Malicious Intent by Lynn Blackburn review

 Title: Malicious Intent

Author: Lynn Blackburn

Ch: 42

Pg: 363

Series: Defend and Protect book 2

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Revell

While I did enjoy the suspense in this one as well as The Princess Bride mentions and quotes. But especially Gil calling Ivy Buttercup was precious. And I loved that Ivy was a woman in science. Quite frankly we need more women in STEM in fiction books. I didn’t like this one as much as the first book in the series.

Mainly because to me the suspense and mystery was a little on the slow side. But it was still good and it kept me on my toes the whole the time I was reading. But more importantly I didn’t figure out The Who done it. I love when mysteries and suspense keep me guessing till the end. And I look forward to the next book in the series.

 

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

 

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.

The Planner by Jess Mastorakos review

Title: The Planner 

Author: Jess Mastorakos

Ch: 24 plus epilogue

Pg: 237

Series: Brides of Beaufort book 2

Genre: Rom Com

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: self

I don’t know how Jess Mastorakos does it but she’s done it again with The Planner and that’s to get me to fall in love with book that has a romance trope I normally hate. And in The Planner is the brother’s best friend trope. I’m beginning to think it’s a combination of her writing style and the fact that the majority of her heroes are Marines including Will the brothers best friend.

Aria is a strong and sassy wedding planner and I loved her. Along with Will but then they were secondary characters in The Proposal. This one ended being sweeter than I thought it would be and I loved that.

I also enjoyed that the epilogue set up the next book in the series and I can’t wait for The Bridemaid.

I received a complimentary copy   from the author. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness review

Title: Shadow of Night

Author: Deborah Harkness

Ch: 42

Pg: 583

Series: All Souls Trilogy

Genre: Paranormal romance time travel

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Penguin

Shadow of Night is the second book in the All Souls trilogy and picks up immediately where A Discovery of Witches ends with that cliff hanger.  So it's very important that you read that one first. In Shadow of Night I grow to love Diana and Matthew more than I thought I could.  In this book you learn more about Matthew's past.  And in doing so the reader becomes more sympatric   to    the reason he is the way he is with Diana. But on the same note Diana starts to learn who she truly is in this one and come into her own. 

I loved the fact that they are in Tudor England for the majority of the book so that made this history nerd happy as well as seeing Tudor era Holy Roman Empire.  Though that's about all I can say about this one without giving much of the first book away.  And like A Discovery of Witches this one ends with a cliff hanger as well.  And I can't wait to pick up The Book of Life the final book in the trilogy though I'm sad to see it end I can't wait to find out what happens to Diana and Matthew and everyone they love. 

Shadow Loyalty by Roseanna M White pre order

 I've always loved Roseanna's books and her newest releasing May 2, 2022 is set during my favorite decade and era to read. The Roaring 20s. I can't wait. 

Set amid the glitz and scandal of the Roaring Twenties, Shadowed Loyalty examines what love really means and how we draw lines between family and our own convictions, especially when following the one could mean losing the other. Releases May 2, 2022. https://bit.ly/3ithxPD @roseannamwhite @chrismpress #shadowedloyalty

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Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

 Title:  Number the Stars

Author:  Lois Lowry

Ch: 17

Pg:  137

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Houghton Miffin Barcourt

 

As C.S Lewis once said, " A Children's Story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." And while I wouldn't consider Number the Stars by Lois Lowry a children's book that one would enjoy reading do to the nature of the story. It is one that is not just for children therefore making it a good children's story.  Though this book is 33 years old having first been published in 1989 and going on to win the Newbery Medal in 1990 it is still a book that relevant today. 

 

How I feel about this book having read it as an adult now is still the same way I felt when I first read it 25 years ago as a 10-year-old. The same age Annemarie and Ellen were in the book.  It hit me harder than my classmates as a fifth grader because my best friend is Jewish, and I could easily put myself in Annamarie's shoes and that still holds true today. But at 10 I hoped that if put in Annemarie's shoes I would act the way she did. This book was my introduction to the Holocaust and WWII as part of my fifth grade reading list. I have to say this book still needs to be read today and it needs to remain on elementary reading list. The main characters are 10 years old and the book is written for 10 year old in a way that they can grasp the subject.  

 

 

First Line Friday

 Hosted by Reading is my Superpower

 

Chapter 1

 Unu

“Fear Arrived at Five o’clock.”

At Love's Command by Karen Witemeyer review

 Title:  At Love’s Command 

Author:  Karen Witemeyer

Ch: 37 Plus Epilogue

Pg:  377

Series: Hangers Horseman book 1

Genre:  Christian Historical fiction western, romance

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Bethany House

 

Hanger’s horseman established by the hero to make up for failures he feels he made while serving in the cavalry. And the horseman are made up of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Jonah you thought I was going John didn’t you. Dr Josephine Burkett is woman in a man’s world who ends up hiring the horseman to recuse her brother and ends up getting more than she bargained for.

Reading this book reminded me why I fell in love with Karen Witemeyer in the first place. This book was a combination of western, adventure, and rom com. I loved the banter between Jo and Matthew. Matthew wanted to protect Jo, but he also let her stand on her own. Which makes him my favorite kind of hero. I look forward to the next book in the series.