A December Bride by Denise Hunter

As some of you know I’m a school librarian in Africa, and over Christmas break I got to go home to the States. Before leaving I requested a bunch of books through NetGalley to read on the plane rides (it takes three flights, two of which are between 6 and 8 hours long). Well, I certainly enjoyed the books but then was lazy over break (and so busy with Christmas and seeing people) that I never got the reviews written.

So here is the first of books I read over the 24 hour trip:

A December Bride by Denise Hunter. Zondervan, 2013. 120p. (9780310338741) Series: A Year of Weddings, #1

A fun quick read that I think I started while waiting at the gate and had finished before we took off.

Goodreads Summary:

What started as a whim turned into an accidental - and very public - engagement. Can Layla and Seth keep up the facade in Chapel Springs this holiday season - for the sake of her career . . . and his heart?

Under normal circumstances, Seth Murphy, the best friend of Layla O'Reilly's ex-fiance would be the last person she'd marry. But the news of their upcoming (and phony) nuptials convinces a big client that Layla may be high-society enough to work for his agency, a coup that would put her fledgling home-staging business on the map. Seth has secretly loved Layla for years, even when she was dating his best friend. Maybe she'll never forgive him for the way he hurt her back then, but he has to try. And Layla is willing to keep up their engagement farce until she's landed her client. For Layla, it's the chance to save her career. But for Seth, it's his last chance to win her heart.

My Review:

This was a sweet, quick read and I want to read more stories set in Chapel Springs. At the end is an excerpt of Barefoot Summer and it reminded me that Perfect Match was by the same author. The characters are all connected somehow – friends, sisters, I don’t really remember now.

Seth and Layla were very well portrayed given the length of the book and it was very easy to sympathize with their reasons for getting into the mess of a fake engagement and choosing to keep it up. I don’t like romance stories where everything happens in a short frame of time, it’s not realistic and in real life those strong feelings likely aren’t sustainable. December Bride takes place over two weeks time, but they had met two years prior and there had been some interest way back then, so it was easy to believe the way events unfolded.

A cute, Christmas romance with very nicely written kissing scenes. Not overly described, just enough to let you know it was a perfect, sweet kiss. While thinking how to word that I was reminded of The Princess Bride’s “most passionate, the most pure” kiss and I think Seth and Layla’s first kiss could rank up there. :-)

Not that that is very realistic either, I’ve been told (by newlyweds who ought to know) that kissing is awkward at first and nowhere near as picture perfect as the movies make it out to be. And actually I don't really like Wesley and Buttercup's kiss all that much - too much jaw movement. When we were little my sister made up a word for that, "humjumming" (at least I think that's how you'd spell it).

If you need a quick Christmas romance then this is a great choice!

It’s very easy to reread it

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

~~~

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Fortress of Mist by Sigmund Brouwer (Book Cover Bingo - Fog)

Fortress of Mist by Sigmund Brouwer. WaterBrook Press, 2013. 217p. (9781400071555) Series: Merlin’s Immortals, #2

Almost a year ago I read book one in this series, The Orphan King. That book ends rather abruptly and you know there’s a lot more to the story. The same almost happens with this book, it leaves you waiting for book three. Which fortunately is in the library, so I don’t have to wait. :-)

This series is a revised and expanded version of The Winds of Light series which has 4+ average ratings on Goodreads. I haven’t read that series but my sister did and when she started reading this series she recognized the story and stopped reading (in favor of something she hadn't read before). So if you think the story sounds familiar that might be why.

Goodreads Summary:

Following Thomas' conquest of Magnus, the young ruler must now lead his people into a new era - one which is sure to reveal dark forces at work behind the evil undercurrent that controlled Thomas' kingdom for so long. Who will stand with Thomas to fight against the mysterious Druids? After being abandoned by Sir William, of his remaining "adopted family," who can he trust? Can he trust either Katherine or Isabelle with his secrets-or his heart?

My Review:

Thomas has grown up quite a bit now that he has to rule Magnus and look after the populace all while trying to solve the mystery of Magnus. He also needs to figure out who the people of the Symbol are, what they want, and why the cloaked man opposes them and figure out what he wants.

Bodiam Castle is the castle image used on the cover of the book even though it was built after the story takes place and is located in Southeastern England
It's a lovely old castle and moat though.
(Image from Wikipedia)

There’s lots of mystery but the reader knows who to cheer for even if we don’t know why exactly either group is so interested in Thomas and Magnus. We do get to see more of the workings of the two group members but that only serves to arouse the reader’s curiosity and makes one anxious for Thomas to make the right choices.

I liked the drama with the Earl of York and the campaign against the Scots. While it took the story away from Magnus, Thomas was still surrounded by the mystery of the Symbol and the opposing group.

I think that teens would enjoy this series; some of the themes might be too complex for preteens and having some early British history would help place the time period and way of life in a clearer context. I would also recommend reading the books in order.

If you like adventure and mystery, especially if it’s set in 1300s England then this is a tale for you.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

~~~

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Happily Ever After by Susan May Warren (Book Cover Bingo - Book)

Happily Ever After by Susan May Warren. Tyndale House, 2007. 384p. (9781414313832) Series: Deep Haven, #1

Up until Christmas break I had never read one of Susan May Warren’s books but the covers and descriptions kept calling me so while in the States I borrowed the first two books of the Deep Haven series. Now I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

Goodreads Summary:

A bookstore in a Victorian house on the shores of beautiful Lake Superior. Mona Reynolds can’t think of a better storybook setting for a happy ending. Until someone starts to sabotage her plans. Could it be the drifter handyman she hired to help her? Just what will it take to make her dreams come true?

My Review:

I really enjoyed watching Mona pursue her dream of establishing a bookstore in the scenic town of Deep Haven. Her friends were great encouragers even as she struggled with very believable problems and kept changing her mind about the men in her life.

Which at times that got to be a bit too much. Basing an opinion of someone on outward appearances is something we all do but Mona was very prone to it. The characters struggled with very believable problems and I enjoyed how the author walked each character through the learning, accepting, forgiving process.

Some reviewers on Amazon really disliked the use of Bible verses but that was one aspect that really drew me into the story and made it make sense. The Word of God is powerful and it gives a believable reason for a change of heart in someone. Plus it also serves as an encouragement and reminder to the reader.  

One thing that doesn’t seem very believable though is that a bookstore can survive financially in a vacation town like Deep Haven. I’ve read a number of news stories recently of book stores closing and to me Mona’s business venture doesn’t seem like it will last. But maybe I just don’t have a good grasp of the population of the town.

If you enjoy clean, contemporary Christian romance with a dash of mystery and danger, and characters struggling to overcome their past and make sense of the present then this is a great book for you.  

Really 4.5 stars

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

~~~

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Two Year Blogoversary Musings

Hard to believe that as of the 11th I've been blogging for over two years! A big thank you to everyone who reads this blog and everyone who has commented and encouraged me. I couldn't have maintained this without you. Seriously.

It's been a fun journey discovering great book bloggers, new authors, participating in cover reveals and of course reading lots of fun books. I've also experienced reading slumps and periods when I really don't want to write. But that's fine, there are more important things than posting a book review every week. So here are some thoughts about the future, reflections, and nine of the most viewed posts.

Thoughts for the future:
I think for the most part I'll continue as I've been doing. Though a semi regular series I'd like to start this year would be posts dedicated to an entire series and also a "links" post. I really enjoy Trevin Wax's Worth A Look posts and am a faithful reader of World Magazine's daily posts linking to interesting stuff around the world. There's so much out there that a lot gets over looked or lost amidst all the new content online. What do you think? Would you enjoy a weekly post (possibly on Thursdays or Fridays) with links to articles/news/videos/other things that I found interesting?

Six things I've learned about book blogging:
1. Affiliate links really don't get you any money. Don't go into book blogging hoping to earn more than pennies. It's great for free books though.

2. Comments are very encouraging. Especially if an author comments on your review of their book, always excited when that happens unexpectedly.  And commenting on other blogs is the best way to introduce yourself to other bloggers. Plus it encourages them.

3. Authors are real people too. I think as a kid I thought authors were older people who scribbled away with ink stained hands (think Jo March from Little Women, except she wasn't old). Nope, not true. They're quite young often, very approachable and these days there are so many opportunities to get to know them. Google their name and find out if they have a blog or are on Facebook or Pinterest. You can find some interesting extra tidbits about their work usually.

4. NetGalley is a great place to get ebook ARCs. I also really enjoyed WaterbrookMultnomah's Blogging for Books program until I requested a book I wasn't totally interested in and still haven't gotten back to writing that review...(wrinkles nose in shame and looks sheepish). The Goodreads group Christian Fiction Devourers has a great support group for that program.

5. Speaking of Goodreads. It is the place to go to snag a book cover, publishing details and a summary. Plus it's a great way to keep track of what you've read, in what order books fall in a series, and not forgetting books you'd like to read someday.

6. Include images in your blog posts. Makes it more interesting and sometimes the image will bring you visitors from Google.

Random Statistics (kinda):
As of Jan 18th according to my Blogger statistics and quick scan of 234 posts & drafts...
...my three most popular posts are:
 - The Fairy Tale Givaway and Author Interview (from 4/25/12) View count: 867
 - Footprints Prayer (from 6/12/12) View count: 674
 - Faith Like Potatoes (from 5/28/12) View count: 479

...the most popular book reviews are:
 - Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat (from 6/18/12) View count: 322
 - Ranger's Apprentice Series books 1-3 (from 1/17/13) View count: 237
 - Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (from 1/16/12) View count: 107

...the meme that draws the most views is hands down Top Ten Tuesdays:
 - Rewind [Favorite Book Settings] (from 6/5/12) View count: 428
 - Best/Worst Last Books in a Series (from 10/8/13) View count: 148
 - Fictional BFFs (from 7/11/12) View count: 148

A Necessary Deception by Laurie Alice Eakes (Book Cover Bingo - Mask)

A Necessary Deception by Laurie Alice Eakes. Revell, 2011. 351p. (9780800734664) Series: The Daughters of Bainbridge House, #1

This book has been waiting on my Kindle for quite a while and since I needed a book with a mask on the cover for the Book Cover Bingo game I finally read it.

Goodreads Summary:

When young widow Lady Lydia Gale helps a French prisoner obtain parole, she never dreamed he would turn up in her parlor. But just as the London Season is getting under way, there he is, along with a few other questionable personages. While she should be focused on helping her headstrong younger sister prepare for her entrance at her debutante ball.

Readers will enjoy being drawn into this world of elegance and intrigue, balls and masquerades. Author Laurie Alice Eakes whisks readers through the drawing rooms of London amid the sound of rustling gowns on this exciting quest to let the past stay in the past and let love guide the future.

My Review:

Overall this was an enjoyable read and the mystery kept me guessing. The reader knows just as much as Lydia in regards to who is trying to deceive her and who is on her side. The events leading up to the conclusion to the mystery seemed a bit farfetched, but it was interesting and quite exciting.

I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the life of upper society in London in 1812. The author did a great job explaining the expectations of society and the work that was involved in getting ready for all those events. Yes, it would be fun to wear some of those gowns but they also required a lot of work and were rather cumbersome.

Lydia’s younger sisters play important parts in this book which sets up later books in the series quite well. When Cassandra started to take an interest in hot air balloons I knew immediately that A Flight of Fancy was in this series. Always did admire that cover so now I have another reason to read it.

If you enjoy mystery with a dash of romance set in early Regency England, then this is a book for you.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com (only $2.99 as of 1/18/14); Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I own this ebook. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

~~~

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

WoW #39: It had to be You by Susan May Warren

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

It Had to Be You by Susan May warren
Series: Christiansen Family, #2

Tyndale House February 2014

About
Eden Christiansen never imagined her role as her younger brother Owen's cheerleader would keep her on the sidelines of her own life. Sure, it feels good to be needed, but looking after the reckless NHL rookie leaves little time for Eden to focus on her own career. She dreamed of making a name for herself as a reporter, but is stuck writing obits--and starting to fear she doesn't have the chops to land a major story. If only someone would step up to mentor Owen . . . but she knows better than to expect help from team veteran and bad-boy enforcer Jace Jacobsen.

Jace has built his career on the infamous reputation of his aggressive behavior--on and off the ice. Now at a crossroads about his future in hockey, that reputation has him trapped. And the guilt-trip he's getting from Eden Christiansen isn't making things any easier. But when Owen's carelessness leads to a career-threatening injury and Eden stumbles upon a story that could be her big break, she and Jace are thrown together . . . and begin to wonder if they belong on the same team after all.

Why I want to read it

The mention of ice hokey reminded me of My Stubborn Heart which I thoroughly enjoyed. I've seen several books of Susan May Warren's that I thought looked interesting though I haven't picked one up yet.

Pre-order it:

Amazon and ChristianBooks and Barnes and Noble

~~~

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

WoW #38: The Thief by Stephanie Landsem

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Thief by Stephanie Landsem
Series: The Living Water, #2

Zondervan February 2014

About
A Roman centurion longing for peace and a Jewish woman hiding a deadly secret witness a miracle that transforms their lives and leads them to the foot of the cross.

Longinus is a Roman centurion haunted by death and failure. Desperate to escape the accursed Judean province, he accepts a wager. If he can catch the thieves harassing the marketplace before Passover, he;ll earn a transfer away from the troublemaking Jews.

Nissa is a Jewish woman with a sharp tongue and no hope of marriage. Only with the help of Mouse, the best thief in Jerusalem, can she keep her blind brother, Cedron, fed and a roof over their heads.

When a controversial teacher miraculously heals Cedron, Longinus longs to learn more about the mysterious healer. Instead, his journey leads him to Nissa, whose secret will determine the course of both their futures.

Unexpectedly caught up in the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus, they wonder who this teacher is who heals others but does nothing to save himself. Is the mercy he offers in his teachings real, or just another false promise? Can Nissa and Longinus overcome their pasts to find a future free of their shackles?

The Thief is an evocative story of two people trapped in their circumstances and the life-changing power of forgiveness and love.

Why I want to read it

When I first spotted this a few months ago the cover and title caught my eye. Then I read the description and it reminded me of some of Thomas B. Costain's books (which I enjoyed) and the Acts of Faith series by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke. Plus the Roman soldier/Jewish girl aspect sounds interesting. I don't think it'll matter that this is the second book in a series.

Pre-order it:

Amazon and ChristianBooks and Barnes and Noble

~~~

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.