Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Never Forget - A Review

Published- January 2017, Northern Lights Press
Series - Beacons of Hope Book 5
Author - Jody Hedlund
Title - Never Forget
Format - ebook, paper
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About the book:
Rose Island Lighthouse, Rhode Island June 1880 Will she betray his trust to stay on the island she loves? Abbie Watson is content to spend her days clamming, crabbing, and tending Rose Island Lighthouse. Her grandpa is the head light keeper, but his senility may lead to their eviction. Since leaving the island would kill her beloved Gramps, Abbie will do anything to keep him in the one place he knows and loves. Wealthy Nathaniel Winthrop III’s wild living has gained him a reputation as the ‘bad boy’ among the elite social circles of Newport. After a blow to the head in a yachting accident washes him up on Rose Island, Nathaniel has no memories of his past. Abbie tends the wounded stranger in her home only to realize he assumes they’re married. Although she knows she needs to correct Nathaniel’s mistake, his presence calms Gramps and provides a way to prevent eviction from the lighthouse. The longer the charade continues, the harder it gets for Abbie to tell Nathaniel the truth, more so as she begins to fall in love. Everyone she’s ever loved has abandoned her. Will Nathaniel leave her too, once he discovers he’s not really her husband?

My Thoughts:
I remember meeting Nathaniel in book 4. I was glad to get to know him a bit better in this book. I loved the fact that while he did have amnesia, he really did want to change from what he knew of himself. I loved the way that he treated Abbie. I loved how Abbie kept struggling to keep her grandfather in the home that he loved. 

This book was a wonderful conclusion to the series. It has Hedlund's usual style of romance blended with a touch of suspense. While the second book in the series remains my favorite, I happily devoured this book. 

I received the Kindle version of this book from the author to help influence the book. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of historical fiction, Jody Hedlund, light houses, Karen Witemeyer

Rating - 4 stars

Monday, January 30, 2017

Story of Martin Luther King Jr & Story of Rosa Parks - A Review

Published - Worthy Books
Author - Johnny Ray Moore
Title - The Story of Martin Luther King Jr
Format - board book
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About the book:
A simple story that tells young children why Martin Luther King Jr wanted to make a difference.

My Thoughts:
This was a very simple story. For young children, this is a great way to introduce them to MLK and help them understand that everyone is different.

Recommended to parents, elementary teachers.

I received this book from the publisher to share my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.

Rating - 4 stars


Published - Worthy Books
Author - Patricia A Pingry
Title - The Story of Rosa Parks
Format - board book
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About the book:
Rosa Parks is known as the "mother of the civil rights movement." This simple board book tells of how she got that name.

My Thoughts:
I remember hearing about Rosa Parks in school when I was young. I found this book to be very simple, and I can see children asking questions about the civil rights movement.

Recommended to parents, elementary teachers.

I received this book from the publisher to share my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.

Rating - 4 stars

Monday, January 23, 2017

Moonbow Night - A Review

Published - January 2017, Revell Books
Author - Laura Frantz
Title - A Moonbow Night
Format - ebook, paper
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Summary (from Amazon):
After fleeing Virginia, Temperance Tucker and her family established an inn along the Shawnee River. It's a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling through the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke--men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew looking for an experienced guide. When his guide appears, Sion balks. He certainly didn't expect a woman. But it is not long before he must admit that Tempe's skill in the wilderness rivals his own. Still, the tenuous tie they are forming is put to the test as they encounter danger after danger and must rely on each other. With her signature sweeping style and ability to bring the distant past to vivid life, Laura Frantz beckons readers to join her in a land of Indian ambushes, conflicting loyalties, and a tentative love that meanders like a cool mountain stream.

My Thoughts:
This book was wonderful. It started off really slow, so it took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it.

Unlike some of her other novels, the romance in this one takes a backseat to the story itself. I loved how both Sion and Tempe struggled with letting go of their pasts. I loved the detail about how the surveyors traveled. I never gave much thought to how the "frontier" was settled during the Revolution.

Fans of Laura Frantz will definitely enjoy this book. I look forward to what she has coming next.

I received a copy of this book for free as part of the Revell Reads review program. I was asked to give my honest opinion about this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Jody Hedlund

Rating - 4 stars


Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday - 2016 Releases I didn't get to read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by the Broke & the Bookish.

Welcome to the first Top Ten I'm doing in 2017. Today's topic is about the 2016 releases that I wanted to read, but didn't get around to reading.

1. Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan - I've loved his Percy Jackson books, and when I read the first of the Magnus Chase books, I enjoyed it. I've really looked forward to this book. So perhaps, I'll get to it this year.

2. Heartless by Marissa Meyer - I couldn't work this one into my schedule when it was released. But I was given it for Christmas, so I'll be reading it this year.

3. Love Everlasting by Julie Lessman - Julie is one of my favorite authors. I had pre-ordered the book months before it released. But when it released, I wasn't in a reading mood. But I hope to get to it soon.

4. Worthy Heart by Susan Anne Mason - The first book, Irish Meadows, had been on my too read list for AGES. Mom had a copy, so I read it over Christmas. Rented this one from the library, and while I started it in 2016, I'll be finishing it this month.

5. One Enchanted Eve by Melissa Tagg - This is a really short novella that I know I'll love, but I've just not gotten around to it yet.

6. The Undoing of Saint Silvanus by Beth Moore - I've done a couple of her Bible studies over the years. I'm interested in seeing what her first fiction book is like.

7. Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn - Yes, I admit that there is a book by Robin that I've not gotten around to reading. It's been in my car since October.

8. Home on the Range by Ruth Logan Herne - Another one that I started in 2016, but haven't finished yet.

9. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton - I've seen this on a lot of blogs over the past year. I keep checking for it at the library. Hopefully, soon I'll find it.

10. The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury - As much as I enjoy fairy tale retellings, I'm sure to enjoy this one.