Turn to Me by Becky Wade

 

Turn to Me 

 By Becky Wade 

 Published by Bethany House 

Publication Date: May 3, 2022 

Description:

Guilt has defined Luke Dempsey's life, but it was self-destructiveness that landed him in prison. When his friend and fellow inmate lay dying shortly before Luke's release, the older man revealed he left a string of clues for his daughter, Finley, that will lead her to the treasure he's hidden. Worried that she won't be the only one pursuing the treasure, he gains Luke's promise to protect her until the end of her search. 

Spunky and idealistic, Finley Sutherland is the owner of an animal rescue center and a defender of lost causes. She accepts Luke's help on the treasure hunt while secretly planning to help him in return--by coaxing him to embrace the forgiveness he's long denied himself. As they draw closer to the final clue, their reasons for resisting each other begin to crumble, and Luke realizes his promise will push him to the limit in more ways than one. He'll do his best to shield Finley from unseen threats, but who's going to shield him from losing his heart? 

Review:

I've been looking forward to reading Luke's story. I have to admit that I had a soft spot for a reformed bad boy--or even better, a reforming bad boy who is finding out who he's going to be, what sort of man he really wants to be. The message of being able to be forgiven and move forward is one I just love. So, I was thrilled to read Luke's story, and I loved him as the hero of this book. I didn't quite click with Finley as female lead, though. I can't put my finger on why, but I just wasn't drawn in by her. I liked the side story of Ben and Akira--they were super cute--but I was put off by other side characters (specifically, Finley's other employees, who were so annoying!). I also wasn't totally drawn in by the treasure hunt. It just didn't enjoy this one as much the earlier books in the series, but I think plenty of other readers will totally adore it. 

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

No Journey Too Far (McAlister Family #2) by Carrie Turansky

 

No Journey Too Far (McAlister Family #2) 

By Carrie Turansky 

Published by WaterBrook & Multnomah 

 Publication Date: June 8, 2021

Description: 

It's 1919, and Garth McAlister returns 

 to England to be reunited with his family after fighting in the Great War. But his heart is still in Canada with his sweetheart, Emma Lafferty. It's been four months since he has heard from Emma, and he is determined to return to Canada and discover if she still loves him or has given her heart to another. The ten-year search for his youngest sister Grace continues, and the family is stunned to receive a letter from Grace, who is now almost eighteen and living in Toronto, Canada. Follow the heart-tugging story of these young adult British Home Children as they seek to be reunited with those they love. 

Review: 

While I was interested to learn more about British Home Children and their experiences, including the prejudice against them, I just didn't find myself connecting with the characters in this book. They came across as a little flat--almost too good to be true, without enough emotion to make them feel real. I found Emma to be the most compelling character and the plotline involving her to be the most interesting element of the book. I enjoyed seeing how things came together for the McAlister family and the gentle reminders to trust in God. This is a heartwarming story that fans of gentle romance will enjoy. 

3 stars.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel

A Dance in Donegal 

By Jennifer Deibel 

Published by Revell 

Description: 

To fulfill her mother's dying wish, Moira Doherty moves from Boston to the rolling green hills of 1921 Ireland to teach in a village school. She doesn't expect to fall in love--or to uncover a scandalous family reputation her mother left behind years ago. 

Review: 

The strongest aspect of this book was the look at Irish culture--the language and the customs were beautifully conveyed. The setting was really, really well written. The plot, however, didn't quite work as well as I hoped it would and there seemed to be inconsistencies that just weren't developed enough to make them feel plausible. For instance, Moira is initially welcomed by a local family--despite them knowing Moira's mother's scandalous secret--and yet, when Moira aids one of her sick students, Aedach, a young man, they suddenly take that a sign that she's immoral and shun her. As for the sick young man, the interactions with him frankly confused me; I never really understood how old he was supposed to be. On the one hand, it was scandalous that she was alone in his home with him, but on the other hand, he's referred to more than once as a child. So, the community's reaction to Moira helping him was confusing as well; if she's helping a sick child, why would anyone be upset about that? If he's not that young, like on the verge of finishing up school and it's truly improper for Moira to be helping him, why aren't others more willing to help? There's a sexual assault in the book that felt somewhat contrived, like it was thrown in without a good enough reason, particularly as the repercussions for it (both what happened to the perpetrator and how the victim would really have to deal with it) weren't addressed. When Moira's "secret" is finally revealed, that revelation came a little too easily, and again, the repercussions weren't really addressed. I liked the opening of the book, and I loved the final scene, but the middle just wasn't as well-developed as it could have been. 

3 stars. 

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Courting Misfortune (The Joplin Chronicles #1)

Courting Misfortune (The Joplin Chronicles #1) 

By Regina Jennings 

Published by Bethany House 

Publication Date: December 1st, 2020 

Description:

Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she's assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she's sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri, despite having extended family in the area. Will their meddling expose her mission and keep Lila Seaton from being recovered? 

When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected to be sent only a short train ride away. While fighting against corruption of all sorts, Matthew hears of a baby raffle being held to raise funds for a children's home. He'll do what he can to stop it, but he also wants to stop the reckless Miss York, whose bad judgment consistently seems to be putting her in harm's way. 

Calista doesn't need the handsome pastor interfering with her investigation, and she can't let her disguise slip. Her job and the life of a young lady depend on keeping Matthew in the dark.

Review:

I really liked the last third of this book, but the first two-thirds dragged for me somewhat. I just didn't enjoy Calista or Matthew as characters; Calista's constant lies, while perhaps necessary for her job, made it hard to really connect with her--and the lies she tried to pass off about being a nurse, when she obviously couldn't even handle anything remotely connected to nursing didn't make her seem like the most competent of detectives. It made it hard to see why Matthew would even want to put up with her at all. I also found myself more irritated than endeared by Calista's extended family. So, I struggled through the first two-thirds of the book, but I did like the remainder. There were some good messages about how God works in people's lives as well as some really nice romantic lines. 

3 stars.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A Foreign Crown (Royal Regency #1)

A Foreign Crown (Royal Regency #1)
By Jen Geigle Johnson
Published by Covenant Communications
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020

Description:
Following a devastating series of misfortunes, Lady Aribella Bardsley has bravely shouldered the responsibilities of her household. But just as the bleakness of her situation threatens to overwhelm her, a summons arrives from the Queen with a providential offer: Aribella’s presence is requested as a lady-in-waiting at the palace.
Prince Layton Wilhelm’s family has clung to their neutrality in the war for far too long. As the youngest of the King of Oldenburg’s eight sons, Layton is determined to prove his worth and is unwilling to turn a blind eye to Napoleon’s encroaching privateers. When Layton embarks on a journey to England, it is for one purpose: to petition the British navy for aid. But when he becomes acquainted with the lovely Lady Aribella, he cannot deny their powerful connection. Amid the intrigues and schemes within the walls of the palace, Layton and Aribella know a future together is impossible—but torn between loyalty and love, will they risk everything to follow their hearts?

Review:
This book was different from other Regency romances I've read in that it begins just before Prince George became Regent, and I found it very interesting to get a glimpse into the king's bouts of madness and the queen's efforts to keep it quiet so Prince George wouldn't be named Regent. I also thought it was interesting to see how Aribella served as a lady-in-waiting to the queen. Seeing the royal family, not just the upper ton, was different from the typical Regency romance. The writing style just didn't pull me in, however, and there were some aspects of the story (like pretty much a lack of mourning, beyond wearing dark colors and lots of unchaperoned time, without seeming worried about that at all) that just didn't feel right to me. Layton and Aribella were both sweet, and those looking for a clean romance may enjoy reading this one.
3 stars.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Embrace

Embrace
By Jessica Shirvington
Sourcebooks Fire, 2012. 374 pgs. Teen fiction (I read the ARC)

Violet Eden has long loved her friend Lincoln, but he sees her as a training partner for martial arts and running. Just as Violet is about to see if they can take things to the next level, he betrays her. Lincoln has known all along that Violet, on her seventeenth birthday, will find out that she, like him, is a Grigori, a half-angel, half-human charged with protecting humans from fallen angels. Violet just wants to have a normal life and she's not so sure she wants to embrace this new life--and she is sure that she no longer wants nothing to do with Lincoln. She starts spending a lot of time with Phoenix, a fallen angel, who, technically she should want nothing to do with but who draws her in so much that she can't stay away. However, even as romance is developing with Phoenix, she can't forget Lincoln--and she also can't quite walk away from the fact that the Grigori need her help as fallen angels are wreaking havoc on her town.

I think teen readers will love this one--it's got passion, it's got a love triangle, it's got all that paranormal goodness (for those who like that sort of thing). As an adult reader, I struggle a bit with the physical relationship between Violet and Phoenix. To explain why, I've got to give some SPOILERS!
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Okay, aside from the fact that I think there' s too much sex in teen books anyway (yes, I admit my personal bias), Phoenix is a fallen angel who manipulates Violet's emotions, making her like him more and Lincoln less. I would think that when a girl finds out the guy she slept with has manipulated her like that, particularly a girl who was sexually assaulted by a teacher in her past, that she would have some sort of anger/depression/extreme reaction...and she doesn't really. I don't really buy that. I don't know if it's because we as readers are supposed to think of Phoenix as the dreamy bad boy or what, but bad boys who cross into manipulation in order to further a physical relationship are NOT dreamy. And as an adult, I worry that maybe teens won't make that connection and realize how wrong it was for Phoenix to mess with Violet like that.
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Overall, I can see it being popular with a lot of teens, and they'll be clamoring for the next book in the series.

3 stars. Has a sex scene (not detailed) as well as a brief discussion of how one character had envisioned his romantic seduction of another character. Some language as well.

Under a Red Sky

Under a Red Sky
By Haya Leah Molnar
Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2010. 302 pgs. Teen Nonfiction

Living in Communist Romania after WWII, life wasn't much better for the Jews than it was during the war. Eva, however, who is a child living with her parents, grandparents, and two uncles, and an aunt, didn't know that she was Jewish. She did know that her family didn't agree with the Communist government and that their dream was to emigrate to Israel, where they wouldn't all have to live in one small apartment and where they'd be able to find better jobs and speak freely. Once she became aware of her status as a Jew, she still doesn't understand what it means to be Jewish, only that it's dangerous.

I enjoyed reading Eva's story, since Communist Romania isn't a topic I know much about. I think Eva's family dynamics were particularly interesting. I was a little disappointed with the ending; this, as indicated in the title, is the story only of Eva's life in Communist Romania, but since her family was able to move to Israel when she was ten, there's still much about Eva's life that we don't get to see, and for me, it just felt like it ended a little too soon.

3 stars. Clean read.

In the Shadow of the Lamp

In the Shadow of the Lamp
By Susanne Dunlap
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2011. 293 pgs. Teen fiction

After Molly is wrongfully accused of stealing and fired from her job as a parlormaid, she hears that Florence Nightingale is looking for nurses to go to Turkey to help take care of soldiers wounded in the Crimean war. Molly doesn't have any real nursing experience, but she's determined to take advantage of this opportunity and manages to trick her way into the group of nurses. As much as she loves nursing, she finds it slightly hard to obey all of the rules, especially the one about not fraternizing with any men. There's a handsome young doctor who seems interested in her, but then a friend from England (who actually helped her make it to Turkey) follows her to Turkey, enlisting in the army in order to be near her. With her heart drawn to both men, and her job as well, Molly has to figure out what she truly wants from life.

I liked the historical setting of this novel and found Molly to be a fun character--spunky and determined. I will say that I'm a bit tired of the love triangle theme, and the ending was a little bit more vague than I would have liked, but overall, I did enjoy the book and will definitely read other books by this author.

3 stars. Clean read.

The Sweetest Thing

The Sweetest Thing
By Christina Mandelski
Egmont USA, 2011. 330 pgs. Teen fiction

When Sheridan Wells's father, a local chef, gets an offer for a TV show, the town couldn't be more excited. But Sheridan isn't happy about it at all, especially since this show could mean they have to relocate to NYC, something Sheridan absolutely doesn't want to do. Sheridan's mother left when she was a kid, but she said she'd come back, and Sheridan is waiting for her to keep that promise. Additionally, she has a good job decorating cakes, something she loves doing, and Ethan, pretty much the hottest guy at school, has finally noticed her, and even though that has pretty much killed her friendship with her lifetime best friend Jack, Sheridan just wants to push ahead with things the way that they are.

I really like food fiction, and this one was pretty fun, except for some points where Sheridan seemed excessively whiny. (Realistic, yes, but not necessarily enjoyable to read.) Her process of coming to understand what she really wants and what is best for her is one that many teens will relate to. Overall, it's better than average but not spectacular.

3 stars. Clean read.

Thanksgiving: The True Story

Thanksgiving: The True Story
By Penny Colman
Henry Holt, 2008. 149 pgs. Teen Nonfiction

Although most Americans have probably learned that the "first" Thanksgiving, and the beginning of our current Thanksgiving traditions, was the story of Pilgrims and Squanto, Colman shows that there are at least twelve different claims of the first Thanksgiving. She briefly addresses some of them and shows how long-standing traditions of harvest festivals and general thanksgiving days, as well as the push of activist Sarah Hale all contributed to our holiday and how U.S. Presidents, including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, declared national days of thanksgiving, but it wasn't until an act of Congress in the 1940s that Thanksgiving became a national holiday. The second half of the book focuses on Thanksgiving traditions.

I liked the first half of the book better than the second, but overall, it was interesting and informative--and not too long, for those readers who only have time for a short history at this busy time of year.

3 stars.

Ghosts in the Fog

Ghosts in the Fog
By Samantha Seiple
Scholastic, 2011. 221 pgs. Teen Nonfiction

After the Japanese army invaded Aleutian Islands in Alaska in 1942, the U.S. Army tried to convince the American public that the invasion hadn't happened. At the same time, they began evacuating the islands, sending the native inhabitants to refugee camps where they lived in miserable conditions, and planned their counterattack to regain the territory.

This book was interesting--the invasion of Alaska during WWII isn't something I remember learning about in my history classes--but it was almost too brief. It was a surface-level treatment that left me wondering about a lot of things. I think the author tried to bring in too many people to the story--there are little snippets about a variety of people, but then the brevity of the book made following up on their stories hard. It's a good introduction to the topic, but most readers will want more information than this book provides (which could be a good thing, if they go on to find other materials to supplement it).

3 stars.

I Love Him to Pieces

I Love Him to Pieces
By Evonne Tsang
Graphic Universe, 2011. 123 pgs. Graphic Novel

When jock Dicey and nerd Jack get paired up for a science project, mutual attraction flares. However, when they go out on their first date, they find themselves in the middle of a zombie outbreak, and they have to figure out how to survive.

This graphic novel is a quick read, and it's a lot of fun. Dicey is a funny, strong female character, while Jack is sweet and dorky and totally loveable. It was fun to watch their developing romance. This is the first book in a series, and I would definitely read the next installment.

3 stars.

Duped!: True Stories of the World's Best Swindlers

Duped!: True Stories of the World's Best Swindlers
By Andreas Schroeder
Annick Press, 2011. 157 pgs. Middle Grade/Teen Nonfiction

This book covers eight stories of deception, from an alien invasion that set many parts of the U.S. into a panic to a man who first wrote and then pretended to discover two original works from Shakespeare, all in an attempt to impress his father.
Some of these stories were more interesting than others, and the book seemed to end a little abruptly, but overall, this is a good choice for reluctant readers. Its quick stories, along with comic-style illustrations, make it a fast and easy read, but it's also one that makes you feel a little smarter afterwards.

3 stars. Clean read.

Midnight in Austenland

Midnight in Austenland
By Shannon Hale
Bloomsbury, 2012. 272 pgs. Adult Fiction

Charlotte Kinder, freshly divorced, takes a vacation in Austenland, hoping to find the same sort of comfort there that she finds when she reads Jane Austen's book. However, she finds herself unsettled by the man who is supposed to be her romantic match for her vacation: Mr. Mallery is handsome but unnerving. At the same time, she's certain that she felt a dead body in a hidden room, and as much as she tries to convince herself that this murder mystery is all part of a game, she can't help but wonder if something sinister is going on.

Fans of Austen spin-offs will probably like this new addition to the field from Hale. Charlotte is a likable character, and the mystery adds a fresh element not found in Austenland (Hale's original Austen effort). It's not overwhelmingly amazing, but it's a fun way to pass an afternoon. Probably tamer than a lot of adult fiction; does have some drinking and language and little behavior that would have been frowned on in Austen's day.

3 stars.

Instructions for a Broken Heart

Instructions for a Broken Heart
By Kim Culbertson
Sourcebooks Fire, 2011. 295 pgs. Teen fiction

After catching her boyfriend Sean in a compromising situation with another girl, Jessa and some classmates (including, unfortunately, Sean and the other girl) go to Italy for a school trip. Jessa's best friend, Carissa, knowing that Jessa will be completely freaking out, sends along twenty envelopes, each with instructions for how Jessa can get over Sean and get on with her life. With her friend's instructions, as well as a good book and Italy itself to help her, Jessa not only deals with her broken heart but finds out that there's more to her than she realized.

Although there were moments when Jessa seemed a little overly dramatic(which is probably completely realistic but not entirely fun to read) and when the book started to drag a little bit, overall, readers who enjoy stories of surviving your first heartbreak will come away satisfied. I didn't fully understand why Jessa would follow all of Carissa's instructions or why Carissa would give all of them. I don't think we got a good feel for Carissa and her personality (we're pretty much told, rather than shown to any degree that they're friends), and that made it a little difficult to connect with the story sometimes.

3 stars. A little bit of language but otherwise a clean read.

For a work project, I made a quick little Google Search story to use as a simple booktalk. Check it out.

Just Your Average Princess

Just Your Average Princess
By Kristina Springer
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011. 197 pgs. Teen fiction

Jamie has grown up on a pumpkin farm in Average, Illinois, and she loves it. The only things that could make life better would be if Danny, who Jamie has been crushing on for years, would finally ask her out, and if she gets selected as this year's Pumpkin Princess. But then her cousin Milan, the daughter of two Hollywood stars, comes to visit, and Jamie's life takes a turn for the worse. Milan is nothing but snotty to Jamie and soon she's taken over Jamie's beloved pumpkin patch, is running for Pumpkin Princess, and even seems to have her eye on Danny.

This light-hearted chick-lit novel is a good choice for those looking for clean reads and country settings. Jamie is the sort of character lots of readers will be able to relate to, and they'll enjoy hating Milan along with her. At the same time, they might not be able to suppress their frustration with how her parents are so easily taken in by Milan and don't express any appreciation for Jamie. Even if they're trying to make Milan feel at home, shouldn't they make some effort to make sure their own daughter doesn't feel left out? That part really frustrated me--and the fact that they don't really acknowledge it, either. (There is an explanation for why they're trying so hard with Milan; there's no real reason give for why they aren't sensitive to Jamie's feelings--especially with Milan's bullying of her--and that left me somewhat unsatisfied.)

3 stars. Clean read.

Wonderstruck

Wonderstruck
By Brian Selznick
Scholastic Press, 2011. 637 pgs. Middle Grade fiction

In 1927, Rose, who is deaf, longs for a life beyond her home, where she spends her time collecting pictures of a famous actress. Fifty years later, twelve-year-old Ben, whose mother has recently died, loses his hearing and finds that the father he never met may be living in New York City, so he runs away from home to find him. In New York, he meets Jamie, a boy his age who spends his time at the American Museum of Natural History. Ben, fascinated by the museum, comes to find that it might reveal the secret of his father's identity.

Ben's and Rose's stories are told alternately throughout the book, Ben's in words and Rose's in pictures, and then they intertwine at the end. The artwork is stunning, and I liked the way the stories came together....although I don't know that I actually would have liked the book as a child. I think it's one that advanced readers or those interested in art will like. The art is kind of what sold it for me; the text didn't pull me in as much.

3 stars. Clean read.

Crossed

Crossed
By Ally Condie
Nov. 2011. 367 pgs. Teen fiction (I read the ARC)

Cassia finds a way to get to the Outer Provinces, where she is intent on finding Ky, despite the fact that he's been given a work assignment that is almost certain to kill him. However, he manages to escape into the Craving, a series of canyons that could lead to freedom. Ky is just as set on finding a way to get back to Cassia. However, when the two mind each, Ky realizes that Cassia has found out about the Rising, a rebellion against their Society--something Ky doesn't want to be a part of and would like to keep Cassia out of as well.

I think fans of Matched will like Crossed as well. It can be a bit slow; there's a LOT of time spent in the canyons, both before and after Ky and Cassia are reunited--and they don't find each other until over halfway through the book, so that made things seem a little slow as well. I didn't necessarily love the first book, and again, this one was just likeable for me, but I think fans will enjoy it--and I might like it better if I weren't totally burned out on dystopias and love triangles.

3 stars. Clean read.

Roadside Assistance

Roadside Assistance

By Amy Clipston

Zondervan, 2011. 278 pgs. Teen fiction

Summary:

Emily’s mother died from cancer and the medical bills ended up costing her and her father their home and his business. Left with little to their name, they move in with Emily’s aunt Darlene and her family, including her cousin who is everything Emily isn’t. Emily just wants to work on cars—her favorite hobby—but she feels pressured by her family to be something she’s not. While the boy next door, Zander, proves to be a good friend, Emily is frustrated by his deep faith; since her mother died, she hasn’t been able to pray or find any solace and she doesn’t want anyone to preach to her.

Review:

I enjoyed reading about Emily’s struggle to re-find her faith; I think her feelings are realistically portrayed. I also enjoyed watching her developing friendship with Zander. My only complaint was that sometimes the language didn’t seem fitting for a teenager; there were places where it was oddly formal. Overall, though, this is a good choice for those looking for Christian fiction.

3 stars. Clean read.

Jane Austen in Scarsdale

Jane Austen in Scarsdale

By Paula Marantz Cohen

St. Martin's Press, 2006. 275 pgs. Adult Fiction

Summary:
In this modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, Anne Ehrlich is a high school guidance counselor who, thirteen years before, was persuaded by her grandmother that her boyfriend Ben wasn't a good choice for her. She's never been able to forget about him, and when his nephew transfer to Anne's school, she finds herself face to face with Ben once again--and finds that her feelings for him have never died. However, Ben has a fiancé, and Anne is certain he won't forgive her for how things ended between them.

My opinion:

This is a clean read and a fun modern version of Persuasion. Even those who aren't familiar with the original will still enjoy the plot line.It's an easy, breezy read that's perfect for an afternoon of light reading.

3 stars.