Thursday, February 13, 2014

Review: The Invention of Sarah Cummings by Olivia Newport

My rating: 2 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Sarah Cummings has one goal in life--to break into Chicago's high society. Desperate to stop serving dinner and to start eating at society tables, Sarah alters cast-off gowns from the wealthy Banning women to create lustrous, flattering dresses of her own. On a whim at a chance meeting, she presents herself as Serena Cuthbert, weaving a fictitious past to go with her fictitious name. But as she gets closer to Simon Tewell, the director of St. Andrew's Orphanage, Sarah finds that she must choose between the life she has and the life she dreams of. Will she sacrifice love to continue her pretense? Or can Simon show her that sometimes you don't have to pretend for dreams to come true?

My Review

The main character Sarah was materialistic, self-absorbed, deceptive, judgmental, and thoughtless. I'm sure we all can be at times, but it didn't make her much of a heroine, since I was rooting the whole time for her to be discovered and wanted to warn Simon away from her. Her change of heart would have been more redemptive had it not happened after her other options ran out. Too little, too late.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Review: Swept Up by the Sea by Tracy & Laura Hickman

My rating: 2 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Determined to seek his fortune, Percival Taylor leaves behind his sleepy hometown and sets out to become a legendary pirate. The only problem is, no one at the rough-and-tumble seaport of Blackshore will allow him anywhere near a ship!

Percival must find other means to win the heart of the beautiful Tuppence Magrathia-Paddock, who has mistaken him for a pirate rogue out of one of her romantic books. She is entirely willing to swoon into his arms if he can prove his buccaneer soul—and she will even arrange her own kidnapping to prove it.

Percival eventually find himself captain of a broken-down ship, complete with a crew of reluctant pirates, a jilted fiancee, a reclusive master shipwright, and an old professor with a magical secret that could kill them all. Join the strangest assortment of characters you'll ever meet on the Nine Seas as they set sail for treasure and romance!


My Review

This book would be probably be enjoyed by fans of The Princess Bride. For me, the descriptions were overwhelmingly wordy and trying so hard to be charming and clever, it detracted from the story and I didn't feel any connection to the characters. It was a struggle to maintain interest.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Review: Traces of Mercy by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

At the war’s end, a young woman suffers an accident that leaves her unconscious and alone. Waking with amnesia, she takes the name Mercy and wants more than anything to find out the truth of her past. But then a handsome stranger arrives, who may hold the key to everything she has forgotten. What he knows could devastate her future, and even end her life. 

My Review

The beginning of this book is very compelling- giving the last scene from Mercy's now-forgotten memory. Waiting for the moment she would remember her past kept me in suspense. I didn't feel there was much chemistry between her and Rand, although they were supposed to be in love. It was interesting to see her try to adjust and make a new life for herself. Her actions in the last part of the book I thought were totally out of character for her new identity, but it sure did give the story a much-needed adrenaline shot. I thought the ending was fabulous- except for the fact that it was just when the story got good! I'm so looking forward to the next book in the series, but I think one year between publishing dates is too long to ask readers to wait or maintain interest. Since it's supposed to be a trilogy I hope there won't be as long of a wait for the third book.


(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Friday, February 7, 2014

Review: When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

It is the spring of 1943. With a wedding and a cross-country move, Millie’s world is about to change forever.  If only her past could change with it. Soon after the break of day, Bump will become Millie’s husband. And then, if all goes as planned, they will leave the rain-soaked fields of Mississippi and head for the wilds of the Colorado Rockies. As Millie tries to forget a dark secret, she hasn’t yet realized how drastically those past experiences will impact the coming days. For most of Millie’s life, being free felt about as unlikely as the mountains moving. But she’s about to discover that sometimes in life, we are given second chances, and that the only thing bigger than her past … is her future.

My Review

This is the sequel to Into the Free, but I decided not to read that book first since it sounded pretty heavy. I read several reviews about it so I could feel that I knew enough of the storyline to start with the second book. The author did a great job of incorporating important details from the first book in a subtle way that was natural to the characters' thoughts. Some of the themes in this book are unpleasant and gave Millie hard things to overcome which enabled intense character growth. The setting sounded amazing- in the wilderness of the Colorado mountains. I appreciated that Millie and Bump are such strong yet vulnerable people and choose each other to have this adventure with. The writing is so evocative, the story and words stayed with me for a few days after. Without giving anything away, I thought the resolution for the villain was awesome.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)