Friday, May 2, 2014

Great e-book deal! Heart of the Ocean by Heather B. Moore only 99 cents!

Heart of the Ocean by Heather B. Moore

I learned about Heart of the Ocean and the amazing 99 cent sale price over at Tressa's Wishful Endings, where she wrote a "Friday Favorites" review that really makes me want to read the book! If you're interested in YA fiction as well hers is a great blog to follow. Heart of the Ocean is a USA Today bestseller & 2013 Whitney Award Finalist in Speculative Fiction!

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Synopsis from goodreads.com

https://www.goodreads.com/
A dark secret . . . a grieving ghost . . . a handsome stranger . . . What more could Eliza Robinson want?

Except for maybe her life.

In Heather B. Moore’s enthralling 1840’s historical romance, Heart of the Ocean, Eliza Robinson has turned down the very pretentious Mr. Thomas Beesley’s marriage proposal. As a business partner of Eliza’s father, Thomas quickly discredits the family and brings disgrace to the Robinson name.

While her father scrambles to restore his good name in New York City, Eliza flees to the remote Puritan town of Maybrook to stay with her Aunt Maeve. Although relieved to be away from all- things-male and unforgiving gossip columns, odd things start to happen to Eliza, and she is plagued by a ghostly voice. Her aunt’s explanation? That Eliza is being haunted by a woman who died of a broken heart twenty years ago.

After Aunt Maeve is tragically killed, Eliza's life is put in danger as she tries to uncover the mystery of her aunt's death. She encounters Jonathan Porter in Maybrook, whose presence in the town seems suspicious, yet she finds herself drawn to him. When she discovers that Jonathan’s dark secrets may be the link between the dead woman who haunts her and her aunt’s murderer, Eliza realizes that Jonathan is the one man she should never trust.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Review: Minding Molly by Leslie Gould

Minding Molly by Leslie Gould

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.bookdepository.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Synopsis from goodreads.com


https://www.goodreads.com/
 Molly Zook has everything planned just right. Or so she thinks!

Molly Zook's always liked being in control, so she's struggling with her mother's wish that, to save the family farm, she marry Mervin Mosier. Especially after Molly meets Leon Fisher. He's from Montana but is now training horses at a nearby ranch. He is tall and muscular and confident--Molly has never met anyone like him and she's sure he feels the same about her.

Determined to let nothing get between them, Molly tries to coax Mervin into falling back in love with Molly's best friend, Hannah. A weekend camping trip in the Poconos could be just the place . . . but things quickly go awry, and it seems Leon and Hannah might be falling for each other instead! Will Molly keep struggling to control everyone and everything around her? Or will she learn to let God handle the twists and turns of her life?



My Review

The aspect of this novel that really resonated with me was Molly's grief as she coped with the unexpected death of her father. While there is love triangle drama, pressure from her mother, stress over the family finances, a difficult younger sister, an unpredictable best friend, and control-issues that surfaced on a camping trip... underlying all of that are sweet moments of remembering and longing for her father. I consider a book successful when I am feeling the emotions of the character rather than just reading about them- and amid the sometimes high-school type drama I found a tear in my eye as Molly tried to make sense and gain control over her changing circumstances. Looking forward to reading more by this author!

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Three $1.99 e-book deals!

Amazon is having a huge sale on over 400 e-books until May 11! 
Here are a few for only $1.99...

Waiting for Morning by Margaret Brownley

Waiting for Morning by Margaret Brownley is the second book in the Brides of Last Chance Ranch series. I read and reviewed the third book, Gunpowder Tea, which was a fun read- check out my 4 star review here. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, so don't worry if you aren't reading them in order.

http://www.amazon.com

Synopsis from goodreads.com

https://www.goodreads.com/Molly Hatfield comes to Arizona Territory seeking stability and security. But living in Cactus Patch provides her with more than she ever dreamed of.

There is nothing Molly wouldn’t do for her teenaged brother, Donny. Blaming herself for the accident that left him wheel-chair bound, Molly has dedicated her life to his care. But in 1896, gainful employment for a woman is hard to come by. So when Molly learns that an eccentric rancher in Cactus Patch, Arizona, is looking for an heiress--someone to take over management of the ranch in exchange for future ownership--she jumps at the chance to provide a real home for her brother.

If she proves to have a knack for ranching and agrees to remain single for life, the ranch can be hers. Neither stipulation worries Molly. She’s resourceful and hardworking. And she gave up dreams of marriage long ago when she dedicated her life to her brother’s well-being.

However, Molly didn’t bank on meeting Dr. Caleb Fairbanks, the town’s handsome and charismatic young doctor. Caleb has a way with Molly that makes her nervous. But it’s how he is with her brother that really alarms her. Caleb sees past the wheelchair and genuinely likes Donny, but Molly fears he’s putting unrealistic ideas into her brother’s head. Falling in love with Caleb would threaten everything she’s worked for, even her brother’s future happiness.

But it could be the very reason God brought her to Last Chance Ranch.



Forest Born by Shannon Hale

Forest Born by Shannon Hale is the fourth book in the Books of Bayern series. This is a series that I would recommend reading in order- while it may not be necessary, I think the books would be enjoyed more.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TJAX06/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003TJAX06&linkCode=as2&tag=flipthepage-20&linkId=RDQIQ3L6QXSTBWAN
Synopsis from goodreads.com

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6407514-forest-born?ac=1

Rin is sure that something is wrong with her...something really bad. Something that is keeping her from feeling at home in the Forest homestead where she's lived all her life. Something that is keeping her from trusting herself with anyone at all. When her brother Razo returns from the city for a visit, she accompanies him to the palace, hoping that she can find peace away from home. But war has come to Bayern again, and Rin is compelled to join the queen and her closest allies--magical girls Rin thinks of as the Fire Sisters--as they venture into the Forest toward Kel, the land where someone seems to want them all dead. Many beloved Bayern characters reappear in this story, but it is Rin's own journey of discovering how to balance the good and the bad in herself that drives this compelling adventure.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

Princess of Glass is the second book in a series of YA fairy tale retellings by Jessica Day George. It's an adaptation of Cinderella which was enjoyable- I rated it three stars (although I liked the first book Princess of the Midnight Ball better and gave that one 4 stars). I haven't read the third book in the series which is based on Little Red Riding Hood.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004OR15ZO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004OR15ZO&linkCode=as2&tag=flipthepage-20&linkId=E42VW4R4XKBTKTHX
Synopsis from goodreads.com

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7199667-princess-of-glass

Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other's countries in the name of better political alliances--and potential marriages. It's got the makings of a fairy tale--until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.

E-book freebie! Caught in the Middle by Regina Jennings

Caught in the Middle by Regina Jennings

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Free on Kindle and Nook! I really enjoy this author's stories. Check out my review of Caught in the Middle here!

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Synopsis from goodreads.com

The train to Garber, Texas, is supposed to bring life's next victory to Nicholas Lovelace. Instead, it gets held up by robbers who are thwarted by the last person Nick ever expected--Anne Tillerton from back home in Prairie Lea.

Anne’s been hiding away as a buffalo hunter. She’s only in Garber to find their runaway cook, but the woman flees--leaving Anne with her infant son. With Nick the only person Anne knows in Garber, the two form an unlikely team as they try to figure out what to do with the child.

But being in town means acting and dressing for polite society--and it's not going well for Anne. Meanwhile, Nick's work is bringing new pressures, and being seen with a rough-around-the-edges woman isn't helping his reputation. Caught between their own dreams, a deepening relationship, and others' expectations, can the pair find their way to love?

https://www.goodreads.com/