Review: A Marchioness Below Stairs by Alissa Baxter

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Escaping from Bath and the news that her former love is about to marry another, Isabel, the young widowed Marchioness of Axbridge, accepts an invitation to her cousin’s house party. Yet, instead of finding respite, she stumbles into a domestic crisis of majestic proportions: The kitchen servants have succumbed to the influenza.

If that weren’t bad enough, her former sweetheart arrives with his fiancée, seeking shelter from the increasingly hazardous snow storm. Trapped inside Chernock Hall with a volatile mix of house guests, including abolitionists and slave owners, Isabel wishes she could hide below stairs for the duration. But, alas, she cannot. While helping in the kitchen, Isabel is cornered by her cousin’s disreputable friend, Marcus Bateman, who challenges and provokes her at every turn.

At last, the storm subsides. However, the avalanche of repercussions cannot be undone. Caught in the grip of the terrible winter of 1813, will Isabel’s greatest threat come from the weather, her abolitionist views, or from falling in love again?

My Review

There are a lot of things I liked about this book. Isabel's passion for abolition, her humility in helping her cousin by cooking for his house party, her sacrifices for her family, and her love of independence. The setting was easy to imagine and I appreciated the historical and period details sprinkled in. I didn't quite know how to take Mr. Bateman for a while (like Isabel) but as he proves himself devoted to her and supports her in ways nobody else did I came to like him more. He challenges her and is confident  enough to stand up to her. I didn't feel a connection to the emotions of the characters however, and felt a bit detached, even though the plot and banter were entertaining. Overall a great story and one I would recommend to fans of Regency romance.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Review: 365 Classic Bedtime Bible Stories: Inspired by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut, Daniel Partner (Editor), Alessia Girasole (Illustrations)

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Story Time--The Most Important 10 Minutes in a Child's Day!
 
Your children or grandchildren will delight in this fully-illustrated storybook that brings 365 read-aloud classic Bible stories to life for impressionable young hearts.

Beginning with the creation story, "God Creates the Earth," and ending with "In Eternity with God,” your children will develop faith in an almighty God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, while journeying alongside Bible characters like Samuel, Jonah, Esther, David, John the Baptist, Mary, Joseph, and many more.

365 Classic Bedtime Bible Stories promises to make bedtime reading a delightful learning and faith-building experience for your kids 3 and up.

My Review

This is a great book to read to children! I appreciated that there are lesser-known stories included, and I feel like reading one or two stories each day will give children a deeper knowledge of the entirety of the Bible. The illustrations are simple and colorful, perfect for younger children. Each page is a summary of a story in the Bible, and while they are portrayed in an age-appropriate manner, I wish that the quotes from what the people said were not put into a modern day narrative, but the actual words spoken from the King James version of the Bible. I think it is important for children to get used to the language of the Bible for when they begin to read it on their own. Overall this is a valuable resource for developing a love of the scriptures in children. There is even a ribbon bookmark attached to hold your place!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Gratitude Giveaway Hop!

November is an excellent month for expressing gratitude, and I am especially thankful for books, the authors who write them, the opportunity to review them, and for YOU! Thank you for following my little blog! It's been so fun to connect with other avid readers :)

This giveaway is for a print copy (with signed bookplate!) of a wonderful book I read this year, Life After by Katie Ganshert. Read my 5 star review here, enter in the giveaway widget below, and hop along to some other blog giveaways! Happy Thanksgiving!

Synopsis

It could have been me.

Snow whirls around an elevated train platform in Chicago. A distracted woman boards the train, takes her seat, and moments later a fiery explosion rips through the frigid air, tearing the car apart in a horrific attack on the city’s transit system. One life is spared. Twenty-two are lost.

A year later, Autumn Manning can’t remember the day of the bombing and she is tormented by grief—by guilt. Twelve months of the question constantly echoing. Why? Why? Why? Searching for answers, she haunts the lives of the victims, unable to rest.

Paul Elliott lost his wife in the train bombing and wants to let the dead rest in peace, undisturbed and unable to cause more pain for his loved ones. He wants normalcy for his twelve-year-old daughter and young son, to see them move beyond the heartbreak. But when the Elliotts and Autumn are unexpectedly forced together, he fears she’ll bring more wreckage in her wake.

In Life After, Katie Ganshert’s most complex and unforgettable novel yet, the stirring prose and authentic characters pose questions of truth, goodness, and ultimate purpose in this emotionally resonant tale.

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Review & Goodreads Giveaway: The Darkest Summer by Rebecca J. Greenwood

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Lady Cora Winfield's life has always gone according to plan--her mother's plan. That's why Cora is so fascinated when she meets the dark Duke of Blackdell. Knowing his dangerous reputation, Cora's mother flatly forbids the match, and the duke decides to take matters into his own hands. Kidnapped and facing a scandal, Lady Cora must now decide whether love will be her downfall or the beginning of a new plan, one she never dreamed possible.

Set in the stormy summer of 1816, this Regency romance is a retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone.

My Review

Loved it! The details of Cora and Adam, the duke, really made the story for me, as well as their mutual yearning for unconditional and affectionate love. Cora is passionate about horticulture and loves plants and flowers, even trying to rescue the plants that are getting waterlogged in Hyde Park and worrying over the wheat crop of England. Adam is struggling with a lingering injury from Waterloo and the sorrow and grief he has over losing his entire company of soldiers to the violence there. The initial attraction they feel for each other is unexpected and Adam's infatuation with Cora leads him to seek her out and discover her true characteristics beyond the ballroom niceties.

Cora's controlling mother is a complex character- at times seeming the villain in her treatment of her daughter, but also had me curious if her motivation was merely selfish or if she truly had deeper concern for her daughter's future well-being. While the pace at the beginning of the book is a bit slow, once Adam and Cora are off on their adventure the plot really spices up and emotions are brought to the surface and forced to be dealt with. Adam's closest servants that accompany them provide humor and more depth as their loyalty and regard for him reveals his true nature. A wonderful Regency novel with sweet romance and excitement!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Enter the Goodreads Giveaway for a copy of The Darkest Summer!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Darkest Summer

by Rebecca J. Greenwood

Giveaway ends November 27, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

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Don't miss the FREE prequel novella, The Darkest Hour, available on Instafreebie
 

Synopsis

When dutiful Lady Hester Douglas, over thirty and long on the shelf, receives word that her brother Adam, the Duke of Blackdale, has survived the Battle of Waterloo, she abandons propriety and heads to Brussels to be by his side. Her widowed minister, Mr. Alasdair Gilchrist, escorts her on the journey from Scotland into a Europe recovering from years of war.

Once she reaches her injured brother, Hester must fight to keep Adam alive and tightly guard her heart’s deepest secret—she’s been in love with Mr. Gilchrist for years.

Will the pain of being with the minister, the man she loves and can never have, distract her from her purpose? Or will she overcome the barriers of age, rank, and station, and seize the love she’s dreamt of?

The Darkest Hour is a standalone inspirational Regency romance novella, and is also a prequel to The Darkest Summer.

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About the Author

Rebecca J. Greenwood is an author, artist, and designer with a love of stories, especially Regency romances. She grew up in Texas as the oldest of six, and studied visual art with a music minor at Brigham Young University. Rebecca lives in Utah with her husband, where she listens to audiobooks, cooks experimentally, has an interest in alternative health, and constantly has a new project in mind. Visit rebeccajgreenwood.com to experience more of her art, writing, and upcoming projects.