Month: August 2014

About

After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they’re both considered prime suspects in the attack. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn’t who he appears to be.

Agent Grayson Hall’s number-one priority is to catch those responsible for the day’s act of terror. All evidence is pointing to Taryn and her new husband. But his instinct tells him her pleas of innocence are genuine. Is her naiveté just for show, or could she truly be another victim of a master scheme, possibly linked to the software she recently developed for her company?

With both their lives and reputations on the line, and the media outcry for justice increasing with each passing minute, Taryn and Grayson have no choice but to trust one another . . . and pray they can uncover the truth before they become two more casualties.

Review

I’m not usually a mystery reader, but every now and then I like to try out genres that are not my favorite to spice things up a little. My thoughts:

What I liked:

The novel really starts with a bang (literally). I mean for the first few chapters, I was really on pins and needles trying to figure out what had happened, why it had happened and who done it.

The set up of the mystery is really unique. I mean one minute Taryn is happily in love and the next thing she knows, she and the man she married are suspects.

Taryn. She’s a fascinating character. She’s both something of a computer nerd, but also very bold and unafraid. Sometimes I wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but she certainly wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines and wait for the FBI to figure things out.

There’s a really great twist at the end that I did not see coming.

Spiritually, there is theme of forgiveness and trusting God.

What I didn’t like:

Really, it comes down to a preference. After the beginning, this novel kind of slowed for me and though it had some romance, the novel was focused on the mystery. It just wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. That said, I know someone else who read this book and loved it.

Romantic Scale: 6

**I received this copy from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

About

Review

Rebels picks up right where Outcasts ended. My thoughts:

What I liked:

Suspense, suspense, suspense. I had great faith in a HEA, but I was still on my toes reading this novel!

Even more secrets are revealed. You think you have one thing figured out, only to find out there’s something else there.

The characters. None of them are flat, and usually I’m not a fan of having so many different points of view, but I loved the characters so much, that I never found it to be a problem. Mason. Omar. Levi. How they have grown since the book! Mason is my favorite and I just love being in his head. Omar is the character who made me feel a variety of emotions: first I was annoyed, then I was afraid for him. then I was proud of him, then I was annoyed with him (and the cycle began again). He’s definitely grown the most and managed to become dear to me. Levi has the rug pulled out from underneath him a couple times, and watching him react to things is always interesting.

And lets not forget the girls! I loved being in Shaylin and Jemma’s head and learning more about Ciddah.

The plot. It was involved and complicated and I loved every minute of it.

Spiritually, you get different portrayals of faith: some positive and some negative, but at the end of the day, faith is motivated by love and that’s seen so well here.

What I didn’t like:

Really I liked everything, but I could have used some more romance (I can always use more romance!). All the couples in this book spent most of the book a part from each other, trying to get to the other. But the writing was so good, I barely noticed this until the end.

Romantic Scale: 7

Overall, I really enjoyed this conclusion. I’m not ready to leave them yet and I kinda want more.

In general, I love series. I like the idea of a having a longer, fully fleshed out story that pulls you in completely. BUT, the worse thing about series, as any reader knows, is the break in between. It’s the time after you’ve read a book and loved it, and feel like you know all the characters, but realize it’ll be a year before you meet them again. And then time goes by, and no matter how much you loved the book, characters get forgotten, you forget the small nuances, the anxiety slowly begins to wear off…

I will admit, I oftentimes wonder if authors can really expect to maintain a big following when they release one book a year (particularly if they are indie). It’s not that I wouldn’t buy book two, merely that I have forgotten about book two. And so, I have been known to not even start a series until at least two or three books are out.

That said, there are some fantastic authors who do their best to release books in a timely fashion: Jill Williamson, Lisa T. Bergren, Susan May Warren, Julie Lessman, Jody Hedlund, to name a few.

So, thoughts. Love series? Hate series? Think they take too much time in between?

About

Imogen Browne longs to make up for past mistakes before she can move on. She quietly resolves to help the Dorazio family, whose lives she accidentally upset. Her biggest challenge is Asher, the one person who may never forgive her. And he is facing a crisis of his own. Imogen must tread very carefully, as trying to fix things may well make them shatter. A sensitive story about misplaced loyalty, celebrating life and falling in love. Can family secrets concealed with the best intentions bear the light of day?

Review

I learned of this book because Ms. Vince herself contacted me. I read what the novel was about and I thought it would be very cute. Well, it was more than cute! I really loved it and I found myself sharing it with others before I had even finished it. My thoughts:

What I liked:

The setting. The author is Australian and the book takes place in Australia. But the novel is written through Imogen’s eyes and she is an American. And thus, when she comes into contact with things that are unique to Australia, I the reader was not lost, but intrigued.

The characters. Imogen, Asher, Becky, Seth, all of them are fully fleshed out with weaknesses and strengths to the point that I felt like they were real. One thing that I really liked is that no one is perfect in this novel, not even the love interest and that is what makes the romance so nice.

The romance. To me, its one of the best kinds of romance: a romance built on the foundation of friendship. I loved watching Imogen and Asher get to know and respect each other and eventually fall in love. They are able to acknowledge each others weaknesses and strengths and love each other because of it. The romance is a bit slower, but worth it. No insta-love here!

Spiritually, this is where the novel is really strong, and frankly, shows the reach that a Christian romance novel can really have. The main theme in this novel is healing and that God still heals. A couple of the characters are challenged to seek and know God personally and to be aware that no one will love them as much as God does. And they’re also taught to not limit God. I just loved it. They had challenges with believing God, but purposed in their heart to do so anyway, and I thought their faith was portrayed realistically and honestly. At some point you have to choose what you believe, and I thought this novel does a fabulous job of showing that.

What I didn’t like:

I liked everything!

Romantic Scale: 8

Overall, a wonderful novel that will make you sigh with the romance and grow your faith!

**I received this copy from the author. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

I’ve long since believed that the idea of what is romantic is subjective. I mean, if you google the top 100 most romantic movies, you’ll get all sorts of things. And while I may agree with 30% of them, there’s about 70% that have me bewildered. Adultery is not romantic, I think movies that don’t end in Happily Ever After are depressing, lust doesn’t last, and I don’t care for some kind of post-modern concept of romance where the couple is not quite together but together.

But, I love romance. I always have. So here is the basic recipe I think a book (or movie) needs to be really romantic:

-the hero and heroine know each other; the good, the bad, and the ugly, and because of that, they love each other

-no deception, no playing games

-respect; for each other and whatever positions they may hold

-the willingness and ability to sacrifice for the other; or just plain putting the other first.

So, here’s my list, what’s yours?

Is there anything you would add or change?

Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister–and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and posing as men, but Kylie has grown her hair long and wears skirts every chance she gets. It’s a risk–they are homesteading using the special exemptions they earned serving in the Civil War as “boys”–but Kylie plans to make the most of the years before she can sell her property and return to the luxuries of life back East.

Local land agent Aaron Masterson is fascinated with Kylie from the moment her long hair falls from her cap. But now that he knows her secret, can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government? And when someone tries to force Kylie off her land, does he have any hope of convincing her that marrying him and settling on the frontier is the better option for her future?

Review

I’ve read a lot of Mary Connealy novels and I really loved the first five or six novels she ever wrote. Then however, it seemed (to me anyway) that she was kind of rewriting the same story over and over. But this novel? This novel was different and I so enjoyed it! I’m really excited to read the rest of the series! My thoughts:

What I liked:

The characters. Like all of them. I loved Aaron’s pragmatic ways. He’s not fooled by much of anything, I love that Kylie is all girl and yet strong in ways you can’t even begin to comprehend. Bailey seems so complex and I can’t wait to read her story. I know Shannon’s got something up her sleeve and I wonder what that’s all about. Matthew Tucker? Gage Coulter? Yes, please.

The romance. One thing I really like about every Connealy novel I’ve ever read is her emphasis on marriage. I believe people got married in those days and not always for love. Survival was often key, and I love how she shows that. But I also think that she was able to show Kylie and Aaron fall in love with each other throughout the book so that it didn’t feel like they were each other’s only other options.

The history. I learned something about land-grabbing in those days.

The humor. Occasionally, Ms. Connealy’s books can be a bit over the top. Not this one. It was cute and funny and made sense to me.

Spiritually, there is this great theme on forgiveness and how if you let hatred fester, it will turn into bitterness and pretty much destroy your life.

What I didn’t like:

You know what? I liked everything about this book.

Romantic Scale: 8

**I received this novel from BethanyHouse. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

About

Review

No one can give me my WWII fix quite like Sarah Sundin. With Ms. Sundin, I know I’m going to get accurate historical details, perfect flight maneuvers, and a slow-burning romance. Here’s my thoughts:

What I liked:

The delicately interwoven historical details in the novel. At no point did I feel like I was being constantly reminded that I was in the 1940s WWII era. Her characters just lived that time period. And WWII is a character itself as it takes people out of the war and brings new people in. And I learned something new!

We’re back with the old gang. Kay has been mentioned in the other two books in the series, and so I was excited to really meet her (and to catch up with Mellie and Georgie as well).

Kay. She’s a different kind of heroine who doesn’t start off like the other girls. Her past is a bit shady, and it really adds a different vibe to this novel that the others didn’t have. And yet, in spite of the fact that she’s not always on the straight and narrow, there’s a certain something about her that makes her trustworthy. I like that her personality is so well-developed in this book. By the end of it, you know what makes Kay tick and what words will upset her, and what makes her happy. She obviously changes and grows, but she manages to hold onto who she is.

Roger. I like Roger. I like that Roger has plans and goals and a past as well as a future. I like that he listens to God and is obedient and still has a hard time growing up. I mean, the man plays the drums. How original is that!

The romance. It was slow, and it was perfect. Roger finds Kay attractive, but he’s not interested in her at first and so the book does a fabulous job of bringing them together.

Spiritually, this book does a wonderful job showing what grace and God’s forgiveness actually looks like and how you have to walk it out.

What I didn’t like:

I think towards the end (the last four chapters) the book got kind of long, and I just wanted to flip through to get to the end.

Also, one thing I’ve noted is the age group of these single WWII nurses and pilots…they’re kind of old (28-30) for their era. Not that this impacts the novel in anyway. It just stands out to me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this last book in the series. I didn’t want to put it down. I found myself completely invested in Kay and Roger and I hope you will to.

Romantic Scale: 8.8

**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**