The Bradys and the Girl Smuggler; Or Working for the Custom House - Frances Worcester Doughty

I'm continuing with my experiment of finding books I normally wouldn't read. This time, I wanted to dive into the world of dime novels, or penny dreadfuls as they were called in Victorian England. I chose this particular one, because the title intrigued me. A girl smuggler? I'm in!

The heroes of this novel are Old King and Harry Brady. They're on the trail of a diamond smuggler, and they soon identify the target. The rest of the novel is about them trying to capture the criminals and make sure they find the diamonds.

There were many times I thought the Bradys caught the criminals, but then the villains would pull off a daring escape, and the chase would be on again. From my research, it sounds like this is a common formula for these novels, so if I'd read a few it might get repetitive. Since this was my first one, I truly enjoyed it.

You've still got some definite "clews" that this was written in 1900, but it wasn't as obvious as some of the other older titles I've read.

I definitely plan on seeking out a few more of these. This was a fun book, and even with the minor issues, I had a good time reading it. For the next one, I'm going to try and find some different genres. I'm especially interested in trying a gothic novel, so we'll see what I can find. Fun book!

Betty Zane (Ohio River Trilogy #1) - Zane Grey

I've been purposely going outside my comfort zone, and my next choice was a book by Zane Grey. I remember seeing copies of his books at my grandparent's house, so I thought I'd see what the fuss was about. The book itself made me curious about the author and his inspiration. It was interesting and thought I'd share a bit about him.

Pearl Zane Grey was born in Zanesville, Ohio, in 1872. Though his life started there, he later attended college in Pennsylvania and eventually settled in California. He didn't only write fiction, he also wrote books about baseball and fishing. In all, he wrote more than 90 books. His works have been adapted into over 100 films and even a television series. Pretty impressive, especially for the the time period in which he lived.

This particular book, written in 1903, covers the lives of the people living in a settlement where attacks by Native Americans are commonplace. It's basically a novel of life on the frontier with a romance running through it.

The writing was good and more interesting in some places than others. I was confused why he chose to title the book Betty Zane since she's just one of a number of characters, but she is a main character and the completion of her romance is the end of the book. I also picked up a few little gems of genius that I liked. For example, "Happy hours speed away on the wings of the wind." But, there's also rampant racism and some real cringe-worthy moments.

I wouldn't say that I enjoyed the book (a dog died after all), but I was glad I read it. The main reason I got interested in Grey's life was the way he wrote the book. At times, it reads like a history book, and the epilogue covers what happened to the people mentioned in the book. It sounded like he was talking about real people, so when I read about the founding of various towns in Ohio, I couldn't help but do some research. His maternal great-grandfather, Ebenezer Zane, was a real person and is a main character in the book. Many facets of Ebenezer's family and life are written into this book, and it made it more interesting to me.

While I don't think I'll be reading any of Grey's other titles, I understand and appreciate his mark on the literary world. Zane Grey died in 1939 at the age of 67. He's had more works published after his death, and he's easily one of the most influential authors I've read.

Cyborg - Martin Caidin

Every Wednesday night, my kids and I put on an episode of Six Million Dollar Man and enjoy the show. During the credits, we noticed it's based on this book. I couldn't find a copy that wasn't insanely priced, but I DID find a digital version of it. Five dollars later (so much less than six million), I was ready for some Steve Austin excitement!

And then I read the book. Wow, was I surprised. 

Steve Austin is a former astronaut that crashes while testing a plane. Many struggles and surgeries later, he feels he's more machine than man. This story focuses a lot of time on Steve's journey into becoming a bionic man, and he goes on a couple missions in the second half. The whole thing reminded me of James Bond with a bionic twist. The descriptions were long and detailed, and while it would bore my kids, I found most of them interesting.

The end was super abrupt, but it also made sense. I was able to appreciate the book for what it was, and a little sad it wasn't made into the James Bond-ish kind of show it could've been. But having said that, I wouldn't change the show. Unless you're talking about adding more Oscar. We LOVE Oscar!

Back to the book, I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. If you ignore the fact it's hard to get, there is language, some talk of sex, a suicide attempt, and other things that haven't aged well. The book and show are different enough I was able to appreciate both for what they were, and I'm glad I read it.

Doctor Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts - Stan Lee, Steve Ditko

I've been doing something a little different recently. I've been straying away from my normal comfortable genres and authors and steering out into the unknown. I've technically been working on this Epic Collection for quite a while, but it's been an interesting ride.

This collection is the initial introduction of the Dr. Strange character into the Marvel universe. I'm not going to try and sum up a comic series. While there are recurring characters and sometimes a storyline will continue from one issue to another, it's a comic. In 10 pages, Dr. Strange confronts a foe and either takes care of the problem or you're waiting for the next issue.

Dr. Strange was one of my favorite characters when I was watching the MCU, so I had a good time reading these. I don't think they're for everyone, though. It's definitely old-school, and that might not work for some people. I laughed out loud a few times, and truly had a good time.

From the cover of an issue - not relevant to the Dr. Strange part of the comic, but my favorite visual for sure!

The Night of Four Hundred Rabbits - Elizabeth Peters

 I was in a mood where I wanted to read something that's been sitting on my shelf for a while, and so I dusted off one of my Elizabeth Peters books and cracked open the cover. 

If you aren't familiar with this author, her real name is Barbara Mertz. She wrote fiction under the pseudonyms of Barbara Michaels and Elizabeth Peters and also wrote a few nonfiction books under her own name. Her paperbacks (and a few hardbacks) have occupied an entire shelf on my bookcase for many years. I've downsized my paperback collection numerous times, but her books never leave. Unfortunately, she died in 2013. 

This book isn't part of a series, although many of Mertz's books are. Carol receives strange messages hinting that her father might be in danger. It's been years since she's seen him, and she shouldn't care, but something drives her down there. Her trip gives her much more than she bargained for, and everything she believes will change by the time it's over.

I don't want to give anything away, there are a lot of twists and turns in there, but I will mention that the book has drug references in it. There's no sugarcoating what they can do to a person, and it isn't glorified in any way. I guess it could be a deterrent for some, but it didn't bother me. 

I thought this book was clever and Peters did a good job writing a convincing story. Even though it's written from Carol's point of view, I felt some anxiety for her character during the action at the end. I think that's a mark of good writing, but others may feel the writing to be dated and a bit slow at times. For me, it was nice to revisit something I enjoyed in the past. If you consider that it was written in 1971, it might give you a bit of perspective on the writing style itself. Good Book!

Ticket to Tomorrow (A Fair to Remember #1) - Carol Cox

 This is the first book in the series. The other two are called Fair Game and A Bride So Fair.

Annie is in Chicago to fulfill her deceased husband's wishes. He helped create a horseless carriage with another man, and now that he's gone, Annie is helping Silas promote the vehicle at the World's Fair. Also at the fair is Nick, Silas's nephew. 

A chance encounter brings Annie into a mystery that will threaten her life. She's also dealing with a serious case of "in-laws." Will's family blames her for the rift in their family and also his death. Neither is justified, but they won't budge.

This book was pretty good. I liked the characters pretty well, but I found myself caring more about some more than others. Mostly the minor characters for some reason. I can't explain why, but I really liked Silas and Stephen.

With the amount of mention Stephen got in this book, I suspected he'd be finding love later on in the series. He does, but it isn't until book 3. On the plus side, I have a feeling this is one of those series where you can read them alone or out of order and not miss much. I'm putting it on my list, I really liked his character. 4 stars.

At Love's Command (Hanger's Horsemen #1) - Karen Witemeyer

I was sifting through my favorite publishers on NetGalley and was surprised to see a book by Karen Witemeyer that had already come out. How had I missed that? I signed up for it immediately and started reading.

I finished it a few days ago, and I've thought about it a lot since then. I'm going to keep my thoughts on the story short, because the romance/drama isn't what stuck out to me.

Josephine is a old west doctor (think Dr. Quinn if you remember that show), and Matt used to be in the cavalry. When one of his men is hurt, his paths cross with the doctor. Then, when she receives word that her brother is being held for ransom, she asks for Matt's help.

I liked the book overall. The romance is difficult to swallow at times since these two aren't together a LOT in the book. It seemed weird that Josephine was worried to death about her brother while staring at and obsessing over Matt's muscles.

Normally, I'd probably stop the review here. I might say more about the characters, but the review would be essentially over. But something different happened to me. This time, I was laser focused on one aspect of the book: the internal conflict of Matt. He doesn't want to open up his heart again in case he'd get hurt. He doesn't trust God with the people he loves, and he feels he's been justified in that.

This topic has been plaguing my summer. With two teenagers in driver's ed at the same time (one of them now a senior in high school), I've had the fact that things are out of my control thrown into my face. I felt sympathy with Matt's character, but I didn't care about his love life. I wanted to know how he was going to learn to trust God again and to leave the care of the people he cared about in God's hands. There's a paragraph toward the end of the book talking about control being an illusion. I highlighted it and have read over it a few times. I've always known that control is an illusion, but it doesn't stop me from trying to control what I can.

I feel like I read this at the right time. I'm not completely better, but had I seen this book posted on NetGalley at the time it was released, it probably wouldn't have affected me the same way. It's a timing thing that I can only attribute to God. I've had a few other things brought to my attention lately, and I'd like to think I'm starting to find a bit of peace. It's going to be a long road, but I'm glad that this book was a stop along the way.

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

The Jewel of His Heart (Heart of the West #2) - Maggie Brendan - DTB

With everything going on, I decided to search my bookshelves for something to read. A lot of the books I have on my shelves, I can tell someone exactly why it's there and what stuck out to me. This one was a bit different. I read the back of it, but I couldn't remember it.

Juliana is having a tough time. Her life seems to be going the wrong way, and she's forced to take charity. She's determined to take care of herself and gets a job.

Josh is a shepherd, but he's found some sapphires on his property. With the opportunity to make money as a miner, he has to consider what he wants to do with his life. He's also lonely, and he wants a wife. Juliana may be young, but he can't stop thinking about her.

This book was okay, but something about it didn't grab my attention. It took me a long time to get through it, and I skimmed a lot of the end. I think there wasn't enough conflict for me. I liked the writing style, and I really liked some of the characters. The problem is, my favorite characters were minor characters. Juliana and Josh were fine, but I liked characters like Andy, Nellie, Wes and Marion more. Wes is in the third book for sure, so there's more of him.

I guess, in the end, I don't know why it's on my shelf. It was a nice story, but my tastes have moved in a different direction since I read this the first time. The good thing is, I'm the church librarian, and the book has found a new home.

The Peasant's Dream - Melanie Dickerson

This is the final book in the Hagenheim fairy tale series.  I've kept track of the connections, and you can see them HERE.

Adela feels like everyone sees her as spoiled, but she just wants to be seen for who she is. She sneaks to the market one day and meets Frederick, a commoner with artistic dreams like hers.

Frederick comes from a tough life. His father beats him, and he isn't allowed to pursue his dream of being a woodcarver. He meets Adela and thinks she's just like him.

The book started out slow for me. The middle was interesting, and then the end confused me. It wasn't the plot that confused me, it was the choices some of the characters made. I felt like the end was written more to nod at the fairy tale and ignored logic too much. I had the same issues with this book as I did with The Warrior Maiden. Not enough action, too many emotions.

The series overall has been a good one, and I've enjoyed most of the books. You can read them out of order or alone and you won't be lost. The writing is good, and I count Dickerson as one of my favorite authors. This one just happened to be a miss for me.

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

A Match for Emma (Mitchell's Crossroads #3) - Pepper Basham

This is the third book in the series. I haven't read the first two: A Twist of Faith and Charming the Troublemaker. There were references to the characters from the other books, but I wasn't lost reading this one.

Emma is all about matchmaking. She's so confident that she takes a young woman under her wing. She wants to set Molly up with a certain gentleman, and to do that, she'll have to smooth out the rough edges.

Jon is back in his hometown, but he isn't planning on staying. Emma is his best friend, and he plans on enjoying the time with her before he goes back to New York to help his friend with his struggling office. Things are going to conspire to give him a few incentives to stay.

This is basically a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Emma. I enjoyed the story, even though it got a bit too mushy at times. This isn't the first book I've read where the target audience is late teens and the characters are focused on their emotions way more than I think is realistic. Other than that, it was a pretty good book.

I didn't realize when I picked this up that the age range is 16-18. I have a 15 and 17 year old, and I can't imagine them enjoying Jane Austen's Emma. They might enjoy the story, just not the writing style. While someone that's read or seen a version of Emma won't be shocked by what happens in this book, it's a nice alternative for someone that wants to experience the story without trying to read the original version. 3.5 stars (I'll round up to 4 for my Amazon review).

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (Hercule Poirot #33) - Agatha Christie

This short story popped up on my eReaderIQ alerts for free, and I snatched it up.

I'm not going to say too much about the story, it isn't very long, and I don't want to spoil things. To sum it up, Poirot is in the countryside for a good, old-fashioned English Christmas, but he's really there to solve a case. Add together a missing ruby, some kids, and some pudding, and you have a mystery only Hercule Poirot can solve.

This was over pretty quickly, so there wasn't much time for character development. I didn't read it in one sitting, so I when I picked it back up, I had to remember who some characters were since there are a lot of them. This story was enjoyable enough, but I think I prefer the novels.

The Number of Love (The Codebreakers #1) - Roseanna M. White

This book is part of a series that includes two other books: On the Wings of Devotion and A Portrait of Loyalty. As far as I can tell, I've never read anything by this author, but her name seems familiar. I "borrowed" this book using my Amazon Prime account.

Margot lives with her mother and works at the Old Admiralty Building. She breaks German codes and listens to God through numbers.

Drake is working undercover and keeping that fact from his family as long as he can. He meets Margot when his sister gets a job at the same place, and he's immediately intrigued by her beauty and sense of humor.

This book is set during the Great War, and I found it interesting even though it isn't a time period I get to read a lot. The historical elements are tucked in there neatly, so you're not wading through paragraphs of technical nonsense. It was well done, and I appreciated that.

There's a crossover with a book from another series. Margot is the brother of Lukas, one of the main characters in A Song Unheard (Shadows Over England #2). Lukas and Willa show up in this book, but I didn't feel lost not reading the other book. The next book in the series revolves around Phillip, a minor character. I liked the writing and the characters. I'd be be happy to read more from this author. Good Book!

Storing Up Trouble (American Heiresses #3) - Jen Turano

This is the third book in the series. The first two are called Flights of Fancy and Diamond in the Rough.

Beatrix is on her way to Chicago when the train is held up. She takes care of herself, but the man who believes himself to be the target of the attack drags her off the train. From then on, she's intrigued by his unusual mind, but he infuriates her at the same time.

Norman has been sheltered for his entire life, and he's been free to be absorbed in his research. He meets Beatrix and wonders if he's been missing out on a few things. He starts to appreciate his family more and see things in a different way. Being a man of science, it's up to him to experiment and get things right, but that doesn't seem to go as well as he'd hoped.

I loved this book. I liked the plot and the interactions between Beatrix and Norman. As usual, I'm going to mention the characters. This author has a real talent for creating them that makes you care about all of them, even the minor ones. You can read these out of order and not be lost, but you'll appreciate the overall links between the women if you can read them in order.

I truly enjoyed this entire series, and I'm sad it's over. These characters will be staying with me for a long time, and I think that's the best compliment I can give. Good Book! Good series!

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

Psych's Guide to Crime Fighting for the Totally Unqualified - Shawn Spencer with Burton Guster (DTB)

Full disclosure - I started reading this a long time ago and just finished it today.  It's an awkward-sized book, but don't let the amount of time it took to read this fool you - I liked it.  It was just difficult to situate in a comfy position to read.  I think Shawn would understand.

If you don't know anything about Psych, just stop reading.  If you pick up this book and have never seen the show, you won't understand the book at all.  If you love the show and want a bit more of it, this might be a possibility for you.

I love Psych.  It's probably my favorite comedy of all time.  I own all 8 seasons on DVD, and my kids have watched it as well.  We can quote things from different episodes and watch them over and over.  Every time I start re-watching the series, I try to keep an eye out for the pineapple that's supposed to be present in every episode.  By the second one, I've totally forgotten about the pineapple because I'm too busy laughing my butt off at Spelling Bee (one of my favorite episodes).

This book is as scatterbrained as a normal Psych episode.  It's even got a chapter labeled Chapter %.  If you can't imagine reading this in the various voices of the cast, you probably won't like it.  Yeah, some of the humor falls a bit flat at times, but other times I laughed out loud.  I rarely do that when reading, so it's a compliment for the book.  It was a fun read and something I needed right now.

A Search for Refuge (Haven Manor novella) - Kristi Ann Hunter

The books in the series are called A Defense of Honor, A Return of Devotion, and A Pursuit of Home.

Margaretta arrives in Marlborough wanting to find a friend.  She's running out of money, and she's in trouble.  Her husband is dead, but her brother-in-law could be a threat if he discovers she's pregnant.

Nash is intrigued by the newcomer and is determined to make sure she's not there to take advantage of his elderly neighbor.  He discovers that Margaretta isn't a threat, but when he learns the truth about her, his painful past tells him to stay away.

I read this after the first book, so I kinda already knew what happened, but it didn't bother me too much.  I think the main issue was the shortness.  While that's to be expected with a novella, I missed the development of the relationship between the characters.  They interact, but the ending didn't seem earned somehow.  I'm not sure what it was, but it just felt like something was missing.

A Defense of Honor (Haven Manor #1) - Kristi Ann Hunter

This is the first book in the series.  The other two are called A Return of Devotion and A Pursuit of Home.  I don't think I've read anything by this author before, but her name sounds familiar for some reason.  Regardless, I was looking for something to read, and this caught my eye.  I read it through my Amazon Prime membership.

After I started reading this book, I liked the writing style and characters and looked a bit deeper into the series.  There's a novella called A Search for Refuge, which is free.  Normally, I'd read that first, but I'd already started the book.  It's next in line on my read list.

Kit has spent years trying to make up for her past.  She's taking care of children that are the results of aristocratic indiscretions.  It takes money to do that, however, and her methods have earned her the nickname The Governess.  It's not a compliment, but she'll do whatever it takes to care for the children.

Graham is helping search for his friend's missing sister.  While following a lead, he comes upon Haven Manor and Kit's secret.  There's more going on here than Kit is willing to reveal, but Graham is intrigued and wants to find answers.

I think my favorite part of this book was the characters.  They had depth, and I cared about them.  The supporting characters were just as interesting as the main ones.   The remaining books in the series cover the other two women from Haven Manor, and I was a bit bummed to not see Graham's friend, Aaron.  Maybe there's some blurb in one of them about him, but I'm not holding my breath.

I'd like to read the other two, but it doesn't look like the prices drop on them very often.  I'll keep my eyes open, though, and hope for the best.  Good Book!

One Little Lie (Pelican Harbor #1) - Colleen Coble

This is part of a series.  The second installment is due out September 2020.

Jane is the new chief of police, but not everyone is congratulating her on the position.  She also has a journalist following her around filming her for a documentary.  While she isn’t happy about it, she doesn’t have a choice, and she needs to focus on the murders occurring in her tiny town.

Reid isn’t just making a documentary.  He’s there with his son to check into Jane.  He is holding on to some painful secrets, and they’re all going to catch up to him in Pelican Harbor.

What makes this a 3-star review for me is the convolution and the ending.  The plot had too many things going on.  When I read, “I know it seems convoluted,” I almost laughed out loud.  It was like the character was saying what I’d been thinking for so long.  There were multiple times I’d come across an element I’d forgotten, or it took me a moment to remember a certain character.

The other disappointment was the romance.  The ending was such a letdown.  If you want a continuation of Reid and Jane’s romance, you have to get book 2.  I’m not used to this kind of cliffhanger from the author, and I didn’t like it.  Also, it didn’t make sense for Jane to have trust issues for the whole book and not spare a single moment considering someone else having the same issues.  I didn’t expect instant forgiveness, but leaving the relationship on a cliffhanger was just weird and unsatisfying.

A couple things bothered me but didn’t affect my overall review score.  The first is the horn tooting at the beginning.  How much is too much these days?  I feel like 2% of the total book is too much.  For goodness sake, there’s at least 4 quotes FROM THE SAME PERSON!  Does anyone even read those?  I don’t.  I just happened to catch a familiar name more than once and went back to see what the deal was.

The other thing is the attention to detail.  For example, if you’re going to mention Dairy Queen’s Peanut Buster Parfait, at least know what it is.  There isn’t any hot chocolate or caramel in the PBP.  A simple Google search will tell you that there are 3 ingredients: hot fudge, peanuts and soft serve.  That’s it.  Maybe that mistake was caught before the final print, but it was incredibly disappointing after some of the well-researched novels I’ve read recently.

Overall, it’s not a bad book, it just wasn’t what I was expecting.  It seemed unnecessarily complicated while not giving me enough at the same time.  Even the villain’s motivations felt strange.  I’ve enjoyed so many of Coble’s books in the past, but this one was a miss for me.

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

The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter - Mimi Matthews

This is the first book I've read by this author.  I saw it recommended by an author, and since it was on sale, I decided to give it a shot.

Valentine has a job as a companion, but her employer is terrible.  When something Valentine treasures is destroyed, she ends up on the grounds and discovered by a notorious rake.  She doesn't know it at the time, but she soon finds out.  When they're later found in a compromising position, secrets are told and an engagement is entered into.  Can the rake reform and prove his love to Valentine?

The book wasn't bad, but there were a few typos.  It's on the shorter side, so it's a nice, quick read.  I appreciated the epilogue at the end to let me know what happened to the characters.  I wish the book had been a bit longer so there could be more interactions between Valentine and Tristan.  There's mild language and mild passion, but it didn't bother me too much.  All in all, enjoyable enough, but I'm torn on whether I would read more from the author.

The Land Beneath Us (Sunrise at Normandy #3) - Sarah Sundin

This is the third book in the series.  The other two are The Sea Before Us and The Sky Above Us.

This is the conclusion of the series and revolves around Clay, the youngest brother.  He’s part of the Rangers, and the dream of his death is becoming more frequent.  He’s been unhappy for a long time, so he sees the premonition as a release and a certainty.

Leah is an orphan, and all she wants is a family.  Getting together with Clay wasn’t what either of them had planned, but he wants to see that she’s taken care of, and she wants to have a family.  As the time approaches for Clay’s dream to come true, they begin to realize what they could mean to each other.

I think it’s important to know that there’s rape and a subsequent pregnancy in the book.  The feelings associated with it felt a bit glossed over, but you should be aware it’s in there if the topic bothers you.

I enjoyed this book and getting to know the characters.  I always like Sundin’s WWII novels and all the little details.  For example, I was especially drawn to Clay’s Bible in this book.  I actually have my grandfather’s pocket New Testament (his has a gold-plated steel cover), complete with the slipcover it was mailed in.  Details like that remind me to remember the past.  History shouldn’t be forgotten.

A big thank you to the author for creating a nice post-war wrap-up at the end of the book.  Updates on all three brothers wrapped up in a nice little bow.  This was a good series that I really liked reading.  Good Book!

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

Buried Secrets (Men of Valor #1) - Irene Hannon

So here's a funny coincidence - I recently finished reading Dangerous Illusions, a book someone donated to my church library.  I really enjoyed it so I looked up some of Hannon's other books.  And what did I find?  This book on sale!  The funny thing is that this book's main character is Mac, a prominent character that works with Colin (the main character in Dangerous Illusions).  Recognizing that connection, it was an instant buy.

This is the first in this series that revolves around three brothers.  Mac is an ex-Navy SEAL, and he wants to make a different kind of life for himself, maybe settle down and find a wife.  Now working as a detective, he gets called in to help police chief Lisa Grant with an interesting case.  Discovering the skeleton of a young woman puts Lisa and Mac together and sets them on a course that will lead them to a killer.  Will they be able to catch her or will she get away with it?

From the beginning, you're in the killer's head, so there's no mystery who did it.  But the killer was so intelligent and careful that I ended up wondering how far she would go to protect the life she created for herself.  Or if she'd be caught at all.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author.  She has a lot of books out there, so I've got plenty to watch for.  Good Book!

The Thief of Lanwyn Manor (Cornwall Books #2) - Sarah E. Ladd

This is the second book in the series.  The first book is called The Governess of Penwythe Hall.  I haven't read it, but Julia is from Penwythe.  I didn't feel lost at all while reading this one, so it's one of those connecting series where the books can be read alone.

Julia has fled from the gossips.  She gave her heart to a man that didn't deserve it and hopes to escape her humiliation and pain by dedicating herself to her cousin's care.  She doesn't receive a warm welcome when she gets to town, but she's determined to stay.  She meets Isaac, a local miner, and wonders if he can be someone she can trust.

Isaac's similarities with his twin brother end with their handsome looks.  Matthew is setting his sights on Julia for the sake of a local mine, but he has no real interest in her as a person.  Isaac, on the other hand, finds her very interesting.  He doesn't want to interfere with his brother's plans, but he won't let Julia be used as a pawn.

A pretty good book all around.  I liked the characters, and the mystery element was well done.  This one was entertaining, and I have no issues giving it a Good Book! review.

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

The Piper's Pursuit - Melanie Dickerson

First off, my apologies for being so late with this review.  It was a busy holiday season, and we had an amazing time with family visiting.  They were here for almost a month, and we had a great time!  Now that everything is back to normal, there's time to read again!

This is part of Melanie Dickerson's fairy tale series.  This one relates to the Hagenheim family and is a retelling of the Pied Piper.  If you're curious about how this book relates to her others, see my post HERE.

Steffan wants to redeem himself before heading home to face his parents.  He's made some mistakes, and the guilt is eating him up.  When he hears about a beast tormenting the nearby town of Hamlin, he sees it as an opportunity to prove that he's not the same person he used to be.  He's intrigued by the mayor's daughter, but she doesn't seem interested.

Katerina's been hurt in the past and doesn't trust anyone, especially men.  She sees Steffan as just another arrogant man who has his own agenda.  But when he saves her from the beast, she's forced to rethink her opinion of him.

Katerina is a bit of a shrew at times - the one particular instance I'm thinking of is toward the end, but I won't give anything away.  I liked most of the characters throughout the book, but my opinion of her was a bit of a roller coaster.  Overall it's a good read and I enjoyed it.  I'm not sure where this series is going, but we don't have a story for Adela yet, so I'm hoping to see something about her in the future.  Good Book!

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