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Monday, January 19, 2015
New Historical Nothing Special (And I Want Special, Dang It!) [With a Giveaway]
6:24 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Julia Barrett's been in love with handsome, wealthy Adam Wolcott since the two were kids. Once they marry, she'll be living her dream come true. Even though he's been absent from Niagara, New York, with nary a word to his fiancé, Julia's ready to trust him with the rest of her life. The time away has changed Adam—everyone can see that, even if he refuses to talk about it—but Julia trusts him implicitly. Doesn't she?
While Adam keeps his secrets, Julia's got a few of her own. One is her conversion to Mormonism. Her family intends to stay for Julia's wedding, then head West. She wouldn't mind going with them. The other is the 7-year-old girl who's hiding in Julia's house. As the sole witness to the murders of her parents and brother, Penny is wanted by the notorious Murphy Gang. Long-time conductors for the Underground Railroad, the Barretts are used to hiding fugitive slaves, but this situation is especially precarious. Julia longs to share these complications with the man she loves, so why is she hesitating? Is it because she fears he might be caught up with the Murphy Gang? Or does it have something to do with the sudden appearance of Tom Harrison, a charismatic Mormon magician? With Adam pressuring her to marry him, Julia must decide where her loyalties lie. Can she follow her heart, even if it's leading her away from everything she's always wanted?
Despite its exotic setting, there's not a lot about Betrayed, a new historical novel by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen, that's truly original. With cookie cutter characters, humdrum dialogue, and a plot that winds here and there without really coming together, it gets tedious. I did appreciate the setting—which came alive for me more than anything else in the book—as well as the clean, uplifting (but not preachy) nature of the story. Still, I didn't love it. Betrayed isn't a horrible book, not at all, it's just kind of ... average. Nothing special. And, doggone it, I wanted special! Ah, well.
(Readalikes: Hm, nothing's coming to mind. Ideas?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Betrayed from the generous folks at Covenant in exchange for my participation in the book's blog tour. Thank you!
For more opinions about Betrayed, please visit these other fine blogs:
*http://mybookaday.blogspot.
*http://minreadsandreviews.
If you'd like a chance to win your own copy of the book, enter here:
Thursday, January 15, 2015
What Is Found, What Is Lost: Good Bones, Clumsy Construction
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When her husband dies after a battle with cancer, 62-year-old Fredrika "Freddie" Chase isn't sure where to turn for solace. Her mother, a fanatic whose devotion to God has always eclipsed her attention to her daughters, has put Freddie off religion, probably for good. She's already feeling at odds with the world when her combative daughter—an exotic dancer in Vegas—decides to move back home. With Beth and her 5-year-old son in residence, Freddie's house feels less empty, but more fraught with tension. Especially when men start showing up to see Beth.
While trying to mend her broken relationship with Beth, Freddie examines the tumultuous one she had with her own mother. Exploring the life of her maternal grandmother lends some understanding. Also more questions.
When a crisis brings Freddie to her sister's door, it's a chance for the two of them to make peace with their shared past. As they try to wrestle some sense out of the actions of the women in their maternal line, they seek answers that will help them all move on. Finally.
The plot of What Is Found, What Is Lost, a debut novel by Anne Leigh Parrish, is impossible to describe. Why? Because it really doesn't have one. Told in the voices of four generations of women, the story's a family saga. However, it's more like back story than actual story. While the characters were both empathetic and interesting, I found the lot of them sad and depressing. Without a central plotline to tie all of their stories together, the novel just felt clumsy. It has good bones, that's for sure, but the execution left a lot to be desired. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Nothing really comes to mind.)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder invectives), sexual content, and violence
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of What Is Found, What Is Lost from the generous folks at BookSparks PR. Thank you!
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Novella Collection a Quick, Swoony Read (With a Giveaway!)
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, it's the perfect time for a little romance. Fictional ones are particularly nice since they always end with a swoony HEA (Happily Ever After). This is especially true in Love Unexpected: A Storybook Romance. The new collection includes three sigh-worthy novellas by favorite LDS authors Melanie Jacobson, Jennifer K. Clark and Julie Daines.
Since I'm a big Jacobson fan, it's no surprise that her contribution, Storybook Romance, was my favorite of the three. The story stars Ellie Hanover, a 20-something New York City book editor who loves championing quality novels. Her old boss trusted her instincts; with his passing, the publishing house where she works is being run by a shrewd woman whom Ellie has never liked. Apparently, the feeling is mutual. When Ellie plucks a promising novel out of the slush pile, she hopes she can convince her boss to take on the project. Especially since the more Ellie chats online with its author, the harder she's falling for him.
The second novella, He Loves Me Not by Jennifer K. Clark, revolves around Kenedee Roberts, a young woman who manages the office of a river rafting company in Utah. She's in love with her handsome boss who, despite having a girlfriend, leaves fresh flowers on Kenedee's desk every morning. As soon as the timing is right, she knows he'll make his move. Can she stand to wait around for him? Or will Kenedee have to take matters into her own hands?
Fools of Us All by Julie Daines rounds out the collection. It features Jane Ricks, a 26-year-old who's always lived in the shadow of her dynamic twin sister. While Jennica is off trying to become a star, Jane's home taking care of their mother, who's been physically and mentally disabled since the car accident that killed the girls' abusive father. When Mason McIntyre, the guy Jane has pined for since high school, asks her out, she can't say no. Even though Mason thinks she's Jennica. Will the case of mistaken identity end in disaster or a destiny more delightful than Jane ever could have imagined?
While the first and last stories appealed to me more than the middle one (which just seemed silly and far-fetched), all of them are light, clean, and romantic. Predictable, of course, but fun, too. At 162 pages, the whole book can be enjoyed in an hour or so. If you're in the mood for a quick, heart-happy read, look no further.
(Readalikes: Reminded me of Melanie Jacobson's novels, The List; Not My Type; Twitterpated; Smart Move; Second Chances; and Painting Kisses)
Grade:
(for the whole collection)
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for nothing offensive -- the stories are just geared toward adult readers (although they're perfectly appropriate for teens)
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To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Love Unexpected: A Storybook Romance from Covenant in exchange for taking part in the book's blog tour. Follow along on the tour here:
*Jan. 12th: http://mybookaday.
*Jan. 13th: http://
*Jan. 14th: http://
*Jan. 15th: http://lisaisabookworm.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Top Ten 2014 I-Really-Really-Meant-To Books
7:49 AM
My hands-down favorite thing about a new reading year is how hopeful I always feel at the beginning of it. I psych myself up to *finally* reach that goal of reading 200 books. My body hums with excitement as I add titles to my list of books I'm definitely going to get to before December 31st. Then comes December and all I can do is laugh at how little the reality of what I accomplished during the year matches the fantasy of what I thought I could get done! Ah, well. It just means I still have lots of great books to look forward to in the next year.
This week's question for Top Ten Tuesday (which is hosted by the lovelies over at The Broke and the Bookish) asks which 2014 releases we really, really, really meant to get to and didn't. I could list hundreds, but here are the first ten that came to mind:
1. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart—This twisty mystery got all kinds of great buzz last year. I'm definitely planning to read it soon!
2. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge—Rave reviews have put this Beauty and the Beast retelling high on my priority list for 2015. I'm going to read it as part of the Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.
3. Panic by Lauren Oliver—This novel, about teens playing a high-stakes Fear Factor type of game, looks intriguing.
4. Landline by Rainbow Rowell—I enjoyed both Fangirl and Attachments, so I'm very interested in Rowell's newest.
5. After the End by Amy Plum—I'm not sure exactly what this one is—Post-apocalyptic? Psychological thriller? Action/adventure?—but it looks good.
6. Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White—I've enjoyed the books I've read by Kiersten White. As this one also promises to be a big contender for the 2014 LDS literary awards (Whitney Awards; AML Awards), I'm going to be reading it soon.
7. Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis—Another fairy tale retelling that I'm planning to read for the Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.
8. Landry Park by Bethany Hagen—I bought a copy of this post-apocalyptic caste system romance thriller/romance (thromance?) as soon as it came out and, yeah, there it sits on my bookshelf just waiting to be noticed ...
9. Compulsion by Martina Boone—I adore books set in mysterious Southern plantation homes, so this one looks like something I'd enjoy.
10. Trust Me, I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer—This teenage con artist mystery/thriller just looks fun.
Have you read any of these? What did you think? And what great 2014 releases are you planning to get to in 2015?
*All book images from Barnes & Noble
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