The Warrior Maiden - Melanie Dickerson

I’ll start off by saying it took me a long time to get through this book.  Not all of the fault lies with the book.  I’ve had some medical issues and then everyone was off for the holiday break.  I’ve also been spending a lot of time working on my own story, so I haven’t devoted as much time to reading in general.

This is part of Dickerson’s fairy tale series.  To see the full explanation of connections, you can read my post here.  I keep it updated every time a new book comes out.

Wolfgang and Steffan are on their way to fight against the Teutonic Knights who are terrorizing parts of Poland.  These two brothers have a falling out, and Steffan decides he wants to fight for the other side.  Wolfgang is upset but continues on to join the army of Duke Konrad.  It’s there he meets a skilled warrior in Mulan.

Mulan left home to make sure her mother could stay in their home.  She’s also running away from an arranged marriage to a horrible man.  She’s trying to hide the fact that she’s a man from the rest of the army, but eventually it’s going to become impossible.  At that point, Wolfgang starts to become more than a colleague and friend, but she knows he’s a duke’s son and thinks nothing can happen between them.

I was disappointed in Mulan’s character.  One minute she’s a strong warrior, and the next she’s acting like a teenager.  The thing that pushed me over the edge was when she got upset at Wolfgang because of the way he asked her to marry him (it’s a fairy tale, I don’t think it’s a spoiler to mention that).  He didn’t say it the way she wanted him to, so she gets angry and huffy.  I understand she’s supposed to be wary of men because of her father, but up to that point, she’d been building a trust in Wolfgang and appreciating that he wasn’t anything like her father.  Overall, I felt like both main characters thought about their emotions more than necessary.

I was intrigued by Steffan’s character, and he’s on the lookout for a princess to rescue.  I’ll be watching for that story and hope I like it better than this one.  It wasn’t terrible, but I didn’t like it near as much as some of the others.  I just wish there had been more action, and l didn’t have to read about so many emotions.

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

The Sky Above Us (Sunrise at Normandy #2) - Sarah Sundin

This is the second book in the series.  The first one is called The Sea Before Us, and book 3, The Land Beneath Us, is scheduled to come out in 2020.  The series follows the lives of three brothers who participate in D-Day.  This book is about Adler, the middle brother.

Adler’s been bottling up his pain for three years, since the night he ran away from home in disgrace.  Now, he’s a fighter pilot and determined to do his part in the war.  A chance meeting gives him a new friend in Violet, a worker for the Red Cross.  She thinks she’s on her way to work with children in England, but her role is a lot different than she imagined.

Adler and Violet end up in the same unit, but they resist giving in to their feelings.  Violet plans on becoming a missionary in Africa, and Adler just wants to start up a business.  Violet ends up being good for Adler, but he doesn’t want to let her too close.  In his eyes, when she knows everything, she’ll think very differently about him.

I usually like Sundin’s books, and this was no exception.  Part of it is the history (I’m drawn to the WWII era), and part is the characters.  The main characters were great, but I liked some of the supporting cast as well, namely Nick.  Sometimes the descriptions get a little too technical for me, but you can tell the author does her homework.  I liked the tiny bit of closure at the end, and I’m hoping for a great ending in the third book.  All 3 brothers, all together – preferably after the war!

The hardest part is going to be waiting until the third book comes out.  Poor Clay has reason to be angry with both his brothers, and I can’t wait to read his story.  Good Book!

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

The Line Between - Tosca Lee

Wynter has been kicked out of a cult.  She’s lived there since she was seven, and now she has to build a new life for herself.  Her sister and niece are still inside the Enclave, and Wynter wants to get them out.  But being outside the Enclave isn’t a safe place.  A disease that causes rapid onset dementia is spreading like wildfire.  Things around the entire country are falling apart, and stopping it will end up resting on Wynter’s shoulders.

I like Tosca Lee’s writing style, and this one doesn’t disappoint in that regard.  The descriptions are well done, and the tension is there.  My main complaint revolves around the time jumps.  The flashbacks come without warning and are jarring.  The ending also bothered me a bit.  After all the wonderful descriptions and immersive scenes, the end wrapped up too fast.  It made me feel a bit cheated.

I’ll take some of the responsibility for not liking this book.  It’s one of those times when liking an author doesn’t mean you like all their books.  The subject matter is chilling and something I wouldn’t normally read.  On the other hand, the way the flashbacks were handled and the rushed ending would have bothered me in any book.

Overall, it just wasn’t for me.

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

Secrets at Cedar Cabin (Lavender Tides #3) - Colleen Coble

This is the third book in the series.  It starts with a novella, Leaving Lavender Tides, and then the first two books: The View from Rainshadow Bay and The House at Saltwater Point.  Personally, I haven't read the novella, but I've been able to read both novels.

Bailey doesn't know it, but her mother has been lying for her entire life.  Now, her mother's dead, and someone's after Bailey.  She leaves Rock Harbor (Coble fans will recognize the location) and heads for a cabin in Lavender Tides.  Little does she realize the house will link her with a human trafficking ring.

Lance has been searching for his sister for years, but he feels close this time.  He starts off by trying to tell Bailey he's a neighbor while he checks out who she is.  When he realizes she's just wrapped up in something she doesn't understand, he wants to help her.

And she wants to help him.  Both Bailey and Lance have been hurt in the past, so getting past their wounds is going to take some time.  But Bailey's upfront about who she is, and that draws Lance even closer.

I appreciate the author wrapping up Jason and Mac's story, but the brief moments with just the two of them seemed to interrupt the flow of the main story at times.  I also felt that the end was a bit rushed, but these are minor criticisms. Overall,  I really enjoyed this story and the series as a whole.

The series is about the siblings coming together but with separate stories.  There's a few plot lines that overlap, and with the way you're reading about how their lives are progressing, I think you'll get the most out of the series by reading them in order.  There's a nice little epilogue at the end from Shauna's point of view wrapping it all up in a tidy little bow.  She's got her family back, and it was an enjoyable ride for me as a reader.  Good Book!

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

Flights of Fancy (American Heiresses #1) - Jen Turano

Isadora comes from a wealthy family.  Her mother is encouraging her to make an alliance with a duke, but the man is vulgar, and possibly a murderer.  Izzie decides to take the advice of some friends and hide until her father can get home and talk some sense into her mother.  To do that, she answers an ad for a housekeeper at a farm in a small town.  Unfortunately, being an heiress didn't prepare her for taking care of someone's home.

And that someone is Ian MacKenzie.  He spends a lot of his time in Pittsburgh, and he wants to make sure his Aunt Birdie and Uncle Amos are taken care of.  This isn't an ordinary farm, but Izzie isn't an ordinary woman.  She talks Ian into giving her a chance to prove herself, and even though he's normally a tough negotiator, he finds he can't refuse her.

As these two get closer, they come to realize that the plans they've had for their lives may not be the path they need to be on.  Izzie wants to trust them with her secret, but she's afraid Ian and the others will treat her differently.  She wants to be appreciated for who she is.  With all the strange things happening at the farm, there's more going on than meets the eye, but how long can she hide the truth?

As usual, Turano weaves a good tale, but in my opinion, her strength is her characters.  I cared about all of them, even Buttercup and Elmer (and they're barnyard animals!).  It's a nice, easy read, and just what I wanted.  Good Book!

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

Timebound (Chronos Files #1) - Rysa Walker

I picked this up as my monthly free read. I like time travel stories, especially when they're well handled. A few that immediately come to mind are the River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren abd Timeline by Michael Crichton (the book - NOT the movie). I didn't get to see all the "Kindle in Motion" bits in this title, but I wasn't really interested in them anyway.

Kate meets her grandmother and is intrigued by a glowing medallion. She later finds out she can use it to travel through time.  She's going to need it - the past is being changed and Kate is supposed to make it right.

I was interested in the story at first, but then it seemed like the plot slowed down. The potential problem with time travel novels is that it creates natural questions that need to be addressed. This book seemed to want to answer every one of those questions in an exhaustive manner, and it was too much explanation and not enough action.

I made it about halfway in before giving up. It may have gotten better later on, but I had no interest in going farther. It just wasn't for me.

The Lost Lady of Hathaway Manor - Anne Knoll (DTB)

Okay, you might be wondering: why in the world am I reading this?  Well, my hubby was out of town for a week and I let him borrow my Kindle.  All my new books are on that, so I was stuck with my bookcase of DTBs that stare at me sadly every time I pick up a digital book.

Back in the day, I loved these books.  I ate 'em up.  Every one has the same "theme."  A mysterious castle/man and the damsel in distress.  I hate to say it, but I don't think you'll be giving any of these women awards for common sense and/or their powers of deduction.  India/Katherine isn't much different.

India and her father are on the run from creditors and have taken the ship from America to England, hoping to find some way to change their situation.  And then they meet Katherine.  The two young women look strikingly similar, but Katherine has no desire to spend the time until her birthday in the boring old country.  And since India thinks the country sounds wonderful, the two decide to switch places.  What could go wrong?  Just about everything.

India soon discovers that Katherine's family is afraid she'll remember something about the death of a servant.  Her "aunt" and "cousin" see her as competition for a suitor, and India's time in the country is not very relaxing at all.  The man she's drawn to seems to burn hot and cold, and India sees things that make her think he might be behind all the things that are frightening her.

I'll admit, this was a nostalgia read.  This was also one of the racier ones I have, but nothing too graphic.  A slight blush here and there.  Reading this was a bit hard at times.  Sometimes India's inner thoughts are in quotes, so at first I thought she spoke those out loud.  The weird thing was, not all her thoughts were like that.

I have say, the older I get, the more I appreciate a woman that can take charge, at least a little bit.  India was the very definition of a damsel in distress, and it makes her slightly irritating to me.  Would I have chosen to read this if it weren't for the nostalgia?  No, but it's nice to be able to pull out a book once in a while and know exactly what I'm getting.  It's like traveling down a familiar road when you're worn out and don't want to explore new territory.