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 

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

 Review of The Rules for Breaking

The Review of the girl next door

Review of The Girl Next Door

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.

Review of The Rules for Breaking

Title: 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. 

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

Review of The That Came Home 

Review of All Fall Down 

All Fall Down

Title: 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.  

Review of The Girl that Came Home

Title: 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.

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

Review of Full Steam Ahead

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.

Review of Brentwood's Ward

Title: 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. 

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

Add to Goodreads

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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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