Genre Reviews

Mrs. Jeffries Turns the Tide by Emily Brightwell

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Mrs. Jeffries Turns the Tide
by Emily Brightwell

ISBN-13: 9780425252123
Mass Market Paperback:
304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Released: May 7, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Beautiful and new in town, Ellen Langston-Jones doesn’t have any enemies. So, when she’s found dead in the communal gardens, Inspector Witherspoon quickly narrows the field of suspects down to one: Lucius Montague, who was seen threatening Mrs. Langston-Jones shortly before her death.

The Inspector and all of London are positive that he’s the killer, but Mrs. Jeffries, the Inspector's housekeeper, has doubts. Her biggest problem is that Lucius Montague is a very disagreeable character and no one is inclined to save his skin. Now, she must turn the tide of the investigation...or watch an innocent man take the fall for the real killer.

My Review:
Mrs. Jeffries Turns the Tide is a historical mystery set in England in the late 1800's, though we don't know the exact year. This book was the thirty-first book in the series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one (as we're given background information on all of the characters at the start). This book didn't spoil the mysteries of the previous books.

There were enough setting and time period details to give the story a historical feel. The characters were engaging and realistic, though not highly complex. The suspense came from wondering whodunit and from the servants trying to avoid anyone knowing that they help the Inspector.

The story was a clue-based "puzzle-it-out" mystery. From the very beginning, I strongly suspected two characters and guessed how everyone was related to each other. Whodunit and the surprise revelations weren't highly obvious, though, and I enjoyed seeing if my guesses turned out to be accurate.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of explicit British bad language (though I think it's pretty mild stuff). Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 12 May 2013 21:37:00 +0000

Once Upon a Prince
by Rachel Hauck

ISBN-13: 9780310315476
Trade Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: May 7, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher requested through Booksneeze.com.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Susanna Truitt expected to marry the man she has loved through the ups and downs of twelve years. But instead of setting a wedding date, her high-school-sweetheart-now-Marine-officer tells Susanna that he can't marry her because he's in love with someone who is more exciting.

Prince Nathaniel is taking a brief American holiday on St. Simon’s Island. He's not looking for a romance since a tense political situation has practically chosen his bride for him. Nathaniel comes to Susanna’s aid under the fabled Lover’s Oak, and he's charmed. She treats him like a normal guy, and she also seems to be the only one who really believes in him. Is God's plan for them to remain apart or will their love change a nation?

My Review:
Once Upon a Prince is a Christian romance novel. It reminded me of the movie "The Prince & Me" in some ways. Susanna is a successful career woman whose plans for her future (family and career) have gone up in smoke. She meets a prince. Nathaniel's father is dying, but Nate doesn't want to be king because of the pressure and the restrictions on his life. His island nation is similar to Britain.

Since it's a "modern prince" novel, I realized that some parts would likely stretch my suspension of disbelief, and it did, but overall it was fun. I really liked the basic plot of the story--how the prince and Susanna spent time together and that the prince had a sticky political situation to deal with. I liked how Susanna and Nathaniel built each other up and supported each other. They were much better together than separately. I liked that they honestly wanted to be available for God to use.

However, the characters didn't seem consistent with the background given to them. Susanna went from supposedly emotionally dependent on having "a plan" to basically not having a plan for the whole story. When her boyfriend told her that she didn't actually love him despite standing by him through ups and downs for twelve years, she simply accepts that he's right. I don't believe that she loved "the plan," not him, but either way she's hardly upset by the breakup. Also, it was odd that Nathaniel seemed to lack leadership ability and political confidence despite his background (growing up a crown prince, being a navel officer and then head of a communications company).

There was a lot of "they prayed" and talking about God's will for the prince's life. Though Nate and Susanna felt the presence of God when at certain locations and Susanna repeatedly surrendered her future to God, I felt like God was held at a distance and was somewhat impersonal. Susanna got some cryptic future-foretelling through a crazy prophet lady, and Nate got a "brush of God's wing on his cheek" for their guidance from God. The Christian elements flowed from the events happening in the book and didn't preach at the reader, but people who don't like "preachy" books may not like this one.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of fake bad language and one text messaging abbreviation for swearing involving "God." Overall, I'd recommend this novel to those who love fairy-tale "prince" romances.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Final Sail by Elaine Viets

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:55:00 +0000

Final Sail
by Elaine Viets

ISBN-13: 9780451237705
Mass Market Paperback:
304 pages
Publisher: Obsidian Mystery
Released: May 7, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Husband and wife PI team Helen Hawthorne and Phil Sagemont both have their hands full. Phil tries to catch a sexy gold digger who may have killed her elderly new husband for his fortune. Meanwhile, Helen poses as the new ship stewardess on a luxury yacht to catch a jewel smuggler. But between serving drinks to the snobs, scrubbing floors, and cleaning up after seasick passengers, how will she find time to investigate?

My Review:
Final Sail is a mystery novel. It's the eleventh book in a series, but you don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one and this novel didn't spoil the previous mysteries.

Helen's case was a clue-based puzzle mystery while Phil's case was mainly a description of his adventures after he'd solved it. The author probably had no idea that another author had already used the idea, but I've read a story where jewels were smuggled in a similar fashion and so I guessed whodunit long before Helen. If I hadn't read that other mystery, I would have been less certain of whodunit though whodunit was among my favored suspects.

There was also an incident in Helen's past involving murder and blackmail that she was trying to deal with from afar. I would have liked Helen and the story more if it hadn't been a part of this story, but I think it was meant to add suspense.

The characters were interesting, sometimes funny, and realistic in how they reacted to events. The suspense was mainly from wondering whodunit and from the PIs trying to investigate undercover without getting caught. The details about the yacht stewardess job were interesting and woven into the story.

There were no graphic sex scenes. There was some explicit bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:32:00 +0000

It's time to announce the winner of the Spring Fling Giveaway Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 19 entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:

Tammy Cuevas
who won "The Homicide Hustle" by Ella Barrick

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

Murder on Fifth Avenue by Victoria Thompson

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 05 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Murder on Fifth Avenue
by Victoria Thompson

ISBN-13: 9780425255377
Mass Market Paperback:
304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Released: May 7, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
From the tenements to the town houses of nineteenth-century New York, midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy never waiver in their mission to aid the innocent and apprehend the guilty.

Sarah’s father, Felix Decker, asks Malloy to discreetly solve a crime when a member of Decker's private club--the exclusive Knickerbocker--is murdered.

Malloy discovers that the deceased, Chilton Devries, was no gentleman. As Malloy and Sarah sort through the suspects, it becomes clear that many people despised Chilton and yet none of them seems to have murdered him....

My Review:
Murder on Fifth Avenue is a historical mystery set in New York city in the late 1890's. This is the fourteenth book in the series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this one didn't spoil the previous mysteries.

There was a nice level of historical detail about the setting, social structures, etc. The characters were complex and reacted realistically to the situations, yet we didn't really get much character development with the main characters. The suspense was mainly from wondering whodunit.

The mystery was a clue-based puzzle mystery. I was certain I knew whodunit, why, and how from early on in the book. I guessed right about all the sordid details, but I was wrong about whodunit! We did have hints about the correct whodunit, though, and it did make sense.

There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Spring Fling Giveaway Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:30:00 +0000

As a part of the Spring Fling Giveaway Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following books:

The Honey Thief by Najaf Mazari, Robert Hillman is a short story collection of Afghanistan folk lore. You can read my review.

This extraordinary book, derived from the long oral tradition of storytelling in Afghanistan, presents a mesmerizing portrait of a people who triumph with intelligence and humor over the oppression of political dictators and an unforgiving landscape. The Honey Thief reveals an Afghanistan of greater richness and humanity than is conveyed in newspaper headlines.

The Homicide Hustle by Ella Barrick is a cozy mystery novel. You can read my review. (This novel has a fair amount of bad language.)

The traveling TV dance show, Ballroom with the B-Listers, is coming to Washington, D.C., and ballroom dancer Stacy Graysin is first in line to participate. The whirlwind reality contest stumbles when the show’s coproducer, Tessa King, is found dead in the Potomac River. All the clues point to Tessa being murdered--and the suspects are the contestants and crew of B-Listers. Now the B-Listers must promenade back to fame, and Stacy will need to hustle to maintain her reputation, win the competition, and catch a killer.

Targets of Revengeby Jeffrey S. Stephens is a thriller novel. You can read my review. (This novel has a fair amount of bad language.)

Orders from his boss forbidding any action won't stop CIA Agent Jordan Sandor when he’s determined to assassinate Adina. He crash-lands in the Venezuelan jungle and infiltrates Adina’s camp. He discovers that the ruthless terrorist is smuggling a deadly substance into the United States that could cost tens of thousands of lives. Sandor follows his information to Egypt and then Moscow as he fights to prevent this disaster.

This contest is for USA residents only.

To enter the giveaway:

1) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. (I have comment moderation on to prevent spam comments, so don't worry if your entry comment doesn't appear immediately. It will soon.) Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement.

OR

2) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

This giveaway ends on May 7, 2013 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on May 8, 2013 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!

The blogs participating in the Spring Fling Giveaway Hop:

Targets of Revenge by Jeffrey S. Stephens

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Targets of Revenge
by Jeffrey S. Stephens

ISBN-13: 978-1451688726
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Gallery Books
Released: February 19, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Orders from his boss forbidding any action won't stop CIA Agent Jordan Sandor when he’s hungry for revenge. He’s determined to assassinate Adina, the man responsible for planning a terrorist attack on America that left several dead in the effort to stop it.

Asking his friends to help him carry out his forbidden operation, he crash-lands in the heart of the Venezuelan jungle and infiltrates Adina’s camp. He discovers that the ruthless terrorist is smuggling a deadly substance into the United States that could cost tens of thousands of lives. Sandor follows his information to Egypt and then Moscow as he fights to prevent this disaster.

My Review:
Targets of Revenge is a thriller novel. It was the third book in a series. I didn't need to read the previous books to follow this one, though I suspect I would have gotten more out of this book if I had. Also, much of the action in the previous books was spoiled in this one, so you may wish to read them in order.

The author did a good job of writing exciting, action-packed fights where it was easy to follow what was going on. Sandor was more a military rambo than sneaky spy. He got his information by holding a gun to people's heads. He was reckless, impulsive, and didn't follow orders (even those he gave) well. He always had to be in control of operations even if he technically shouldn't be giving orders or even involved. Even when Sandor acted as a spy, he didn't try hard to be believable so his enemies weren't fooled by his cover story. He always ended up having to fight his way out of danger.

I found that I didn't really care about the characters (except Romero, a minor character) because I knew nothing about them. Sandor's best friends existed merely to play backup to his plans. We're told nothing about Sandor's past or present beyond the current actions that he takes. We don't get inside his head to feel fear or anger--we can only tell his emotions by his words or actions (which never act afraid, so why should I be worried for him?). He seems to exist purely to run recklessly through the pages leaving dead behind him. He never paused to reflect, "Hey, there might be a better way to do things where fewer people end up dead."

There were no graphic sex scenes, but there was a little more description than kiss-and-fade-to-back in one case. There was a fair amount of explicit bad language, including in several languages beyond English. I'd recommend this novel to those who like independent, impulsive heroes who leave a high body count behind them, though I'd suggest starting at the beginning of this series.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Honey Thief by Afghani Najaf Mazari, Robert Hillman

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

The Honey Thief
by Najaf Mazari,
Robert Hillman

ISBN-13: 9780670026487
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Viking Adult
Released: April 18, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
This extraordinary book, derived from the long oral tradition of storytelling in Afghanistan, presents a mesmerizing portrait of a people who triumph with intelligence and humor over the oppression of political dictators and an unforgiving landscape. The Honey Thief reveals an Afghanistan of greater richness and humanity than is conveyed in newspaper headlines.

My Review:
The Honey Thief is a collection of folk lore stories. Some of these short stories are historical tales, others are more moral tales, but all are set in Afghanistan and come from the viewpoint of the Hazara--a minority tribe in Afghanistan. These stories give insight into the mindset and customs of these people along with a history lesson about what they've lived through. May of the stories have a rural setting and give insight into daily rural living throughout their history.

The storyteller, Najaf, understood that Westerners come from a different mindset and explained the differences with gentle humor. I found the tales interesting because they offered a look into a different culture. The recipes at the end are worth reading even if you don't cook. They give insight to the culture and some of the directions were quite funny as you'd never find them in American cookbooks: "...leave them alone for maybe half an hour. Read a book, a good one....a peaceful book" (from page 276).

There was no sex, bad language, or graphic gore. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book to those who like folk lore and are interested in other cultures.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

The Girl of Fire and Thorns
by Rae Carson

ISBN-13: 9780062026484
Hardcover: 423 pages
Publisher: Greenwillow
Released: September 20, 2011

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Once a century, one person is chosen by god to perform a great service for god. Elisa is the chosen one. She's also the younger of two princesses--the one who has never done anything remarkable, and she can't see how she ever will.

At sixteen, she's leaving behind all she's ever known. Her life is in danger because she bears the Godstone of the chosen one, so her father marries her to the king of a neighboring country. Her new husband has a mistress and refuses to tell his people that they're married. He's indecisive at a time when an army is massing along his borders. He and his people along the border need the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her the most, but can she survive long enough to fulfill prophecy? Some of the chosen die before they do, and almost all die young...

My Review:
The Girl of Fire and Thorns is a young adult fantasy novel. It's written in first person, present tense, and it's a quick read. It's the first book in a series, and this book did wrap up the main plot lines by the end.

In some ways, the story wasn't very realistic. For example, she only knows military strategy from books, yet seasoned warriors take her (good) advice on strategy. And no one told her that her life was in danger or why she was being married away as, apparently, they thought she'd be safer if she didn't know about it. Yet these aspects worked together to create an Elisa that had no confidence in herself since no one else did, yet she saw glimpses of what she could be when people obeyed her war orders.

Though considered "magic" related, the Godstone didn't actually do much beyond give her a small amount of protection against the enemy. (It does more in the second book.) Everyone in the world apparently worships the same god--called God, but it's a fantasy deity--yet they have different ideas about what this god's will is and how the chosen one is to be used. This is a source of much of the conflict in the story.

I liked that Elisa decided to stop "being useless" and do whatever she could to make a difference, even if it was something small. She learned a lot about being a leader. (Unfortunately, in the second book, she reverted back to being passive and useless again. *sigh*)

Elisa falls in love very easily with any guy that gives her kind attention, but the men that she likes don't tend to last long since she constantly went from one dangerous situation into another. The main reason I was interested in the next book was curiosity if her next love interest--one of the few really intriguing characters--manages to survive that book.

The book was exciting with suspense from relationship tensions, physical danger, and discovering more about the Godstone and the different people groups in this world. The characters and cultures were interesting and varied.

There was no sex. There was no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable fantasy novel

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:48:00 +0000

It's time to announce the winner of the Fool for Books Giveaway Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 29 entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:

Meghan
who won "Veiled Revenge" by Ellen Byerrum

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Death in the Stocks
by Georgette Heyer

ISBN-13: 9781402217975
Trade Paperback: 314 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Released: 1935; October 2009

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
In the dead of the night, a man in an evening dress is found murdered, locked in the stocks on the village green. Unfortunately for Superintendent Hannasyde, the deceased is Andrew Vereker, a man hated by nearly everyone. Even his eccentric family doesn't mourn his death. It will take all Hannasyde's skill at detection to determine who's telling the truth, and who is pointing him in the wrong direction.

My Review:
Death in the Stocks is a historical cozy mystery set in 1930's England. (It was written as a contemporary mystery.)

Though a detective is involved, we mostly followed the lives of the prime suspects--an eccentric family. They were odd and sometimes thoughtless about other people's feelings, but they weren't trying to be cruel. They treated the crime as an intellectual game and logically (as a group) tried to figure out how various people with motives--including each other--could have pulled it off. Their eccentric behavior regarding the crime was the basis for most of the funny scenes.

This was a clue-based puzzle mystery, and you could guess whodunit before the big reveal. I correctly guessed whodunit fairly early on, but it was mostly based on my knowledge of the author's writing style. I wasn't actually certain based on the clues until closer to the end. I enjoyed trying to decide if I really had the correct whodunit.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount of explicit bad language (mostly of the God-reference variety). Overall, I'd recommend this silly novel to fans of Heyer's mysteries.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 18:11:00 +0000

It's time to announce the winner of the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 39 entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:

@Cindi169 (Cynthia Clubbs)
who won "Town In A Pumpkin Bash" by B.B. Haywood

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

The Homicide Hustle by Ella Barrick

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

The Homicide Hustle
by Ella Barrick

ISBN-13: 9780451239747
Mass Market Paperback:
304 pages
Publisher: Obsidian Mystery
Released: April 2, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
The traveling TV dance show, Ballroom with the B-Listers, is coming to Washington, D.C., and ballroom dancer Stacy Graysin is first in line to participate. Not only will the publicity propel Graysin Motion, Stacy’s dance studio, into the limelight, but the prize money could help offset her looming debt. Plus, Stacy’s teen idol, heartthrob Zane Savage, specifically requested to be her partner.

But the whirlwind reality contest stumbles when the show’s coproducer, Tessa King, is found dead in the Potomac River. All the clues point to Tessa being murdered--and the suspects are the contestants and crew of B-Listers. Now Zane and the rest of the B-Listers must promenade back to fame, and Stacy will need to hustle to maintain her reputation, win the competition, and catch a killer.

My Review:
The Homicide Hustle is a cozy mystery. It's the third book in the series, but you don't need to read the previous books in order to understand this one.

The mystery was a clue-based puzzle and whodunit was guessable, but not quickly guessable. The details about the filming for the reality ballroom show were interesting and funny. The characters were varied and interesting. I liked the realistic, complex motives behind the various characters' actions--even for those with smaller parts.

Yet I didn't really like Tessa, though I didn't strongly dislike her, either. She sometimes put others in danger in her quest to solve the mystery, and she generally dismissed her illegal or thoughtless actions as acceptable because she was trying to solve the mystery. While I usually understood her motives for her actions, I didn't understand why she didn't trust a perfectly capable detective to make even obvious deductions about who to question. I saw no reason (in this book at least) as to why she couldn't trust him.

There were no sex scenes. There was a fair amount of explicit bad language.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Fool for Books Giveaway Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:46:00 +0000

As a part of the Fool for Books Giveaway Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following books:

Veiled Revenge by Ellen Byerrum is a cozy mystery novel. You can read my review. (If you don't, be advised that this novel contains some bad language.)

Washington, D.C., fashion reporter Lacey Smithsonian is trying to get her best friend, Stella, ready for her upcoming wedding. At Stella's bachelorette party, a friend and psychic, Marie Largesse, arrives with a stunning Russian shawl. A shawl, Marie warns, that is haunted and can curse those who mock it.

When a party crasher mocks the shawl and is found dead the next day, the other guests blame the shawl and fear a curse has been unleashed against the wedding. But Lacey suspects there's a human behind the murder, and she must employ her Extra-Fashionary Perception to capture the villain before Stella can heroically cancel her wedding to avoid the curse.

City of the Dead by T.L. Higley is a Christian historical suspense novel. You can read my review.

Up from the sands of Egypt rises the Great Pyramid, where Hemiunu, Pharaoh’s Grand Vizier, commands the historic building project as he orders his life—with justice, truth, and precision. But when a series of murders at the site threatens chaos, Hemi turns his attention to hunting down the killer.

Has someone decided to seek justice for or remove all remembrance of a past injustice that Hemi and his closest friends have been ordered to never discuss? The killer's targets are those who know that a past death was not an accident...

This contest is for USA residents only.

To enter the giveaway:

1) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. (I have comment moderation on to prevent spam comments, so don't worry if your entry comment doesn't appear immediately. It will soon.) Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement.

OR

2) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

This giveaway ends on April 7, 2013 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on April 8, 2013 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!

The blogs participating in the Fool for Books Giveaway Hop:

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

The Girl in the Gatehouse
by Julie Klassen

ISBN-13: 9781441214119
ebook: 400 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: January 1, 2011

Source: Free ebook (promotional, limited time offer).

Book Description from Goodreads:
Miss Mariah Aubrey, banished after a scandal, hides herself away in a long-abandoned gatehouse on the far edge of a distant relative's estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how--by writing novels in secret.

Captain Matthew Bryant, returning to England successful and wealthy after the Napoleonic wars, leases an impressive estate from a cash-poor nobleman, determined to show the society beauty who once rejected him what a colossal mistake she made. When he discovers an old gatehouse on the property, he is immediately intrigued by its striking young inhabitant. But falling in love with an outcast would ruin his well-laid plans.

My Review:
The Girl in the Gatehouse is a Christian historical romance set in 1813 in England. This novel was a Regency romance, but it came from a slightly different viewpoint than the usual respectable heroes and heroines. The manners and propriety were there, but there were also a few stolen, private kisses. And the heroine is a girl who was tempted and mislead into "giving in" to the man she thought intended to marry her. Now she's now having to deal with the resulting disgrace.

The characters were engaging, varied, and acted in realistic ways. I liked how the ex-naval officers got bored with living like gentlemen and wanted more action. The main suspense was from relationship tensions, uncovering various secrets, and wondering if Mariah's books would do well enough to pay the rent. The end got a little complicated with the number of secrets exposed and righted. But it's a happily-ever-after sort of story even if there were some sad parts for Mariah before getting there.

The Christian element was about forgiveness. Mariah felt unworthy of God (so she didn't go to church) and unworthy of being loved. Bryant was kind toward Mariah and wanted to somehow remove the scandal attached to her name, but when he realized he loved her and that her past would affect him personally, it was a little harder. It was a natural issue for them to struggle with.

There were no graphic sex scenes and no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:30:00 +0000

As a part of the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following books:

Moonlight Masquerade by Ruth Axtell is a Christian Regency romance novel. You can read my review.

Lady Celine Wexham is French by birth but enjoys life in 1813 as a widowed English countess. She is in the unique position of being able to spy for one of the French political groups.

Rees Phillips is asked by the Home Office to pose as the countess's butler and discover where her true loyalties lie. He's been promised a career promotion--perhaps attached to a diplomat as he always wished. The longer he observes her kindness toward all, no matter their social class, the more he hopes Lady Wexham isn't a spy. If she is, she's playing a dangerous game...

Town in a Pumpkin Bash by B.B. Haywood is a cozy mystery. You can read my review.

Preparations for the Pumpkin Bash, Cape Willington’s annual Halloween festival, are well underway. Candy Holliday is helping a friend run a pumpkin stand and a haunted hayride in the hopes of making some extra cash.

But when she discovers a real dead body near some fake tombstones on their hayride route, Candy uses her keen eye for detail to investigate. As her search leads her through old graveyards and a haunted house, Candy will discover that not all of the skeletons hidden in this small town’s closets are Halloween decorations…

This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.

To enter the giveaway:

1) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. (I have comment moderation on to prevent spam comments, so don't worry if your entry comment doesn't appear immediately. It will soon.) Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement.

OR

2) you can twitter me saying "Hi @GenreReviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

This giveaway ends on April 5, 2013 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on April 6, 2013 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!

The blogs participating in the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop:

Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Charity Girl
by Georgette Heyer

ISBN-13: 9780525079767
Hardcover: 253 pages
Publisher: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc.
Released: 1970

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Lord Desford's parents would like to see him married, but he rejected their choice of Miss Henrietta Silverdale many years ago. He is still close to Henrietta, though, since they were childhood playmates and the best of friends.

When Desford helps Charity Steane to travel to her grandfather after she runs away from her horrid aunt's house, he finds himself in a pickle: the grandfather has left London without telling anyone where he was headed. Desford leaves Charity with Henrietta and goes in search of her grandfather, but he's in for a series of surprises.

My Review:
Charity Girl is a historical romance novel set in England during the British Regency period (1811-1820). As usual for Heyer, the story was very funny. There was a nice level of historical detail woven into the story, and the characters were all enjoyable. It was clear which woman was best suited to Desford, and it was fun seeing how they would finally end up together. The only reason this book didn't quite rate among my very favorite Heyer's novels is that a few scenes ran on a little too long, in my opinion.

There was no sex. There was some explicit bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this humorous romance.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 16:19:00 +0000

It's time to announce the winner of the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 54 entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:

Darlene (darlenesbooknook)
who won "The Christie Curse"

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

The Runaway King
by Jennifer A. Nielsen

ISBN-13: 9780545284158
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Released: March 1, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, my take:
Just weeks after Jaron took the throne, a pirate assassin attacks him in his castle and delivers a message: the pirates demand that Jaron is given to them or they will join with Carthya's enemies. Yet no one else is willing to admit that war is coming even though it's so obvious to Jaron.

When another's political move threatens Jaron's tenuous authority, he decides that the only way to stop the threat is if he goes to confront the pirates by himself. But how can one boy manage to destroy the threat of the pirates, especially when a skilled swordsman--a friend-turned-enemy--is one of them?

My Review:
The Runaway King is a middle grade or young adult fantasy novel. It's the second book in the series, and I'd recommend reading the books in order. This book assumed the reader knew the full reasons behind the strong bonds of friendship between Jason and certain characters. If you read this book before The False Prince, you'll probably wonder why certain characters act the way they do.

As with the first book, the twists in this story won't surprise anyone who reads a lot of traditional fantasy. This book was more focused on the action and danger than on character development. The new characters were interesting and varied, but very few of the characters that I cared about from the first novel played much of a role in this one.

In the first book, Jaron didn't outright think about who really he was, but we got plenty of clues. He also was very clever about spotting intrigues that others didn't see. Yet, in this book, Jaron didn't seem to see an obvious plot going on under his nose. We're also not told Jaron's ultimate motives or intentions until nearly after the fact. He kept wondering how he would "destroy the pirates" when the solution was obvious to me and should have been to him, but he never thought, "I can't do plan A because..." So I was left feeling mildly frustrated with him. It turned out that he did have a good reason--two good reasons--why he didn't immediately do the "obvious solution" and he wasn't as clueless as he sometimes seemed. Yet I would have enjoyed the story more if I'd understood why he was acting in ways that didn't make sense to me.

Despite this frustration, I did enjoy the story and intend to read the final book in the trilogy. This book ended on a cliff-hanger, but part of the cliff-hanger seemed forced. Everyone knows Jaron has a weak spot, he knows that the border area isn't safe, so why...? The same result could have occurred without our clever main characters practically begging the bad guys to do it. Who knows? Maybe it'll turn out that they did do it on purpose.

There was a very minor amount of "he cursed" style of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this fantasy novel to those who liked the first book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:30:00 +0000

As a part of the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following books:

The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott is a cozy mystery novel. You can read my review. (If you don't, be advised that this novel contains some explicit bad language.)

Jordan Kelly is living in Harrison Falls, New York, with her not so law-abiding uncles. Enter the perfect job, a research position that includes room and board, which will allow her to spend her days hunting down rare mysteries for an avid book collector.

Jordan’s first assignment is to track down a rumored Agatha Christie play. It seems easy enough, but Jordan soon finds out that her predecessor was killed while looking for it, and there is still someone out there willing to murder to keep the play out of Vera’s hands.

Moonlight Masquerade by Ruth Axtell is a Christian Regency romance novel. You can read my review.

Lady Celine Wexham is French by birth but enjoys life in 1813 as a widowed English countess. She is in the unique position of being able to spy for one of the French political groups.

Rees Phillips is asked by the Home Office to pose as the countess's butler and discover where her true loyalties lie. He's been promised a career promotion--perhaps attached to a diplomat as he always wished. The longer he observes her kindness toward all, no matter their social class, the more he hopes Lady Wexham isn't a spy. If she is, she's playing a dangerous game...

This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.

To enter the giveaway:

1) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. (I have comment moderation on to prevent spam comments, so don't worry if your entry comment doesn't appear immediately. It will soon.) Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement.

OR

2) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

This giveaway ends on March 22, 2013 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on March 23, 2013 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!

The blogs participating in the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop:

Do we take reading for granted?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:56:00 +0000

As a book blogger, I take books and the ability to read for granted. Don't you? Yet according to GFA, "In India alone, there are an estimated 242 million women who are unable to read—that's about half the adult women in the country."

But also...

$1 allows one woman to learn to read, write and do basic math.

Just $1 can completely change an illiterate Asian woman's life. That cup of Starbuck's coffee or that Krispy Kreme doughnut might be wonderful for a few minutes, but it sure doesn't last long. How about joining me in sharing the gift of literacy with others?

Even just a $1 makes a huge difference. But I'm hoping that, together, we can share the joy of reading with 1,000 women. Go to myGFA to donate.

(For those who are curious, the GFA Women's Literacy Program provides these classes for free to any woman in their community, including women who are not Christians.)

The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:18:00 +0000

The Christie Curse
by Victoria Abbott

ISBN-13: 9780425255285
Mass Market Paperback:
304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Released: March 5, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
In 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared—making headlines across the world—only to show up eleven days later at a spa under an assumed name. During those eleven days, did she have time to write a play?

Jordan Kelly needs a new job and a new place to live. She’s back in Harrison Falls, New York, living with her not so law-abiding uncles, in debt thanks to a credit card–stealing ex and pending grad school loans.

Enter the perfect job, a research position that includes room and board, which will allow her to spend her days hunting down rare mysteries for an avid book collector. There’s just one problem: her employer, Vera Van Alst—the most hated citizen of Harrison Falls.

Jordan’s first assignment is to track down a rumored Agatha Christie play. It seems easy enough, but Jordan soon finds out that her predecessor was killed while looking for it, and there is still someone out there willing to murder to keep the play out of Vera’s hands. Jordan’s new job is good…but is it worth her life?

My Review:
The Christie Curse is a cozy mystery. It was a clue-based, puzzle mystery. There were so many people who acted suspiciously and such a muddle of clues that I never did settle on a suspected whodunit. Yet the whole mystery made sense when it was unraveled.

The heroine is a street-smart gal with family who is a bit shady, but she wants an honest job. She's savvy enough to realize that the play might be more fraud than fact, and she has the connections to check that out. She's one of the few cozy heroines that didn't surprise me when she decided to break into a house (though she did have permission...sort of).

I liked the humor of the situations she found herself in. I also liked that Jordan had a conscience and felt bad when she misjudged someone or she had to ask insensitive questions.

There was suspense from the physical danger and the relationship tensions of the job. And what cozy is complete without pets--in this case, cats and a dog wove their way through the story.

There was some explicit bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable, clever novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

A Fete Worse Than Death by Claudia Bishop

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

A Fete Worse Than Death
by Claudia Bishop

ISBN-13: 9780425262795
Mass Market Paperback:
304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Released: March 5, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Disaster strikes a mere week before the annual Spring Fete when the festival’s organizer, Adela Henry, is accused of stealing all of the festival money. She's forced to step down.

Sarah "Quill" Quilliam, who runs an inn at Hemlock Falls, is elected to the position, but she doesn't want it. She's agreed to be on too many festival committees already, and she hates dealing with all the quarreling.

The solution seems to be to hire a professional organizer, Linda Connally. But Connally’s body turns up in the trunk of a used car at Peterson’s Automotive, and her assistant turns up dead in the lake. The only hope for the festival is for Quill to clear Adela's name and track down the killer...

My Review:
A Fete Worse Than Death is a cozy mystery. This book is the eighteenth book in a series, but you don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one. Also, this book didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous mysteries.

While the story had many twists and turns, the mystery was surprisingly straightforward. It was a clue-based puzzle mystery, but which characters were "good guys" and which were "bad guys" was more the puzzle than figuring out whodunit. In the end, it wasn't even Quill who got proof so the police could arrest whodunit. The suspense was mainly based on what new disaster would strike next and how they'd deal with it.

The characters were interesting, and some readers may find them engaging or humorous. Perhaps if I had read the previous books in the series, the rivalries might have come across as humorous (as I think was intended). Instead, they seemed inconsequential to the mystery and thus slowed the pacing for me.

Anyway, in the first half of the story, Quill complained a lot about the various meetings she agreed to attend or organize or was attending meetings that were full of complaining and quarreling. There was more focus on the mystery in the second half.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount of explicit bad language. Overall, I'd recommend starting with the beginning of this series if it sounds interesting to you.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Moonlight Masquerade by Ruth Axtell

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 20:42:00 +0000

Moonlight Masquerade
by Ruth Axtell

ISBN-13: 9780800720896
Trade Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: March 1, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Lady Celine Wexham seems the model British subject. French by birth but enjoying life in 1813 as a widowed English countess, she is in the unique position of being able to spy for the notorious Napoleon Bonaparte...or other French political groups.

Rees Phillips of the British Foreign Office is asked by the Home Office to pose as the countess's butler and discover where her true loyalties lie. If he succeeds, he's been promised a career promotion--perhaps attached to a diplomat as he always wished. A better paying job would also mean he could afford to marry.

But the longer he observes her kindness toward all, no matter their social class, the more he hopes Lady Wexham isn't a spy. If she is, she's playing a dangerous game...

My Review:
Moonlight Masquerade is a Christian historical romance set mainly in 1813 in England. The political and everyday historical details (like manners and dress) were woven naturally into the action and brought the story vividly to life in my imagination. The suspense came mainly from the continual danger of the undercover activities.

The romance was a sweet one with two nice people who come to care about each other, only circumstances stand between them. I wasn't sure how believable I'd find the romance as I'd have a hard time accepting hard-core patriots for opposites sides genuinely falling in love (rather than lust). Luckily, the situation and motives were more complex than that, and I did find the romance believable. I was a bit astonished by how helpful certain people were at the very end, though.

Celine gave up on God when a prayer for protection for someone she loved was not fulfilled as she wished. Rees was a devoted, Bible-reading Christian. The Christian content flowed as a natural part of the characters' behavior and from their circumstances, though it wasn't a major focus of the story.

There was no bad language. The was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

So Shines the Night by Tracy Higley

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 17:49:00 +0000

So Shines the Night
by Tracy Higley

ISBN-13: 9781401686826
Trade Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: March 12, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher provided through BookSneeze.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Daria has come to beautiful Ephesus to serve as a tutor to Lucas, a wealthy merchant. But the darkness she fled has caught up with her.

The high priests of Artemis once controlled the city, but a group of sorcerers are gaining power. And a strange group who call themselves followers of The Way further threaten the equilibrium. As Daria investigates Lucas’s exploits into the darker side of the city, her life is endangered, and she takes refuge in the strange group of believers. She’s drawn to Paul and his friends, even as she wrestles with their teachings. When authorities imprison Lucas for a brutal crime, Daria wonders if even Paul’s God can save him.

My Review:
So Shines the Night is a Christian historical romance set in 57 AD in Rhodes and Ephesus. As usual, Higley expertly wove historical and setting details into the story so that I felt immersed in the story, like I'd been transported to Ephesus in 57 AD.

The romance was a sort of Gothic romance with two hurting people who were trying to fix tragic mistakes they made in their past marriages. But they find that they can't overcome the evil powers that are against them (demons). Yet Paul can cast out demons, so Daria becomes interested in his God. The story was full of action and high suspense as Daria and Lucas went from one dangerous situation into another, and nearly everyone seemed at odds with each other (except the Christians).

I really enjoyed the first two-thirds of the book, but I had two problems with the last third of the story: it departed from what is actually stated in Acts 19 (by adding significant events, people, and time gaps to the stated events) and her Paul was not the man I know.

The Paul that I know from Acts and his letters is a zealous man who thought he was righteously destroying blasphemers (Christians), but who realized Jesus really was divine when he encountered Him on the road to Damascus. After that, he was zealous for preaching this wonderful, good news--no matter the price--out of gratitude and joy.

The Paul of So Shines the Night says that he was angry that Christians taught that there was no need for sacrifices anymore and that they departed from the Law. Even after he realized that they taught the truth, he wanted them dead out of pride. Then he met Jesus, which somehow made him stop, but now he's a guilt-ridden man. He believes that the suffering he endures in preaching the gospel is God's rightful punishment for his past sins, and that all other Christians are innocents who only suffer as an overflow of God's punishment on him. The only thing Paul seems to learn in this story is that he can't protect others from getting hurt for being Christians, and he shouldn't be surprised by suffering that comes when sharing the gospel. It's like he doesn't understand forgiveness, grace, etc.

Paul gave a number of short sermons in the story, and I generally agreed with what he taught in them. Some were quotes from the Bible. However, I just couldn't get past the wrong theology that Paul preaches about his own situation including how God views sinners and who qualifies as a sinner. And I seem to have missed Daria's acceptance of Jesus (which is not the same as her rejection of the Greek gods). Not to mention that Paul could be a "fortune-teller" himself with how much knowledge God gave him about Daria's future over the course of the story.

Also, I was disturbed by how the baby's mother was killed at the end. The woman finally showed a glimmer of selflessness despite her terror, yet she's brutally killed to get her out of the way, and she probably died unsaved. That rather ruined the "happy ending" for me.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of "he cursed" style of bad language. Overall, I probably would recommend this novel because of its historical immersion aspect, but keep in mind that the ending might leave you disturbed instead of happy.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.