"Everything, Everything"

As soon as I saw the preview for the movie "Everything, Everything" I knew that I needed to get my hands on this book ASAP. But, of course, every other person who saw the preview for the movie suddenly had to have the book too. So I waited and waited for a copy to become available at my city library....and huzzah! I finally got my hands on a copy and I devoured it in a few short hours. 

Madeline Whittier is a normal teenage girl, except for the fact that she can't leave her house because she is allergic to almost everything in the world. Madeline has contact with two, occasionally three, people in the entire human species. Her mom, her nurse, and on rare occasions her architect tutor. Despite these setbacks, Madeline thrives, meets new characters, and goes on adventures in the books she reads. She yearns for the thrills that her favorite characters get, but she has accepted her lot in life and is content. Her universe is routine and safe and predictable... until she hears the beeping of a moving truck backing up next door. That's when a fourth person is introduced that sets her small world spinning. Madeline quickly learns that to have everything you have to be willing to risk everything. 

Talk about a book with a plot twist! I almost got whiplash from how fast the plot changed and went in a different direction. From page one this book had me hooked and I literally did not put it down until I finished it a few hours later. The characters are quirky and adorable and they all have a depth to their emotions that is sometimes hard to convey as an author, but which was beautifully done here. The story is gripping and unpredictable. The text is engaging and the format of the book swaps between a normal book and the characters' Instant Messaging conversations as they would look on a computer, with some pictures or other random entries by Madeline thrown in. I personally didn't love how much the format rotated between all these things, I found it to be a little overwhelming at some points, but it did add some depth to Madeline's character and made it easier for the reader to understand her. 

There are a few swearwords littered throughout the text - something to keep in mind if you are getting this book for a younger reader. I would say anyone young adult and up could/should read this book. 5 out of 5 stars by my rating. It's not very often that I find a book that will elicit so many emotions from me in such a short amount of time. I laughed, cried, wanted to scream, and had steam coming out of my ears all in one evening. I'm sure that you will enjoy this story as much as I did. So pick up your copy and then let me know what you think!

The Infernal Devices Series

Shout out to my girl Kassidy for making me read these books. I had the misfortune of watching the TV Series and it disintegrated any desire I had to read Cassandra Clare's work. Kass told me to not judge a book by it's TV show (or movie for that matter) and I am eternally in her debt. She suggested I read the Infernal Devices Series before I read the Mortal Instruments series, so that is what I did.

The Infernal Devices Series, by Cassandra Clare, is a three book series set in the London's Downworld during the reign of Queen Victoria. The main character, Tessa Gray, has discovered that she is not human; but what she is, no one knows. She falls in with a group of Shadowhunters and learns that there is only one thing more dangerous than a demon - her own heart. She is torn between the calm and steady Jem Carstairs and the mysterious and un-readable Will Herondale. Each has is own unique attractiveness and both are hiding dark secrets. Tessa has to choose who has her heart while also overcoming one of the evilest and most powerful men of their time. 

I don't know that I have ever read a series that left me feeling so satisfied at the end. These books filled all of my literary needs. There was action, fighting, betrayal, loyalty, fantasy, friendship, and (most important of all) romance. There were a few times I thought the story was ruined but after I continued reading, the issue would be resolved beautifully. I laughed, I cried, I bit my nails, and I couldn't stop until the last page had been turned. If you enjoy fantasy books where the unimaginable becomes imaginable, then you have to put this series on your to-read list. The main characters are deep and all have strong back-stories that come to light one at a time. The supporting characters add to the richness of the story and each of their unique personalities helps create a more complex and intricate setting. I would suggest these to high-school age kids and older. There are a few swearwords dotted throughout the text and there is a hint of a bedroom scene in the third book but it is not detailed. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Check them out and let me know what you think! 

"The Selection Series"

Can we all just agree right now that "young adult" books are not actually for young adults, but instead are for mature adults who just happen to have young hearts? I always feel a little bit judged when I am skulking around in the YA section of my library. And the fact that my little sister and I read the same books...simply means that she has good taste. Now that we have that cleared up, let me tell you about "The Selection Series" by Kiera Cass. 

In a dystopian America, everyone is split into numbered castes. The lower your number, the better your state of living is, with a royal family that leads them all. When the eldest child of the royal family is ready to wed, the country holds a Selection to help him find a suitor out of any of the ladies in any of the castes. For most girls, being picked to participate in the Selection would be a dream come true, but America Singer is content with her lot in life and doesn't want to move up in the caste system. However when she moves into the castle and meets Prince Maxon, she has to decide between her life of contentment, or a fairy tale that she never dreamed would be possible.

"The Selection Series" spans five books and is packed with twists and turns, big decisions and betrayals, and above all, love. It's like the Hunger Games, but replace the weapons and killing for words and backstabbing. 35 girls are selected to try to win the Prince and only one will win. During the selection process the country is under siege by two groups that want to be rid of the caste systems. Prince Maxon and America Singer's loyalties will be tested and each has to fight for what they want. The first 3 books are about the two main characters, the last two books contain the same characters as the first 3, but the focus is on the new princess and her selection process. So throughout the entire series the reader gets to go through two selection processes, one with a soft-hearted prince and 35 female suitors and one with a no-nonsense princess and 35 male suitors. 

I will forever be grateful that I had the forethought to buy the entire series together, because I gobbled these books up. The reader is swept up into a world where a poor girl is thrown into a castle where she is expected to dress and act a certain way. Through it all she is able to hold on to herself and come out of the trials better than she was before. It really did remind me of the Hunger Games, only I think I enjoyed these more because there is way less violence and nearly everyone gets their happy ending. These books will hold your attention from the beginning to the end. The characters are charming and will resonate with the reader, the story is fast-paced while remaining clear, and the writing is clean. There are a few minor swear words dotted throughout the text, but nothing too serious and no hot and heavy scenes. I still wouldn't recommend this to anyone younger than high-school, but overall I think that readers of all ages will enjoy this series. For their genre, I give them a 5 out of 5 stars. Check it out and let me know what you think!  

"Holding Up the Universe"

It is not very often that I fall so in love with a character that I find myself carrying her around with me. Libby Strout, also known as "America's Fattest Teen",  just happens to be the type of character that spoke to my heart and left an imprint there. She is tenacious, lovable, resilient, and compassionate. After years of being homeschooled, Libby decides she is ready to take on the world again and try her hand at high school. She becomes victim to an awful game called "fat girl rodeo" which results in her and the perpetrator, Jack Masselin, landing in group counseling. The more time that they are forced to spend together, the more they realize that being together is far better than apart. 

"Holding up the Universe", by Jennifer Niven, is an incredible story of two teenagers that each have some personal issues that they are trying to deal with while pretending to seem unaffected and normal on the outside. Libby is brave and quick-witted and stands against the cruelty of judgemental teenagers. Jack is putting on a front and no one, not even is own parents, knows that he is dealing with Prosopagnosia (he can't remember faces). They both struggle with their own challenges and eventually realize that those challenges seem to disappear when they are with each other. Their relationship is torturous and adorable and an example that what's inside is what truly matters.  

Each of these characters is so unique; this is a teenage love story unlike any that have come before. The author paints a wonderful story with scenes that are so real they almost hurt. You will find yourself flinching in one moment and then laughing in the next. Brimming with wit, heartache, hope, and joy; I give "Holding up the Universe" 5 out of 5 stars. It is a brilliant story for young people to read and find the courage to appreciate themselves as they truly are. As spectacular as this story is, though, it is riddled with swear words and some inappropriate topics. Keep that in mind before giving this book to the intended reader. Check it out and let me know what you think! 

I received a copy of this book from Blogging For Books for this review. 

"Lord Fenton's Folly"

Love is in the air. Does anyone else love the atmosphere that Valentine's Day creates? I enjoy celebrating the whole month through romantic books and movies. "Lord Fenton's Folly", by Josi S. Kilpack, helped satisfy my craving for a cute love story. It is more than simply a cute love story though. This book is full of verbal sparring between the main characters and a secret that finally comes to light after twenty years of hiding.

Lord Fenton has made it his life's mission to embarrass his father, the Earl, in any manner possible. He has transformed himself into one of London's greatest dandies and he takes every opportunity to make the fool of himself in his father's name. This discord between father and son ultimately leads to the Earl deciding to disinherit Fenton as heir and pass it on to his younger son instead. When Fenton begs for redemption, he is given certain circumstances he must meet in order to return to his father's good graces. One such circumstance is his must marry an eligible young woman by the end of the year, just six months away.

Alice has been smitten by Lord Fenton ever since they were children, so when he asks for her hand in marriage she couldn't be happier. She is the giddy bride-to-be but quickly observes that Fenton doesn't seem to share her enthusiasm. When she discovers that their engagement is a forced one, she tries to protect herself in the only way
she can - by burying her feelings.

"Lord Fenton's Folly" is filled to the brim with wit and parrying insults. As you can imagine, Alice is not very happy when she discovers Fenton's true motives, which results in a couple that doesn't know how to do anything but argue. Alice is a strong character and doesn't back down from her new husband. She displays a handful of honorable characteristics and I love when women are written with a strong will and independence. Especially in a time when women were not supposed to be opinionated. Fenton on the other hand is an idiot and he makes so many wrong choices that you want to shake him and put him on the right path. You will fall in love with his character though through the small cracks of vulnerability that the author adds in. This book is a "proper romance" and does not include anything that would keep me from wholeheartedly recommending it. For its genre, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Check it out and let me know what you think!

"My Fair Gentleman"

"My Fair Gentleman", by Nancy Campbell Allen, is a classic tale of the student falling in love with the teacher.  Jack wants nothing more than to live his life as a sailor, but his grandfather has other ideas for him. He names Jack his heir as Earl of Stansworth, on the condition that Jack learns to fit in with the aristocratic society. Despite Jack's lack of desire to be the Earl, he takes his grandfather's offer because it enables him to provide his mother and sister with a very comfortable life. In an effort to fulfill his grandfather's condition, Jack takes on a tutor, the young and unpredictable Ivy Carlisle, to teach him how to impress the ton and ends up learning a lot more than he planned.

"My Fair Gentleman" is more than the ordinary 'proper romance' because the author adds some suspense to the storyline. When Jack inherits, someone decides to remove him from his position by attempting to kill him. Throughout the book Jack has to be on his guard at all times to avoid the attempts on his life. This added suspense deepens the storyline and further adds to the richness of the characters as they try to help each other through these trials.

This is an entertaining story about making the most of any situation while unconsciously falling in love. You will want to hug the characters one moment and then shake them the next for being so silly and shy. It is appropriate for readers of all ages and would make a great gift for the upcoming holidays. Or buy it for yourself to curl up with during the cold weather. Either way, you should get a copy and let me know what you think!

"The Reflections of Queen Snow White"

"The Reflections of Queen Snow White", by David Meredith, takes the traditional story of Snow White and adds on to it. Queen Snow White is now a grown woman with a daughter of her own about to get married. Prince Charming passed away and year ago and the queen is still mourning his loss, which means she has shut off the world, including her daughter. In a moment of desperation she goes to the one place in the castle that has been completely abandoned - the evil queen's tower.

Once she's there she finds a magic mirror that reflects images and memories of her past. The mirror helps her remember and face things that ultimately help her find herself again. She goes through the ugliest and best moments of her life through the reflections of the magic mirror. The reader gets to know a different version of Snow White through this book. Her past with the Evil Queen is dark and ugly and her life with Prince Charming is not as completely 'happily ever after' as we believe.

Although this is based off a children's story, this book is definitely not meant for kids. The author describes in detail the types of beatings and punishments that Snow White endured at the hands of the Evil Queen. Then goes on to describe, in detail, her wedding night with Prince Charming and some intimate moments after that. The story line is interesting and, like I said, the reader gets to know a different version of Snow White. The overall feel of the book was a little too dark for my taste and if you are looking for a clean read, then this is not the book for you. Otherwise, you can get your copy on Amazon now and take it with you on your next family vacation this summer. 3 out of 5 stars. I receive a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Check it out and let me know what you think!

"In the Valley of the Mountains"

"In the Valley of the Mountains", by Anita Stansfield, is the last book to the "Shadows of Brierley Series." The first three books are about Ian and Wren and their journey, but this last book is focused on their oldest daughter, Gillian. Gillian's family has a nice home in Salt Lake City and she is trying her hardest to help out her parents in any way that she can, but even in a house full of people she feels lonely. Most of her friends are married and starting their own families and she longs for the day when she will have that. She goes from simply dreaming about it to suddenly being forced to choose between two amiable suitors overnight. Her head is telling her one choice, but her heart is leading her down a different path.

This book is my personal favorite of the series. Gillian's character is so full of life. She can be hard-headed one second, then blown away with her feelings the next. She has to choose between two very good choices and she doesn't come to a decision easily. There is laughter, heartache, and tears to be experienced with her story. You don't have to read the first three books to start this one, but I would recommend it. That way you won't miss out on some of the subtle references to events that occurred in the previous books. 5 out of 5 stars! This book is clean, witty, and a fairly easy read. I would recommend it to readers of all ages. Check it out and let me know what you think!

"Chameleon Soul Mate"

I discovered this book on the website "BookBub", check it out if you don't know what that is. I downloaded a copy of "Chameleon Soul Mate", by Evelyn Lederman, and basically from the first page could tell why it was being offered for free. The story is about an alternate universe that is a lot like ours except the people there have telepathic abilities. The main girl accidentally crosses to this universe from earth and finds out that he parents are from the first person she runs in to is her soul mate.

This book is definitely not one that I would recommend. The text is very repetitive, the details are weak, and the storyline is confusing. There is quite a bit of sex involved and the author puts the words 'soul mate' in almost every single sentence. It's ridiculous. I didn't get very far into "Chameleon Soul Mate" before I actually laughed out loud at how ludicrous it was, and I didn't read any further. Definitely 1 out of 5 stars. I only put this book on here to give you a heads up incase you are a fellow BookBub user and you've downloaded this book. If you have, I would promptly delete it. :)

"The First Ones"

I received a copy of "The First Ones" from the author, Ageless. I love stories about vampires, especially love stories, so I was excited to read this one. This story is set in a world where humans actually know about vampires and take precautions to protect themselves. The vampires were sent to earth to be a punishment to mankind, and they won't be taken away until humans can prove themselves. 'The First Ones' are the first vampires that were created and they have special abilities and are more powerful than the other vampires. The main character, Thereticus, meets a human who instantly mesmerizes him and ultimately steals his heart. She is special and could change the future for both humans and vampires.

I definitely give the author points for imagination on this one. The story itself is very creative, but the way it is written takes away from the story line. There is a lot of repetitiveness throughout the book, and some discrepancies with the story. Some of the details don't match up from one page to the next and there are some spelling and grammatical errors. Which is distracting for the reader, and like I said, takes away from the story line. I definitely think that this author has a lot of potential, but I wouldn't recommend reading this one. I would wait for some of her future works when she has had a chance to work out some of the kinks. 2 out of 5 stars. If you do feel like reading this one, you can get a copy here. Or read more about the author here. Let me know what you think!

"J"

The title is what initially caught my attention for this book. "J". Such a simple unassuming letter. I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I picked up "J", by Howard Jacobson. I don't even know where to begin to tell you about it. Imagine living in a world where history doesn't really exist. You don't know who your ancestors are, you don't know much about the past, most people don't even know their real last names. There are a bunch of 'unwritten laws' that everyone follows - don't ask too many questions, don't read the wrong kind of books, don't keep any heirlooms, etc. You are expected to live every day as if everything is normal, and you have to say sorry to everyone.

This is what life is like for Kevern and Ailinn. They both try to live their lives unnoticed, without realizing that they have actually been watched for quiet a while. Forces seemingly beyond their own thrust them together and they find peace and comfort in each others quirks and superstitions. Towards the end they receive some information that turns their world upside down and forces them to make some tough decisions.

This book was confusing from beginning to end. After reading the whole thing and looking at it in retrospect, it makes a lot more sense. While reading it, however, I felt lost most of the time. The characters blurred together throughout the story and I had to keep rereading to make sure that I was thinking of the right person. I wonder if the author meant to be vague, thinking that the confusion would add to the story in a way. I suppose it does, the characters lives are filled with so much confusion and uncertainty and the reader really gets pulled in to that. It's really genius in it's own way. Genius or not, I did not enjoy this book. I fell in love with the main characters, but I didn't like the setting that the author wrote them in. This book will make the gears in your head turn and you will probably get confused and lost while reading it, but you just might enjoy it regardless. I wouldn't recommend this book unless you are in for some deep reading that will require your full attention. 3 out of 5 stars.

I received my copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review. If you want to read "J" for yourself, you can get it here. Let me know what you think!

"Playing For Love"

Okay, holy cow. Almost a full month later and I am finally getting another book review on here. If you are, or have ever been, a teenage girl...then this book is for you. It is the perfect light-read to snuggle up with this winter. "Playing For Love", by Dana Burkey, is an adorable depiction of what it is like to be a teenage girl trying to get a guy's attention. The teenage girl is Fiona, and this is her story told in a series of journal entries.

Fiona is a fun and spunky girl who, just like the rest of us at that age, is trying to get the attention of a specific boy. Jordan has been friends with Fiona's older brother Ross for a long time and they have always been just friends. Last summer though, something changed. Jordan became hot. Fiona paid attention through the school year to the girls that Jordan dated and took notes on his 'type'. She has been away over the summer and now that the school year is starting again, Fiona knows that this year is her year. She is going to get Jordan's attention and make him her boyfriend. The story goes from August to October and describes the ups and downs of Fiona's attempts to win the heart of her long time crush. 

This book is so cute. Like I said at the top, the perfect light-read to snuggle up with this winter. Fiona is very easy to relate to and you will find yourself smiling while reading the things that she does and nodding your head because you totally did those same things too. This book will suck you back in to high school, make you feel like you are at a slumber party again, and give you a crush on the oh-so-charming Jordan. If you are in need of a fun, cute, romantic read then look no further. 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this to anyone jr high age and up.  Plus it would make a fun gift this Christmas. :) You can get it here. Let me know what you think!

"Luther and Katharina"

"Luther and Katharina", by Jody Hedlund, was an unexpected delight. I love when I pick up a book, not really knowing what it is about, and get swept off my feet by a wonderful story. This story is about Martin Luther and Katharina von Bora and the unlikely love between them. Katharina is a nun of noble birth who risks everything to escape the Abbey with a group of other nuns. Her life is turned upside in a changing world and, with the help of Martin, she finds herself serving in a home that is a lower social class than herself.

Her pride prevents her from accepting these changes and she is continually looking to marry and raise herself back to the noble class she was born into. She wants a life of riches, not necessarily love. Luther, on the other hand, would only be convinced to marry by the deepest kind of love and he has absolutly no riches. He lives on what others are willing to donate and his life is in constant danger. Throughout the book the attraction and chemistry between the two is obvious, they are both just too stubborn to acknowledge it. They go through some life threatening challenges and are finally worn down enough to let go and act on the budding love between them.

As I said at the beginning of this post, this book was an unexpected delight. I was in the mood for a little romance, so I picked this book out and got way more than I expected. The fact that the characters are real just makes the story that much more rich. I was sucked into the book and found myself smiling when Katharina and Luther were inadvertently flirting and then groaning when they would pull away from each other and act like nothing was going on. I couldn't put the book down. You'll find yourself being ripped back in time and feeling like you're washing clothes in the river right there next to the characters. It's a good easy read, plus it's completely clean. I can't think of a single reason for you to not read this book. It is coming out on October 6th. I recieved this book from "Blogging for Books" for this review. You can pre-order your copy here. Or click here to check out the author. And of course, don't forget to let me know what you think!

"Warm Bodies"

If you have seen the movie "Warm Bodies", then you don't really need to read the book. I was surprised by how close the two are. "Warm Bodies", by Isaac Marion, is a most unusual love story. Zombies are usually the monsters in books, not the leading male role. However, Marion takes a normally gross and terrifying character and personalizes him. Now all of a sudden the reader is relating to this zombie and wondering what it would really be like to be in his shoes.

'R' is all that the (the zombie) can remember of his name, so that's what he goes by. He is living in an abandoned airport with a bunch of other zombies, but R is different from the rest because he is not content with being a zombie. On a run into the city to get some food, R sees Julie and he has the sudden urge to protect her instead of eat her. He sneaks her back to his home and tries to keep her like a pet. Being around a human starts to bring out some human qualities in himself that have been suppressed for a long time. Julie is slowly making him human again. The rest of the zombies can see the change and it sparks something in them too. Julie and R break the bounds set by society (what's left of it anyways) and start an uprising while almost getting themselves killed in the process.

Like I said, this book is almost exactly like the movie. The two biggest differences are that the book definitely gives the reader a closer look at R and what is really going through his head, and the book has way more swear words than the movie. If I had to choose, this is one of the rare instances where I would pick the movie over the book. I didn't feel like the language really added anything to the story, so the movie gives you everything that you really need. I LOVE this story though because it is one of the most unusual love stories that I have come across. I love unlikely love stories. If you want to read this love story though, I would suggest renting the movie. :)

"The Kiss of a Stranger"

My cute neighbor girl was babysitting for me the other day and noticed that I was reading "Hope Springs", by Sarah M. Eden. Apparently this is one of her favorite authors. So we have started swapping books and "The Kiss of a Stranger", by Sarah M. Eden, is the first one that she gave me to read. The more of her works that I read, the more that I like her. She is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors too.

One of the reason I like her so much is that she writes "proper romances", but with a twist. The stories are unique and so much fun. "The Kiss of a Stranger" is about a young girl in England who has been raised by her mean and abusive uncle. She is taking a walk in the garden one day when a complete stranger grabs her and gives her the best kiss that she has ever had. Unfortunately, her uncle witnessed it. He claimes that this kiss has completely ruined her and the handsome stranger that kissed her must marry her that very night. Within just a few hours of the fated kiss, Catherine finds her life completely turned upside down.

She is on her way to the London home of her new husband, Lord Cripsin Cavratt, and is thrown into his life of riches and society. Catherine has no experience with such things and has to learn fast how to appear to be the lady that society expects of Lord Cavratt's new bride. Despite their unusual beginning, Catherine and Crispin find that they are suprisingly compatible and are actually enjoying their time together. They both secretly hope that their marriage lasts, but modesty and bad circumstances come between them. Will their unexpected love be able to overcome the forces trying to rip them apart?

This book is so much fun! It takes a girl who has no hopes for her future, and plops her in this amazing life. All of a sudden she has nice dresses, good food, and a caring and adoring husband. It's basically every 'normal' girl's dream. This book is a twist on a traditional 'proper romance' because the main characters have all of the relationship rules that come with the time period, but they are forced to live under the same roof. If this same story were to be told in our era, the characters would act a lot differently because we don't have the same morals and modesty that they did back then. It is a cute love story and has a plot twist that I never saw coming, ending in a fight for their lives. This book is a fun and easy read and I highly recommend it. Definitely 5 stars. Check it out!

"Hearth Fires"

One of my favorite things to do is to walk up and down the aisles at the library and randomly pull books off the shelves. I'll look at the title, read the back cover, and sometimes flip through the pages. If it feels right, then I'll take that book home with me. I've come to discover a lot of really good books this way, and "Hearth Fires" by Dorothy Keddington, is one of them.

The leading lady, Mackenzie Graham, gets the work assignment of her dreams. The opportunity to write an article on California's storybook homes. When she arrives at the first home her head spins with thoughts of princesses and Rumplestiltskin. Oddly, no one is home, so she decides to do a quick photo shoot of the exterior and the yard. While looking through her camera lens she doesn't notice the four men in the yard with her until after she has already captured a few photos of their clandestine meeting. She doesn't realize that the photos she has are incredibly dangerous until after her car and her hotel room are broken into, and an attempt is made on her life.

An attractive local detective and his handsome attorney brother come to Mackenzie's rescue. It is at their secluded ranch in southern Utah where Mackenzie realizes exactly how much danger she is in - danger of losing her life, as well as losing her heart.

This book is like a big pot of romance, suspense, danger, hope, and love all mixed together. I found myself squeezing in pages every chance that I got because I just had to know what happened next. I actually took this book with me to a girls night with my family because I knew that if I didn't at least finish that chapter then I would be thinking about it all night. My family just laughed because they totally understood. Some books just consume your life. I give this one a 4 out of 5 though. Even though I couldn't put it down, there were some parts of the story line that just didn't add up for me. Overall though, it was a very enjoyable book. Plus it's completely clean. So if your in to mood for a romance with a little danger mixed in, then go pick this book up right now and prepare yourself for some sleepless nights. Let me know what you think!

"Longing for Home"

I borrowed this book from my mom, who borrowed it from her niece, who borrowed it from her coworker. It is getting passed around because it is THAT good! Sarah M. Eden is the author of "Longing for Home", and it's sequel, "Longing for Home: Hope Springs". I am going to write about both books in this post.

Katie Macauley has just traveled to Hope Springs, Wyoming Territory, and before even getting off the wagon she loses the job that she traveled all the way out here for. She is alone in the world, having been abandoned by her parents in Ireland 18 years ago, she has been on her own since then. She came to America two years ago to try to earn enough money to buy her parents land, and hopefully their love, back. However, she isn't going to accomplish that without a job. So determination drives her to get off the wagon and follow her would-be-employer to convince him to give her the job he promised.

Joseph Archer is impressed with Katie's tenacity and decides to give her the job, even though he knows he will regret it. Hope Springs is filled with a nasty feud between 'the Irish' and 'the Reds' as the rest of the town calls themselves. By hiring Katie (an Irishwoman) he knows what kind of troubles that this will bring up. Katie, on the other hand, has no idea what she is getting herself into by staying in Hope Springs. The Irish welcome her with open arms, but everyone else is incredibly mean. Through her confusion and troubles two men come to her rescue and her heart is torn in a tug-a-war between them. Joseph, who is a calm and steady rock for her to lean on. Or Tavish, who always knows how to make her smile and laugh away her worries. She  feels ill-prepared to make a decision between the two, especially while the town is in such an up-roar. People are stealing, fighting, and burning each other's buildings. Is Katie strong enough to bring peace to the town as well as her own heart?

These two books are a fun twist on a traditional 'proper romance'. Katie's life is in total upheaval and it makes the reader feel for her and wonder how she keeps it all together. She is a strong character and you fall in love with her from the very first pages. She reminds me of Elizabeth from "Pride and Prejudice". They have a lot of the same strengths and personality traits. I also love a good love triangle. The love between Katie and Tavish, and then Katie and Joseph, are the same in all the good ways, but different in ways that really count. Does she want someone that pushes her to be strong or someone that tries to take her trials away so that she doesn't have to be strong?

These books are full of sacrifice, love, trials, and friendship. The characters are detailed and full of life. The storyline holds your interest the entire way through. I found myself smiling, laughing, holding my breath, and even crying while reading this story. I couldn't put it down. Plus, it's entirely clean. I can't think of a reason for you to not go pick these books up right now. Let me know what you think!


  

"The Crown Rose"

I discovered this book at my local library when I was in high school. Since then I have read this book at least once a year, I just finished it again for the umpteenth time and it's just as good as the first time I picked it up. I've put off sharing "The Crown Rose", by Fiona Avery, because I didn't know what to say about it. It kind of makes me nervous to put this book on here because it's almost like putting my own child out there for the world to criticize. "The Crown Rose" follows the true story of princess Isabelle of France, but the author takes some creative liberty of course. Isabelle is an amazing young woman who decides that the life of a princess is not the life she really wants. She doesn't want to get married off to whoever her mother chooses and play the part of a proper royal. She has bigger plans. She wants to help people, and do good. She wants to take people off the streets, help them get back on their feet, and start a new better life.

Her family doesn't take her seriously. To show them just how serious she is, she decides to join the church. This puts her family in an uproar, but there is one person she knows who would understand and possibly be proud of her. Him. The man that saved her from a rabid dog when she was a child. He had so much raw power about him, yet seemed so in control and at peace. Neci, her governess, knew about Him, yet she had made Isabelle promise never to speak of him. Just because she can't tell anyone, doesn't mean that she doesn't think about him. No man in her eyes could ever live up to that. He made her feel so safe.

Then, years later, Jean Adaret Benariel comes into the royal family's lives. There is something about him that is so familiar to Isabelle. It couldn't be Him, could it? He wouldn't have aged a day. Yet he has that same peaceful power to him. Jean stays with the royal family and helps them through many trials, including the war with England. He has a great influence on the royal family, especially Isabelle.

This book has some religious content in it, which is part of why it's so dear to my heart. This is the type of book that makes me want to be a better person. The characters are inspiring and they will stick with you for a long time after you have finished the book. I'm not saying what is in this book is true, that's for the reader to decide. Whether it's true or not doesn't change the fact that this is an absolutely amazing book. It is written incredibly well and will suck you in and won't spit you out until you have finished it and pondered it for a few days. It is a thicker book and will take a few days to get through, and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone younger than high school age simply because some of it is hard to understand. All in all this is an amazing book and I very highly recommend that you read it.

"For the Love of Ash"

Taylor Lavati, the author of "For the Love of Ash", asked me to read her book before it comes out in just a few days on the 9th. I was so excited for the opportunity and I have completely fallen in love with her characters. Maggie, the main girl, has to suddenly become an adult when her parents die and she gets custody of her nine-year old little brother. She goes from immature party girl, to 23-year old mom, and she is actually really good at it. While trying to balance parenting, work, and college, fate decides to throw her a curveball by the name of Luke. Try as she might to avoid him, she can't because he sits behind her in one of her classes and also happens to be her little brothers gym teacher. He is a ridiculously cute and caring character and is perfect in a way that only fictional characters can be.

Luke decides that he needs to get to know Maggie better. There is something about her that he just can't shake. After a lot of resistance on her part, and endless persistence on his, they finally decide to give a relationship between them a try. They go through trials together as Maggie is still figuring out this whole 'Mom' thing and Luke has to deal with his abusive family situation, but they strengthen each other and Luke almost always brightens the day by doing something cute and romantic. Maggie really grows throughout this book, she starts out as a selfish carefree young adult, but when put in a difficult situation she rises to the occasion and becomes the person that she needs to be. She kind of turned into my hero.

This book spoke to me in a personal way because I have a nine-year old little sister and I was able to picture myself in Maggie's situation. It would be so hard, opening up your life to someone new when you know how much it would affect the little person you are caring for...well, I can understand why she was so hesitant. The writing was fantastic, but it did contain quite a bit of language, and a couple of detailed sex scenes. I tried to skip over those. If you are looking for clean books, then this is probably not for you. I know it's not a book that I would want my daughter reading. However, if it sounds like something you would enjoy then don't hesitate to pick a copy of this up as soon as it comes out, and as always, let me know what you think!

"Blackmoore"

This book was an unexpected delight. I mean, I knew it would be good, she also wrote the book "Edenbrooke" and I LOVED that one, so I had high expectations for this one. I just didn't know that "Blackmoore", by Julianne Donaldson, would be as good as it actually was. It's my favorite kind of romance because A-it's written in the Regency period and B- the main character, Kate, is an independent woman who doesn't care about societies stupid rules. Kate has made it well known that she never plans to marry. She doesn't care what people say or think about it, she is not going to marry. Instead, she is going to travel to India and escape the life that she has always found intolerable.

The only hitch is that in order to go to India she had to make a deal with her mother, a most uncaring and repulsive woman. Kate has to receive - and reject - three marriage proposals while visiting the seaside home of her most beloved friend Henry. Kate thinks that life couldn't be better. A visit to her friend where she can escape her family, secure three proposals, and then set off straight to India never to return. Once she arrives at Blackmore, however, she realizes that this is going to be a lot harder than she thought. Henry's soon-to-be fiancé shows up and throws a wrench in things, making it very awkward. Then she finds out just how hard it will be to actually get three men to propose to her. In a desperate moment she reaches out to Henry and asks him to help her, but neither of them realized how close it would bring them together and the truth about Kate's decision never to marry finally comes out.

This book was full of delightful little surprises. The author threw in little pieces and details here and there that made the story so fun to read. You fall in love with the characters from the first few pages and you become invested in them. I couldn't put the book down because I HAD to know what was going to happen to my "best friend" Kate. It is a clean fun romance with a main character that could become a fictional role-model to younger girls. It's fairly short and is easy to understand. I give this book five stars and highly recommend it.