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Broken Wings by Shannon Dittemore {Book Review}

_225_350_Book.781.coverAngels with wings of blade. Demons with renewed sight. And a girl who has never been more broken.

Brielle has begun to see the world as it really is, a place where angels intermingle with humans. But just when she thinks she’s got things under control, the life she’s pieced together begins to crumble.

Her boyfriend, Jake, is keeping something from her. Something important.

And her overprotective father has turned downright hostile toward Jake. Brielle fears she’ll have to choose between the man who’s always loved her and the one who’s captured her heart.

Then she unearths the truth about her mother’s death and the nightmare starts. Brielle begins seeing visions of mysterious and horrible things.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s been targeted. The Prince of Darkness himself has heard of the boy with healing in his hands and of the girl who saw through the Terrestrial veil. When he pulls the demon Damien from the fiery chasm and sends him back to Earth with new eyes, the stage is set for the ultimate battle of good versus evil.

Brielle has no choice. She must master the weapons she’s been given. She must fight.

But can she fly with broken wings?

~*~*~
 Review

Broken Wings continues on shortly after Angel Eyes ends (see here for my review). Brielle is trying to come to terms with her new found abilities and her relationship with Jake. Her ability to see the Celestial with the aid of the halo changes and soon Brielle realizes she can see glimpses of the Celestial all the time without the halo on her head.

At the same time, Brielle and Jake’s enemy, Damien, has been given a second chance by the Prince of Darkness. Damien is given a new set of eyes to allow him to hunt and capture Brielle and Jake so he can use their abilities for the dark side.

Brielle also has to deal with her father’s swiftly changing behaviors. He has begun drinking all the time and dating a woman, Olivia, whom Brielle does not like or trust. The secrets pile up as a war looms over Stratus.

This was another engaging piece to Brielle and Jake’s story. Brielle is given more clues about her own abilities as well as understanding about what exactly happened when her mother died. The plot moved briskly and like the first book, there were religious tones but it wasn’t totally in your face which I appreciate.

I enjoyed how the storylines of certain characters were explained. Brielle has become much stronger as an individual, believing in herself and her own abilities, compared to the scared, uncertain girl from book 1. She and her father finally communicate about her mother’s death and Brielle understands why he has been so stubborn about releasing details and why he has tumbled into a downward spiral of drinking. He has the ability to hear things occurring on the Celestial and it drives him a little insane.

I hope the third book wraps up everything neatly and explains why Stratus is such a focus for the battles between good and evil.

4 out of 5 stars.

I review for BookSneeze®Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.


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Silent Night by Colleen Coble {Book Review}

_225_350_Book.747.coverAs Christmas day nears, Bree and her faithful search-and-rescue dog Samson follow the trail of a troubling mystery into the snowy forests of Rock Harbor.

Bree Matthews is preparing for Christmas guests, but her heart is reeling from the recent and tender loss of her unborn child. Her sister-in-law, Lauri, suddenly turns up on the doorstep of the lighthouse home Bree shares with her husband, Kade, in Rock Harbor. Secretive and withdrawn, Lauri seems curiously intent on discovering what happened to a parachuter who disappeared in the North Woods along Lake Superior’s icy shore.

As Bree and Samson, her search-and-rescue dog, plunge into the search, Bree wonders if Lauri may know more than she’s admitted about the parachuter. And then the clues lead them to the trail of a young woman whose family fears the worst about her disappearance.

Will the search on this snowy, silent night lead Bree and Samson to more than clues about the missing girl? And will Bree’s prayer for a baby ever be answered?

~*~*~
Review

Silent Night is a wonderful novella about family and recognizing what is important in your life. I’ve read a book by Colleen Coble previously Tidewater Inn and I enjoyed it so I thought I would give this a try. To my surprise, familiar characters popped up. Bree and her search-and-rescue dog Samson have an important role in Tidewater. This story takes place a few years previously that that story.

Bree is making a life for herself with her new husband and her son from her previous marriage. While she loves her family, she wants nothing more than to have a baby with Kade, her husband. This desire and the grief over losing a child to miscarriage overshadows the happiness of the coming Christmas celebrations.

Her feelings are pushed aside by her work when a parachuter goes missing and Bree needs to go with Samson to search. The mystery of why this man was parachuting plus Lauri’s mysterious involvement in the case keeps Bree busy.  As the story progresses, Bree uncovers the details of a kidnapped girl and illegal activity while Lauri is given an opportunity to finally grow up and become a responsible adult.

This story was short, just a quick novella, and it moved briskly. The plot never lagged and I was pulled into the mystery of the parachuter instantly. I quite enjoyed how Coble wove in Lauri’s story with this mystery and made it the vehicle for her maturing into a responsible young woman instead of a pampered, spoiled princess.

A nice easy read that is just right for this time of year, since the plot occurs in the lead up to Christmas.

3 out of 5 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.


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Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love {Book Review}

_225_350_Book.732.cover

Ethan and Sophie long to share a future together. But the secrets they’re not sharing could tear them apart.

Sophie Caldwell has returned to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee after years away. Despite the heartaches of her childhood, Sophie is determined to make a home, and a name, for herself in the growing town. A gifted writer, she plans to resurrect the local newspaper that so enchanted her as a girl.

Ethan Heyward’s idyllic childhood was shattered by a tragedy he has spent years trying to forget. An accomplished businessman and architect, he has built a majestic resort in the mountains above Hickory Ridge, drawing wealthy tourists from all over the country.

When Sophie interviews Ethan for the paper, he is impressed with her intelligence and astounded by her beauty. She’s equally intrigued with him but fears he will reject her if he learns about her shadowed past. Just as she summons the courage to tell him, Ethan’s own past unexpectedly and violently catches up with him, threatening not only his life but their budding romance.

~*~*~
Every Perfect Gift is the third book in Dorothy Love’s Hickory Ridge series. You can read my review of book 2 here. This book focuses on the story of Sophie Caldwell, an orphan adopted by characters featured in the first book of this series. Sophie has been away from Hickory Ridge and returns to run the town paper. She hopes to create a happy, and successful life for herself after enduring a miserable childhood living in the town orphanage.

Unlike many of the woman of this time period, Sophie has a career as a journalist. She reopens the town paper and immediately begins interviewing people involved in the development of a large luxury resort perched up the mountain. Her investigations bring trouble when her opinions aren’t looked kindly upon by the resort’s owner and as retribution he tries to ruin Sophie and force her to quit the newspaper.

The man in charge of the construction of the resort is Ethan Hayward. He is immediately attracted to Sophie for her intelligence and beauty but his own shadowed past coupled with Sophie’s secrets threaten to destroy their blossoming relationship.

I really enjoyed how this story developed. Each character made assumptions that were proven wrong demonstrating their own flaws. Sophie is a confident woman who rises to the challenges and sticks to her principles. She didn’t immediately give up her own dreams for a life with a man and I respect her character for that. That sort of position wouldn’t have been common during this time period so it was refreshing to have a female character focus on her career before agreeing to marriage.

I loved that this story tied up some loose ends for characters in Love’s last book about Hickory Ridge. When you enjoy the characters you want to know how everything turns out. I wish this story hadn’t ended where it did. I would have liked a little more on Sophie. Perhaps she will appear in a future book.

4 out of 5 stars.

I review for BookSneeze®Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.


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Starring Me by Krista McGee {Book Review}

Kara McKormick is told she’s auditioning to star in a new teen variety show. But it’s what she isn’t told that could change her life.

The feisty New Yorker moves to sunny Orlando to participate in a month-long audition, where she’ll live with nine other contestants and an eccentric housemother. Kara knows that the show already has a big-time celebrity lined up for the co-host, but she doesn’t know who it is.

Chad Beacon quickly rose to fame after winning America’s Next Star, but he doesn’t want his entire career to be about singing. There is so much more he wants to do—like act. The new variety show sounds like the perfect next step for him, but his parents want him to have a co-star who shares his faith since they’ll be spending so much time together.

Acting is high on Kara’s priority list. But a relationship with God? Not so much. In fact, she’s tried to stay away from anything religious. But God is after Kara’s heart and He’s put people in her life who are showing her there’s far more to Christianity than rules and judgment.

And just when it seems that Kara’s going to have to give up her acting dream, God reveals that she may have a starring role after all—in a story so big only He could write it.

Review

Starring Me is an entertaining YA novel that looks at the pressures of celebrity status and staying true to what is important to you. While this particular novel has strong Christian overtones and a bit of preaching the message applies no matter your beliefs or lack thereof.

Kara McKornick has big dreams of being an actress. She’s had some success in local theatre and was a finalist in a reality TV series. When she gets an opportunity to audition for a new teen variety show where she will be able to write her own scenes and help direct she jumps at the chance.

Chad Beacon is America’s newest pop sensation after winning America’s Next Star but he wants more to his career. He wants to act and direct so with the help of his parents he sets up auditions for a co-star to his new teen oriented variety show. The main criteria for his co-star: she must be a Christian.

As the story progresses, Kara and Chad have a chance encounter and immediately feel attracted to each other. But Kara doesn’t think anyone like Chad would ever be interested in her and Chad can’t let himself have feelings for Kara because she’s not a Christian. The story line continues with parallel stories where Kara and Chad have no idea they are both involved in this new show. Chad doesn’t know who is auditioning and Kara and the other girls don’t know who the male star of the show is.

The end result is quite predictable as the story moves towards the inevitable conclusion of Kara discovering that having a belief in something isn’t a horrible way to live. However, she also realizes how important family, friends and staying true to yourself is, even if, perhaps especially if, you are a celebrity. Throughout the novel, it was Kara’s caring and considerate nature, and her respect towards other people, that made her a front runner to win the audition. But if she didn’t become a Christian, she probably wouldn’t have won the role even though she displayed all the values a “good Christian” holds.

And that, right there, was my biggest issue with this book. I have no problem with people having their beliefs. Feel free to think Jesus existed, that he died for our sins, etc. BUT to judge someone who displays the cornerstone values of a good Christian (honesty, integrity, respect for family, good work ethic, etc) just because she isn’t quite sure she believes in God? That bugs me. That Kara, the only decent human being involved in these auditions (all the other girls up for the role are catty, bitchy, conniving, and nasty. They will do whatever they need to do to win, even if it isn’t honest) would be passed by JUST because of her belief system irked me.

It’s a very high and mighty position to take. And actually a bit offensive.  Deciding that you will or will not work with, have a relationship with, interact with someone who doesn’t believe the same as you is your right. But doesn’t that kind of closed-mindedness create a world where the very values a good Christian preaches fall by the wayside?

I liked this story, as a pure story striped down of all the religious, preachy overtones. Girl likes guy, girl eventually wins the guy, girl learns something about herself. It’s classic YA. It was a fun quick read and the character of Kara is what saved it for me.

3 out of 5 stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.


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Tidewater Inn by Colleen Coble {Book Review}

Welcome to Hope Beach

Where the sea breeze is fresh, sun sparkles on sand . . . and trouble appears with the force of a hurricane.

Inheriting a beautiful old hotel on the seaward shore of Hope Island could be a dream come true for Libby. The inn cries out for her restorer’s talent and love of history. She’s delighted to learn of family she never knew she had. And the handsome Coast Guard lieutenant she’s met there on the island could definitely be the man of her dreams.

But Libby soon realizes that only way she can afford the upkeep on the inn is to sell it to developers who are stalking the island. The father who willed her the inn has died before she could meet him, and her newfound brothers and sisters are convinced she’s there to steal their birthright. Worst of all, her best friend and business partner has been kidnapped before her eyes, Libby’s under suspicion for the crime, and her handsome lieutenant clearly doubts her innocence.

Libby’s dream-come-true is becoming a nightmare. Can she find her friend and establish her innocence? Must she sell Tidewater Inn and lose her family again? Or can she find a home for her heart on the beautiful shores of Hope Island?

~*~*~

Review

Tidewater Inn is a simple yet entertaining romance with a bit of mystery thrown in. Libby is a restorer and with her business partner she travels the country finding projects to add to the historical registry. By a weird stroke of fate she ends up at Hope Beach for a job and discovers everything she previously believed about her life to be a horrible lie.

Libby has always believed her father had died when she was a child however she learns that in fact he and her mother separated and he gave up all contact with her. While Libby lived her life with a carefree, alcoholic mother her father moved on, met another woman, and ended up having another family. Her father leaves Tidewater Inn to Libby in his will but the beautiful old building is falling apart and Libby doesn’t know if she could afford to restore it.

Parallel to Libby discovering she has another family her business partner Nicole is kidnapped right before her eyes. Due to the circumstances of the abduction and other events, Libby is considered the number one suspect. The story progresses with Libby trying to find her friend and also trying to find her new place in Hope Beach with her half siblings.

My biggest critique was the kidnapping storyline. It dragged on for so long and then seemed resolved within a page with little to no ill effect on Nicole after she endured being stranded on a small island with little food and fresh water.

The story has a good message to try and see things from another’s perspective and to not always jump to conclusions. The romantic aspect of this was well done and realistic. Libby and the Coast Guard lieutenant don’t just jump into a relationship, they take it slow and deal with the bumps and valleys of getting to know someone. Of course the added suspicion of Libby being behind her business partner’s kidnapping put a definite strain on the burgeoning relationship.

I enjoyed this story overall. It’s a light read and moves pretty briskly. And it had some interesting twists at the end which I didn’t see coming.

3 out of 5 stars

~*~*~
I review for BookSneeze®

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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