House of Fire (Unraveled #2) by Raen Smith

 

Summary:

 

Five months after Evie Parker’s disappearance, Delaney Jones is dangerously close to leading a normal life with a cancer-free mother, a successful career, and a gorgeous, loving boyfriend. But there’s one hitch: she breathes, sleeps, and eats under the watchful eyes of Holston Parker, a villainous billionaire.

The spring semester at Leighton University has ended, and Delaney is determined to rid Holston from her life – for good. As she digs deeper to uncover his secrets, she finds a tangled web of police corruption and mysterious disappearances. And when the grand opening of Parker Tower brings her mother face-to-face with Holston Parker, her family’s buried past threatens to emerge. Just as Delaney thinks she’s on her own, Evie returns to finish what she started. But time is running out as Holston is about to make his final move, stopping at nothing to get what he wants.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 288 pages (Kindle)
Source: Review Copy
Available Formats: Print/E-book
Publication Date: August 11th 2013

I actually read the House of Fire and it's preceding novel House of Steel back to back so forgive me if I'm a little vague on the details here. Since I read them so close together I am having a hard time separating the two because the author Raen Smith wrote them in such a way that I thought the transition between the two was wonderful.

This novel again has Delaney the heroine from the first novel House of Steel to the front of a suspense filled sequel. Just like in the first novel Delaney is trying to uncover secrets that people are determined to keep hidden.

In this novel I felt that we were able to get to know Delaney more. I thought that I had her all figured out when I finished the first book but boy was I ever wrong because her family has a plethora of secrets that are demanding to be unleashed and I don't know about you but I love a novel where family secrets are a key plot point. I also enjoyed the fact that we were able to get to know a couple of the characters from the first novel that were more secondary then a little more.

Just as the first one was this one had me on the edge of my seat when I read it. I don't read suspense novels all that often even though I love them I just tend to space them apart a little more but with this one I had to read it right after I finished the first because I just couldn't wait to find out what Raen had in store for her heroine Delaney. This one was filled with even more plot twists, drama and intrigue than the first one.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this second installment to Raen Smith's Unraveled series and I can't wait to finally get to the third novel in the series to see what else the author has in store for me. I was so glad when I began reading this one to find that it actually lived up to the first novel in the series so well.

Just like the first novel in the series I would recommend this novel to people who have read the first book as well as to fans of thrillers and suspense novels that are really dark and dramatic and reads that will keep you glued to the pages of the story, desperate to keep reading to see what's going to happen next.
 

 *I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

 

Loved It!
★★★★★

 

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House of Steel (Unraveled #1) by Raen Smith

 

Summary:

 

Life has a way of coming undone. One single moment can set the undoing in motion, unraveling our neat, tiny stitch of life. For young art professor Delaney Jones, the treacherous spiral begins when she makes one unforgivable mistake - she sleeps with her student. Her silent Wisconsin winter turns deadly after she witnesses the brutal murder of a man she had fought hard to forget. As Delaney battles to deal with the undoing of her tight-stitched life, the small liberal arts university is devastated by the discovery of a bloody crime scene on campus. A mysterious text entangles her in the violent scandal, and Delaney must follow the rules of the anonymous messenger to stop the perpetuating descent toward death. But the line between good and evil is blurry. And maybe, just maybe, there is no line at all.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 324 pages (Papaerback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: June 23rd 2013 by Raen Smith Publishing

 

When I was first approached to review this novel for the author I knew it was going to be a book I really enjoyed and I was 100% correct. House of Steel was one of those books that just blew me away with the writing and since I loved it so much I am going to be intentionally vague and avoid any spoilers in my review.

 

House of Steel is a wonderful thriller, and I'm glad to see a woman writing in a genre that while it has some great stand out female authors it is still dominated by men. Raen Smith is a prime example of how well female authors can pen excellent, heart pounding gorey thrillers.

 

Anyway, when I read the novel it had been ages since I read a thriller so when I picked this one (and the one that follows it) up to read I was jonesing for a read that would have me on the edge of my seat and this one totally did. I loved how the author was able to weave so many different things into the plot of the book and make everything come together so cohesively that I couldn't help but love it.

 

The characters, were actually a lot more well developed than I thought they would be. I thought this would be more of a plot driven thriller but the plot as well as the characters equally made the book as good as it was. I liked that the characters actually had some very good development to them and I ended up rooting for Delaney a lot more in the end than I would have thought when I first started the book.

 

Overall, I thought that Raen Smith put forth a fantastic debut novel with complex characters and a fascinating, engaging plot that kept me guessing and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. I loved the violence and the gore and I thought that it was great to see a female author writing in the genre.

 

I would recommend House of Steel to fans of darker thrillers who want to show their support for a fantastic indie author.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

Loved It!
★★★★★

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To My Hero: A Blog of Our Journey Together by Danielle Sibarium

 

Summary:

 

It would’ve been different if I had courage, even an ounce of it. But I was a coward from the day I met you, Ryan Crowley. I still am. In the end it doesn’t matter. The bottom line is the same. It’s my fault.

When the unthinkable happens Carly Cavanough is left beaten, betrayed, and devastated. Her best friend doesn’t understand. Her parents won’t listen. Everyone in her life turns against her. She’s alone. Completely alone, except for Ryan Crowley, the boy she’s been crushing on for years. She won’t admit to him what she can’t admit to herself. But he understands without words. He knows more about what she’s going through than she can possibly imagine and he knows what it will take to start the healing.

With Ryan’s help Carly begins to piece together the fragments of her once perfect life and embarks on a journey of love and healing, just long enough for the rug to be pulled out from under her again. Can she find the strength and will to pull herself together to save Ryan and herself when their lives are on the line?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 260 pages (Kindle)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: April 2013 by KFR Communications

 

I'll be the first to admit that I'm still not a huge fan of the New Adult genre, I can see the demand for it and think that the genre is needed but I would like to see a lot more diversity in the characters, plot lines and sub-genres in the genre which is why I when I agreed to review To My Hero I went in with an open mind.

 

To My Hero was an emotional, gritty and heartbreaking read. Right from the first page of the book Danielle had me hooked with the honesty of the writing and while it was not an easy read it was a very well written one.

 

While I thought that the dialogue between the teens in the novel was a little exaggerated for my tastes I still enjoyed the conversations between Ryan and Carly. For most of the book though I though Carly was a bit ditzy and to be honest even if what happened to her hadn't happened I couldn't see myself being friends with her but I still liked her as a character overall. This was true for Ryan as well. I'm not sure that if he were real I'd be friends with him either but he was a smart and really caring guy and I did like him in the story and the role he played.

 

What I liked most about the story was that it was written. It was raw and was one of those stories where I hated so much about it in terms of the situations the characters were put in and how they were treated that I couldn't help but like the way the author handled the writing process.

 

Overall, I thought this was a really well written book and it was a refreshing read in the genre because I hadn't read a New Adult novel like this one before. There was so much drama going on that there were so many times that I had to put my Kindle down just to take a breather because I was getting so angry at certain characters like Carly's father who, just for the record I think should be hit by a bus. He was basically the definition of an anti-father and I just hated him. However, I really want to point out it was the author's ability to create characters that were so horrible that made me like the book so much.

 

To My Hero was my first time reading a book by Danielle Sibarium and I'm so glad I had a chance to review it for her because it went to show that there are some really great New Adult authors out there who are willing to stray from the norm and create some really emotionally gritty stories out there and I can't wait to pick up my next read by her.

 

I would recommend To My Hero to fans of the New Adult Genre who want to have their hearts ripped out, stomped on an put back together again.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

2013 New Adult Reading Challenge

Really Liked It!

★★★★

 

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The Nurse He Shouldn't Notice by Susan Carlisle

Summary:

Dr. Court Armstrong is running from the past, a flight that takes him straight to the doorstep of a Ghanaian hospital and Nurse Maggie Everett. Working with firebrand Maggie is a challenge Court relishes every second of, but he's in her world now—and he'll have to keep his distance if he wants his heart to survive intact….    
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 251 pages (Paperback)
Source: Review Copy
Publication Date: August 2012 by Harlequin

I've been a bad blogger again, sometime last year Susan Carlisle was kind enough to send me The Nurse He Shouldn't Notice and before I got a chance to read and review it, it accidentally got packed up and put in storage. However, just before I went away on vacation recently I found the box it was in and took it with me.

I really loved The Nurse He Shouldn't Notice, I'm a fan of the Harlequin Medical Romance line and I'm always saying that there should be more romance novels set in Africa so this one was a rare treat for me and one I really enjoyed reading.

Nurse Maggie has abandoned her life in America and is set on making a new one in Ghana where she sees a true need for medical professionals, and where she's become an essential member on the hospital staff as well as friend to many of her patients. I loved Maggie's character. I thought she was a real firecracker. She's a woman who knows what she wants, and how she wants it but she's so kind and gentle with the people under her care I just couldn't help but love her. She's so passionate about her job that she's willing to fight to get people the help they so desperately need.

Court Armstrong, along with Maggie is dealing with his on personal demons that lead him to Ghana, however his stay is only temporary whereas the tenacious and curvy Maggie is set to stay. I wasn't so sure about Court for the first bit of the novel but he slowly grew on me, especially after I learned why he was the way he was. Though I did think he was a fool for not realizing how he felt about Maggie sooner than he did.

Overall, I loved the romance between the two of them. Both are passionate, kind and caring but mostly I enjoyed how real their romance seemed to me. I haven't been big on contemporary romance novels in years but I truly enjoyed this sweet realistic tale of love, and having to put certain things aside and buck up to get the things you want in life. Susan Carlisle's writing style was easy to read and flowed effortlessly and I can't wait to read her other novels as she's a lovely author to curl up with and I'm looking forward to reading her other romance novels soon.

I would recommend this novel to fans of contemporary romance novels especially those taking place in unique settings. Fans of Harlequin Medical romances will really enjoy this book and I highly recommend reading it on a rainy afternoon with a hot beverage and a cat (or dog) curled up with you.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

 

Loved It!
★★★★★

 

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Shadow of Time by Jen Minkman

 

Summary:

 

All Hannah needs is a nice and quiet vacation after her first year of teaching French at a high school. She joins her brother Ben for the summer in their mom’s log cabin in Arizona. There, she meets Josh again, Ben’s childhood friend from the Navajo reservation. The little boy from the rez has grown up fast, and Hannah can’t help but feeling more for him than just friendship.

But fate apparently has something else in store for her. And it’s not peace and quiet. Night after night, Hannah is plagued by strange nightmares about the past of Navajo Nation and terrifying shadows chasing her. They seem to come closer – and why is Josh always present in her dreams?

Sometimes, the past has a way of catching up with you.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 400 pages (E-book)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: January 1st 2013 by CreateSpace

 

Awhile back I was approached by Jen Minkman asking if I would review her novel and after seeing a great review of Shadow of Time over on Adela's blog and you can read her review by clicking here. I knew I just had to give this book a shot.

 

I absolutely loved Shadow of Time. It was one of those rare books that leaves you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what else the author can throw at you and loving every minute of it. I was immediately sucked into the story that Jen took such great care to create.

 

Hannah has got to be another one of my favourite bookish heroines. She's just so likable and I love the inner strength that she radiates even though she's actually really shy and awkward. But the best part about her was that she was really, really funny! I love coming across a character who makes me laugh because so many authors seem to focus on making their heroines smart and strong that they forget that there characters should have a sense of humour. So I'm really glad that Jen wrote Hannah the way she did.

 

The other good character was Josh, who appears as Hannah's love interest in the story. He was smart, funny and loyal to Hannah but he was also the typical teen boy in that he is completely oblivious to what Hannah is feeling which made him even more authentic and it was wonderful to seem him along with Hannah grow individually and together as the book went on.

 

The story though completely blew me away. I loved the paranormal aspect of it just as much as I loved the romance of the book. I loved learning all about the Dinès whom you'll get very well acquainted with if you choose to read the book. So in an effort not to ruin the book for any perspective readers I won't really mention them other than to say that they were really interesting and played a big part in the novel.

 

I loved how the story was paced. There was always a sense of knowing that something major was going to happen through the book and when something major did happen I would be left reeling and having no idea what would happen next.

 

Overall, I loved the sense of adventure that I felt while I was reading Shadow of Time and I loved feeling so connected to the characters as well as the story. It was wonderful to see a book that deals with Navajo people and their traditions.

 

I would recommend this to everyone who has a love for young adult paranormal reads. This is an utterly unique tale written by a fantastic new voice in the young adult genre and offers an engaging story in Shadow of Time. This is a book that I'll be recommending for a long time to come and I can't wait to see more written by Jen Minkman.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

Loved It!
★★★★★ 

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Review & Giveaway Changeling (The Order of Darkness #1) by Philippa Gregory

 

Summary:

 

Dark myths, medieval secrets, intrigue, and romance populate the pages of the first-ever teen series from #1 bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl.Italy, 1453. Seventeen-year-old Luca Vero is brilliant, gorgeous—and accused of heresy. Cast out of his religious order for using the new science to question old superstitious beliefs, Luca is recruited into a secret sect: The Order of the Dragon, commissioned by Pope Nicholas V to investigate evil and danger in its many forms, and strange occurrences across Europe, in this year—the end of days.

Isolde is a seventeen-year-old girl shut up in a nunnery so she can’t inherit any of her father’s estate. As the nuns walk in their sleep and see strange visions, Isolde is accused of witchcraft—and Luca is sent to investigate her, but finds himself plotting her escape.

Despite their vows, despite themselves, love grows between Luca and Isolde as they travel across Europe with their faithful companions, Freize and Ishraq. The four young people encounter werewolves, alchemists, witches, and death-dancers as they head toward a real-life historical figure who holds the boundaries of Christendom and the secrets of the Order of the Dragon.

The first in a series, this epic and richly detailed drama is grounded in historical communities and their mythic beliefs. It includes a medieval map of Europe that will track their journey; and the interior will include relevant decorative elements as well as an interior line illustration. And look for a QR code that links to a note from the author with additional, detailed information about the setting and the history that informed the writing. With Philippa Gregory’s trademark touch, this novel deftly brings the past—and its salacious scandals—vividly and disturbingly to life.

Summary & Photo provided by Publisher

Length: 315 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print & E-book

Publication Date: January 1st 2013

 

I was so excited when I was approached to read and review Changeling Order of Darkness by Philippa Gregory. I've been hearing absolutely fantastic things about her writing for years and am so glad this book was my first book to read by her.

 

I'm a huge historical fiction fan so I had absolutely no doubt that I would really enjoy this YA novel especially with the paranormal/fantasy aspects along with the perfect amount of mystery and romance thrown in. Right off the bat I was hooked on her characters and completely and utterly wrapped up and in love with the novel's story line.

 

I thought that there was an amazing amount of adventure in this novel and I love how Philippa Gregory was able to weave so many different elements into her story, she made it interesting and made me feel as if I were in the book watching the story unfold which is always a sign of a fantastic book to me.

 

I loved Luca, and Isolde (one of my favourite names) and the dynamics between the two of them. Talk about off and on but I loved that about them. They worked for and against each other at different points in the book and I thought that maded the story all the more interesting.

 

The whole mystery behind the nuns in Isolde's care suddenly losing their marbles was really interesting and I liked how the whole supernatural thing started to unfold very early on and that it was neither over done or under done either of which can be hits or misses for a story line in my opinion.

 

There was very little I had issue with when I came to this book but I do wish that the book had been maybe another 50 to 100 pages longer just because at times I felt the story jumped around a wee bit too often for my tastes and a couple times I had to go back and re-read a couple of pages here and there because things were happening so quickly. I also wish that there was a little bit more dialogue between all the characters but that's just a personal preference.

 

Other than that, I thought this was a great read and I loved being transported back to Italy in the late 1400's and I can honestly say that I'm anxiously awaiting the second book in this series and I am absolutely going to start reading the author's other novels in the mean time.

 

I would highly recommend this novel to fans of the genre or those just wanting to try it out. It may not be a book for everyone but I think it is one that everyone should give a chance because once you get into the story a whole new world is opened up for you.

 

* I received a FREE copy of this book in exchange for my FREE and HONEST review. I was not compensated in any way to provide a favourable review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

 

Really Really Liked It!
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

 

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 TRAILER:

 

 

Giveaway:

 

Giveaway ends FEBRUARY 10th 2013.

Open to US/CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY

You will have 48 to respond to the e-mail notifying you of your winning the giveaway, if you do not respond within 48 hours another winner will be selected.

 

 

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Twelve Months by Steven Manchester

 

 

Summary:

 

Don DiMarco has a very good life – a family he loves, a comfortable lifestyle, passions and interests that keep him amused. He also thought he had time, but that turned out not to be the case. Faced with news that might have immediately felled most, Don now wonders if he has time enough. Time enough to show his wife the romance he didn’t always lavish on her. Time enough to live out his most ambitious fantasies. Time enough to close the circle on some of his most aching unresolved relationships. Summoning an inner strength he barely realized he possessed, Don sets off to prove that twelve months is time enough to live a life in full.

A glorious celebration of each and every moment that we’re given here on Earth, as well as the eternal bonds that we all share, TWELVE MONTHS is a stirring testament to the power of the human spirit.

Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 324 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Publication Date: August 14th 2012 by The Story Plant

 

I cannot say enough great things about this book. It's one of those rare novels that will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and leave you questioning the big picture. This is a book that will make you think. At least, that's what Twelve Months made me do. It's rather hard not to do such a thing when the main character is diagnosed with cancer and given only 12 months left to live.

 

Steven Manchester wrote a wonderfully heartfelt novel about one man's final twelve months to live after being diagnosed with cancer and his emotional journey of discovery what life well and truly means and how to make time, no matter how little or how much worth living.

 

When I read Twelve Months I was in one of those moods. You know those moods where you just want to read something to make you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside? That was me on the day I decide to sit down and read this and you know what it turned out to be the best time to read it.

 

I don't come across books like this all the time but when I do I always end up refreshed and rejuvenated after reading them and Twelve Months was no different. I loved the characters in this story. Don has got to be one of the most well rounded and well thought out characters that I've stumbled upon. I couldn't hep but fee for the man and all that he was going through.

 

What I loved most about Don was that he was so determined to keep living and make the most of the time he had left with his family and friends, earning from them, teaching from them and loving them with all he has in them. His journey was deeply emotional filled with times of sorrow, pain, and anger but most of all what I took away from the book was the amount of warmth there were times that the book had me laughing so loud and times that I had to have a tissue box by my side. It's a talented author that can make their audience feel so many things in the pages of a 320 page novel and I think that this is a fine example of what one of those talented authors can do.

 

So I know this comes as no surprise to anyone but I loved this book. I walked away from reading it feeling lighter and refreshed ready to take on the world much like Don did and I'd like to thank the author for that experience. Sometimes, I think we all forget that life can change for the better or worse in an instant and that we have to live every day as if it were out last.

 

The characters, plot and over all message and feelings this book made me feel is why I'm giving it the rating I am. I strongly recommend that everyone gives this book a chance no matter what age you are or what book genres you like. Books like this are rare so it is best not to miss a chance of reading it. Also, I would like to thank the author Steven Manchester for providing me with a complimentary copy of his novel for review. Thanks so much Steven and I can't wait to see more of your work in the future!

 

* I received a complimentary copy of this book for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed therein are my own and I was not compensated in anyway to provide a favourable review.

 

Awesome, I loved it!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

 

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Wheels by Lorijo Metz

 

Summary:

WHEELS is a sci-fi adventure filled with mystery and romance—a coming-of-age tale that proves it takes more than super powers to save a planet.

McKenzie Wu doesn’t know her great-great grandmother married an alien or that her great-great-great uncle is alive and systematically eliminating a race of beings on a tiny planet light years away—she has enough to worry about. Molecules keep rearranging themselves to suit her slightest wish, but only at the most inconvenient times. If that weren't enough, she’s been dreaming about an accident; one she’s had no memory of until now and, if true, means McKenzie is responsible for her mother’s death.

When McKenzie stumbles upon a portal, transporting her and her friend Hayes to the tiny planet of Circanthos, she learns the inhabitants believe she is the “One” destined to save them from H.G. Wells, a name that sounds strangely familiar, and his Tsendi warriors. But while her newfound ability might give her superhero status back on Earth, halfway across the galaxy it’s commonplace—all Circanthians can particle-weave—and if they can’t stop H.G. Wells, what can she hope to do?

With the portal closed and no idea how to get home, McKenzie must learn to use a power she does not want and accept her mysterious past, or risk losing everything—her father’s love, her new alien friends and the boy.
Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 328 pages
Source: Review Copy
Publication Date: July 22nd 2012

This was another one of those surprisingly good reads that I've been encountering more and more frequently lately and I absolutely love that. Nothing is better than going into a book interested and curious then finding out that you're enjoying a book more than you thought you might.

What impressed me the most about Wheels was the extreme amount of details that the author Lorijo Metz was able to incorporate into her novel. Since this is a sci-fi novel I knew going into it that there would be a fair amount of world building but I didn't expect it to work so cohesively with the plot, I loved that about it though because I really enjoy when authors make such a huge effort on that front. I enjoy learning as much as I can about the world that the story is set in because if you have crappy world building skills then your story just doesn't work as well. Lucky me though, because Lorijo had a real knack for this.

As much as I loved the world building and how impressed I was by it, my favourite thing about the novel over all was Mckenzie Wu. Rarely do you find a YA novel with a wheelchair bound teenager as the saviour of an entire world. I thought that was pretty kick ass because of that unique aspect and because maybe it will open up the eyes of other readers who may in turn one day pen their own novels with diverse characters like McKenzie. I was so glad Mckenzie was such a strong character though and I loved her whole attitude towards everything.

Just because she was in a wheelchair she didn't let it get her down too much, and she wasn't boring  either plus I liked that her relationship with the male lead wasn't a case of insta love and was based more on mutual respect and admiration not just a doddering teen romance.

The alien races were also very well thought out and I was impressed that Lorijo made time to create alien religions and gods into the story. I thought that was a nice added touch because those details gave the aliens as well as the story an added complexity.

Overall this was a well written story with many elements of H.G. Wells's famous novel The Time Machine mixed in just enough without being a complete re-write of the story. There were a couple of grammatical errors in the book but besides that this was a good novel and one that I hope leads Lorijo into writing a series based on it. It definitely has the potential.

If you enjoy young adult novels ad especially young adult novels with a science fiction theme I really recommend reading this book. It's well worth the read.

*I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for my FREE and HONEST review.

 Really Liked it!
★ ★ ★ ★

 

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The Bachelor Farmers by Brenda Sorrels

 

Summary:

 

Set in Northern Minnesota in the winter of 1919, THE BACHELOR FARMERS tells a story of two Norwegian brothers who learn the meaning of love from a most unlikely source.

Hans and Jon, the youngest of four immigrant brothers, have just inherited land from their recently deceased father and set out to develop it, thus perpetuating the family dream of success in America. When Jon learns that the husband of Mahal, a beautiful half-breed, Ojibwa woman, has been injured on their property and cannot work, he hires her to be their personal cook.

Under the eye of his disapproving brother, Jon finds himself falling in love, but when a terrible blizzard blows into town without warning, the three of them must deal with the consequences and make decisions that will ultimately reshape their lives in profound and unimaginable ways.

THE BACHELOR FARMERS takes us into a world where true meaning and healing are found in the complexity of human relationships and in the choices that are made in the face of adversity.

Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 176 pages (E-book)

Source: Review Copy

Publication Date: March 10th 2012 by Brenda Sorrels

 

Some time ago I was approached by author Brenda Sorrels who wanted me to review her novel The Bachelor Farmers and I readily agreed. I couldn't help it, I was completely taken in by the summary of the novel and knew it would be the perfect book for me and you know what? It really was perfect for me.

 

I loved this book. I really did. It was so different from my usual type of historical fiction/historical romance novel that I would typically read and I thought that was great. I love discovering new authors and Brenda Sorrels truly has a new fan in me.

 

There was a lot of story packed into this 176 page novel. It was part family saga, historical fiction mixed with historical romance written with a distinct new voice in the writing world. I found the Bachelor Farmers to be an incredibly moving, dramatic read perfect for reading in the fall and winter to allow you to curl up and drift away to 1919 Minnesota.

 

The book focuses on two brothers Hans and Jon the youngest son's in their family and it takes place not very long after their parent's deaths. Since it is just the two of them on their family homestead now with there parents gone and their older brothers are off on their own with their families.

 

One day Jon happens upon a young half native girl named Mahal who is working to support her injured older husband and brings her home to be Hans and his housekeeper at home. Slowly, feelings for Mahal grow on both brothers sides for the young girl until one night changes everything for everyone involved. I loved how this novel gives a bit of insight into rural Minnesota during the early part of the 1919s.

 

The descriptive writing style the author employed is what really had me interested. The writing flowed wonderfully and the characters were incredibly well developed and her ability to evoke emotions was great. I'm really glad I gave this novel a chance and I really hope Brenda Sorrels continues her writing career. I hope to see more books from her in the future. I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction with a romantic and dramatic twist.

 

*I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for my FREE and HONEST review.

Really Liked it!
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

 

 

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