A Haven on Orchard Lane by Lawana Blackwell book review

 

A Haven on Orchard Lane

by Lawana Blackwell

  

Much-Loved Lawana Blackwell Delivers Another Charming Victorian-Era Tale

In difficult circumstances, Charlotte Ward, once a famed stage actress, tries to restart her career--only to experience disaster. Against her better judgment, her estranged daughter, Rosalind, comes to her mother's rescue and moves her to a quiet English coastal village.
Charlotte is grateful to get to know Rosalind after years apart. As one who has regrets about her own romantic past, it's a joy for Charlotte to see love blossom for her daughter. For Rosalind, however, it's time away from teaching--and now she must care for the mother who wasn't there for her. And what could be more complicated than romance?
Together, mother and daughter discover that healing is best accomplished when they focus less on themselves and more on the needs of others.


My Review: 8.5/10

I was SO excited to get this book! I have waited such a long time for a new Lawana Blackwell novel. And it doesn't disappoint.

There is a lot of leaning on God (and learning to trust Him) in this book, which I loved. There is a little intrigue and a lot of forgiveness and God-driven purpose. I respect that Ms. Blackwell does not feel the need to tie up every loose end and doesn't have every character change for the better, no matter the effort and prayer involved. It makes it easier to relate to.


*spoiler*
The only criticism that I have is that the mother-daughter relationship seemed to have been resolved very quickly considering the circumstances. I mean, I'm glad it didn't drag on unnecessarily. It's just that I really felt for Rosalind and didn't think I'd forget as easily. Children desperately desire relationships with their parents, and will forgive them almost anything. But the effects still last- trust issues, bitterness, jealousy, insecurities, whatever forms the abandonment takes. So to have Rosalind just immediately jump into a healthy and happy relationship with her mother alienated me a bit as reader. But just a bit.

From the way it ended, I don't think we can expect this one to turn into a series, but I sure hope this means there will be more of her books to look forward to in the near future. There are just none like her.

The Reluctant Duchess (Ladies of the Manor #2) by Roseanna M. White book review

The Reluctant Duchess (Ladies of the Manor #2)

by Roseanna M. White (Goodreads Author)

  

Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she has never felt good enough—not for her father, not for the man she thought she’d marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she’s willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping Loch Morar and the men who have jeopardized her life.

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has suddenly found himself in possession of a rare treasure his enemies are prepared to kill for. While Brice has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, the last thing he needs is the distraction of his neighbor, Lady Rowena, who finds herself in a desperate situation. But when the moody Earl of Lochabar tries to trap Brice into marrying Rowena, Brice finds he’s not as opposed to the idea as he expected to be.

Rowena wanted to escape the Highlands, but she’s reluctant to resort to marrying a notorious flirt just to gain his English home. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in some kind of questionable business with a stolen treasure, she ’fears she’s about to end up directly in the path of everything she was trying to avoid.




My Review: 5/10

I loved the beginning of this book so much. Having not read the first book, it was a little confusing at first, with all the nicknames and titles and changing view points. But it picked up so quickly that I found myself doing the "just one more page... chapter" dance til 2 am when I finally felt I could pause and sleep.

Things were starting to get good. I liked that the book dealt with real issues and real fears and that Rowena was honest in situations most people might plead the 5th in.

Then things started to shift. Brice went from being patient and understanding to over the top doting. And Rowena responded in anger and resentment that he apparently thought her incompetent. What? You are suffering the after effects of recent abuse, frequently being overwhelmed by fear, and when he tries to be sensitive to you, you're offended and assert your independence?! It was like she had a personality disorder.

Both of them really started to bug me- Brice with his flawless patience and Rowena with her Proud Daughter of the Chief vs. Insecure Dowdy Victim back and forth. And then things went from bad to worse. Rowena embraced insecurities and stupidity.

That was the last straw for me. She was warned about dangerous people and yet... she was never on her guard, ate up everything they said, aligned herself with them and then started covering for them. Within the space of minutes. I could see how this was going to play out- her insecurities would breed jealousy and desire for Brice. She would be duped. She would be threatened. Their true nature would be revealed, he would save her, convince her of his love and all would end happily. I don't mind predictability. But the characters became insufferable to me in their naivete and gullible-ness.

And despite it starting out SO good, at about 50% of the way through, I was too angry to finish it.

I wouldn't recommend this book but the beginning gives me hope for this authors potential in future books. I might even check out the first one in the series, since Brook seems intelligent and like a fighter and that's the kind of person I want to read about.

At Love's Bidding (Ozark Mountain Romance #2) by Regina Jennings book review

At Love's Bidding (Ozark Mountain Romance #2)

by Regina Jennings (Goodreads Author)

  

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she's accidentally sold a powerful family's prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the furious family, her grandfather tracks it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house if they promise not to sell anything until he arrives.

Upon their arrival, however, they discover their new business doesn't deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its manager, ruggedly handsome Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don't know a thing about the business he's single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more cattle than they can count--but no mysterious painting--Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and salvage a bad situation getting worse.


My Review: 8/10
 
I love Regina Jennings and her writing style. I wait all year for her books. They are guaranteed to make me laugh out loud and smile stupidly to myself. This book is no exception. Elmer (and his Lady) and Betsy were hysterical. Intelligent and sassy, but still warm.

Having zero experience with auctioneering and the midwest, I had a little trouble envisioning some of what was described, but I learned a lot too.

For me, Miranda and Wyatt's story just didn't hit me as hard as previous stories. I just didn't feel that chemistry with them. The only thing I can really put my finger on is that I didn't like that they ended up having to conceal things from each other. I'm glad it wasn't blown out of proportion, the way that so many other stories are, but it made me anxious while I was reading it, fearing the worst.

I still highly recommend this book. Ms. Jennings does an amazing job at bringing unique characters to life. Trust me, you want to know these people.

Atlantia by Ally Condie book review

Atlantia

by Ally Condie (Goodreads Author)

  

Can you hear Atlantia breathing?

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamt of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all her plans for the future are thwarted when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected decision, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long hidden—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the complex system constructed to govern the divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.



My Review: 6/10

I had such high expectations for this book. The beginning really draws you in. And it was such a cool idea- mixing mythology with dystopian challenges. There was some mystery, but I had trouble really envisioning the setting, and therefore losing myself in the story. Some things were never really explained (like the connection between the sirens and the bats, etc.) so I was left with a lot of questions and skepticism.

The relationships were a little off for me, too. I didn't understand why Bay (and her mother, and later her aunt, for that matter) didn't just explain the circumstances, instead of keeping Rio in the dark and making decisions without her. But then, if anyone had communicated with her, there wouldn't have been much of a story. But, that kind of set up really falls flat for me. I'm not into books that are built up around The Big Misunderstanding or The Lie by Omission or similar veins, if that's the only thing holding the storyline together.

I didn't believe the romance(s) and felt like the story would have been a bit stronger without going there.

I'm just glad it wasn't made into a trilogy.

It Happened at the Fair (It Happened at the Fair #1) by Deeanne Gist book review

It Happened at the Fair (It Happened at the Fair #1)

by Deeanne Gist (Goodreads Author)

  

Gambling everything—including the family farm—Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the fair’s Machinery Hall makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.

The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her lips. Like the newly invented Ferris wheel, he is caught in a whirl between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the ground, or will he be carried away?


My Review: 10/10

Excellent book. Not only was this another 1893 World Fair novel jam packed with history (which I LOVE), but it featured two exceptional main characters: a woman who had good reason to be filled with mistrust, suspicion, and secrecy, who second guessed herself when appropriate, protected herself, apologized when she should, and was capable of changing her mind. And a man who was sincere in both word and deed, and respected himself and others (particularly women). A man who stays faithful to the one he's commited to, even when his interest starts to fade and shift. A man who works very hard to keep his distance from temptation. I respected them both so much.

Seriously, as a reader, I have so much appreciation for an author who gives me characters that I don't have to make excuses for or turn a blind eye to some uncharacteristic or questionable choices.

The story was believable and the characters lovable, with humor and history scattered liberally throughout the pages. My favorite kind of novel.

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver book review

Vanishing Girls

by Lauren Oliver (Goodreads Author)

  

New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.


My Review: 10/10

Lauren Oliver is a genius. A genius. This book is a masterpiece. It is a work of art. It is so... AHHHH you just never see it coming. She is the rare type of author that, after not being able to put this book down, I immediately had to reread it when I finished. And it was entirely different the second time. Every time you read this book, you will go deeper, uncovering more layers and a new appreciation for Ms. Oliver's brilliance.

I don't know how she does it. Everything was so well done that I never suspected a thing; it all just fit perfectly.

That being said, I couldn't love it. This book deals with some seriously heavy issues and it doesn't leave you feeling good which is the only kind of book I can truly love. Lauren Oliver, I implore you, use your powers for good! Give me another Delirium, another good conquering evil, another innocent love. Give me triumph, give me weightless, give me unbroken. I beg of you.

Lady Maybe by Julie Klassen book review

Lady Maybe

by Julie Klassen (Goodreads Author)

  

In the new novel by the three-time Christy Award-winning author of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, a woman’s startling secrets lead her into unexpected danger and romance in Regency England… 
One final cry…“God almighty, help us!” and suddenly her world shifted violently, until a blinding collision scattered her mind and shook her bones. Then, the pain. The freezing water. And as all sensation drifted away, a hand reached for hers, before all faded into darkness…

Now she has awakened as though from some strange, suffocating dream in a warm and welcoming room she has never seen before, and tended to by kind, unfamiliar faces. But not all has been swept away. She recalls fragments of the accident. She remembers a baby. And a ring on her finger reminds her of a lie.

But most of all, there is a secret. And in this house of strangers she can trust no one but herself to keep it.


My review: 10/10

This book was excellent! I already can't wait to read it again!

Some of the plot lines were clear to me a little sooner than intended, but that didn't ruin anything. And others... I did not see coming at all. This is the kind of story that is so riveting and changing, that it's all you can do to hold on til the end.

For me, I would have liked to have had God more involved in the story, not just the end. It would have been great to have Hannah lean on Him when she was in up to her neck and had no idea what to do. And then to have her just sit back and watch Him work. But then, how true it often is in our own lives. How often do we put the pressure on ourselves to know the best choices, to make the right decisions and have everything planned out, to fix the messes we make for ourselves... and only turn to him when we've tried to handle it ourselves and are now out of options? As it was, I felt the message was strong and true.

There will be readers who will not like this book because of the immorality it addresses. But then, those are likely the same people that think to be Christian is to be above sin. This was the best kind of Christian story: one full of forgiveness and being made new in Christ. It did not flaunt sin, but showed a realistic and often painful portrait of how we invite it into our lives, with the ultimate message being that God redeems. Beautiful.

Mardan's Mark by Kathrese McKee book review

Mardan's Mark (Mardan's Mark #1)

by Kathrese McKee (Goodreads Author)

4.49  ·  Rating Details  ·  41 Ratings  ·  27 Reviews

Death is not their deepest fear.

Abducted by pirates and taken behind enemy lines across the Great Gulf, Princess Srilani is determined to save her sisters and younger brother, the crown prince, from captivity.

She convinces their caretaker, Aldan, and his brother slaves to share the perilous journey home. This ragtag group of unlikely heroes sets out on a quest — pursued by cutthroat pirates, merciless priests, and marauding soldiers — to return the heir to his kingdom before war breaks out.

In this epic adventure fantasy, Srilani and Aldan risk everything to save a prince and a nation, discovering along the way that death is not their deepest fear.

Mardan’s Mark is the award-winning first book in the Mardan’s Mark series.



My Review: 7.5/10

This book was great. It was recommended to me by the author's assistant based on other books I'd enjoyed (namely, Patrick Carr's novels) and I'm so glad!

This is an epic fantasy story with strong religious themes modeled after Christianity.

I liked that obstacles were met with almost immediately. Enemies were not built up as larger than life, looming like an oppressive evil presence hunting them to the ends of the earth, like some other books. This was good for keeping my stress levels down without killing off the suspense; their goals were larger than individual threats and I felt like that was more realistic.

Bearing in mind that this is fantasy, the way Christianity and God were portrayed didn't bother me. I didn't feel like anything was too off the mark. And I feel like some of the situations in the book are good for discussion.

The relationships were obvious from the get go, but I'm okay with that. And some of the surprise plot points were clear from the beginning as well, but that's alright too. I don't need to be taken by surprise to enjoy a story.

The things I didn't like were minor. I didn't think the royal children were as wise as they were built up to be. For example, choosing fake names from the get-go was a great idea. They should have kept up that pretense for the entire novel, if you ask me. They should have guarded their secrets, their identities, their skills a lot more carefully. I felt like they were way too trusting, almost begging to confide in others. And some of their problems were resolved too easily for me to find it entirely believeable.

On the whole, though, this was a great read. I highly recommend it, especially to those who like epic adventure stories about a lost heir fighting to reclaim their throne and unite warring kingdoms. 

Inhuman (Fetch #1) by Kat Falls book review

Inhuman (Fetch #1)

by Kat Falls (Goodreads Author)

  

In a world ravaged by mutation, a teenage girl must travel into the forbidden Savage Zone to recover lost artifacts or her father’s life is forfeit.

America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.

Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught.

Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.


My Review: 4/10
 

This was a poor man's Hunger Games with heavy influences from Divergent, but not really worthy to be mentioned in the same sentence of either.

This book is seriously twisted (bestiality casually referenced for example) and gruesome. What's worse is that it's told from the perspective of a hormone-overloaded, immature, gullible 16 year old girl with a self-righteous God complex who, of course, is so gorgeous that she immediately finds herself at the center of a love triangle. Ugh, if I had to read her stamping her foot and retorting, "I am not!" one more time... I might have gone 'feral' myself. Anything Lane succeeds at is purely by accident.

The plot and it's twists were so predictable, they could be seen from miles away- every last one of them.

It is a bit of a page turner, after a while. It seriously took me years to move past the first couple of chapters because they just didn't draw me in. And Lane was already annoying and naive to me. But after that, I couldn't put it down until about half way through, when it abruptly got a lot more violent and a lot more trite and I had trouble slogging through it again, until about the last 20% when I gave up and skimmed.

I gave it two stars because it was a fairly original idea for a dystopian, as far as I know. But I can't honestly say I'd recommend it to anyone.

Hearts Made Whole (Beacons of Hope #2) book review

Hearts Made Whole (Beacons of Hope #2)

by Jody Hedlund (Goodreads Author)

  

After her father’s death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren’t supposed to have such roles, so it’s only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper–even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her.

Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He’s secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation--the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He’s not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and beautiful woman who’s angry with him for taking her job and for his inability to properly run the light. When his failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he’s in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he's unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Caroline feels drawn to this wounded soul, but with both of them relying on that single position, can they look past their loss to a future filled with hope…and possibly love?


My Review: 6/10

I had mixed feelings about this book: disliked about 90% of in increasing amounts and then really loved the last 10%. Or maybe just the epilogue. Usually that would not be enough to sway a 6 star out of me, but that's how strong it was. And it was a message that I felt really needed to be told.

It seemed to me that marriage would be such an easy and obvious solution, that they were going against nature for it to not occur to them and then for them to protest against it. I didn't buy it.

I was annoyed that once again, the characters were "too pretty" and "strikingly handsome despite being dirty." Please.

*slight spoilers*

The drama with Arnie was obvious from the get go, thanks to some not-so-subtle mentions of flashes of anger in his eyes and other things. And even if that weren't the case, why would you EVER consider yoking yourself to that family, knowing what his father was? It just didn't make any sense.

But more than anything, I was disgusted by Tessa. I hated the cattiness and the blatant fighting over a man (stranger). I didn't grow up with a sister, so maybe that kind of thing was actually common, but it just seemed like such a waste, especially when they were now the adults, the parents, to their younger siblings. Desperate times should have solidified their partnership. And how Tessa didn't see the flaw in her own plan was beyond me. The only thing that will make me feel any better is if her story is told next and we get to see her change.

I didn't like the violence/extreme circumstances, which were just too melodramatic for my tastes.

But the redeeming part was the end. I won't give it away, but as much as I didn't like this book, it's worth reading, I think, for the message on priorities, God's power, and relationship with Him.