Review of Twang

Title: Twang

Author: Julie L. Cannon

Genre: Christian Fiction

Rating: 4 ½ stars

Publisher: Abingdon Press 

     As a country music fan I was excited to read Twang. I was not disappointed; Julie L. Cannon brought music city (Nashville Tennessee) to life for me. I could image walking down the same streets that Jennifer walked down. Jennifer Clodfelter comes to Nashville to become a country music star; however she is shocked to learn that it does not happen overnight.

     Jennifer becomes a loveable character that you can’t help but root for. I love that the book also focus on the character’s development of faith. To Me Twang seems like a book that could be almost based on a real story. I got lost in the story, and didn’t want the story to end.  I look forward to reading more of Julie L. Cannon’s books in the future.

I received a copy of Twang from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts in this review are my own. Twang releases from Abingdon Press on September 1, 2012 

Review of The Boxcar Children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow

Title: The Boxcar Children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm

Author: Patricia MacLachlan

Genre: Children’s

Rating: 4 ½ stars

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company 

     Every since I read the first The Boxcar in which we first meet Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They were running away because their parents had died and they were scared of their grandfather because they thought that he was mean.  Even though The Boxcar Children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm is just one author’s  take on what their life might have been like when their parents were still alive. 

     I enjoyed the story even though it was different than The Boxcar Children Mysteries that I had grown to love as a child. I believe Patricia MacLachlan’s book will introduce a whole new generation to The Boxcar Children and allow their parents to take a walk down memory lane. It’s nice to see a children’s author who is writing books that are on the level and material that is geared towards their age level.

I received a copy of The Boxcar Children Beginning The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts in this review are my own. The Boxcar Children Beginning The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm releases from  Albert Whitman & Company  on September 1, 2012 

Reading this week

Finished

Lethal Legacy by Irene Hannon

A Love So Strong and When Love Comes Home by Arlene James

Winning Balance by Shawn Johnson

I’d Tell I love you, But then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

Currently reading

The Homesteader’s sweetheart Lacy Williams

Short-straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter

The Preacher’s Bride by Jody Hedlund

Non-fiction reading

Runaway Girl by Carissa Phelps

Getting ready to read

Love’s Reckoning by Laura Frantz

A Long way from you by Gwendolyn Heasley

Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis

Wildflower Bride in Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad

Saving Hope by Margaret Daley

A Texans’s Honor by Shelley Gray

For school 

Intersections of Gender, Race, and Class: Readings for a Changing Landscape

Visions of America: Personal Narratives from the Promised Land

 

Ethnic Women: A Multiple Status Reality

 

Snapshots of Research: Readings in Criminology and Criminal Justice

 

unSpun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation

 

Fundamentals of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice

On My Kindle

Reviewing

Netgalley

Camellia by Diane Ashley

 

Devotional reading

The Book of James

The Girl’s Still Got: Take a Walk with Ruth and the God Who Rocked Her World by Liz Curtis Higgs 

Reviews Posted this week

Review of My Stubborn Heart

Review of End of the Trail

Review of End of the Trail

Title: End of the Trail

Author: Vickie McDonough

Series: Texas Trails Series

 

Genre: Christian Historical fiction

Rating: 4 ½ stars

Publisher: Moody 

     The final book in the Texas Trails series, but End of the Trail can be read alone. Brooks Morgan accidentally inherites a ranch that was meant to be Keri’s. End of the Trail is only the second book in the Texas Trails Series but Keri is quickly becoming a favorite Heroine. I love her spunk and the fact that she knows how to use a gun.

     Both Brooks and Keri are running from their past. Brooks ran away from home and Keri did not have a traditional upbringing most work together to save a ranch.

     I love that the Texas Trails series have flawed hero’s and Heroine’s in order to show God’s grace. I also love that even though the hero “recues” the heroine the heroine is still strong in her own way to remain true to history, because the west wasn’t won my men and damsels in distress. The women who went west were strong and determined.

     I look forward to reading the rest of the Texas Trails series to read the rest of the Morgan family’s story. 

I received a copy of End of the Trail from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts in this review are my own.

Review of My Stubborn Heart

 Title: My Stubborn Heart

Author: Becky Wade

Series: no

 

Chapters: 23 plus Epilogue

Pages: 343

Genre: Christian Fiction, Christian romance

Rating: 4 ½ stars

                Kate Donovan has come with her grandmother to restore the family home. She needs a break from her job as a social worker after losing a client. The handy man that her grandmother hired Matt Jarreau a former Hockey player who has given up hockey after losing his wife to cancer.

     I enjoyed My Stubborn Heart the story line was different. Both Matt and Kate were believeable character’s and true to life. There were words used that I wasn’t use to seeing in Christian fiction.  I would have to say that My Stubborn Heart is a book for older reads. But still a good read. 

Reading this week

Finished

Leah’s Choice by Emma Miller

The Game Store Mystery by Gertrude Chandler

The Ghost in the First Row by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Courageous by Randy Alcorn

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Twang by Julie L. Cannon (reviewed for netgally)

Currently reading

A Texans’s Honor by Shelley Gray

Smart Girl get what they Want by Sarah Strohmeyer

Lethal Legacy by Irene Hannon

The Homesteader’s sweetheart Lacy Williams

Short-straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie

A Love So Strong and When Love Comes Home by Arlene James

Non-fiction reading

Winning Balance by Shawn Johnson

Runaway Girl by Carissa Phelps

Getting ready to read

A Long way from you by Gwendolyn Heasley

Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis

Wildflower Bride in Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad

Secret Letters by Leah Scheier

Saving Hope by Margaret Daley

Love’s Reckoning by Laura Frantz

For school 

In two weeks

On My Kindle

Reviewing

For netgalley

 Right where I belong Krista McGee

Devotional reading

The Book of James from the Bible

The Girl’s Still Got: Take  a Walk with Ruth and the God Who Rocked Her World by Liz Curtis Higgs 

Reviews Posted this week

Review of Skip Rock Shallows

Review of Mud Sweat and Tears

Review of Mud Sweat and Tears

Title: Mud Sweat, and Tears

Author: Bear Grylls

Series: 

 

Chapters: 110 plus epilogue

Pages: 408

Genre: Memoir autobiography

Rating: 4 ½ stars

     Bear Grylls the star  of  Man Verses Wild.  In Mud Sweat, and Tears Bear records his life from childhood to now. His time in the SAS Britain’s Special Forces, climbing Everest when his Christian faith finally became real to him.    Meeting his wife and knowing that she was the one.  Mud Sweat, and Tears is an honest  autobiography that holds nothing back. All in all I enjoyed reading it.  Though it does make me miss the show Man Verses Wild. 

Review of Skip Rock Shallows

Title: Skip Rock Shallows

Author: Jan Watson

Series: Copper Brown series which is a c Continuation of the Troublesome Creek series

Chapters: 33 plus epilogue

Pages: 375

Genre: Christian Historical fiction

Rating: 5 stars

     Lilly Gray Corbett is serving as a doctor in a coal mine camp in the hills of Eastern Kentucky. Even though she grew up in the same hills the people of the mining town still see her as an outsider. She wants to help the people of the hills. She wants to give back, however her fiancé Paul doesn’t want her stay in what he calls a backwater town.  While in Skip Rock a love from Lily’s from past comes back into her life. Lilly is the doctor of Copper Brown a midwife in their Eastern Kentucky home but Lilly chooses to follow in her late father’s footsteps to become a doctor. Lilly has choices that she needs to make will she make the right ones? Will she trust God’s will for her life? 

     I enjoyed Skip Rock Shallows. I loved that it was set in my home state. In many ways it reminded me of Christy, but at the same time it was completely different as well. I’ve always wanted to read more about Lilly after reading Still House Pond. To me Skip Rock Shallows was a good close to Lilly’s story but I wouldn’t say no to more books in the series. 

Reading this week

Finished

The Queen’s Vow by C.W. Gortner

Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant

The Spy Game by Gertude Chandler Warner

Shiloh by Phyllis Naylor Reynolds

The Vanishing Passagner by Gertude Chandler Warner  

The Boxcar children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm by Patrica MacLachlan (reviewed for Netgalley) review to come

End of the Trail by Vickie McDonough (Reviewed for netgalley) review to come

Currently reading

A Texans’s Honor by Shelley Gray

Leah’s Choice by Emma Miller

The Game Store Mystery by Gertrude Chandler

The Ghost in the First Row by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Smart Girl get what they Want by Sarah Strohmeyer

Lethal Legacy by Irene Hannon

Courageous by Randy Alcorn

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Non-fiction reading

 Still trying to find something to read.

Getting ready to read

Love in Disguise by Carol Cox

A Long way from you by Gwendolyn Heasley

Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis

Wildflower Bride in Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad

The Homesteader’s sweetheart Lacy Williams

Short-straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Secret Letters by Leah Scheier

Saving Hope by Margaret Daley

The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery by Regina Jeffers  

For school 

Not till the 27^th

On My Kindle

Reviewing

For netgalley

Twang by Julie L. Cannon

Devotional reading

The Book of James from the Bible

Discovering the Treasure of a Godly Woman: Proverbs 31 by Elizabeth George(taking a break from this)

The Girl’s Still Got: Take  a Walk with Ruth and the God Who Rocked Her World by Liz Curtis Higgs  

Lifegroup- reading through John

Reviews Posted this week 

Review of the Last song

Review of Lily

Review of Lily

Title: Lily

Author: Diane T. Ashley and Aaron McCarver

Series: Song of the River

 

Chapters: 52

Pages: 319

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Christian Romance

Rating: 5 stars

     Lily Anderson is a southern belle who doesn’t want to be forced into a loveless marriage. She takes her dowry and buys a steamboat only to discover that she only owns half of the boat. She wants to be able to raise both her sister’s Camellia and Jasmine the way she was raised on board a steamboat.

     Lily shares ownership of the Hattie Belle with Blake Matthews a man who is also running from his past. While Lily is on the Hattie Belle she discovers that Jasmine is thriving on the boat while Camellia is actually wilting. Is living on a steamboat really the right thing for her family? Can Lily and Blake let go of the past in order to have a future?

     I enjoyed reading Lily, it was a different type of read life on the river and a southern belle. Lily was the first book by Diane T. Ashley that I read. I am looking forward to next book in the series Camellia’s story. Growing up in a river town I have always enjoyed riding an historic steamboat during the summer.

Review of The Last Song

Title: The last Song

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Series: no

 

Chapters: 37 Plus Epilogue

Pages: 390

Genre: Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

     I believe that The Last Song has become one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books. It is one of the cleanest of his novels. The Last Song is tied with The Lucky One, but my favorite novel is still A Walk to Remember. One of the reasons I picked up The Last Song was because I finally wanted to watch the movie, and I am the type of person who cannot watch a movie based on book without reading the book first. The second reason is I am trying to read all of the Nicholas Sparks books and watch the movies that some of his books where turned into.

     Veronica (Ronnie) Miller is supposed to spend the summer with her dad and brother in North Carolina. Well as a New Yorker she hate’s it. Till she meets Will Blakelee and discovers a sea turtle nest. Things start to look up.

     The Last Song is a coming of age novel. About a teenage girl finding her place and what she wants out of life. It is also a story of a father and daughter reconnecting. I really enjoyed this novel and I hope the movie is half as good as the book. 

Reading This week

Finished

The Bull Rider’s Baby by Brenda Minton

Her Fmaily Wish by Betsy St. Amant

Her small-town Sheriff by Lissa Manley

Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks

Between the Lines by  Jodi Picoult

Hometown Family by Mia Ross

The Petite Advantage by Jim Karas

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Currently reading

Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant

The Queen’s Vow by C.W. Gortner

A Texans’s Honor by Shelley Gray

Non-fiction reading

 need to find something to read

Getting ready to read

Love in Disguise by Carol Cox

A Long way from you by Gwendolyn Heasley

Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis

Wildflower Bride in Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad

Leah’s Choice by Emma Miller

Short-straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

The Homesteader’s sweetheart Lacy Williams

For school 

On My Kindle

Reviewing

Devotional reading

The Book of James from the Bible

Discovering the Treasure of a Godly Woman: Proverbs 31 by Elizabeth George

Lifegroup- reading through John

Reviews Posted this week 

Review of Sweetheart Reunion

Review of Remembrance

While He was away

Downton Abbey Meets the Luxe series

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