Saturday, July 27, 2013

Anomaly by Krista McGee

Krista McGee burst on the scene a couple of years ago with her fun, witty young adult novels. I was an instant fan. I grabbed her newest, Anomaly, without knowing anything about it other than it was written by her.

Once I received it and started reading it I was disappointed because it was so very different than her earlier works. Creating an entire new world underground because of nuclear fallout? Not something I would have ever thought I'd be interested in. I loved it. The story was so well written that it captivated me from page one. I ached for Thalli and all that she went through. 

My favorite part were her interactions with the old man, John, who was hidden away on an upper level. The way he described the Designer (God) was beautifully written.

I can't wait for the rest of this series!

From the back cover:
Thalli has fifteen minutes and twenty-three seconds left to live. The toxic gas that will complete her annihilation is invading her bloodstream. But she is not afraid.
Decades before Thalli's birth, the world was decimated by a nuclear war. But life continued deep underground, thanks to a handful of scientists known as The Ten. There they created genetically engineered human beings who are free of emotions in the hope that war won't threaten the world again.
Thalli is an anomaly, born with the ability to feel emotions and a sense of curiosity she can barely contain. She has survived so far by hiding her differences. But then her secret is discovered when she's overwhelmed by the emotion of an ancient piece of music.
The Ten quickly schedule her annihilation, but her childhood friend, Berk-a scientist being groomed by The Ten-convinces them to postpone her death and study her instead. While in the Scientist's Pod, Thalli and Berk form a dangerous alliance, one strictly forbidden by the constant surveillance.
As her life ticks away, she hears rumors of someone called the Designer-someone even more powerful than The Ten. What's more, the parts of her that have always been an anomaly could in fact be part pf a much larger plan. And the parts of her that she has always guarded could be the answer she's been looking for all along.
Thalli must sort out what to believe and who to trust, before her time runs out....

This book was provided for review by LitFuse and is published by Thomas Nelson.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Rosemary Cottage by Colleen Coble

There's a reason why Colleen Coble sits towards the top of my favorite author's list, and this book is it! Rosemary Cottage (second in the Hope Beach series) is classic Coble, and my favorite of hers in years. This book--I could not tear myself away from. I had to change plans for today so I could finish this book. It was that good. I was glued to it from start to finish. I could feel my pulse quicken during certain scenes.

Suspense, romance, murder, kidnapping, reconciliation, this one has it all. It was exactly what I needed to escape with after a hectic week. 

If you're looking for a mystery that won't scare the socks off of you, this is it. Excellent, excellent work!

This book was provided for review by LitFuse.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Happy This Year! by Will Bowen

In Happy This Year! by Will Bowen you'll find what mom has been telling you all along, money does not buy happiness. He also proves to the reader that happy people are also healthier and friendlier people. Those of us who are happy already know that, but for people who are stuck trying to better themselves this may be new information.
From the opening quote in chapter one: "Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body" - George Carlin, to the end of the book you will find all kinds of myths and truths of happiness.
This is written in an easy-to-read style and though light, there is a lot of deep truth to it. 
Suggestions as simple as, "stop listening to sad love songs" can make a huge difference in the life of someone who's unhappy all of the time.

The author even has a link on his website where you can track your happiness! Visit here

This book was provided for review by The B&B Media Group

  This is the first book published by Grand Harbor Press, the inspirational publishing imprint of Amazon. Will Bowen is the founder of the non-profit organization A complaint Free World and has a NY Times bestseller by the same name.  He challenges people to break the habit of negativity by going 21 consecutive days without complaining.  That book turned into a global movement with, today, people in 106 countries wearing the Complaint Free purple bracelets.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Defeating Jezebel by Jennifer LeClaire


Defeating Jezebel by Jennifer LeClaire is full of insight into this destructive spirit that tries to infiltrate and overtake the church. It's obvious by the writing that the author has had some painful experiences with people who exhibit the Jezebel spirit and tendencies. 

So many churches are suffering from this spirit, and they have no idea that's what it is. This book can help deliver them from it. I feel it's a useful guide to dealing with and quenching the destructive nature of the Jezebel spirit.

This book was provided for review by Bethany House/Chosen.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Dolled Up to Die by Lorena McCourtney

I am really beginning to love a Lorena McCourtney novel, and this-second in her Cate Kinkaid series-is so much fun. If murder can be fun, that is.
Dolled Up to Die brings us back in touch with Cate Kinkaid, assistant private investigator. The novel starts off with an attention-grabbing action scene in which Cate is called to a murder by a frantic woman who is reporting that three have been shot. What Cate doesn't know is that the three are dolls, lifelike dolls created by their owner. What starts as an awkward situation for Cate quickly escalates into much more, and before she knows it she's investigating several real deaths and is also risking her own life.

I love the quirky characters in this series. The book made me giggle and even quote a few lines to my husband who wanted to know what I was giggling about.

If you're looking for a light mystery then look no further. Pick up this book, along with Dying to Read (first in the series) and sit back and enjoy.

This book was provided for review by Revell.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Sweet Mercy by Ann Tatlock

Once in a while you find an author that is just above the rest. There are many authors that I love and will read, but there are two who stand above everyone else. Lynn Austin is one, and Ann Tatlock is the other one. When either of these two ladies releases a new book I want it. Now. I don't even need to know what it's about. It's a given that I will love it.

Sweet Mercy by Ann Tatlock blew me away (again!) The characters came alive instantly and I could barely tear myself away from reading, but the family needed fed, the laundry needed done, I needed sleep...I wish these things would quit interrupting my reading time.

Ann taught me so many things this time around and made me want to research the prohibition era. I loved that the book started out in present day and then went backwards in time to the memories of when the main character (Eve Marryat) was a teenager. 

If you only discover one author this year, make it this one. Each and every one of her books is perfect. This is probably my favorite so far. Tatlock keeps getting better and better. 

I treasure her books and the time I spend reading them. I just wish they were released faster, I hate waiting for a new book from one of my favorites.

This book was provided for review by Bethany House.

From the back cover:
When Eve Marryat's father is laid off from the Ford Motor Company in 1931, he is forced to support his family by leaving St. Paul, Minnesota, and moving back to his Ohio roots. Eve's uncle Cyrus has invited the family to live and work at his Marryat Island Ballroom and Lounge.

Eve can't wait to leave St. Paul, a notorious haven for gangsters. At seventeen, she considers her family to be "good people," not lawbreakers like so many in her neighborhood. Thrilled to be moving to a "safe haven," Eve soon forms an unlikely friendship with a strange young man name Link, blissfully unaware that her uncle's lodge is anything but what it seems.

When the reality of her situation finally becomes clear, Eve is faved with a dilemma. Does she dare risk everything by exposing the man whose love and generosity is keeping her family from ruin? And when things turn dangerous, can she trust Link in spite of appearances?



 

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Is that not the cutest cover of a book that you've ever seen? 
I've been an avid reader of Rachel Hauck's works for years now and this one Once Upon a Prince is easily my favorite of her books. It's just so completely perfectly adorable.
A modern day fairy tale, it has a damsel in distress and a real-life prince who comes to her rescue. Several times. She has no idea that he's a prince and he feels increasingly guilty that she doesn't know. 
Susanna is such a strong woman, even in her distress her strength and faith shine through. Prince Nathaniel is just as strong in his faith and these two are like magnets to each other as soon as they meet. They both have reasons to fight their feelings though, and the prince has people who are willing to help him fight his feelings, and even do so on his behalf.

Twists and turns, royal laws, and more will delight you as you read through this one. It is one not to be missed. The sweetest kind of love story.

Thanks, Rachel, for this clean read. And for making me cry happy tears.

This book was provided for review by BookSneeze.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Sweet Sanctuary by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Step back into Boston in the 1940s during WW II with Kim Vogel Sawyer's latest release, Sweet Sanctuary. A tale of love and loss and so much more. Lydia Eldredge is living a lie, mothering a child that isn't hers, and her father plans to find a father for this child. Enter Dr. Micah Hatcher, a New Yorker who finds himself thrown into the mix. While he isn't completely against the idea of helping Lydia, he aims to do it the legal way and have the real father sever ties and claims to the child.
The father has other plans, plans that will make him a lot of money in a short amount of time, plans that will help him gain the drugs that he is addicted to.

This book was really good for the first 3/4 of it, and then it seemed to drag a bit and I found myself skimming the pages just to get to the end. While I enjoyed the story, it felt like it hit a bump towards the end and needed something else.

It was a clean read and for that I'm thankful.

This book was provided for review by LitFuse.

Trouble in Store by Carol Cox


I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed Trouble in Store by Carol Cox. From the opening scenes where Melanie Ross finds herself in trouble at the hands of a lying, scheming child, to the end where she's grown into a woman who is able to take care of herself amidst a town turning against her. This was such a delightful story! I loved watching Melanie as she rearranged the store (one of my jobs is as a merchandiser, so I found that part very interesting!) and as she tried to steer herself away from all of the unwanted advances that became an almost daily occurrence. Carol Cox has a winner with this one!

From the back cover:
Fired from her most recent governess position, Melanie Ross must embrace her last resort: the Arizona mercantile she inherited from her cousin. But Caleb Nelson is positive he inherited the mercantile, and he's not about to let an obstinate woman with newfangled ideas ruin all he's worked for. In hope of turning her interest elsewhere, he determines to get Melanie married off, and luckily, there are many single men in town quite willing to take her off of his hands.
The problem is, Caleb soon realizes he doesn't want her to marry any of them. He's drawn to her more every day, and he has to admit some of her ideas for the store offer unexpectedly positive results.
But someone doesn't want the mercantile to succeed, and threatening words have escalated into destruction and danger. Will Melanie and Caleb's business-and budding romance-survive the trouble that's about to come their way?

This book was provided for review by Bethany House.