Tuesday, February 28, 2017

A Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander



“You won’t ever be the musician you want to be until you step aside and become second, because in the end it’s not about the musician, It’s about the music and honoring the One who gave it”  - Rebekah Carrington, A Note yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander


Hey Readers, Happy March!
I cannot believe that we are already in March 2017 (OK, this was posted on the last day of February, but  March is tomorrow) So I have another AMAZING “Must Read” to show you, It is Tamera Alexander’s new book, A Note Yet Unsung.

A Note Yet Unsung is the story of master violinist Rebekah Carrington who has been studying abroad in Vienna but has recently returned back to her hometown, Nashville Tennessee. Rebekah has always had a dream to perform for an audience but unfortunately in 1871 women did not or were not supposed to play the violin, Especially in an orchestra. But doing things that normal people did not do never stopped Rebekah so she manages to get an audition with Maestro Nathaniel Tate Whitcomb (aka: Tate). As Tate hears Rebekah play the Oboe (because she figured that it would be more acceptable than he violin) He is amazed as her talent but cannot let her join the orchestra because it would be hard on her AND it would not look good on him to have women in his newly formed Nashville Philharmonic. So he swiftly and honestly tells her that she is not accepted. Rebekah is crushed; her dream was so easily destroyed by the simple word “No”. Not willing to give up completely but knowing that she needs a position to support herself, She finds a position as  a Violin Teacher to the daughter of one of Nashville’s richest and influential people, Adelicia Acklen Cheatham.
Maestro Tate is on the verge of making a name for himself, He knows that he must finish his symphony before the Grand Opening and before his inspiration for the piece dies (his Dad was dying) but with a strange buzzing in his ears and severe pain in his head he is having a hard time concentrating on the music. He knows that if he is to finish this piece on time he is going to need help and can only think of one person who seems to have the same passion for music that he does and that is Rebekah. Now he just needs to convince her to trust him, but after he crushed her dream, can he really expect her to help him fulfill his? 

 As Rebekah works with Tate, She starts to see a different side of the arrogant, know-it-all Conductor and finds that she is starting to fall in love with him, but she will be leaving for New York to chase her dream and Tate will be staying in Nashville to fulfill his, So there is no point in growing closer together... Right?

With Tate’s health failing and his Father’s growing worse by the minute, Will they be able to finish the Symphony by the deadlines they have been given?

What did I think ? 
I thought the book was Amazing, Once I started the book, I really did not want to put it down.This is the third book in the Belmont Mansion series but I read it as a standalone ( then I went and purchased book 2 and read it...) The characters are not the same as in the first two books except Mrs Cheatham ( and some small cameo appearances from the characters in the first two books)  There is no suspense in the plot but the book's simple plot is so intriguing that you find yourself wanting to finish the book just so you can see not only what happens to Rebekah but what happens to Tate. I LOVE that the author so clearly portrays that our music that we create either by singing or by an instrument is to praise God because it is He who gives it to us.  Overall, I LOVED the book, It is definitely one of my favorite "Must Reads". I would recommend the book to anyone who loves music, who likes Historical Fiction or wants a book with a steady plot ( No boring moments)  that flows from the beginning to the end.  Overall I rate the book 5 out of 5 Stars! *****
 

If you want to check out Mrs Alexander's other books ( especially the books in this series) Here is the link: 


 Happy Reading :) 


  I would like to thank Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy. I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one.



Sunday, February 26, 2017

Moving Target by Lynette Eason

" Because if they don't 
win this game...."











Hey Readers, I have another "Must Read" to add to your collection,
 I have been waiting for almost a year (it feels like a year, but could be about 6 months)  for Mrs. Lynette Eason's latest book Moving Target to come out because I love the first two books in the series and I was not disappointed.  This book was absolutely amazing!


Moving Target is the story of Maddy McKay who is a bodyguard with the Elite Guardians. The story starts with Maddy and her friend Detective Quinn Holcombe being drugged and kidnapped. When they wake up, they discover that they have been kidnapped and forced to be part of a deadly game, where they are the prey and the "intruder" ( for lack of better identification) is the hunter. As they look at their surroundings, they find that they are on a island with no way off and hidden traps that could be deadly if they fall in them. With nothing as a weapon and both of them physically hurt, they set off to discover a way for them to get away or call for help, but will anyone be able to save them from this deadly game?

After many struggles and trials, Maddy and Quinn are rescued from the island and they both thought there troubles were over, after all they survived  the "game"  so the "game" should be over... right ?
But they soon find out that the "intruder" is watching them and strangely seems to be  everywhere they are...

 With Danger closing in on them, Will they be able to survive? Will Quinn and Maddy be able to have a future together or will fear cause them to lose the things that matter most ...each other?

What did I think? 
So this is book 3 of the Elite Guardians series which follows the lives of each of the Bodyguards in the Elite Guardians. Though I have read the first two books in the series before this one, I would say that this book could be read as a stand alone as well.  There are some moments of suspense, but there was nothing too graphic or too bloody in the book although the details about the island and the traps that on the island where they were taken was a bit creepy. The plot was excellent, It grabbed me  from the very first page and did not let me go until the end of the book! I love how Mrs.Eason wove a faith based plot within the plot without making the story cheesy or dumb. I am especially glad that she is making another book in this series! I cannot wait until Book 4 of the Elite Guardians comes out later this year.
Overall I LOVED the book and would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to read a story full of Suspense ( lots of it) with a hint of romance. Overall I rate the book 5 our of 5 Stars*****


Hey, if you want to check out her other amazing books, Here is the link:

http://www.lynetteeason.com/books/



Happy Reading :) 

I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.



Wednesday, February 15, 2017

The Newcomer by Suzanne Woods Fisher

A Fresh Start in a New World will not only test Anna's resolve, It will test her heart as well...










Hey Readers,
Happy Valentines Day! I hope that it is amazing and that as we celebrate our love for our families and/or spouses that we not forget how much God loves us. He loved us so much that he gave his only begotten son to die for us, so that we could be saved. ( John 3:16)

So here is the other Valentines Day "Must Read" that I promised you.

The Newcomer by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a delightful Historical Romance novel that is probably the complete opposite of the last book on the "Must Read" list.

The Newcomer is the story of Anna Konig, a young Amish girl who just got off the boat that was her home for the past 10 weeks.  While on the ship she met and fell in love with Bairn Bauer the ships carpenter who was Amish by birth and then reunited with his family after years of captivity at the end of the previous book. Anna is excited to reach this new home where they can be free to worship God in the way they have been raised but as Bairn realizes the reality of what it means to be Amish in this new land, he misses the freedom of the open waters he is familiar with.
As their small group starts to head off to their new home Bairn is given the opportunity to sail once more as a First Mate. He immediately accepts the position but ask Anna to wait for him. He promises that this will be his final voyage, but Anna feels lost, She knows that she loves Bairn but is worried that his first love will always be the sea, It also does not help that Bairn does not seem to ever agree with his father who is the leader/Minister of the group. So while Bairn heads off to sea, His parents decide to go to the location of their new home to get it ready for the rest of the group... The only problem is that they never arrive. Bairn's father, Jacob gets gravely ill and appears to be at deaths door and Bairn's mother Dorothea is not sure if she can go on without her husband. She already suffers from slight depression and is praying that this will not pull her down completely, especially since she has adopted a little baby.  But thankfully all three of them are rescued by a strange group of people who have unusual (occult-like) beliefs but are very kind, unfortunately they do not know of any way to help Jacob recover from his illness.
Meanwhile Anna and group arrive at their new home and are shocked and worried when Jacob and Dorothea are not there.  A newcomer, Henrik Newman joins the group and appears to be an answer to prayer. He is bold, devoted, knows his scripture and seems to be completely in love with Anna.
As the group struggles to set up their community without their leader, Henrik steps up to lead the group. Henrik wants to become the Minister for the group but he needs to be married so he proposes to Anna but she is torn because she still loves Bairn.
Will she wait for Bairn or will she accept the hand of the charming, devoted ," almost too good to be true" Newcomer Henrik?
You will have to read the book to find out!

What did I think? 
So this is book two of the Amish Beginnings series but I read the book as a Stand alone. Though it was fine to read by itself, I believe it would have added so much to the story if I would have read the first book first. I loved all of the historical descriptions of the raw Pennsylvania Frontier and the fact that the Author had Benjamin Franklin interacting with the fictional characters! The book had a lot of twists and turns especially near the end of the book. The plot is filled with historical elements, romance and betrayal. I recommend this book to anyone who likes an Amish book filled with romance , historical descriptions and a slight bit of suspense.
Overall, I rate the book 5 out of 5 Stars*****

If you want to read this book or check out the first book in the series Anna's Crossing,
(or her other books)
Here is the link!
http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/genre/fiction/



Happy Reading :) 

I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.








Sunday, February 12, 2017

Justice Delayed by Patricia Bradley


In one week, a man will be executed for murder, but if he is innocent, Can they find the evidence they need before it is too late? 





Hey Readers, 
It's only a couple of days until Valentines day and I have a couple of options for you to read.
 This week I will post two "Must Reads" that are different types of romance novels, either ( or both) of these would be perfect for Valentines day ( or week) reading!

First we have Justice Delayed by Patricia Bradley, a Romantic suspense novel that combines a perfect blend of Mystery, Suspense and Romance.

Justice Delayed is the story of Andi Hollister, a TV crime reporter whose sister was murdered 18 years ago. She thought the murderer was behind bars but may now have discovered evidence that the wrong man was arrested and is about to be executed. Then one night as she is returning to her apartment, she is attacked! The intruder grabs her from behind and demands that she give him the diamonds because they belong to him, but she has not idea what he's talking about. He knocks her out and leaves but does not steal anything.
Detective Will Kincaide is not only Andi's brother's best friend but also the cousin of the man convicted of the murder of Andi's sister Stephanie. (that was a mouthful!) When he finds out that Andi was attacked and on the same night another crime was committed, he is praying that the two are not connected. but then he finds out that Andi was on the victims phone log so he knows that in some strange way the two crimes are connected, he is just relieved that Andi was knocked out and not killed. Will discovers that his cousin received a letter stating that he was innocent, and the author had proof, but unfortunately the author of the letter appears to have been murdered and the crime covered up to look like a suicide. ( the above mentioned crime that was connected to Andi's break in) Will and Andi must work together to solve a case that is so cold that there may not be any evidence left and they only have a week before the wrong person is executed for a crime he did not commit!
Can they uncover the clues that no one has discovered before?
Will knows that nothing will stop him from uncovering the truth, but will his feelings for his best friend, his cousin and Andi cloud his judgement or will it be an extra boost to ensure the right man is behind bars...
You will have to read this book to find out!

What did I think about the book? 
So this is book 1 of the Memphis Cold Case Novels and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I liked the plot, how it grabs you from the beginning and after several twists and turns it brings you to a conclusion you never expected.  I did feel that one part was slightly unfinished but it could be completed in another book or left to your own conclusion. (*Spoiler Alert* Andi has a slight addiction to a pain medicine for her back, I won't say any more )  It does have a bit of romance but is balanced with mystery, intrigue and nail-biting suspense.  Overall I recommend it (for your Valentines day reading) if you want a criminal fiction story with a hint of romance! Rated 4 out of 5 Stars ****


So if you want to read this book or check out her other books, 
Here is her link! 
http://ptbradley.com/books/



Keep watch for my next Valentines day "Must Read" later this week! 



Happy Reading :) 

I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.