is held against her will, she plans her escape.  Her chance comes, but she doesn't have the skills to make it away on her own.  When she's rescued, something shifts in the way she sees this family.  She starts to fall for Hooper, but his violence scares her and she's not sure she wants to pursue her feelings.

This was a very unusual book, and I've never really read anything like it.  I did enjoy reading it and was glad I picked it up.  I was confused for a while about Hooper's background and why he felt justified in his criminal activities.  I think it could have been a little better explained in the beginning, but it was a nice, quick read overall and I look forward to reading the next book.  It's about Tiller, the young cousin, who appears in this book.  I'm not sure how much connection there will be between the books, but I'll know more after I read the next one.  Good Book!

A.D. 30 - Ted Dekker

If you've ever seen one of my Ted Dekker reviews, you'll know that he's probably my favorite author.  The depth he's able to infuse into his stories is a true gift.

In this book, we read the story of Maviah, a member of the Kalb tribe.  Her world has been turned upside down and she has been tasked with appealing to Rome to restore her father’s throne.  With only two faithful companions, she sets off across the desert to find the help she seeks.

Unfortunately, things don't really improve in her situation.  One of her companions, Judah, is determined to find the Anointed One that the stars have proclaimed.  He convinces her to seek him out.  Herod's wife comes along and they discover that Yeshua is more than a mere man.

Seeking her destiny is hard for Maviah and she has many obstacles to overcome.  Reading of her growth as a person and her struggles to conquer her fears brought out many truths that Dekker is great at incorporating into his stories.

Be warned that this is not a standalone novel.  You're left with something of a cliffhanger at the end.  The next one is A.D. 33.  It appears to be out October 2015, but if you read this one, you're going to want to know what happens next.

While I enjoyed this book, I found the first half to drag on a bit.  The second half was much better, though.  Most of the words spoken by Yeshua in the book are from the Bible and there's a reference in the back to tell you where the verses are.  This type of book isn't normally my style, but I did enjoy it.  I give it four stars because of the slow beginning.  Good Book!

*I received a copy of this book from FaithWords/Center Street through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.