Review of Dauntless

Title: Dauntless

Author: Dina L Sleiman

Series: Valiant Hearts book 1

 

Chapters: 36

Pages: 365

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction/retelling Christian Historical romance

Rating: 5 stars

     Dauntless is a bit of a Robin Hood retelling with a twist.  Lady Merry Ellison is an outlaw, because her father plotted against King John. Her and the other village children  are the only survivors of the king's revenge. Merry only goal is to protect the children in her care even though she is still a child herself.

     At one point she was a noblewoman with dreams for the future, now she is just trying to survive as an outlaw. Timothy Grey has orders from his overlord to find the ghosts and bring them to justice. He's in for the surprise of his life when he discovers who the leader of the ghost's is. He is the youngest son of a nobleman who's dreams of a future died when the woman he'd loved died. Or so he thought.

     Dauntless is book full of surprises twist and turns. But that what's makes it such a great read, and I for one cannot wait to read the next book in the series.  I love a book with strong warrior women who still know that they need help.  Young adult books as well as adult books need more of this type of heroines like Merry. So I am glad that Dina has at least two more books coming out in this series. 

Review of The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest

Title: The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Series: Medieval Fairy Tale Romance book 1

Chapters: 32

Pages: 306

Genre: Christian fairy tale Christian teen historical fiction Christian teen historical romance

Rating: 5 stars

     The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest is another great fairy tale retelling by Melanie Dickerson. This one is a cross between Swan Lake(Swan Princess) and Robin Hood. And I loved it.   As a child The Swan Princess and Robin Hood were in my top ten movies.   So I love the fact that Melanie combined the two into one novel.  Also the heroine is not a damsel in distress she can hold her own.  Odette worries about the orphan children of her village.  She wants to do as much as she can to help them. She becomes the Robin Hood of her people.   Jorgen is the forester for the leader of their country. Who is charged with finding the person who his killing deer in the forest.  

     Melanie's books keep getting better.  While The Merchant's Daughter will always be my favorite of hers because it's a retelling of Beauty and Beast. The Huntress of Thornbeck  Forest is tied with The Princess Spy for second.   Odette is a strong heroine in her own right but not so strong that she doesn't need a hero.  I loved Melanie's  twist on the Robin Hood  story.  

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.

Reading this week

Finished 

Tricky Twenty Two by Janet Evanovich

Loving the country boy by Mia Ross

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury

The Women of Christmas by Liz Curtis Higgs

Currently reading

Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales

High-Caliber Holiday by Susan Sleeman

Flipped for Murder by Maddie Day

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Non-fiction reading

Never Broken: Songs are only half the story by Jewel

Getting ready to read

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

A Worthy Pursuit by Karen Witemeyer

The Rancher's Second Chance by Brenda Minton

Luther and Katharina by Jody Hedlund

Chivalrous by Dina L Sleiman

A Reunion for the Rancher by Brenda Minton

A Doctor for the Nanny Leigh Bale

A Ranger for the Holidays by Allie Pleiter

Classic

Audio on the Way to Work

Reviewing

Devotional reading

Standing Strong: How to Resist the Enemy of your Soul by John F MacArthur JR

The Woman's study Bible, NKJV

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week 

reading this week

Finished 

My Old Kentucky Road Trip by

Currently reading

Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales

The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson

Kinsale Kisses by Elizabeth Maddrey

Devon’s Choice by Catherine Bennett

A Wee Murder in My Shop by Fran Stewart

Lionheart by A.C. Gaughen

By Book or by crook by Eva Gates

A Ghostly Undertaking by Tonya Kappes

Lois Lane:Fallout by Gwenda Bond

Non-fiction reading

Tales from Kentucky Funeral homes

Mark Twain’s Notebooks by Carlo De Vito

Getting ready to read

Dauntless by Dina L Sleiman

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson

Protected by the Warrior by Barbara Phinney

An Early Wake by Sheila Connolly

Daughter of the Regiment by Stephiane Grace Whitson

Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anna Blankman

Five Days in Skye by Carla Laurenco

Deception’s Pawn by Esther Friesner

Protected by the Warrior by Barbara Phinney

The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace

Woman powered farm by Audrey Levatino

Classic

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Reviewing

To Win her Favor by Tamera Alexander

An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund

Devotional reading

Girl Talk God Talk by Sally Miller

Did not Finish

For Whom the Bluebell Tolls by Beverly Allen

Fierce Convictions by Karen Prior Swallow

Reviews Posted this week 

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 Match Made

Title: Match Made

Author: Eyrnn Mangum

Series: A Lauren Holbrook novel book 4

 

Chapters: 21

Pages: 248

Genre: Christian Chick lit

Rating: 5 stars

     Match Made is the newest book from Eyrnn Mangum and the fourth book in the A Lauren Holbrook series. Unlike the first three books it is not told from Laurie’s point of view but a new character Annie McKay but Laurie and the rest of the gang from the first three books are there.  Of course Laurie’s still has her hobby and this time she’s focused on Annie and Zachary Murphy the worship pastor at the church.

     I liked Match Made more that the first three. I enjoyed that Annie was in her late twenties and established in her job but still feeling like something was missing. She’s wondering what God’s plan is for her life. I guess I like Annie because I’m close in age to her sort of know what I want to do with my career path, waiting and trusting God. So it is nice to read a book from one of my favorite authors revisits characters from earlier books a few years after those books ended and adds newer characters that are a little older than characters in previous books.