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.

Book Review: The Midwife's Tale

The Midwife's Tale 

by Delia Parr 

(At Home In Trinity book 1)

From the back cover:

Martha Cade comes from a long line of midwives who have served the families of Trinity, Pennsylvania for generations. A widow with two grown children, she's hopeful that her daughter will follow in her footsteps, but when Victoria runs off, Martha's world is shattered.

Worse, a new doctor has arrived in town, threatening her job, and she can't remember a time when her faith has been tested more. Still determined to do the work she knows God intended for her, Martha is unprepared for all that waits ahead. Whether it's trying to stop a town scandal, mending broken relationship, or feeling the first whispers of an unexpected romance, she faces every trial and every opportunity with hope and faith.

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I hate to give negative reviews, but sometimes it can't be helped. This book was, for the most part, extremely boring. I feel like it could have been done way better, as there were some good ideas and plots presented, but unfortunately, they were nothing more than ideas, because hardly anything happened in this book. 

(SPOILERS AHEAD) By the end of chapter one  Martha finds out that her daughter has run off with a troupe of traveling actors and decides she should leave to try and find her. At that point, I'm thinking, "Oh, exciting! Already the book is starting off with a journey! Maybe it will even switch to Victoria's POV and show some snippets of her life as a traveling actor!" Not so. Chapter two starts off with Martha returning from her journey three months later and then gives us a hardy dose of narrative summary of how she failed to find Victoria and what happened on her journey. In fact, whenever anything exciting was about to happen in this book it skipped over it and instead tells us how it went in the next chapter or scene. When I read a book, I want to be thrown right into the action, I want to experience everything right along with the characters. I do not want to read about how it all went down after it's over with. No thank you. 

The book did have a few exciting, right there in the action scenes, but not enough to really count. So basically the book was about Martha wandering around the town thinking about how she's failed as a mother, thinking about what she's going to do. She eats a ton of sweets, befriends a bird and a little boy, and there are a few birth scenes, but really not as many as there should have been considering the book's title. And then there's her love interest... at least I think he was her love interest?? I don't know, because they loved each other in the past but now all she does is think about how she turned him down in the past and is now confused about her feelings for him, and said love interest might as well have been a cardboard cutout. 

One thing I did like was the friendship that started to grow between Martha and the new doctor who moved into town. (Maybe he was the love interest?? But he's young enough to be her son!) 

So, in conclusion, I feel like this book was sorely lacking, and that the author might have had a good idea for a book ending, or a series, but had to come up with some kind of beginning and middle so she threw some stuff in that was pretty irrelevant to the plot. I have a feeling the next book might dive into more action and finally get things rolling, but if that's the case, this book really didn't need to exist, and unfortunately I won't know because I have no interest in reading the next book in the series. 

I give this book a rating of 2.5 out of 5 because of the ideas that were good, the few scenes that did grip my interest, and the friendship between Martha and Doctor McMillan. (and I also enjoyed learning a bit about what midwifery was like back in those days).

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

Book Review: Guide Me Home

Guide Me Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Working as a guide in Mammoth Cave might allow

Rebekah the chance to bring joy back to her family.

But will the cave claim more than it gives?

After tragedy leaves its mark on Rebekah Hardin's family, she plans to help her parents and six siblings honor her beloved brother's memory and alleviate their poverty by working as a guide in the dangerous cave system. Kentucky's renowned Mammoth Cave presents profitable opportunities for hardworking, capable men. But Rebekah is determined, and if it means presenting herself as a himself, then she's up to the job.

Under the wing of experienced guide Tolly Sandford, "Reb" begins to learn the complexities of the cave. The two are joined by an aspiring young cartographer, Devlin Bale. The university student has traveled to the hill country to map tunnels---not to fall for a girl in disguise. 

Can the God who designed miles of underground astonishment shape Devlin's ambitious plans and free Reb from the weight of her past?

---

Kim Vogel Sawyer is one of my favorite authors and once again she did not disappoint. She always keeps her stories moving, never lingering too long on the same scene or bogging the story down with too much description. I like that the idea for this story is new and fresh; how many stories can you think of that the plot centers around a cave? She did well writing it, and it kept me interested as far as plot. However, I didn't much like either of the two main characters. They just felt a little bland in my opinion, and it was like they fell in love simply because they were the hero and heroine and that's what was supposed to happen. There was no chemistry between them, no real reason for them to fall in love. Honestly, my favorite character was Rebekah's sister, who had a side story in the novel. I don't know if this will be part of a series, but if so, I hope the next book is about her! 

Also, there seemed to be a few plot holes and it felt like the story hadn't fully concluded by the end (which is another reason I'm hoping for a sequel!). I give the book 4 out of 5 for the original plot, good writing, and interesting side characters. Overall an enjoyable read!

Many thanks to Waterbrook Press for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Book review: The Well

The Well by Stephanie Landsem

COULD HE BE THE ONE

WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR?

For the women of the Samaritan village of Sychar, the well is a place of blessing---the place where they gather to draw their water and share their lives---but not for Mara. Shunned for the many sins of her mother, Nava, Mara struggles against the constant threats of starvation or exile.

Mara and Nava's lives are forever changed with the arrival of two men: Shem, a mysterious young man from Caesarea, and Jesus, a Jewish teacher. Nava is transformed by Jesus, but his teachings come too late and she is stoned by the unforgiving villagers. Desperate to save her dying mother, Mara and Shem embark on a journey to seek Jesus' help---a journey that brings unexpected love and unimaginable heartbreak.

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For some reason I find it difficult to write a review for this book, but it isn't because it wasn't good. This book was, in fact, a masterpiece. If you know me at all you'll know that coming from me, it must be a good book. 

Landsem had me captivated by the first page with her vivid descriptions and ability to keep the story flowing without feeling too rushed. Not to mention, her phenomenal skills at storytelling! This book was brilliantly written and had everything a good book should have. It kept my interest throughout the entire book and I eagerly gobbled it up in less than a week. It is now easily one of the best books I have ever read. It had the ability to make me cry at parts, which is also really something coming from me! Maybe some people don't like books that make them cry, but to me, it just makes the book that much better! It shows supurb skills in writing on the author's part, which is admirable and inspiring to me. This was the first book I've had the pleasure of reading by this author, and now I hope to be able to read her others! It easily receives a 5 out of 5 star rating from me, and if you are a fan of biblical fiction, or any Christian fiction, I highly recommend it! (Thanks to my niece for letting me borrow it!)

Book review: Shadow of the Mountain: Exodus

Shadow of the Mountain: Exodus by Cliff Graham

From the back cover:

"MAY IT BE WRITTEN THAT MY WOMAN LOVED ME,

MY CHILDREN ADMIRED ME,

AND THE ENEMY FEARED ME."

                           - CALEB

Two men were brave enough to tell the truth about what awaited the liberated Hebrews in the Promised Land. This is their story. From the slave pits of Egypts to the efforts of an eighty-five year-old Caleb as he battles the last of a race of fearsome giants, Shadow of the Mountain is a vivid portrait of two of God's chosen champions, and a meditation on masculine mentorship and the challenges and blessings of growing older.

Exodus, the first volume of Graham's Old Testament saga, begins with Caleb as he prepares to attack the fortified city he has claimed for his inheritance. He refuses to spend his twilight years resting, and instead is driven to claim the victory the Lord promised him decades previously. Capturing Caleb's early days as a mercenary for Pharaoh in Egypt watching the Hebrews suffer under the yoke of slavery, through a desperate fight with Anakite giants in the dark forests of the Israelite hill country, this is a story filled with the epic battles, gritty intensity, and supernatural events that made Graham's LION OF WAR serios a hit. Shadow of the Mountain is destined to ignite a love for the Scriptures in popular culture.

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I really enjoyed this book! It was fast moving and action-packed, which is what I often crave in novels. The story takes place in two different settings, that of the elderly Caleb telling the story of his youth to his nephew as they prepare for battle, and the actual story he tells. With Caleb not being mentioned much in the bible, Graham wove his own tale of how his life might have been, and the result was a captivating tale. At the end of the book Graham states: My purpose is not to invent an elaborate backstory because I felt the Bible was insufficient; it is to create a way for the reader to encounter the events of Exodus as the Egyptians themselves might have known them.

His story is well-written and will keep you wanting to read more. I was especially taken in by the part with the plagues of Egypt. The whole book was written vividly and it was easy to imagine everything as it was explained, without being overly descriptive. Some of the battles were a little long for my taste, but that's about it. It was also extremely gory, so I would not recommend it for those who can't handle blood and strong violence. It even made me cringe at a few parts, and I have a pretty high tolerance for that sort of stuff. 

But overall a very good read and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Biblical fiction and can handle the gore.

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