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Jul 31, 2014
How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy IngermansonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Randy Ingermanson presents his Snowflake Method of plotting a story by... telling a story. Filled with characters you'll recognize from childhood, Randy's story follows a wannabe writer's journey to completing her manuscript. As the heroine attends a writer's conference, we learn along with her as she slugs through a couple of classes before landing in the Snowflake Method class. Put on the hot seat, she learns - and we learn through her - how to craft a novel by taking it 10 steps at a time.
Entertaining and helpful. I can't say I learned anything new, but I am intrigued to try some of the ways Randy applies the principles he lays out in the story. Worth the cost of the e-book for sure.
Jul 27, 2014
Rekindled by Tamera AlexanderMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked this up on a free e-book offer because, you know, it was free. And it looked interesting enough. I hadn't read any of Tamera Alexander's books before, although I have seen them on the shelves of our church library. But - stop me if you've heard this before - now I'm sucked into buying the next two in this series, because it was that good.
But here's my tip: skip the prologue. In my opinion, it gives too much of the story away. I rarely read prologues, but I did this one and kicked myself about 1/4 of the way into the story.
Larson Jennings disappears on Christmas Day. He leaves his wife a note saying he'll return by week's end. But months go by, and he doesn't come back.
Kathryn learns that their ranch is in a dire financial situation. Determined to keep the land her husband loves and convinced he'll be back, she's determined to find a way to save the ranch.
This story has incredible secondary characters. As much as I liked the hero and heroine, I loved these secondary characters. Some are saintly, and others are anything but. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't say anything more.
I highly recommend this book.
Jul 21, 2014
The Lightkeeper's Bride by Colleen CobleMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Lightkeeper's Bride is the second in Colleen Coble's Mercy Falls series. It's not a bad read, but it didn't live up to the first book in the series, The Lightkeeper's Daughter.
Katie Russell is content to marry wealthy Bart Foster and become "someone" in the town of Mercy Falls until the new lighthouse keeper, Will Jesperson, comes to town. Together she and Will embark on an adventure involving a murder, an orphan child, stolen treasure, and pirates.
Below there be spoilers:
There were inconsistencies in this story that bothered me. Katie was supposedly all about keeping her job as telephone operator in the beginning of the story and that whole idea fizzles without any closure. There is an assumed murder, but the body is never found and the murder is never identified. Katie is supposed to move to the lighthouse to help care for the toddler, but leaves that up to the chaperone while she runs around after Will, trying to find the pirates. There are several scary moments with the bad guys threatening Katie if she talks - but she's never hurt while the same bad guys killed another woman.
I'll probably read the third book in the series, The Lightkeeper's Ball and hope it's as good as the first book.
Jul 13, 2014
The Hesitant Heiress by Dawn CrandallMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Historical romance with a touch of mystery. Dawn Crandall does a very credible job of bringing her characters to life. She paints a setting that will have you sniffing the sea air and relishing a relaxing tea in the parlor. The plot twists and character quirks will keep you turning those pages - or scrolling that screen. All together an enjoyable read that is hard to put down.
Amaryllis Brigham has felt the sting of rejection and the stab of failure, but now she's looking at a whole new future, as the heiress to her grandmother's fortune. But there's a catch. (Isn't that always the case!?) She must find a husband within the year.
Nathan Everstone is everything a woman could want, unless, of course, the lady in question is haunted by memories of his father.
He wants her. She doesn't believe him. Circumstances - and their pasts - conspire to muddle the waters even more while friends and family both help and hinder.
I can highly recommend this book and am looking forward to the next installment in this series. I received this Advance Reader Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Look for this one to release August 1st!
Jul 7, 2014
Excellent ending to the trilogy! Jocelyn Green has done a wonderful job of portraying the Civil War through the eyes of the women who were adversely affected.
Yankee in Atlanta is the story of Caitlin McKae from New York. An Irish immigrant, she flees her step-father and follows her brother off to war. Found wounded on a battlefield, she is mistaken for a Confederate and taken to an Atlanta hospital. She accepts the responsibility for raising a young girl, the daughter of German immigrant Noah Becker, who enlists to fight for the Confederacy.
Trapped in a hostile land, charged with the care of a daughter not her own, living under the suspicion of being a spy due to her accent, Caitlin has to find a way to survive not only her enemy, but her own army's invasion.
Gritty. Realistic. Powerful. Emotional. These books are well worth your time.
Jul 4, 2014
C.S. Lewis: A Life Inspired by Christopher GordonMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
An interesting peek into the author's life. Mr. Gordon delivers a nice overview of C.S. Lewis without delving very deeply into any one aspect. A good read for those who want to get an overall gist of the man behind so many powerful writings.
Jul 1, 2014
The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Colleen CobleMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Delightful tale of intrigue and love. Addie Sullivan has always wished for a large and loving family. When a stranger insists she's someone other than her parent's daughter, she finds herself plunged into a family of dark secrets. Who paid the couple who raised her all those years? Who can she trust? Who is it safe to love?
Well written, this book will keep you guessing. Addie is a likable young woman who captures the reader's attention from the start. She and her faithful German Shepherd tackle a world they never knew existed.
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