Review: The Whispering Sentinel by Ruth Kyser

Book Cover and Synopsis:

It's said ‘you can’t go home again’, but after a cancelled wedding and the death of her father, Sandy Martin makes the decision to do just that when she returns to her hometown of Bradford Mills. She buys her grandmother’s old house, and in the process of remodeling the house with an old friend, Tom Brannigan, Sandy discovers her house has a story to tell. While she continues an internal struggle to find the faith and relationship with God she'd had in the past, she begins a journey to find not only her history, but that of another.

My source for book: Personal Library

My Thoughts:

This is a cute story that turns into something more than you would initially expect. I always enjoy stories that involve remodels of old homes, but this one has an angle that's not often explored. I don't want to give too much away, but I think I can safely say that in the process of the remodel Sandy unearths the secret history of her old home, and it takes her on a journey she never could've imagined.

The storyline itself was good; definitely engaging enough to hold my attention and to make me curious to see how everything turned out. It was interesting to see the relationship develop between Sandy and her contractor, Tom, especially in light of their single failed date 8 years prior. I do admit that the writing style was a bit too wordy for my taste and some of the dialogue occasionally seemed a bit unnatural, but neither of these issues were enough to stop me from reading as I was quite curious to see how the story would unfold and ultimately end.

Overall I do feel the book would be stronger if it was tightened up and shortened a bit; it seemed slightly too long for the amount of story that was covered. But, if you're looking to relax with a novel that's not overly-fast-paced, this just might be the ticket you're looking for! I can easily see this being turned into a Hallmark-style movie... and you know what, sometimes that's just the type of story I'm in the mood for.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: A New Dance by Lucy McConnell

Book Cover and Synopsis:

For most people, letting go of a "what if" can be difficult - for Kiley Roberts it's almost impossible. As her final semester of college begins, a past relationship prevents her from fully opening her heart to Brandon, her almost fiance. When TJ unexpectedly drops back into her life as an assigned dance partner, Kiley's sure that it's a sign. Only she's not sure if it means she should put their past behind her or try for a future with the man with the broken heart.

My source for book: Personal Library

My Thoughts:
Though the synopsis for this one made me really curious, I have to admit that from the very beginning I had a hard time buying the intensity of Kiley and TJ's feelings for each other. To me it didn't seem very plausible that when they saw each other for the first time in five years, they both just wanted to touch and hold the other, despite the fact that things had previously ended badly for them. They are basically consumed with each other, and to me it was more of an obsessive type of feeling, rather than being romantic.

Though Kiley and TJ are both Christians, there are elements of the story that have a more secular vibe. The college setting gives the story a more worldly feel, with mentions of parties and drinking. Kiley and TJ don't participate in these things, however Kiley's roommate does, and she sometimes doesn't come home at night.

Something that bothered me about Kiley was how she knew her boyfriend, Brandon, didn't share her faith and convictions, but she continued in her relationship with him regardless. I never saw any kind of connection between them at all, so I couldn't see why she continued to stay with him, especially when he pushed for intimacy with her. She made some bad decisions that nearly crossed the line. Ultimately, in the end I was disappointed that Kiley didn't take initiative to improve her situation...it seemed to me that the only reason she got her happy ending was because of a somewhat nasty twist of fate that worked in her favor, rather than anything she actually did herself to improve her scenario.

Overall, the writing style and dialogue were decent, I think it was just the story and the characters that I couldn't click with. The cover with the dancers on it is what initially pulled me in, and I really did like the dancing element, though it wasn't as large of a part as I imagined it would be. I certainly won't shy away from the author's future work, but for me this story was just "OK."

My Rating: 3 stars

Review: Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.

After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.

As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.

My source for book: Review Copy

My Thoughts:
This novel has a very unique format as almost the entire book is made up of letters, but it's actually often easy to forget that fact... Samantha's letters are so detailed and lengthy that the book often just feels like a first-person perspective novel, rather than a series of letters. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the letter style, but I actually ended up really enjoying the uniqueness.

Even though Sam is in her early 20's, the overall story has a lovely coming of age feel. As Sam seeks and learns how to let down her carefully constructed emotional barriers, she learns about different aspects of life, all the while detailing her successes and failures in her letters. It's very enthralling, and even though some tough subjects are touched upon, the overall feeling is generally light with a hopeful outlook for the future.

I have to admit that I LOVED Alex, and the way Samantha met him was really fun. Even though he's a famous author, he is very down-to-earth, practically cringing at the attention his work brings him. He is somewhat mysterious and very intriguing, and I found myself eagerly anticipating each time Samantha would mention him in her letters.

There are many references to classic literature, most of which I'm ashamed to say I've never read. However, the unfamiliar references really didn't dull my enjoyment of the story; for the most part the references were either explained, or were self explanatory within the context. So if you're like me and haven't read many classic titles, don't let that stop you, it won't hinder the story. However, I do admit to having an urge to finally pick up Pride & Prejudice so I can see what all the fuss is about! :)

Ultimately, the bottom line is that I completely and 100% recommend this novel. Though it's Katherine Reay's debut novel, you certainly wouldn't know by reading it. I'll be keeping my eye on her, because I can hardly wait to see what she comes up with next. Without a doubt Dear Mr. Knightley is one of the best new books from 2013 that I've read.

My Rating: 5 stars!!!!

Thanks to the publisher (Thomas Nelson) for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.

Year End Book Challenge Update

I honestly can't believe 2013 is almost over.... it seems the older I get, the faster time flies...which is scarey, because I'm honestly really not that old! Eek! Anyway, I wanted to give a year end update on the 3 book challenges that I was involved in this year.

E-Book Challenge
hosted by Workaday Reads

My goal was the "DVD Level" of 25 e-books.

What I actually read: 45 e-books

 Mount TBR Reading Challenge
hosted by My Reader's Block

My goal was the "Pike's Peak" level of 12 books.

What I actually read: 12 books




 
Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
hosted by Historical Tapestry
 

My goal was the "Renaissance Reader" level of 10 books. 

 

What I actually read: 20 books

So, there you have my progress and year end totals. I'm happy with how it went, and though I won't be participating in 2014 due to time constraints, I'm still glad I took the challenges in 2013 and met/exceeded the goals I had set.

Some fun facts:
I read a total of 50 books in 2013. (Some qualified for multiple challenges, which is why the above numbers total more.)

I wrote a review for every single book I read. Granted, about 6 are still sitting in my blog draft area waiting to be published, but I still consider this to be quite a feat! :)

Thank you to my followers for sticking with me this year. I wish everyone a happy 2014, and please, if someone has the recipe to make time go a little slower, please let me know, ok? ;)

Happy 2014!

Review: A December Bride by Denise Hunter

Book Cover and Synopsis:

What started as a whim turned into an accidental - and very public - engagement. Can Layla and Seth keep up the facade in Chapel Springs this holiday season - for the sake of her career . . . and his heart?

Under normal circumstances, Seth Murphy, the best friend of Layla O'Reilly's ex-fiance would be the last person she'd marry. But the news of their upcoming (and phony) nuptials convinces a big client that Layla may be high-society enough to work for his agency, a coup that would put her fledgling home-staging business on the map. 

Seth has secretly loved Layla for years, even when she was dating his best friend. Maybe she'll never forgive him for the way he hurt her back then, but he has to try. And Layla is willing to keep up their engagement farce until she's landed her client. For Layla, it's the chance to save her career. But for Seth, it's his last chance to win her heart.

My source for book: Review Copy

My Thoughts:
I love a good "fake relationship" story, and when you throw in the Christmas season, this novella is a winner! The length is short enough to be considered a novella, yet it's long enough that it feels like a full story in the fact that the characters are fully developed and you get to know them well, which I find is rather rare in novellas.

Layla was certainly an interesting character and easy to like and sympathize with, but it was ultimately Seth that kept pulling me back to the story. His confidence and ease in the fake engagement was charming and amusing, especially compared to the anxiety and bouts of freaking out that Layla was prone to whenever they had to act like a "couple" in front of friends. Their bumpy past added a unique angle, causing Layla to refuse Seth's charm longer than most would...but this is certainly not a bad thing, as it added some pretty fun moments between the two.

I haven't previously read any of Denise Hunter's books, but this novella has sold me on her writing. (No doubt I'll soon be hunting down her previous works!) I really liked the atmosphere of the story; the development of the relationship between Layla and Seth has a very modern and "now" feel, but the Christian genre of the story keeps it clean. :)

If you're looking for a fun December read, this is certainly one that I'd recommend. It's short enough that it won't suck up a ton of your time during the busy holiday season, but yet it's long enough that you can really savor the story. It's a win from all angles!

My Rating: 4 stars

Thanks to the publisher (Zondervan) for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.