Category: book review

July 22, 2016

A Beauty Refined Book Review

In A Beauty Refined, what does it take to reveal the true beauty of a hidden gem?

About A Beauty Refined

Phoebe Von Bergen, the daughter of a German count, is excited to visit America for the first time while her father purchases sapphires in Helena, Montana. Little does she know, however, that her father’s intentions–both for her and the gemstones–are not what she thinks.

Ian Harper, a lapidary working in Helena, finds the dignified young woman staying at the Broadwater Hotel more than a little intriguing. Yet the more he gets to know her, the more he realizes that her family story is based on a lie–a lie she has no knowledge of. And Ian believes he knows the only path that will lead her to freedom.

Meeting Ian has changed everything for Phoebe, and she begins to consider staying in America, regardless of her father’s plans. But she may not be prepared for the unexpected danger that results when her family’s deception begins to unravel.

My Thoughts

A beautiful story of a quiet, young lady whose tragic loss of her Mother at a young age has shaped her and her attitudes. The loss of her Mother had left her alone to her Father, and while you can see he loves – his bullying ways and mean manners to others has carved out a very different personality for Phoebe. It hurt to watch her in the beginning when she would rather be quiet then voice her opinions and to never ever show emotion. I can’t even begin to imagine how it would feel not to show emotions – I am a highly emotional person!

When she meets Ian by chance in the hotel’s pool, her life changes course drastically. Her Father has held back the truth from Phoebe since she was a young child and this caused her so much heartbreak, when she realizes the truth we see a new Phoebe. A strong, willful young woman who is ready to fight for what she knows is right.

While a budding romance begins between Ian and Phoebe, I love the story of Phoebe, her Father and her Mother and how it is tied into the romance. This plot actually takes centre stage in my mind and I loved it. It gave the story that much more to it.

A beautiful, well written story of heartbreak, promises, hope and faith. I loved watching Phoebe grow and although the ending has some sadness it is also full of hope for a special future. While this is book two, you will have no problem picking up the story and characters. A great read!

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book Litfuse Blog Tour.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

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

July 11, 2016

Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall

On a distant world of forests floating on an ocean around a star, a blight threatens to plunge all life into darkness.

But three friends seek the light.

Together, they will Fall and be lost. And at the very Root of darkness, they will find themselves. But will it be enough to help them find their way home?

About Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall

In the world of Cerulean, light and water flow from the ocean into the roots of the Great Trees, up through the boughs, and out over the lush canopy. But the once vibrant treescape has grown dim over generations of arboreal life, and the creatures of the forest have forgotten the light.

Barra, a young, willful Listlespur, finds her late father’s hidden journal, and reads about the old world and the mysterious plague her father believed destroyed it. He wrote that he warned the Elders. He urged them to take action. Those were his last words.

Together with her two best friends, Barra will explore every bark, wood, and leaf of the Great Forest to relight her world and complete her father’s story, even if she has to travel beneath the Fall.

My Thoughts

A fantastic verbal and visual adventure that you don’t want to put down! Three young friends from different backgrounds come together to discover a secret that Barra’s Father may have died from.

I love Barra’s character – she is brave, full of spirit and life but still has normal flaws that any human child would have at her young age. She tends to make spur of the moment decisions that she sometimes regrets but as she grows on this adventure she begins to see her own flaws and her ability to apologize and learn from her mistakes.

I loved the underlying story of the darkness that slowly took over the beautiful Great Forest. The story is full of beautiful descriptions of this new world that is easy to bring this new land to life once the friends travel beneath The Fall. Their experiences while full of adventure, has some scary moments (nothing too much for young readers) but will definitely keep them guessing what will happen next.

I loved every moment of this book and couldn’t wait to share it with my child! See what he thought below.

The Kids Thoughts

Funny, adventurous and full of bravery. The characters were interesting, funny and human like so that you could relate to their experiences. I loved the pictures that accompanied the story as it helped explain the story even more. I loved the adventure the friends took in The Fall to explore Barra’s Dads journal. It was exciting!

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Aaron Safronoff is author of the Discovery Award winning science fiction novel, Spire. Since his debut, he’s published a sequel, Fallen Spire, and a novella of literary fiction, Evening Breezes.

Safronoff’s diverse background includes the formal study of computer science, bio-chemistry, and culinary arts. However, most of his career has been in the videogame industry in quality, production, and design.

Today, Safronoff is the co-founder and Chief Storyteller of Neoglyphic Entertainment, and is busy writing his fifth novel, the second installment of the Sunborn Rising series. You can connect with Aaron on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall Trailer

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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.

July 1, 2016

Lowcountry Stranger

The memorable Sweeney sisters from Her Sister’s Shoes have returned with more suspense and family drama to hold you spellbound until the dramatic conclusion in Lowcountry Stranger.

About Lowcountry Stranger

There’s a stranger in town. And it’s no coincidence when she shows up uninvited at a Sweeney family wedding. All eyes are drawn to this urchin who seems to have washed in with the tide. Before the night is over, the doe-eyed waif charms young and old with her street smarts and spunky personality. For better or worse, Annie Dawn is here to stay.

As she approaches the next stage of her life as an empty nester, Jackie is torn between expanding her fledgling design business and spending these last precious months with her boys before they fly the coop. Her own worst enemy, Sam is terrified of making a commitment to Eli Marshall, handsome police officer, true love of her life. Her resolve is tested when a ghost from her past shows up after nearly two decades. Faith nurtures her seven-year-old daughter who is recovering from the trauma of her abusive father. Is the threat in the past, or is there more danger on the horizon? The sisters seek guidance from their mother, Lovie, a true Southern matriarch who shows them how to respond to adversity with grace and dignity.

Things are heating up in the Lowcountry. The Sweeney sisters remind us, once again, that being a part of a family is about more than sharing the same DNA.

My Thoughts

My favourite family from Ashley Farley is back and they are just as down to earth, real and full of emotions as the first novel, Her Sister’s Shoes. The novel starts off with Faith’s marriage, where a complete stranger turns up. While they don’t know this young girl, there is something about her that just feels familiar and the family is immediately drawn to her. Especially Faith’s daughter, who had been so traumatized from her abusive Father that she took to not speaking. She opens up to Annie and the family is in shock. The Sweeney sisters welcome this stranger who has no home into their fold and offer her a place to stay in exchange for helping out.

This is when the novel begins to take a turn that constantly keeps you guessing about what is going to happen next and how is Annie tied into the story. You know she fits in somewhere because it is just seems to coincidental but it is hard to figure it out.

While we have the mystery of Annie, we also have the evolving story of Sam who refuses to commit to Eli after she was long ago left at the altar by the man she thought she loved and the Father of her son. She can’t forgive nor let go of this and this has affected her relationship with Eli and even those around her who can’t understand why she can’t let go. But like so many of us, it is hard for Sam to let go of the past, our past can be like a security blanket and if we hide behind it long enough we are protected from anything that could hurt us. But if Sam doesn’t remove her security, she risks losing everything that she truly loves. Sam is so loveable but at times you want to smack her in the head and say wake up! Her past comes full circle in an incredibly shocking twist in this novel!

And in another shocking twist in this novel happens with Faith and her new husband (can’t tell you what happens but trust me you will be in for a shock!). You feel for Faith as she just doesn’t get a break. She deserves so much happiness after all she has been through but again fate isn’t quite kind to her. But through it all, she remains stronger and more determined then ever before. I found myself quite proud of her and how she has grown!

I love how this story is about family, hope, forgiveness and love. We have a family that is real, that argues, that makes mistakes and have to find their way through the dark. The emotions are raw and real, making it so easy to find yourself in the sisters. You may find yourself laughing along with them, feeling their pain and wanting to give them a little shake to wake them. I found myself not wanting to put this novel down. It is so beautifully written, draws you into the very raw and real story and leaves you craving more. A beautiful novel of family and the bonds that tie them together. A definite must read!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Ashley Farley writes books about women for women. Her characters are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives facing real-life issues. Her goal is to keep you turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning. If her story stays with you long after you’ve read the last word, then she’s done her job.

After her brother died in 1999 of an accidental overdose, she turned to writing as a way of releasing her pent-up emotions. She wrote SAVING BEN in honor of Neal, the boy she worshipped, the man she could not save.

Ashley is a wife and mother of two college-aged children. She grew up in the salty marshes of South Carolina, but now lives in Richmond, Virginia, a city she loves for its history and traditions. You can connect with her on her website and Facebook.

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

June 27, 2016

Like a River From Its Course

Like a River From Its Course is an epic novel exposing the ugliness of war and the beauty of hope.

About Like a River From Its Course

The city of Kiev was bombed in Hitler’s blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union, but the constant siege was only the beginning for her citizens. In this sweeping historical saga, Kelli Stuart takes the reader on a captivating journey into the little-known history of Ukraine’s tragedies through the eyes of four compelling characters who experience the same story from different perspectives.

Maria Ivanovna is only fourteen when the bombing begins and not much older when she is forced into work at a German labor camp. She must fight to survive and to make her way back to her beloved Ukraine.

Ivan Kyrilovich is falsely mistaken for a Jew and lined up with 34,000 other men, women, and children who are to be shot at the edge of Babi Yar, the “killing ditch.” He survives, but not without devastating consequences.

Luda is sixteen when German soldiers rape her. Now pregnant with the child of the enemy, she is abandoned by her father, alone, and in pain. She must learn to trust family and friends again and find her own strength in order to discover the redemption that awaits.

Frederick Hermann is sure in his knowledge that the Führer’s plans for domination
are right and just. He is driven to succeed by a desire to please a demanding father and by his own blind faith in the ideals of Nazism.

Based on true stories gathered from fifteen years of research and interviews with Ukrainian World War II survivors, Like a River from Its Course is a story of love, war, heartache, forgiveness, and redemption.

My Thoughts

There are few moments when you receive a book and it just captures your attention and demands to be read. This is one of those books. It is powerful, emotional and full of passion. I cried, smiled and my heart broke at various times throughout the book. I was so attached when I first opened this book, it came with me to soccer practice and I read it the whole time we were there. It was definitely a book I read in one sitting and then re-read over again to further appreciate it.

It tells the story of four individuals all of whom are living during World War II in Ukraine, this gives us such a unique and different perspective of the same events. There was so much to learn from this book, the “killing ditch” was nothing I had ever heard of before but it broke my heart and made me physically sick to think of something so awful that these individuals went through. Reading through the chapters in Frederick’s perspective was so difficult at times. The acts were horrible and you can see the toll they take on him. I thought this was a very interesting perspective to look at, the effects of these acts on the person committing the crime and how long-term they changes their view, faith and beliefs.

In all of the ugliness and dark parts in this book, there are moments of human kindness, compassion and understanding that make you see the good in the world. Ivan is one of those men that make you see the good in people, even though it cost him greatly. He also loses his children to the labor camps but still he finds a way to fight to see the light in it.

Maria is an amazingly strong young woman, her character and compassion made me believe in people again. She was the glue that kept many going. She gave so many hope that needed it. Luda is another amazing character in our story. While being victim to an awful crime, she accepts the pregnancy and loves her child. And while she was abandoned by her own Father, she found family in another family whose connections to her own she never knew. Watching her grow through pregnancy and eventually into motherhood and struggle with not only this but the war around her, brings hope and forgiveness.

The story is an amazing blend of hope, pain and forgiveness. With moments of horrendous pain and suffering, we are also balanced with moments of kindness and compassion that will make you belief again in humanity. This novel is powerful, touching, moving and very special. You will not regret one moment spent with it and share with your friends.

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

Kelli Stuart is the coauthor of Dare 2B Wise and has written for several brands including Disney, American Girl, and Short Fiction Break. She has served as editor-in-chief for the St. Louis Bloggers Guild and as a board member for the St. Louis Women in Media. In addition to her writing, Kelli has spent twenty years studying Ukrainian culture. Kelli lives in Florida.

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

June 23, 2016

Beauty and the Highland Beast

Sometimes we suffer so badly from the circumstances around us that we seem broken and lost to those around us. In Beauty and the Highland Beast, two broken souls must help guide each other to find forgiveness and acceptance for things that they can not change.

About Beauty and the Highland Beast

Powerful and dangerous Highlander Dair Sinclair was once the favored son of his clan, The Sinclairs of Carraig Brigh. With Dair at the helm, Sinclair ships circled the globe bringing home incredible fortune. Until one deadly mission when Daire is captured, tortured and is unable to save his young cousin. He returns home breaking under the weight of his guilt and becomes known as the Madman of Carraig Brigh.

When a pagan healer predicts that only a virgin bride can heal his son’s body and mind, Daire’s father sets off to find the perfect wife for his son. At the castle of the fearsome McLeods, he meets lovely and kind Fia MacLeod.

Although Daire does his best to frighten Fia, she sees the man underneath the damage and uses her charm and special gifts to heal his mind and heart. Will Daire let Fia love him or is he cursed with madness forever?

My Thoughts

I LOVE historical romance, even more so when you throw in a Scottish hero (those accents!!). In this story, we have a young man in his prime who is torn over the loss of his cousin. He takes full responsibility and turns to alcohol to help him deal with his grief and nightmares, except they make this all the worse. His Father is desperate to help him and calls in a pagan healer. The healer knows there is nothing she can do but instead tries to tell the Clan leader, that only a virgin bride could heal his son.

Here is where we enter Fia, she is not the bride that Daire’s Father pictures for him. Instead he sees her gentle nature, kindness and compassion with others and hopes that this too will heal Daire. We watch Fia struggle with her own fears and desires to help this man who is hurting so much on the inside. The two of them are drawn together but Daire fights it at every chance to avoid hurting her. He doesn’t want to hurt her the way his cousin was hurt.

The ending blew my mind! It definitely was not what I expected to happen from the beginning but about half way through you get the sense that something is not quite right with the nightmares that plague Daire. I can’t tell you too much as it will spoil it but it was definitely the ending that you want and need!

Beauty and the Highland Beast is a sweet, simple story of forgiveness, healing, hope and love. A great summer time read.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Lecia Cornwall lives and writes in Calgary, Canada in the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies, with five cats, two teenagers, a crazy chocolate lab, and one very patient husband. She’s hard at work on her next book. Come visit Lecia at www.leciacornwall.com, or drop her a line at [email protected].

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