Month: December 2012

Posted in Personal

Monday Musings….New Years’ Resolutions

Posted on by remaininhislove

Do you make New Years’ Resolutions? I do, kind of. I usually pick three or four things that I would like to see accomplished in the new year and that way it’s easier for me to keep them in mind as the year passes. Last year, most of my resolutions had to do with finishing law school and passing the bar (which I kept Amen!) This year, I suppose it’s related to working, but as someone who loves to plan out every day, I am also committed to letting God change things up this year…and not to get upset about it.

But I also have some resolutions for this blog: more interviews, giveaways, and more people interaction. I love blogging, and I hope that it is truly a blessing to those who read it.

So what are some things you want to see happen this year? Any ideas to make my blog better?

Posted in Historical

Michael K. Reynolds’ Flight of the Earls

Posted on by remaininhislove

About

It’s 1846 in Ireland. When her family’s small farm is struck by famine, Clare Hanley and her younger brother, Seamus, set out across the ocean to the Promised Land of America.

Five years prior, Clare’s older sister Margaret and her Uncle Tomas emigrated in similar fashion and were not to be heard from again. But Clare must face her fears as she lands in the coming-of-age city of New York. There she discovers love, adventure, tragedy, and a terrible secret which threatens to destroy her family and all she believes.

Review

If ever you’re looking for historical fiction, this is it. Mr. Reynolds does a fantastic job of transporting the reader to 19th century Ireland (and later America) and making you feel as though you are going through the same struggles as the Irish went through. The novel portrays, often, overwhelmingly sad and harsh incidents that you know were only to common at the time. I thought the author did a good job of fleshing out the various characters in the novel. Clare felt like a real person and you could understand the workings of Seamus and the rest of his family. The novel was probably not as romantic as I usually read (though there is romance) and at times I felt like I wasn’t entirely sure of where the novel was going, but overall it was well-written and a satisfying read. Spiritually, Clare has to learn to lean on God even though she experiences some really tough time and you can see the importance of evangelizing in this novel.

**I recieved this novel from netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Posted in Personal

Monday Musings….Books I’m Looking Forward to in 2013

Posted on by remaininhislove

There are a lot of books coming out in 2013, but here are just a few I’m looking forward to:

Hero's Lot, The (The Staff and the Sword)

Yes, this is book 2, I read book 1 and loved it (review coming soon)!

Anything by Sarah Sundin is a winner!

Undeniably Yours

Love Becky Wade!

Talon: Combat Tracking Team (A Breed Apart)

Such a fantastic author!

The Fairest Beauty

Her remakes of fairytales are on point!

Captives (Safe Lands, The)

You can never go wrong with a Jill Williamson novel!

Into the Whirlwind

I so enjoyed the last novel, that I can’t wait till this one comes out!

It Happened at the Fair: A Novel

A whole year without Deeanne Gist…smh…can’t wait for this one!

Stealing the Preacher

She’s just fantastic!

Small Town Girl: A Novel

It sounds like my kind of book!

And this only touches the surface. Excited for the new year! Anyone else know of any good books coming out this year?

Posted in Uncategorized

Jill Williamson’s Chokepoint

Posted on by remaininhislove

About

Ever since I returned from Moscow, life is a full court press. Mission League
field agents are everywhere. All the time. Watching. Waiting for me to fulfill a
sixty-year-old prophecy. When some baddies try to guy-nap me, the field agents
threaten to move me and Grandma Alice to some random hick town, to give us new
fake identities until the prophecy is fulfilled.

Not going to
happen.

I’ve got one chance to stay in Pilot Point. I have to prove to
the agents that I can stay safe. Have to make this work. For basketball. For
Kip. For Beth.

So, bring it, baddies. It’s game on.

Review

This novella picks up right where The New Recruit left off and I loved being in Spencer’s head again. Ms. Williamson has so captured the thoughts and actions of a teenage boy that I feel like I’ve met a form of Spencer before. Spencer begins to try to dig deeper into his family past while also dealing with a traitor in the agency. Fun, exciting, and intriguing. Spiritually, there is the continual emphasis on the use of spiritual gifts and Spencer comes to realize the importance of prayer even more. You won’t want to put it down and I’m eager for the next mission to come out.

Special note:100% OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THIS ENOVELLA GO TOWARD THE ADOPTION OF LITTLE SYNDEY
FROM EASTERN EUROPE. PLEASE, HELP BRING SYDNEY HOME.

Posted in Historical

Tamera Leigh’s The Yielding

Posted on by remaininhislove

About

The Unveiling, the first book in the Age of Faith series, introduced readers to the formidable Wulfrith family during Duke Henry’s battle for England’s throne in 1153. Now, four years later, Henry wears the crown, but the Wulfriths are no less defiant—and no more amenable to forging alliances through king-decreed marriage.
SHE HAD KILLED A MAN. OR SO IT WAS SAID…
Convent-bound Lady Beatrix Wulfrith is determined to aid her sister in escaping marriage to their family’s enemy. Unaware of the sacrifice that awaits her, she leads their pursuers astray only to meet with an accident that forever alters her destiny and takes the life of a young knight whose brother vows he will not rest until the lady is brought to justice.
Lord Michael D’Arci is a warrior and a womanizer whose foul mouth and impatience bode ill for all who trespass against him. Falsely accused of ravishment years earlier, he refuses to believe Lady Beatrix’s accusations against his deceased brother. However, when he finds himself at the mercy of that same woman who clings to her convictions and faith even when it threatens to prove her undoing, his quest for justice wavers.

Review

Ms. Leigh’s new novel thrusts you right back into medieval times and amongst the Wulfriths once again. I was really excited to see that this novel was about Garr’s sister and I found the premise of the novel to be intriguing. Beatrix, I thought, was a great heroine and unique in many ways. And I think the reader will totally get where Michael is coming from. When they were together, I enjoyed their often spirited exchanges (though I did feel like they talked in circles around each other at moments). Spiritually, Beatrix’s faith in God was one of the things I loved the most about this novel (though there is a moment in the book that seems at odds with her belief) and Michael has to learn to humble himself before the Lord. Also, I think the book does a good job of showing how bitterness and hatred can tear a person apart from the inside out.  Good Book and I am looking forward to the third one!

Posted in Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense

Irene Hannon’s Vanished

Posted on by remaininhislove

About

Reporter Moira Harrisons is lost. In the dark. In a thunderstorm. When a confusing detour places her on a rural, wooded road, she’s startled by the sudden appearance of a lone figure caught in the beam of her headlights. Though Moira jams on her brakes, the car careens across the wet pavement–and the solid thump against the side of the vehicle tells her she hit the person before she crashes into a tree on the far side of the road.
A dazed Moira is relieved when a man opens her door, tells her he saw everything, and promises to call 911. Then everything fades to black. When she comes to an hour later, she is alone. No man. No 911. No injured person lying on the side of the road. But she can’t forget the look of terror she saw on the person’s face in the instant before her headlights swung away. The person she hit had been in trouble. She’s sure of it. But she can’t get anyone to believe her story–except a handsome former police detective, now a private eye, who agrees to take on the case.
From the very first page, readers will be hooked into this fast-paced story full of shocking secrets from fan-favorite Irene Hannon. Vanished is the exciting first book in the Private Justice series: Three justice seekers who got burned playing by the rules now have a second chance to make things right.

Review

Ms. Hannon knows how to pull a reader in from the first page of her novel, and this one is no different. Immediately, I was intrigued by the premise and eager to figure out what had happened. I thought the bad guy in this novel was a kind of twisted Robin Hood which made him really unique. I also really enjoyed Moira’s character because she didn’t play games when it came to her interest in Cal. She read like a real woman. I thought Cal was also a very developed hero, and easy to like. I was concerned midway through the book that it would follow a formula that I have noticed in many of Ms. Hannon’s novels, and while this one did to a certain degree, it was also done very differently. One thing I liked about this book was how she talks about undercover work. That does seem to be one of those areas that’s a bit borderline spiritually, and I’m glad she addressed it. Spiritually, Cal has to learn to forgive himself and I enjoy watching Moira live out her faith. Good Book. I can’t wait until the next one. Highly Recommended!

**I recieved this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Posted in Historical

Shawna K. Williams

Posted on by remaininhislove

About

Pastor David Langley understands six-year old Caleb Holsheyer — what it feels
like to be damaged and alone. His family killed in a fire, and his body severely
burned, David grew up in an orphanage, ridiculed and shunned. He couldn’t let
that be Caleb’s fate.

When adoption plans fall through, David is
desperate to find Caleb a new home. But in the midst of the Great Depression,
most families are barely getting by. No one seems willing to take on the
responsibility of an extra mouth, especially one belonging to a crippled
child.

Except for Sadie Miller, the town spinster. In Sadie, David sees
the answer to Caleb’s needs. But Child Welfare doesn’t agree, and demands other
arrangements be found, or the boy be returned to the orphanage.

David and Sadie team up, determined to find a home for an orphaned child, but while
searching, might they find a family instead.

Review

If you’re feeling in the Christmas spirit (like me!) and want to read a Christmas novel, this is a great one. It’s a tad bit shorter than I like, but the characters are very well developed and you can’t help but love Caleb, understand David, and feel for Sadie. When I first read the back of this novel, I thought for sure that I knew what would happen, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it didn’t go the way I thought it would. To a certain degree, Christmas books are a bit corny, but I thought that this one didn’t fall into that category because Christmas wasn’t held up as the end all be all. Spiritually, David and Sadie have to learn to walk by faith because their circumstances certainly don’t make things look possible. Good book and great for the season.

Posted in Historical

Jen Turano’s A Change of Fortune

Posted on by remaininhislove

About

Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. Her fortune was the last thing she had left
after losing her father, her fiance, and her faith. Now, masquerading as Miss
Eliza Sumner governess-at-large, she’s determined to find the man who ran off
with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London.

Mr. Hamilton Beckett, much to his chagrin, is the catch of the season,
and all the eyes of New York society–all the female ones, at least–are on him.
He has no plans to marry again, especially since his hands are full keeping his
business afloat while raising his two children alone.

Eliza’s hapless
attempts to regain her fortune unexpectedly put her right in Hamilton’s path.
The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces and, before she
knows it, Eliza has a whole retinue of people helping her. Eliza’s determination
not to trust anyone weakens when everyone’s antics and bumbling efforts to
assist her make her wonder if there might be more important things than her
fortune and independence.

When all of Hamilton’s and Eliza’s best-laid
plans fall by the wayside, it will take a riot of complications for them to
realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along.

Review

I really enjoyed reading this novel, though I will say to some degree it wasn’t what I expected. I think I expected more women chasing Hamilton, but that didn’t really happen in this novel . However, there was an honesty and openness to this novel that I just simply found refreshing. Sometimes deceit gets a little old. The slight mystery and suspense was enough to keep me turning the pages and I enjoyed the view given of New York Society. I did think that the women were a bit ahead of their times in this novel and with no real explanation as to why. Also, things had a tendency to happen quickly (friendships were forged fast, offenses forgiven quickly). That said, I did very much enjoy the relationship that unfolded between Hamilton and Eliza. I think this is one novel that moved past physical attraction and made it to a solid friendship. Spiritually, Eliza and Hamilton have to learn to trust God after they go through some trying times. Overall, a good book and I look forward to the next one by this author.

**I recieved this novel from BethanyHouse Publishers. My opinion was not affected in any way.**