Author: Carrie
Turansky
Genre: Romance
Series: Edwardian
Brides
Number in
series: 1st
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 324
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Multnomah, $14.99
My overall
opinion: A good read. It really did remind me of Downton Abbey, as it focuses (obviously) on a governess. Some of
the scenes with the maids and other servants were very much like in Downton Abbey. The governess side of
things had some definite similarities to Jane
Eyre as well. All in all, good for a one time read, but not a book I’d buy.
Author: Kim Vogel
Sawyer
Genre: Romance,
life
Series: Heart of
the Prairie
Number in
series: 8th
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8.5
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 348
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: This book was delightful! It perfectly entwined being humorous yet
heart-touching. I was always sad to set it down and eager to pick it up again.
The characters were amazing – extra colorful and such fun to read about! They
came to life for me. This is a sweet story, all in all, relaxing and easily
moving.
Author: Kim Vogel
Sawyer
Genre: Life
Series: Heart of
the Prairie
Number in
series: 7th
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 349
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: Sadly, this book didn’t grab me as much as some of Kim’s have. She’s
had some books (like Courting Miss Amsel)
that I’ve absolutely loved. This wasn’t one of them, but I don’t regret reading
it. For one thing, I absolutely loved the Alaskan setting! Right in the shadow
of Denali (aka Mt. McKinley). It was awesome – cause I’ve been there! All in
all, this was a good book, just didn’t grab me as much. Definitely worth my
one-time read though.
Authors: Karen
Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, Carol Cox
Genre: Romance
Series: A Novella
Collection
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: I’m going to rate each novella individually
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 379
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: This, as you have probably deduced by now, is a novella
collection. Four short stories by four wonderful authors! I decided the
simplest way to review this was to do each novella individually, so here we go.
A Cowboy
Unmatched by Karen Witemeyer – 9: The first words that came to mind as I
considered how to best describe this book were sweet, funny, creative, and
romantic! I loved seeing a character from some of Karen’s previous books. This
book was so enjoyable! A delight.
An
Unforeseen Match by Regina Jennings – 8: Even the title in this one is a play
on words, since the heroine is partially blind! The characters were engaging
and the story was unique and enjoyable. Especially the hero was admirable.
No Match
for Love by Carol Cox – 8.5: There was some great mystery in this,
masterfully presented for such a short story! It was a refreshing addition to
the romance. The characters were especially lovable here.
Meeting
Her Match by Mary Connealy – 9: I really loved the humor in this one!
Definitely a unique story and unique characters. It made me laugh, and I always
love that! Quite a superb book. So good!
All in all? This is a unique and delightful collection of short
romances by wonderful authors. If you’re already a fan of one (or more) of
these authors, I think you’ll definitely enjoy this collection!
**Bethany House sent me a free copy of this book in return for my
honest review. I wasn’t required to review it positively, nor was I recompensed
for my review. All opinions are my own. **
Author: Janette
Oke and Laurel Oke Logan
Genre: Life
Series: Canadian
West
Number in
series: 7th
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 329
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: Janette Oke was one of my favorite authors many years ago when I
first started reading Christian romance, and she has remained an author whose
books I enjoy. So when the opportunity to review this one came up, I jumped at
it! While Goodreads categorizes this book as 7th in the Canadian
West series (and I copied that), it could be read as a stand-alone and it could
serve as a lovely beginning to a new series. That being said, I enjoyed seeing
(or at least hearing about) characters from some of Janette’s earlier series. The
end leaves it open for a sequel, most certainly! The story in this particular
book is almost predictable, but a few surprises make sure that it’s not quite.
A good read! Contrary to what you may think, it’s not primarily a romance, though
it has some romance within. It’s easy to enjoy. Heartwarming!
Go here to learn more about Janette Oke: http://litfusegroup.com/author/joke
**Litfuse sent me a free copy of this book for review. I wasn’t
required to post positively or paid in any way for this review. All opinions
are my own. **
Author: Kim Vogel
Sawyer
Genre: Romance,
adventure
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 9
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 344
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: WaterBrook Press, $14.99
My overall
opinion: What a delightful book! My favorite part of it? The setting. A
chocolate factory is a primary factor in the story, and let me tell you –
chocolate factories are awesome, and this one is no exception. Just reading
about it made my mouth water more than once! This was such a sweet story (and
not just because of all the chocolate) and it’s sure to touch your heart like
it touched mine. Caroline was a heroine to love, and I certainly could identify
with her. Ollie too was a dear, quite a lovable hero. My only problem with him
was his name: Ollie is Oliver Hardy in Laurel
and Hardy to me and I could never quite take this Ollie seriously. ;) The
mystery was absolutely awesome and can I just say again – I really loved the
setting. This one is staying on my keeper shelf!
**Blogging for Books sent me this book in return for my honest
review. I wasn’t paid in any other way, nor was I required to post positively.
All opinions are my own.**
Author: Julie
Klassen
Genre: Romance
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 9
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 424
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: Delightfully packed with mystery and romance! And one of the best
things is that all of this is set in a place reminiscent of Jane Austen or
Charlotte Bronte. And one special little touch…I checked on the back cover and
there was Pemberley, from the 1995 Pride
and Prejudice! That may or may not have made my day just a little bit. So
cool. Anyway, the heroine was sweet yet spicy – a delightful combination. And I
mentioned that it’s packed with mystery – you will have trouble putting this
book down! The words that Julie chose to use are perfect for the setting – I
was impressed. This book is all-around a delightful read that I recommend for
Regency lovers!
**Bethany House Publishers sent me this book in return for my
honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own. I was not recompensed for
this review, or forced to post positively.**
Author: Colleen
Coble
Genre: Romance,
life, mystery
Series: A Mercy
Falls novel
Number in
series: 3rd
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 9
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 292
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Thomas Nelson, $14.99
My overall
opinion: First off, I absolutely LOVE the cover. Seriously. Whenever there’s
a discussion about pretty covers, this one comes to my mind first. I did aCover Focus on it awhile back too! And it contains a great story. There were a
few scenes that I can only describe as heart-melting – so sweet, and I loved
them. Mystery and excitement abound in this book, making it a page-turner the
whole way through! It’s a memorable read – I recommend it.
Author: MaryLu
Tyndall
Genre: Romance,
adventure
Series: Escape to
Paradise
Number in
series: 2nd
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8.5
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 315
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Barbour, $12.99
My overall
opinion: I hadn’t really read anything else by MaryLu Tyndall before, but I
saw her books
reviewed throughout the Christian fiction blogging world, so I
knew I’d better give this one a try when it came up for review. And I’m glad I
did! It’s unlike anything else I’ve ever read. The time period (1866, to be
exact) isn’t that strange, but the setting (mostly jungle in Brazil) is very
unique! Magnolia, the leading lady, is a real pain at times, and I empathized
with Hayden’s struggles with her, but she was quite funny and made me laugh
several times – always good. I didn’t love her, ‘tis true, but I certainly
enjoyed getting to know her. The whole book is packed with enthralling
adventures, and I loved the humor through-out! This book does work very well as
a stand-alone, though I would like to read book 1, as it has interesting
information (pretty sure) about earlier events. There was a little spiritual
stuff that also unlike anything encountered in other books, and while it didn’t
turn me against the book, it was a bit strange…not quite sure what I thought of
it. Or how realistic it is. BUT don’t let that deter you from this most
enjoyable read!
**Bookfun.org and the author sent me this book in return for my
honest review. I was not forced to post positively, nor was I recompensed in
any other way for this review.**
Author: Sarah E.
Ladd
Genre: Romance
Series: Whispers
on the Moors
Number in
series: 2nd
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8.5
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 311
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Thomas Nelson, $15.99
Passage
from book: The opening lines: “There was no doubt in William Sterling’s mind.
He was being followed. He was an easy target – now more than ever. He knew
better than to travel at such a late hour in the moors, when midnight’s haze
shrouded the moon’s gray light and the new-fallen snow gave the illusion of an
even terrain. An owl’s mournful cry sliced the night’s uncomfortable silence,
and with a sharp click of his tongue, William urged his mount into a faster
gait.”
My overall
opinion: For some strange reason, this book reminded me of Charlotte
Bronte’s Jane Eyre, and the more I
think about it, the more I realize it does have some similarities. An
all-girls’ school; a dark, handsome, and mysterious main man; an older
heroine…but this book is lighter than Jane
Eyre and a quicker read. It’s packed with extra mystery, some great drama,
and a delightful romance as well. Patience is a sweetheart with many admirable
qualities, and William (or Sterling) is quite dashing. I recommend this book to
fans of Julie Klassen and Murray Pura – anyone interested in a sweet 1800s romance
with a healthy dose of mystery. It’s delightful, and Sarah is a wonderful
author!
**Sarah Ladd sent me a copy of this book in return for my honest
review. I wasn’t forced to review it positively, nor was I recompensed in any
other way for this review.**
I have also reviewed Sarah's first book, Heiress of Winterwood. Find that review HERE.
Author: Kim Vogel
Sawyer
Genre: Life,
romance
Series: Heart of
the Prairie
Number in
series: 6th (however, I didn’t realize it was part of a series
until I looked it up on Goodreads – so basically, you can read these in any
order you like and it won’t make much of a difference)
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 9 high
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 346
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $19.99 (hardcover – but it’s currently available on
PaperBackSwap!)
My overall
opinion: So before this one, I had only read one other book by Kim and that
was a long time ago. However, I had really enjoyed it…and now, I’m not sure why
I haven’t read more since, because I’ll definitely be reading a lot more by
this author in the future! I really enjoyed this book. I loved the Midwest
setting and had no trouble picturing it. Joel, the main guy, is a sweetheart
and I liked him. Edythe Amsel (ooo-la-la, that name I love!) was a great
leading lady. And Johnny and Robert, two young boys who were supporting
characters central to the story, were extremely lovable. The whole book had an
easy pace and great writing. Kim masterfully presents this sweet story, and I’m
so glad I read it! Definitely excited to read more by her in the near future.
Author: Colleen
Coble
Genre: Romance,
mystery
Series: Mercy
Falls series
Number in
series: 2nd
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8.5
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 292
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Thomas Nelson, $14.99
My overall
opinion: An enjoyable read! I’m so glad to finally get back to this series
– I read the first one about two years ago, and really liked it, but never
managed to finish the others. Until now. I’ll be reading the third one soon!
The touch of mystery and suspense in this one made it delightful, along with a
sweet romance. I was thankful that the romance wasn’t overkill, and was well
balanced by other story elements. The book had a good pace and kept me tied to
it. And the characters were great. I liked it!
My rating on a 1-10
scale: 8
Genre: Period
drama, classic, romance
Primary actors: Mia
Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Sally Hawkins, Judi Dench
Length: Two hours
Based on: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Time period: 1800s
Rating: PG-13
Year it came out: 2011
My overall opinion: Now
THAT is a question. What did I think of this movie? Well, being me, I made
notes as I watched. So here they are. I’m assuming all my readers already know
this classic story.
Possible confusion: Starting
in the middle of the book (with St. John), then skipping a bit between that and
the beginning was vaguely confusing even for me, and I know the book very well.
I think that doing the story in order, or possibly just one skip, would’ve been
better. For someone who doesn’t know the story at all, this could possibly be
very confusing.
The girls: All
the girls in this are frightfully plain. I know, it’s simply dreadful of me to
judge them all on appearance alone, and their personalities were quite nice,
but St. John’s sisters and Jane herself were all very plain girls, not pretty
in the least.
The speed: I
mention this several times in my notes, things that are flown over. Jane Eyre is a large book of several
hundred pages, and needs a movie of some length, a minimum of three hours, I
think. A two-hour movie was a bad decision and entirely fails to include a few
pivotal scenes, and to really show how deep the friendship between Helen and
Jane was.
Mr. Rochester: In
a word, “overgrown.” And yes, I’m going purely physical appearance again. That
was my impression from the first time I saw him. Having him shave, and
regularly, would’ve greatly improved his appearance. At the end, too, he was
far too overgrown to be appreciated, so to speak. In general, he wasn’t a very
bad Mr. Rochester though, but like I said, the whole movie was rushed and we
never got to know him that well.
Jane: Was plain.
Not that Jane is supposed to be pretty, though. Considering that she’s the
title character, she did a good job with the part. I neither loved nor hated
her.
Gore: At one
point, a surprising amount of blood was shown, and while that really didn’t
bother me all that much, it did seem like a rather surprising amount
considering this is a period drama. That may be just me though.
Scene skipped: I
wasn’t very happy that they skipped one of the most memorable scenes from prior
movies and from the book. Remember when Bertha visits Jane’s room shortly
before her near-wedding and tries on her veil? Here, we hardly saw Bertha,
except for one scene. But I think that the scene I’ve just described is quite
an important and mysterious one in the book, and definitely shouldn’t have been
cut. Then too, there’s the fire scene. While it is true that in the book, Jane
is told about it after the fact and wasn’t present there, there are often
flashbacks in other movies to the scene so that you, the viewer, can fully
picture it. Here, Mrs. Fairfax simply told Jane about it. I think this was
perhaps a part where they attempted to save money, when spending a little and
doing the scene would’ve resulted in a better movie.
The ending: I wrote
down that it was slightly abrupt, unexpected, inconclusive, and all-around
unsatisfying. I wasn’t very happy with it, I’m afraid. It left a good deal more
up to chance than I should have preferred, and came around altogether too fast.
Soundtrack: It was
lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to such a beautiful soundtrack for a
couple of hours!
So. My overall opinion? It wasn’t really a bad movie. I
didn’t love it though, and was a little disappointed. And it was definitely way
too rushed to really be one I loved. If you’re a Jane Eyre or a period drama fan, yes, watch it. I’m glad I did.
However, I am far from desperate to go out and buy it.
Author: Jen Turano
Genre: Romance,
adventure
Series: Ladies of
Distinction
Number in
series: 3rd
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 9
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 346
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: This book did not disappoint in the least – and I had high
expectations, both from reviews of Turano’s earlier books and just from the fun
cover. But this one was delightful and full of humor! Felicia was a beautiful
heroine, inside and out, and she often was quite amusing. And best of all? She’s
always full of shenanigans, some wince-worthy and some just plain funny!
Grayson was a steady and strong leading man to counter her, and they seem a
perfect couple. The whole book was a light and relaxing read overall. I laughed
more than once! There was never a dull moment, as the whole book was filled
with adventures and action and wit. I would definitely recommend this book!
**Bethany House publishers sent me this book for review purposes.
I was not recompensed for this review in any other way, nor am I required to
post positively.**
My rating on a 1-10
scale: 8
Genre: Period
drama, biography, life
Primary actors: Anne
Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, Anna Maxwell Martin, Maggie Smith
Length: About two
hours
Based on: Jane
Austen’s life
Time period: 1800s
Rating: PG
Year it came out: 2011
My overall opinion: I
enjoyed this movie rather more than I expected to! Anne Hathaway wasn’t bad as
Jane, though younger and prettier than the real Jane, I think. And James McAvoy
as the main guy! Never did decide exactly what I thought of that. It was
certainly a very interesting casting choice. I just know him as Mr. Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe so. The movie seemed well-filmed and
moved along at a good pace – kept me watching. Not riveting, but.
Unfortunately, due to a problem with my ear-buds and my DVD player, I had
trouble hearing – the music way overpowered the dialogue. I didn’t realize this
problem was fixable until quite a bit later. This hampered my enjoyment. Thus
the very average rating. There was, as is warned about, brief nudity – not
sensual, just a bit awkward. All in all? I’ll watch it again so I can hear the
dialogue. Didn’t love, didn’t hate.
Author: Laurie
Alice Eakes
Genre: Life,
romance, adventure
Series: Daughters
of Bainbridge House
Number in
series: 3rd
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8.5 high
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 357
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Revell, $14.99
My overall
opinion: What a delightful read this book was! It’s an elegant story, full
of entertaining mishaps and adventures – and never a slow moment to be found! I
really loved the English settings and the mystery threaded throughout
definitely made this story a winter. The humor was awesome too – just enough to
keep me smiling without overpowering the book. If you’ve enjoyed Julie Klassen
or Lori Wick, give this book a try. It was well-worth my time, and I think you’ll
enjoy it too!
**Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell,
a division of Baker Publishing Group.**
**Revell was so kind as to send me a copy of this book in return
for my honest review. I wasn’t compensated in any other way for this review,
nor did I have to speak positively. I’m sorry for posting it later than the
blog tour – school had to take precedence.**
My rating on a 1-10
scale: 9
Genre: Mystery,
adventure
Series or set: Sherlock
Holmes
Number in series: 2nd
Primary actors: Robert
Downey Jr.
Length: Two hours
Based on: The
original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Time period: 1800s
(and London, I believe! fascinating)
Year it came out: 2011
My overall opinion: This
right here, y’all? A good movie that I really enjoyed. It had a lot of action
and yes, a little violence – be warned. The camera seemed well done (wow, isn’t
that an amateur way to put it!). The sets and costumes and all that – amazing.
As was the acting. I haven’t seen the first Sherlock, but would recommend this
one! It had all kinds of mystery and excitement and adventure and surprising
events. Very good!
Author: Karen
Witemeyer
Genre: Romance,
adventure
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 9
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 348
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: This was a lovely light book that I greatly enjoyed! I’m so glad
that I finally had the opportunity to read it. Definitely worth obtaining, one
way or another! This one is staying on my shelf.
Author: Stephanie
Grace Whitson
Genre: Life,
adventure
Series: Quilt Chronicles
Number in
series: 3rd
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 9.5
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 315
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Barbour, $12.99
My overall
opinion: Wow, I really really enjoyed this book! I knew I’d like it…just
didn’t know I’d like it this much. It was even better than Key on the Quilt, which I loved! The heroine, Emilie, was feisty,
funny, fascinating and to be honest – so much fun! Besides which, she shares a
name with a great-grandma of mine (who pronounced it Amelia – yes, really). And
then the hero, Noah – also a pretty neat guy, with a very interesting
background. The book had all the things needed to make a “good” book, and was
actually super sweet. I look forward to re-reading it many times in the future!
**Barbour sent me a free copy of this book in return for an honest
review. I wasn’t paid for this review, and wasn’t required to post positively.**
