Where Treetops Glisten - Tricia Goyer, Cara Putnam, Sarah Sundin

Honestly, I had the best intentions this year.  I picked this book up last year, and I was going to read it for Christmas this year.  Well, factor in time hanging out with the family, and I haven't gotten a lot done (including watching things like laundry pile up).  So, today is December 30th, and I just finished my Christmas book.  NOT because it was hard to read.  Because...life!

This collection can be broken down into a prologue, 3 novellas, and an epilogue.  When I read these collections, I will write my review for each story after I finish it, then I evaluate the book as a whole.  So...here we go!

Prologue – Winter Wonderland - Sarah Sundin

Great intro.  Just reading these few pages, I was already in love with this family.  It sets up the stories for Pete, Abigail and Meredith in such a fun, interesting way.  I want to read more about Louise and her grandchildren.

White Christmas – Cara Putnam

Abigail’s heart is sore.  After losing her boyfriend at Pearl Harbor, she’s given up.  Loving people is too risky and hurts too much when they leave.  She decides her schoolwork and her job are enough, she doesn’t need love.  Her determination fades a bit after she meets Jackson, a man who’s dealing with the possible loss of his family home.  Abigail offers him help and so much more.

I loved the characters in this one.  I sympathized with Abigail’s desire to guard her heart, sometimes the “safe” way seems tempting even though there’s no such thing.  Grandma Louise imparts her wisdom, and she’s a neat character.  A well-developed story that I recommend.  4.5 stars

I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Sarah Sundin

The last person Grace wants to see is Pete Turner.  He tormented her when she was a child, and she blames him for an event that was trying for her family.  But when Grace’s daughter, Linnie, disappears (again), Pete comes into their lives.  Linnie thinks she’s found her new father, but Grace only sees the bully from her past.  Can she get past that and see the changed man in front of her?

This is a great story about forgiveness and trusting those who have hurt you.  There was such a sweetness to all the interactions between the characters that I found myself getting a bit choked up at times.  That doesn’t happen to me often, but this story was touching for me.  There’s a bit of continuation with Abigail, so that’s neat and connects the stories in a nice way.  Merry (Meredith) also comes home, so she’s introduced.  5 stars.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Tricia Goyer

Meredith left her joy behind when the man she loved disappeared.  She believes he left to fight for the Germans, but little does she realize he’s been fighting against them.  Now that she’s stationed in the same small village, she has a chance to find forgiveness and peace for herself, and possibly a future.

David regrets the way he left, but he doesn’t doubt his decision until he hears that Merry is a nurse at the American hospital a short distance away.  David isn’t sure it’s safe for him to reveal himself, but he doesn’t have much time to decide.  Is this the second chance he’s been dreaming of?

Another great story.  The main characters don’t have much interaction overall, but it feels like they do since they’re always thinking about each other.  4.5 stars.

I’ve been disappointed in the past when I’ve read this kind of collection and there’s no closure for after the war.  This story ended before the war did, BUT then there’s the…

Epilogue - Let It Snow, Let it Snow – Cara Putnam

A great ending to the collection.  The war is over, there’s updates on all the family, and everything gets wrapped up in a neat little bow.  This is the way novella collections should be.  Stories that blend together comfortably in writing style and character relationships.  Loveable characters that I cared about.  Enough drama and conflict to keep me coming back for more.  This is probably the best overall collection I’ve read.  There’s even four recipes for cookies in the back!  Highly recommended, especially if you enjoy this time period.  Great Book!

A Daring Escape (London Chronicles #2) - Tricia Goyer

This is the second book in the London Chronicles series.  The first book was called ASecret Courage.

This book is set around WWII, and children in Czechoslovakia need help getting out of the country before the Germans take over.  Amity is a tutor to the daughter of an English writer.  Even though she’s American, she’s in England to be close to her brother, who works for the British government.  When Amity’s brother sends her a telegram around Christmas, her life is going to take a turn she’d never have imagined.

There’s also another plot to follow, revolving around a Jewish family and the German soldier who is (sometimes) tracking them for a treasure he obviously never finds.  I say sometimes because there are stretches of time where that plot ends up pushed to the side as we read about Amity and her plight.

Anything dealing with the horrors of WWII is going to have a somber tone to it, and that’s understandable.  But as a result, I was more interested in the plight of the children than the romance between Clark and Amity.

When I picked this book to read, I didn’t realize I’d read the first book in the series.  I wasn’t a huge fan of that one, and most of the issues I had with the first book would apply to this one.  There’s one exception, and that’s the fact that this one feels like a complete story, so I ended up liking it more.  This book isn’t connected to A Secret Courage, so you could read these out of order or alone.  The book wasn’t as depressing as it could have been, and I did enjoy it overall.  I give it 3.5 stars.

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

Holding the Fort (Fort Reno #1) - Regina Jennings

I’ve enjoyed this author in the past and looked forward to reading this book.  It’s the first in a new series, and the summary had me interested.

Louisa has lost her job at the saloon where she was a singer.  She decides to go check on her troublemaker brother at Fort Reno.  She thinks she can promote herself as entertainment for the troops, but she ends up with the job of governess to the major’s children instead, a position she’s unqualified for.  She decides to go along with it, maybe she can change her life after all.

Daniel knows Louisa is hiding something, but he gets the wrong idea when he sees her paying attention to Bradley, who is actually her brother.  His thoughts take a dark turn, and he’s determined to prevent Louisa from making a mistake by spending time with the man.

I really wanted to like this book, but I had some issues with it.  I think my favorite character was Bradley, and I didn’t read near enough about him.  I felt like Louisa was a coward (especially at the end), and her behavior made her somewhat unlikable for me.  So much was made of Daniels’ need to know everything and how important the truth is to him, but he never pursues the truth about Louisa, the woman in charge of his children.

Sadly, this one's a pass for me, and I'm sorry for it.

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

A Refuge at Highland Hall (Edwardian Brides #3) - Carrie Turansky

This is the third book in the series.  The first two are The Governess of Highland Hall and The Daughter of Highland Hall.

Penny is guarding a broken heart, but Alex gives her hope.  He's a pilot and will be heading back to war once he's recovered from a crash, but Penny decides she's going to write to him.  Letters go back and forth, and their feelings grow.  Later, a tragedy occurs and their relationship is threatened, but Penny refuses to give up.  But will Alex open his heart to her again?

In this book, we're reading about a few different things.  War has pushed some of the family away from London, and the main characters from the first two books come together and everyone's at Highland Hall.  Add in the budding romance between one of the staff and a German internment camp prisoner, and there's a lot to keep track of.  I was worried there was going to be too much going on, but I had no issues.

I give the author credit, this book was even better than I was expecting.  Separating the main characters in a romance is a pet peeve of mine, but this was well done.  It wasn't for the whole book, and when they were separated, they were still connected in other ways (thoughts, letters, etc.).  The end was also well done.  It wasn't rushed and everything was wrapped up in a neat little bow.  You can read these out of order, but there are little gems in there if you've read the other two.  You'll read the continuation of William and Julia's story, and also Jon and Kate's.

It had been a while since I'd read the first two, so I was a little lost at the beginning, but I was back up to speed pretty quickly.  The cast of characters at the beginning was helpful, and I referenced it a few times.  I have to say, out of the three, this one was my favorite.  Great Book!

An Honest Heart (The Great Exhibition #2) - Kaye Dacus DTB

Being the church librarian, I see a lot of strange stuff get donated.  Old books that are falling apart, moldy books, journals that people should've looked at before donating (since they've filled them out), I've seen it all.

Every once in a while, I see a book that I myself wouldn't mind reading.  This is one of those.  The cover is gorgeous, and I'm interested in the Great Exhibition.  I've actually been struggling my way through a biography on Prince Albert (I struggle because nonfiction is hard for me to get through), and found the Great Exhibition to be one of the more interesting parts of his life.

I'd thought this was the first book I'd read by this author, but looking back, I was wrong.  I started this blog a little over 6 years ago, and shortly after that, I posted a review on Ransome's Crossing.  I didn't like that book, but apparently I'd also read Ransome's Honor and enjoyed it.

The first book in the series is Follow the Heart.  I recognized the names of the characters, but this definitely wasn't their story.  It's okay to read these separately, although you will learn more about Kate and what happens to her by reading this one.

Caddy has the attention of two men: the tall, secretive doctor and the confident gentleman.  Neal is hiding something from her, but Caddy is drawn to his heart and has the patience to wait for him to trust her.  She's wary of the attentions of Oliver, and she has every reason to be.  He's a cad and trying to gain her attention to win a bet.

It's clear who the reader is supposed to be rooting for from the beginning, so there isn't really any suspense about what's going to happen.  My main complaint is that the end was so abrupt.  Things just kind of ended, and when I looked, I was sad to see there weren't more books in the series.

On to the good.  I liked most of the characters and liked the way things turned out.  Even though it was predictable, I didn't mind it as much as I thought I would.  This was a sweet, clean romance that I enjoyed.  I picked up the first one, since I'd like to read more from this author.  Good Book!

Taming the Wind (Land of the Lone Star #3) - Tracie Peterson

This is the third book in the series.  The first book is Chasing the Sun, and the second is Touching the Sky.

Both Tyler and Carissa showed up in Touching the Sun, which was something I didn't realize when I started this book.  Carissa is Laura's sister.  Carissa is trying to lead a quiet life living on her sister's ranch.  Her past has made her wary of men, and she's determined not to be taken for a fool ever again.  But Tyler Atherton might be different.

Tyler is fighting to get his family's ranch back, but since he fought for the Confederacy, his chances are slim to none.  He's been intrigued by Carissa for a long time, but he knows she's been hurt and decides to be patient.  A cattle drive will take them apart for a while, but he's hoping to create a life with her when he gets back.

The main issue I had with this one was the utter lack of interaction between Tyler and Carissa.  They have some moments together at the beginning and then they are separated for most of the rest of the book.  They literally don't see each other again until right at the end.  I was okay with it for a while, they thought about each other a lot and I was waiting for them to meet back up, but it just wasn't happening.

Can you have a romance novel where the main characters are rarely together?  Maybe the author was counting on me remembering a relationship that began in Touching the Sky.  The problem is, I read that book almost 5 years ago and didn't remember any of it.  If you're going to read this one, make sure you read it soon after Touching the Sky or the relationship between Carissa and Tyler won't make much sense.  Even Hannah's past comes back to haunt her (Chasing the Sun), but remembering that one didn't seem as important.

I was able to put this one down at a crucial time and didn't really look forward to picking it back up.  That, for me, tells me how much I was invested in the characters.  I've enjoyed many of Peterson's books, but this one was a major pass for me.

Fighter: 5 Keys to Conquering Fear & Reaching Your Dreams - Chris Greenwood (Manafest)

Anyone who knows me knows that I love rock.  I listen to Manafest from time to time, some of it's got a bit too much rap for my taste, but I love some of his songs.  I saw this book advertised and picked it up.

This book gives you an overview of the author's journey and how he became who he is today.  It's been a bumpy journey, but Chris has been dedicated to his dream through the ups and downs.  He reveals what kept him going when things got tough and shares advice on how the reader can follow their own dreams.

I normally don't read these types of books, I have issues reading nonfiction in general.  This book was short and to the point, it wasn't repetitive, and it was interesting to read.  I appreciated the author's honesty and came away feeling inspired to stick with my dreams and develop the discipline to succeed.

If I had one complaint, it's the pictures.  They don't translate well to the Kindle and when there were multiples, they were just too small to see.  Other than that, it was very motivational, and I liked it.  Recommended!

Out of the Ordinary (Apart from the Crowd #2) - Jen Turano

This is the second book in the series.  There’s a novella, At Your Request, and then the first book, Behind the Scenes.

Gertrude is trying to locate her quirky employer.  Mrs. Davenport has sticky fingers, and now she’s missing while on board Harrison’s ship.  Since Gertrude has become good friends with Harrison, she doesn’t want her employer messing that up. But since Mrs. Davenport has used a birdcage to create part of her outfit, and now Gertrude is stuck.

Harrison has an unusual sense of style that everyone seems to take issue with.  It appears he has color blindness, so his outfits are somewhat outlandish.  He’s surrounded by sisters but reading their romance novels has given him a skewed vision of what women are looking for.  He’s drawn to Gertrude, but when suspicions are thrown her way, will they be able to get past them?

I enjoyed this book, the characters were what I’ve come to expect from this author: quirky, deep and well developed.  You’ll come across Asher and Permilia from the first book, but you don’t need to read that book to follow what’s going on here.  I look forward to the next book, Caught by Surprise, due out July 2018.  I can’t wait to read about Temperance and Gilbert!  Good Book!

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

Hallowe'en Party (Hercule Poirot #36) - Agatha Christie

Halloween is next week, and I figured this would be a great time to read this book.  I've read a few of Christie's novels, and I've watched most of the TV series on Netflix.  Loved the David Suchet Poirot series, but Netflix just removed it.  Bummer.

Anyway, in this novel, a fun Halloween party ends in tragedy.  Young Joyce has been drowned in the apple dunking trough.  Earlier in the day, she was boasting about witnessing a murder.  Poirot's friend, the quirky Mrs. Oliver, thinks there's something more sinister than the police suspect and asks Poirot for his unusual ways of discovering the truth.

Possible suspects are everywhere, and every character I read seemed to have their own suspicions about what happened.  One thing's for sure: Joyce wasn't really a very nice young lady and was known as a liar.  Even though she claims to have seen a murder, no one really believes she was telling the truth, so who would possibly kill her?

I liked this one a lot.  I had seen the show, but I didn't remember the whole solution to the murder, so I was fine reading through it.  I liked reading the personalities of different characters, and I'm a sucker for Hercule and his mustaches!  Good Book!

Hope Reborn (Texas Romance #3) - Caryl McAdoo

I have to admit, I really have no idea why I picked this up.  I've only read one other book by this author, At Liberty to Love, and I didn't really like it that much.  Apparently I didn't look at that review before picking this up. 

May is a writer.  She's on her way to Texas for some research and also to try and find the father of her close friend, Chester.  When she gets to Texas, she finds a fan and also the girl's father.  The man has a "zoo" of kids, and he's a widower.  May starts falling for him, and Henry thinks she's pretty attractive.  May is an agnostic and Henry is a Christian, so I'm sure that would've been a problem later on.  These two are older than you'd think.  If the woman on the cover is 41, (like May), she looks amazing!

I got to about 30% and just gave up.  The entire beginning didn't seem relevant to the story, and it went on forever.  The writing style was distracting, I had to go back and re-read sections just to figure out what the author was trying to say.  Sometimes I still didn't understand.

The relationships in the house were also confusing.  With so many people and such unusual relationships, I was lost.  Also, May's whole attitude toward the topic of children was just weird.  At one point, May said she would only give her heart to a man for one thing: her own baby.  She claims she doesn't need a man for anything, "except for making babies."  Strange way to say that...She doesn't really consider that she could be a mother to the children already there.  Maybe she does later on, but from what I read, she was focused on her own baby.

I usually post my reviews on Amazon, but I won't do that with this one.  It's my own fault for picking this up, and maybe it got better later on.  I don't think it's fair to the author to post a negative review on a book I knew I probably wouldn't like and didn't finish.  Major pass for me.

Love's Rescue (Keys of Promise #1) - Christine Johnson

I picked this one up because I liked the description and the cover.  This is a new author for me.  I went back and saw that other than this series, the author seems to write a lot of the "diet" books I read on occasion.

This is the first book in the series.  The other two are Honor Redeemed and Freedom's Price.

Elizabeth is on her way home to the Keys.  She's been gone four long years.  She was supposed to find a husband while she was gone, but she hasn't been able to get Rourke out of her mind.  A wrecker captain, he was never considered suitable for Elizabeth, but that didn't stop her from falling desperately in love with him.  Four years hasn't changed that for her.

Rourke used to see her as a little sister, but he sees her as a woman now.  When Elizabeth's ship runs aground, Rourke has to rescue her.  He wants to be with her, but there's a lot of obstacles in their way.  Things start to get mysterious and it doesn't seem like these two will ever be together.

I really enjoyed this book.  I loved all the characters, especially Charlie, Elizabeth's brother.  There were times that Elizabeth would get lost in thought so far that she created problems or compounded existing ones.  That was a bit irritating at first, but I came to like more as the story progressed.

Looking at the other books in the series, it looks like these can be read alone.  The characters in the second book aren't even present in the first book, and book three has Tom, a minor character from this book, in it.  I was a bit disappointed about that, I was hoping to read more about Elizabeth's friend, Caroline, and her brother, Charlie.  Maybe they'll be more in the future.  I certainly hope so!

This was a hidden gem for me, and I'm glad I stumbled across it.  I'll be putting the other two on my watch list and hoping the price drops.  Good Book!

Love in a Victorian (Come Home to Elm's Corner #1) - Lisa Norato

This is the second book I've read by this author.  I enjoyed Prize of My Heart, and when I saw this was free, decided to give this contemporary romance a try.  The cover seemed a little cheesy, but I was willing to look past it since the description was so interesting.

Rick has purchased his deceased grandmother's old Victorian home and is having it remodeled.  Unhappy with the progress, he goes to confront the job foreman, only to discover some teenage boy.  Except it's not a teenage boy, it's a young woman.

Jamie thinks Rick is a snob who looks down on her for being a woman.  Once he sees her work, he's convinced.  Jamie feels drawn to him, but isn't sure he'd ever consider her as anything more than a friend.  Since he clearly has a girlfriend, she doesn't feel she has a chance, even though her mother insists that Rick and his girlfriend aren't right for each other.

This is what I term a "diet" book, coming in at around 260 pages.  It's labeled as book 1 of a series, so there's probably more on the horizon, though I couldn't find any evidence of the next one at the time of this review.

The author has a lot of detail in there, mostly information about food and house restoration.  They were in-depth descriptions.  There were times when I was reading about some of the food and my stomach would growl.

Unfortunately, all this detail wasn't so good when characters were having a conversation.  I'd be stuck in their heads for long paragraphs, leaving me to believe these people either think super fast or there's long pauses every time they talk.  It wasn't as noticeable toward the end, so that was good.  The problem is, when I have issues with the dialogue and interaction of the characters, I have an issue with the book.

The end also didn't grab me.  Without giving spoilers, I can't really get into it, but Jamie's reactions to certain things made no sense.  For being a diet book, it felt much longer.  Maybe it's because I don't like cats.  Maybe it was the author's writing style.  I don't think the book was terrible, it just wasn't for me.

Shadows of the Past (Logan Point #1) - Patricia Bradley

This is the first book in the series.  The other three are A Promise to Protect, Gone without a Trace and Silence in the Dark.

Taylor has been profiling some intense cases and is dealing the with fear of a stalker.  She has a suspect in mind, one of her former students.  When her brother asks her to come home, she doesn't realize that she's only bringing her troubles with her.

Nick is searching for his brother.  He doesn't believe Taylor's claim that he's her stalker, and he's determined to prove her wrong.  He's still dealing with the death of his wife, but he's drawn to Taylor.  He wants to work with her to find his brother, but Taylor isn't so sure.

I really liked this book.  The one qualm I have with it involves the villain plot.  I liked how the author spread the suspicion around until I saw how it turned out.  Regardless, the end was suspenseful, and I liked the characters, especially Nick.

You'll meet Ben and Livy in this book.  Ben is a main character in book 2, and Livy is the heroine of book 3.  I plan on watching these, and I'm pretty sure they can be read out of order.

I've had a pretty tough time lately trying out new authors, so I wasn't optimistic coming into this one.  I loved the cover, and once I started reading, I found it was better than I expected.  Good Book!

Blind Spot (Chesapeake Valor #3) - Dani Pettrey

This is the third book in the series.  The first book is called Cold Shot, and the second is called Still Life.

The gang’s back, including the mysterious missing member of the team.  In this book, we have a terrorist threat, but there’s also a murder or two to solve.  The main romance of the story is with Declan and Tanner, and they’re getting the chance to work together.  There’s numerous points of view, but I didn’t have any issues keeping up.

I really can’t say much about the plot, since it has so many twists and turns.  I always look forward to reading Pettrey’s work, and the cliffhanger at the end, brilliant.  I love following the characters on their journeys, and I have problems putting these books down.  When I know there’s one for me to read, I basically make sure I have two days where there isn’t much going on.  THEN, I have to make sure I make myself stop occasionally or I’ll strain my eyes.

At this point, I’m going to tag this one as a continuous series.  I hadn’t done it before, but I think it’s appropriate for the series.  The characters from the other books are prominent, and there’s the common storyline of the evil Dr. Ebeid that still isn’t resolved at the end of this one.  You could technically read them by themselves, but I’m not sure why you would.  I’m normally not a fan of continuous series, but I’ll break that rule anytime when the writing’s this good.  These characters become part of your life, and I can’t wait to read what happens with Kate and Luke.  Great Book!

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

Christmas at Carnton - Tamera Alexander

This is a prequel for a new series.  From the note at the end of the book, the series is based on the owners of Carnton, John and Carrie McGavock and their children, Hattie and Winder.  The prequel is about two people who end up with jobs at Carnton.

Aletta’s husband has died in the Civil War.  She’s got a baby on the way and a young child to care for.  When she loses her job, she ends up applying for a position at Carnton.  With her baby coming soon, she’s surprised when she ends up with two jobs.

Jake was a sharpshooter but getting wounded has damaged his eyesight.  Now unable to shoot with any accuracy, his commander sends him to Carnton to help out with a Women’s Aide auction.  While he’s there, he’s intrigued by Aletta’s courage and strength and proceeds to pursue her.

Overall, I’ll say this is a good tale, but it hurts me to admit it.  I can’t imagine any woman who truly loves her husband would find herself attracted to another man after only a few months.  Aletta hasn’t even given herself time to grieve, and she’s also got the raging hormones of pregnancy to deal with.  There are times in the story where she flat out says her attraction is her just missing her husband.  The timeline was just disturbing to me, but I have personal memories that color my interpretation, so I don’t think everyone will have the same problem with the story that I do.

I gave this story 4 stars for the writing.  I did like Tempy’s character, as well as the determined spirit of Mrs. Colonel John McGavock. I don’t think many people will have the issues I do with the timeline, and for that, I put aside my personal dislike and evaluated the story as a whole.  If I pretend Aletta actually took time to grieve her husband before falling for another man, the story is actually pretty good.

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

A Dangerous Legacy (Empire State #1) - Elizabeth Camden

This is the first book in the series.  According to the note at the end, in 2018 there will be another book surrounding Lucy’s brother, Nick.  He’s a prominent character in this book.

Lucy works for the AP news service and enjoys listening to the stories come across in Morse code and transcribing them for the world to read.  She runs across a story about Colin and decides to try and help him out.  When he discovers she has an illegal wire, he wants to know why.

Both Colin and Lucy are chained by their circumstances.  Colin has an estate, a sister and ninety tenants to consider, making him seek out an heiress to save his family home.  Lucy and her brother have been in a lawsuit with their uncle for years.  Their uncle is a ruthless man, and anyone who has contact with Lucy or her brother seems to feel his wrath.

I liked most of this book, really I did.  I loved the quirky interactions using carrier pigeons, how Lucy was dedicated to her cause, and how Colin was willing to get details about Lucy’s lawsuit to help her out.  But at a certain point, Lucy did a few things that aggravated me.  I can’t get into specifics since I don’t give spoilers, but the last 25% of the book was a letdown.  I didn’t like Lucy’s character and her decisions had me wishing Colin had a better option.

Next up is the book about Nick, Lucy’s brother.  I really liked his character, and I’m hoping it will be better.  I love Camden’s books, just not this one.

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

A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read (Psych #1) - William Rabkin - DTB

This was my older daughter's recommendation for my 2017 reading challenge.  It's based off a TV show, our favorite comedy, and is the first in a series of five books.  The other four titles are Mind Over Magic, The Call of the Mild, A Fatal Frame of Mind, and Mind-Altering Murder.

Shawn and Gus have just solved another high-profile case and embarrassed another member of the justice system.  Now, Gus's company car has been towed and getting it out of impound results in attempted murder.  Gus has a close call with a car, and Shawn ends up with an obsessed follower.  When the impound lot attendant turns up dead, the guys know they're going to have to solve the case to clear their names.

You'll need to have prior knowledge of the show to read this book.  I don't know why you'd pick this up if you've never watched the show, but if you do, I think you'll hate it.  You won't understand that you have to put just the right amount of sarcasm into Shawn's voice, and just enough panic and frustration in Gus'.

If you love the show as much as I do, you'll probably love the book.  The author does a good job capturing the personalities of the characters, and even adds a little flashback at the beginning.  Overall, a great read that I ate up in two days.  Good Book!

The Complete Father Brown Mysteries (Illustrated) - G. K. Chesterton

I picked this book up because I'd watched BBC's version of Father Brown (starring Mark Williams) and enjoyed it thoroughly.  I knew a bit about Chesterton, but hadn't read anything written by him.  I'd mostly heard about him at church.  Normally, I wouldn't read something that's related to TV/movies.  I usually try to do one or the other: read the book or watch the movie.  Less chance of being disappointed.  With this, I had the feeling it wouldn't be the same anyway, so I wasn't judging it based on the TV show at all.

This collection includes 24 short stories, but they're not the kind of relaxing reading where you can be doing other things as you read.  You really have to pay attention to keep up with what's going on.  There's long paragraphs of descriptions, sometimes to the point of being a bit too much.  Knowing these were written in the early 1900s, this makes sense.  The language also comes across as a product of its time.  There's some language in there that is considered highly prejudiced now, and it wasn't really that nice back then.  Just be aware it's in there.

I wouldn't read this if you're expecting it to be like the TV show.  You'll be disappointed.  While a few of the stories are represented in episodes, most aren't and the only secondary character you'll run into is Flambeau, and he changes quite early on from what you're accustomed to seeing on TV.

If you want to read through this, expect Father Brown to pick up on things you're not noticing and solve the mystery for the police.  The writing definitely reflects the period in which it was written, making it a bit tedious at times.  Also be aware, the "illustrations" are a collection of random photographs and drawings, and they're located in the back of the book.  I enjoyed some of the stories, and others I felt like I was slogging through.  Overall, I'd give it 3 stars.  It is what it is.

A Dangerous Engagement (Regency Spies #3) - Melanie Dickerson

This is the third book in the Regency Spies series.  The first two are A Spy's Devotion and A Viscount's Proposal.

Felicity is practically on the shelf, and her lack of fortune will keep her there.  She receives an invitation from an aunt, and her family thinks it's a good idea.  The aunt seems to have a suitor in mind for Felicity, one who doesn't care about her lack of wealth.  Once she arrives, there's a lot more men than women, and she soon finds out why: they're planning a revolution.  And she's just engaged herself to one of them.

Philip has managed to infiltrate the group, but he didn't plan on having to look after Felicity.  He reveals himself to her, hoping that she'll make decisions to keep herself safe, but Felicity wants to do more.  She wants to help.  He could use her assistance, but he's afraid for her safety. They end up skirting danger a few times, and there's always the risk of being exposed.

I wasn't 100% convinced after I read about Felicity fainting the first time.  I'm not a fan of the "wilting violet" heroines, but I loved this book!  Felicity fights against the faints, and her determination to be strong and courageous in spite of them had me convinced.  I loved the way she was a quick thinker and got herself out of so many scrapes on her own.  I also liked Philip's character, the way he balanced the weight of his mission against his feelings for Felicity.  All in all, Good Book!

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

P.S. from Paris - Marc Levy

I got this book free through the Kindle First program.

Mia is an English actress who has fled from her cheating husband and wants to try and put her life back together on her own.  She's staying with her friend in Paris.  She ends up messing around on a dating site and makes a profile.

Paul is an American who moved to Paris after his first book was published.  Now, his books are big in Korea, and he has a long-distance "relationship" with his translator that he sees twice a year.  When Paul's friends visit from America, they set him up a profile on the same website and then a blind date with Mia - without his knowledge.

I put this one down about 1/3 of the way through.  There was some language in there, but that wasn't why I stopped reading.  I disliked these characters.  Paul was just plain boring, and Mia was whiny and her thought process was annoying.

I also wasn't a fan of the writing style.  I dislike when a character is introduced and the author feels a need to devote paragraphs to their backstory.  It disrupts the flow of the story, and most times, these introductions aren't relevant to the actual story.  In addition, the dialogue would run on so long without a break that sometimes I would lose track of who was actually talking.

I really need to stop feeling like I need to pick up one of the Kindle First books.  They might be free, but that doesn't mean they're going to be something I enjoy.  Major pass for me.

Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance Chronicles #1) - Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - DTB

This was the book my younger daughter recommended for me.  Actually, both my daughters read this series, and the original paperback is old and didn't fare well going back and forth to school in both their backpacks.  I had to cover it in tape just to read it.  The original paperback belonged to my husband, printed in the 80s.

An unlikely band of heroes has agreed to come together five years after their last adventure. One of them doesn't show, and the rest return to a world changed.  Draconians (dragon-like people) and hobgoblins are taking over.  And something else is terrorizing the land that the heroes didn't even think existed: dragons.

Joining the group are two barbarians who have a strange staff with healing powers.  The group will attempt to figure out what their purpose is in the fight against the dragons and how to defeat the evil.  There's lots of magic spells, fantastical creatures and fighting.

From a writing perspective, I had to get used to the point of view changing all the time.  And it did. Once I got past that, it was a pretty good book.  There were moments that made me smile (mostly involving Tasslehoff), and times that actually tugged at my heart strings a bit. What I didn't expect was to find moments of truth scattered throughout the book.  I had the DTB version, so I didn't mark them, but here's one from the end:

"Still," the kender said softly, "we have to keep trying and hoping.  That's what's important - the trying and the hoping.  Maybe that's the most important of all."

We play lots of board games, and many of them have a fantasy theme, so I wasn't shocked that my girls liked these books.  I was just surprised that I liked it.  Will I read more of them? Probably not.  They're a little on the long side for me, but it was still a fun read.  I rate it a Good Book! on its own.

(In case you're wondering, a kender is similar to a halfling - Tasslehoff was a kender, a troublemaker and a great comedic character.)

The same cover as my paperback, but without the damage and creases!

Crown of Souls (Tox Files #2) - Ronie Kendig

This is the second book in the series.  There's a novella, The Warrior's Seal and then the first book, Conspiracy of Silence.

Tox is hit by a sniper, but it's not someone who wants to kill him.  It's an old brother-in-arms who wants to get his attention.  He's still feeling guilty about things in his past, and it's threatening to interfere with his relationship with Haven.

Tracking down his friend isn't going to be easy, especially since he has an artifact in his possession.  As his friend becomes more unstable, Tox is determined to try and save him.  Tox sees many similarities between his friend and himself, affecting his decisions.

As usual, Kendig tells a good story.  My one complaint is the interruptions with the glimpses from the past.  I know why they're in there, I just don't like them.  For me, it's like I'm rafting down a river, and then BAM! I hit a rock.  It interrupts the flow of the story, and I've given up reading authors for doing it.  Personal preference.

This is a good book, and I did enjoy it.  There's another one on the horizon.  While I stick with my original opinion that the series is continuous, there were enough reminders in this one that if you hadn't read the first one (or it's been a while), you wouldn't feel lost.  Good Book!

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

Remnants: Season of Wonder (Remnants #1) - Lisa Tawn Bergren

This is the first book in the series.  The other two books are called Season of Fire and Season of Glory.  I've read Bergren's River of Time series and also the Homeward Trilogy.  I really enjoyed her writing and looked forward to reading this series.  I made sure I had all three books before I started reading, because I knew ahead of time that it was a continuous story.

Andriana was born to save the world.  Along with her knight, Ronan, they join up with others of their kind and set off on a mission to free one of their brothers from imprisonment.  Well, that's their main mission, but to do that, first they have to find their healer.  They're being hunted by dangerous men, and they wait for guidance from the Maker.

The religious overtones aren't disguised at all in this novel, and they're everywhere.  That wasn't my problem with the story.  I wanted to say it was being stuck in one person's head for so long, but what I think it comes down to is the setting.  I'm not a fan of the post-apocalyptic setting, so I think that had a lot to do with it.  I really liked reading the interactions between Andriana and Ronan, and I liked the way the characters evolved with their "gifts."

I felt a bit like I was on a roller coaster.  I blazed through the action scenes, but then they'd have some down time and stare at berries in amazement for a while, and I'd start to lose interest.  And why, oh why, did the author put the pronunciation guide at the end?!  After I was done reading, I was finally able see all the names I mispronounced in my head for 400 pages. That just annoyed me.

The writing is good, and the descriptions are immersive.  I wanted to like this book so much, but it just wasn't for me.  No matter how hard I tried, I didn't look forward to picking this back up and reading on.  I saw that the second book has more than one POV, so I might try it in the future, since I am curious what happens with Andriana and Ronan.  Either way, I already have the rest of the series, so if I want to read the next one, I can.

Portrait of Vengeance (Gwen Marcey #4) - Carrie Stuart Parks

This is the fourth book in the Gwen Marcey series.  The first three are A Cry from the Dust, The Bones Will Speak and When Death Draws Near.

In this book, we’re catching up with Gwen, who is on another case.  This one involves the abduction of a young girl and the murder of her parents.  The details of the case open up Gwen’s past that she’s had locked away for years.  Once she starts digging around, it becomes clear that the murderer has her in his sights.

I don’t want to get too in depth about the plot, since I don’t want to give anything away.  There’s a lot going on in this one, and sometimes it was a bit overwhelming.  There were also a few times in there I felt dragged on a bit, but overall, I liked this story.  Specifically, I loved that Gwen’s eximious sidekick gets to join her on the case.  I always love when Beth’s character shows up, and she’s in this one a lot, so I was happy about that.

As with the other books, you can read these out of order and not be lost.  I was happy the Gwen Marcey series didn’t end after three books, and even though I didn’t like this one quite as much as the others, I didn’t have any issues getting through it.  I hope to read more in the future.  Good Book!

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

To Wager Her Heart (Belle Meade Plantation #3) - Tamera Alexander

This is the third book in the Belle Meade series.  The first two are To Whisper Her Name and To Win Her Favor.

Alexandra lost her fiancé in a horrible train accident.  He inspired her to help the freedmen, so after attending a concert given by students of the local freeman school, she decides to defy her parents and pursue teaching at the Fisk University.  It’ll cost her dearly and won’t be easy, but it’s something she feels she has to do.

Sy’s father was blamed for the deadly train accident, and Sy has come to clear his name.  And he’ll do whatever it takes.  He’s from Colorado, so adjusting to the ways of the South is going to take some know-how, and he looks to Alexandra for guidance.  At first, she’s against the idea, seeing as how she despises the thought of helping the son of the man responsible for ruining her plans, but in the end, she relents.

Overall, the book was well written.  I think one of my issues is that I was expecting a romance, and for me, that part doesn’t deliver.  In the first part, Sy and Alexandra had a lot more interaction than they do later on in the book.  The focus switches and becomes more about the individuals, and the main characters are separated for much of the second half.  I’ve noticed this imbalance in a lot of books I’ve read lately, and I’m not sure why so many authors are doing this.

I won’t give any spoilers about the ending, but I will say I was disappointed.  There wasn’t just one thing, either.  I was looking for an epilogue or something, but the book was just…over.

Up next for Alexander is the novella, Christmas at Carnton, which is the starter for her new series.  The novella is due out in early October.  I’ll give To Wager Her Heart a Good Book review, but I have to say I’ve enjoyed Alexander’s earlier works a lot more.

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

At Liberty to Love (Texas Romance #7) - Caryl McAdoo

This book is part of a series, and there's more after this one.

Rebecca is on her way to California to see some family and pick out more to bring back to Texas.  When she enters the stagecoach, she meets a man who knows her family and her deceased husband.  They hit it off, and Marcus is in her thoughts.

When they separate, Marcus can't stop thinking about Rebecca.  He hasn't felt this much emotion since his wife and daughter died.  The problem is that Rebecca is a believer, and Marcus is a heathen.  Marcus gives up everything to chase after her, but it's going to take more than just finding her for these two to have a happy ending.

I liked this one for the most part, but the part I liked the most was the beginning.  Once Marcus and Rebecca found each other in San Francisco, things progress, but then they separate for much of the second half of the book.  There's little snippets here and there, but mostly it's about Francy and setting up her story.  The problem with that is I got involved in Francy's story while the main characters, Marcus and Rebecca, are shoved so far to the side that you almost forget the story's supposed to be about them.

The other strange thing was the POV switches.  There are lots of them, sometimes in the middle of a conversation, not only breaking the flow but most of these switches didn't seem necessary.  I didn't like getting in the head of a character once or twice and that was it. This was the first book I've read from this author, and it was a decent story, but it didn't make me want to read more of the series.

House of Many Shadows (DTB) - Barbara Michaels

This book was my choice for the category "Read a book I loved, but haven't read for years." This particular choice has a bit of nostalgia wrapped around it.  I believe I was a teenager when my mom took me to the bookstore and gave me $100 to blow.  We went to the mall, and I remember taking a chance on this author.  I crouched on the floor of the bookstore, reading the backs of novels.  I'd never read anything by Michaels before, but my whole fun money went on her books.  Later, I found out her real name was Barbara Mertz.

In later years, I picked up all her books, both as Barbara Michaels, and as her other pseudonym, Elizabeth Peters.  There was only one of her books that I remember not liking, and it was called Other Worlds.  I still have my whole collection of paperbacks, but I watch for the price to drop on the Kindle versions.

Barbara Michaels wrote books that were on the spooky side.  When I was younger, I read a lot of that kind of thing, even though TV shows and movies would scare the living daylights out of me.  I read a lot of Lois Duncan back then as well.  When I started reading Michaels' books, she had a way of writing that drew me in.  I cared about the characters and what happened to them.  I wanted them to conquer the darkness that was threatening them, and sometimes it was supernatural in nature.  This is one of those books.

Meg is having hallucinations after an injury.  She hears strange noises and sees elephants in places they definitely shouldn't be.  She appeals to her relative, Sylvia, who offers to let her stay at a house she owns in Pennsylvania. 

Once she gets there, she learns that her childhood nemesis, Andy, is the caretaker of the place.  They get off to a rough start, but when Meg realizes that Andy can see the same things she does, they start to search for answers together.

This book shows its age.  It was originally published in 1974, and in some ways, you can tell. These days, it seems strange that Meg can't make a phone call without going into a certain room or that she has to travel to another town to unearth the history of the house.  In addition to that, I can see how some readers would consider this slow.  I remember trudging my way through Pride and Prejudice wondering how anyone could read it.  Now, my kids wonder the same thing when I give them one of the books I loved when I was their age.

For me, I was able to enjoy this book.  I liked how it was frightening, but not too scary.  I liked the little snippets of history that were sprinkled throughout the book as Meg and Andy did their research.  I liked reading about their adventure, and if I had to put the book down, I looked forward to getting back to it.

Would I have enjoyed it as much if this were my first read-through?  I'm not sure.  What I do know is that Michaels (Mertz) has a great writing style that I usually enjoy.  This book was no exception.  And even though I don't go the mall and hang out on the floor of the bookstore anymore, I carry around the memory of hunting for Barbara Michaels books in my heart.  Great Book!

(I purposely used the picture that's on my paperback for this review, because it's amazing and looks much better than the current Kindle cover.)

One Thursday Morning (Diamond Lake #1) - T.K. Chapin

I originally picked this book up when I thought I'd need a book set in my state for my 2017 challenge.  In the end, I didn't add that category, but I still wanted to read this book.  It's the first by this author that I've read, so I will get to put it in that category.

This is the first book in a series.  The series covers a whole week and they follow a distinct pattern.  They're all "One (insert day of the week)(insert time of day/noun)."

Serenah finds out she's pregnant and has a decision to make: does she stay with her abusive husband or find the courage to run?  The life of her child is too precious to her, so she flees to the other side of the country and tries to start a new life under an assumed name.  There's always the fear of discovery, and when a chance for love walks into her life, she isn't sure she's strong enough to pursue it.

This book was heavier than I normally read, so I can't say that it was an enjoyable read.  It's written in the first person, which is a point of view I can't usually get into.  But with those thing going against it, I have to say that I liked the book overall.  It wasn't because it was a happy, feel good story, but because the journey Serenah takes was written so well that I sympathized with her character.

This one's on the short side - Amazon has it listed as 285 pages, but it's only about 230 since there's a preview of the next book at the end.  I'm not sure I could have handled it being much longer.  There's some issues in this book that, while they're dealt with well, might turn some readers away.  There's physical and emotional abuse in there as well as stalking by Serenah's husband.  Add to that the pain of a miscarriage, and Serenah has a lot to deal with.

I'll give this a Good Book! review, but keep in mind that it's not a light read in the emotional department.  I wouldn't read books like this all the time, I read more for enjoyment, but reading through this character's journey and knowing there are many out there that deal with the same thing, I was glad I read it.

Love on Assignment (Ladies of Summerhill #2) - Cara Lynn James

I had been watching this book on eReaderIQ for a long time and was finally able to pick it up back in the fall. I read the first book in the series before I started this blog, so it's been a while. I was impressed that when I looked into the series to refresh my memory, I actually remembered the first book!  That's pretty impressive for me, especially lately, but it also spoke to the strength of the writing.  I was looking forward to reading more.

This is the second book in the series.  The first book is called Love on a Dime, and the third one is Love by the Book.

Charlotte is young and ambitious.  She works hard at a newspaper, but she wants to be a true journalist, not just a typist.  She's responsible for caring for her aunt and sister, so she isn't the only one who depends on her salary.  When her boss offers her a way to move up, she's wary of her task, but pushes her conscience aside and heads off to her new job: governess.

Daniel is in a big house, but he's trying to follow God's path in his life.  He feels led to use his newspaper article to point out the way some business owners are taking advantage of their employees.  He employs Charlotte to watch out for his children, since his mother's been sick. Little does he realize she's been planted in his home to unearth his darkest secrets.

The more Charlotte discovers, the less she likes her assignment.  Daniel is a good man, and Charlotte is trapped between wanting to find a way out and keeping her job so she can provide for her family.

I liked this book.  It was a little on the preachy side, but it was done in a way that made sense. Charlotte's faith grows throughout the book, so you're reading what she's learning, it's not just random sermonizing.  The characters from the first book, Jackson and Lilly, appear a few times, but you can read these out of order without feeling lost.  Good Book!

Beneath Copper Falls (Rock Harbor) - Colleen Coble

In this book, we’re back in Rock Harbor hanging out with Bree and a lot of the characters from the original series.  Even Emily from the young adult series shows up in this one.  Loved that detail!

Dana is trying to get away from her ex-boyfriend who will not leave her alone.  He’s really possessive and abusive, even to the point where he comes close to killing her.  She comes to Rock Harbor to live with her brother and try to start over.  Upon arriving, her brother is out of town, but she’s met by a grouchy man who seems to think all she’ll see arehis scars.

Boone has reason to be wary, his fiancé dumped him when he got injured, and he’s determined not to set himself up to deal with that again.  Boone’s sister was killed, and he’s helping his cousin, who seems to think his sister was the victim of a serial killer.  When things get even messier, Dana and Boone will have to work together to solve the case and come out alive.

I won’t say much about the plot itself, I don’t want to spoil any of the wonderful twists and turns in there.  All I will say is that I’ve been really impressed with these last few books of Coble’s, notably Because You’re Mine and the other Rock Harbor novel, Haven of Swans.  I’ve always been a fan, but I feel like these are the best ones I’ve read.  Good Book!

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

Hidden Things (Faded Photographs #2) - Andrea Boeshaar

I'm back after a two and a half week road trip.  It was fun, but I didn't get a lot of reading done. In fact, I only finished one book - quite unusual for me!

I picked Hidden Things up, because I'd seen it up for free more than once, and I was intrigued by the cover and the description.  I'm a genealogy nut, and one of the things I truly enjoy is going through old photographs.  I saw potential with this new author and started reading.

This is an older series, but there are three books.  The first is called Broken Things, then there's this one, and the series wraps up with Precious Things.  The weird thing is, you can't even read Precious Things at this time.  The other two titles were converted for Kindle in April 2016, but for some reason, the last one got left out.  I found that odd and annoying at the same time.

Kylie has had it rough lately.  Her mother has passed away, and her fiance has cheated on her with her best friend.  Add a mysterious photograph to the mix, and Kylie begins to question everything about her life.  She finds out she's adopted and goes on a personal quest to discover the truth.

I guess the main character is Kylie, but we're reading a lot of different POVs in this book. There's a friend of Kylie's deceased mother, a woman who has come though a horrific accident and is struggling, Kylie's grandmother, and TJ, the man who is friends with Kylie's grandparents.  There might be one or two more, I can't remember.

One thing that really bothered me: these books are connected.  I was reading along, the hint of an actual discovery about Kylie's past was on the horizon, and then I looked to see where I was in the book.  There were only a few pages left!  Where's the resolution to Kylie's quest to find out who she is?  From the description, it sounds like the answers are in book 3...

If I had known this was one of those cliffhanger, nothing gets resolved series, I wouldn't have picked this one up to begin with.  Especially since I can't even really finish the series (I guess technically I could order a DTB, but I'm not going to).  Add to that the amount of sermonizing, and I was over it.  I don't mind Christian books having a lot of spiritual references in them, but this one was a bit over the top in my opinion.  The writing itself wasn't bad, but I didn't like the way the book ended without a satisfying resolution.  It's a pass for me.

A Matter of Trust (Montana Rescue #3) - Susan May Warren

This is the third book in the series.  There’s a prequel, If Ever I Would Leave You, followed by the first two books, Wild Montana Skies and Rescue Me.

The main characters in this one are Gage and Ella.  Gage used to be a professional on the slopes until a tragic accident.  Ella was responsible for destroying his life.  Now she’s back and ends up asking Gage to find her brother, who decided to attempt a dangerous descent of his own.

We’re also following Ty and Brette, Ella’s friend.  Brette is a journalist who claims to be looking for a story about a hero, but she looks for the dirt on everyone she meets.  Ty draws her attention, but there seems to be something about him that he’s hiding, and she wants to find out what it is.  To a lesser degree, we’re also reading about Jess and Pete.

I had issues with this one.  First, all the descriptions of skiing and snowboarding weren’t my cup of tea, so after reading numerous scenes about it, I ended up skimming a lot.  Also, we’re still not getting any resolution to the Ian/Sierra story line.  It was barely mentioned, but it still bothered me since it’s the reason I keep reading these books.  It sounds like there’s more to come, seeing as the end of this one is a cliffhanger involving Jess.

Personally, I’m done with the series.  The prequel got me invested in Ian and Sierra, and yet there’s never any resolution or progression to their story.  I feel like I’m getting strung along.  Also, the way this one ended, I have a feeling the next one might be about Ty/Brette and Jess/Pete.  And since I REALLY didn’t like Brette’s character, I’m out.  The series started out well, but I’m done.

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

The River Girl's Christmas (Texas Women of Spirit #4) - Angela Castillo

This is the fourth story in this series.  It's not a book, coming in at around 100 pages, but it does update you on the characters from the first two books, Zillia and Soonie.  The first three books in the series are also on the short side, each of them around 200 pages.  The books are The River Girl's Song, The Comanche Girl's Prayer and The Saloon Girl's Journey.

It's getting close to Christmas, and Soonie is travelling with her husband, Lone Warrior, to visit her family.  On the way, Lone Warrior gets shot and getting him help is going to be difficult.  Zillia's thoughts are tied up with worrying about her friend, but there's a little girl that needs her help.

At first I thought this would be on the sappy side, with tear-filled reunions and too much happiness.  I was pleasantly surprised to find a story with aspects of action and adventure.  I mean, there is the sappy Christmas part, it had to be in there, but it isn't overdone, and I really enjoyed it.

This was probably my second favorite of the series, the first being The Comanche Girl's Prayer.  I think it's cheating a bit to call it a "book," but as long as you realize you're in for a shorter story, I believe this is worth a read.  Good Story!

The Saloon Girl's Journey (Texas Women of Spirit #3) - Angela Castillo

This is the third book in the series.  The others are The River Girl's Song and The Comanche Girl's Prayer.  There's another story after this one called The River Girl's Christmas.

Darla is trying to rebuild her life.  She's at a home for "unfortunates" and trying to follow the rules.  Ethan is the owner's son, and he is drawn to Darla from the beginning.  Darla feels the same, but she believes Ethan could never love her if he found out about her past.  To keep her secret, she runs away when a man threatens to expose her.

This book was okay.  It reminded me of the way I felt about the first book, like it was more of a "journey" than a full romance.  Darla is learning to not make assumptions about people and that she's worthy to be accepted for who she is - and not just by Ethan.  I found it odd that Darla was so suspicious of everyone that was kind to her, especially after she joined the medicine show.  She was the one who went running to them, after all.

Compared to the others, I'd have to say that so far, I've enjoyed The Comanche Girl's Prayer the best.  This one has me on the fence.  For a romance, there wasn't much interaction between the characters to get me invested in their relationship.  As a journey, it's a pretty good tale, but it wasn't one of my favorites.  This is another one of those "diet" books, coming in under 200 pages.

Lone Wolf - Loree Lough - DTB

As the church librarian, every once in a while a donation will come in that I decide to read.  This one looked like a light, quick read, and the summary on the back was interesting.

Kent was accused and punished for a crime he didn't commit.  After ten years of hard labor, he's rebuilding his life.  His journey takes him to Virginia, where he becomes the foreman of a ranch.  There he meets Abby, a spunky young woman who captures his attention.  Kent's sworn off women, but Abby pushes his walls down and invades his heart.  He tries to keep his distance, knowing his secret would cause him to lose the one thing that means anything to him now: Abby's good opinion.

This was definitely a diet book, coming in at just over 150 pages.  It's also very light plot-wise. No real dangers or villains to speak of.  Basically, you're just waiting to see what happens when Abby finds out about Kent's secret.  It's definitely a Christian book, with some preachy moments sprinkled here and there.  Overall, if you're looking for a quick read with a happy ending, this book might do the trick.