Category: book review

July 15, 2014

Secrets At Court #review

I love historical romances (I can re-read them over and over!). Secrets at Court by Blythe Gifford is definitely one of those novels that I will treasure over and over.

Secrets at Court is based in England. Anne of Stamford has long been the keeper of her mistress’ secrets but when Lady Joan marries the King’s son – court life becomes quite dangerous. Sir Nicholas Lovayne has arrived to uncover the truth about Lady Joan’s past and Anne must do anything to keep him from discovering it.

Nicholas has always longed to escape court but he had never counted on the way that Anne would distract him. She refuses to accept pity for her clubfoot and this touches something deep inside him. He begins to find it difficult to follow his duty when every fiber of his being tells him to protect Anne.

Full of mystery, scandal and romance – Secrets at Court is a fantastic summer read that you will treasure for years to come. Anne is just the type of heroine that you love – she does not let anything stand in her way including a physical disability that causes others to look and treat her differently. She is headstrong, love able, kind and good hearted. You can’t help but fall in love with her and pray that good fortune comes her way!

Rating: 4/5

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

July 14, 2014

Get Started Growing Vegetables! #review #DKCanada

The ability to grow your own garden and have it flourish is so important not only does it provide good food but also helps teach children about the importance of good food and growing your own food.

I fell in love with the easy to read Get Started Growing Vegetables from DK Canada. The guide ranged in difficulty from beginner gardeners to the more experienced. It included raised beds, tips on how to grow plants in pots and hanging baskets (which I loved!). I like to think I am not quite a novice but I definitely have room to grow with my knowledge.

With large pictures, plenty of reminders and tips this guide makes it hard to take a wrong step. There are instructions on how to grow pretty much any vegetable, fruit and herb you can think of – even how to place them to create a visually appealing and fragrant garden. The guide also included plenty of advice on what to do when things go wrong – which they so often can! I even used it this weekend to learn how to ‘pinch’ off my tomato plants that were getting out of control!

I wanted to give you a glimpse of my vegetable garden – one that I am quite proud of and a garden I hope my Grandfather would be proud of too. He was my inspiration on learning how to garden. We have harvested all of our spinach leaves which was the perfect addition to stir fries and omelettes. We have since planted carrots (seen below).

Here are my lovely tomatoes growing in – I am most proud of them.

As well as a little cucumber:

I also tried out cucumbers and radishes in hanging baskets using tips from the book (the rocks on the bottom and holes).

And some potted vegetables using their same tips!

That is my garden! Can you tell how proud I am? Are your growing your own vegetable garden? If so any tips and advices for this novice?

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned guide free of charge in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 30, 2014

The Here and Now #review

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares is the romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world if she can let go of the one thing that she has found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

These are the three biggest rules that seventeen year old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve must remember. The only thing is that Prenna did not immigrate from a different country. She came from a different time – a future where a mosquito borne illness has mutated into a pandemic killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who have escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules to never reveal where they are from, never interfere with history and never be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she is told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.

Where to start with this novel – I loved every moment! Ann Brashares has the most incredible way of writing that has you wanting more (to be honest when the novel was finished I was hoping for a teaser to a second part!). I love stories set in the future and the way they had traveled back in time was brilliant. The romance that blooms between her and Ethan is forbidden but could not be helped. I know that this will be a hit for many young readers!

Rating: 5/5

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book but was not obligated to write a post. I wanted to share this awesome book with you!

June 30, 2014

Four Weddings & a Kiss #review

Four fantastic authors come together to bring you Four Weddings & a Kiss – Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy and Robin Lee Hatcher. Four stories intertwine when a young man questions the suitability of a potential woman.

Spitfire Sweetheart by Mary Connealy follows the story of Maizy Place – an unruly tomboy. When she causes an accident that injures her neighbour Rylan Carstens, she becomes his unlikely caregiver. Rylan has never noticed how pretty his infuriating neighbour is and he definitely never expected to fall in love.

Love Letter to the Editor by Robin Lee Hatcher is the story of Molly Everton, the outspoken daughter of the town’s newspaper owner. When her father brings in an outsider to be the editor she tries to drive him out of town. But Jack Ludgrove is not intimidated. He is resolved to change Molly’s mind about him both as an editor and as a man.

A Cowboy for Katie by Debra Clopton finds us meeting Katie Pearl, a young woman that is uninterested in men and love. What she needs is help on her ranch so she hires Treb Rayburn. Treb is a wandering cowboy looking a make a few dollars – will he help to change Katie’s mind?

In Courting Trouble by Margaret Brownley Grace Davenport is either the unluckiest woman alive or a killer. When her third husband is found dead Grace is arrested. Attorney Brock Daniels is not intersted in the case until he meets Grace. Only a miracle will prove her innocence but the joining of two lonely hearts may be their saving grace.

There is so much to love in this novel! Four fantastic authors spin tales of love, romance and mystery in a way that leaves you craving more. They give just enough to keep you hanging on the edge of the seat. The simple romances in each story will make your heart warm (who wouldn’t want a strong cowboy?!). Each story is intertwined in a unique way to show that love knows no boundaries and that we can never help who we fall in love with. Only that we should embrace love – the most precious gift of all.

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

Rating: 5/5

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

June 19, 2014

The Nightingale Girls Series #review

I am a huge fan of historical novels that combine facts with a fictional story. The Nightingale Girls series looked like the perfect British read for me and I could not wait to start reading it! All three books definitely lived up to my expectations and more.

In the first book of this series, The Nightingale Girls finds three very different young girls signing up as student nurses in 1986, while England is still mourning the death of George V. Dora is a tough East Ender driven by ambition but also desperate to escape her overcrowded home and abusive stepfather. Helen, the quiet one, is a mystery to her fellow nurses and avoids fun and gossip. In fact she is in the formidable shadow of her overbearing mother who dominates every aspect of her life. The third character, Millie is a rebellious aristocrat on the run from her conventional upper class life. She is doomed to clash over and over again with the terrifying Sister Hyde and to get into scrape after scrape especially where men are concerned.

Book one really brings the personalities of the characters into life. Each young lady is so different and yet so similar. Donna Douglas makes it easy to imagine the life of each class in England in this time period. I found it hard to imagine the lives of women during this era and the restraints that they were under but I also loved how each young lady was driven by something different but each one is looking to find themselves and gain independence and respect.

Book two in this series, The Nightingale sisters we are introduced to new characters but our familiar ones are still with us. The student nurses live in fear of the ward sisters whom they view as heartless and frightening with impossibly high standards. But the sisters also have troubles of their own.

Violet, the new night sister is carrying a dark secret that she refuses to let anyone know. As her mysterious life deepens, Sister Wren is determined to find out the truth. In this series, Dora is struggling with her own secrets and her heartbreak of losing Nick, the man she lost to her best friend. A new arrival on the ward brings the chance to put a smile back on her face but she finds it hard to get over Nick so easily. Millie is torn between two men but then an unexpected friendship with an elderly patient makes her question where her heart and future truly lies.

I thought it would be difficult to beat book one but the second book does not disappoint! The characters begin to grow as they grow their studying. It is incredible to watch them grow and learn but still remain true to their personalities. Violet adds quite the new twist into the story and opens up the kinder side to the Sisters that we do not always witness. I completely love the way Donna writes and pulls you right into the story and the characters lives. You feel like you are right there in the hospital learning and growing with them.

In the final book in The Nightingale series, The Nightingale Nurses find themselves in their final year of training and the most difficult and demanding part of their career. Helen is at a crossroads in her life as she battles her mother over both her love life and future career. Dora is not able to stop loving Nick who is now married to her best friend Ruby but Ruby is hiding an awful secret that could destroy her marriage and friendship. Millie is anxious for her fiance who is sent to Spain to cover the Civil War and matters on get worse when she encounters a fortune teller who delivers a sinister warning about their future.

In the final book in this series, Donna Douglas serves up so much adventure, excitement and heart break it is hard to believe she managed to do it all in one book! I can not picture any other ending then the one she delivered (even if I wished for just one more book!). The nurses find themselves in this book and develop into the young women that will go out in to the world to work, to serve and to care for others.

This series is incredible! Each book is definitely a 5++++! I could not put these books down and was literally reading non stop. If you love British novels then these are for you and if not give them a try! You may just be surprised.

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