Book Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Hello to all! Finally, after a couple years of not writing a single review, I'm back at it with a review for Caraval by Stephanie Garber.
For the past two years, I would say, I've been in a bit of a reading slump. I had several books I would pick up and read a chapter or two of here and there, but the avid reader I once was felt all but gone. Was it that what I was reading wasn't interesting enough? Had I simply lost my love of reading? Whatever the reason, I was sad over the fact that picking up a book and trying to read did not hold the same glorious appeal it once did, where I could read for hours and hours being swept up in another time and place. Truly I think what happened was that life changed and got busy and many things happened that prevented me from having the time to read, or oftentimes the desire because there were other things I needed or wanted to be doing.
While life is still a bit hectic, I've recently been determined to make time again for reading and writing, and slowly but surely I've been easing back into both! I'm very excited to be a book person again! It just feels "right" ! That being said, let us commence with the review!

Caraval 

by Stephanie Garber

Story synopsis from the book:

A legendary competition.

A mesmerizing romance.

An unbreakable bond

between sisters.

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett's father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval---the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show---are over. 

But this year, Scarlett's long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval's mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season's Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . 

beware of getting swept too far away.

My review:

While this book was entertaining, and the idea is certainly intriguing, there were definitely some flaws. I can see how someone could love it and become swept away by the magical feel the entire book possesses, but for me the whole book felt lacking. I enjoyed the story and the "game" and the concept, but the book was mostly full of flowery descriptions of magical scenes described with fancy words. There was almost no character development, all the characters felt two dimensional and like they were all simply playing their part of being the type of character they were supposed to be without having any real depth to them. Scarlett was the typical brunette heroine who thinks she's to blame for everything and will do anything to save the ones she loves. Tella was the typical flirtatious blond sister who is prettier and "naughtier" than the heroin. And there was nothing to like about her. The whole book is about Scarlett trying to finding her, but I didn't care at all whether she did or not, and actually hoped she wouldn't. LOL. (not saying whether she did or not, but just saying my feelings throughout the book). They were supposed to have this deep sisterly bond but it really wasn't felt. Also, I felt that all of the conflicts throughout the book were way too quickly and easily resolved. I don't know about you, but I love bringing my characters to their lowest low and then bringing them lower still and basically destroying them and then slowly bringing them back out of the pit. You have to actually find yourself feeling for the characters and connecting with them emotionally to even care about whether they are triumphant or not. And sadly this book did not have that. 

So while this review might have sounded pretty harsh, I actually did like the book. I loved the idea, and the fact that it was an easy read was nice for getting me back into reading, but I'm sad it didn't have more depth. I'm also a little sad the idea was snatched up and already used, because I would love to write something with a similar story myself only add the depth and character development to it that this one was lacking. This book is the first in a series of 3 and I definitely do want to read the other two because there were things left unresolved, but I do wish there was more depth to the "Sugary, glowy, flowery, serpentine, emerald, swirly, dagger-like" adjectives that speckled the book. Okay, I'm done now! XD.

Book Review: Irish Meadows

Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason

Faced With an Uncertain Future, Sometimes All You Have Left Is the Courage to Dream.

Brianna and Colleen O'Leary know their Irish immigrant father expects them to marry well. Recently he's put even more pressure on them, insinuating that the very future of their Long Island horse farm, Irish Meadows, rests in their ability to land prosperous husbands. Both girls, however, have different visions for their futures.

Brianna, a quiet girl with a quick mind, dreams of attending college. Vivacious Colleen, meanwhile, is happy to marry---as long as her father's choice meets her exacting standards of the ideal groom. When former stable hand Gilbert Whalen returns from business school and distant relative Rylan Montgomery visits Long Island during his seminary training, the two men quickly complicate everyone's plans.

As the farm slips ever closer to ruin, James O'Leary grows more desperate. It will take every ounce of courage for both sisters to avoid being pawns in their father's machinations and instead follow their hearts. And even if they do, will they inevitably find their dreams too distant to reach?

I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit. Lately I tend to grow bored with Christian historical fiction, as it can start to all be the same ol', same ol' and full of cliches, but this one actually wasn't so bad. I really enjoyed the fact that it followed two love stories as opposed to the usual one, which I think kept things interesting without either story dragging on too much. I don't think she focused too long on the boring details of things, so that was nice. It was pretty typical as far as historical romance goes, however I think the author is a good enough writer that she was able to keep things fresh and new. Brianna was pretty much your typical heroine, so I think I enjoyed Colleen's story a bit more. I tend to enjoy the characters who start in a "bad place" and gradually become better, as opposed to the characters who start out already "perfect". It just adds more depth and meaning to the story, in my opinion. So while it certainly wasn't a book that I absolutely loved and just couldn't put down, it was pretty good for its genre, so I give it a good 4 out of 5.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Book review: Eat Beautiful

Eat Beautiful:

Food and Recipes to Nourish Your Skin From the Inside Out

by Wendy Rowe

Beauty is as much about good health as the way you look. In Eat Beautiful, Wendy Rowe shows you how to achieve amazing skin, with 70 delicious recipes based on nutrient-boosting ingredients.

This is a really nice "cookbook". Not only does it contain lots of yummy recipes, but it is also full of nutritional and skincare tips, as well as lists of foods and ingredients and what they are good for. I love that it is seperated into seasons, with recipes containing ingredients that are easier to get your hands on for each corresponding season. I have only tried one recipe from it, a smoothie that we happened to already have most of the ingredients on hand, but I look forward to trying more! This seems to be a really nice book, and is also visually appealing with a nice hardcover in a pretty blush color with bronzy gold lettering! If you're into eating healhty, and/or are looking to improve your complexion through eating the right foods, I definitely recommend this book!

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Newton & Polly

Newton & Polly: A Novel of Amazing Grace by Jody Hedlund

"AMAZING GRACE! HOW SWEET THE SOUND
THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME!
I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW AM FOUND . . . "

Now remembered as the author of the world's most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father---until the night he hears Polly Catlett's enchanting voice, caroling. He's immediately smitten and determined to win her affection.

An intense connection quickly forms between the two, but John's reckless spirit and disregard for the Christian life are concerns for the responsible, devout Polly. When an ill-fated stop at a tavern leaves John imprisoned and bound, Polly must choose to either stand by his side or walk out of his life forever. Will she forfeit her future for the man she loves?

Step back through the pages of history, to uncover the true love story behind a song that continues to stir the hearts and ignite the faith of millions around the globe.

I really enjoyed Jody Hedlund's story of Luther and Katharina, so I was excited to get my hands on this book! I'm not sure I liked it as well as the other, but it was still a very interesting story. It was neat to learn about John Newton and all that he went through in his life. I do feel that the story was just a tad bit repetitive with John seeing Polly, then going out to sea, then seeing Polly, and so on, and I also felt that there could have been a bit more with Polly, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless. Perhaps a bit slow at parts, but then there were the more fast-paced parts that grabbed my attention. A 4 out of 5 from me, and I look forward to reading more by this author!

I was provided a free copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review.

Book review: A Noble Masquerade

A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter

Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Approaching spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost feelings out not in a diary but in letters to her brother's old school friend, the Duke of Marshington. Since she's never actually met the man, she has no intention of ever sending the letters and is mortified when her brother's mysterious new valet, Marlow, mistakenly mails one of the letters to the unsuspecting duke.

Shockingly, this breach of etiquette results in a reply from the duke that soon leads to a lively correspondence. Insecurity about her previous lack of suitors soon becomes confusion as Miranda finds herself equally intrigued by Marlow, a man she has come to depend upon but whose behavior grows more suspicious by the day. As the secret goings-on at her family's estate come to light, one thing is certain: Miranda's heart is far from all that's at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love.

This book was not terrible but nor was it incredible. I really enjoyed the first half of it when Miranda was exchanging letters with the duke, but then it took a boring turn as the second half was filled the London season of parties and suitors calling on Miranda and her sister at their home. That may sound exciting to some, but it was just too much of the same ol', same ol' for me. There was some action toward the end and the excitement picked up some, but even so I still found myself becoming a bit bored. It was decently written and all, just too much like other books I have read before. A 3 star rating from me.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Book review: June

June by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

Synopsis:

Twenty-five-year-old Cassie Danvers is holed up in her family's crumbling mansion in rural St. Jude, Ohio, mourning the loss of the woman who raised her---her grandmother June. But the shriek of the rusted doorbell forces her out of isolation. Cassie has been named the sole heir to legendary matinee idol Jack Montgomer's vast fortune. How did Jack Montgomery know her name? Could he have crossed paths with her grandmother all those years ago? What other shocking secrets lie in wait behind the oak doors of June's once-stately home?
Soon Jack's famous daughters arrive, determined to wrestle Cassie away from the inheritance they feel is their due. Together, they all come to discover the true reasons for June's silence about that long-ago summer, when Hollywoo came to town, and June's and Jack's lives were forever altered by murder, blackmail, and betrayal. As this page-turner shifts between past and present, Cassie and her guests are forced to rexamine their legacies, their definition of family, and what it truly means to love someone, steadfastly, across the ages.

While this book was very well written, I can't give it a high review. It's not a Christian book and me being a Christian I just found it to be much too worldly. I read most of it but decided not to finish it because of this. It does have an interesting storyline and keeps you wanting to know what happens next, and I did skim the last chapter to see how it ends. Overall, well-written but not something I feel comfortable reading. The cover and book iself is really pretty though!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Wolves Among Us

Wolves Among Us

by Ginger Garrett

Sometimes a savior can

bring destruction.

Sometimes a doubter can 

save a town.

Dinfoil, Germany, 1538. When a double murder stirs up fears,

the village priest sends for help. But the charismatic Inquisitor who answers

the call brings a deadly mix of spiritual fervor and self-deceptive evil. Under

his influence, fear, guilt, and suspicion of women take a deadly turn. Pious

and heretic alike become victims of witch-hunting zealots. In the midst of

this nightmare, a doubting priest and an unloved wife---a secret friend of

the recently martyred William Tyndale---somehow manage to hear another

voice . . . and discover the power of love and fear.

This book was nothing spectacular. It wasn't very well-written in my opinion and lacked depth. It was dealing with deep issues and topics, but there was no feeling of deepness or connection to any of the characters. Most were very naive and didn't even react much to situations that you would be sure they should react to! Anyway, it had a few interesting parts, especially toward the end, and it was overall an okay book, not awful or anything, just not great. It was kind of weird too. So I guess I would give it a 3 out of 5.