Secret Lady (Ladies in Time Book 3) by Beth Trissel

Summary

At Lavender House, Evie McIntyre is haunted by the whispers from her bedroom closet. Before she can make sense of their murmurs, the house "warbles" between times and transports her to the Civil War. Past and present have blended, and Evie wishes she'd paid more attention to history. Especially since former Confederate officer, Jack Ramsey, could use a heads up.

Torn between opposing forces, Jack struggles to defend the valley and people he loves. Meeting Evie turns his already tumultuous world upside down. Will solving the mystery of the whispers return her home, and will the handsome scout be by her side?

Against the background of Sheridan's Burning of the Shenandoah Valley, Jack and Evie fight to save their friends and themselves – or is history carved in stone?

My Thoughts

I have become a big fan of time travel books.  Probably not all time travel books, but several have become some of my favorites.  So, when I received the review request for this one I jumped right on it.

There are several things about Secret Lady that I would normally turn my nose up about.  However, they didn't seem to bother me this time!  Instalove is one of the tropes that typically annoys me but in this book it seemed to work.

So many books I have read lately have had characters that are annoying or frustrating.  Evie didn't get on my nerves!  She was a pretty likeable character and that was like a breath of fresh air!

I am glad to have had the opportunity to discover another author that I enjoy!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Big Red by Damien Larkin

Summary

We have always been here...


Suffering the side effects of Compression travel, soldier Darren Loughlin wakes up screaming from a gunshot wound that isn’t there. Despite a fractured memory, he is forced to recount his year-long tour of duty on Mars to uncover the mysterious fate of Earth’s off-world colonies and the whereabouts of his shattered battalion.
With time running out, Darren recalls his tour of duty with the Mars Occupation Force in New Berlin colony, their brutal MARSCORP masters, and the vicious war against the hostile alien natives.
But as he exposes the truth, Darren suspects he is at the centre of a plot spanning forty years. He has one last mission to carry out. And his alien enemy may be more human than he is…

My Thoughts

First let me say that military sci-fi isn't really my genre so I was a bit apprehensive when I picked this book up.  It's hard to read a book that isn't really your style.  I always want to be fair when reviewing someone's hard work!

With all that being said, even though this wasn't "my kind of book" I actually enjoyed it!  Were there some things I didn't love?  Sure, but over all it was a pretty enjoyable book!

Now, I know that I just used a lot of exclamation points.  But the thing is, I'm a bit surprised that I liked this book! Haha!

If you like military sci-fi books you should definitely pick this one up.  If you don't typically like military sci-fi books, you might like this one anyways!  You might just be surprised like me!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an hones review.

Indian Paintbrush (Carson Chronicles #3) by John A. Heldt

Summary

Arizona, December 1943. After surviving perilous six-month journeys to 1889 and 1918, the Carsons, five siblings from the present day, seek a respite in their home state. While Adam and Greg settle down with their Progressive Era brides, Natalie and Caitlin start romances with wartime aviators and Cody befriends a Japanese family in an internment camp. The time travelers regroup, bury some ghosts, and continue their search for their missing parents. Then old problems return, new ones emerge, and a peaceful hiatus becomes a race for survival. In INDIAN PAINTBRUSH, the sequel to RIVER RISING and THE MEMORY TREE, several young adults find love and adventure as they navigate the home front during the height of World War II.

My Thoughts

John A. Heldt never disappoints!  And, the Carson Chronicles are definitely some favorites of mine!  That's why, when I received the review request for Indian Paintbrush I jumped at the chance!

This series is all about a family that happens to have been separated by time travel.  The children and parents are trying to find each other and go to different times in history.  I love the way Mr Heldt brings in real historical events.  It really brings the story to life!

If you haven't picked up a book by John A. Heldt you really should!  You won't regret it!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Dream of Steam by James W. Barry

Summary

As the autumn shipping season draws to a close, Captain Thomas McGrath steps ashore to help his ambitious brother William rebuild the family sawmill. Despite Thomas’s aversion to debt, William convinces him to borrow heavily so they might convert their ailing, water-powered mill to steam. While adapting to the new technology, Thomas finds himself navigating between ax-wielding log pirates, hostile longshoremen, and his brother’s obsession with finding his estranged wife.

The newly retooled mill is ramping up lumber production when the winds of fortune turn. Thomas has set sail again when a financial crisis hits, running the brothers afoul of John Fitzpatrick, a crooked bank officer employed by their lender. Fitzpatrick’s crimes push the McGrath Brothers Lumber Company to the edge of ruin, forcing Thomas to consider a high risk proposal if he wants to save their livelihood and get out of debt.

Set in 1890s Michigan, A Dream of Steam is a story of sailing ships and lumberjacks, hope and disappointment, love and heartbreak, peopled by men and women who take control of their destinies in an era of rapid change. 

My Thoughts

I'm going to be completely real with you.  I had a bit of a struggle with this book.  Not that it was bad, it just wasn't my kind of story.

I'm not a sailor, I know nothing about boats or ships or anything like that.  So, all the talk about such had me confused and, honestly, a little bored.

However, the plot of the story was pretty good.  I can definitely say that the author does very well.  This book can be extremely enjoyable to those that would be more interested in this type of story.

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ensnare (Berlin Butterfly #1) by Leah Moyes

Summary

Stay or flee? Life or family? An impossible choice.
It's Aug 13, 1961, in Berlin Germany. Nationale Volksarmee soldiers roll barbed wire across the war-torn city to create the first Berlin Wall. Families are separated, livelihoods destroyed, death comes easily as crippling fear paralyzes the occupants on both sides of the wall. Fifteen-year-old Ella is faced with an agonizing decision. Does she risk crossing the wall and possible death to reach her family? Or does she embrace her new life and blossoming love that could be wrenched from her at any moment? West Germany and possible freedom or East Germany and controlled chaos?
Ensnare, the first book in the “Berlin Butterfly” series, is a story of life, love, survival and the struggle of living through the dark early years of the Berlin Wall. Readers will be captivated with Ella’s strength, determination, and vulnerability as she opens her heart amidst a dangerous and terrifying journey. 

My Thoughts

I have really been into historical fiction lately and then one totally swept me away!  Although, some historical fictions fell a bit like you're reading a history book but, thankfully this one does not.  It is a beautifully well-written book that makes you feel all of the emotions that you'd expect from this era.  I can't sing its praises enough!

This isn't actually your typical historical fiction either.  I read where someone else posted that instead of how this type of book usually tells the story about a person who is trying to survive on the wrong side of the government, yet this one is about Berlin's people surviving a life in Germany during 1961 and they were definitely right.  I appreciate the different perspective.

Well done, Leah Moyes, well done!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kaitlin's Mooring by Carey V. Azzara

Summary

Nothing is more horrific than losing a child, nothing more joyous than the birth of one. When grief intertwines with joy, it throws the Deveau family into turmoil.

Pregnant twenty-year-old Kaitlin Deveau leaves Boston University in a hurry when Henry, her grandfather, calls from Maine with devastating news. Bereft of hope, Kaitlin's son, Christopher, becomes a life preserver, keeping the family buoyant. Henry, now Chris's only male role model, teaches him lessons he uses throughout life. In the end, Chris and his adopted sister, Susan, must save their parents from the fate that took his grandparents--but the outcome is uncertain.

My Thoughts

Have you ever read a book that you weren't really enjoying that much but, at the same time, you can't stop reading it and need to know how it ends?  Well, that was Kaitlin's Mooring for me.  I didn't really like it that much but I also couldn't put it down!

That is where my predicament lies... It did make me want to read the whole thing so does that mean it was good?

Here's the thing, the beginning of the book felt super rushed.  Like too many things happened all at once!  The party, the pregnancy, the parents passing, and then, all of a sudden, the kid was four years old!  What?!?!  Too fast!

Then, everything slowed down... a bit too much.  It started feeling like the book was going to go on forever.  And it's not even a long book!

I don't find pleasure in giving a "not-so-great" review.  I actually hate it so much.  However, it has to be done sometimes.  Boo :(

Basically, I didn't love it but I didn't absolutely hate it enough to dnf it.  That's about all I have to say!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

The Side Job by Don Lubov

Summary

This is the story of Maggie Gomez — an unwed, unskilled mother of a sickly daughter. She lives a hardscrabble life on the underside of Las Vegas. As her daughter’s health deteriorates, Maggie's need for money for an operation skyrockets. Maggie was vulnerable and defeated early in life. Her long-suppressed strength blossoms and Maggie becomes “La Femme Nikita”. As Maggie gets more involved with her loan shark boss and his crew, her world begins to spiral out of control. Her simultaneous involvement with a gangster and the detective investigating him turns her life into a soap opera of emotions. She must figure out how to escape her under- world life, protect her daughter, and live happily ever after.

My Thoughts

Oh boy.  What can I say about this book?...

This was a struggle.  I finished it in less than an hour and, honestly, I didn't love it.  I'm sad!  I hate giving bad reviews.  I really do!

The plot wasn't bad.  Seriously, this had the potential of being a really good book.  However, the execution just wasn't there for me.

I really don't have much to say about this book, unfortunately.  It just wasn't for me.

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hearts Abroad by Skye McNeil

Summary

When a fun-loving American nanny turns a millionaire British single dad’s world upside down, it’s inevitable life is going to get complicated.

Taking a break from screenwriting in New York City, Londyn Bellerose takes a nannying job in Colorado to get away from the hubbub. A summer to live without regrets is all she wants. While her boss is British, gorgeous, and a millionaire, he has no clue how to have fun. Determined to mend the relationship between father and daughters, Londyn doesn’t expect to fall for the museum curator.

Londyn is American and everything Callum Archer swore to never fall for again. With her carefree spirit and energetic smile, she’s perfect to nanny Callum’s two daughters. The problem is she’s also perfect for him. She’s sassy, musical, and tends to speak her mind more than she means to.

When old history and new dreams threaten her happily ever after, will Londyn and Callum’s love survive?

Hearts Abroad is book one in Skye McNeil’s romantic comedy series, Atlas. Each book contains a millionaire to envy, snort-worthy comedy, and visits to many beautiful cities in the world. Yes, all of that, plus each novel ends with a fabulous HEA. 

My Thoughts

Well, this book was exactly what I expected.  That's not necessarily a bad thing... or a great thing.

While I did enjoy the story line, there were times that it was a bit predictable.  In all fairness, that is how majority of romancy type books are so it wasn't a surprise.  I did like the characters and was happy with the ending so that's always a good thing!

Now, I do have to say, on my blog I do specify that I don't like to read and review books with bad language and *things* that I wouldn't want my daughter to come across and read (if you get what I'm saying).  This book did have both.  So, that wasn't great.

Overall, the book was a fun, easy read but with my stipulations I am only giving it 3 stars.

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.