Saturday, August 29, 2015

Review of Edith Cavel: Faith Before the Firing Squad by Catherine Butcher

Brief Summary courtesy of Amazon:


"Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during the First World War, for which she was arrested. She was subsequently court-martialled, found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. She was shot by a German firing squad at the age of 49. Her execution was greeted with worldwide condemnation and extensive press coverage. A woman of profound faith, she told her chaplain, on the night before her execution, "Standing as I do in view of God and eternity, I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone." Her death caused international outrage and may have contributed to America's decision to enter the war. Three films and a stage play have been written about her life, and many public buildings and streets named after her. She will feature on a commemorative GBP5.00 coin in 2015."

My Review: 

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest unbiased review. This is the first biography that I have read in 2015 so I was not sure what to expect. The reason it grabbed my attention was because of its historical significance and that it talked about a woman's journey to help others. 

I found that this book was hard to get into. It seemed to me that the author took too long to get to the important part of the story. She went too far in depth of Edith's life prior to the first world war. Once I got to the actual part of the story where Catherine talked about Edith and her involvement in the War I was hooked. In addition, I found it interesting how she relied on her faith to get her through the dark times. 


I would have to say that all though I enjoyed learning about Edith and hearing about her involvement in saving 200 soldiers this wasn't my favorite biography of this time that I have read. It seemed in many ways like a text book that I would have read in high school which is dull and un interesting. 

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Review of And then Forever by Shirley Jump

Brief Summary:

Darcy Williams has always had to rely on only one person, herself every since she was a little girl. Moving to Fortune Island she hoped to build a life different from what she grew up in. She is on that track until that fateful summer she fell in live with a Foster and her life changed in an instant. Now six years later she is a single mom waitressing at the Love Shack to support her and her daughter Emma. Life seems to be going on with out trouble, that is, until Kincaid Foster shows up in town. Now Darcy must decide if she should follow what her head tells her is the right thing or will she follow her heart?

Kincaid Foster has never forgotten the young woman he fell in love with so many years ago. So when he lands back on Fortune Island with his pregnant sister and see's Darcy he decides to try and find out if the feelings are still there. What he didn't expect was that he would have a child who has known nothing about. Will Kincaid be able to forgive Darcy for the secret that she kept from him or will he let the past dictate his future?

My Review:

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This is the first book that I have read of Shirley's and the first book in Fortune Island series. I think Shirley does a great job of developing the characters so you truly feel like you know who they are and why they have turned out a certain way. In addition, she does a great job of setting the scene of the book in the small town feel of Fortune Island. She did such a great job that I wish this was a real town so that I could live there!

In regards to the storyline I think Shirley did a good job of progressing the story. Each event that occurred in the story made sense and the story progressed at a steady rate not getting derailed by non important story lines.

If there was anything that I found could have been changed or improved would have been the introduction of Jill's character. I felt like she spent too much time on the story than she should have being that this book was supposed to be about Kincaid and Darcy. I understood eventually why she was doing it as she was going to be writing her story next. However, I think it just didn't fit well in this particular story. Jill's story could have been introduced more generally and not dug into as much.

All in all I think this was a great book and a good start to the series. I am very interested in reading more of this series and author.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Review of Two Family Home by Sarah Title

Brief Summary Courtesy of Goodreads:

"Lindsey Alford moved to Willow Springs, Kentucky, to prove to all doubters (mostly her parents) that she’s all grown up. Something her neighbor Walker Smith never questioned—those short shorts of hers! Brief Summary Courtesy of Goodreads:

"Lindsey Alford moved to Willow Springs, Kentucky, to prove to all doubters (mostly her parents) that she’s all grown up. Something her neighbor Walker Smith never questioned—those short shorts of hers!

Put a cute single girl with an overactive imagination next door to a reclusive hot guy, add in a decadent blue velvet sofa, a locked garage and a nursing home full of busybodies, and trouble is bound to pop up. Literally, in the form of an adorably naughty stray pup with a longing for two people to lick and a home all his own."

My Review: 

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, non biased review. This is the first book that i have read in the Southern Comfort series and also of Sarah Title.. To be honest what grabbed my attention when I was looking at new books to read that were coming out I saw this cover. I think Sarah did a great job of developing her characters and giving you enough background on both of them to find out who they were. In addition, she did a great job of setting the scene of a small southern Kentucky town which kept me interested. 

However, with all those considered that I stated below I really felt that this story lacked a well developed story. I found myself 37% the way through the book and nothing had really happened. It seemed like you had learned a lot about  Lindsey's family and job and Myron and Walkers relationship. I kind of felt a majority of this book was about the previous neighbor Myron and rather about the romance building between Lindsey and Walker. 

Lastly, I honestly did not finish this book because I just couldn't get into the story. By 37% of the story I was hoping to have seen more of their relationship being shown and it wasn't. I haven't given up reading from this author and series but this book just didn't do it for me. I would not say that I would recommend this  book to my friends and family. 

Put a cute single girl with an overactive imagination next door to a reclusive hot guy, add in a decadent blue velvet sofa, a locked garage and a nursing home full of busybodies, and trouble is bound to pop up. Literally, in the form of an adorably naughty stray pup with a longing for two people to lick and a home all his own."

My Review: 

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, non biased review. This is the first book that i have read in the Southern Comfort series and also of Sarah Title.. To be honest what grabbed my attention when I was looking at new books to read that were coming out I saw this cover. I think Sarah did a great job of developing her characters and giving you enough background on both of them to find out who they were. In addition, she did a great job of setting the scene of a small southern Kentucky town which kept me interested. 

However, with all those considered that I stated below I really felt that this story lacked a well developed story. I found myself 37% the way through the book and nothing had really happened. It seemed like you had learned a lot about  Lindsey's family and job and Myron and Walkers relationship. I kind of felt a majority of this book was about the previous neighbor Myron and rather about the romance building between Lindsey and Walker. 


Lastly, I honestly did not finish this book because I just couldn't get into the story. By 37% of the story I was hoping to have seen more of their relationship being shown and it wasn't. I haven't given up reading from this author and series but this book just didn't do it for me. I would not say that I would recommend this  book to my friends and family. 

Review of Until We Touch by Susan Mallery

Brief Summary:

Jack McGarry has one family, his Score family. They aren't the traditional family but it is all Jack has ever known since his professional football days. At the age of 18 his family that he was born into disappears as his only brother passes away and his parents are killed overseas. So when he decides to leave football and start working in the real world it seems like a no brainer to go into business with his two teammates Kenny, Sam and his ex wife Taryn. 

Jump a couple years forward and you find the Score group in Fool's Gold, California. Life in Fool's Gold is perfect for Larissa or so she thinks until her mother shows up and tells her boss Jack that she is in love with him and that he needs to fire him. Initially Larissa thinks this is prosperous. Jack and her are friends and co-workers, nothing more.... or so she thinks. Could there be something more than friendship? Can Jack open his heart to love after all that has happened to him? 

My Review:

This is book number 15 in the Fool's Gold series for Susan Mallery. I was very excited for this book as Susan has been building up to this story since they first introduced them when Score came to town.  However, I wasn't as happy with this story as I was with other previous ones that I have read. I found this one lacked the excitement and adventure that were in previous ones that I have read in this series.

Susan did a great job of developing the characters in this book and setting the scene. I real felt like that I knew the characters and understood their backgrounds. However, what I felt lacked was the development of the story. It felt like you were reading the lead up to their story but that it never really came. It kind of lacked the main love story that Susan has in all her books.

However, what I did enjoy about this book was how Susan had both of the characters develop. You got to see both of them really find out who they were and what they were meant to do. If anything that is what kept me reading. This book really did show you as a reader though that Susan has a gift of really developing characters.

All in all Until we Touch was a good but not great book. I would have liked to see Jack and Larissa's love story have a little more adventure and mystery then what she had. It may sound bad but their romance was kind of boring and not interesting. I am interested to see what stories Susan has in store for the future books.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Review of Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs


Brief Summary:

Temperence Brennan (Bones) has solved thousands of cases over the years but she can never shake the stack of remains that crowd her lab every day. So when a lady by the name of Strike calls her up asking for help in finding a missing woman by the name of Cora Teague, she has a hard time saying now. But as she digs further into this young woman's life she finds out that things aren't always as they seem.

But the case isn't the only thing that is weighing have on Bones's mind. She is told her mother has cancer and is now engaged. If that wasn't enough to shake her she also is reeling from the proposal of marriage that Andrew Ryan did the last time she saw him.

Will Bones be able to solve the mystery of the missing young woman before more bones are found and peoples lives continue to be in danger? Can she open her heart to Ryan and except his marriage proposal even if it means potentially getting hurt again?


My Review:

I received this book free from net galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest non biased review. Having read previous books in this series I knew the type of the writing that Kathy did and knew for the most part what to expect. However,  as usual Kathy continues to get better and better choosing very gripping story lines that are catchy. She grabbed you from the very first paragraphs of the book and keeps you until the end because you want to find out what happened to the victim and who the killer is. The story truly turns out totally different then you thought it was going to.

However, if there was one area in her books that I can sometimes feel myself lost as a reader and stop me from reading is when she goes to far in depth with the medical terms. I think at times she can go overboard describing medical items in the book where she could have made it simpler.

Lastly, the thing that I enjoy most about the Temperence Brennnan series from Kathy Reich's is to see how much Bones has grown from the very first book. Point in case would be this quote below that is my favorite from this book:

"I don't need you in my life, Ryan. I learned to live without you once. Twice. I didn't like it, but i survived. I don't need protection. I don't need a bodyguard. I need someone who will be there, both physically and emotionally. When life is good, and when life gets rough."

Temperence has grown from a person who closed her feelings off after being hurt to opening them up again to love. She mixes mystery/thriller/romance into one book which can be rough if not done right.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Review of No Better Man by Sara Richardson

Summary:

Avery King has always been a smart, intelligent when it comes to business, however, when it comes to man not so much. So after her latest breakup to the star pitcher of the Cubs, Avery decides to pack her backs and make a trip out to Aspen Colorado for business. Her mission you ask, to convince the local rancher of rundown mountain ranch to sell to her father and her in exchange for a great deal of money. However, Avery did not expect that the rancher would be handsome, rugged Bryce Walker and that from first sight he would have her heart skipping a beat? 

Bryce Walker is a stubborn, hard working, recovering alcoholic. His only plan for the future is to save his families ranch from foreclosure. However, things don't go as planned when smart and sexy Avery King lands on his door step offering a large amount of money in exchange for his ranch. He immediately declines but is forced to have her stay for a couple days after she gets hurt. Will Bryce be able to resist her charms and money? Can Avery keep this relationship only business or will she end up falling in love with this mysterious man? 

My Review:

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest, non biased review. This is the first book that I have read of Sara Richardson and to be honest the story didn't grab me at first as much as the cover did. Who doesn't love to see a hot man and his dog on the front! After reading the description on the book and a couple of reviews from other readers I decided to give the book a try. I think that Sara did a great job of developing both the characters and the plot. She really did a great job of giving you enough background about the characters that you felt like they were next door neighbors. In addition, I really enjoyed how she slowly started incorporating other characters and gave you a hint of their story. This was smart on her part because she left me wanting to read the next book!

 I think the only thing that I would have added to the book or changed would be the relationships between Bryce and his mom and Avery and her dad. I think that she did enough to give you a brief summary of their relationships but I think she could have added a little more. I think  the one I would have liked to seen more in the book would have been Bryce's mom. I felt i didn't get the whole story on her and what real role she played in the book. She just seemed to show up in a couple key points in the book. Avery's dad on the other hand I think was talked about more in the beginning but wasn't incorporated as much throughout the book as he could or should have been. I think it was a little unrealistic that he wouldn't have bugged his daughter more than he did.

All in all I think this is a great first book in the series and I am very interested in reading the next book. I am excited to add another great author to my book shelves!

Review of The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

Summary: 

FBI Special Agent Kate O'Hare has always been known by her co-workers and family as a dedicated and disciplined person. She has never not retrieved her target until she encounters Nick Fox, a smart, sexy con artist who always seems to be two steps ahead of her. However, that all changes when she captures him after his latest get away. Only problem is that her boss and the director of the FBI want to release him and to work with him. Will Kate be able to work with Nick even though he is a con man? Can she ignore the feelings that seem to start when she sees him?

Nick Fox is a natural con man. Well known for running smart, calculated heists he has always seemed to be two steps ahead of the authorities catching him. However, that all changes when he is captured by Kate O'Hare and offered a job in exchange for his release from custody. Will Nick be able to work with the one woman who just a   minute ago was hunting him?

My Review:

This is the first book in the Fox and O'Hare series by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. This book initially grabbed my eye because I have read the Stephanie Plum books and am mystery loving junkie! I think that Janet and Lee did a great job of developing the characters so that you felt as the reader you really understood them. In addition, they did a great job of setting the scene for each of the events that took place in the book. I also really enjoyed the comedy and camaraderie that they had between not only Nick and Kate but also the other man characters that took part in the Con. It made you as the reader enjoy the mystery but also allowed a good laugh at the same time.

If there was anything that I would change in the book it would be how long it took to get to the core story of the book. I think that the authors spent too much time in the beginning capturing Nick then they needed to. I think it would have worked if that was the main story of the book but it wasn't. Other than that I think it was a quick easy read that I enjoyed. I am interested to read the next two books in the series.