by admin | May 11, 2016 | Books, Dectective, Historical, Mystery, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I don’t often take the time to watch TV because I prefer to spend it reading but occasionally I enjoy watching Murdoch Mysteries (aka The Artful Detective). Set in Toronto in the early twentieth century, it is a fun, historical detective mystery. When I opened the pages of “The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder” I found myself in that same Toronto time frame with Merinda and Jem, two friends who have defied society’s expectations to start a detective agency.
Merinda and Jem are unconventional and independent, preferring to don men’s clothing in order to slip past Toronto’s Morality Squad on their quest to discover clues to two unsolved deaths that the police seem to have forgotten. The plot is fresh and clever with frequent humor yet also contains an intelligence and depth that was somewhat unexpected. I loved all four of the primary characters and hoped for a match for Jem and Ray DeLuca throughout the entire book although at times it looked like she might be taken in by another character’s false charm. I also secretly hoped to see Merinda and Jasper join forces as more than just working together to solve crimes.
I pretty much loved everything about “The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder” including the quotations at the beginning of each chapter from fictional books as well as the explanatory footnotes scattered throughout the narrative. This is a witty and entertaining story with well researched historical facts and a solid message of faith woven through it. I eagerly look forward to the next Herringford and Watts mystery, A Lesson in Love and Murder. I can’t wait!
A digital copy of this book was provided for review by Harvest House Publishers through NetGalley but I also purchased a paperback copy.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In 1910 Toronto, while other bachelor girls perfect their domestic skills and find husbands, two friends perfect their sleuthing skills and find a murderer.
Inspired by their fascination with all things Sherlock Holmes, best friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem launch a consulting detective business. The deaths of young Irish women lead Merinda and Jem deeper into the mire of the city’s underbelly, where the high hopes of those dreaming to make a new life in Canada are met with prejudice and squalor.
While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well be Toronto’s premiere consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever—if they can stay alive long enough to do so.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rachel McMillan is a keen history enthusiast and a lifelong bibliophile. When not writing or reading, she can most often be found drinking tea and watching British miniseries. Rachel lives in bustling Toronto, where she works in educational publishing and pursues her passion for art, literature, music, and theater.
by admin | May 6, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
Once in awhile, a truly unique story comes along and I believe “Sister Dear” is one of those. As the oldest of three sisters, I was intrigued by the story of Allie and her sister Emma. It was fascinating to read the different points of view both past and present from key characters. These helped build the story and helped me to understand what was really going on below the surface. As always, much more than it appeared.
“Sister Dear” tells the story of Allie, a young woman falsely accused of murder who was convicted and spent ten years of her life separated from friends and family, especially her young daughter who was raised by sister Emma. After her release from prison Allie is determined to prove her innocence and risks losing her new freedom to do so.
A spell-binding story of murder and manipulation, the plot moves from character to character and from past to present with a multitude of twists, turns, and surprises along the way. An excellent cast of supporting characters added depth to the tale and even a touch of romance near the end was the icing on the cake.
“Sister Dear” is the first novel I’ve read from this author but I will definitely look forward to future releases.
A copy of this book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
Dark family secrets threaten to ruin Allie’s chance at freedom and claims of innocence. Don’t miss the new book from Laura McNeill, Sister Dear. Convicted of a crime she didn’t commit, Allie watched a decade of her life vanish – time that can never be recovered. Now, out on parole, Allie is determined to clear her name, rebuild her life, and reconnect with the daughter she barely knows.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
All Allie Marshall wants is a fresh start. But when dark secrets refuse to stay buried, will her chance at a new life be shattered forever?
Convicted of a crime she didn’t commit, Allie watched a decade of her life vanish – time that can never be recovered. Now, out on parole, Allie is determined to clear her name, rebuild her life, and reconnect with the daughter she barely knows.
But Allie’s return home shatters the quaint, coastal community of Brunswick, Georgia. Even her own daughter Caroline, now a teenager, bristles at Allie’s claims of innocence. Refusing defeat, a stronger, smarter Allie launches a battle for the truth, digging deeply into the past even if it threatens her parole status, personal safety, and the already-fragile bond with family.
As her commitment to finding the truth intensifies, what Allie ultimately uncovers is far worse than she imagined. Her own sister has been hiding a dark secret—one that holds the key to Allie’s freedom.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Laura McNeill is a writer, web geek, travel enthusiast, and coffee drinker. In her former life, she was a television news anchor for CBS News affiliates in New York and Alabama. Laura holds a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and is completing a graduate program in interactive technology at the University of Alabama. When she’s not writing and doing homework, she enjoys running, yoga, and spending time at the beach. She lives in Mobile, AL with her family.
Find out more about Laura at http://lauramcneill.com.
by admin | May 6, 2016 | Books, Europe, Historical, Romance, WWII
MY REVIEW:
“No Neutral Ground” is an interesting and informative story set mostly in Sweden during World War 2. The key characters met early in the book on a ship bound for Europe. For Jennie it was the first leg of her journey to join her parents in Sweden, a neutral nation during the war. Rafe, an American navigator, is returning to fight against his former countrymen in the skies over the country he fled early in Hitler’s campaign. The pair immediately felt an affinity for each other but had to go in separate directions upon embarking from the ship with little hope of a future reunion.
The author certainly did her research and I learned facts about the war that I wasn’t taught in high school history class. Most notably, details about life in Sweden during that time frame were fascinating. I particularly enjoyed Rafe and Jennie’s adventures as they worked together to gather information about the enemy. Vivid descriptions of air battles and life in the camp were detailed and informative. I also thought that Rafe’s emotional and spiritual journey was handled quite well.
Although “No Neutral Ground” is technically a romance novel, that aspect of the story was subdued and took a back seat to the drama. Those who expect frequent romantic scenes with lots of kissing might be a bit disappointed. Overall, I enjoyed this book even though at times I got just a bit bogged down in the lengthy narrative. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth reading. I am glad I did.
A digital copy of this book was provided for review by the author for her Celebrate Lit Publicity Group blog tour.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
After his father divorces his mother because of her Jewish ancestry, Rafe and the rest of his family flee Germany. As a B-17 navigator, he returns to Europe. On the ocean voyage, he meets Jennie, an artist journeying to Sweden to work with the OSS.
Flying missions against his former homeland arouses emotions that surprise Rafe. Despite being rejected, he is troubled by the destruction of Germany and his heart still cries for his father’s love.
Sweden may be neutral, but it’s full of intrigue. Jennie assists the OSS at the American legation in Sweden. She thought she’d be doing passive, behind-the-scenes work. Instead, she’s pushed into an active role to gain intelligence and frustrate the Germans.
How can Rafe and Jennie succeed in their dangerous roles when they are so conflicted?
Purchase your copy here.
To celebrate her No Neutral Ground tour, Terri is giving away several prizes.
Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/97ca
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Her research included going for a ride in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.
Connect with Terri:
www.terriwangard.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/
Guest Post from Terri Wangaud
I hadn’t planned on writing No Neutral Ground. Friends and Enemies (book one of the Promise For Tomorrow series) was the WWII story I’d wanted to write, inspired by family history on the German side. Finishing that, I’d started writing a contemporary story set in one of my favorite places, Green Lake, Wisconsin.
At an ACFW conference, I had an appointment to pitch Friends and Enemies with an editor. She said I’d be likelier to get a contract if I had a series. The Green Lake story got shelved.
What could I write to partner with Friends and Enemies? That stumped me. The German side of the story was my big interest, but another one? No. I had no desire to return to Nazi Germany. My ancestry is three quarters German. All of my forbearers arrived in America before 1900, but it’s still a bitter thought that their homeland spawned such evil.
Germany’s out, so that left me with the other side of Friends and Enemies—the B-17s. I’d chosen the Flying Fortress because of my timeline. In mid-1944, the only American military men in Germany were shot-down airmen. I had plenty of material I hadn’t used in Friends and Enemies, but the plot had to be different. Something other writers hadn’t touched on. Maybe…Sweden?
Who’s familiar with Sweden’s role in World War II?
If American planes got in trouble during their missions and couldn’t make it back to their bases in England, they sought sanctuary in neutral countries. Switzerland is usually the first that comes to mind. Tricia Goyer had already written The Swiss Courier which touches on internees.
But Sweden. I had even visited Sweden. In 1993, my dad and I had gone to Sweden to cover a classic boat show for our magazine, Classic Boating. During a free day, we had wandered around Stockholm and taken lots of pictures.
I started the research and discovered, hmm, there’s not much, especially if you don’t know Swedish. One book I acquired held a eureka moment. A B-17 was damaged and the pilot told the crew to bail out. The navigator hurried to the cockpit and implored him to try to make it to Sweden. He was from Germany, a former member of the Hitler Youth, and he did not want to be captured by his former countrymen. There’s my male protagonist! Rafe discovered he had Jewish ancestry and had to flee Germany. Now he’s back at war with the homeland.
I still needed a female protagonist, and Jennie proved hard to pin down. I was pulling her together throughout the writing. I enjoyed reading accounts of Betty McIntosh, who served with the OSS in the China-Burma-India theater. Why not enlist Jennie’s services with the OSS in Sweden? She’s talented but lacks confidence. Pretty soon, Jennie found her voice.
As my research continued, I made a surprising discovery. One of the photos I’d taken in Stockholm turned out to be the former home of the American legation in Sweden. Jennie’s workplace. And I had thought it was just an example of lovely architecture.
I hope you’ll enjoy reading about Rafe and Jennie in No Neutral Ground.
Blog Stops
May 3: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
May 4: A Greater Yes
May 4: Simple Harvest Reads
May 5: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
May 5: The Editor’s Note
May 6: Daysong Reflections
May 6: Mary Hake
May 7: Bigreadersite
May 8: Inklings and Notions
May 9: Blossoms and Blessings
May 10: Bukwurmzzz
May 10: Cassandra M’s Place (spotlight)
May 11: Christian Bookaholic
May 12: Singing Librarian Books
May 13: Texas Book-aholic
May 14: For The Love of Books
May 15: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
May 16: Artistic Nobody
by admin | Apr 29, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Historical, Scotland
MY REVIEW:
I have enjoyed the books of Michael Phillips for a number of years and expected no less than brilliant writing in his latest novel “The Inheritance”. I was not disappointed in the quality of his narrative. At least two of the characters were so well developed and described that I felt like I knew them intimately. The author spent a great deal of time setting the scene with detailed background information on several characters and vivid descriptions of Whale’s Reef, the primary setting of the book. Pertinent historical facts were interspersed throughout that emphasized the importance of a proper heir.
I will admit that I struggled somewhat staying engaged with this lengthy tome because there was little action and very little dialogue. I did persist to the end and just as I thought something might be about to happen, I was left hanging. Of course, by that time I was hooked and will definitely have to read the next installment of the series in order to find out what happens.
A major theme that seems to run throughout the book is foundations which is mentioned repeatedly in both David and Loni’s stories. Loni struggled with knowing who she was due to the loss of her parents as a baby and the fact that she knew almost nothing about her mother’s family. David, on the other hand, knew his family history well and was dedicated to following in his uncle’s footsteps in watching out for the people of the island he loved. It was important for each of them to find and/or build on their family foundation. The book itself seems to have set the foundation for the rest of the series. Now that it has been established, I am in hopes that the rest of the story will move at a faster pace.
A copy of this book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The death of the clan patriarch has thrown the tiny Shetland Islands community of Whale’s Reef into turmoil.
Everyone assumed MacGregor Tulloch’s heir to be his grand-nephew David, a local favorite, but when it is discovered that MacGregor left no will, David’s grasping cousin Hardy submits his own claim to the inheritance, an estate that controls most of the island’s land. And while Hardy doesn’t enjoy much popular support, he has the backing of a shadowy group of North Sea oil investors. The courts have frozen the estate’s assets while the competing claims are investigated, leaving many of the residents in financial limbo. The future of the island—and its traditional way of life—hangs in the balance.
Loni Ford is enjoying her rising career in a large investment firm in Washington, DC. Yet in spite of her outward success, she is privately plagued by questions of identity. Orphaned as a young child, she was raised by her paternal grandparents, and while she loves them dearly, she feels completely detached from her roots. That is until a mysterious letter arrives from a Scottish solicitor. . . .
Past and present collide in master storyteller Phillips’s dramatic new saga of loss and discovery, of grasping and grace, and of the dreams of men and women everywhere.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michael Phillips is a bestselling author with more than 70 of his own titles. In addition, he has served as editor/redactor of nearly 30 more books. He is known as the man responsible for the reawakened interest in George MacDonald of the last 30 years. In addition to the MacDonald titles adapted/edited for today’s reader, his publishing efforts in bringing back full-length quality facsimile editions also spawned renewed interest in MacDonald’s original work. Michael and his wife, Judy, spend time each year in Scotland but make their home near Sacramento, California.
Find out more about Michael at https://www.facebook.com/michaelphillipschristianauthor.
GIVEAWAY:
What happens when past and present collide in the tiny Shetland Islands community of Whales Reef? Don’t miss master storyteller Michael Phillips’ dramatic new saga of loss and discovery, of grasping and grace: The Inheritance. Everyone assumed Tulloch’s heir to be his much-loved grandnephew David. But when no will is discovered, David’s calculating cousin Hardy submits his own claim to the inheritance. Meanwhile, Loni Ford enjoys a rising career in a large investment firm in Washington, D.C. Orphaned as a young child, she was raised by her grandparents, and while she loves them dearly, she feels completely detached from her roots. That is, until a mysterious letter arrives from a Scottish solicitor. . . .
Enter to win a copy of The Inheritance—five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced May 12 on the Litfuse blog!
