Review: Sketchy Behavior by Erynn Mangum

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Drawing conclusions or drafting disaster? 

Other than harboring a somewhat obsessive fondness for Crispix and completely swearing-off boys after a bad date (don't ask), sixteen-year-old Kate Carter is about as ordinary as they come, except for her two notable talents: art and sarcasm. 

After an introduction to forensic sketching in her elective art class, Kate discovers a third and most unexpected gift---criminal profiling. Her photo-quality sketch helps the police catch a wanted murderer and earns her celebrity status in South Woodhaven Falls. But when that murderer appears to be using his friends to exact revenge, Kate goes from local hero to possible target. Will she manage to survive? Will life ever be normal again? And will local news anchor Ted Deffle ever stop sending her flowers?

My Thoughts:
Sketchy Behavior covers more sober topics than Erynn Mangum's past novels have, but despite the serious situations the story is still infused with the traditional Erynn Mangum charm that I've come to love. Yes, the plot does revolve around various aspects of crime and the fear of criminals at large, but it's done in a rather lighthearted way so there's really no chance of being dragged down by the seriousness.... But there is a definite chance of being entertained!

Kate has a unique and humorous way of looking at things, and the first person writing puts you right inside her head, where you can see all of the amusing thoughts that run amuck in her mind. Unfortunately due to her circumstances she doesn't have many opportunities to actually say any of these thoughts out loud.... Still, some of her views are quite amusing, and several times I was helpless to keep the grin off my face!

There's one thing that struck me as rather odd, but I'm going to have to be fairly vague so as not to give spoilers. ;) Towards the end of the book there is a large twist involving one of the main characters, and the facts that are revealed struck me as quite out of character for this person. Yes, from a writing standpoint it was a great out-of-the-blue twist, but I was disappointed that there wasn't an explanation as to why this person did what they did, or what their motivation was. I wish one more chapter had been included to give a little more closure with this character's storyline, instead of leaving me hanging with a "what on earth!?" feeling.

While it's not my favorite of Erynn Mangum's works, I did enjoy the story overall. (Some of the scenes were so vivid that I began thinking this could make a really fun and amusing movie! Hint, hint, producers!!) Anyway, at this point I don't think there are plans for a sequel novel, but if there were, I would certainly pick it up so I could continue following Kate's adventures. She's got some extreme artistic talent that has the potential to put her in interesting situations, and I'd be quite curious to see what becomes of her as she graduates high school and starts off on her own.

My Rating: 4 stars

Review: A Lady of Secret Devotion by Tracie Peterson

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Eager to ease the financial burdens of her family, Cassandra Stover is thrilled when she is hired to be a companion to Mrs. Jameston, a wealthy society woman. Cassie finds herself living a life she'd never imagined-and growing close to the elderly woman who treats her like a daughter.

Her new position is tarnished only by Mrs. Jameston's son. As Sebastian's resentment and cruelty toward his mother mount, Cassie begins to harbor concerns for her employer's safety--and ultimately her own. When Sebastian is suspected of fraud, insurance investigator Mark Langford solicits Cassie's help to uncover the truth. But what begins as a game of pretense is quickly complicated by matters of the heart.

My Thoughts:
Novels that have the hero and heroine "dating" under false pretenses are fairly common, but this one stands out from the crowd for two reasons: It takes place in the 19th century (whereas most often times this plot plays out in modern novels), and the relationship pretense is actually part of an elaborate scheme to take down a criminal.

I quite enjoyed Cassie's character; her responses to the circumstances around her are genuine and realistic. It's interesting to see her reactions to suddenly being treated as a lady of means after gaining employment as the companion to a wealthy widow, having spent most of her life as the daughter of a laundress. Cassie feels that her new job is a blessing she never could have dreamed of, but she doesn't realize that her new position will entangle her in her employer's family drama in unimaginable ways.

Mark is also a very likeable character. As an insurance investigator his goal is to acquire information about his suspects, one of whom is the son of Cassie's employer. A chance meeting brings Mark and Cassie together, and Mark seizes the opportunity to gather information, enlisting Cassie's help in the matter. But as things progress, Mark starts to struggle with balancing his affection for Cassie, and the danger that his need for information puts her in. Likewise, Cassie struggles with her feelings for Mark, unsure if she should even admit to having feelings after having originally agreed to the "fake" courtship.

Just imagining being in Cassie's shoes, living under the same roof with such an evil-natured man (her employer's son) and being unable to talk of it with anyone except for a single outside contact...I simply don't think I could do it! But I'm certainly glad that Cassie was written as a strong enough character to be able to handle the situation, because I really enjoyed reading about it. This is one I can highly recommend!

My Rating: 5 stars

Review: A Lady of Hidden Intent by Tracie Peterson

Book Cover and Synopsis:

A life of privilege becomes only a distant memory when Catherine Newbury's father is falsely imprisoned and she is whisked away from her home in England to America. Forced to disguise her past and create a completely new life, Catherine takes on a servant's last name and carves out a tenuous future for herself as a seamstress. Soon her dress designs are sought throughout Philadelphia.

When the dashing Carter Danby accompanies his mother and sister for a design consultation, Catherine suddenly encounters her past face-to-face. Is Carter's avid interest in her genuine...or does he, as she suspects, recognize her as the young lady he met while touring England? She cannot deny the attraction, but admitting her true identity may jeopardize her father's only hope for freedom. Will Catherine be forced to sacrifice her dreams of love?

My Thoughts:
I didn't really know what to expect from this book, not having read the synopsis beforehand. I simply jumped in and started reading because it was second in the series... but I was pleasantly surprised to find myself immediately sucked into the events of the story!

Catherine's story is one of riches to rags; her whole world is changed when her wealthy father is falsely accused of criminal activity, leaving her no choice but to flee the country and change her name for fear of being discovered, innocent though she is. This type of scenario generally dictates the heroine will end up working as a servant or housemaid, so I found it refreshing that Catherine ended up as a seamstress instead. And not just any seamstress, but an accomplished one, so much so that she actually gained notoriety and fame under her assumed name. She is a likable character, and though her world has been forever changed and she is often over-worked, she manages to keep a mostly hopeful outlook on life as she dreams of the day when her father's name might be cleared and she can be reunited with him.

While I liked Catherine, I have to admit that I *loved* Carter! He is just an absolute doll. I loved how even though Catherine acted standoff-ish towards him, he still continued to pursue her, even being quite persistent at times! He orchestrated clever ways to spend time with her, which was quite a feat considering they live in completely different social classes. When Catherine was vague in her conversation, Carter didn't let it deter him, often giving her a playful or flirtatious remark in response. This could make him sound like a cad, but that's far from the truth; he never acted inappropriately, he was just very honest about his intentions towards her. Sadly, Carter's family was a total mess, behaving in unlawful and immoral ways, but it was really cool to see how he strived to live a godly life even while still living under his parents' roof. He is just a gem of a character, and if I could rip him out of the pages into reality, I think I just might do so! 

If there's one thing I wasn't crazy about, I'd have to say it was the character of Lydia. I was annoyed by the fact that she couldn't be content with the good situation she had; she insisted on letting her jealousy of Catherine's talents get the better of her, causing trouble for everyone in the process. Of course all stories do need an antagonist to stir up conflict, and Lydia obviously fit the role well. All things considered, she was really no more than a minor annoyance, but I just thought I'd include her to round out my review, instead of it being a total gush-fest for the story. :)

This is the second book in the Ladies of Liberty series, but it could easily act as a standalone; there is nothing that ties this book to the previous one aside from a short appearance by a minor character from the first book. I highly highly recommend this novel, especially if you are a fan of historicals. It's quite enjoyable, and one of the best historicals I've read in quite a while.

My Rating: 5 stars

Review: A Lady of High Regard by Tracie Peterson

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Born into affluence, Mia Stanley is a winsome socialite with a knack for matchmaking. She's also a writer for Godey's Lady's Book magazine, much to the disdain of her family--and their society friends. A proper young lady of her social standing isn't meant to labor in such a way, but Mia has always had a way with words...

When her writing draws her into the world of downtrodden seamen's wives on Philadelphia's docks, Mia uncovers a scheme that puts her in harm's way. But her heart ends up on the line as well.... Has her determination to always make a match driven away the one man whose esteem she covets?

My Thoughts:
This novel gives an interesting glimpse into the different opinions held by 19th century society for working women, at a time when most people weren't sure if they should applaud or shun the idea.

I do have to admit that it took a few chapters for me to get used to the style of dialogue that is used. I don't know if this is actually how people in the 19th century talked or not, but it's quite formal compared to what our modern conversations generally are. However, after a few chapters I found I had adjusted well enough to focus more on the story than on the somewhat stiff way people go about conversing.

Mia has a heart for the needy, and her position as a writer for a popular magazine gives her ample information and opportunity to help those who are less fortunate. Mia is bold and crafty in her efforts to help the poor, particularly the seaman's wives, who suffer many injustices while society turns a blind eye. Though her intents are noble, Mia's actions often end up putting her in harm's way, and I couldn't help but think she was rather foolhardy in her disregard for safety. The issue of the seaman's wives, though terribly sad, unfortunately did get a bit old for me after while. It seemed that the same things just kept getting rehashed, particularly whenever Mia would explain the situation to a new person.

Garrett and Mia have been life-long neighbors and best friends, but fairly early in the story they both start to notice a shift in their feelings towards the other. This was fun to watch, but I quickly wished they would just get on with it and admit their feelings for each other. Granted, it wasn't for lack of trying; whenever one or the other would start to approach the subject of their feelings, they would always get interrupted and be unable to continue. It would be okay if it was just once, maybe twice, but ultimately it ended up growing rather tiresome as it continued to happen time and time again.

Overall I would say this book is "okay"....while it did have some things that I liked, many of the major plot points just didn't interest me very much. I think if the story had been tightened up and shortened a bit, some of the redundancy could have been trimmed out and the story would be stronger as a whole. However, I did quite enjoy the other two books in the series, so ultimately I think this might just be one of those times when this particular book and I simply didn't click as well as I would've liked.

My Rating: 3 stars

Review: Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Life in Sweden seems like an endless winter for three sisters after their mother's death and father's suicide. Elin feels the weight of responsibility for her sisters' welfare, and when circumstances become unbearable, she writes to her relatives in Chicago, pleading for help.

Joining sixteen million other immigrants who left their homelands for America between 1890 and 1920, Elin, Kirsten, and Sofia begin the long, difficult journey. Enduring the ocean voyage in steerage and detention on Ellis Island, their story is America's story. And in a journey fraught with hardships, each woman will come to understand her secret longings and the meaning of home.

My Thoughts:
I'm so glad I picked this one up; going in I had no idea how much I would enjoy it. The three sisters (Elin, Kirsten, and Sofia) are very close and have a deep love for one another, yet each one holds secrets they're afraid or too ashamed to share. These secrets ultimately lead them to leave their homeland behind in search of a new life in America. 

The point of view continually changes, going back and forth between the sisters. While all three sisters have a unique role and different ways of looking at things, Sophia is the one that stands out in my mind. Initially she greatly aggravated me with her pessimistic attitude, but once the sisters reached Ellis Island I was delighted to see an extreme change in Sophia's behavior, to the point that I found myself anticipating the chapters told from her perspective. She turned out to have a very good head on her shoulders, and the romance between her and the German immigrant she meets is simply beautiful. I never would've thought I'd enjoy a romance between two people who can't speak the same language, but I think it's actually one of the best I've ever read. It's very touching, and the way they used their Bibles to communicate was just *awesome*, there's no other word to describe it.

As I read, I felt as if I was going through the immigration process right along with the sisters. If I didn't know better, I'd think the author had actually gone through the process herself to be able to convey such details and vivid imagery. Something that really struck me was the hope all of the immigrants had for their futures in America, they looked upon our nation with such awe, so full of optimistic expectations. It's simply amazing to realize the depth of emotion, the hope these people had for their new lives in our country, and the hardships they endured just to get here.

Most of what I've mentioned happens in the first third of the book, as I don't want to give spoilers for the later parts of the story. Suffice it to say that the three sisters go through unexpected ups and downs, but as they learn to trust God in both the good times and bad, they find freedom from the haunting secrets in their past. The story tackles some tough subjects, but it's handled very well, leaving you with an impression of the difficult scenarios without giving too many details. This story of the three sisters' journey and search for a new beginning in life is truly amazing....I very much enjoyed it. Highly, highly recommended!

My Rating: 5 stars