Christmas Roses - Amanda Cabot

This story is on the short side, coming in under 200 pages.

Mark is searching for his father.  For the past two years, he's followed leads all over the country until he ends up in the town of Easton.  When he tries to find a place to stay, he finds a mother holding onto a sick baby that needs his help.

Celia runs a boardinghouse and needs boarders or she may not be able to keep doing what she loves.  Her husband is dead, and she has a baby to take care of.  The people in town tell her that she needs to remarry to provide her daughter with a father, but Celia won't settle for anything but love.

This is a sweet tale where you know what's going to happen ahead of time, so there's not really any surprises.  I wish more authors would be a bit more creative and stop using a sermon as the epiphany moment for characters, it just seems to be overused.

This is a well written story that I did enjoy.  It's the kind of lighthearted thing I like to read around Christmas and this didn't disappoint.  I liked the little details of Swedish traditions that the author incorporated and may just try the pound cake recipe at the end of the book.  Good Story!

For Such a Time - Kate Breslin

For Such a Time is meant to be a retelling of the story of Esther.  Hadassah, a Jew, is taken in by Aric, the leader of a concentration camp during WWII and given a job as his secretary.  She uses her skills and influence to do what she can for her people and tries to fight her attraction to Aric.  He's the enemy after all.

As time goes by, Hadassah's secrets become harder to hide.  She finds herself torn between how she feels about Aric and how she feels about her people.  She becomes attached to a small boy and has to stay out of the way of the cruel captain.

Granted, this was not the best choice for me to read around Christmas.  My timing only amplified the negative aspects of the story, and there are a lot of them.  I mean, we are talking about a concentration camp.  Nothing good happened at those.  Even at the end of the story, the war isn't over.  I guess I'm supposed to come up with my own ending of what happens after the war, but it was just too depressing and I wanted it to be over.

The book is well written, it's just the subject matter was a turn off for me.  I need glimpses of hope throughout a book to feel the satisfaction of a happy ending.  With this story, I didn't see how it would work, and the ending didn't help.  In the end, I just wasn't overly fond of it.

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill (Tales From Ivy Hill #1) - Julie Klassen

This appears to be the first in a new series, Ivy Hill Tales.

Jane’s husband died over a year ago and left her in control of their inn.  The place has been falling to pieces, but Jane isn’t happy to see her mother-in-law step over the threshold.  They’ve never really gotten along but saving the inn is going to rely on these two working together.  With a bank loan due and Jane’s childhood home becoming the competition, Jane has her work cut out for her.

I hate to say it, but I didn’t like this book.  It has the feel of a Lark Rise to Candleford, where we read about what goes on in someone’s life, even the uninteresting parts.  We read a lot about Jane’s attempts to learn how to improve the inn, but her interactions with people didn’t lead me to understand why they liked her so much.  I didn’t even understand the relationship between Jane and Thora.  What happened in there that they changed their minds about each other?  I never understood it.  And there’s a miscarriage scene in there that was pretty depressing.  Just be aware of that if it’s something that bothers you.

There were also some things that just didn’t make sense.  If there’s such a shortage of men, how do we have 5 different men showing interest in these two different women?  And I didn’t see anything in either of their personalities to warrant that kind of attention.  Thora is harsh and judgmental, and Jane is apathetic.  The story line with Rachel felt crammed in, and I didn’t understand why it was there.  She didn’t have the kind of connection with the Jane/Thora story that would have made the transitions to her point of view believable.  Granted, she was one of my favorite characters and almost wish she’d been the main character.

I’ll take partial responsibility for not liking this book, because I wasn’t necessarily expecting this kind of story.  But after disliking Lady Maybe, this was me giving the author another chance.  I found her characters flat and the story line uninteresting, and expecting something different doesn’t account for that.  At the end, there was a mention of a second book in the series, but I’m out.  I used to enjoy this author so much.  Unfortunately, with this book, I kept hoping Jane would fail so it would be over.  I’m saddened to say it, and maybe others can appreciate this book, but I just could NOT get into it.  No matter how hard I tried.

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

For the Record (Ozark Mountain Romance #3) - Regina Jennings

This is the third book in the Ozark Mountain Romance series.  The first two are A Most Inconvenient Marriage and At Love's Bidding.  This book also has ties to the story Her Dearly Unintended, which appears in the novella collection With This Ring?  Josiah from that story is the brother of Betsy, the heroine in this book.  

Pine Gap has a new deputy in the form of Joel.  He’s come from Texas and hopes he's left scandal behind.  He’s determined to leave all women alone for the sake of his reputation, which he's learned is easily lost.  What he didn’t count on was meeting a woman like Betsy.

Betsy does what she wants.  At twenty-four, she’s on the shelf and doesn’t mind.  What she sees in Joel is an opportunity.  She starts writing fantastical stories about the deputy’s heroics and sending them to faraway newspapers, maybe with an embellishment here and there.  But it’s fiction, so it won’t hurt anyone, right?

Joel finds proving himself in the mountain community to be difficult.  For a while now, there’s been a group of vigilantes taking care of things, and they’re not convinced turning the law over to Joel is the best idea.  When there are rumors a murderer is back in the area and criminal activity increases, Joel is going to have to find a way to discover the truth before something really bad happens.

I really enjoyed this book.  I loved Betsy’s character, and her spunk had me grinning once in a while.  Joel was also not quite what you’d expect from a dashing hero, but in a good way.  Katie Ellen and Josiah (from the novella) are in there, but you won’t be lost at all if you haven’t had a chance to read their story.  There's mention of the characters from the other books, but you won't be lost reading them out of order.  All in all, I have no issues giving this a Good Book! review.

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

Conspiracy of Silence (Tox Files #1) - Ronie Kendig

There’s a prequel that goes with this series called The Warrior’s Seal.  This is the first full-length novel.  The second one is called Crown of Souls and is due out sometime in 2017.

Tox “Cole” has been in hiding for three years.  If you want to know what led up to that isolation, make sure to read The Warrior’s Seal.  A threat has brought him out of hiding and back into the life of his brother, the president.  Now Tox is under orders to take a team and eliminate a threat.  He insists on his team, who believes he’s dead.  When they find out he’s not, Tox has to earn their trust all over again.

Kasey “Haven” has admired Cole from afar for as long as she can remember.  But he’s only ever seen her as the little sister of Brooke, Cole’s one time girlfriend, and his brother’s late wife.  Kasey never believed in Cole’s guilt and is committed to proving his innocence.  Cole's pardon is in her hands, but the deal is that she doesn’t reveal who she really is.

Cole senses immediately that there’s something familiar about this woman, but it takes him a while to figure it out.  In the meantime, Tzivia is still around, and Kasey has an admirer of her own trailing after her.  Tzivia was on a dig where she believes she’s found evidence of a major Biblical event.  There are dangerous people after these artifacts, and it seems there’s another deadly disease associated with the artifacts.

I really liked this one.  I was a bit wary of the addition of the supernatural threats, but they aren’t inserted in a weird way.  With the AFO still on the loose at the end of this one, it looks like you need to read them all and in order to understand the whole picture.  Normally, I don’t read series like this, but this author has a great style and I gladly break my rule for her books.  The end was a real page-turner, and I was getting nervous when I saw I was close to the end and didn’t know how things would ever get figured out that fast.  I was happy at the end and look forward to Crown of Souls.  Good Book!

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

A Lesson in Love and Murder (Herringford and Watts #2) - Rachel McMillan

This is the second book in the series.  The series itself is a little different as there are a lot more novellas attached to it than I'm used to.  Before the first book is a novella called A Singular and Whimsical Problem.  Then there's the first book,  The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder.  Then we have another novella, Of Dubious and Questionable Memory, followed by this book.  Next year, there's a novella (which is free for pre-order right now), Conductor of Light, that comes out the end of January, leading up to the third book, called The White Feather Murders, out in May 2017.

Jemima and Merinda are still detecting, even though things have changed somewhat.  Ray and Jemima are trudging along, poor as they can be with Ray sending his sister in Chicago money and a new addition on the way.  Merinda doesn't know about this at first and is anxious to get Jem to help her with a new case.  This time, they're dealing with explosions, anarchists and a handsome Mountie searching for his wayward cousin.

Their pursuit of truth will cause them to cross the border and infiltrate the group of anarchists to discover what they're planning.  The whole gang ends up down there, one way or another, and even Ray's good-for-nothing brother-in-law is involved in the criminal activity.

I really like McMillan's writing style and love the little footnotes, even though they don't always work correctly.  I've taken to bookmarking the page I'm on in case the footnote at the end of the chapter doesn't lead me right back where I was.  Besides that, I love the characters and was especially rooting for Jasper this time.  I'll be anxiously awaiting the next story   Good Book!

The Isaac Project - Sarah Monzon

This was a freebie I picked up, wanting to try something new.

Rebekah's grandfather is dying.  She knows that he wants to see her married, so she comes up with the idea of re-enacting the Isaac and Rebekah story from the Bible.  She enlists the help of her friend to find her a man - and fast.  Luke is a firefighter who hears about Rebekah and agrees to the idea after a troubling dream.

I made it almost halfway before I put it down.  I don't read many books that are in first person, and I find it harder to get into these kinds of stories when people are "thinking" things that don't make sense.  For instance, Luke is fighting a fire and takes the time to think about (and explain) his SCBA.  It didn't seem realistic, and while the story may have had some potential, it just wasn't for me.

My Enemy, My Heart (The Ashford Chronicles #1) - Laurie Alice Eakes

I chose this as my Kindle Unlimited title for the month.  I purposely waited for the title to be released, since I looked forward to reading it.

This is the first book in The Ashford Chronicles series.  The second book is called True as Fate and is due out June 2017.

Deirdre has grown up living on a ship.  During the War of 1812, this is dangerous.  When her father's ship is captured and her father dies suddenly, she finds herself at the mercy of her enemy.

Kieran is trying to regain his father's respect.  He's hoping that capturing an American ship will be a good start, but then he discovers there's a woman on board.  With his checkered past, he wants to do the right thing and offers to marry her.  He's drawn to her spirit and hopes to earn her trust.

This relationship seems doomed from the start, but they are attracted to one another. Their split loyalties continue to divide them over and over, but one of the main problems is that Kieran is a dolt.  As I read the book, I thought it more than once, and his own sister called him one.  He seems to always say the wrong thing, but Deirdre still manages to see past that and fall in love with him, even if she can't admit it most of the time.  The problem is, freeing her crew will force her to choose between her husband and her "family."

I liked this book and look forward to the next one.  It looks like we'll be getting to know Chloe and Ross better, and for that I'm glad.  They show up a lot in this book, especially Chloe, so I can't say for certain whether reading these alone or out of order will work.  I can't wait for the next one and will definitely be keeping an eye out for it.  Good Book!

Finding Margo (Finding Home #1) - Jen Turano

This is the first book in a new series, Finding Home.

Jen Turano is on my list of favorite authors.  She’s able to infuse such depth into her characters, and the story is always well written.  In the past, she’s focused more on historical fiction, so I was a little wary of this contemporary story.  In my experience, when authors I love change direction, it’s a toss-up whether I end up enjoying it.

Margo has gotten overwhelmed with the pop star life and run away from California.  An encounter with a duck (I know, it sounds strange but stay with me) lands her in an Amish community in Ohio.  She doesn’t want to be recognized, but the people in this town don’t recognize her as a pop star, they see someone else.

Brock has taken leave from the FBI to investigate the death of his sister.  He doesn’t believe she committed suicide and is determined to discover the truth.  The problem is, he’s not finding anything.  He comes across Margo and wants to protect her.  He feels like he failed his sister, but he’s determined not to fail Margo.

I don’t want to say too much about the main story, because I don’t want to reveal any of the secrets.  Without knowing any of them ahead of time, it will let you discover the truth along with the characters, and I think that’s the best way to read this story.

First off, I have to commend Turano for changing directions.  I didn’t know if I would like this story, but her characters and ability to tell a great story had me convinced.  I loved both Brock and Margo, along with Gabby and Mrs. Hershberger.

There’s a lead-in at the end of this one that’s going to have you dying to read the next book about a woman named Raven.  I’m pretty sure you’re going to want to read this one before the next one, just to get the background, but I can’t say for sure.  Turano is a great writer, and maybe she’ll have them be able to be read separate.  Regardless, I recommend this book.  It’s awesome, and I can’t wait for the next one!  Great Book!

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

The Dead Peasants File (Dead Peasants' Series #1) - L. Craig Harris

Dillon has been tasked with hunting down an employee that has stolen money from the company.  Working as a security guard at the nation's leading superstore, he does what he's told.  When he catches up to his prey, he's surprised to hear the man is afraid for his life.  Dillon is sympathetic but delivers the man as asked.  A few hours later, the man is dead, and Dillon wants answers.

The path he's taking is a dangerous one, where bullets fly freely to guard the biggest secret the company has: it kills its employees for the insurance money.  Dillon can't expose the company alone and ends up being helped by a pastor who's struggling financially and some people that used to work for the company.  There are men who will kill to keep the list a secret, and making it out alive isn't going to be easy.

This story was just too unrealistic to make sense.  I don't care how big your company is, there's going to be some sort of investigation when people are shooting guns everywhere. And I didn't understand why everyone's first thought was to go find people in different states instead of just calling them, especially when the characters weren't sure if these people were still in the same place.  There were other minor things I had a hard time with.

One of these was the whole scene where the security guard (from a superstore) had a gun and chased down a shoplifting couple in a car.  There was a gun fight and car wreck. The guard was worried about proving they were thieves, so he had to find evidence in their car.  The store has bar codes to identify which employee walks through the door, but they don't have security cameras?  There were just a bunch of times when I stopped reading and said, "What?"

I can't tell you how surprised I was to read that the author had a degree in journalism and had been a writer for a newspaper for 20 years.  This was definitely not the caliber of writing I would have expected from someone with that history.  The flow of the story suffered from long paragraphs of narration, and the grammar was lacking in many places. Every time a character was introduced, there was an entire paragraph describing everything about them, and sometimes there were added bits of backstory that were irrelevant to the overall tale.  I think the main concept of the book had potential, the story just didn't get there.  It wasn't for me.

The Call of Cthulhu (Short Story) - H. P. Lovecraft

This isn't a full review of a book, since for now I've only read one story out of it.  Let me tell you why...

I love board games.  A few years back, in an effort to find more common interests with my girls, I started looking into board games that were a little more complex than Monopoly and Life.  As a result, we now have a whole bunch of games.  When I research games, I come across certain themes, and it seems like every game out there that can have a Cthulhu theme, has one.  I might be one of the only people left who hasn't read this story, but I finally got curious enough to check it out.

This is the story of a man who has come into possession of his uncle's research.  The notes lead him to believe there might be more in this world than we can imagine.  It starts off with a man who is plagued by dreams, then the next clue comes from a policeman, and finally the story is told through the journal of a dead sailor.

I was surprised how much I liked this story.  There are some seriously long paragraphs in there, but the descriptions were wonderful and the tension buildup was masterfully done. This isn't the sort of story that I'm usually drawn to, so for me to enjoy this as much as I did was impressive to me and a testament to the skill of the author.

I do plan on reading more of Lovecraft in the future, but it's going to be something I have to be in the mood to read.  For now, it's enough for me to know what all those board games are hyped up about!  The version I picked up (pictured below) is free and has all Lovecraft's stories in there.  If this kind of story is something you enjoy and you haven't read this author yet, this is definitely worth a peek.  Neat story!

The Silent Songbird - Melanie Dickerson

I really love reading Dickerson’s takes on fairy tales.  This one is inspired by The Little Mermaid.  If you want to see how it relates to other titles, see my other post HERE.

Evangeline just wants to be free.  As the illegitimate granddaughter of King Edward, she is a ward of the current king.  Her life has been sheltered, making her more of a prisoner.  When she’s told she has to marry an evil man, she leaves the castle and seeks life as a peasant.  She’s with her companion, but to avoid detection, they tell everyone that Eva is mute.  She’s drawn to Westley, who she discovers is rich, but she’s trapped in a lie.  She can’t seem to do anything any peasant could do, and she can’t reveal who she is without endangering the people she’s coming to care about.

Westley takes an interest in her, and they soon become friends.  They find ways to communicate, but when Westley’s life is in danger, Eva has to make the choice whether to protect her secret or save a life.  Her choice complicates matters and puts her own future in danger.

This story was pretty great.  I liked Westley’s chivalrous nature and Eva’s take-charge attitude.  I never seem to be disappointed when I pick up one of this author’s books, and this time was no different.  I didn’t really make the connection to The Little Mermaid until I read the Acknowledgement section at the end of the book, but in hindsight, I guess it makes sense.  Good Book!

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

Refining Fire (Arizona Territory Brides #2) - Carol Cox

I haven't posted a review for a while, I've been catching up on some NetGalley titles. Unfortunately, one of them was hard to get through, so I haven't been reading as much as I normally do.  But now, I'm back!

After reading the first book in this series, Land of Promise, I was anxiously waiting to read this one.  There are two more books that follow this one: Road to Forgiveness and Copper Sunrise.

Jenny is the character that was saved by Michael and Elizabeth in the first book.  She's still getting reminders about her past, so she decides to leave Prescott and move to Tuscon, giving her a chance to start over.  She starts out being the cook for a restaurant and it doesn't take long before she's doing everything.  She expands the business and is capable of running it on her own, but she also has her partner, Evan, to worry about.

Andrew ends up in Tuscon (eventually) and is a partner to Jenny and a man named Red (an older man) in opening a silver mine.  Jenny remembers Andrew from Prescott, and even though he made a good first impression, she's wary of his presence and involvement in her mine.

There was an issue of balance in this book.  Andrew pops up in the very beginning, but then he doesn't show up again until almost halfway through the book.  Then, they have so little interaction that their romance doesn't make sense.  They aren't in love with each other, they seem to be in love with the idea of who the other person is.  Jenny spends more time with Red than she does Andrew.  I just wish there had been a little more "getting to know each other" moments.

A lot is made of Jenny's intellect, she's running a business by herself after all, but then when she learns someone she's trusted has been lying to her, it doesn't occur to her to question everything the liar has told her.  It just didn't make sense when she's so suspicious by nature.

Neither of the people in the next book are mentioned in this one, but I suspect "Jacob" is related to Andrew in some way, since they share a last name.  Either way, you can read this one without reading the first one.  Jenny's past is written out for you in case you missed it.

The writing was good, and I didn't have any issues getting through the story, but with a romance, there should be some kind of relationship that forms, and if you're calling the series "Arizona Brides," that tells me there's a romance in there somewhere.  This one just wasn't one of my favorites by this author.

Lady Maybe - Julie Klassen

Hannah has been in a terrible accident.  The lady she was companion to was swept out to sea, and at first, Hannah forgets who she is.  The doctor wrongly identifies her as a proper lady, and in her confusion, believes him.  When she regains her memory, she wants to set the record straight, but there's the matter of her child.  She goes along with the ruse, using the illness of her employer's husband, Sir John, to retrieve her son and then return to his home.  Sir John is still unconscious, so Hannah decides to continue playing her part until she's fully recovered.

Sir John's solicitor, James, comes to the house, and things get complicated.  There's a chemistry between them, but Hannah isn't sure what to do.  When Sir John wakes up, he asks Hannah not to reveal her secret just yet.  She goes along with it for quite a while, all while letting her friends and father believe she's dead.  She keeps saying she should leave but finds plenty of reasons to stay.

Everyone's got oodles of secrets and you're still discovering them at the end of the book. I wasn't sure what attracted these men to Hannah, she seemed to keep herself distant and self-absorbed much of the time.  There have been mentions in other reviews of sexual content.  It was more on the PG side in my opinion, but I normally skim the passionate kisses in books anyway, so I can't say for certain.

Klassen is normally one of my go-to authors for a good read.  I'm not sure what happened with this book, but it wasn't good.  I didn't like the characters and the tug-of-war with the two men was discouraging.  I didn't even like the ending.

It's not realistic that I like every book from a particular author, I don't like every title from my very favorite author in the world.  I'm not giving up on Klassen and look forward to reading her next release and hoping for a better story.  I'm sorry to say, I just didn't like this one.

Wild Montana Skies (Montana Rescue #1) - Susan May Warren

I got the chance to read the prequel to this series, If Ever I Would Leave You, and while it was a good story, it was incomplete, so I wanted to read more to see what happened to Ian and Sierra.  What I discovered was if you want to know what happens to those two, you’re going to have to read all three books (I’m hoping the third book is about them).

Kacey’s come back to her hometown with a bronze star for her service and a broken spirit.  The last person she wants to see is Ben, who abandoned her 13 years ago and never looked back.  He’s come back to care for his father and feels like Kacey’s moved on and doesn’t need him anymore.  There’s just the small matter of the daughter Ben doesn’t know about.  Finding out about her makes Ben question what he wants for the future, but if Kacey won’t let him in, what’s he going to do?

While I really loved the story of Kacey and Ben, I was disappointed that everything related to Ian, Sierra and Esme is STILL unresolved.  I looked forward to the characters in the next book, and that one’s more about Sam and Willow, characters that you meet in the prequel and this first book, but I’m sure there’s plenty of Ian and Sierra in there to keep you interested in them.

The story of Kacey and Ben gets 5 stars, but I want to give it 4 just because I’m irritated about the continued cliffhanger of Ian and Sierra.  I feel like I got tricked into getting involved in a series where I’m going to have to get all the books and read them in order to find out what happens.  Normally I wouldn’t have started the series had I known that.  On the other hand, Warren has a good style and kudos to her for creating characters I care about enough to bend my rules.  I’ll be keeping my eyes open for the second book, Rescue Me, due out January 2017, and hoping the author puts me out of my misery with the third book.  All in all, 4.5 stars.  Good Book!

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

Great sale today on Melanie Dickerson's Fairy Tale series!

I saw that today that you can get Melanie Dickerson's Fairy Tale series, which includes The Healer's Apprentice, The Merchant's Daughter, The Fairest Beauty, The Captive Maiden and The Princess Spy is available for $1.99.  That's $1.99 for all 5 books, not each.

Click HERE to get them.   Great price for a great series!

The Baby on the Back Porch (Short Story) - Lucia N. Davis

I've fallen into something of a bad habit lately.  I've been going to eReaderIQ each day and scrolling through the day's freebies in genres that appeal to me.  The problem is, I keep snatching up these smaller stories and new authors, lengthening my TBR pile. Then, I feel the need to read these smaller ones to lower the number of books I have to read, but then also end up picking up more titles as I go!  Anyway, I picked this one up when I noticed it took place in the Cascades - I've been up there and it's beautiful!

Sara has come to the remote cabin in the mountains to write and get away from all the emotions that were surrounding her in the city.  She's hoping the change of scenery will give her some peace, but then she starts seeing a bear and having disturbing dreams. The man who owns the cabin, David, assures her there shouldn't be a grizzly anywhere in the area and does his best to assure her.  Sara knows what she's seen and wants to get to the bottom of it.

This was a pretty good story that I enjoyed for the most part.  The characters are susceptible to speeches, making some of the dialogue seem strange.  The ending was bogged down a bit with these speeches and felt rushed.  Overall, it was a nice little story. I just wish the end hadn't felt so rushed.  Decent story.

Exile (The Oneness Cycle #1) - Rachel Starr Thomson

This is the first book I've read by this author.  I saw an ad mentioning that if I like Ted Dekker or Frank Peretti, I'd enjoy this one.  Both those authors are seriously good writers, so I wanted to see if the book lived up to the hype.

This is the first book in a five-book series.  The other four are Hive, Attack, Renegade and Rise.

Reese has been exiled from the Oneness, a group that is somehow related to angels and demons.  Tyler and Chris are not part of the Oneness, and finding Reese opens their eyes to a new world where demons fly through windows and possess animals and people. They want to help Reese and team up with other Oneness members, Mary and Richard, who are worried about their friend, April, who has disappeared.  There's a lot going on, and not everything is as it seems.

I did like this book.  It's on the shorter side, coming in at 230 pages.  The author does a great job handling multiple characters and points of view.  I also found her descriptions to be well done.  There's a lot of supernatural in there with members of the Oneness blessed with the gift of sight and the ability to fight off demons with magical swords.

Everything does not get tied up in a neat little bow, but I was glad to read that someone finally went and got April.  I won't say too much, but by the end, I kept wondering if anyone was going to remember to physically go get her.

You have a semi-conclusion where it seems like the battle is over but the war is just beginning.  Even though I'm not a fan of the continuous series where you have to read every book to get a complete story, this one was good enough that I wasn't bothered by it. I guess I kinda had a feeling it was going to be like that when I started, so I wasn't surprised.  If you don't mind being tied to the whole series, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.  I don't know if it was up there with Peretti and Dekker, but it was still a good outing by the author.  I won't be going further with the series, but for great writing and a decent story, it'll still get my Good Book! review.

The River Girl's Song (Texas Women of Spirit #1) - Angela Castillo

Another diet book read.  I picked this one up when I saw it listed as a freebie on the eReaderIQ website.  I haven't read anything by this author before, so it was a new one for me.

This book is the first of four in the series.  The other three are called The Comanche Girl's Prayer, The Saloon Girl's Journey, and The River Girl's Christmas.

Zillia's life is a complete disaster.  Her mother dies in childbirth, and she's left with her terrible stepfather until he leaves and take everything not nailed down with him.  Things go from bad to worse and Zillia just has to fight to survive.  Without the help of her friends, she isn't sure that she could.  Wylder is one of those friends, and as the years go by, Zillia starts to see him in a somewhat different light.

This was a pretty good book, even though the first third of it is pretty depressing.  Things just keep getting worse for Zillia, but the rest of the book was when things started getting better.  This is basically Zillia's story, so don't expect a full romance.  The element is there, it just isn't as present as it usually is in a traditional romance story.  Personally, I wish there had been a few more interactions between Zillia and Wylder, but it's a well-balanced book that I enjoyed.

The second book is about Soonie, a character that shows up a lot in this story.  The main character for the third book wasn't in this one.  The third book looks like it comes full circle and talks about Zillia and Soonie coming back together after a separation.  This was a real treat.  Good Book!

The Warrior's Seal (Tox Files novella) - Ronie Kendig

This is the intro to the upcoming series, The Tox Files.  The first book will be out December 2016.  It's called Conspiracy of Silence.  The title for the second book is Crown of Souls.

Tox has been given the mission to get back the president of the United States who has been abducted.  Even though Tox hates politics, and his brother is running against the man, it's not going to affect his judgment.  There's also the matter of people getting sick and no one knows why.

Tzivia is trying to find a missing mace that supposedly has supernatural powers.  Her brother is on the team with Tox, and she's soon on the same mission.

I don't want to say much more, I don't want to give too much away!  It didn't take long to read, first because it's not that long, and second because I couldn't put it down!  The end isn't the happiest thing I've ever read, but now I can't wait for Conspiracy of Silence!

This little gem is free.  I recommend picking it up, you're not risking anything except a bit of your time.  This author has a great style, and I've never been disappointed!  Great Novella!

Shadow Bones (Great Lakes Legends #2) - Colleen Coble

This is the second book in the series.  The first one is called Windigo Twilight and the third is Stormcatcher.  This title was my Kindle Unlimited pick for the month.

In this book, Jake Baxter is on Turtle Island looking for dinosaur eggs.  He's got permission, but the owner's daughter, Skye, isn't happy about Jake digging on her mountain.  She runs a mine and any finds could shut her down.  She's determined to find diamonds in there, believing that if she does, her father will come back.

When there's multiple attempts on both Jake and Skye's lives, the motives are unclear. Are the incidents separate or are they connected?  They're going to have to work together to find out.  These two are drawn to each other, but Jake doesn't want to stay on the island, and Skye doesn't plan on ever leaving.

This was a nicely written tale that I enjoyed.  It's on the smaller side, what I term a "diet book."  While Jake's sisters show up, it wouldn't hurt to read these alone or out of order. Book 3 is about Wynne, the last of the Baxter clan.  I look forward to reading it.  Good Book!

Land of Promise (Arizona Territory Brides #1) - Carol Cox

This is the first in a series of previously released Heartsong books published about 10 years ago.  The author is making the "Arizona Series" available digitally.  The other 3 in the series are Refining Fire (out October 18, 2016), Road to Forgiveness, and Copper Sunrise.

Elizabeth is an independent woman who is very outspoken.  More than once, her opinions have gotten her into trouble.  She wants to get away from the society life in Philadelphia and start her own business in the developing territory of Arizona.  She sees a way to get out there by offering to help a former acquaintance recover from an injury.  The people she's staying with seem to think she's on the lookout for a spouse, no matter what she tells them.

Michael is the unknowing counterpart to the marriage scheme.  His father wants him married to a woman who can hold her own in society, even though Michael has told his father more than once that politics isn't his thing.  He's drawn to Elizabeth's spunk and strength but neither is aware of the secret that could tear them apart.

I enjoyed this book.  The characters are well done, and the story flowed well.  It was interesting to read about Elizabeth's plans and how they never quite turned out the way she planned, but it all fell into place.

This is what I call a "diet book," coming in at under 200 pages, and the rest of the series will probably be the same.  The second book in the series is about Jenny, a character you can't help but love in this story.  The main characters in the other two books were not in this one, so it might be okay to read them alone/out of order.  I've already pre-ordered the second one and will be on the lookout for the other two.  Good Book!

*This book is available NOW for $.99, and you can order the second book, Refining Fire for the same price.  This deal is available until October 4, so snatch them up while you can!

The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie

In a moment of nostalgia, I picked this one up for free on amazon.  I've seen lots of versions of Christie's stories on TV, but this isn't the first story of hers I've read.  Many years ago, I read And Then There Were None - awesome story - highly recommended.

This is the first book published by Christie and introduces her wonderful character, Poirot, the Belgian detective.

There's been murder at Styles, and Hastings is on hand when it happens.  A woman has been poisoned, and the clues are vague.  They point first to one person, then another. Hastings comes across his old friend, Poirot, and gets him on the case.  While the man's "little ways" are something of a mystery to Hastings, Poirot knows what he's doing.  It's just a matter of when he'll share it with everyone else.

You're reading this from Hasting's point of view, so you're on the ride with him.  You get to watch Poirot's strange ways first-hand and try to figure out what he sees.  I kinda felt bad for Hastings in general, it seemed like Poirot pointed out his shortcomings as a detective pretty often.

I really liked this book.  While it was published in 1920, it was easy to read and understand what was going on.  Even at the end, when the complicated murder plot was being revealed, it was done in a way that explained everything well.

The only issue I saw was this version seems to be missing some illustrations.  I'd be reading and see "looked like this" except there was nothing there.  They may have been helpful, but their absence didn't disrupt the story for me.  Good Book!

Fools Rush In (Weddings by Bella #1) - Janice Thompson

This is the first book in the series.  The other three are Swinging on a Star, It Had to Be You and That's Amore.

Bella is preparing for a themed wedding.  Her brother, who usually runs the sound, is unavailable, so she's on the lookout for a deejay.  She thinks she's just had the best luck when she overhears someone talking to a deejay.  What she finds out later is the man's name is DJ, and he has no idea how to deejay a wedding.  She's instantly in love and starts mentally planning their life together.

I started out liking this book, really I did.  The characters seemed quirky and enjoyable, but then nothing was happening.  I'm used to at least some sort of conflict in the books I read, even the romances.  Instead, everything was lovey dovey, and the only bumps in the relationship existed in Bella's imagination.  Without DJ doing anything, she imagines all the problems that could occur between their families or if she could move to the country.  Neither of these things made sense.

The whole section of the book about coincidences just grated on my nerves, since most of them weren't coincidences at all. Inhaling a piece of beef and then choking isn't a coincidence, it's cause and effect.  And I felt like if I read the words "boot-scootin'" one more time, I was going to scream.

Normally, I'd go ahead and quit, but I kept waiting for something to happen.  Like an argument or a real problem.  By the end, I felt obligated to finish.  It just wasn't for me.

The Tender Years (Prairie Legacy #1) - Janette Oke

Let me start off by admitting that I don't read Janette Oke very often.  My exposure has been reading Love Comes Softly, When Calls the Heart (many, MANY years ago), and watching some of the Love Comes Softly series movies on Hallmark channel.  After saying that, I have to admit the prologue of this book had me feeling a bit overwhelmed.

I have no idea how many characters from how many series were talked about, but I felt like my head was going to explode halfway through the prologue.  Eventually, I got to the information I needed: Virginia is Marty and Clark's granddaughter.

She's 13 and dealing with all the trouble that brings.  She wants to be friends with Jenny, but Jenny is a troublemaker and Virginia feels like she's more along for the ride than getting to be a real friend.  Jenny's had it rough, but she's pretty harsh on Virginia.  Her parent's solution?  Invite the girl over and pray for her.

When an accident occurs, it splits the two girls apart.  Jenny's been injured and rumors are spreading around town about what really happened down at the river.  Virginia's mother continues to reach out to Jenny, while Virginia starts to feel jealous of the attention the girl gets.

This was a decent book, but I couldn't help but wish poor Virginia would get a little more help from her folks.  They're more than willing to look for why others act the way they do (Jenny, the Crells) but when Virginia has issues, they just punish her without getting to the root of the problem.

This covers about two years of Virginia's life.  Virginia then gets some time to grow up before her story continues in A Searching Heart, A Quiet Strength and then the series finishes out with Like Gold Refined.  This is Oke's style, developing characters over multiple books.  It wasn't bad, just not my style.

Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Sunset Cove #3) - Colleen Coble

This is the third book in the Sunset Cove series.  The first two are The Inn at Ocean’s Edge and Mermaid Moon.

Kate is trying to find out what she wants to do with her life.  She feels tethered to the blueberry fields, but it’s not something she’s passionate about.  When a handsome stranger offers to rent the cottage she’s refurbishing, she also gets a nanny position.

Drake is determined to find out what happened to his brother.  Drake doesn’t agree with the police who have ruled his brother killed his wife then killed himself.  Now that Drake has custody of his nieces, he takes them to where it all happened, hoping to discover the truth.

There’s danger around every corner and an abundance of villains.  I had the puzzle of the villain figured out, but that wasn’t what bothered me the most.  The main low point for me was the sappy relationships.  No one seems to have a major argument or disagreement.  There’s more than one of these relationships: Kate and Drake, Claire and Luke – even Claire and Kate!  All the conflict comes from the mysterious villains.  The main highlight was the cameo from Gwen Marcey (from a series by Carrie Stuart Parks).

This is definitely not my favorite from Coble.  I felt the writing wasn’t as good as I’ve read in her other books.  I didn’t feel that connection with the characters, and the sickeningly sweet relationships were a little too over-the-top.

Claire and Luke show up A LOT in this one, so I would recommend reading The Inn at Ocean’s Edge before reading this one.  Most of the time, you’re okay reading Coble’s books alone or out of order, but I think in this case, you’re better off either reading this one alone or reading the other one first.  3.5 stars.

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

A Spy's Devotion (Regency Spies of London #1) - Melanie Dickerson

For my Kindle Unlimited book this month, I found this little gem.  I'm a fan of Dickerson's, so this was an easy decision for me.

Julia is an orphan, who has been taken in by her indifferent aunt and uncle, and her self-absorbed cousin.  Her cousin has her eyes on one Mr. Nicholas Langdon, and Julia is supposed to help her secure him.  The thing is, Nicholas seems to have no interest in Julia's cousin, but they seem to get along well with one another.

Nicholas came back from the Peninsula with a few injuries and a diary.  He's supposed to deliver it to the War Office, but on his way there, he's attacked and the diary is stolen.  He was smart enough to make a copy, but the attack throws suspicion on Julia's uncle. Nicholas has to decide whether to trust Julia to help him or leave her alone.

The interactions between these two are frustrating.  They both hold back their feelings, and you just want to shake some sense into them!  Phoebe, the spoiled cousin, certainly makes it easy to hope she doesn't get her way.  The minor characters are fun to read.  I think my favorite was Nicholas's sister.  Her character made me smile a few times.

This was a neat little tale, with all the characteristics of a regency.  There's balls, gentlemen, a cad, and the dashing hero.  I really liked this one and look forward to the next one.  A Viscount's Proposal is due out February 2017, and I'll be watching for it. Good Book!

A Love Transformed (Sapphire Brides #3) - Tracie Peterson

This is the third book in the series.  The others are A Treasure Concealed and A Beauty Refined.

Clara’s husband has been murdered.  While she didn’t love him, she now has to decide what to do with her life.  Her late husband’s brother is showing interest in marrying her, but she’s only ever loved one person, and she’s not marrying without love again.  She takes her children to the one place she was happy: Montana.

Curtis has a rough past.  When his true love, Clara, was torn away from him fourteen years ago, his life went off the rails.  Now, he’s turned his life around, but things aren’t necessarily getting better.  A cave-in at his mine leaves him bedridden with the possibility of never walking again.  Add in the return of Clara and his life is much more complicated.  He wants to save her from being stuck with a crippled man with a past, but she’s not willing to give up easily.

Things get more complicated, since she’s still being pursued by her brother-in-law.  He’s up to no good, and willing to do what it takes to get what he wants.  Clara’s mother also isn’t ready to let her daughter waste her life in the wilds of Montana and is looking for her as well.

I really liked this book.  I looked forward to picking it back up to see what would happen next.  Clara is a strong character, and her kids are great as well.  The story was well written, and I was getting a bit nervous at the end to see how things would turn out.

These can be read out of order since they’re all about different characters.  This is definitely my favorite book of this series.  Good Book!

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

Melanie Dickerson's Wonderful Fairy Tale Lands

I love reading Dickerson's versions of fairy tales.  There's links between them that I love figuring out.  I've outlined the connections in the past, but with more books coming out all the time, I think it's time for the links to have their own post!  I try to keep up with the author, so I'll try to keep this post updated.

Glynval, England is the home of the le Wyse family.  Characters from this family include:
Colin (The Princess Spy).  Lord Ranulf (The Merchant's Daughter) is the father of Westley (The Silent Songbird).

Hagenheim, Germany is home of the Gerstenberg family.  Characters include:
Wilhelm and Rose (The Healer's Apprentice) are the parents of Valten (The Captive Bride), Gabe (The Fairest Beauty), Margaretha (The Princess Spy), Kirstyn (The Orphan's Wish), Wolfgang (The Warrior Maiden) and Steffan (The Piper's Pursuit).  Gerek (The Golden Braid) is a knight of Duke Wilhelm.  The last book in the Hagenheim series involves the youngest daughter Adela (The Peasant's Dream).

The official order of these books is: The Healer's Apprentice, The Merchant's Daughter, The Fairest Beauty, The Captive Maiden, The Princess Spy, The Golden Braid, The Silent Songbird, The Orphan's Wish, The Warrior Maiden, The Piper's Pursuit.

In her Medieval Fairy Tales series, Dickerson connects Odette and Jorgen (The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest) with Avelina and Reinhart (The Beautiful Pretender).  Jorgen is the chancellor and Reinhart is the Margrave.  Magdalen (The Noble Servant) is Avelina's close friend and is also mentioned in The Beautiful Pretender.

The Regency Spies of London series seems to be standing alone.  A Spy's Devotion is about Nicholas and Julia.  The second book, A Viscount's Proposal, is about Leorah, Nicholas's sister.  In A Dangerous Engagement, Felicity is friends with Julia and Leorah.  She's also seen Philip talking to Nicholas in the past.

*Updated January 13, 2020.

My own little princesses

What Once Was Lost - Kim Vogel Sawyer

This book doesn't seem to belong to any particular series, but it does have a prequel, The Grace That Leads Us Home.  It also has an "extra" which takes place after the novel.  The extra is called Just As I Am.

Christina runs the poor farm, but when a fire breaks out in the kitchen, her ability to run the farm is questioned.  Since she's a single female, the charity that supports the poor house wants to take it from her, and the fire gives them the perfect excuse.  Not only does Christina find temporary shelter for all her tenants, but she's also trying to save her way of life.

Christina easily finds a home for everyone but Tommy.  He's a blind boy and no one wants to take him on.  Her last chance is the reclusive lumber mill owner, Levi.  He doesn't want the boy either but ends up with him anyway.  Levi also doesn't want to become attached to the boy, but he can't help it.  He teaches Tommy to be independent and earns his trust.

We have a few different things going on here.  We have Christina and Levi's story, then we read from Tommy's point of view about how he feels about certain things and instances where he's threatened.  There's also parts of the story from Cora's point of view.  She's someone from the poor house who's staying with Christina in town.  No one at the poor house knows Cora's in the family way, but she won't be able to hide it forever.

This was a pretty good story, and it is a Christian romance.  There are stories that incorporate the spiritual message subtly, some that weave it seamlessly into the story in a natural way, and then there's the ones that bash you over the head with it.  This one bashes you on the head, with multiple characters giving sermons at different times.  That aspect of it doesn't bother me, it just didn't seem realistic.

The other thing was Levi's "poetic" moments at the end of the book.  Those seemed totally out of character with his personality thus far.  Another thing the author did touches on one of my pet peeves.  During the "proposal" scene, she refers to him as the "mill owner."  I never think about my husband as the "IT guy," so why would Christina be labeling the man she loves by his job?  Who does that?!  Every time I read that in a book, I cringe.

Anyway, this was a decent read.  The short stories are 50-60 pages and are $.99 each. With the characters mentioned, they seem to loosely connect to this novel, but I don't feel compelled to read them.  I just didn't like this one as much as some of the other things I've read from Sawyer.

Collision of the Heart - Laurie Alice Eakes

This was my Kindle Unlimited title for the month.  I like this author and purposely waited to "check out" my book until the one released.  This book was previously released as The Professor's Heart and includes some changes.

Mia is on her way back to Hillsdale, a place she swore she'd never return to.  A year and a half ago, her heart was broken by a man who didn't love her enough to leave.  She's back on assignment as a writer and has no intentions of staying.  A train collision wrecks her plans, and she comes face to face with Ayden.

Ayden works at the college as a professor.  A year and a half ago, Mia broke his heart by choosing her profession over her love for him.  Now, he's courting a serene girl, one who will be the helpmate he thinks he wants.  Seeing Mia again stirs up old feelings, but he knows she won't leave Boston for him, and he doesn't want to leave a place where he's sure of his future.

In addition to the emotions, there's the mystery of an abandoned little boy.  Mia saves him from the wreck, but they can't find who he belongs to.  Mia and Ayden team up to uncover the truth.  The more time they spend together, the more they both fight the feelings they have for each other.

This was a sweet romance, with great characters.  The length is something I term a "diet" book, coming in at around 200 pages.  It's short and sweet, a great story for the romantic in us all.  I ate this one up, reading it in two days.  Loved the story, highly recommend! Good Book!

If Ever I Would Leave You (Montana Rescue prequel) - Susan May Warren

This is a novella related to the author's upcoming release, Wild Montana Skies, due out October 16, 2016.

Sierra enjoys working for Ian, even if he does seem to have a death wish.  She tells herself this is the best job she'll ever have and she needs to keep her feelings hidden, unaware that he feels the same for her.  As his assistant, she also deals with his niece, Esme, who has a big decision to make about her future.  When Sierra is put in the middle of a situation that involves choosing sides between Ian and Esme, she comes up with a plan to stay out of it, but will it end up making things worse?

The characters in this were developed well, and I liked them both, even if they were a bit dense as to what was going on.  The story, in my opinion, is incomplete.  The potential relationship is carried over into the first book.  The thread about the niece is also unresolved.  Basically, nothing is resolved in this story, and I was surprised when I hit the end.  It was a "that's the end?" moment for me.

I don't see this one up on amazon, but if you want to read it, I suggest heading over to Susan May Warren's Facebook page.  There's instructions there on how to get a copy. It's a good story, but I wish the ending hadn't been so abrupt.  I may keep my eye out for Wild Montana Skies, if only to finish the story I started here.  This isn't a straightforward cliffhanger, but it's somewhat unsatisfying to spend time reading an incomplete story.

The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder (Herringford and Watts #1) - Rachel McMillan

This is the first book in the series.  The first story is a novella, A Singular and Whimsical Problem, which I haven't read.  Then after this book, there's another little novella, A Dubious and Questionable Memory.  Then there's the second book, A Lesson in Love and Murder.  These stories are in early 1900s Toronto.

Jem has been disowned by her family for pursuing a friendship with the outrageous Merinda Herringford.  Now, Jem is traipsing around town in trousers and getting into trouble.  Merinda thinks she's a male Sherlock Holmes and opens up business as a detective.

Ray works for a local paper.  He's an immigrant from Italy, and is trying to protect his sister and nephew from his brother-in-law, who is in trouble more than he's out of it.  Ray meets Jem in unusual circumstances, but he knows he wouldn't be any good for her.  With Merinda and Jem intent on pursuing a killer, he tries to keep an eye on them.

The writing style of this book was light and fun.  Merinda's lack of concern for Jasper (their policeman friend) had me a bit peeved with her, but I enjoyed Ray and Jem.  From the looks of things, the next story picks up where this one left off, so I don't know about reading them out of order.

I picked this up because I'm a fan of Murdoch Mysteries (or The Artful Detective).  While researching the books the TV show is based on, I saw someone recommending these stories.

The novels are on the short side, just over 200 pages.  I got this one on sale, so I'm good. The novellas, showing at just over 50 pages, are listed in price at $2.51.  There's no way I'd pay that much for something that short.  I might keep an eye on the second book and see what happens, since I really did enjoy the author's style, but I won't pick up the novellas unless they're free.  Good Book!

Blink of an Eye - Ted Dekker

For my "loved it but haven't read it for years" part of my challenge this year, I picked Blink of an Eye.  When I read it the first time, it was just called Blink.  I wasn't aware this was an altered version that was more in line with a movie that was being made.

Seth is a genius who thinks he's just proven that there is no God.  But he's about to be tested.  He starts to see the future or possibilities of what the future will be.  It causes him to cross paths with Miriam, a woman running from marriage to a man she despises.

With his gift, Seth has a real advantage over the people who would capture them.  His weakness is that he can only see so far out and if he sleeps, he's blind.  There's more at stake than just Miriam's marriage.  That marriage would ensure the successful coup that's being planned in Saudi Arabia.

This book is basically nonstop intensity.  These two are always trying to stay one step ahead of what's chasing them, and I felt tired by the end.  I also felt like I was missing some of the things that really made me love it the first time.  I think the obvious spirituality of the story was softened some, maybe for the movie's sake, but for me, I missed it.

Don't get me wrong, this was still a great story.  If I hadn't read the original version, I might not feel the slight disappointment I do right now.  It was this book and Three that really made me fans of Dekker's, but I just have the urge to find me a DTB copy of Blink right now and place it on my bookshelf.  Still gets a Good Book! review.

When Death Draws Near (Gwen Marcey #3) - Carrie Stuart Parks

This is the third book in the Gwen Marcey series.  The first two are A Cry from the Dust and The Bones Will Speak.

Gwen’s life is a mess – still.  She’s still got money issues, her cancer may have come back, and her ex is still a moron.  She gets a much-needed job in Kentucky, but all is not what it seems.

At first, Gwen is tasked with creating a sketch of a rapist.  Now that he’s escalated to murder, her drawing could capture him and end his torture.  Immediately after she gets into town, she starts getting harassing phone calls and a snake is put in her bed!

Once she’s shown her skills a bit, she’s asked to participate in another case.  A snake-handling religion is hiding out in the woods, and Gwen is asked to infiltrate the group and bring back portraits of the members.  They’re a dangerous lot who make children drink poison and handle snakes, so Gwen agrees to find out what’s going on.  With her daughter’s safety in the balance, every decision is important and lives are at stake.

This book was great.  The plot is well done, and I was completely surprised at the reveal!  That’s become something of a feat with me these days.  I seem to figure things out earlier than I want to, but this one had me page-turning to figure out what would happen next.

You can read this one alone, but all three are excellent.  The author has done her homework and writes a good tale.  I know most series these days are three books, but I truly hope there are more Gwen Marcey books.  They’re stories I look forward to.  Great Book!

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

A Heart Most Certain (Teaville Moral Society #1) - Melissa Jagears

This is the first book in the Teaville Moral Society.  There’s also a novella, Engaging the Competition, that appears in the novella collection With This Ring? along with three other stories.

Lydia is practically engaged to a man who can make sure her money troubles are nonexistent.  He can get her away from her gambling father and care for her ailing mother.  All she needs to do is prove herself to his mother by squeezing some money out of the town’s most notorious miser.

Nicholas doesn’t mind being labeled a miser, he actually encourages it.  He can’t stand the hypocritical nature of many in the church and prefers to help people his own way.  Lydia isn’t giving up, so he presents her with a proposition.  They team up to grant three wishes that she chooses, and he tries to teach her to open her eyes to what’s around her.

Nicholas has a tendency to take Lydia’s wishes and twist them on her so she’s taken out of her comfort zone for just about every one.  As she spends time with Nicholas, she comes to see the people around her, and herself, in a different way.

This book was pretty good.  It focuses on the topic of prostitution and what it did to women in the late 1800 and early 1900s.  It also mentions the children that suffered as a result.  That particular aspect of it didn’t bother me, I just found myself occasionally annoyed with Lydia’s character.  She seemed overly whiny at times, and the ending seemed a little strange.

Brief mention is made of Charlie from the novella, but if you haven’t read it, you won’t be lost at all.  This was a pretty good book that I enjoyed.  Good Book!

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

Paper Hearts (Paper Hearts #1) - Courtney Walsh

Abigail's life in a romance town is hard.  Being single and the descendant of the ultimate love story is something she wishes she could separate herself from.  Since her failed romance, she's found her identity in her book store.  When the building gets sold from under her, she sees her dreams coming to an end, but she doesn't want to see it go.

Jacob is in Loves Park to start over.  The death of his wife turned his life upside down and left him with a heartbroken little girl.  As a doctor, he blames himself for failing when it really mattered but has been persuaded to open up a new practice.  His business manager was a friend of his late wife's, but as time goes by, he begins to wonder if he's made the wrong choice.

Jacob buys the building where Abigail's shop is, and the war is on.  It was very reminiscent of You've Got Mail in that respect, and the bit with the paper hearts only reinforced that.  The story is sweet and I liked the way it went.  You really need to be in the mood for a straight-up romance when reading this one, it was borderline cheesy a couple times, but I did like it.  The characters were well developed, and I liked the author's writing style.

There's another book in the series called Change of Heart.  It revolves around a minor character in this book, so it might be okay to read these alone or out of order.  I plan on putting Change of Heart on my watch list and hope to get it for one of those times when I just need to read a romance.  Good Book!

A Woman's Place - Carol Cox

Amelia helps run her family's ranch.  She's also not afraid to voice her opinions, which has made her something of a laughing stock among the ranchers in the community.  No one wants to listen to her ideas, but one of these days, she'll find someone to listen to her.

Jake is a Texas Ranger who has been called to investigate cattle rustling in the area. Amelia's father has asked him to stay, and Jake has to deal with cattle rustlers and a woman who isn't his idea of womanly perfection.  When he's injured, he forms a tentative friendship with her, but will he be able to accept her for who she really is?

I have to admit, I devoured this novella.  It is short, so it doesn't take a lot of time to read, but the characters are well developed.  I'm kind of a stickler for character development in novellas, but the author did a great job.  I loved Amelia's unconventional spirit and her ability to fluster Jake's ideas of a woman's place.  If I had one complaint, it would have to be the cover.  It looks like a contemporary story when it actually takes place in 1870. Other than that, it was a great read I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

I got to read this for free with Kindle Unlimited, but I wouldn't have been disappointed if I'd paid the $.99 list price.  Good novella!

The Choosing (Seer #1) - Rachelle Dekker

I started this book last week but then spent the rest of the week fighting off headaches.  I was finally able finish it today.

It's the year 2257.  A cure that was supposed to save the world almost ended the human race.  The ones that are left come together and gather inside a city where everyone has a place, not necessarily a voice.  It's the world Carrington lives in, and the one thing she lives for is The Choosing.  It's basically a marriage market, and she only gets one shot.  If she's not chosen, it's her fault, and she's destined to spend the rest of her days in service.

Carrington is not chosen and has issues adjusting to her new role.  She makes a new friend and meets a guard, Remko, who catches her heart, but she has no chance since neither of them are allowed to marry.  Circumstances change and Carrington gets a second chance to be chosen, but things don't end up going the way she imagines.

This story was pretty dark.  There's a brief glimmer of light at the end, but most of the book is about Carrington's disappointment at not being chosen, the cruelty of the Authority, Carrington's fears about her fate, a serial killer and bad things happening to her "friends."

Overall, I suppose you could read this one alone, but there is a continuation of the story in The Calling.  It was well written and I liked Remko's character a lot.  If you like dystopian stories, you might like this one.  For me, it was too dark, and I'm just going to make up my own happily ever after in my head.