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Showing posts from February, 2016

Island Hope by Kimberly Johnson

     I liked how Hope worked at retrieving her love of art when she felt that it was gone forever.  The Resort seems good for those who have hurting souls.  Hope is working her friend Piper's Resort and finds herself impacted more than she could imagine.  Her friend works at getting her paired up with the most unusual candidate, but she soon realizes that when given a chance, Derrick is not too bad.      I liked seeing how the characters learned to evolve and to grow and how their faith carried them into the future.  I love reading series as they give you a continuation to the ongoing story as well as introduce new characters into it.      I would recommend this series , but each story was great in its own right.      I received  a copy of this book to read for review from the author.

Always Watching by Lynette Eason

      A different twist on bodyguards as a an elite agency of women guardians takes on the task of guarding Wade Savage.  Wade has a stalker and they are not giving up.  It takes the entire team to keep him safe including some new hires after the stalker does not give up going after the body guards and police alike.  Wade becomes concerned when it becomes obvious that the stalker knows personal things about him and his daughter beyond what should be known.  After  stalker steps it up and becomes move violent, the agency owner Olivia Edwards realizes she must do all she can to protect her client even if it involves her greatest fear.      This was a twist on the usual protection agencies that normally are all male or a mix and I liked how it work.      I received a copy of this book free to review from the publisher.

Until the Dawn by Elizabeth Camden

   I became interested in reading Toward the Sunrise a novella that introduced some of the characters in the book and just knew I had to find out what would happen.     I was intrigued by Sophie who was a woman beyond her time.  Her interest in the goings on at the house as well as her weather station made her someone to follow.  I liked how she was so dedicated to the station that when she thought she would not get to gather the readings, she was able to get the owner's young son involved.  She did great in getting him to believe in himself.      I found the mansion's story intriguing and liked how the facts came out and how the secrets were revealed to do away with superstitions.  Sophie managed to bring out the best in the new owner of the house and make sure that people didn't get turned out of their homes and jobs when he was intent on getting rid of everyone.      A great read and waiting to see where the story goes next.

Calico Spy by Margaret Brownley

     I have enjoyed getting to know the Pinkerton Operatives in this series by Margaret Brownley.  I love seeing what they do to fit in .  Katie Madison works to fit in as a Harvey girl to solve the murder of two waitresses.  She finds it harder to learn all the things a Harvey must know to server the meals than she does being an operative.  She also finds herself almost blowing her cover as she stops a bank robbery.      I enjoyed seeing Katie figure out ways to put together what she knows while trying to keep her cover. It is not made easy since she does have to let the sheriff know and he was expecting a man and does not want to work with her. I also liked learning more about the Harvey Girls     I really enjoyed this book as well as the series and recommend it to anyone who loves a good read.

The Prophetess by Jill Eileen Smith

     An interesting book that shows how the Prophetess Deborah grew to become the woman she was.  She had faith in God, but really struggled to gain her full potential.  She strove to be a good wife and mother and to fulfill the plan that God had for her.  It was fascinating to see Deborah in a different way and to see how she became the woman that she was.  It took great courage for her to step up, especially during this time period.      I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review.

Beyond the Silence by Kimberly Woodhouse and Tracie Peterson

     Lillian has a sense of adventure that she decides to act upon by going west to take a job as a nanny.  The family that she is working for has had their share of heartache and many feel that the father has brought it upon himself.  Lillian has to learn how to survive in a new place where she had traveled to despite her family's wishes, but has to do it with only the support of her new employer.  Lillian has to work hard to overcome many of the townspeople's snub because of her association with this family.      I would find it hard to do what she did with leaving all that was safe and familiar to embark on a journey where I did not know what all to expect.  Lillian has it even harder as she is fighting against an unknown that is out to get the family.  She has to battle this all while trying to protect and nurture her charge.      This is an enjoyable book and will leave you rooting for Lillian as she tries to make things better for the  Colton family.      I received a

Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower

     A delightful read that incorporates books, a good mystery, and of course animals.  I really enjoyed how Violet comes home to find that her grandmother has gotten her home under false pretenses, but is still good-natured about it.  She finds herself working at the magical bookstore and believing that the books will pick the right person to read them.       She unfortunately finds herself having to help her grandmother Daisy in another way.  A friend of her grandmother is found dead and because of recent events is a prime suspect.  The daughter of the dead man wants everything that has been left to Daisy given to her including a cat named Emerson.      I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this new series.  I liked how the magic was incorporated into it without being too much.  I liked how the books seemed to speak to the person who was deciding what to choose, but would hope that the wrong one would not choose me.      I received a copy from the publisher to read an

Merchant of Alyss by Thomas Locke

     I liked how the author introduced the characters so that anyone reading the story regardless if they were familiar with his work or not would know who they were.  The author did a great job of drawing  you into the world of the characters.      The story starts out with our Hero Hyam trying to accept the loss of his magic, but accepting the praise of his heroics that caused the loss of the magic.  He soon comes into possession of a scroll that will give him some powers, but it also gives him insight that he does not know what do do with.  This book takes us on his journey to understand what it means and a chance  to be a hero again.      I received a copy of the book free from the publisher to review.

Hannah's Choice by Jan Drexler

     In Hannah's Choice, Hannah Yoder must work to sort out the troubles her family faces and to work to hold everything together.  She is content where she is, but must deal with ideas from outside her Amish community and family issues within.       She feels responsible for many of these issues and feels like she must be the one to work through what has arisen as a result of the issues.  She has to work at keeping her family together and being a peacemaker.  She finds herself with another dilemma in choosing a mate.  She has to choose between staying in her community and continuing her duties with her family, or choosing to leave and go west.       I have not really thought what it must have been like to face issues of today during the 1800's without all the outside support that is available today. Hannah had to try to work with her family and keep things together when others in her family were unable or unwilling to help.  I enjoyed this story and felt like I was right the

A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

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     I have currently been studying about conditions during WWI and it was interesting to read a book from the perspective of someone who was helping out during the war.  I would be hard to give up what you are accustomed to, to live somewhere else and help out with children who have lost everything.       Having had a pen pal at one time, I can imagine how the letters between Penny and Alex went as they got to know each other in a not so great time in their lives or history.  Many great stories have come out of wartime romances and those letters are something to cherish.  I have seen footage of what many of the soldiers had to go though and can only image the fear felt knowing what Alex was going into.      This is a great book as it not only gives you a taste of history, but puts it in a human context. "I received this book from  Blogging for Books  for this review." More Info Author Bio

Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey

     Cold Shot is a great start to a new series.  I liked how it opened up and showed us just who the characters were and how they would react to the situations they were in.  Finley Scott is an anthropologist who is doing some work in the Gettysburg National Park when she gets an after hours call to come out and look at a body, while she thinks it a bit strange, she leaves from her date and comes to see what is going on without question.  She gets there and Griffin shows her to the body and the story begins.      This book keeps you looking to see  why the body is so important and who is concerned that the body was found.  I also liked seeing how the three men who were once great friends work at connecting again to do their part in this case.  I am looking forward to see where their adventures continue next and to see more of what in their past got them to this point.      I received a copy of this book from the publisher to read and review.