Saturday, February 28, 2015

February Wrap Up

February wrap up
In February I read a total of 22 books and 7256 pages . Bringing my running total so far to
11085 pages 
 and 36 books.
1. Brentwood’s Ward by Michelle Griep
2. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
3. All Fall Down by Ally Carter
4. Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless by Liz Czukas
5. Bayou Sweetheart by Lenora Worth
6. The Rules for Breaking by Ashley Elston
7. Irish Girls about Town by Maeve Binchy
8. Shakespeare’s Sonnets and Poems by William Shakespeare
9. Cinderella’s Dress by Shonna Slayton
10.         Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
11.         Death of a Cad by M.C. Beaton
12.         Love, Lucy by April Lindner
13.         How to Be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis
14.         The Baby Bond by Linda Goodnight
15.         The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
16.         A New Season by Alan Robertson
17.         Thrift Shopping by Sandy Donovan
18.         Beyond all Dreams by Elizabeth Camden
19.         A Woman’s Heart by Joann Ross
20.         Roses by GR Mannering
21.         Glory in Death by J.D. Robb
22.         The Vow by Jody Hedlund
23.         Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross



February Challnege It’s a Love Story
Holding Hands 3-4
1. Bayou Sweetheart by Lenora Worth
2. Brentwood’s Ward by Michelle Griep
3. The Baby’s Bond by Linda Goodnight
4. Beyond all Dreams by Elizabeth Camden


     E- Reader Challenge 2015 Memory Stick 50 ebooks
3. Roses by GR Mannering

4. The Vow by Jody Hedlund
5.
    



What’s in a name reading challenge

5. A book with a 1 word title- e.g.- Outlaw-
Roses by GR Mannering

TBR Pile 2015
Leaning Tower of Pisa Read 75+ books

9. Beyond all Dreams by Elizabeth Camden 

Friday, February 27, 2015

Reading this week

Finished
Beyond all Dreams by Elizabeth Camden
A Woman’s Heart by Joann Ross
Roses by GR Mannering
Glory in Death by J.D. Robb
The Vow by Jody Hedlund
Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross


Currently reading
Surrender the Heart by Marylu Tyndall
Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales
The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson
Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen
Tear you Apart by Sarah Cross
With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden

Non-fiction reading


Getting ready to read
Mission to Murder by Lynn Cahoon
Making Marion By Beth Moran
Pirates and Prejudice by Kara Louise
Hazardous Homecoming by Dana Mentink
The Falcon and Sparrow by Marylu Tyndall
Kinsale Kisses by Elizabeth Maddrey
Ashes of Roses by Mary Auch
Mafia Girl by Deborah Blumenthal
Grace’s Pictures by Cindy Thomson
Her Cowboy Hero by Carolyne Aarsen
Enshawdoed Kelly Creagh
Deception’s Princess by Esther Friesner
Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb
Classic
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson



Reviewing
How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck
Narvla’s Celtic New Year by Therese Gilardi


Devotional reading
Free From Bondage God’s Way by Kay Arthur

Reviews Posted this week




Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Review of The Girl Next Door

The Guy Next Door (Love Inspired) by Missy Tippens,Title: The Guy Next Door

Author: Missy Tippens

Pages: 224

Genre: Christian Romance

Rating: 4 stars


Just a sweet love inspired story about the girl next door.  Darcy O’Malley has lived next to Luke Jordan her whole life. But all he has seen her as is the tomboy next door and his best friend.  Now in her late twenties Darcy is starting to wish that Luke would see her as something more.  But does she want to risk their friendship?  I really enjoyed the book. Sometimes you just need a sweet quick love story.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Review of The Rules for Breaking

Cover Candy, Edition Thirteen + Upcoming 2014 Fiction | Dreaming Under the Same MoonTitle: The Rules for Breaking

Author: Ashley 

Series: The Sequel of The Rules for disappearing
 
Chapters: 30 plus epilogue

Pages: 309

Genre: teen chick lit

Rating: 4 stars

Anna Boyd and Ethan Landry are back in this squeal to  The Rules for Breaking. The danger is still there, and Anna knows that she has to learn to shoot even though she is terrified of guns. Even that plan backfires. Anna, Ethan along with Anna’s little Teeny is kidnapped. Anna has to get past her fears in order to get them out alive.

The Rules for Breaking is a cute sequel to The Rules for Disappearing. It is for older teens and there is some langue issues. But other than that it’s a cute quick read. 

Friday, February 20, 2015

Reading this week

Finished
Love, Lucy by April Lindner
How to Be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis
The Baby Bond by Linda Goodnight
The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
A New Season by Alan Robertson
Thrift Shopping by Sandy Donovan

Currently reading
Surrender the Heart by Marylu Tyndall
Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales
The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson
A Woman’s Heart by Joann Ross
Beyond all Dreams by Elizabeth Camden
Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen

Non-fiction reading

Getting ready to read
Mission to Murder by Lynn Cahoon
Making Marion By Beth Moran
With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden
Pirates and Prejudice by Kara Louise
Hazardous Homecoming by Dana Mentink
The Falcon and Sparrow by Marylu Tyndall
Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
Tear you Apart by Sarah Cross
Kinsale Kisses by Elizabeth Maddrey
The Vow by Jody Hedlund
Roses by GR Mannering
Ashes of Roses by Mary Auch
Mafia Girl by Deborah Blumenthal
Grace’s Pictures by Cindy Thomson
Her Cowboy Hero by Carolyne Aarsen


Classic
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson



Reviewing
How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck
Narvla’s Celtic New Year by Therese Gilardi


Devotional reading
Free From Bondage God’s Way by Kay Arthur
DNF
Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass


Reviews Posted this week


Wednesday, February 18, 2015

All Fall Down

Dreaming Under the Same Moon : Cover CandyTitle: All Fall Down

Author: Ally Carter

Series: Embassy Row
 
Chapters: 38

Pages: 320

Genre: Teen

Rating: 4 stars

Grace thinks that she saw her mother murdered, but did she really. None of the adults in her life seem to believe her. So it’s up to her and her new friends Megan a fellow American who she has reconnected with. Noah a boy that has a dual citizenship of  Israel and Brazil, and Rosie a small German girl who becomes Grace’s shadow. Then there’s Alexei her brother’s best friend who lives next door in the Russian Embassy. This group of misfits end up causing more trouble than the solve.  


When I heard that Ally Carter had wrote a new book the start of a new series I was excited. I was especially excited when I found out that Grace was an army brat. I love reading books about army brats. It’s a character that is easy for me to understand.  

Monday, February 16, 2015

Review of The Girl that Came Home

The Girl Who Came HomeTitle: The Girl that Came Home

Author: Hazel Gaynor

Chapters: 38 plus epilogue

Pages: 384

Genre: Historical fiction

Rating: 4 stars

I normally don’t read books that take place on the Titanic because it’s easy to know how the story generality ends. But I decided to take a chance with The Girl That Came Home by Hazel Gaynor, because it was about third class Irish passengers on board the Titanic. Which actually was something that I hadn’t actually seen before.  

Maggie Murphy is a seventeen year old Irish girl who has to leave behind the love of her life Seamus Doyle behind when she travels with her aunt Kathleen to her aunt’s home in Chicago. It then details her journey on the Titanic.

I also love how the book flips between Maggie on the titanic and her great granddaughter Grace in the 80’s. (I’m not giving anything away. You find this out by reading the back.   Both Maggie and her great granddaughter Grace both learn things from Maggie’s time on the Titanic. There was also a scene that reminded me a bit of Jane Eyre.

I loved that Hazel based the people traveling with Maggie on real people. From a similar town in Ireland. Also that Maggie was loosely based on a real person as well.  The Girl that came home was a bitter sweet read but still a good read. I cannot wait to read Hazel’s new book. A Memory of Violets. There is some slight language issues, but its still a good book.


Friday, February 13, 2015

Reading this week

Finished
Shakespeare’s Sonnets and Poems by William Shakespeare
Cinderella’s Dress by Shonna Slayton
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
Death of a Cad by M.C. Beaton

Currently reading
Surrender the Heart by Marylu Tyndall
Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales
The Baby Bond by Linda Goodnight
The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson
Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass
How to Be  a Heroine by Samantha Ellis
A Woman’s Heart by Joann Ross

Non-fiction reading


Getting ready to read
Mission to Murder by Lynn Cahoon
Pirates and Prejudice by Kara Louise
Hazardous Homecoming by Dana Mentink
The Falcon and Sparrow by Marylu Tyndall
Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
Mafia Girl by Deborah Blumenthal
Grace’s Pictures by Cindy Thomson
The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
Her Cowboy Hero by Carolyne Aarsen


Classic
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson



Reviewing
How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck
Narvla’s Celtic New Year by Therese Gilardi


Devotional reading
Free From Bondage God’s Way by Kay Arthur
Reviews Posted this week


Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Review of Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer, available now!Title: Full Steam Ahead

Author: Karen Witemeyer
 
Chapters: 37 plus epilogue

Pages: 348

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 5 stars


Nicole Renard
Darius Thornton 
Nicole Renard is her father’s only heir and he is upset that she isn’t a son. He sends to New Orleans in order for her to find a husband.  She however doesn’t make and instead ends up working for Darius Thornthon. Darius is determined to find a way figure out how to stop broiler plates from exploding when heated. He considers it his mission.

Even though Nicole is a bit of a tomboy I didn’t enjoys this book as much as I did Karen’s archer series but it was still a good read. 




I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All  opinions expressed are mine alone.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Review of Brentwood's Ward

Cover of Brentwood's WardTitle: Brentwood’s Ward

Author: Michelle Griep

Series: Bow Street Runners
 
Chapters: 34

Pages: 314

Genre: Christian Historical fiction Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 5 stars

Brentwood’s Ward is basically Jane Austen meets  Sherlock meets Copper.  I am always iffy on Regency books. So far the only ones I had liked had been Jane Austen’s.   But with Brentwood’s Ward I was happily surprised with this one.   Nicholas Brentwood  is a Bow Street Runner basically an earlier London cop.  He is hired to protect  Miss Emily Payne.  However Emily thinks that her guardian is going to prevent her from finding a husband this season.  Nicholas realizes that Emily and her pug Alfie is going to give him trouble. This may be his toughest case to date.  What starts as protection detail soon turns to  a murder mystery.
I really did enjoy Brentward’s Ward to the point of I cannot wait for the next book in the series.  I’ve always been a history lover  and a criminal justice major so I loved that this was based on the forerunner of the London police department.  And in reality the forerunner to most modern police agencies.


I received a e-copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Cover reveal for Where Trains Collide


About the Book

New Adult Contemporary Romance Novella

Two hearts racing in different directions will meet where trains collide.

Burned out and disillusioned with her chosen career path, Trisha Knolane gives in to impulse and hops on a train bound for Oregon, eager to escape the stress of college for a few days. But what begins as a fun little adventure suddenly collapses into a nightmare when she discovers that her ex-boyfriend is also on board.

All her hopes and dreams had once centered on Paul Benson. Now, when Trisha doesn't know where her current track will lead, Paul’s questions only complicate matters and spark a few of her own.

Questions that could change the course of her life.

A heartfelt and thought-provoking contemporary romance novella, Where Trains Collide faces the uncertain season of new adulthood head-on and shows that sometimes a path of broken dreams can lead to life's best destination.

Coming April 2015


About the Author

Amber Stokes works in marketing for a Christian publisher. On the side, she writes inspirational fiction depicting the seasons of life and love. Her passion for books compelled her to earn a bachelor's degree in English and to run her own freelance editing and publicity business for over a year. The next step in her career has her happily settled in the Pacific Northwest—a part of the world she's always considered home. Learn more about her indie-author adventure at www.seasonsofastory.blogspot.com.

About the Cover Designer

Lena Goldfinch writes romance and fantasy for adults and teens. She’s a sucker for a good old-fashioned romance, whether it’s a novel, novella, or short story, young adult or adult, fantasy or realistic, contemporary or historical. Elements of romance, fantasy, and mystery have a way of creeping into her writing, even when she's writing historicals or something light and contemporary. Lena has been a finalist in several national writing contests, including the RWA Golden Heart and ACFW Genesis contests. She lives in a scenic small town in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and a very spoiled Black Lab. Visit Lena at www.LenaGoldfinch.blogspot.com.
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Friday, February 6, 2015

Reading this week

Finished
Brentwood’s Ward by Michelle Griep
Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
All Fall Down by Ally Carter
Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless by Liz Czukas
Bayou Sweetheart by Lenora Worth
The Rules for Breaking by Ashley Elston
Irish Girls about Town by Maeve Binchy

Currently reading
The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson
Cinderella’s Dress by Shonna Slayton
Surrender the Heart by Marylu Tyndall
Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales
The Baby Bond by Linda Goodnight

Non-fiction reading


Getting ready to read
Mission to Murder by Lynn Cahoon
Pirates and Prejudice by Kara Louise
Hazardous Homecoming by Dana Mentink
The Falcon and Sparrow by Marylu Tyndall
Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass
Mafia Girl by Deborah Blumenthal
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
Grace’s Pictures by Cindy Thomson
The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
A Woman’s Heart by Joann Ross
Bluegrass Blessings by Allie Pleiter
Her Cowboy Hero by Carolyne Aarsen

Classic
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson


On My Kindle


Reviewing
How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck
Narvla’s Celtic New Year by Therese Gilardi



Devotional reading
Free From Bondage God’s Way by Kay Arthur   

Reviews Posted this week