It's me, Charity

My latest review is on a quick read by Melody Carlson. I have read many of her books, Back in the early 2000's she wrote a lot of christian chick lit that I loved. So i was excited when her name popped up on my monthly books to request email. This is a quick little read, at just a little over 160 pages. I read it in an entire evening. And still had time left over! Its a sweet story about a Mom and her teen son who are going back to where she spent summers with her grandparents. Her grandpa recently passed away and left her a cottage. She intends to fix it up quickly and sell it for some much needed income for her and her son. But of course it doesn't quite go that smoothly, and her son is desperate to live there. Add in a cute dog, some little girls who are neighbors that they befriend, a cute guy ( of course! ) and your requisite woman who thinks she has dibs on the aforementioned cute guy. It was a little predictable. But it was sweet and like I said, a fast little rea...

Y’all. I think I have a new favorite contemporary author! Any author who can tell you about something you don’t know much about and that doesn’t sound all that fascinating, and make it super interesting. That my friends is a winner. And that my friends is what Lynn H. Blackburn did! This book is the first in a series (HURRAY!!!!!!) about a group of Dive Team Investigators that work for a law enforcement agency. I bet you never thought about the police having a dive team investigation section now did you? I sure didn't! I love a good mystery, and I love a good romance, and when they are put together and in a Christian book. Well, it’s rare. It’s rare that it is done well. Other than Dee Henderson’s books I really haven’t found many romance mystery Christian authors that I really like. But now I am adding Lynn H. Blackburn to that list. This book was filled with a good mystery that kept me on my toes but also allowed me to sleep at night. And I appreciat...

Becky Wade- Falling for you So this is my second time writing a review for this book. The first time I had several reviews written in word and then my computer restarted and ate my document. ARGH! This is the second book in the Bradford Sisters series, and it focuses on Willow, who is a model. Now just from reading that you probably would think you don’t have a lot in common with the main character, but that is where you would be wrong! Willow is a homebody and although she is very famous, doesn’t act like it. She is very humble and kind.  This book picks up when Willow is home and running the Inn while her parents are away. She needed a break from modeling and to reassess her life. As she is doing this her ex boyfriend Corbin comes onto the scene, with his adorable tween niece Charlotte, who has a family mystery that she needs help in solving. I love that these books have not just romance but a little mystery to liven things up a bit more than your typical romanc...

Justice Betrayed pulled me in from the first chapter. This book is a continuation of her cold case series.  This book focuses on Detective  Rachel Sloan that we met in the previous book. As well as Lt. Boone Callahan. They used to date, but broke up and now work together in the homicide division. Boone is determined to win Rachel back, and she is as determined as he is to NOT fall for him again.  I think we all can see where this is headed. But it was entertaining to be along for the ride! As is the way for these books it goes between two mysteries, one in present day, and one in the past. The present day mystery is several Elvis TRIBUTE ARTISTS, Not impersonators mind you, are being murdered. The cold case mystery is Rachel's Mother whom was murdered several years ago. It delves into Rachel's feelings of what happened that night and the guilt that she has carried with her for years. Are these two mysteries connected? Well, You will just have to read the book to...

 Last week started off with a day off on Memorial Day. I took zero pictures and stayed inside in the a/c. It was HOT. I read and relaxed and thought about the people who were missing those they had lost. I'm always extremely thankful for our soldiers sacrifice to keep us safe. We really do live in the best country in the world! Tuesday I taught the majority of my Monday students, and again managed not to take a single picture. I was very confused all day long and thought it was wednesday.  I snapped this picture Weds during a lesson. Does anyone see anything odd about her music?! HA!  Wednesday dawned and I was still confused. At least i think this picture was taken weds. who knows. I got this Becky Wade novel and a Patricia Bradley pre release in the mail so it was a reaaalllllyyyy exciting mail day!!  The Summer Book club at the library is in full swing and I am sailing through my hours!!  Thursday night I was done early wi...

Storm Front is Book 5!! in the Montana Rescue Series by Susan May Warren. I'm starting to wonder how long this series is going to go, but when you add in as many of natural disasters as there are I guess the series could go on for quite some time!! I felt like this book was more my speed than some of the others in the series. This one centers around a tornado and the after effects of that, which is definitely something I can relate to, more so than the others with snow avalanches and all that good stuff! I always have a hard time doing recaps on these books because I don't want to give any spoilers away! Suffice it to say it keeps in with Susan May Warren's genre of action and Romance. YESSSS ROMANCE. And just a little bit of intrigue to keep you guessing. And even more guessing at the end, will there be a book 6 in the series?? What other natural disasters will happen in Montana??! ;)

Just when you think everything has been wrapped up nice and tidy, Susan May Warren throws something else at you! That is basically the theme of this series of books, for me at least! I'll admit I really do like it when books tie up all loose ends at the end of the book. It drive me a little crazy when they don't, kind of like a TV show that has something crazy in the last minute and you have to wait until the next week to find out what happened. (I'm looking at YOU Shonda Rhimes!) Troubled Waters is the 4'th book in the Montana Rescue Series by Ms. Warren, and it follows the same thread as the other books in this series. The Mystery of what happened to Ian Shaw's niece is FINALLY and I do mean FINALLY revealed (it only took 4 books....) And of course along side the mystery comes rescue missions, because, hello, it's Montana Rescue. I get that they are in the business of saving people, but it's kind of funny to me that whatever can go wrong...

This book draws you in from the first chapter. I had put off reading this book, and then got an email reminder that my review was almost due. So I opened it up Sunday afternoon and was immediately swept into the story. I really didn't expect to love it, yes I said LOVE IT as much as I did! I read half of the book Sunday night, and the rest on Monday! And I will say, for a book dealing with heavy topics, Race and Racism in the 1960's, the divide between rich and poor, this book was surprisingly funny. Now just to be clear, they don't joke about those topics, those topics are met with much respect and not taken lightly. But the characters do have some funny moments and funny thoughts in their heads throughout the book. I was actually laughing out loud at several parts, which again, given the subject matter, not something you expect to be doing. This book was just beautiful. It spoke of the love, affection and friendship between Isaac and Pete and his family, an...

This year Kristi Ann Hunter has become one of my very favorite authors. She writes Regency England Romances, that have comedy in them, and completely relatable characters despite being so far away from the time period! This is the last book (SOB) of the Hawthorne Series, and unlike other Authors and Book Series you can jump in reading any book in this series and not be confused or wondering who is who and what is happening! This book focuses on Griffin, who is the oldest brother of the Hawthorne clan. He is very by the book and has a plan for everything, very type A, methodical, list maker and carry-out-er. (Is that a word? I just made it one!) So of course being the in charge, planner that he is, it's only appropriate that he would approach love and finding a wife in the same manner. As you can expect life, and love, don't exactly work that way. Although it takes Griffin a good long while to figure that out. Its humorous for the readers as he bumbles on his carefully p...

Y'all. I LOVE me some Patricia Bradley! If I know a book of hers is coming out soon I obsessively stalk my email around the time that Revell sends out their monthly book review sign up. Lest I miss the chance to get her next book!  This is another book in her Memphis Cold Case Series, which I am really enjoying! I feel like the series has really hit a good groove. In her typical fashion she does have many characters, and the perspectives go back and forth. But I fee like it's gotten to a place where I can remember the old characters that make cameos and what their stories were/are. I appreciate that she brings them back, as many of them have on going stories that didn't finish in their particular book and I want to know what happened!! My friend Bekah , over at Bekahsbits.blogspot.com has two podcasts, one being the Conversation Cafe and recently she interviewed Ms. Bradley on her podcast! It was really interesting and made me love her even more! She has a f...

I love Susan May Warrens Books. The Deep Haven series is a favorite of mine. I have read the previous books in this series and devoured them, but for some reason I really had a hard time getting into this book. I would pick it up. Read a little bit. Set it down, and repeat. That's not my reading style! Usually I pick a book up and read it as much as I can until I have finished it. But I just had a hard time getting fully immersed in this story. I think part of the issue is that there was a lot of carry over from the previous books. (This book is the Third in her Montana Rescue Series) I struggled remembering each couple and their issues, and the mystery(s) that had went through all of the series. I really like it when story lines are wrapped up in one book, and not carried all the way through. I'm guessing she wanted to build interest and make sure people kept coming back for more, but for me, I would have preferred that each story line was wrapped up in one book. Its jus...

If you're rushed for time, let give you the highlights. This book was great and Karen Witemeyer has been added to my favorite author list! In fact, In the time since reading this book, I have checked out every single Karen Witemeyer book my library and online library has to offer. Yes, she is that good! This book is in a series on the ladies of Harper's Station. However it is not the first book in the series, even though I hadn't read the first book when I read Heart on the Line, it was very easy to jump in, and I was not at all confused on the characters or what was going on! I love that her characters are multi layered, and NOT PERFECT! I love a good love story, possibly more than the normal person, but generally the heroine's are always kind of the same. Not so in Karen's books. Each Heroine has a very distinct personality and very REAL flaws. In fact, even the love interests have flaws! So often we think of our perfect guy as just that, and ...

Whoo Hooo!! We are Half Way Through 2017! And even thought some posts (cough, like this one) have been a few days late, I have successfully kept with my weekly wrap ups! I'm so proud of myself! I don't really make new years resolutions but I knew this year I wanted to blog more, mainly so I could look back on my life and happenings. And I'm so glad I have been able to do that! So without further ado, here's last week!  Monday was freakishly cool for June. We're talking a high of 70 and lows in the 40's. #Brrrrrrr I wore a new outfit I had just scored from Salvation army. Jeans and a 3/4 length shirt. I thought I wouldn't be wearing that until fall!!  I also had white nails. I bought a white nail polish to do red, white and blue for the 4'th and then wondered what it would look like to do white the week before. And I liked it!  Wednesday morning I had some free time and decided to run errands and grocery shop before teaching...

Dee Henderson is by far one of my all time favorite authors. Whenever she has a new book out it is always a MUST READ for me. Earlier this year I went way back to the 90's and re read her O'Malley Series. Despite them mentioning things like beepers, :) the books were still SO good and their stories still ran true today. And that I think, is a mark of a truly great author. Each month as part of the blogger review program, an email goes out with the books available for that month, and it's always first come first serve. I just so happened to get the email a minute after It was sent and I hopped on to request Ms. Henderson's newest book as fast as I could! Superbowl Tickets? Or Dee Henderson's newest book? I'll take the latter. Needless to say I was BEYOND thrilled when I got the email that I was one of the few that got chosen to review it! I was even more thrilled when the book arrived right before my day off. Y'all.. this book is 428 pages long, an...

Well it's Officially Summer Reading Program time, so I will be reading like a doggone fool until July 31'st, in hopes of winning more awesome prizes from my Library again this year! Today we're going to talk about What Hope Remembers, by Johnnie Alexander. This is Book Three in her "Misty Willows" series, and while I have not read any of the previous books (or any of her other books!) I found that I was able to follow along easily without reading the previous books. She did a good job of introducing the characters that had already been in the books,And summarizing it quickly and easily, which I liked! I did think that the pace of the book was kind of slow. It took me awhile to really get into it, and sink my teeth it. I would have liked things to move along quicker, and perhaps have less descriptive parts, and less of the characters thinking in their heads, between dialogue.  I did like that she wrote characters that were flawed, and actually ha...

Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano This was a rather long book and I enjoyed it more then I thought I would. The main character Permilia Griswold was fun to read about. She was very interesting and was strong in faith. She wanted to do what was right and help others. Her step mother and step sister were not very nice and yet Permilia had a good attitude about things and didn't let how they treated her stop her from doing the right things. Permelia's Dad should of been paying more attention to how his daughter was treated and also not agreed to not have anything to do with how his step daughter was raised. She was horrible with throwing tantrums along with items. She needed to grow up and act decent. Was happy that Permelia found a man who could love her for who she was and not for who society wanted her to be. They made a great couple and I enjoyed reading about their relationship and how it progressed. There was plenty of humorous things in the book wh...

Spoiler Alert- I Loved this book! And you will too! When I got the email of books to pick from for the month, I saw Patricia Bradley's name and didn't even read the rest of the email. I immediately hopped over to sign up for her newest book and hoped and prayed it wasn't out of stock! Needless to say I was really excited when I found out I was one of the reviewers! This book centers around Andi Hollister, and Detective Will Kincaide, and the mystery of her sister's death. Is the man in jail, who just happens to be related to Will, really the killer? Or is someone else out there responsible? This book was really easy to read and follow along. The chapters bounce back and forth between characters but I found it very easy to follow along. One of my friends also read this book and had a different opinion. I think if you have read any of Patricia Bradley's books you will like this and find it easy to follow along, as it really is in her normal styl...

 I.LOVED.THIS.BOOK.  Period. I found myself reading this way past my bedtime, and then contemplating getting up EARLY so I could read before I had to teach. Considering my love of sleep and hatred for mornings this should tell you how GOOD this book was!!! This book centers around a couple who is forced into marriage, without knowing each other or really having met but one time. It's set back in the early 1800's in England, and focuses on the younger Hawthorne brother, Trent.  I love books like these, were strangers or people who barely know each other have to get married and then you eventually watch them fall in love. I think especially since something like this would never happen in our day and time, it's even more fascinating. This book went back and forth between Adelaide and Trent's point of view, and it was so well done! Usually it's hard to go back and forth between two different minds but the author did such a great job, it was seamless. ...

So it's taken me like five years to write this book review. Because I kind of really didn't want to. I tried to like this book. I tried to get into it, I just couldn't. The premise of this book is set back in the day, and is about a girl named Betsy Huckabee who wants to be a big time writer. She wants to write newspaper articles more than the girly things. A new Deputy, Joel Puckett, comes into town and she decides to start basing a series of writing on him, because he is the epitome of the dashing hero. Add to that, there is a mystery and nefarious things happening around her town. My issues with the book were two fold. One. I didn't feel like it was believable. This book was written in a time period that was much different for women. If you were woman you couldn't just come and go as you pleased. It just wasn't proper. Yet, the heroine of this story, comes and goes whenever and wherever at whatever time of day or NIGHT that she pleases. In the...