The Maid of Ballymacool

Author: Jennifer Deibel

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: February 21, 2023

A clean wholesome read that fans of Christian Historical Romance will not want to miss!

Brianna Kelly has only every called Ballymacool Boarding School home. The only home she has ever known makes her very protective of it and the people there. The niece of a local man comes to the school to take care of her unruly behavior. One discovery leads to another making Brianna question her past and how it will all affect her future.

Historical Romance is a genre that can be a quick read with a very lighthearted air and while there isn’t much danger or high stakes moments there is plenty of tension to drive the story forward. The story that Deibel has crafted is fun and just what I needed for a lighthearted quick weekend read. Not a lot of fluff or anything that wasn’t worth reading in the story. While Historical fiction isn’t my favorite genre to read it is a great one to sit down if you are wanting a clean wholesome read. I would recommend this one to readers that enjoy historical Christian romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Naturals

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Series: The Naturals #1

Publisher: Little Brown

Release Date: October 7, 2014

The first book in The Naturals series is an absolute thrill ride of a mystery that is perfect for young adult readers looking for a fabulous mystery.

Cassie has always known she was good at being able to tell what people were thinking or going to say before they said anything, but never thought much of it until she is approached by someone in the FBI with an offer for a classified program perfect for her and her abilities. They have created a program for teenagers with abilities to crack cold cases and Cassie is their newest recruit. When Cassie arrives at the house with the other teens in the program, she quickly realizes there is more to the program than originally told to her. Bodies start to add up around them and Cassie is no longer feeling safe as the killers sets their sights on her.

The Naturals is the first book in the series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and I picked it up after reading The Inheritance Games series by her and falling in love with her writing style. The mystery and the way it unfolded and all came together by the end was so satisfying and enjoyable to read. Cassie was a great protagonist and the love triangle between her and the others at the house was fun and kept the story flowing. This story reminded me a lot of Criminal Minds set more for the Young Adult readers without the horror and gore. Cassie had a lot to overcome throughout the novel but didn’t let anything keep her down or let those coming after her win. I would recommend this book to readers who love a great mystery with great characters and a plot that is fantastic. This book is left open perfect for the next in the series and I can’t wait to keep reading Barnes work.

Unbelievably Boring Bart

Author: James Patterson & Duane Swierczynski

Publisher: Little Brown

Release Date: September 3, 2018

Another fun book for young readers that is the perfect mix of humor and adventure to keep readers turning the pages!

When Bartholomew Bean and his father move to a new town, he feels himself becoming invisible. He creates a game with invisible creatures that surround the school and town and the only way to see them is through a game on the phone. He likes staying invisible, and if the kids at school who have been playing the game find out he is the creator, he will become the most popular kid in school.

James Patterson has done it again with another great book for early readers. I love reading these books of his before handing them off to my son to read. For a while after reading Patterson’s adult novels, I got a little bored with his writing and felt like his writing was predictable; but for younger readers these are the perfect stories to get them excited about reading and books. This story is fun and entertaining with a great set of characters and fun storyline perfect for kids and adults to read together and have a bonding experience over reading, doesn’t get much better than that.

Micah’s Got Talent?

Author: Andy McGuire

Illustrator: Girish Manuel

Series: Micah’s Super Vlog #1

Publisher: JellTelly Press

Release Date: June 4, 2019

Great series for young readers with a great message.

Micah is so excited when his school announced a talent show with the gaming systems has been wanting for a long time as the prize. Without even thinking about it, he signs up for the talent show without knowing what his talent is. For weeks he tries to come up with a talent that could win him the gaming system, but nothing comes to him. Micah struggles to find who he is and what he is good at in time!

Micah’s Got Talent was a super cute and quick read that young readers will easily fly through and enjoy. I read this one wondering if it would be a good fit for my little one to read and after I finished I quickly put it on his bookshelf for him to read next. This book has a great message of friendship and not giving up. I loved the way the author tied all of this in together to make the story just right.

The House on Foster Hill

Author: Jaime Jo Wright

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: November 21, 2017

A creepy fantastic mystery that is classic Jaime Jo Wright!

Kaine Prescott has been working to get over her husband’s death; she has almost given up on getting the police to believe it wasn’t just an accident while moving across the country. She buys an old, abandoned house without visiting it in her grandparent’s hometown. Wanting a fresh start, she sets about trying to make the house into a home when eerie things start happening and the house’s past comes back to haunt her. With help from a few new friends, Kaine quickly finds there isn’t much she can do to avoid the past and is forced to face it head on. Almost a century earlier, Ivy Thorpe helped to find the identity a woman found dead on the property and try to solve a crime before anyone else gets hurt.

This is the debut novel by Jaime Jo Wright, and I didn’t realize I hadn’t read it until recently. I picked it up and loved every minute of the story. Jaime Jo Wright is a master of time-slip, mystery novels, she has a way of sucking readers in and not letting them catch a breath until the very end. I love picking up her books and knowing I am going to be fully immersed into a world of fiction that is entertaining, mysterious, and totally enjoyable. The way the two timelines tie together by the end is so well done, especially for a debut novel. The characters are engaging and relatable, even the romance aspect was played out perfectly scene-by-scene. This is the type of book that I recommend to readers that enjoy suspense, mystery, and a little bit of romance.

Daughter of Eden

Author: Jill Eileen Smith

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: February 14, 2023

Historical Biblical fiction is not something easily written well, but Jill Eileen Smith is able to knock it out of the garden with Daughter of Eden.

Being one of the very first in the world can make for a hard time. When Eve first looks upon her Creator, she is nearly blinded. It is more than she can take as she is handed over to one like her but not. Adam is different from her but also the closest thing to herself in the garden they live in. Each day their Creator comes to be with them, and it is the moment she looks forward to each and every day. That is until Eve dooms them both with a single act that changes the world. What was once a friendly place is now a world without smiles and an unknown future out of Eden.

Daughter of Eden is one of the best well written historical biblical fiction novels I have read in a very long time. The way Smith writes about Eve and all that took place in a way not thought of before brought me to Eden and right along with Adam and Eve. The story of the garden of Eden is familiar to all, even if you haven’t read the bible, you know the story but maybe not in this way. It is not easy to take such a well-known story and characters and be able to make readers see them in such a different way. The great thing about fiction is it is able to do this. I recommend this book to anyone that wants a different view of how things went down in the Garden of Eden and see Eve in a different light.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

My Life as a Smashed Burrito

Author: Bill Myers

Series: Incredible World of Wally McDoogle #1

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: September 10, 2019

The first book in the Wally McDoogle series is fun, adventurous, and a great start to a kids series!

Wally McDoogle is twelve years old and forced to go to church camp where he is up against a bully the likes he has never seen. Every step he takes puts him right in the crosshairs of this bully and everyone else at the camp puts Wally on a pedestal thinking he is the one to take down the bully for them all. Wally ends up learning a very valuable lesson that it is more important to love your enemies than hate one other.

This is the start of a fantastic series for young readers, it is fast, fun and purely entertaining that will keep reluctant readers engaged and ready to turn the pages. I love fun books for kids with a great message; this is one that parents can feel perfectly capable letting their kids read and not worry that there is any questionable material within the pages. So many books out now that are even marketed to kids have material that is questionable in it. I know that some of the material may not bother some people but for parents that want a good book for their kids to read without worrying about language or anything else, this is a great one for them to pick up and feel good about.

Double the Lies

Author: Patricia Raybon

Series: Annalee Spain Mystery #2

Publisher: Tyndale House

Release Date: February 7, 2023

Annalee Spain is back in her most intense mystery yet!

Annalee Spain is back for another mystery, but this time she is at the center. When a handkerchief of hers is found next to the body of a dead pilot, she becomes the prime suspect. It doesn’t help that the Denver police department is run by Klan supporters, which makes her an even bigger target. Her leads lead her from Denver up into the mountains as she tries to clear her name and find her boyfriend, Jack.

I have to admit that Raybon really upped the suspense and mystery in the second book of the Annalee Spain series. The first book was good, but book two is great! She had me second guessing myself the whole way through and I still didn’t have it solved before the big reveal at the end. Raybon does a great job of introducing racial issues in her writing without throwing them in her readers faces. It makes you really consider what she is talking about through everything all the while you are enjoying a great mystery. It does tie in with the first book, but you can still enjoy it as a standalone.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Cold Light of Day

Author: Elizabeth Goddard

Series: Missing in Alaska #1

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: February 7, 2023

A great addition for any fans of romantic suspense.

Autumn Long and family moved to Alaska after her mother died in a boating accident. When her father has to retire as police chief of their small town, Autumn takes over and does her best to protect their town. When dead bodies start turning up and crime increases around town, Autumn has to rely on the town’s newest resident, Grier Brennner, to help her figure out who is behind the murders and stop them before anyone else winds up dead.

Cold Light of Day is the first book in the newest series by Elizabeth Goddard. It follows Autumn Long as she tries to solve crimes and keep the job she has grown to love. The added pressure of having her job in jeopardy along with solving the crimes helps to make the story more intense and move at a faster pace. I enjoyed the Alaskan setting and danger the characters found themselves in. I was a little put off by the romance aspect and how fast that aspect of the story moved. That is the issue I have with romantic suspense, if the romance aspect is over done it takes away from the suspense and my enjoyment of the story. It is a fine line for authors to walk getting these characters together in a way and timeline that is believable.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable book that fans of romantic suspense will not want to miss. I can’t wait to see what this series has in store for readers in the coming books.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Sound of Light

Author: Sarah Sundin

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: February 7, 2023

Sundin does it yet again with a fantastic story that brings little known parts of World War II history to light!

As the Germans march into Denmark, not a single shot is fired in opposition. But those that have opposing views of the Germans know they must get out before it’s too late. Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt uses his rowing skills to row his friend Svend to neutral Sweden before the Germans can arrest him. Henrik is propositioned with an opportunity to work against the Germans, but to do so will require him to give up his life of nobility and his identity.

Dr. Else Jensen was ecstatic when she received the opportunity to work alongside Niels Bohr at is institute. But when the German occupation begins, she hears rumors of the atrocities committed against Jewish people and those who oppose their views. She hears stories of a legend known as the Havmand, or merman, who swims the sound between Denmark and Sweden to cause disruption and chaos to the Germans. Can Else be as brave as the Havmand and do her part to thwart those causing suffering?

As I’ve come to expect, Sarah Sundin delivers yet another fantastic story set within World War II. This time she has chosen the setting of Copenhagen, Denmark and shines light on its occupation by the Germans. I love how she manages to find the local stories and legends during wartime and bring those to life for her readers. I love the story between Henrik and Else and how they had to overcome personal obstacles to become the people they needed to be. There is an underlying tone of forgiveness throughout this book, especially for Henrik and when he had to overcome to forgive those of his past.

For the first time (at least that I’ve noticed), there are some common characters from other books that make an appearance. You’ll have to hunt to find them, but I hope that there might be more there in the future! Great story!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.