Nothing Short of Wondrous review

Title:  Nothing Short of Wondrous

 Author:  Regina Scott

Ch: 29

Pg:  323

Series: American Wonders Collection book 2

Genre:  Christian Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Revell

     Nothing Short of Wondrous by Regina Scott the second book in the American Wonders collection. A series about the US National parks before they were National parks. Nothing Short of Wondrous takes us to Yellowstone as the US Cavalry takes control of the park.

    Lieutenant William Prescott enlists hotel owner Kate Tremaine to show him the park he’s supposed to help protect. She agrees for help around the hotel. Neither expects anything to come of it. But when threats and strange things start happening to the hotel Will vows to protect Kate and her son Danny on top of his US Army duties.

I enjoyed seeing Yellowstone before it was Yellowstone in these pages especially after having read Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett a book that showed Yellowstone as Yellowstone National Park in the 1930s it was nice to see where when and how the park got its start.

I loved the balance between the history of the park and romance between Kate and Will that was more of a slow burn but Danny was still my favorite character and even though it enjoyed this one my favorite of the series is still the first one. However I do 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. 

First Line Fridays

 Hosted by  Hoarding Books Blog

Prologue 

WNYC Radio Studios 

New York City 

Tuesday, October 29, 1929

3:00 P.M.

 

"Pandemonium has broken out in the streets of New York City. Angry crowds have gathered throughout the day, demanding answers from those inside the New York Stock Exchange." 

 

Chapter One

Nashville, Tennessee 

Tuesday, October 29, 1929 

Eight Hours Earlier 

 

"I was convinced a more perfect day could not be found."  

Under the Tulip Tree review

Title:  Under the Tulip Tree

Author:  Michelle Shocklee

Ch: 29

Pg:  400

Genre:  Christian Historical fiction

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Tyndale House Publisher

     Under the Tulip Tree is the first book that I've read by Michelle Shocklee but it won't be my last.  I enjoyed this one even though it's a hard read.  It's a hard read in the sense that it is an emotional read about a tough subject but it's something that needs to be written about and talked about.  Lorena Rena Leland's life has changed since the stock market crash, though her family is better off than some money's still tight. So she takes a job with the WPA's Federal Writer's project, interviewing former slaves, and she meets Frankie Washington.  Rena's counting on a steady paycheck what she's not counting on is how her life is about to change and the learns she'll learn. 

 

Lena's  not the most likable character at the beginning, but the reader soon discovers that most of it stems from her growing up as a bankers daughter.  As her world expands and changes so does she.  My favorite character in the book is indeed Frankie Washington a woman who has ever reason to be bitter but instead her faith has  allowed her to truly embrace forgiveness, because you’re not forgiving them for them, your forgiving them for you, so you can be free. 

 

I've read three books in the last month that  had a WPA program as part of the plot and all set in the 1930s Great Depression and enjoyed them for different reasons, including a book about the Pack Horse librarians in Kentucky, the Civilian Conversation Corps  CCC in Wyoming, and the Federal Writer's Project and I have to say that this one about the Federal Writers Project and I have to say that all three books have me wanting to learn more about the programs. 

Under the Tulip Tree is worth the read and I recommend it to all readers though I do stress there is some tough and  hard topics as well as emotional things I strongly recommend having tissues handy. 

Colors of Truth review

 Title:  Colors of Truth

Author:  Tamera Alexander

 Ch: 43 plus epilogue

Pg:  504

Series: Carnton Book 2

Genre: Christian Historical fiction with a hint of romance

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Fountain Creek Press

     Colors of Truth is the second book in the Carnton series by Tamera Alexander and my favorite of to the series.  The novel is set in Franklin Tennessee at Carnton in 1866 at the end of the Civil War at a messy time in our history. But that the thing about history its messy, but we need to learn from it and in order to do that we have to look at the way that it was. However we don't have to view it in positive light. Tamera did a good job of finding the balance between the facts of history and showing  that it was wrong and evil.  In Colors of Truth she does this with her main characters Catriona O'Toole newly arrived from Ireland with her younger sister Nora. And Wade Cunningham who fought for the Union but is an undercover operative with the Secret Service Agent posing as a confederate soldier  in order to find counterfeiters. 

 

Catriona being Irish understands a little better than most what the freedmen and women are facing being hated for their skin and former status, while Catriona Nora are hated for where they are from that can be hidden to a point though Nora's red hair gives a hint and all doubt is removed   as soon as Catriona opens her and speaks with an Irish accent. Though she knows that even though she and Nora have faced hardship and heartache it's nothing to what Tempy and other former slaves have faced.  

 

Wade though raised in Southern Kentucky chose to fight for the union and is still fighting for that cause and it pains him to hide the truth from Tempy and Catriona, but he does it because he is still fighting for a better life for those like Tempy and Catriona.  

 

My two favorite secondary characters are Tempy and Nora,  I loved Tempy's wisdom and faith in the first book and she doesn't disappoint in this one.  I also loved Nora the little redheaded spitfire reminded me of my own sister at that age. 

 

Catriona is the character that I related to the most, her stubborn nature and her struggle to find the balance of being a sister to Nora and a mother figure.  That’s what I related to the most with her character the most because I to was trying to find the balance between two with my own younger sister after losing our mom though at 19 my sister was slightly older than wee Nora. Wade has become my favorite hero of Tamera’s he truly is a good man.

 

 

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. 

Monthly wrap up

 

I started the month with (43) unread books. Brought (2) books.  Got my owlcrate book (1) Book of the month (1) Got (5) book for review Won a book in a giveaway () Got books for gifts () which brought my total to (51). Read (5) owned books. Read (3) Kindle books I own  DNF’d () So I am ending the month at books (47) unread books and hoping to get back on track with the whole read 5 physical books before I buy anymore.  I read a total of (19) books across (4,101) pages.

 Marvel Powers of a Girl by Lorraine Cink

 Well Played by Jen DeLuca

Boston Scream Murder by Ginger Bolton (netgalley)

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett (kindle)

Murder on Pleasant Avenue by Victoria Thompson (netgalley)

The Key to Love by Betsy St. Amant (owned)

The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor

Goodnight Moo by Mollie Cox Bryan (netgalley)

A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates (netgalley)

Point of Danger by Irene Hannon (owned)

Nacho Average Murder by Maddie Day (netgalley)

Killer Kung Pao by Vivien Chien (netgalley)

Marvel Vault of Heroes: Captain America by Paul Tobin

Pumpkin Everything by Beth Labonte (kindle)

Colors of Truth by Tamera Alexander (owned)

Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee (kindle)

The Conqueror by Bryan Litfin (owned)

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles (owned)

Out of Circulation by Heather Day Gilbert (Kinde)

First Line Fridays

 Hosted by Hoarding Books Blog

Chapter 1 
March 16, 1866 

Franklin, Tennessee 

21 Miles South of Nashville 

 

"Catriona held tight to her younger sisters arm, knowing better than to loosen her grip when surrounded by such tempting delights." 

Pumpkin Everything

Title:  Pumpkin Everything

Author:  Beth Labonte

 Ch: 27 Plus epilogue

 Pg:  194

 Series: An Autumnboro Sweet Roamnce

 Genre:  romance, Rom Com

 Rating: 4 stars

 

Pumpkin Everything is a sweet romance and a rom com in book form. That I wasn't sure what i was going to get because it's a main stream romance.  But I enjoyed it. Amy Fox has returned to her hometown with a case of writers block and a canceled wedding to care for her grandfather's who's suffered an injury. As writer whose based her characters off people in her hometown granted a town she never thought she'd return to she's in a bit of bind.   And to top it all off she can't stand the smell of Pumpkin spice not good in a town that loves all things autumn.    

 

What drew me to the book was the title and the fact that Amy doesn't like the smell of pumpkin spice and as someone who hates pumpkin spice everything I was drawn to the character.  It was also nice to read a seasonal novella that was set in Autumn which is something you don't see very often.  That While this is a main stream romance it's more on the sweet side than steamy and relatively clean (things are implied) but it happens off the page.   I do look forward to reading the next one in the series Maple Sugar Crush which is set at Thanksgiving. From what I can tell both can be read as standalone.