A mystery is afoot at 221 Baker Street, but will Griffin Sharpe be able to
figure out the clues before the future catches up with the past?
When Sherlock Holmes moves out of Baker Street, a new tenant moves in—a
mysterious woman who is not all she seems. With several criminals out to steal an invention from his uncle, Griffin is on a race against time to discover how to stop them before they change history itself.
The Future Doors is a very cute book. It is book 2 of the No Place Like Holmes series. It is not necessary to read Book 1 (No Place Like Holmes) first, but I think it would be a little helpful to understand the character development that occurs in the second book.
The novel contains an interesting mystery that does seem a little scattered simply because of the time traveling. However, overall, I felt it was an enjoyable, if simple, book. It is definitely a book meant for children between the ages of 9-12, though I think it would also be a good read aloud.
I received this book for free from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs
Mine is the Night was a wonderful portrayal of the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz set in eighteenth century Scotland.
Only weeks after her husband's death, Elizabeth Kerr must begin life again without fortune, title, or property. She is not afraid to work and soon finds work as a seamstress in order to support her mother in law and cousin. However, how will Elizabeth ever be able to stitch her life, and her heart, back together?
Elizabeth did not come to Selkirk alone. Her mother in law, Marjory Kerr, is a woman whose life's dreams have been shattered by the deaths of her husband and sons and the loss of her property. Having to depend on her poor cousin and Elizabeth, Marjory dreads the future as much as she mourns and regrets the past. However, she finds that there is still joy and hope in the world.
When a honorable hero comes into town, there is a new spark of life for Elizabeth and Marjory. Will he risk his reputation to defend the two women who have been labeled as traitors, or will he choose a rich, untainted beauty as his bride?
This novel, Mine is the Night, was a surprisingly enjoyable read. When the book arrived in the mail, I was a little apprehensive of it because the book appeared so long. However, as soon as I read the first chapter, I was hooked. I read through the novel in less than a day and wished it was longer. The book is set in eighteenth century Scotland, and it is filled with beautiful descriptions of the countryside and the lovely customs of the Scots. Mine is the Night also contains many instances of Scottish brogue which add to the wonderful flavor of the book.
My favorite part of the novel was its correlation to the Biblical story of Ruth and Naomi. I was able to experience the story of Ruth with whole new eyes, and I really enjoyed it. The characters were extremely well developed. All had flaws which they were only able to work through by the grace of God. Elizabeth was a lovely character, and I enjoyed watching Marjory's progression through change as well. I fell in love with Lord Jack Buchanan immediately. He was the perfect example of honor, generosity, and kindness, and he was a very sweet man as well.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, and I cannot wait to read more of Liz Curtis Higgs!
I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Press in exchange for an honest review.
Only weeks after her husband's death, Elizabeth Kerr must begin life again without fortune, title, or property. She is not afraid to work and soon finds work as a seamstress in order to support her mother in law and cousin. However, how will Elizabeth ever be able to stitch her life, and her heart, back together?
Elizabeth did not come to Selkirk alone. Her mother in law, Marjory Kerr, is a woman whose life's dreams have been shattered by the deaths of her husband and sons and the loss of her property. Having to depend on her poor cousin and Elizabeth, Marjory dreads the future as much as she mourns and regrets the past. However, she finds that there is still joy and hope in the world.
When a honorable hero comes into town, there is a new spark of life for Elizabeth and Marjory. Will he risk his reputation to defend the two women who have been labeled as traitors, or will he choose a rich, untainted beauty as his bride?
This novel, Mine is the Night, was a surprisingly enjoyable read. When the book arrived in the mail, I was a little apprehensive of it because the book appeared so long. However, as soon as I read the first chapter, I was hooked. I read through the novel in less than a day and wished it was longer. The book is set in eighteenth century Scotland, and it is filled with beautiful descriptions of the countryside and the lovely customs of the Scots. Mine is the Night also contains many instances of Scottish brogue which add to the wonderful flavor of the book.
My favorite part of the novel was its correlation to the Biblical story of Ruth and Naomi. I was able to experience the story of Ruth with whole new eyes, and I really enjoyed it. The characters were extremely well developed. All had flaws which they were only able to work through by the grace of God. Elizabeth was a lovely character, and I enjoyed watching Marjory's progression through change as well. I fell in love with Lord Jack Buchanan immediately. He was the perfect example of honor, generosity, and kindness, and he was a very sweet man as well.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, and I cannot wait to read more of Liz Curtis Higgs!
I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Press in exchange for an honest review.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall
The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall was a sweet little book which I read in one sitting, but warmed me through and left me thankful for solid, enjoyable novels.
Gideon Beiler has loved Mattie Eash since they were children. But when he is faced with heartache and pain, he decides to lie to Mattie and make up an excuse for ending their engagement.
Mattie is brokenhearted. She moves from Apple Ridge to Ohio where she follows after her dream to become a cake decorator. She also finds a new fiance -someone who offers the security that Gideon denied her.
When disaster forces Mattie to return to her home, she and Gideon must deal with the heartache caused by his dishonesty as well as address the powerful feelings that continue to hold them together. Who will Mattie choose at the Christmas singing - Gideon or Sol?
I really enjoyed reading this novel. I fell in love with Gideon immediately. He was a very dynamic character, flawed, but with strong positive characteristics as well. Mattie was adorable. She was like a whirlwind -forgetting things, messing up, but continuing to persevere and to show kindness. The Christmas Singing was a rather short book, but it had a heartwarming plot, and it was a wonderful book to curl up with on a cold night and dive into.
Gideon Beiler has loved Mattie Eash since they were children. But when he is faced with heartache and pain, he decides to lie to Mattie and make up an excuse for ending their engagement.
Mattie is brokenhearted. She moves from Apple Ridge to Ohio where she follows after her dream to become a cake decorator. She also finds a new fiance -someone who offers the security that Gideon denied her.
When disaster forces Mattie to return to her home, she and Gideon must deal with the heartache caused by his dishonesty as well as address the powerful feelings that continue to hold them together. Who will Mattie choose at the Christmas singing - Gideon or Sol?
I really enjoyed reading this novel. I fell in love with Gideon immediately. He was a very dynamic character, flawed, but with strong positive characteristics as well. Mattie was adorable. She was like a whirlwind -forgetting things, messing up, but continuing to persevere and to show kindness. The Christmas Singing was a rather short book, but it had a heartwarming plot, and it was a wonderful book to curl up with on a cold night and dive into.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble
Eden Larson thought that her baby was dead. Her hope is renewed when her husband returns to tell her that their daughter has been found.
Five years earlier Eden and Clay's daughter was stolen. When they met the kidnapper to give him the ransom, things went wrong and the car with Brianna supposedly inside crashed into a river. Eden blamed herself, and Clay buried himself in work. And their new marriage ended. Or so Eden thought.
Now Eden is in a new town, with a new faith in God, trying to rebuild her life. She is even in a relationship with a godly man named Kent who is planning on marrying her. However, then Clay appears and tells her that he never signed the divorce papers, so they are still married. He also tells her that he has been searching for Brianna the whole time, and he thinks he has found her in Bluebird, Texas, at a troubled youth ranch. All five of the little girls there are at the right age -but he is not sure which is Brianna.
In order to discover the truth, Eden and Clay become counselors at the Bluebird Ranch. They move into the bunkhouse and oversee the little girls while they try to find out more. Working as a team for the first time, they rediscover how much they love each other. However, danger is closing in, and it could threaten them all.
Lonestar Angel was a very good novel that was brimful of suspense, mystery, and love. I enjoyed the mystery of trying to discover which girl was the Larsons' daughter and who was behind the kidnapping. There were several twists I was not really expecting, and I thoroughly enjoyed how the novel ended. I really liked the characters of Eden and Clay. They were very genuine. The characters did rely on their own strength most of the time, but Eden did realize the sovereignty and providence of God and His work in their life near the end of the novel. The beginning of the novel was a little difficult to get into, but overall I liked how the novel was structured, and I enjoyed the book tremendously. I will definitely be picking up more of Colleen Coble's works.
I received this book from Booksneeze.com exchange for an honest review.
Five years earlier Eden and Clay's daughter was stolen. When they met the kidnapper to give him the ransom, things went wrong and the car with Brianna supposedly inside crashed into a river. Eden blamed herself, and Clay buried himself in work. And their new marriage ended. Or so Eden thought.
Now Eden is in a new town, with a new faith in God, trying to rebuild her life. She is even in a relationship with a godly man named Kent who is planning on marrying her. However, then Clay appears and tells her that he never signed the divorce papers, so they are still married. He also tells her that he has been searching for Brianna the whole time, and he thinks he has found her in Bluebird, Texas, at a troubled youth ranch. All five of the little girls there are at the right age -but he is not sure which is Brianna.
In order to discover the truth, Eden and Clay become counselors at the Bluebird Ranch. They move into the bunkhouse and oversee the little girls while they try to find out more. Working as a team for the first time, they rediscover how much they love each other. However, danger is closing in, and it could threaten them all.
Lonestar Angel was a very good novel that was brimful of suspense, mystery, and love. I enjoyed the mystery of trying to discover which girl was the Larsons' daughter and who was behind the kidnapping. There were several twists I was not really expecting, and I thoroughly enjoyed how the novel ended. I really liked the characters of Eden and Clay. They were very genuine. The characters did rely on their own strength most of the time, but Eden did realize the sovereignty and providence of God and His work in their life near the end of the novel. The beginning of the novel was a little difficult to get into, but overall I liked how the novel was structured, and I enjoyed the book tremendously. I will definitely be picking up more of Colleen Coble's works.
I received this book from Booksneeze.com exchange for an honest review.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
A Sound Among the Trees
A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner was a very interesting book. It definitely was not what I was expecting when I picked up the book.
Susannah was rumoured to be a Civil War spy for the north, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-great granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, disagrees that Susannah's ghost the haunts the mansion, but rather thinks that the house bears a grudge against its tragic past.
When Marielle Bishop marries into the family at moves into Holly Oak with her husband, she soon begins to believe that the house brings misfortune to all the women who live there. With Adelaide's superstitions and family roots at stake, Marielle must begin to sort out the truth about Susannah Page and Holly Oak and make peace with the sacrifices she has made for love.
A Sound Among the Trees was a very well written novel. The book is broken up into five parts: the Garden, the Parlor, the Studio, the Cellar, and Holly Oak. The first four parts all represent areas of Holly Oak which are supposedly the most haunted and hold the greatest sadness. The characters were very well done, and there are a couple surprising characters which enter the story near the middle which act as normative characters and reveal the truth about Holly Oaks, forgiveness, and moving on from the past. Between the Cellar and Holly Oak parts there is a significant portion of the book, about a fourth of it, called the letters. This is the section that is composed of Susannah's letters and it is here that the reader learns the truth about Susannah and Holly Oak, and the depth of true love and the importance of moving on and not living in mistakes. These are also the themes which Adelaide, Marielle, and Carson (Marielle's husband) have to learn in order to live truly peaceful lives.
I really enjoyed this book, and I liked how the author set up the book, used mood and tone, and how she designed the characters. There was very little mention of God or His work in a person obtaining true peace and repentance. However, the one real normative character of the novel did find God and develop a relationship with Him before she could move on and begin to explain the truth to her friends and family. I would have liked a little more mention of God, but I thought that overall the message of the book was portrayed fairly well.
Susannah was rumoured to be a Civil War spy for the north, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-great granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, disagrees that Susannah's ghost the haunts the mansion, but rather thinks that the house bears a grudge against its tragic past.
When Marielle Bishop marries into the family at moves into Holly Oak with her husband, she soon begins to believe that the house brings misfortune to all the women who live there. With Adelaide's superstitions and family roots at stake, Marielle must begin to sort out the truth about Susannah Page and Holly Oak and make peace with the sacrifices she has made for love.
A Sound Among the Trees was a very well written novel. The book is broken up into five parts: the Garden, the Parlor, the Studio, the Cellar, and Holly Oak. The first four parts all represent areas of Holly Oak which are supposedly the most haunted and hold the greatest sadness. The characters were very well done, and there are a couple surprising characters which enter the story near the middle which act as normative characters and reveal the truth about Holly Oaks, forgiveness, and moving on from the past. Between the Cellar and Holly Oak parts there is a significant portion of the book, about a fourth of it, called the letters. This is the section that is composed of Susannah's letters and it is here that the reader learns the truth about Susannah and Holly Oak, and the depth of true love and the importance of moving on and not living in mistakes. These are also the themes which Adelaide, Marielle, and Carson (Marielle's husband) have to learn in order to live truly peaceful lives.
I really enjoyed this book, and I liked how the author set up the book, used mood and tone, and how she designed the characters. There was very little mention of God or His work in a person obtaining true peace and repentance. However, the one real normative character of the novel did find God and develop a relationship with Him before she could move on and begin to explain the truth to her friends and family. I would have liked a little more mention of God, but I thought that overall the message of the book was portrayed fairly well.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
His Steadfast Love by Golden Keyes Parsons
His Steadfast Love by Golden Keyes Parsons was a truly heart wrenching tale of a choice between love and loyalty.
Amanda Belle is living during the Civil War, and it is not long before the war begins to change her very home life. In the spring of 1861 on the Gulf Coast of Texas, Amanda finds herself in love with Captain Kent Littlefield, despite her promise to her dying mother that she would never marry. However, when Texas secedes from the Union, her brother David joins the Confederate army while Kent stays with the Union troops.
Amanda finds her heart torn between her love for her brother and her love for Kent. When she turns to God for help with her decisions, she hears nothing. Why is God not listening to her? Does he even care what is going on? Amanda senses that her decision will be a turning point for her life. How can she trust God to bring her family through this war and pain? And will her heart and her faith remain intact?
I really enjoyed His Steadfast Love. The novel showed the depth of love and the heart wrenching choices that usually love in its wake. The book also revealed the love and faithfulness of God, even when you cannot see Him working. The characters were developed well and were portrayed in a way that showed the depth of their emotions and the decisions that they had to make. Overall, I thought His Steadfast Love was very well written, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Amanda Belle is living during the Civil War, and it is not long before the war begins to change her very home life. In the spring of 1861 on the Gulf Coast of Texas, Amanda finds herself in love with Captain Kent Littlefield, despite her promise to her dying mother that she would never marry. However, when Texas secedes from the Union, her brother David joins the Confederate army while Kent stays with the Union troops.
Amanda finds her heart torn between her love for her brother and her love for Kent. When she turns to God for help with her decisions, she hears nothing. Why is God not listening to her? Does he even care what is going on? Amanda senses that her decision will be a turning point for her life. How can she trust God to bring her family through this war and pain? And will her heart and her faith remain intact?
I really enjoyed His Steadfast Love. The novel showed the depth of love and the heart wrenching choices that usually love in its wake. The book also revealed the love and faithfulness of God, even when you cannot see Him working. The characters were developed well and were portrayed in a way that showed the depth of their emotions and the decisions that they had to make. Overall, I thought His Steadfast Love was very well written, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Crossing by Serita Jakes
The Crossing by Serita Jakes was a compelling novel relating a story of loss, bitterness, death, and renewal. While I enjoyed the book, I felt that the Christian message of the story could have been stronger.
Claudia Campbell has been imprisoned for ten years by memories of a masked gunman who opened fire on her school's bus on the way back from a football game. Cheerleading coach B.J. Remington was killed, but her murderer was never found. Claudia, who was a close friend of B.J.'s, is constantly reminded of that day, and she has never been able to move on. When her husband, the assistant district attorney, reopens the case, the secrets of that day threaten to tear them apart.
Officer Casio Hightower will also never forget that day, the day his dream was destroyed. A star quarterback with several prospective scholarships, he was on top -until one bullet changed it all. Casio is eager to help Victor Campbell find B.J.'s killer, who also shot him. Maybe finding the answer will silence the anger that causes Casio to hurt the woman he loves.
Will Victor, Claudia, and Casio be able to discover that what begins at the crossing ends at the cross?
I really enjoyed this novel. The structure was excellently done, switching between Viktor, Casio, Claudia, and Harper's points of view. Also included are snapshots into the last few minutes of B.J.'s life, told from her perspective. These snapshots are critical in helping the reader understand the mystery of the killer. It adds a considerable amount of suspense because the reader thinks that they understand how the murder occurred, but then there is a major twist in the end which is almost totally unexpected. The mystery of the novel was very exciting, and I loved the twists. Viktor Campbell was an awesome character, and he remained loving in the midst of Claudia's messes.
One of the things I was not found of in the Crossing was the ending. The ending is totally unexpected, and it made me feel really sad. However, I did like how the author Serita Jakes brought back a couple of the characters back to the Lord and how they in turn were able to forgive those who had seriously hurt them. I do wish that God had been pulled more into the story in the middle and beginning. B.J.'s last thoughts ask some very serious questions about sin and forgiveness which I do not feel like the author properly addressed. So if a doubting Christian or a seeker read some parts, they might have some serious questions. This is good, but I just wish that they had been addressed in the novel.
Overall, I enjoyed The Crossing, and I would recommend it to anyone who is prepared for some serious, thought provoking fiction. Do not expect a light read, for the mood of the entire novel is somber and sometimes frightening.
Claudia Campbell has been imprisoned for ten years by memories of a masked gunman who opened fire on her school's bus on the way back from a football game. Cheerleading coach B.J. Remington was killed, but her murderer was never found. Claudia, who was a close friend of B.J.'s, is constantly reminded of that day, and she has never been able to move on. When her husband, the assistant district attorney, reopens the case, the secrets of that day threaten to tear them apart.
Officer Casio Hightower will also never forget that day, the day his dream was destroyed. A star quarterback with several prospective scholarships, he was on top -until one bullet changed it all. Casio is eager to help Victor Campbell find B.J.'s killer, who also shot him. Maybe finding the answer will silence the anger that causes Casio to hurt the woman he loves.
Will Victor, Claudia, and Casio be able to discover that what begins at the crossing ends at the cross?
I really enjoyed this novel. The structure was excellently done, switching between Viktor, Casio, Claudia, and Harper's points of view. Also included are snapshots into the last few minutes of B.J.'s life, told from her perspective. These snapshots are critical in helping the reader understand the mystery of the killer. It adds a considerable amount of suspense because the reader thinks that they understand how the murder occurred, but then there is a major twist in the end which is almost totally unexpected. The mystery of the novel was very exciting, and I loved the twists. Viktor Campbell was an awesome character, and he remained loving in the midst of Claudia's messes.
One of the things I was not found of in the Crossing was the ending. The ending is totally unexpected, and it made me feel really sad. However, I did like how the author Serita Jakes brought back a couple of the characters back to the Lord and how they in turn were able to forgive those who had seriously hurt them. I do wish that God had been pulled more into the story in the middle and beginning. B.J.'s last thoughts ask some very serious questions about sin and forgiveness which I do not feel like the author properly addressed. So if a doubting Christian or a seeker read some parts, they might have some serious questions. This is good, but I just wish that they had been addressed in the novel.
Overall, I enjoyed The Crossing, and I would recommend it to anyone who is prepared for some serious, thought provoking fiction. Do not expect a light read, for the mood of the entire novel is somber and sometimes frightening.
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