Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Review of Destination Unknown

Destination Unknown by Amy Clipston, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DL1RPBW/ref=cm_sw_r_pi_dp_jBXXsb0SYQWQGTitle: Destination Unknown

Author: Amy Cliptson

Series: sort of a sequel to Roadside Assistance
 
Chapters: 22

Pages: 267

Genre: Christian Teen

Rating: 5 stars

Destination Unknown is the companion novel to Roadside Assistance; Whitney Richards is the cousin to Emily Curtis. When I read Roadside Assistance I really didn’t like Whitney but after getting to know her in Destination Unknown I found myself relating to Whitney and I ended up liking her as much as I did Emily.
Whitney starts off as the typical cheerleader at least what people think when they think of cheerleaders. But when she stars failing her math class and has to get a tutor; things start to change. Do in part to Taylor Martinez her math tutor, her friends and mother doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. He’s from the wrong part of town, the same part of town her cousin Emily is from.
I thought Zander from Roadside Assistance was my favorite male character but Taylor is growing on me. Just like with the first book a classic car plays a part.

Destination Unknown is more that a teen novel about teenage drama and love. It is a novel about learning to trust God’s plans and His timing. Even when it’s not our timing. That it’s alright to want to be your own person but not to hurt others in the process. I really enjoyed this book. I kind of wish there would be a third and four book that show Emily and Whitney at college. 


Here's my review of Roadside Assistance

Monday, April 28, 2014

Review of The Lonesome Young

The Lonesome YoungTitle: The Lonesome Young

Author: Lucy Connors

Series: will have a sequel
 
Chapters: 65 plus epilogue

Pages: 367

Genre: teen

The author’s website has a quote that says, “Romeo and Juliet meets Justified” and it fits. The Lonesome Young is that and more. To me it is a cross between Romeo and Juliet, Justified, and the Hatfields and McCoy. Ms. Connors has hit the nail on the head if you’re going to write a teen novel about teenagers in love and a family feud the best place to set the story is Kentucky. That’s exactly where Ms. Connors set the story, in what I believe happens to be a fictional town in Eastern Kentucky.

Though the novel is a work of fictional, it is easy for this Kentucky to girl to image something like this actually happening in the eastern part of my state. Because two star cross teens actually happened between two feuding families in the 1800s. Kentucky’ myths and legends lead to great ideas for novels and stories.

The Lonesome Young has it all; two teenagers who start to fall in love from families who haven’t gotten along in years. No one really knows exactly how the feud started. Each family the Rhodale’s and the Whitfield’s blame the other. The county’s named after the Whitfield’s who happen to be the richest family. The Rhodale’s fall on the wrong side of the law though there’s a good apple here or there in the family.

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up the book, and I didn’t know if I would like it. But I did like it and I enjoyed reading it. There was some language and a few scenes that pushed the limits are the few warnings I have to give about the books.

    


Friday, April 25, 2014

Reading this week

Finished
The Lonesome Young by Lucy Connors
The Missing Ink by Karen Olson
The Silence of the Library by Miranda James
Destination Unknown by Amy Clipston
Fairy Slippers by Amber Stokes

Currently reading
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas
Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade
Pretty in Ink by Karen Olson

Non-fiction reading  
Full of Heart by J.R. Martinez


Getting ready to read
Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
Paige Turned by Erynn Mangum
The Cowboy’s Reunited Family by Brenda Minton
Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron
Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich
Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson
Tressed to Kill by Lila Dare

For school 

Audio

On My Kindle

Classics
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen


Reviewing
Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson

Devotional reading
Bible through in a year
The Unburdened Heart by Suzanne Eller
Reviews Posted this week



Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Review of The Secret Diamond Sisters

Cover Reveal: The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow | Dreaming Under the Same MoonTitle: The Secret Diamond Sisters

Author: Michelle Madow

Series: The Secret Diamond Sisters
 
Chapters: 28

Pages: 383

Genre: Teen Chick lit

Rating: 4 stars

     I first discovered Michelle’s writing with the Remembrance trilogy. While The Secret Diamond Sisters is different than her first novels the series is still good. While there were scenes and thing that Peyton, Courtney, and Savannah did that I wouldn’t do or approve of. I would however recommend this book to older teens. There wasn’t much language. The Book ended with a slight cliff hanger, but that’s because there are two more books in the series.
I do feel like all three Diamond sisters are falling for guys that they shouldn’t. Savannah’s falling for a guy that’s bad news all the way around. With Peyton and Courtney if things were different who they are falling for wouldn’t be a problem.


That while this wasn’t my favorite book of Michelle’s I do love her writing style. The way she makes the characters leap off the page.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Review of Kissing in Italian

Kissing in Italian (Flirting in Italian, #2)Title: Kissing in Italian

Author: Lauren Henderson

Series: Flirting in Italian

Pages: 254

Genre: teen chick lit

Rating: 4 stars


     Kissing In Italian picks up where Flirting in Italian ended with a cliff hanger. Violet is determined to find out the truth because only the truth can tell her where she stands with Luca. Without knowing the truth she doesn’t have a future with Luca. I enjoyed this book better than the first one. I guess because this one has a few happy endings. I would love to read a book from Paige’s point of view. 

Friday, April 18, 2014

Reading This Week

Finished
Class, Race, Gender, and Crime by Gregg Barak
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry
The Nurse’s Secret Suitor by Cheryl Wyatt


Currently reading
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
Destination Unknown by Amy Clipston
The Lonesome Young by Lucy Connors

Non-fiction reading
     Sua Sponte: The Forging of a Modern American Ranger by Dick Couch

Getting ready to read

Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
Paige Turned by Erynn Mangum
Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade
The Cowboy’s Reunited Family by Brenda Minton
Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron
Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich
Bonnie of Evidence by Maddy Hunter
Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson
Full of Heart by J.R. Martinez
For school 

Audio

On My Kindle

Classics
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen


Reviewing
Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson

Devotional reading
Bible through in a year
The Unburdened Heart by Suzanne Eller
Reviews Posted this week



Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Review of Bellflower

The cover for Bellflower, the short story prequel to Forget Me Not, designed by @Lena Ã…berg Ã…berg Goldfinch. :)Title: Bellflower

Author: Amber Stokes   

Series: The Hearts Srping 0.5
 
Genre: Historical Fiction fairy tale retold

Rating: 4 stars


     Bellflower is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast it is slightly darker than the fairy tale.  This short story is also darker and a little harder than the Heart’s Spring series that Amber writes but it is still a good read, though it is a short story. 

Monday, April 14, 2014

Review of Cruel Beauty

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DB365MK/ref=cm_sw_r_pi_dp_krl8sb106MGZVTitle: A Cruel Beauty  

Author: Rosamund Hodge

Series: no
 
Chapters: 26

Pages: 273

Genre: fairy tales retold

Rating: 4 stars

Cruel Beauty is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast that combines pieces from all the versions of Beauty and Beast, including the Disney version at least in my opinion. As well as a few Greek myths and tells of assians. It is a fairy tale retold that has just about everything in it.

Fans of Beauty and the Beast will enjoy this. At first I didn’t think that I would like it, because it wasn’t something that I would normally read. But I when I read the line on the cover: her mission was to kill him her density was to love him. I was hooked. I wanted to read it by the third chapter I was even more hooked. To me it was one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings that I have read in a while.


There were a few scenes that were on the edge but it never went into details and the two characters it involved were married. I would say that it is for older teens. But other than I can’t think of anything to keep me from recommending it. 

Friday, April 11, 2014

Reading this week

Finished

Hung Up by Kristen Tracy

 It was a slow reading week. The end of the semester is coming in four weeks and I am writing a lot of papers. One of which has to be 20 pages long. 
Currently reading
The Nurse’s Secret Suitor by Cheryl Wyatt
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
Destination Unknown by Amy Clipston
Crash Into you by Katie McGarry
The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry

Non-fiction reading
Human Traffikcing Around the World by Stephanie Hepburn
     Sua Sponte: The Forging of a Modern American Ranger by Dick Couch

Getting ready to read
Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
The Cowboy’s Reunited Family by Brenda Minton
Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron
A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander
Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich
Bonnie of Evidence by Maddy Hunter
Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson
The Merciful Scar by Rebecca St. James
My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris
The Silence of the Library by Miranda James
Riptide by Donn Cortez 
The Missing Ink by Karen Olson

For school 
Class, Race, Gender, and Crime by Gregg Barak
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Audio

On My Kindle

Classics
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen


Reviewing
Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson

Devotional reading
Bible through in a year
The Unburdened Heart by Suzanne Eller
Reviews Posted this week



Thursday, April 10, 2014

April Is...





April is the Month of the Military Child. Celebrate the Strength, Bravery andCourage of these Children. As they are growing up in theMilitary Lifestyle.



Because I am one this is something near and dear to my heart. 

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Review of Salvation

Salvation by Anne OsterlundTitle: Salvation

Author: Anne Osterlund


Series: no
 
Chapters: 25 plus epilogue

Pages: 276

Genre: teen chick lit

Rating: 4 stars

     In Savlation Salva is the star of the football team. He’s the quarter back of the football team and the golden boy of the school. While Beth is the bookworm and the invisible girl in the school.  That is until they both end up in the same advanced English class their senior year, and Beth becomes Salva’s only hope of passing.

     This is more than the typical high school drama book it is a book about finding yourself and making your own path. All in all it was a pretty good book I don’t remind anything to bad from the book. Other than some language. 

Monday, April 7, 2014

Review of Princess Ever After

We All Dream Of Being A Princess Ever After!Title: Princes Ever After

Author: Rachel Hauck
 
Chapters: 31

Pages: 358

Genre: Christian Romance

Rating:4 stars

     Regina Reggie to her friends is an American woman who would rather be working on cars than dressing up. Finds out that she is a princess when Tanner shows up at her body shop.  I enjoyed Princess Ever After more than I did the first book in the series.  To me this one made more sense to me

Friday, April 4, 2014

Reading this week

Finished
Kissing In Italian by Lauren Henderson
Dark Souls by Paula Morris
Currently reading
The Nurse’s Secret Suitor by Cheryl Wyatt
The Silence of the Library by Miranda James
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
Scandal in Skibbereen by Sheila Connolly
Insanity by Susan Vaught 

Non-fiction reading
Human Traffikcing Around the World by Stephanie Hepburn
     Sua Sponte: The Forging of a Modern American Ranger by Dick Couch

Getting ready to read
Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
Two Lies and a Spy by Kat Carlotn
The Cowboy’s Reunited Family by Brenda Minton
Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas
Redeeming Gabriel by Elizabeth White
The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron
Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson
The Merciful Scar by Rebecca St. James
Riptide by Donn Cortez 
My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

For school 
Women on Ice by Miriam Boeri
Class, Race, Gender, and Crime by Gregg Barak
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Audio

On My Kindle

Classics
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen


Reviewing
Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson

Devotional reading
Bible through in a year
The Unburdened Heart by Suzanne Eller
Reviews Posted this week



Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Review of Safe By The Marshal's Side

Safe by the Marshal's SideTitle: Safe by the Marshal’s Side

Author: Shirlee McCoy

Series: Love Inspired Suspense/ Witness Protection
 
Chapters: 20

Pages: 215

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Rating: 5 stars

U.S. Marshal Hunter Davis
Annie Delacorte
     U.S. Marshal Hunter Davis is a by the book U.S.  Marshal who had not intentions of ever bending rules or falling in love.  That was until he meet  Annie Delacorte in witness protection, and everything he thought he knew went out the window.
     I really enjoyed this first book in the Witness protection series and I can’t wait to read the rest of them. This was the right combination of action, suspense and romance.