Ohh! I hadn't realized this book was up on here yet. :) I'll have to review it before long. It's a great book and I really liked it!Ohh! I hadn't realized this book was up on here yet. :) I'll have to review it before long. It's a great book and I really liked it!...more
This book is so stinkin' cute! Guys, at the beginning of each chapter there's a little snippet of another story and as the book progresses you get to This book is so stinkin' cute! Guys, at the beginning of each chapter there's a little snippet of another story and as the book progresses you get to see how those two stories intertwine. It's such a cool idea and totally made the book so much better. Also. People. At the beginning of each chapter they have the last line in the chapter. I don't know how to explain it better than that, but it was pretty much my favorite thing about the book and was SO COOL.
The story itself was cute and made me smile a lot. I've read books with characters like this that are set in the 1800s and they always annoyed me SO MUCH. You know the older ladies with crazy antics that so don't fit the time period? Well, apparently I do like those kinds of characters in contemporary books. Who would have known?
Most of the story was lighthearted and amusing, but it did touch on some deeper subjects and did a good job of balancing the two. And the characters were rather adorable. ...more
This is one of those books that is an anomaly to me because I didn't particularly like the storyline or the characters, and the beginning was slow andThis is one of those books that is an anomaly to me because I didn't particularly like the storyline or the characters, and the beginning was slow and I had to force myself to keep going. Yet by the end? I didn't want to put the book down and I ordered the next book in the series the next day.
That is because I find the setting and time period to be truly compelling and very well written. When I read the first book in the series (where I really did like the characters and plot), I also had the same feelings toward the setting and time period and hurried out to the library where I loaded up on nonfiction books so I could study it more.
The author does a great job of bringing that world to life and making me realize how much I don't know and how much I want to know. It's a talent that I highly applaud.
One last note: The ending was pretty bad. I wish that it had just been from one perspective, because it was from two perspectives, and one of them was a wee bit gruesome. ...more
The story itself was totally amazing - like it kept me up reading until it was finished. It was sweet and probably contains my favorite trope. The reaThe story itself was totally amazing - like it kept me up reading until it was finished. It was sweet and probably contains my favorite trope. The reason I gave it just three stars is because it has some content that I didn't like, (such as a rumor about an old palace being haunted etc...), but overall those things were brief. I would like to read more books by the same author in the future. ...more
This book was pretty much perfect. I hardly ever am happy with endings of books, and endings of trilogies are even harder to impress me, but this one?This book was pretty much perfect. I hardly ever am happy with endings of books, and endings of trilogies are even harder to impress me, but this one? Yo, folks. I pretty much want to read the first book again right now. So amazing. I've been recommending the series to all my friends. ...more
I read this book months ago and kinda forgot about it then. I know that although I enjoyed parts of it, there was a big "gap" in the story for me. SomI read this book months ago and kinda forgot about it then. I know that although I enjoyed parts of it, there was a big "gap" in the story for me. Something that was foreshadowed over and over and over again wasn't actually a thing. That kinda ruined the book for me, but I am still thinking of possibly reading the first book in the series some day. ...more
This book is not the kind I generally ever read, but I enjoyed it so much I read it twice. It deals with some pretty serious stuff and does a good jobThis book is not the kind I generally ever read, but I enjoyed it so much I read it twice. It deals with some pretty serious stuff and does a good job of it. The one slight problem I have is that the romance is weird to me. Like, it just felt off. I can't go into more without spoilers, but there was nothing wrong with it, I just didn't like it. Overall though, I really like this book and will probably read it again in a few years. ...more
After I started reading this book I realized I'd read it before. I couldn't remember much of what happened, and it kept my interest all of the way thrAfter I started reading this book I realized I'd read it before. I couldn't remember much of what happened, and it kept my interest all of the way through. The ending was a bit jumbled though, and that kind of messed up the desire I had to keep reading the series. ...more
I just thought y'all should get that public service announcement. And (Skip down to read my official review)
Y'all! MISS STEPHANIE'S BOOK IS AMAZING!
I just thought y'all should get that public service announcement. And you should probably go pre-order it, too. I pre-ordered it. And then I was blown away by also being chosen to review an ARC copy.
This book, folks, tells a much-needed story and one pretty much everyone should be familiar with. So, you should probably just add it to your "Highly Anticipated for 2019" list and then block off a few days to read it when it comes out.
It's amazing. And drags you straight into the fray of what was going on kinda "behind the scenes" in America during WW2. And also has fantastic writing. I'll post a full review eventually.
* * * *
Within These Lines is about Evalina, an Italian-American, and Taichi, the son of Japanese immigrants. Life as they know it is disrupted when America enters WW2 and anti-Japanese feelings sweep across the country. Taichi and his family are forced to move to a Japanese-American internment camp where life is anything but a bed of roses. (Okay, maybe it’s a bed of roses, just the thorns part.)
This book is fantastically well-researched and superbly written as the author tackles the often untalked about subject of what America did with Japanese during the war. I remember the first time I was introduced to the subject of American internment camps I was horrified. This book does an amazing job of making the camps and situation come to life and wraps you up in the story until you feel like you’re right there in the drafty, crowded shacks with Taichi. Although it’s a very sad and unfair part of our country’s history, I think it’s important that we don’t bury and forget it, because history has a tendency to repeat itself.
This book is real and gritty and sad without being hopeless – the author somehow hit a great balance with making the book exceedingly real while still being interesting and giving the readers the hope that better things are in store.
The characters are well-crafted and even though I didn’t like the way the handled certain things, they stayed very consistent to their character/personality. It was interesting to see how different cultures handled the various issues and troubles they faced. The author did an amazing job at creating a truly American/Japanese character in Taichi, vs. simply slapping a Japanese name onto an American character. ...more
The plot twists were what kept me reading - seriously, I had no clue what to expect moment to moment. It never hapWhat do I even say about this book?
The plot twists were what kept me reading - seriously, I had no clue what to expect moment to moment. It never happened like I thought it would. (Well, hardly ever, anyway.)
But then the narrative itself? Guys, it skipped. We'd see one scene here, and then next thing we heard it would be eight months later and we'd have a paragraph of dialog where we'd catch up on what was going on. That, my friends, is what creates a low rating for me. I'm sure there are some people who delight in that kind of storytelling, but my brain couldn't handle it. ...more
This book! The title makes so much sense when you get into the story - very fitting. It's split time period and so, therefore, I wasn't sure if I was This book! The title makes so much sense when you get into the story - very fitting. It's split time period and so, therefore, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, because sometimes that ruins the book for me, but this time? It was written so, so well! I can't tell you how much I liked this book. It was sad, so sad, but not in a depressing type of way.
There was never a time that was easy to put the book down. I wanted to keep reading, reading, reading and figure out what would happen next. The plot twists blew me away, and "meeting" someone who I've read a ton about in nonfiction books was a total winner.
The author did a fantastic job of world building. In fact, she did such a good job that I found myself feeling weary just like the people in the book.The author did a fantastic job of world building. In fact, she did such a good job that I found myself feeling weary just like the people in the book. That's probably the reason I didn't continue on with the series (not that I won't maybe one day). The book isn't boring - not by any means. It's just tiring to read because the life they have to live in Africa is so hard.
There's a lot of stuff going on in this book about the mines and who inherits what and marriages of convenience and selfish humans and all that. It's really well written and I learned a lot about the world at that time. ...more
This book was really intriguing! It was not at all what I expected (I went into it blind and am thankful for that because I probably wouldn't have reaThis book was really intriguing! It was not at all what I expected (I went into it blind and am thankful for that because I probably wouldn't have read it if I had read the back cover first) - it was probably better.
The one thing that takes this book down to three stars (because I really wanted to give it four) was that there were a whole bunch of names in the book. Names all over the place that made it really confusing to read and made me always wondering what exactly was happening and if all these people we were hearing about were actually important to the story. I'm still not sure if they were all important because it was hard to follow. Other than that? YES! This book was a winner. ...more
World War Two, Spies, and a bunch of cool history and mystery and excitement all rolled into one. I finished this book really fast and wanted to read World War Two, Spies, and a bunch of cool history and mystery and excitement all rolled into one. I finished this book really fast and wanted to read the next one as soon as possible. Four solid stars!...more
I got this book for review and it took me a long time to read it because I had to read the first book over again. But I read it and I liked it and I'lI got this book for review and it took me a long time to read it because I had to read the first book over again. But I read it and I liked it and I'll review it soon! ...more
I can't imagine ever not wanting to read Miss Connilyn's books. Seriously. Her worldbuilding is so utterly fantastic it makes Why I Choose This Book:
I can't imagine ever not wanting to read Miss Connilyn's books. Seriously. Her worldbuilding is so utterly fantastic it makes the world dance into my brain and captivate me. Her characters are complete and real. Her plots nearly always have twists I hadn't expected. Her writing is lyrical and magical, weaving the story in a way that makes me long to always have a supply of her new books on hand.
What I Thought of This Book:
Growing up with the Bible I obviously knew what the Cities of Refuge were. But did I ever think about them? Sit down and ponder them? Research them? No. Somehow that crazy bit of history just flew past my brain and never captivated my imagination until I began this series by Miss Connilyn.
Like with the rest of her books Miss Connilyn took an account from the Bible, researched it, imagined it, wrote about it, and brought it totally to life in the pages of her book. Now when I read the Old Testament I feel more depth - the people feel more alive to me and in a way I can almost relate to them better. This, my friends, is what good Biblical fiction does. It doesn't disagree with the Bible, instead, it just adds details that could have happened, and with those details the world from that era bursts into colors and sights and sounds and smells. It's rather glorious.
Technically this book can be read as a standalone. It gives enough information from the previous book that you can gather what's going on. But really, I really recommend reading A Light On The Hill first, because after reading this book you'll want to read that book, and this book kinda spoils the first one.
As for the plot itself, this was the first time when I really felt like I could guess what was going to happen and for the most part, I was right. With Miss Connilyn's books, there are generally fairly big plot twists for me, but this time that didn't happen. I'm not sure if it's because the plot twists were less hidden or because I'm used to her writing style by now, but in any case, not being surprised really didn't take away from the book so that's cool.
The characters didn't resonate with me this time like they sometimes do, but I still liked them and enjoyed learning along with them. My favorite part was getting to see everything from Sofea's perspective. Her thoughts and the way she described the world around her made me want to hug the book and read it over and over again. It was nothing short of lyrical and whimsical. So well done.
Conclusion:
There's some violence in the book although it doesn't go into extreme detail. There's mention of evil pagan practices, a destroyed village, people wanting to get revenge, and then some deaths that go along with living in a City of Refuge. I thought that it was written in a mild enough manner that it's suitable for ages 15+ (although I guess that depends a lot on the person).
As for romance there was kissing much earlier in the book than I was expecting, but overall it wasn't bad and I don't recall having to skim-read much like I generally do when books get overly romantic. ;)
Rating:
I'm giving Shelter of the Most High 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who likes Biblical fiction or wants to give the genre a try.
I'm so thankful for Miss Connilyn for giving me a book in exchange for reviewing it. She rocks, y'all. ...more
I was in the mood to read something that was incredibly goofy and would make me roll my eyes more times than a Hallmark movie. This book was just the I was in the mood to read something that was incredibly goofy and would make me roll my eyes more times than a Hallmark movie. This book was just the ticket. Light-hearted, funny, goofy beyond belief, and just enough real stuff thrown in to keep me reading.
Don't let me do the author a disservice by making you not want to read this book from my review. I know there are plenty of people who really like this kind of book and I'm generally not one of them, so totally not the target audience. If you like really light-hearted books with really unrealistic plotlines (and I say that with all respect) then you should totally check it out. ...more
Yo. Folks. This book was interesting and I liked the plot and the mystery kept me reading. But I really don't like it when a character is being manipuYo. Folks. This book was interesting and I liked the plot and the mystery kept me reading. But I really don't like it when a character is being manipulated. And yeah, it wasn't horrible, but it kept me from really enjoying the book a lot because I wanted to yell at her and be like "Don't you see what's going on!?!?" And she did, to a point, but it still bothered me.
Still, this book was a nice second book in the series. ...more
**spoiler alert** CAN I JUST GET A YES AND AMEN?!?
Folks. This book made me want to dance and sing and give the author a high five. Because guess what**spoiler alert** CAN I JUST GET A YES AND AMEN?!?
Folks. This book made me want to dance and sing and give the author a high five. Because guess what? The main character wasn't beautiful. And do you know what? There was a male character who was actually smart enough to like her anyway. Say what?!? What in the world is going on with the world of fiction? Teaching girls that they can have a guy like them even if they aren't the best looking girl on the block? Goodness. Authors these days, what are they even thinking? ;)
And, one of the best parts about the book was the guy actually had a hard time realizing what was going on because he did like a girl because of how she looked but then realized she was a spoiled brat.
Overall I liked the book for other reasons too: The plot was interesting, the characters diverse, the writing lovely... All in all it was really just a fantastic book and I can NOT wait to read more from the author. =) (And I never put smiley faces on my reviews. This book was pretty much just the best.) ...more
**spoiler alert** I would say my whole review might have spoilers in it, but then again, the back cover pretty much tells the entire story itself, so.**spoiler alert** I would say my whole review might have spoilers in it, but then again, the back cover pretty much tells the entire story itself, so....
I read this book without reading the back cover, and then afterward went back and read the back cover and had to laugh because pretty much the entire story (except for a little twist at the end) is told to everyone - right up front. #HelpUsAll It made me really thankful I hadn't spoiled the book for myself by reading the back cover.
I enjoyed the characters and I could see why they did what they did, but I was also fairly bothered by how many people in the story fell in love with someone when they were engaged to someone else. I mean, I know they married for convenience back then, but really? It made me feel like engagements were quite cheap and that was sad.
This book wasn't one of my favorites, although besides what's mentioned above I didn't have many issues with it. ...more
Who would have thought I'd like this book so much? Certainly not me. I would have never read it if I would have read the back cover first. But I went Who would have thought I'd like this book so much? Certainly not me. I would have never read it if I would have read the back cover first. But I went into the book "blind" and as it turns out that's a really good thing because I liked this book a lot.
I wouldn't read this genre very often (maybe once a year?), but for the once a year jaunt into this type of book, I'm glad this is the story that caught my attention. It was exciting, compelling, interesting, and made me want to figure out what in the world was going to happen next. This probably sounds strange, but the book didn't feel creepy at all to me. If it would have I would have stopped because I really don't like creepy books. But, just so others know, it probably would be considered creepy by some people. ...more
I want to give this book Four Stars so, so badly. And who knows, someday I might change my rating.
This book needs a more in-depth review than I can wI want to give this book Four Stars so, so badly. And who knows, someday I might change my rating.
This book needs a more in-depth review than I can write tonight. Just let me say this: It was amazing. Mind-blowing. Gripping. I can't get it out of my mind. It was more than I could have dreamed of, and totally blew every thought that I could have possibly had about the book far, far away.
Why I gave it two stars? Well, it has self-harm in the book and while I think that's something we need to deal with in stories, I'm not sure what the balance is to do it and I'm afraid that if it isn't done correctly then it would look like self-harm is a good way to escape.
But more about this book later when I can actually process it better. ...more
Y'all. I'm so stinkin' unhappy with June in this book! I'm not going to talk about what I didn't like because of spoilers, but I really was sad about Y'all. I'm so stinkin' unhappy with June in this book! I'm not going to talk about what I didn't like because of spoilers, but I really was sad about how everything happened and so, therefore, won't be continuing along with the 4th book.
I knew that it would be really, really hard for the author to come to a conclusion to the love triangle that would keep me happy, and although she did a fairly good job with it there were enough things that I really didn't like that I'm choosing to end the series here for me. ...more
Again, this book was fun and interesting and I felt very invested in the character's lives by the time I was done with it. There were a few things thaAgain, this book was fun and interesting and I felt very invested in the character's lives by the time I was done with it. There were a few things that really surprised me and made me wonder how in the world the author was going to make everything turn out right.
Once again there were a few things I didn't like, but overall the book kept me reading far into the night and made me want to keep going and "living" with these characters. And once again, it was very interesting to find out more about what it's like to be a Mormon. ...more
This book sounded interesting all the way around when I started it - one of the main drawing cards being that the book is written from the perspectiveThis book sounded interesting all the way around when I started it - one of the main drawing cards being that the book is written from the perspective of a Mormon and I wanted to find out more about their worldview.
Although I disagree with a fair amount of things in this book, it was really interesting and made me want to keep reading the series. There were a few things that keep me from recommending the book, but I still really liked it. (Enough that I bought the second book as soon as I finished this first one.)...more
One thing I like about being an artist is reading about other artists. In this book, Abby (the main character) is a painter and trying to help her paiOne thing I like about being an artist is reading about other artists. In this book, Abby (the main character) is a painter and trying to help her paintings come more to life by experiencing more emotions, etc.... I could feel her frustration throughout the book and it was cool to see how she was growing and she learned and stepped outside of her comfort zone.
Miss Kasey's books are always a treat to read - they whisk me away from the busyness of the world I live in and help me find a few hours of rejuvenation through the pages of a fantastic book. ...more
I've discovered Miss Roseanna's books are one of two extremes, either I totally-adore or DNF them. Her writing is amazing and always draws me in, yet I've discovered Miss Roseanna's books are one of two extremes, either I totally-adore or DNF them. Her writing is amazing and always draws me in, yet a bunch of her books have content I'm not comfortable with (mostly in the romance department) and so I don't get far into them. But this book? It was a gem. It kept me reading and totally hooked.
There was a part of the plot about a curse, and I try and be really careful with what I read regarding those lines because I believe the supernatural world is very real and that we need to be careful not to flippantly talk about it. Miss Roseanna portrayed the curse in such a light though that I thought was God-honoring. (All that being said, I will say I didn't read the second book in the series because I thought it talked about the curse too much.)
The mystery of this book grabbed me in, and even though I read it months ago and have read dozens and dozens of books since, I can still see the story playing out in my mind when I think of the book. That's a big plus. :)...more
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