Category: book review

October 31, 2016

The Breedling & The City In The Garden

Absolute obedience, servitude, neutrality. This is what ruled Bartholomew in The Breedling & The City In The Garden.

About The Breedling & The City In the Garden

These were the laws that once governed Bartholomew, an immortal soulcatcher, until one ill-fated night when he was forced to make a choice: rebel against his masters or reveal an ancient, dangerous secret.

He chose defiance.

Imprisoned for centuries as punishment for his decision, Bartholomew wastes away—until he creates an opportunity to escape. By a stroke of chance, Bartholomew finds himself in the human world and soon learns that breaking his bonds does not come without a price. Cut off from the grace that once ruled him, he must discover a new magic in 1930s Chicago.

Armed with only a cryptic message to give him direction, Bartholomew desperately tries to resume the mission he had started so long ago. Relying on the unlikely guidance of the streetwise orphan Charlie Reese, Bartholomew must navigate the depressed streets of the City in the Garden. But in order to solve this riddle, he must first discover if choice and fate are one in the same.

My Thoughts

The Breedling & The City In The Garden starts out with a look at Bartholomew’s life and how he was imprisoned for a crime that we are not quite sure of what he did, we know he defied those he should never have defied but what exactly he did I was not sure. You can tell those in his life were worried about him and his survival but the only person who could save him was a human.

The book then jumps to Charlie and his very difficult life. He has lost his whole family and only has his cousin left. He has led a harsh life but has learned how to thrive in this world. He is quite an amazing young man! Even with all of his pain and suffering, it is so clear how good and kind he is. His life is changed forever when his path crosses with Bartholomew. That night changes him forever.

The novel continues to switch between Bartholomew and Charlie as the story unfolds. I found the beginning a bit harder to follow as I tried to catch up on what exactly Bartholomew had done and how it tied into Charlie. As you continue throughout the novel, this all becomes clearer and becomes a lot easier to follow and understand. The ending definitely leaves you hanging! I can’t wait to see what happens to Bartholomew and if his path crosses with Charlie again.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the author’s website.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Kimberlee Ann Bastian has a unique love affair with American nostalgia, mythology, and endless possibilities. This melting pot of elements is what prompted the creation of her epic ELEMENT ODYSSEYS series, starting with the reboot of her debut novel now titled THE BREEDLING AND THE CITY IN THE GARDEN.

When she is not in her writer’s room, working her current “day job”, or consuming other literary worlds, she enjoys hiking and cycling around the bluffs of your Southeastern MN home and catching up on her favorite pop culture.

Connect with the her on: Website, Twitter Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 31, 2016

Killer In The Band Review

It’s the summer of love and murder in Killer In The Band.

About Killer In The Band

Joshua’s eldest son, Joshua “J.J.” Thornton Jr., has graduated at the top of his class from law school and returns home to spend the summer studying for the bar exam. However, to Joshua’s and Cameron’s shock and dismay, J.J. moves into the main house at Russell Ridge Farm, the largest dairy farm in the Ohio Valley, to rekindle a romance with Suellen Russell, a onetime leader of a rock group who’s twice his age. Quickly, they learn that she has been keeping a deep dark secret.

The move brings long-buried tensions between the father and son to the surface. But when a brutal killer strikes, the Lovers in Crime must set all differences aside to solve the crime before J.J. ends up in the cross hairs of a murderer.

My Thoughts

An amazing novel full of suspense and with an ending that you never see coming.

The novel starts off with the return and quick leaving from the family home by J.J., who moves in with his much older girlfriend (this was the source of quite a bit of stress between him and his Father). We are quickly thrown into a mystery from Suellen’s past – the disappearance of one of her band members and the finding of his dead body. The band members had always thought he had left to go make himself a star, never did they think they would find him alive! Suellen holds some secrets to that awful night but with her illness and time playing a factor, it is hard to keep those memories in focus. These are secrets that the band members would prefer not to be brought up since many of them would be considered suspects, especially after what he put them through!

Throw into the mysterious crime of the past that has so many loose ends, a new killer is wreaking havoc! J.J., his Father and his step-mother must set aside all of their feelings (and boy are there some unpleasant feelings between J.J. and his stepmother) in order to help solve all of these murders. And what an amazing adventure this was! There were so many curve balls thrown in but done so well that you were never left feeling confused instead it was just one more intricate layer laid down.

Killer In The Band is well written, the plot line is incredible and leaves you guessing to the very last minute and is intense the whole way through. It builds up quickly but never disappoints you at all. This is one excellent mystery suspense home library addition!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 27, 2016

The Christmas Tree Book Review

The classic New York Times–bestselling tale of friendship, generosity, and the magic and wonder of the Christmas spirit in The Christmas Tree.

About The Christmas Tree

On his annual search for Rockefeller Center’s next Christmas tree, the chief gardener spots an ideal candidate: a stately Norway spruce located on the grounds of a convent. There he meets Sister Anthony, a nun for whom the tree has special meaning. Orphaned and sent to the convent as a lonely young girl, Sister Anthony befriended the then-tiny spruce whom she lovingly named “Tree.” Over the following decades, as the tree grew, so did Sister Anthony’s appreciation for the beauty and wonder of nature.

She is reluctant to see her oldest and closest friend chopped down and sent away to New York City. But when a fierce blizzard threatens the old tree’s existence, Sister Anthony realizes it’s time to let the world enjoy Tree as she has for nearly her whole life.

My Thoughts

A sweet tale that was easy to read with beautiful illustrations throughout the book. This story follows the relationship between a young nun and her tree. The Nun, Sister Anthony, befriended Tree when she first came to the convent. This relationship was so important to her because of her past. She had lost so much and Tree helped her connect to her past and forge her future in a new role.

The Chief Gardener’s main goal is to find the most beautiful and characteristic tree each year. Which one would think is a simple job but from this story it is quite complicated! Not any old tree will work and I loved how we watch him open up about what makes the “magical” tree for Rockefeller Centre. You can see him grow throughout the story and mostly in part due to Sister Anthony and their friendship. Sometimes while we love our job, the stress of it can take away the joys. Sister Anthony helps him see his passion and love again.

Their friendship grows over years and it isn’t until one dreadful storm that Sister Anthony reflects on her past and her relationship with Tree. She decides that it is time for Tree to show his beauty to the world and bring joy to others. This is such a difficult decision for her, she has to say goodbye to a companion, a sounding board and a friend. We watch her struggle and want to just reach out to her and offer her a hug.

A beautiful and simple story of friendship, love and faith. This would make a great Christmas gift for someone special on your list this year.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 24, 2016

An Amish Family Christmas Book Review

In Shelley Shepard Gray’s fourth book in her Charmed Amish Life series, An Amish Family Christmas, an unlikely Amish romance reveals that Christmas is a time for family, miracles—and love.

About An Amish Family Christmas

Ever since his father died in a tragic fire, Levi Kinsinger has felt adrift. Newly returned to Charm, Ohio, Levi is trying to fit into his old life, only to discover he seems to have outgrown it.

But when Julia, his young widowed neighbor, asks for his help with a Christmas project, Levi finds a sense of purpose for the first time in months. She and her daughter are new to Charm and could use a friend, a job Levi takes personally. Soon enough, friendship grows into attraction, but Levi can’t help having doubts. There’s something about Julia that doesn’t ring quite true.

Like Levi, Julia Kemps has survived her fair share of hardships—but only by hiding the truth of her past. Being an unmarried mother in an Amish community was unthinkable. Feeling hopeless, Julia did the only thing she could do: she moved to a new town and pretended to be a widow. But meeting Levi, she’s hopeful for the first time. Little by little, she begins to imagine telling him her darkest secret, and eventually . . . perhaps even sharing her life with him.

Christmas is a time for family, and as the holiday draws closer, Julia and Levi will have to face their pasts together . . . in order to find the healing, support and love they so desperately desire.

My Thoughts

A wonderful continuation in this series by Shelley Sheppard Gray. This books focuses on Levi, who was hit the hardest with his Father’s death and fire at their company. He was so devastated and angry that he actually had to leave his hometown to deal with his emotions. When he returns, he finds he can deal with those emotions but he can’t quite deal with his family all the time. He wants, craves and needs more freedom. Which is what finds him moving out on his own, a decision his family can’t quite understand.

This is where he meets Julia, in a rather unusual manner! Julia is one of the strongest characters I have ever read. She is young, unmarried but trusted someone with her whole heart, and out of this came the birth of her daughter. To hide this pain, she moves as far away as possible from the only home she ever knew. She also hides the truth from everyone around her, which anyone can see is unhealthy but I can relate to her fears about being judged and treated differently.

Their meeting sparks hope, faith and respect. Both of them understand each other on a different level. But both of them hold back just a little out of fear. It is this holding back that causes them the worst pain. They need to learn how to face this pain in order to move forward.

A beautiful story of forgiveness, faith, trust and moving forward. It inspires hope and restores your own faith. I loved every moment of this book in this series (I have to say it was my personal favourite!).

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 24, 2016

How to Raise a Smart Ass

How to Raise a Smart Ass is a funny, witty, rollicking ride through the joys of early parenthood.

About How to Raise a Smart Ass

How to Raise a Smart Ass is a funny, witty, rollicking ride through the joys of early parenthood. The so-titled “Best Butt Wiper in the World” delights audiences by recounting tales of ninja nurses, naughty knights, and super-duper poopers. Whether you’re a proud parent or you aspire to populate the world with tiny terrors of your own someday, this book will have you laughing out loud, or at a minimum buying lots of sanitizer. Kids are messy.

My Thoughts

When I first picked up this book, my first thoughts were that it would be a parenting book based on raising confident, funny and intelligent young children. I was so surprised and happy that it was not! Instead what I found was a hilarious and very real journey through parenthood. The ups, the downs and the hilarious moments in between. Children just truly have an amazing way of saying anything they want in the most innocent way, that leaves you sitting there looking at them and wondering “really, really?!”.

How to Raise A Smart Ass is an honest and loving look at parenthood. She writes with open honesty and you feel like you are having a conversation about being a Mom with your best friend over coffee. She covers every stage of her journey and many of them we can relate to. I literally as laughing out loud at so many times throughout the book. Her girls are amazing young children and will do great things. I hope they keep their confidence and humour through every stage of their life, as you can see they have a true love for life and others. We are aware that Lucia is pregnant with baby number three, a boy, and it would be amazing to see the second part of this journey. How is raising a boy different? How do the girls react to their baby brother? I wish her all the best of luck on her third adventure through parenthood (and boy are you brave – I was nervous with just two!!!).

A well written, honest and hilarious look at the joys of parenting kids who are confident, honest and full of live and love. I loved every moment of this book.

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon, Blurb and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Lucia Walinchus is an award-winning journalist, author and ice hockey addict. She has written more than 500 articles for various publications throughout her career and was recently named to the 2016 Fulbright Berlin Capital Program. She has been featured as a guest speaker on CNN and is a contracted freelancer for the New York Times. Walinchus currently lives in Oklahoma because she enjoys wide, flat golf courses that make her think she isn’t actually that bad.

Upcoming event: Lucia Walinchus will be a the Enid, Oklahoma Public Library at 11AM on Saturday, November 12th.

You can connect with her on her website and Twitter.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.