Friday, February 16, 2024

Chasing the Horizon (A Western Light #1) by Mary Connealy

 

Upon uncovering her tyrannical father's plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own--she will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum by her father, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother join forces with other travelers and hope they can make it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.

Wagon train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him and he learns something much more sinister is at hand. Can they risk trusting each other with their lives--and their hearts--with danger threatening their every step?

From bestselling author Mary Connealy comes a gripping and adventurous historical novel of survival, sacrifice, and romance on the Oregon Trail

My thoughts:

This is the start of the new series by Ms. Connealy and oh what a great start.  We are introduced to Beth Rutledge and her mother as Beth devises a plan to rescue her mother from an insane asylum. Keep in mind this was in the the1800’s when a husband had more rights than his wife and could easily have her committed if he chose to.

I loved the grit and determination Beth shows to get her mother, herself and a couple of others who tag along to safety.  Traveling with them on the Oregon Trail was equal parts exciting and dangerous. Knowing that there was the rich, powerful Mr. Rutledge looking for them, being careful to hide their identities made me worry for their safety.

The wagon train scout is one of my favorite characters and I loved the care he provided to all, but especially Beth.  I have a keen interest in all the characters and cannot wait to reconnect with them in the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions are my own.

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy Brad Mason Review and GIVEAWAY

 









Book Details:

Book Title:  Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy by Brad Mason, Ed. D.
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 32 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Yorkshire Publishing
Release date:   January 2024
Formats Available for Review: print-softback (USA), e-book (PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 2
Content Rating:  G.  Suitable for everyone.

Book Description:

The Charlie Chaloosy book series kicks off with its inaugural offering, Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy.

​The first book focuses on Charlie's experiences as he learns lessons, gains new experiences, and grows up in a world that happens to rhyme. The story is told through the use of a playful rhyme scheme and enhanced with beautifully colored illustrations of Charlie tackling new adventures in whimsical detail. The book ends with Charlie providing two pages for the reader to become an author by writing their own story.


My thoughts:


I don’t normally read books in this genre, but as soon as I saw this one, I knew I wanted to read and share it with a toddler in our family.

The illustrations are fantastic, bright, colorful it is sure to catch the eye of children.  The story is delightful and reminded me of myself as a child.  I enjoyed the rhymes myself and am certain it will hold the attention of both the children being read to and the person reding to them. I love the fact that it is a hard back, excellent quality and will last for a long time.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy and have given my honest opinion.

 Meet the Author




My passion for children's literature stems from 30+ years in education and my re-entry into bedtime stories with the addition of my beautiful grandchildren. I created Charlie as a means for children to learn with Charlie by having a growth mindset when it comes to facing new experiences and learning new things. Children live in a world that is traveling ever faster and my desire is to help them slow down and enjoy childhood through the adventures of Charlie Chaloosy. I hope children have fun with Charlie while engaging their minds through stories that encourage them to read, write, illustrate, and dream a little.

Buy the Book:
Amazon B&N
add to Goodreads



ENTER THE GIVEWAY HERE                                 








 



Double Take (Lake City Heros #1) by Lynette Eason

Detective James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained when an IED blew up near him. Now with the Lake City Police Department, he's rooming with this good buddy and partner, Cole, while he figures out his family dynamics.

Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson is eighteen months out from an attempted murder perpetrated by her ex, which ended when she managed to grab the weapon and shoot him. When he appears to have survived and is back to finish the job he started, Lainie insists it's not possible. But someone keeps trying to kill her, and she keeps seeing his face.

Together, Lainie and James must work together to find out who, exactly, is after her and why he wants her dead. And failure is not an option.

USA Today bestselling author Lynette Eason will leave you breathless with this fast-paced first book in a brand-new series.

My thoughts:

Double Take by Lynette Eason is an engaging, well written, fast paced novel. Filled with suspense, intrigue, mystery and of course some romance, it is a perfect for readers who enjoy those genres.

I liked both main characters, Lainie and James, they were likable throughout the book.  I loved the premise, the twists and turns and trying to figure out who was behind the plot to kill Laine.  I admit to being surprised by the culprit which is another thing that I liked so much about Double Take.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

 

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Behind Her Smile: The Adventures of a Tall Girl From WVA and Her Life as a Stewardess Beverly Golden Cuevas


 Book Description:


Being raised in Parkersburg, WVA, Janie didn't have big aspirations for her life. Tired of her dead-end job at the phone company her best friend suggested she interview to become a Stewardess. Fearful she would be rejected because of her height; she was shocked when she was accepted. A whole new world opened up to her. Seeing places she had only read about, spending time with politicians, movie stars and professional athletes. One special athlete, a professional basketball player named Wendell Ladner stole her heart with his southern charm. An extraordinary 'connection' with Elvis Presley allowed her the unique experience to spend 'one on one' time with him and remain in touch until his passing. You'll share with her the challenges of marrying someone so different from her upbringing and coping with attempts to try and fit in. Behind Her Smile reveals a devastating event that deeply affected Beverly and made her reexamine her life and what she truly wanted out of it.
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon B&N ~ BAM
Bookshop.org ~ Bookbub
add to goodreads



Meet the Author:

Beverly Golden Cuevas was born Beverly Jane Golden in Ironton, Ohio in 1945. She spent the first 10 years of her life in Parkersburg, West Virginia with her family. Her father had a job opportunity in Columbus, Ohio in 1955 so away they went. Beverly started working at the age of 14 to contribute to her family finances. She graduated Columbus North High School in 1963. She moved on to work at the Ohio Bell Telephone Company after graduation. In 1965, on the dare of her best friend she went to an interview to be a Stewardess for American Airlines. American hired her and she started her flying career in New York, then commuting from Tulsa, Oklahoma to her Dallas base. She flew both domestic and international. During her career, she never received a bad passenger letter. In 1977, she was 1 of 12 Flight Attendants selected out of 16,000 to participate in a highly coveted special assignment to work at the prestigious American Airlines Golf Classic. Her flying career ended on December 1, 2001 after 35 years. Beverly now lives in Dallas, Texas. She has been married to her wonderful husband Randy for 43 years. She has two sons, Joshua and Kaleb. She is a loving wife and mother, never missing a baseball game or school talent show, in spite of her flying schedule! Mimi is blessed to pass on her knowledge and love of life to her grandchildren Eden, Elijah, Ellie, Logan and Holly.

connect with the author: goodreads 

My thoughts:
This is the first memoir that I have read in quite some time, and I found this one rather enjoyable.  The author certainly doesn't hold anything back when it comes to her career. personal life which is the purpose of this genre.  I admit that this book started off slow, but as it went on for a few chapters, it became more interesting to me.
The author has relationships, establishes friendships with some famous people and some not so famous.  Overall, this is an enjoyable read.



Sunday, December 10, 2023

An Amish Christmas Gift by Beth Wiseman

 

From a bestselling and award-winning author who has sold over 2.5 million books comes a love story that poses the question--Is it better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all?
Hannah King and her two children, Mae and Lillian, are facing their first Christmas without their beloved husband and father, who passed only six months ago. Hannah is determined to display strength for her girls, stifling her emotions until she is alone at night crying herself to sleep. But as she tries to hide her grief, she is unaware that her children need her to be emotionally present.Mae is Hannah's oldest daughter. At eighteen, she is deeply in love with a young man in her Amish community. She is working through the grief she feels over the absence of her father, but something about her mother has changed, and the transformation has Mae fearful to make a commitment to John Byler. 
Her mother robotically goes through the motions of daily living, but she is a shell of the woman she used to be. Mae walks away from her relationship with John, knowing her mother's grief must be far worse than her own. She isn't going to let that happen to her.John Byler is in love with Mae, but his admission to her about his feelings causes her to stop seeing him without any explanation. He can only assume that she doesn't love him the way he loves her. Can Hannah see past her own grief and convince her daughter that it is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all? And is Mae willing to take a chance on love?"
Wiseman is known for her character-driven stories . . . tender tales of love, loss, and redemption. Her fans will devour this short story." ~ Kelly Long, bestselling author for Kensington PublishersFor fans of Beverly Lewis, Amy Clipston, Wanda Brunstetter, and Cindy Woodsmall.
My thoughts:
There is so much packed into this story, as a loving wife and her children are grieving the loss of a husband and father.  It’s always difficult to learn to live your life without your loved ones, however, it must be done but in your own time. In this beautifully written novella by Ms. Wiseman, Hannah needs more time to grieve but it impacts her children bringing more sadness to them.
As the family opens to each other the author put such emotions in her writing, I could imagine their conversations. This is an emotional book where healing and honesty are both needed.  I loved the epilogue and the recipes.  This is a short but beautiful read.  I highly recommend it for the holiday season.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions are my own.



This Passing Hour (Amish Memories #2) by Leslie Gould


After the death of her parents, Mennonite Brenna Zimmerman relocates to the Lancaster County farm of her Old Order Amish relatives. There, she befriends Rylan Sanders, a disabled veteran, and commits to rising above her own grief to help him as much as she can. But when things take a turn for the worse, Brenna finds herself at a loss for what to do.

As Brenna struggles, her Mennonite friend Johann Mazur, a soldier in the Ukranian Army, encourages her to distance herself from Rylan. But when she discovers that Rylan's army buddies are withholding secrets that could help with his psychological healing, Brenna is torn between her feelings for Johann and her commitment to help Rylan.

Inspired by the story of her great-great-aunt who served with the Red Cross and supervised German POWs during World War II, Brenna considers her own future and must decide if she has the courage to give up the comforts she craves for the life she truly wants.

Bestselling author Leslie Gould continues her evocative Amish Memories series with a compelling dual-time tale set during World War II and present-day Lancaster County.

My thoughts:

I was thrilled to reconnect with the characters from the first book in this series.  I have been a fan of Ms. Gould for several years, her novels blend Amish, Mennonite dual time lines, everyone and everything in between perfectly.

For some reason. I always tend to get caught up in the past, that’s how well, she manages to bring the storyline altogether. The amount of research, detention to detail, not to mention her storytelling keeps me drawn to her work.

I have loved Brenna Zimmerman from the beginning, have mourned the loss of her parent with her, but have applauded and admired every step she took when an opportunity came her way.  The friendships she has made are incredible and I eagerly look forward to learn what the future holds for her. 

Great storyline, incredible characters are what you will find within the pages of this book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions are my own. 

To Spark a Match (The Matchmaker (#2) by Jen Turano


 After five unsuccessful Seasons on the marriage mart, Miss Adelaide Duveen has resigned herself to the notion that she's destined to remain a spinster forever--a rather dismal prospect, but one that will allow her to concentrate on her darling cats and books. However, when she inadvertently stumbles upon Mr. Gideon Abbott engaged in a clandestine activity during a dinner party, Adelaide finds herself thrust into a world of intrigue that resembles the plots in the spy novels she devours.


Former intelligence agent Gideon Abbott feels responsible for Adelaide after society threatens to banish her because of the distraction she caused to save his case. Hoping to return the favor, he turns to a good friend--and one of high society's leaders--to take Adelaide in hand and turn her fashionable.

When danger surrounds them and Adelaide finds herself a target of the criminals in Gideon's case, the spark of love between them threatens to be quenched for good--along with their lives.

My thoughts:I laughed throughout this book, which is not at all unusual when I read anything written by Ms. Turano.  From the very beginning we see Adelaide, perhaps a bit more than one might expect to see of a lady of her place in society. That scene had me laughing so hard, getting your bustle caught to where your undergarments are on display was mortifying to say the least.    Adelaide has been through the balls and seasons for quite some time; however, she really needs to find a match or be forever known as a spinster.

What I love about her is the fact that she doesn’t seem to be bothered by any of this.  All she wants are cats and books, and this is why I felt a connection to her.   However, she still needs to make a match, where we are treated to more funny events and even little more than anyone, even Adelaide could imagine.   

In typical Jen Turano style, she takes her readers on a funny ride through 1888 where we meet some loveable and some unsavory characters.  I loved everything about this delightful novel and am looking forward to the next one in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions are my own.