Book Review: "A February Bride" by Betsy St. Amant

I was given the opportunity to review 2 short stories/novellas by Book Look Bloggers (formerly Booksneeze) in their "A Year of Weddings" series. 

In "A February Bride", Allie Andrews feels that she has a family curse and marriages are doomed to failure, so to spare Marcus from the heartbreak of a broken marriage, she runs away on their wedding day instead.  Now, 4 months later, they are thrown together again when Allie's best friend, who happens to be Marcus' sister,  is planning a Valentine's Day wedding. 

Will they find a new normal as friends, or is it possible for Allie to break the "curse" and find love after all? 

I really enjoyed reading "A February Bride".  I wanted to shake the characters into realizing how the other felt about them! 

You can buy an eBook version of "A February Bride" for $3.79

I received a free eBook version of "A February Bride" in order for me to write a review.

Book Review: "A January Bride" by Deborah Raney

I was given the opportunity to review 2 short stories/novellas by Book Look Bloggers (formerly Booksneeze) in their "A Year of Weddings" series.

In "A January Bride", Madeleine Houser moves from New York to Kansas after her sister's husband gets a new job and they have to move away and can't be near their mother any longer.  Their house is under renovation to try and sell, so there are always workers around which makes it difficult for Maddie to write.  She despairs over not making her deadline, so her neighbor friend suggests that she write at the Bed & Breakfast run by her widower friend, Arthur.

Arthur Tyler is still grieving the death of his wife three years earlier and doesn't have the desire to keep the B&B up and running the way it was before, so he is glad to let Maddie use it to work on her novel.  They communicate with each other through notes left on the table.

When they finally meet, they both realize that they have made incorrect assumptions about the other.

The relationship develops very quickly, but that is rather to be expected since it is a novella and there isn't a lot of time to make the relationship develop slowly.  The characters still feel like real people and are developed well.

I enjoyed reading "A January Bride".  It was actually nice to be able to start and finish the story in an evening.

You can buy an eBook version of this book for $3.63.

I received a free eBook version of "A January Bride" for me to write a review.

Book Review: "Once-a-Day Country Faith"

I don't listen to Country music now as much as I used to, but I thought that the idea of this book was an interesting one.  They asked country music artists their favorite Bible passage and why.

Synopsis:

Here’s your exclusive backstage pass to experience the faith of today’s top country music stars. From Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Charlie Daniels, Josh Turner, and many others, this hardcover devotional offers a glimpse into the spiritual lives of country’s best and brightest. Each artist comments on a passage of Scripture that has been meaningful in their life. Kick back and settle in for an intimate journey into the heart, soul, and faith of the most beloved artists in country music.

Some of the artists I recognized, some I did not.  Some of the artist's responses were obvious that they had a personal relationship with God and others you just got the impression that they liked the passage or were some how inspired by it, but didn't necessarily truly know God personally.  It made me like some of the artists just a little bit more!

This book is sturdy and well made with nice glossy pages.  I liked how the pages had a lot of variety in how they looked.  Most of the pictures of the artists looked like they were framed.  It lent itself well to the country theme.   I thought this would be a great coffee table book for Country music fans.

Format: Hardcover, Printed Caseside

Language: English

ISBN 13: 9780310422938

UPC: 025986422936

Weight: 0.99 lb

Size: 8.25 × 8.25 × 0 in

Length: 128 Pages

The list price for "Once-a-Day Country Faith" is $12.99.

I received a free copy of this book from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.  No other compensation of any form was received.

Book Review: "The Captive Maiden" by Melanie Dickerson

When I got the email from Booksneeze saying what books were going to be available in December, I made sure to come back and request "The Captive Maiden" by Melanie Dickerson the first day it was available.   This is the book description:

Happily Ever After …Or Happily Nevermore?

Gisela’s childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and his young son. But since her father’s death, each day has been filled with nothing but servitude to her stepmother. So when Gisela learns the duke’s son, Valten---the boy she has daydreamed about for years---is throwing a ball in hopes of finding a wife, she vows to find a way to attend, even if it’s only for a taste of a life she’ll never have. To her surprise, she catches Valten’s eye. Though he is rough around the edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined.

I was intrigued by it being a retelling of "Cinderella" and really wanted to read it.  When it came, I sat it on the table since I was working on sewing Christmas presents.  I kept looking over at it and was tempted to pick it up and read!  Then it came to the evening and the kids were home so I couldn't work on the sewing projects, so I picked it up.  Big mistake, I couldn't put it down!  I did force myself to sew the next morning, but as soon as I couldn't work on my sewing, I finished the book!  It was done in a day! 

I had a basic idea of how the story would go since we all know the "Cinderella" story.  It was fun and intriguing to see how Melanie Dickerson made the story her own.  This story is set in the year 1412.  I hadn't read any of her other books and a "cameo" appearance by characters from "The Fairest Beauty" comes near the end of the book.  This book works well as a stand alone story.  Although I did have to check out her other books as soon as I finished "The Captive Maiden"!  

This is listed as a Young Adult/Teen book, which I didn't realize until I saw it on the back of the book.  I am far from a teen and still really enjoyed this book.  

I enjoyed the fact that this is a Christian book and the characters pray and seek God's will for their lives.  The extent of their physical relationship is kissing.

I highly recommend this book to teens up through 100+ ☺  

You can purchase this book through Zondervan for $9.99. 

Format: Softcover

Language: English

ISBN 13: 9780310724414

UPC: 025986724412

Weight: 0.72 lb

Size: 8.5 × 5.5 × 0 in

Length: 304 Pages

I received a free copy of this book through the Booksneeze blogger program in exchange for my honest review.  I did not receive any other form of compensation.

Book Review: Peace on Earth: A Christmas Collection by Mary Engelbreit

I was really excited to be able to get a copy of "Peace on Earth:  A Christmas Collection" by Mary Engelbreit to review.  (I requested it in October to make sure I'd be able to get it!)  

I love Christmas--the true Christmas, the birth of Jesus.  Not Santa and the commercialism.  This book is filled with poems and stories about the real  "Reason for the Season" as well as traditional Christmas carols (The First Noel, Silent Night, etc.)  And all of it is interspersed with illustrations by Mary Engelbreit.

We enjoyed the bright colors used in the pictures and noticing all the fine details throughout the pages. The poems, songs, and stories are presented in different ways, which adds interest and excitement.

The front of the dust cover is dimensional with raised portions and glitter snow and dots.  I also found it interesting that the cover looks like it is knitted!  This is a really well made, sturdy book.

The kids keep coming back to this book and I'm sure it will be a well loved book every Christmas when we get out the decorations.

uct Details

Format: Hardcover, Jacketed

Language: English

ISBN 13: 9780310743408

UPC: 025986743406

Weight: 1.04 lb

Size: 11.3 × 8.9 × 0 in

Length: 40 Pages

You can buy a copy of this book for your own for $17.99.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  No other form of compensation was received.

Book Review: City on Fire: A Novel of Pompeii by Tracy L. Higley

When I first read about "City on Fire:  A Novel of Pompeii", I was intrigued with it as I am quite interested in historical events and Pompeii is an interesting subject.   

This is what the write up about the book said:

As Vesuvius churns, a slave girl-turned-gladiator joins forces with an unlikely source to seek justice.

In the coastal town of Pompeii, a new gladiator prepares to fight. But this gladiator hides a deadly secret: she’s a runaway Jewish slave girl named Ariella, disguised as a young boy. A savvy fighter, Ariella determines to triumph in the arena, knowing her life will be forfeit should anyone uncover the truth.

Cato, a wealthy politician, moved to Pompeii after tiring of the corruption in Rome. But he soon learns that Pompeii is just as corrupt, and if he doesn’t play the game, his family could pay the price. Determined to bring about justice for the citizens of Pompeii, Cato searches for allies. But what he discovers instead is a confounding group of Christians . . . and a young female gladiator whose fame is growing daily.

Political unrest reaches a boiling point as Christians are jailed and executed, and the mountain in the distance threatens to destroy the city with its river of fire. Cato and Ariella must act quickly and courageously to save their loved ones before all is lost.

I had a hard time getting into the book.  The book took turns following the different characters and building their stories.  It took me about 1/3 of the way through the book before it really held my interest.  This was when the characters' stories merged.  After that, I read it with more enjoyment.  For the last 1/4 of the book, I read it almost frantically to see if they would find each other in the chaos and if they would escape Pompeii before Vesuvius buried the city.

"City on Fire: A Novel of Pompeii" is a historical Christian fiction story and I was intrigued by the historical details that were woven throughout the book.  I did not realize that the burning of the temple by the Romans and Vesuvius burying Pompeii were contemporary events.  I always thought that Pompeii being obliterated was an event that took place well before Jesus walked on Earth.   Tracy Higley used places and items unearthed in Pompeii to build her story, which adds to the realism of the book.    I really liked the portrayal of the early Christians and their house church meetings.  The story also gives a very clear gospel message.   

The book mentions Dionysian Mysteries and their cult's immoral practices.  For the most part, she glosses over the disgusting details, but there were a couple of times that I cringed at the amount of detail she did include.  This would make the book suitable for mature readers, only, in my opinion.

There is a word list in the beginning of the book to tell the meanings of some Roman terms used in the book.  This wasn't much help to me having an e-book version of the book as it wasn't very easy to "flip" to it like it would be for an actual book.  There are also discussion questions for use in a book group and "The Story Behind the Story... and Beyond" where the author tells of how she came to write the book.

"City on Fire: A Novel of Pompeii" is available for $15.99

Length	400 Pages
Publication Date	September 17, 2013
Company	Thomas Nelson
ISBN-10	1401687520
ISBN-13	9781401687526
Height	8.2"
Width	5.4"

I received a free e-book copy of this book from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.  No other form of compensation was received.  

Book Review: A Bride for All Seasons by Margaret Brownley, Robin Lee Hatcher, Mary Connealy, and Debra Clopton Published by Thomas Nelson

The last 2 books I read that were made up of short stories/novellas compiled into one book had characters that were the same between the stories.  This one, however, didn't have any characters in common between the stories.  It did have the common factor of the "Hitching Post Mail-Order-Bride Catalogue" and how with a few "innocent" changes, the letters don't always reach their recipient the same way that they left the sender...

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Book Description from the publisher:

It all started with an ad in a mail-order bride catalogue . . .Melvin Hitchcock of the Hitching Post Mail Order Bride Catalog isn’t dishonest—not exactly. If he tweaks his clients’ applications a bit, it’s because he’s looking out for their best interests.

This charming bouquet of novellas introduces  four Hitching Post  prospects in the year 1870, each one eager for second chances . . . and hungry for happiness. Year in, year out, they'll learn that love often comes in unexpected packages.

"And then Came Spring" by Margaret Brownley

Mary-Jo has been unlucky all her life. But who would guess she’d travel halfway across the country to meet her match . . . only to find him dead!

"An Ever After Summer" by Debra Clopton

Ellie had no idea she's not what Matthew ordered. And what's wrong with being a "Bible thumper" anyway? She's determined to show him she's tougher than she looks-and just the girl he needs.

"Autumn's Angel" by Robin Lee Hatcher

Luvena would be perfect for Clay if she didn't come with kids. But kids are a deal breaker, especially in a rough-and-trouble mining town. ­ The trouble is, there's no money to send them back . . .

"Winter Wedding Bells" by Mary Connealy

David's convinced he's not long for the world. He needs someone to mother his boys when he's gone-nothing more. Can plucky Irish Megan convince him to work at living instead of dying?

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I really enjoyed reading this book and finding out how the characters allowed God to work out the difficulties that they encounter.  Being novellas/short stories, they were easy to read in one setting.   I enjoyed the historical aspect of the stories, too, being set in 1870.  

Included with the book are a "Reading Group Guide" with questions to discuss, and "An Interview with the Authors".

I would recommend this book to others who, like me, enjoy inspirational love stories.  

Paperback                  $15.99   available here

Length	400 Pages
Publication Date	June 18, 2013
Company	Thomas Nelson
ISBN-10	1401688535
ISBN-13	9781401688530
Height	8.2"
Width	5.4"

I received a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I did not receive any other form of compensation.

       

Book Review: "Humble Heart: a book of virtues" by Amy Meyer Allen

When I saw "Humble Heart: a book of virtues" I thought it sounded like a good book to read to my kids because I think everyone can use help with practicing virtues in their life.  

When it arrived, I was pleasantly surprised at how big it was!  I was expecting a board book in the 6" size range.  "Humble Heart", however is 8x8" with 190 pages!  It has a padded hard cover and very bright, simple, and colorful illustrations. 

 I really liked the characters with their flaws that made them easy to relate to and that it defined each character trait/virtue to make sure the kids knew what they were talking about.  I also liked the fact that the book had a "reality check" question at the end of each of the 9 chapters and a Bible verse to help the child apply the virtue to their life.  

 My oldest read "Humble Heart: a book of virtues" as soon as I pulled it out of the package!  Then my next oldest read it when she was done!  I read it for everyone before bed.  I asked each of them to tell me what they liked or didn't like about the book.

Sarah (8½ yrs): I like the little stories because they teach you things that you need to know. They teach you lessons.

Emily (7 yrs): It was easy to read and understand. My favorite chapter was "Mercy".

Will (5 yrs): I liked the lion story because he was being brave like I have to be.  (Will struggles with anxiety)

Andy (3½ yrs): I like the lion story. I like his sword.

"Humble Heart: a book of Virtues" by Amy Meyer Allen would be an excellent book for families with young children up to at least age 10.  It is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbooks, and Parable ranging in price from $9.99 to $13.19.

Humble Heart

Amy Meyer Allen

Binding:

Hardcover, Padded

ISBN:

978-1-4143-8069-8

List Price:

$14.99

Release Date:

March 2013

Page Count:

192

Trim Size:

8 x 8

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale for my honest review through their BlogNetwork program.  I did not receive any other compensation for this review.