Downton Abbey meets the The Luxe Series

Title: Wentworth Hall

Author: Abby Grahame

Series: N/A

 

Chapters: 22 plus epilogue

Pages: 276

Genre: Teen Historical fiction

Rating: 4 stars (I don’t remember any bad language).

     The best way to sum up Wentworth Hall is simply this Downton Abbey meets The Luxe series. It is basically a Downton Abbey for teens, and it combines elements from The Luxe series. I remember picking up the novel at Barnes and Noble because I liked the cover. Then when I picked it up I discovered that it was set during the time period of Downton Abbey and about ten years after the The Luxe series ended and I was hooked.

     Maggie comes back from France different than the care free girl that she was before she left. Maggie also comes back with a secret that could change the whole family. For a first novel Wentworth Hall was a good read even though I felt that the ending was rushed. What I liked most was that the novel was a clean teen read. 


I just felt like reviewing a book from my own bookshelf

Review of While He was Away

Title: While He was Away

Author: Karen Schreck

Series: No though I kind of wish there will be a sequel.

 

Chapters: 25 plus a section of tips for Army girlfriends.

Pages: 249

Genre: Teen romance, life issues.

Rating: 4 ½ stars

     While He was Away is a different sort of book for teens. It takes on a serious nature to deal with an issue that effects more and older teens 17 and 18 year old high school seniors. Especially if one of those teens enlists in the military. As our soldier’s average age gets younger then so do their girlfriend’s age.

     This book looks at the families, friends, and girlfriends, left behind while the soldier’s at war. I know that it is important to remember the soldier’s who are fighting to protect our freedoms, let’s not forget the ones left behind. The ones that allow our soldier have to do what they do, the families and loved ones that hold down the home front.  Being a military wife of girlfriend is not easy, as a wife sometimes you have to be both mom and dad. As a girlfriend it is hard watching your friends go out with their boyfriends while you wait for a letter, an email or time on spkye.

     While He was Away is told from Penna’s point of view of her life and how she learns to cope while her boyfriend David is away in Iraq with the army.   While He was Away was a well written novel and the author tried hard to show what a military girlfriend goes through while her boyfriend is away in a war zone.  I am also not afraid to admit that While He was Away made me cry because it reminded me of my own teenage relationship with my won solider. While my relationship didn’t last I don’t’ regret the time I spent with him.  While I’ll do enjoy light hearted summer reads I am glad that more and more authors of teen books are touching on life’s issues that teen’s face.  




I just felt like reviewing a book that i checked out from my local library.

Review of Radiate

Title: Radiate

Author: Marley Gibson

Series: no

 

Chapters: 45 Plus epilogue

Pages: 403

Genre: teen fiction, teen chick lit

Rating: 4 stars

    

     I normally don't give books with curse words in it more than three stars as a personal preference. But since the book had an awesome message don't give up, and don't let cancer beat you. And the fact that it was fiction based on real life events I just had to give it four stars. Cuss words aside it was a great book. A Riveting read.

     For Hayley Matthews it is the summer before senior year; she’s made the cheerleading team and is looking forward to cheering at football games.  She boned with her flyer Lora and her best friend from childhood Gabriel has moved back to Alabama. She’s dating a football player; when she hears the words that no one especially a teenage wants to hear you have cancer.

     It’s through Hayley’s battle with cancer chemo and radiation that she truly finds out who her friends are. The ones that stand by her, but Hayley will also find strength that she never knew she had. It is a good read I just say caution because of the language I would have to say that it is for older teens and adults not younger teens. 

Review of Love? Maybe

Title: Love? Maybe

Author: Heather Helper

Series: no

 

Chapters: 21

Pages: 267

Genre: Teen chick lit

Rating: 4 stars

    

     Piper is a teenage girl who even though she was born on Valentine’s Day she still is critical of love. After seeing her mother gets divorced twice Piper doesn’t believe in love or happy ever after. Her friends try to convince her to give dating a try. Claire and Jillian don’t understand her someone so young could be so against love. Her best guy friend Charlie and next door neighbor has always been there for her, doesn’t understand why Piper in Ben the most popular guy in school.

      

     Love? Maybe was a cute main stream teen fiction I don’t remember any cuss words in it. Piper is a teenage girl who grows and learns a lot through the novel. To me the cover was cute and I’ve always been partial to stories that include the boy next door. 

Review of Getting Over Garrett Delaney

Title: Getting Over Garrett Delaney

Author: Abby McDonald

Series:   no

Chapters: 28

Pages: 319

Genre: teen chick lit

Rating: 3 ½ stars

If it was a movie it would be: pg-13

     A kind of cute mainstream teen chick lit. It also dealt with teen issues. I could have done without all of the curse words. But those aside it was still pretty cute. The story line was pretty simple. It’s mainly about Sadie learning to get over her best friend who happens to be a guy; Garrett.

     She takes a summer job at a coffee shop and meets a whole different group of people. Who decide to help her find out who she really is without Garrett?

     I mean who doesn’t love a story about a teenage girl who learns who she is. A story of the simplicity of high school summers. Getting over Garrett Delaney was the second book that I read by Abby McDonald and I liked it more than I did the first book that I read. 

Review of The Merchant's Daughter

Title: The Merchant’s Daughter

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Series:   sort of she has one other book out with similar themes.

Chapters: 21 plus epilogue

Pages: 270

Genre: Teen Christian Historical Fiction, Fairy tales retold

Rating: 5 stars

     The Merchant’s Daugther by Melanie Dickerson is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a Christian theme. It is the first book that I have read by Melanie Dickerson.

     Annabel Chapman is a Merchant’s daughter whose father has died and her family can’t pay the debt they owe. Annabel agrees to go in her brother’s place. She becomes a servant in lord Randulf Le Wyse house in order to escape the advances of Ballief Tom Atte Water. Annabel is taken under the wing of Mistress Eustacia. Annabel only planned to be a servant but she finds so much more.

I loved The Merchant Daughter, mainly because Beauty and the Beast was my favorite fairy tale growing up. Since Beauty and the Beast was the fairy tale that stressed the importance of what was on the inside. Which makes it the perfect fairy tale to retold with a Christian theme.

I enjoyed The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson and I plan to read more of her books

Review of Queen of Kentucky

Title: The Queen of Kentucky

Author: Alecia Whitaker

Series:  

Chapters: 32

Pages: 375

Genre: Teen Chick lit

Rating: 4 stars

     The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker is a teen book that is set in small town Kentucky. The author is originally from Kentucky, but part of me wonders if she has lost touch with her roots. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the book, I just wish that book was more real.

     Ricky Jo Winstead is your typical country girl, she lives on a farm, but not a horse farm she doesn’t belong to the country club. When she starts high school she wants to change who she is. Luke Foster is her best friend and the boy next door. Luke is the typical country boy. When I picture a country boy Luke is pretty much it.

     Reading the book was like re living my childhood in parts, I could relate. The book does capture the typical teenage years  in Kentucky. I just wish that the book didn’t have so much cussing, and scenes of teenage drinking.

     What I didn’t like about the book was the fact that for the main character the author had to pick a name that made her seem like a country bumpkin. She also made it seem like all country girls who live on a farm want to get away from the farm.  Even with everything the book was a good debut novel. I would read more books by this author. Every Kentucky girl and country girl will enjoy this read. 


My favorite line from the novel is "I've been dreaming of the perfect guy when he's been right under my nose." Ricky Jo 

book review of Sketchy Behavior

Title: Sketchy Behavior

Author: Erynn Mangum

Series:   no

Chapters: 20

Pages: 222

Genre: Christian teen fiction

Rating: 4 ½ stars

     Sketchy Behavior is the seventh book that I have read by Erynn Mangum not counting her three novella. It is her first teen novel. I love Erynn’s novel; that combine two of my favorite genres together Christian fiction and chick lit. Erynn’s novels are the books that you pick up when you need a good laugh.

     I wondered if she could write teen books as good as she does adult and she does. Kate Carter is a high school junior that has a talent for drawing, but little does she know that that talent will get her into trouble. Justin walters is her classmate who she has come to believe that he doesn’t talk. 

     Erynn’s characters are real and believable who make the same type of mistakes that we make in real life. My sister who doesn’t sister who doesn’t read Christian fiction loved the book, she picked it up to prove to our parents that she could get a job doing what she loved, and in the process she fell in love with an author

Review of Boyfriends, Burritos, and an ocean of trouble

Title: Boyfriends, Burritos, and an Ocean of Trouble

Author: Nancy Rue

Series:   real life

Chapters: 22

Pages:

Genre: Christian teen fiction

Rating: 4 ½ stars

     Bryn Christopher has been abused by her boyfriend Preston. After a nasty car accident the truth is reveled. Her father presses charges against Preston. That is just the beginning of the trouble that Bryn has to face. Her so called friends don’t believe that Preston was the one that abused her. Bryn becomes a target. She finds a leather book that presents the Bible in a whole new way that brings it to life for teens.

     Her grandmother comes to visit in order to help Bryn deal with everything that’s happened. Her grandma gets her to learn to surf, and it’s while learning to surf that she meets Shaun. Can Bryn learn to trust God again? Can she face everything she has to face? Will she be willing to let Shaun in?

     I enjoyed reading the book, it is a great book for teens to read. This series tackles the tough stuff that teens go through everyday. I guess that’s why the series is called real life.