Category: reviews

In Whispers in the Reading Room Lydia’s job at the library is her world, until a mysterious patron catches her eye and perhaps her heart.

About Whispers in the Reading Room

Just months after the closure of the Chicago World’s Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.

Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.

Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn’t merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.

Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks-the man so many people fear-is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

My Thoughts

Our two main characters in this novel are so very different but at the same time so much alike in their fondness of books and the escape they provide. Sebastian is not all he appears to be but at the same time there is such a sweet side to him that wants to come out. He wants to be what Lydia needs him to be but he is just not too sure how he can this way. He allows his past to predict his future and couldn’t be more wrong.

I love Lydia’s character, she is strong but so unsure of herself at the same time. She is refreshingly kind-hearted and open. She would do anything for those around her, even at the expense of her own happiness. Her story is not a sweet, kind life but one of hardships and an upwards battle.

Whispers in the Reading Room is a fantastic read from start to finish that will leaving you hoping and praying for Lydia to have strength and to finally receive all that she deserves for her kindness.

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 Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list. A native of Texas, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Colorado and taught school for ten years. She and her husband have two children and live in Southern Ohio.

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

In the Golden Braid, the one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

About The Golden Braid

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again–this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight–Sir Gerek–Rapunzel, in turn, rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to him than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery are about to be revealed after seventeen years. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?

My Thoughts

A modern, mature twist on a childhood fairy tale that both young adults and adults alike will enjoy.

The beginning of the novel was slower but as we get about a third of the way through the novel, I could not put the book down! It was such an interesting perspective of the Rapunzel fairy tale. We have this strong, fierce young lady who can paint, sing and throw a knife as well as any other boy in her village. But she also defers to her mother’s demands and restrictions, which include never showing her hair (which we find out the reasoning behind this near the end of the story) and to never trust a man.

It was beautiful to watch Rapunzel’s story unfold in such a unique manner and to watch her grow into an independent young lady who embraces the unknown. Thrown in the romance with a knight who tries so hard to deny his feelings and you have a story you will not want to put down! I definitely know I couldn’t.

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

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer’s Apprentice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award for Best First Book. Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama.

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