It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #4

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I read last week:

In Too Deep was by far the best book I read this week!

I'll be posting a review soon!

What I am currently reading:

These are all pretty decent so far.

What I hope to read this week:

Most looking forward to Breaking Up Is Hard To Do!

Sweeter Than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott

Book Description

In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter is a painfully shy student at Otterbein College, one of the first colleges to accept female students. Due to a difficult mother and perpetually drunk father Kate wants nothing more than to escape her home.

Ben Hanby, Otterbein's musical genius, is intrigued by Kate and longs to uncover her hidden mysteries, but at the same time hopes no one will uncover his secret, that he is working with the Underground Railroad.

When invited to accompany Ben, his mother, and two mutual acquaintances, to Cincinnati, Kate sees this as the perfect opportunity to escape, but instead finds herself aiding in the escape of a slave family. Kate returns home, but can't seem to get the slaves, or Ben, out of her mind or her heart.

My Thoughts

This was a very good, historically sound story. I loved how both Ben and Kate refused to let others beliefs about slavery sway them from their stand against the injustice, and how they put others needs above theirs.

From the description on the back of the book I was expecting it to be focused almost completely on music, but instead slavery seemed to be the center, with music as a side. Kate and Ben's romance was cute even though it was hindered slightly by Kate's mother's disapproval. I liked how even though they both wanted to marry, they trusted that if God wanted the marriage to take place, He would make a way.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.       

 I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #3

 Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I read last week:

Kisses From Katie was my favorite book I read this week! 

As I said last week you can check out her blog HERE

What I am currently reading:

So far so good!

What I hope to read this week:

I can not wait to read In Too Deep! I love Mary Connealy's books!

Ten Plagues by Mary Nealy

About the Book

A detective with a gift for discerning spirits...

A pastor whose sinful past is awakened by a murder...

A killer with a demonic taste for destruction...

And the plague of murders that has them on a collision course.

When a serial killer wreaks havoc on the city of Chicago with the fury of an old testament plague, detective Keren Collins is on the case. Armed with her God-given gift of discerning spirits, she sets out on a race against time to stop a madmen before he strikes again.

Pastor Paul Morris, a retired cop who once tried to ruin Keren's career, is the focus of the murder's obsession...but unaware of the link between himself and the killer that marks him as the ultimate victim.

As the two race to end the killing spree,Paul struggles to not let his old self rule him. And Keren can't decide whether she is glad to see Paul suffer of if she is falling in love with him. Will they win this battle of good over evil?

My Thought

I loved this book! Mary Nealy/Connealy writes superbly not matter what genre she takes on. When I heard about this book I was intrigued as to how the Ten Plagues from the Bible could be translated to now and carried out by a man. I wasn't disappointed! They were obviously on a smaller scale but true to the biblical ones nonetheless. I was also a little afraid that the whole “discerning spirits” might be a little hokey, but Mary handled it quite well and made it pretty realistic.

Paul's battle in himself between “Pastor Jekyll” the kind, caring pastor, and “Detective Hyde” the ruthless, unfeeling cop, was a classic picture of the war of our old sinful nature with our new God-given nature. It helps prove that no one is perfect, not even pastors!

Keren and Paul's love story was sweet as they both overcame their fears of what a relationship would bring and trusted God with their lives.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian Suspense. It's worth the read.

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy...with cowboys.
She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita and Christy and Inspirational Reader's Choice finalist.
She is the author of bestselling Kincaid Brides Series: Out of Control, In Too Deep, Over the Edge. Her work also includes Lassoed in Texas Trilogy, Montana Marriages Trilogy and Sophie's Daughters Trilogy.
She also wrote Ten Plagues--a romantic thriller, and The Historical Society Murders--three cozy mysteries, under the name Mary Nealy.
Mary is married to a Nebraska rancher and has four grown daughters and two spectacular grandchildren.

Ransome's Quest by Kaye Dacus

About the Book
After an eventful voyage from England to Jamaica, Commodore William Ransome hopes he can rest for a short time. But when he receives news that his only sister, Charlotte, has been captured by a pirate, he leaps into action. Then, unbelievably, word comes that his wife, Julia, has been kidnapped by yet another pirate, the black-hearted Shaw, a dangerous enemy of the Royal Navy. William's heart is torn. Which beloved woman does he go after.

Captain Ned Cochrane volunteers to sail after Charlotte, and after a perilous battle on the high seas, she is restored to the man she loves. She also has revelations about her captor's true identity and his willingness to join Ned and William in the search for Julia. It's news that sends shock waves through the family. Can William trust a pirate to help rescue his wife? What other secrets lie buried like long lost treasure in these turquoise-blue waters?

Romance, intrigue, and swashbuckling leaps of faith create a wonderfully satisfying close to this heroic series

My Thoughts

This final book in the Ransome Trilogy was as good if not better than the previous two. I love how Kaye Dacus intertwined her stories. Ransome's Honor was about William and Julia with a side story of Ned and Charlotte. While Ransome's Crossing was about Ned and Charlotte with the side story about William and Julia. And then in Ransome's Quest they equally shared the spotlight for a glorious finale.

The new characters introduced in this story did well in their roles. From the evil heartless Shaw and his vicious crew to the almost lovable rogue, El Salvador with his interesting and sometimes even funny band of pirates. There was also another character you meet in this book who I thought was cool, but I'm not going to spoil the surprise.

I loved how we did get to see some of how life was in Jamaica, but were quickly able to get back to the fun life aboard the ships. Though for some the ship life they now experienced wasn't exactly enjoyable. It was also fun to watch the as romances of both William and Julia and Ned and Charlotte continued to grow despite the trying circumstances. All in all I would highly recommend getting your hands on this series of romance and adventure in the early 19^th century. You won't be sorry!

About the Author

Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a full-time academic advisor and part-time college composition instructor for a local university. To find out more about Kaye and her books, please visit her online at kayedacus.com. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #2

Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I read last week:

Ten Plagues was really really good and The Measure of A Lady was also extremely enjoyable!

What I am currently reading:

Kisses From Katie is my favorite out of these so far. 

Katie's story is really amazing and you can check out here blog HERE

What I hope to read this week:

 I think I am most looking forward to reading Running Blind.

Ransome's Crossing by Kaye Dacus

About the Book
To get to her secret fiancé in Jamaica, Charlotte Ransome disguises herself as a midshipman and joins the crew of one of the ships in the convoy led by her brother William. First Lieutenant Ned Cochrane has only known his captain’s younger sister for a brief time, but is sure she’s the wife he’s been praying for—except he’s about to leave for the Caribbean for at least one year.
An attack on the convoy gains Ned the promotion to commander he has long dreaded—especially once he discovers one of his midshipmen is actually Charlotte Ransome in disguise. After seeking Julia’s advice, Ned decides to keep Charlotte’s secret… and hopes to win her love. Charlotte will soon discover that losing her heart to Ned is not the greatest danger she’ll face on this Atlantic crossing.

My Thoughts

This book was so good I was hardly able to put it down. It was amazing to me how well Charlotte was able to keep up with and even surpass the other midshipmen on her crew, and all with out being discovered. One of the really cool things about this story was the look you got into the workings of the ships. Through all the different points of view you got to see just about every nook and cranny from the lower jobs of the midshipmen to the overseeing of the Captain.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good adventure and romance. As I read the last page I immediately grabbed the third and final book in the Ransome Trilogy, Ransome's Quest

About the Author
Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a full-time academic advisor and part-time college composition instructor for a local university. To find out more about Kaye and her books, please visit her online at kayedacus.com. 

Ransome's Honor by Kaye Dacus

About the Book
When young Julia Witherington doesn’t receive the proposal for marriage she expects from William Ransome, she determines to never forgive him. They go their separate ways—she returns to her family’s Caribbean plantation, and he returns to the Royal Navy.

Now, twelve years later, Julia is about to receive a substantial inheritance, including her beloved plantation. When unscrupulous relatives try to gain the inheritance by forcing her into a marriage, she turns to the only eligible man to whom her father, Admiral Sir Edward Witherington, will not object—his most trusted captain and the man who broke Julia’s heart, William Ransome. Julia offers William her thirty-thousand-pound dowry to feign marriage for one year, but then something she never imagined happens: She starts to fall in love with him again.
Can two people overcome their hurt, reconcile their conflicting desires, and find a way to be happy together? Duty and honor, faith and love are intertwined in this intriguing tale from the Regency era.

My Thoughts

This book was amazing, and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Kaye Dacus is a truly amazing author. I loved how the story unfolded, with twists that you didn't see coming. William and Julia were such amazing characters that you couldn't help but love, and Julia's greedy relatives had you longing to reach through the pages and give them a good beating. As soon as I read the last page I could not wait to pick up book two, Ransome's Crossing

About the Author
Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a full-time academic advisor and part-time college composition instructor for a local university. To find out more about Kaye and her books, please visit her online at kayedacus.com. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Hosted By: Book Journey

Here is what I read last week:

These books were all really good! I think Heiress was my favorite and the Ransome ones were close 2nds

What I am currently reading:

This book is amazing so far and I am extremely anxious to finish it!

What I hope to read this week:

First Date by Krista McGee

About the Book
The last thing Addy Davidson wants is to be on a reality TV show where the prize is a prom date with the President’s son.
She’s focused on her schoolwork so she can get a scholarship to an Ivy League college, uncomfortable in the spotlight, never been on a date, and didn’t even audition for it.
But she got selected anyway.
So she does her best to get eliminated on the very first show. Right before she realizes that the President’s son is possibly the most attractive guy she has ever seen in person, surprisingly nice, and seemingly unimpressed by the 99 other girls who are throwing themselves at him.
Addy’s totally out of her comfort zone but that may be right where God can show her all that she was meant to be.

My Thoughts

At first I didn't realize the fact that this story was based on Esther from the Bible, but as time wore on it became really evident. I could really relate to the main character, (with her dislike for attention, love of solitude and reading, and fear of sharing her faith,) which is always a cool thing to find. 

Overall the book was pretty good with likable and believable characters and I pretty cool plot, though the fact that the author was trying to make it like Esther made a couple scenes seem a little fake and forced. But in the end I did really enjoy the book and it was a really fun easy read.
I received this book free from the publisher through BookSneeze®.com

About the Author
When Krista McGee isn't living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she lives in Tampa and spends her
days as a wife, mom, teacher, and coffee snob. She is also the author of Anomaly, First Date, Starring Me, and Right Where I Belong.