Saturday, March 9, 2024

Rules of Murder by Julianna Deering (Review)

Series: Drew Fathering Mystery #1
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: August 1, 2013
328 pages
About the Book:

Drew Farthering loves a good mystery, although he generally expects to find it in the pages of a novel, not on the grounds of his country estate. When a weekend party at Farthering Place is ruined by murder and the police seem flummoxed, Drew decides to look into the crime himself. With the help of his best friend, Nick Dennison, an avid mystery reader, and Madeline Parker, a beautiful and whip-smart American debutante staying as a guest, the three try to solve the mystery as a lark, using the methods from their favorite novels.

Soon, financial irregularities at Drew’s stepfather’s company come to light and it’s clear that all who remain at Farthering Place could be in danger. Trying hard to remain one step ahead of the killer–and trying harder to impress Madeline–Drew must decide how far to take this game.



 

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐


This story took me a while to get into, and I never did fully figure out the year it is set. Drew Farthering is in his 20s and grew up wealthy and inherited his father's share of a company. His mother and stepfather (who is a partner in the company) live on the estate. Story opens with Drew and Nick returning home after being away to discover his mother is hosting a weekend party and his stepfather's niece, Madeline, is visiting from America with a couple of friends. A murder happens during the party, and the police are called, but Drew, Nick, and Madeline begin investigating on their own. Over the course of the initial investigation, a few more deaths happen, and some strange events are occurring. I loved that Drew and Nick were close friends even though they were considered to be in different class statuses. Drew comes from a wealthy family, and Nick was the son of the butler. I also enjoyed the interaction of Drew and Madeline, but I struggled with the romance between them. As the story progressed, I was suspicious of a few characters, and while my thoughts may have been right about one, I never fully figured out who was responsible and what really happened. I am interested in continuing the series to see what happens with Drew and Nick.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)
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Friday, March 8, 2024

Authentically, Izzy by Pepper Basham (Review)

Series: Symar #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Released: Nov. 15, 2022
409 pages
About the Book:

Izzy Edgewood is a wannabe bookstore owner, quote queen, and Lord of the Rings nerd who has been waiting for Prince Charming to sweep her off her sneakered feet. But it’s hard to meet people when you spend more time with fictional humans than real ones. Which is why her pragmatist cousin Josephine decides to take Izzy’s future into her own meddling hands and create an online dating profile for the hopeful romantic.

To Izzy’s shock (and suspicion), Josie’s plan works. Soon, she’s dialoguing with a Hobbit-loving man named Brodie who lives in a small town an ocean away from her home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But is their shared love of books, family, and correspondence enough to overcome Izzy’s fear of flying and the literal distance between them? And is a long-distance relationship even worth considering when a local author has been frequenting the library where she works and is proving to be a perfectly fine gentleman?




My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐


I normally really enjoy epistolary stories but I struggled to connect with the character of Izzy for a good portion of the book. For the first 250 pages the story is completely told through emails and texts. I was at the point where I really wanted some in person interaction. Finally it does happen and we get a mix of in person interaction interspersed with the emails and texts. Through the main email portion I found it hard to comprehend that Izzy would share everything she was with both her female and male cousin. There were some book and movie references that I did not get, but it was easy to move past them. For most of the book I did not Izzy's cousin Josephine, but her actions at the end redeemed her in my eyes. I absolutely loved the male main character. He was the perfect guy for Izzy and helped her realize things about herself she has struggled with. There was a point of conflict near the end that I did not like how Izzy responded, but it is resolved and I liked where the story ends. I am looking forward to continuing the rest of the series.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Thursday, March 7, 2024

Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer (Review)

Series: Texas Ever After #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: June 6, 2023
345 pages
About the Book:

Beauty has been nothing but a curse to Penelope Snow. When she becomes a personal maid for a famous actress whose troupe is leaving Chicago to tour the West, she hides her figure beneath shapeless dresses and keeps her head down. But she still manages to attract the wrong attention, leaving her prospects in tatters--and her jealous mistress plotting her demise.

After his brother lost his life over a woman, Texas ranger Titus Kingsley has learned to expect the worst from women and is rarely disappointed. So when a young woman found in suspicious circumstances takes up residence with the seven old drovers living at his grandfather's ranch, Titus is determined to keep a close eye on her.

With a promotion hanging in the balance, Titus is assigned to investigate a robbery case tied to Penelope's acting troupe. The evidence points to her guilt, but Titus's heart divines a different truth--one that might just get Penelope killed.


  
My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved so many of these characters. I loved Penelope's positive outlook and her giving heart. Titus was a lawman who had his guard up, especially when it came to women, but deep down he was soft-hearted and put all his effort into protecting those he cared for. I loved the eccentric collection of grandfathers, they each l were unique and had their own personality and traits that made it easy to distinguish one from another. There is a true villain in this story, and the way they use people made me sick. Couldn't wait for them to be caught and brought to justice. I was sucked into this story and fully the characters. The faith of the characters was nicely woven into the story and the characters learn to turn things over to God and trust him for the outcome. I loved the ending and can't wait to read more in the series. Maybe we'll get to see more of these characters?

Favourite Quote: 
“Love meant putting the needs of another before his own.”
(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Saturday, February 17, 2024

The Two of Us by Victoria Bylin (Review)

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: August 8, 2017
320 pages
About the Book:
After two broken engagements, nurse practitioner Mia Robinson is done with dating. From now on, she only trusts herself and God, and she's focused on her eighteen-year-old sister, Lucy, and caring for patients. Just as she applies to work for an international aid organization, a phone call from Lucy, who's pregnant and running off to marry her twenty-one-year-old boyfriend, throws a wrench into all of Mia's plans.
 
Jake Tanner may have recovered from the physical injuries he sustained on the job as a police officer, but his heart has yet to heal from losing his former partner in the tragedy. He's poured himself into starting a camp for the sons of fallen officers and mentoring Sam, the adult son of his deceased partner, who's asked him to be his best man at his wedding.
 
Mia is expecting a mess when she arrives to sort out the situation with Lucy, but she wasn't expecting Jake. And Jake, who can't help envying Sam and Lucy, doubts he'll ever experience their happiness for himself. But maybe Jake's courage and Mia's caring spirit are just what they need to bring them a lifetime of healing and a forever kind of love. . . .

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


I recently reread this book for the second time after purchasing a physical copy of the book and loved it just as much as I remember originally loving it. I made notes of quotes while reading and didn't look at my original review until I finished the book. When I did go back and look I discovered that I marked a couple of the same quotes I did back in 2017. That was cool to see. 
 
Mia and Jake meet randomly in a restaurant but what they don’t know is how life is going to bring them together. I really enjoyed following their story and getting to know them and the other characters. There was a lot addressed throughout the course of the book, finding oneself, learning to trust others and God, dealing with family health issues, and so much more. Both Jake & Mia have to decide if the dreams they are each pursuing is worth the cost or could God be leading them towards something better. I absolutely loved Jake, who can pass up a strong male who has overcome challenges and is willing to put his feelings aside for others. He was wonderful with Mia and I felt they fit well together, but will things work out for them to be together, or will their lives take them in separate directions?
 
Mia is used to being a responsible one, looking after her younger spontaneous sister and always has every step planned, but after two failed engagements she has a hard time trusting others and is determined to trust only God’s leading. She dedicates her life to her work and following God’s lead, but in the process she feels lead in two directions and struggles with the decision of what to do. Can she learn open her heart to others and follow God`s lead even if it might not be taking her in the direction she has planned?
 
Each character was dealing with their own struggles that tested their faith. The main focus might be on Mia and Jake but the side characters were also crucial to the story, without them the story would have lost some of the realness. Throughout the hard moments there were many wonderful moments that put a smile on my face while reading. There was so much love for others shown - romantic, family and friendship, that I finished the book feeling wonderful. I feel like I experienced all emotions possible; frustration, sadness, laughter, and happiness, over the course of this story. I absolutely loved this book; the characters were loveable and felt real, I couldn’t help but want them to find happiness. The epilogue at the end just made the story that much better for me. I highly recommend picking this book up.

Favourite Quote: 
“We can adapt and move on, or live in the past.”
“Love is a choice. It's keeping promises when they're tough to keep. It's staying when you want to leave. And it's seeing the other person through the same forgiving lens through which God sees us all.”
(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)
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Wednesday, February 14, 2024

My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke (Review)

Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Crown Publishing
Released: January 1, 2011
287 pages
About the Book:

Dick Van Dyke, indisputably one of the greats of the golden age of television, is admired and beloved by audiences the world over for his beaming smile, his physical dexterity, his impeccable comic timing, his ridiculous stunts, and his unforgettable screen roles.
           
His trailblazing television program, The Dick Van Dyke Show (produced by Carl Reiner, who has written the foreword to this memoir), was one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1960s and introduced another major television star, Mary Tyler Moore. But Dick Van Dyke was also an enormously engaging movie star whose films, including Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, have been discovered by a new generation of fans and are as beloved today as they were when they first appeared. Who doesn’t know the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?


 

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐


I loved listening to Dick Van Dyke tell his story in his own voice. I knew of Dick from Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Diagnosis Murder but didn't really know about him outside of these popular characters he has played. I enjoyed getting to know his background and some behind the scenes stuff from shows I've watched a lot over the year. I respect that he made a decision to stick with family friendly shows. He was honest about struggles he dealt with over the years. I did find at various times he seemed to gloss over some things and noticed that he liked to drop the names of the cars he drove. Maybe that's a guy thing, but if felt like he was showing off on what he drove. He also drops a lot of names of those he was worked with over the years and while I recognized some there were a lot that didn't mean a thing to me. I like how he has tried to stay active and make people laugh with clean jokes and physical comedy. The thing I enjoyed the most about this book was listening to his voice. I'm so glad I listened to the audiobook, if I had read it physically I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. 

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)
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