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Uncommon Heroes Series Review

If you’ve been following SGL for any decent length of time, you’re aware of what a BIG fan of Dee Henderson I am. I don’t read a whole lot of books set in modern times, honestly. But the way she writes intrigue, suspense and clean, intentional romance just grabs my attention and doesn’t let it go. I’ll share links to my other book reviews at the bottom of this post. I’m currently in the middle of a Henderson kick, aka, reading every Henderson book that I can get my hands on. And yes, I’m heading to the library asap to pick up more.

But today, I want to share with you a simply lovely three book series, Uncommon Heroes.

“The only easy day was yesterday.” -Navy Seal Motto

True Devotion – Lifeguard Kelly Jacobs was pulled by the waves of the sea, the cold and exhaustion making it hard to stay awake. She knew time for a rescue was running out as the sun set. But just as sure as she was about that, she also knew her best friend would come and find her. Navy Seal Lieutenant Joe ‘Bear’ Baker pulled Kelly from the sea and in those moments of being held safely in his arms, she said the wrong thing. Their friendship on uncertain terms, both Joe and Kelly have some decisions to make. For Kelly, can she risk loving another active military man? She did that once and has the folded flag to prove it. For Joe, can he learn to balance a relationship as well as his career? What they don’t know is that the man who killed Kelly’s husband is closer than either of them know and danger is just around the corner.

~ I’ll start out by saying that I love the fact that God is our refuge is such a part of this book. Both characters learn and lean on that. I just adore Bear and his struggles and wanting to do what’s right. I really enjoy the Seal aspect of the story. Of course, I can’t attest to just how accurate that part of it is but it’s interesting and done well, in my opinion.

“These things we do, that others may live.” – Air Force PJ Motto

True Valor – While Lieutenant Grace ‘Gracie’ Yates is flying an F/A-I8 Hornet and trying to keep the peace while readying for war, Major Bruce ‘Striker’ Stanton, an Air Force Pararescue Jumper, is on the ground pulling pilots and Special Forces soldiers from behind enemy lines. Bruce knows that Grace is too good of a pilot to not pull the tough assignments, and if trouble comes, his unit will be the one to get the call. They keep a relationship alive through love letters while they are both deployed, leaning on God’s assurance that He is sufficient no matter what. That faith will be tested when a dogfight erupts and Grace’s plane is damaged. Determined not to be the first woman pilot shot down behind enemy lines, Grace babies her plane and fights the need to eject. But her fighter jet goes down. And Bruce now has only one mission: get Grace out alive.

~I probably can’t say enough good about this one, you guys. This is one of my favorites of all time of hers. I just love who Bruce is – his intentional seeking out of Grace, how he keeps tabs on his sister, his friends, etc. Grace is a confident pilot who is still reeling from a loss and learning how to get back to living a full life. I really appreciate how Henderson weaves that through. And of course, the military aspect just sucks me in.

True Honor- When the cold war was over, Darcy St. James retired from the CIA with an Intelligence Star for Valor. For the last two years, she’s been enjoying civilian life. But then September 11 happened and she was called back for her knowledge and experience. The nation needs her street smarts and network of contacts. She’s on the trail of a man who knew what was going to happen on September 11 and chose to profit from it. Darcy meets Chief Petty Officer Sam ‘Cougar’ Houston during the first days of the war. He is busy following the intelligence that Darcy is finding. His role as a sniper has him taking out one enemy at a time. Their romance is one they didn’t expect but it flourishes despite the distance and stresses of their jobs. And then they find out that Darcy is high on the terrorists list of targets.

~This is my favorite of the series. Even over the second book. I just adore Darcy (I’m sure part of that is her name, tbh) and her longing to be out of the spy game while knowing that she can’t sit on the sidelines of this war. She struggles with good vs evil and finds an unexpected blessing in Sam. Sam is a solid believer, who knows what he’s fighting for and that good will win in the end. He realizes the treasure that he’s found in Darcy. I found it interesting, their dynamic of her finding information and his unit being the one to carry out the missions. I liked that overlap. It was interesting, it being based on the war that I actually lived through, and brought to home the sadness and terror a bit more than reading about other wars do. I really like the twists and turns for the search for the man that Darcy is hunting.

I think that’s all I can say about each of the books. I genuinely enjoy all three of them, although as you can tell, as the series continues I love the books more. The romances are all clean, intentional and based on faith. I so appreciate that in novels.

This series was printed back in 2002 and yet, I feel like it’s still one of my favorites of hers. I’d love to hear if you’ve read this series?

Other Dee Henderson reviews on SGL:

The O’Malley Series Review

Book Reviews- Dee Henderson Special

Tags: christian book reviews, christian fiction, christian romance, christian romance novels, christian suspense, christian suspense novels, dee henderson, uncommon heroes

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Book Reviews- Dee Henderson Special

11 Sep

Over the course of the past months (a year even. if you want me to be truly honest), I’ve been buying books more than I have in the past decade. I normally prefer to check books out from the library, then if I like them enough to own them, I wait until I find them at used book/thrift stores. But with the closing and all of libraries, that avenue was cut off. What was I supposed to do? Not get any new reads?

Surely not.

Instead, I wound up finding this lovely soul on Instagram that sells books at great prices and also have found there can be great deals on christianbook.com. All this to say that my To-Read pile has grown wonderfully long, and that’s aside from the pile that I already owned that I need to read. Check out my Classics Edition and Other books to see what those look like.

ALL of that to say, I wound up with a few more Dee Henderson books, one I’d never read and the other one I think I’d only read once. And since I’m woefully behind on posting anything on here, I decided that a nice, easy welcome-back post would be to review just the Henderson books. So, here we go!

Kidnapped – FBI agent, Luke Falcon, has just walked into a nightmare. Someone has taken his cousin’s wife and son. Determined to get them back, he is searching for the kidnapper and trying to solve the crimes surrounding it. But danger is getting closer to him and the woman he loves. (published 2004, originally titled, True Courage)

~What’s interesting is this is slated as book #4 of the Uncommon heroes series. While it’s been a few years since I read them, I can’t see/remember any link to the other books. Nonetheless, this one is well worth the read. Luke Falcon- first off, a really cool name; second he’s kind of a dream-come-true-kinda guy. His life is seriously thrown for a loop when he gets the call that his family is missing. The twists and turns are just what I expect from her. The discussions of faith were really good, although they didn’t impact me as much as the ones in ‘Taken'(see below). I did feel like I should have known who a few side characters were, so maybe I do need to go back and read the Uncommon Heroes series again, perhaps they are in one of those books. But it wasn’t so much that it detracted from the story.

Before I Wake – The town of Justice, Illinois is small and quiet and Sheriff Nathan Justice loves it. He meets Rae Gabriella as she moves into town, seeking a new start after an undercover investigation went wrong. She’s decided to work as a private investigator with former boyfriend, Bruce Chapel, hoping the quiet town will help her heal. But the peace and tranquility have just been shattered by a string of murders. Women are being found in their hotel rooms, apparently dead in their sleep- no sign of theft or violence in the rooms. When Nathan finds out that Rae is working one of the cases, he’s not happy about it, especially as she fits the profile to be the next victim. Can Nathan, Rae and Bruce work together to find who and what this mysterious killer is before the killer strikes again? (published 2006)

~This was a new read for me. I really liked the small town of Justice, and the history that the Sheriff had, as his family had founded the town years before. The different aspects that were going on in this story were woven together SO well, and all actually mattered in the story. (as opposed to some books that we’ve all read that had parts that weren’t necessary to the plot and just seemed to take away from it.. but I digress). I really liked the side character, Gage Collier. Which, looking up his name just now made me wonder, isn’t he from the O’Malley series!??! Someone please tell me he is. Anyway…. pulling my attention back to this review just got harder– OK. The end was so good and satisfying although there were two things that I was like ‘wait, what?’ when I realized it was the last page. I can’t say more than that because it would be major spoilers but I’m a little surprised at her decisions in these things but I’m also holding out hope that it means she was setting it up for a second book.

Taken – Shannon’s escape was planned to the last detail, as is her plan to capture the ones who kidnapped her -the Jacoby family. Her choosing Matthew Dane, private investigator, as the one who helps her gain her freedom, wasn’t an accident. But the task of finding all the evidence, and what happened to the ransom that was paid all those years ago, is going to be harder than she thought. (published 2015)

~I did really enjoy this book. It is intense and a bit slow moving but it’s theme was different than I’d read before – taking place AFTER the kidnapping. I liked the faith of Shannon and her coming to terms with the events of her life. The romance was a little odd but it grew on me. – this was my original review from 2018. Now, having read it again, I agree with everything I said although the romance wasn’t odd to me. I liked its sweetness and carefulness. Shannon’s faith again impacted me So much. I appreciate how Henderson writes the struggles and theology into her books.

One Suggestion I have before reading Taken is to read Full Disclosure and Unspoken. Just for background on some of the important side characters. I’m sure you can read it and still fully enjoy it without but I think it would be worth it to wait and give those a shot first. They both are also excellent, from what I remember as it’s been a few year since I read either.

Here are my reviews for them from previous posts:

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson – Ann Silver, cop, passes off a case to Luke Falcon, FBI. She’s relieved to have it off her desk, as she’s also the Midwest Homicide Investigator. He’s just been handed vital information that ties to a case he’s been working for years. But soon their lives will collide, getting far more personal than either had anticipated.

~ Whooeeee. I’d read this book years before but didn’t remember much of it. I appreciated how different of a lead female character Anne was – her end goal wasn’t marriage and kids and the white picket fence. This book has so many layers to it that I was sucked in very quickly and stayed that way. It is an intense story, as you follow along on a John Doe case. Perhaps a bit too quick of a wrap-up at the end for me, but thankfully, it didn’t ruin the whole thing. (you know what I’m talking about).

Unspoken by Dee Henderson – Almost twenty years later, Charlotte Graham still hasn’t spoken about her past. A past that includes her being the center of the most famous kidnapping in Chicago’s history. A past that includes such pain and fear that she’s never risked telling anyone. Can she finally take that risk?

~You might notice that another Henderson kick is beginning… This one is ‘connected’ with Full Disclosure and Taken. While there was a lot of detail about coins, I appreciated how much she researched it out – it didn’t take away from the novel for me. As usual, some of the faith struggles of the characters hit a bit too close to home for me – but that is one reason I appreciate Henderson’s books. She writes not only good fiction, she gives real-life faith struggles to her characters. I highly recommend this book!

And I’ll admit that I have them in an online cart right now, debating if I should break my self-imposed book buying ban and just get them, or not. Decisions, decisions.

Have you read any Dee Henderson? What’s your favorite of hers?

~Laura

The O’Malley Series Review – click to read!

I’ve made a sticky note to remind me to do a separate post for the Uncommon Heroes series sometime soon.

Tags: book review, book reviews, christian book reviews, christian romance, dee henderson, full disclosure, kidnapped, taken, unspoken

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February 2020 Book Reviews

11 Mar

It’s a bit late for a Monthly Book Review but I’m going to give you guys a quick one! I’m going to be talking about the books that I shared in My Library Book Haul.

I’ve already shared my thoughts about The Bridge to Belle Island. Trust me, you want to click over and have a read.

The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill – When Piper Sail’s best friend, Lydia, goes missing, the only thing she knows is that she can’t just sit around waiting for the police to find her. Especially when it seems that they are looking in all the wrong places. She sets out on her own investigation, with the aid of a young detective, into the underbelly of Chicago in 1924. She’s determined to find Lydia, no matter what. But she soon has to decide exactly what that means as the truth just might upset her privileged life. ~This book immediately made it to my Favorite Reads of the year list. I’ve not read anything else by Morrill but she wove an incredible story of family, intrigue and 1920s Chicago. It was also very clean, with only subtle mentions of women of a certain profession and innocent romances. If you’ve followed SGL for a while, you’ll know that for this to be on my Faves list, it HAS to be clean! I adored Piper’s spirit, her brother (even when he was being a jerk), and of course, the detective who decides to help her.

The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl (The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club #3) by Theodora Goss – When the girls of the Athena Club return home only to find that their friend, Alice has been kidnapped along with Mary’s employer, Sherlock Holmes, they rush to find them. But along the way they realize that the kidnappings are only a small part of a sinister plot that threatens not only the Queen, but all of England. Can Mary, Justine, Diana, Catherine and Beatrice stop the plans already in motion and save, not only their friends, but their country as well? ~As I shared in the Library Haul, I’ve not read book one. These were both on the ‘new arrivals’ shelf of my local library and they intrigued me. This series is very different from what I’m used to – seeing as how each of the girls are victims of an evil scientists’ experiments on them (one’s poisonous, one’s a vampire, one’s part cheetah etc). I’d almost say that I’d enjoy these stories more if those elements were taken away. But, I’m certain that those very parts are what makes this series stand out. I did end up enjoying this one- to a degree. The chase and revealing of the sinister plot were clever and intriguing – and were what kept me reading. The other stuff relating to the… vampire and such, were a bit much for me. Just like in the first book, honestly. But it seemed to be more present in this one. I don’t think I’ll read either of these again but they were well written with a fun, unique plot. If you want to see my review for the first book, click here.

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini – I want to do a review of the full series, so for now – know that I enjoyed this conclusion to The Inheritance Cycle

Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams – The Early Years 1903-1940 by Gary Giddins – This covered Bing’s childhood and on up to his rise in fame til the 1940s. I did enjoy what I got read of it. But, well… it took me several weeks to get a quarter of the way through it. And that was with skipping ahead to a section that was of more interest to me. Giddins wrote it well, and he did extensive research on Bing’s ancestors and life. While I fully appreciate that, it was a bit more than I was wanting. I finally just wanted my (huge) stack of library books gone, so I returned it without finishing it. Perhaps one day I’ll get back to it. But, even if I don’t, I still learned some cool (and sad) information on Bing. And found some songs of his that I’d never heard before!

Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia #2) by C.S. Lewis – When Susan’s horn is blown, the Pevensie children are called back to Narnia to help Prince Caspain reclaim his rightful throne. The false king is ruthless and will stop at nothing to kill the old Narnians and maintain his rule. ~I’m reading this series as part of a reading group on Instagram. It’s been fun to re-read these again as I feel it’s been a while! Prince Caspian is, I think, one of my favorites of the series as we see some of the growing up the Pevensie’s have to go through and of course, we meet Caspian and see Aslan again.

Jennifer: an O’Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson- I have read the O’Malley Series, for years and I still enjoy them immensely. This is a short story with one of the siblings as the main character. It was so nice to get to read more about Jennifer as a doctor and see as she falls in love. The heartache though! Agh. Even knowing what is coming (thanks to reading the O’Malley series beforehand), it was still a good, quick read. If you love the O’Malley’s, check this one out.

Thrive by J.J. Eden – A small book of poetry and micro-fiction that focus on the highs and lows of life. On keeping the will to thrive strong in our hearts. ~I got this book free for my honest review. And while I haven’t read any poetry in several years, I enjoyed this a lot. So many of her words resonated with me and some of the micro-fiction I was wishing was a full length story!

Currently Reading:

Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

None Like Him by Jen Wilkin

Tate (Montana Marshalls #2) by Susan May Warren (ebook) – this one is so good but with it being an ebook, I’m just not reading it much.

Zorro by Isabel Allende

To Read:

Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis

Tags: bing crosby :a pocketful of dreams - the early years 1903- 1940, book review, book reviews, books, books to read, c.s. lewis, christian book reviews, christian romance, chronicles of narnia, dee henderson, gary giddins, j.j. edens, prince caspian, stephanie morrill, the lost girl of astor street, the sinister mystery of the mesmerizing girl, theodora goss, thrive

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October 2018 Book Reviews

1 Nov

It’s already time for the monthly book reviews! I will admit that these are always the posts that I enjoy writing the most. I am such a book nerd, folks. SUCH a book nerd. At the moment, I’m trying to figure out the best (read : least-shocking) way to tell my OH that I want to bring my collection of old books out of storage. My collection is, at minimum, 5 boxes of classics mostly printed in the early 1900’s and quite a few from the 1800’s. They’ve been in storage too long, my book-heart says. They need to come out to live in my office.

That’s not why you’re here though, is it? On to the reviews!

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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Undetected by Dee Henderson – Mark Bishop is commander of the ballistic missile submarine USS Nevada, a job that he loves despite the responsibility that comes with it. The dangers abound under the waters, though Gina Grey is doing her best to diminish them. Ocean science research is about to get a breakthrough with her newest findings, but it’s one that, in the wrong hands, could open the U.S. to more dangers than ever before.

~ As usual, I did enjoy this novel by Henderson. But… I wasn’t completely in love with it like I normally am. There was too much repetition in some of the areas about both Mark and Gina. It was interesting reading about ocean science research – first for a novel for me! And I did overall like both of the main characters. All in all, a good novel to read by Henderson, but a bit bogged down for me to fall in love with.

Threads of Suspicion -Evie Blackwell Cold Case #2 by Dee Henderson – As part of the newly appointed Missing Persons Task Force, Evie is feeling eager to get started, just like the rest of the governor-appointed team. They’ll need to get solid resolutions to their cold cases, but as Evie and her new partner, David Marshal, dig deeper into their individual cases, the going gets slow. She is looking for a missing college student, and he’s searching for a missing private investigator – two cases that are completely unrelated. Or are they?

~ be still my heart- I’m now eagerly awaiting the next book in this series that I’m really hoping is in the works! I like Evie so much and as well as the characters that you see again (one example: Ann Silver) and the new characters! Sigh. Henderson shines in this series of cold case investigations. If you enjoy who-dun-it’s with a splash of faith and romance, check this series out!

The Eye of the World – Wheel of Time Series #1 by Robert Jordan – When memories become legend that turn to myth that then turn to something long forgotten, the Third Age is on the brink of destruction. The Shadow is covering all, and only a few know the Prophecies to try and fight it.

~My brother recommended this series to me, since I like Brandon Sanderson’s style so much. I was nervous as this is a hefty book (@800 pages) and the series is 14 books long (!!). I quickly got into the story though, it does remind me a bit of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings in ways. Trollocs look like Orcs in my mind’s eye, Fades look like the Ringwraiths and so on – but I think it’s helping me follow the story better. Keeping track of all the different story lines is the biggest thing with this series I think! Highly recommend if you enjoy Tolkien!

Shadowfell Series Review here just in case you missed it!

Currently Reading:

Dear Theo (this is taking me ages to read but I’m absolutely enjoying it!)

Constantine’s Sword by James Carroll

Only the River Runs Free by Bodie Thoene

The Great Hunt – Wheel of Time Series #2 by Robert Jordan

To Read:

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott

book #3 of the Jordan Series

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

Tags: book review, book reviews, books, christian fiction, christian romance, dee henderson, robert jordan, science fiction, the eye of the world, threads of suspicion, undetected, wheel of time series

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Aug/Sept 2018 Book Reviews

29 Sep

Looking at July’s review, I realized that I ended up reading exactly what I had planned to on my to-read list! That doesn’t normally happen, so I’m a little pleased with myself. My list of books is rather short for two months but most of the novels I’ve been reading have been LONG. The Shadowfell series are about 400 pages each, and the Robert Jordan one I’m currently enjoying is about 700 pages. . . I like the extra story development that is allowed in these longer books though! I’m not sure I could ever write that in-depth though.

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Shadowfell series by Juliet Marillier – separate review coming in the next few weeks

Gifts of the Spirit by FFOZ – as of right now, I’m going to just direct you to First Fruits of Zion’s website that gives great info into this well-written and informative book about the gifts of the Spirit and different perspectives on them.

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson -Two princesses’ lives are thrown into turmoil. While both scramble to learn the ways of their new environments, political upheaval is on the horizon.

~The first time I read this, I wasn’t sure if I would read it again but I decided to give it another shot. (I’m a sucker for Sanderson apparently). The way he weaves together a story is just incredible. The political and personal struggles of the different characters is engrossing. You can read my original review here.

Trouble in Store by Carol Cox – When her prime governess position is abruptly ended, Melanie Ross sees no other choice but to travel to Idaho to the mercantile her cousin left her in his will. But someone else feels he has the same rights to the store, and Caleb Nelson isn’t about to just step aside and give up his new life to her. He sees her as the newest obstacle to the new life he’s carving out for himself, and he’ll try just about anything to get rid of her.

~ I borrowed this book from a friend as it is by a new-to-me author that I just read a book of hers earlier this year – Truth be Told. I like Cox’s easy-to-read style and how she actually made me dislike Melanie for a little bit! I was so put off by her actions at one point that I had to keep reading to see how Caleb dealt with her. Brilliant move on Cox’s part. Highly recommend as a relaxing, faith-focused novel.

Traces of Guilt – An Evie Blackwell Cold Case by Dee Henderson – Watch for a separate review of this series! (I know, I said that about the Shadowfell books too but bear with me, the wait will be worth it!)

Currently Reading:

Dear Theo by Irving Stone

Constantine’s Sword by James Carroll

The Eye of the World book 1 of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

Undetected by Dee Henderson

To Read:

The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan (book 2)

Traces of Suspicion by Dee Henderson

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott

While covering different genres, I do not read anything that has blatant sexual content. I will tell you if there is any sort of such (typically very mild and delicately put) in them and if I don’t think they’d be appropriate for young/teenage readers.

~Laura

~What have you been reading lately? I’d absolutely love to hear about it and add them to my to-read list!

Tags: books, Brandon Sanderson, carol cox, christian fiction, dee henderson, first fruits of zion, gifts of the spirit, juliet marillier, sci-fi, trouble in store, unspoken, warbreaker

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July 2018 Book Reviews

10 Aug

It’s finally time for some book reviews! I have decided that I’m just going to share a few of the books I’ve read in the past three odd months (my last review post was April’s) If you want to see everything I’ve read since then, go check out my Goodreads page!

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Taken by Dee Henderson – Shannon’s escape was planned to the last detail, as is her plan to capture the ones who kidnapped her -the Jacoby family. Her choosing Matthew Dane, private investigator, as the one who helps her gain her freedom, wasn’t an accident. But the task of finding all the evidence, and what happened to the ransom that was paid all those years ago, is going to be harder than she thought.

~you might be noticing a theme here…. I was really on a Henderson kick! I do recommend that you read Full Disclosure before Taken though. You don’t have to, but you get background on several of the supporting characters in Taken that is helpful. I started Taken, but kept wondering why I felt like I should already know some of the characters..so I got Full Disclosure from the library! That aside, I did enjoy this book. It is intense and a bit slow moving but it’s theme was different than I’d read before – taking place AFTER the kidnapping. I liked the faith of Shannon and her coming to terms with the events of her life. The romance was a little odd but it grew on me.

How To Be a Friend To a Friend Who’s Sick by Letty Cottin Pogrebin – Everybody knows someone who is suffering. But how to act is often so confusing and stressful. Pogrebin shares, partly from her own experiences, what to do, what not to do and that sometimes, just being present is all that is needed.

~THANK YOU Letty, for writing such a great book on this subject. I admit that while I was excited to read this, I was a bit nervous as to what her take would be on this. But I learned so much from it, as someone who’s Sick and just as a friend of someone who’s Sick. I recommend this for sure, although, if my memory serves (I read it back in May), there were a few sections in her personal story that were a little off-color to me. (? I’m not sure how to word that properly…)

California Passage Series by Elaine Schulte – Follow the adventures of the Talbot family in the 1800’s as they travel to California via the different routes – covered wagon, around the Horn, through Panama.

~I have grown up reading this series of four books. I believe they were my great-aunt’s at one time. The journeys they go through are interesting to read about, especially in this modern age of convenient travel. This is definitely a christian romance series – faith is a strong theme throughout each of them. A fun historical romance read.

Wildwood (Wildwood Chronicles #1) by Colin Meloy – When twelve- year old Prue’s baby brother is kidnapped by crows, she’ll stop at nothing to rescue him. Even entering the Impassable Wilderness.

~I picked this up at a used bookstore because one of my friends’ loves it – but I was still hesitant about whether I would like it. It took me a few months to finally pick it up but I’m glad I did! Her statement of “It’s weird, but I love it” is a perfect review for it. It is a middle-grade fantasy series

Uncommon Heroes Series by Dee Henderson – you can find my review here and here. I probably hadn’t read them since 2014, so it was fun to fall in love with this series again. Highly recommend.

The Finding of Jasper Holt by Grace Livingston Hill – Jean Grayson and Jasper Holt’s lives were intertwined the night of the train crash. She knows that her heart will never belong to anyone else. He knows that her family will forbid them to be together, so he makes her a promise that he will prove his virtue to all who keep them apart.

~I received this book from my aunt (along with a few other Hill books) and absolutely loved it. I read it in two days- and that’s because I made myself put it down and accomplish life things. Like eating. And sleeping. It was a sweet, heartfelt western romance with great imagery and life lessons. Does that sound cheesy? It wasn’t. I never was sure what year it was set in but I quickly decided to quit trying to figure it out and just enjoy it. Lovely book. Highly recommend.

Currently Reading:

Dear Theo by Vincent Van Gogh

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

Gifts of the Spirit by Fruits of the Zion

To Read:

Constantine’s Sword by James Carroll

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (new author for me!)

The Shadowfell Trilogy by Juliet Marrillier

~Laura

Tags: book review, book reviews, books, books to read, california passage series, classic books, colin meloy, dee henderson, elaine schulte, full disclosure, grace livingston hill, how to be a friend to a friend who's sick, letty cottin pogrebin, taken, the finding of jasper holt, wildwood

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March Book Review – 2018

1 May

I know, you’re probably thinking, “Laura, you mean April’s book reviews, don’t you?”

No. No, I don’t. I read so many good books the past two months, I decided not to smoosh them into one long post. So later this week, a post will be up of what I read in April! With these two posts, I am hoping to jump back into blogging – at least once a week – regularly again. I have missed it and really want to keep up with it. Sometimes, these breaks are necessary, even if they are unplanned!

Also, remember, while covering different genres, I do not read anything that has blatant sexual content. I will tell you if there is any sort of such (typically very mild and delicately put) in them and if I don’t think they’d be appropriate for young/teenage readers.

Let’s get to the books!

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Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

The BFG by Roald Dahl – When Sophie is carried off by a giant in the middle of the night, she isn’t sure what will become of her. She’s pretty sure she’ll be eaten by morning. And she would have been, if any of the other giants had snatched her – ones like The Bonecruncher or The Fleshlumpeater. But The BFG is not like them, he is kind and jumbly. So when she finds out what the other giants are doing, she comes up with a plan to stop them.

~ After thoroughly enjoying the movie, I knew I had to read this. I hadn’t read any of Roald Dahl before and had no clue how closely the movie had followed the book. When I found a copy at a second-hand bookstore, I snatched it up and read it right away. What a delight! It, of course, was different than the movie, but I simply loved it. The BFG himself is simply delightful and snozzcumbers are just as disgusting. I highly recommend this book!

Rose Daughter by Robin Mckinley- When Beauty joins the Beast in the castle, he tells her that the heart of the place is dying. And it’s true. So Beauty sets out to heal it, sure that that is the only reason that she’s there. Because growing roses is the only thing she’s good at. And the glasshouse is full of dying bushes – all prickly stems and brown leaves.

~I decided to pick this up again as I haven’t read it in years. Yes, Mckinley wrote two versions of Beauty and the Beast. The other one is Beauty , this one is a bit more…. fantasty (? I think that would be the word for it). It is still very enjoyable and fun to see how she takes a different route with the story. I enjoy how she has the animals come back to the castle lands – and the background story of the Beast! If you enjoy re-tellings of Beauty and the Beast, you must read this one.

Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by Eric Metaxas – A twenty-year battle to abolish slavery was the focus of Wilberforce’s life. But he did much more besides that, to better the lives of his fellow men. He is one of the few men of which it can truly be said ‘ he changed the world’. Victory came for him in 1833, just days before his death.

~I really intended to review this separately because it was just THAT GOOD. If you don’t know who Wilberforce is, or just want to know more about him, read this! I enjoyed it so much and was constantly telling my OH and mom (and basically anyone else who would listen) tidbits from the book. The history of how he and his friends fought slavery for so long is interesting and motivating and heartbreaking all at the same time.

Vigilante’s Bride by Yvonne Harris – Finally on his way home again, Luke Sullivan doesn’t expect to rob a stagecoach. Much less kidnap a woman passenger. But he’s really rescuing her from having to marry his enemy. Emily McCarthy doesn’t see it as a rescue, though, as she is tossed over a stranger’s shoulder in the dead of night.

~This story had fun, unexpected twists throughout it, keeping me turning pages! I always enjoy a good western novel, but I was pleased with how Harris kept you guessing. My only disappointment was that the ending felt rushed and was slightly less satisfying because of that. I still recommend it though, it didn’t ruin the story at all for me.

Finished the O’Malley Series by Dee Henderson

Finished the Shadowfell Series by Juliet Marillier – upcoming separate review!

Have you read any of these? What have you been reading lately? I’d love to hear from you!

Tags: amazing grace, book reviews, children's classics, christian novels, dee henderson, eric metaxas, roald dahl, robin mckinley, rose daughter, the bfg, vigilante's bride, william wilberforce, yvonne harris

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The O’Malley Series Review

29 Sep

I’m switching it up a bit and reviewing a whole series for you today! Yes, I read this series this month, and yes you’ll be getting a post reviewing the other books I’ve read. Have I done anything else this month, besides reading? Apparently not. Because that’s a lot of books!

This is the O’Malley Series by Dee Henderson. If you haven’t read anything by her, you must – you simply must. I haven’t found even one book of hers that I didn’t like. She writes Christian suspense novels and has won awards for them.

If you’ve been following SGL for a while, you’ve seen at least a few reviews on Hendersons’ books. But this. This series is fantastic. I have picked all seven of them up at garage sales and thrift and used book stores over the years but when in the midst of book four, I realized I didn’t own book five! A tragedy there, my friends. Amazon was there to save the day though and the morning after I finished book four, book five came in the mail.

Now, when I say it’s seven books, that’s not completely accurate. Technically, there are only six in the series. But she wrote a prequel that I count as one of the series. Because it flows. And it’s just as good as the others.

I thought I’d give a brief description of each book and then review them as a whole. Grab your mug of hot tea, cocoa or coffee and get ready to fall in love with the O’Malley’s.

Danger in the Shadows (prequel) – Sara has been hidden away in protective custody for years. Adam Black is a former pro-football star. Falling for him could very well risk her life.

The Negotiator – Being an FBI agent, Dave Richman’s job is to keep people safe. Kate O’Malley is a hostage negotiator that doesn’t hesitate to step in the middle of danger. Falling in love with her is easy, but Dave is about to find out that keeping her safe isn’t.

The Guardian – Marcus O’Malley is a U.S. Marshall and his job is to keep the only witness of a judge’s murder safe. Shari Hanford unexpectedly steals his heart, and in the process, changes his life. The only problem? She’s in the center of an assassins crosshairs.

The Truth Seeker – Being a forensic pathologist keeps Lisa O’Malley surrounded by dead women. Solving mysteries is her job. But this time, she’s found the killer and now she’s gone missing. Quinn Diamond, U.S. Marshall, has slowly fallen in love with her. Now, he has to find her before time runs out for both of them.

The Protector – Fireman Jack O’Malley has an arsonist to catch – the man is targeting his district, shift and friends. Finding him means protecting the woman Jack loves, for she saw him…

The Healer – Working for the Red Cross in the midst of disasters, Rachel O’Malley is one of the best. But when a school shooting occurs and she knows the kids, dealing with the trauma and helping them proves too much.

The Rescuer – Stephen is a paramedic running from the pain of his past. Meghan is blind and caught in the middle of a criminal conspiracy. As she shows him God’s love, he finds himself falling in love with her. But then she’s kidnapped in the midst of a tornado….

Review: Faith is very much a part of each of these books. I like the fact that Henderson has each person have a different point of difficulty for believing. But there isn’t too much preaching going on – even I start skimming when someone preaches for a few pages straight. The characters are well developed and you become jealous of their sibling relationships! They adopted each other, choosing a last name to share, and that bond created is amazing. I enjoy stories that involve careers so far removed from what I know. I have read these books for years, and will continue to do so in the coming ones.

*I’d like to note that any books I read are free of foul language or any immoral …stuff. If there is a hint of it, I will tell you but that is the most that I will read, and by default, will share with you. Not everything I read is faith-based though, so keep that in mind if that is your priority. *

*If you click any link here and buy from amazon, I will get a percentage from the sale. Just a way I’m trying to make a little money from this hobby of mine*

Tags: books, christian book reviews, christian romance, christian suspense, dee henderson, omalley series

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Book Review- May!

29 May

“A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. ” – Chinese Proverb

How crazy everything has been! I am sorry that this is the first post this week, but as it was a holiday earlier in the week, I’m sure you’ll forgive me.

Right now my hands smell like lavendar thanks to the fabric softener that I just threw together… We will see how much I like it once the clothes have dried from waving in the wind.(I have a goal of hanging more laundry out to save money by not using the dryer as much but I abhor stiff clothes and towels.) I’ll let you know – and share with you what all I did to make it if it ends up being worth it! ha.

Next for today is to clean the kitchen – how does it get dirty so fast? – and then make some strawberry jam. Yum!

I think this past month I have read more than any other month this year! I love it. There’s only a few books this time around that I’m not too excited about, but most of them have hearts or exclamation points next to them (that’s how I mark their rank to me. heart = love. ! = great etc…) Now on to the list :

True Valor (book 2) by Dee Henderson – Part of the the Uncommon Heroes series. Gracie is a pilot in the Navy and Bruce is an Air Force Pararescue man. While they both are deployed, they write love letters until one day Gracie is shot down behind enemy lines. Bruce is part of the team that their only goal is to get her out alive. Henderson once again draws you into the military world with fantastic characters and descriptions.I also love the integral role that faith plays in the characters’ lives. For the description of the first novel, click here- https://thestartofagoodlife.wordpress.com/2014/05/01/book-review-april/

True Honor (book 3) by Dee Henderson – last book of the Uncommon Heroes series. I think this is my favorite of the three. It is intense as its’ storyline deals with the September 11th attacks. Darcy St. James is a CIA officer gathering intelligence on the men profiting from the attacks. Sam “Cougar” Houston is a Navy Seal whose team gets deployed based on the information Darcy gathers. During this war, their romance flourishes. But then they find out that Darcy’s name is high on the terrorists’ hit list. I adore Darcy. She’s tough, gives her all and yet is overwhelmed and exhausted of keeping it all together.

The Heartache No One Sees by Sheila Walsh – I must admit, I don’t think I’ve made it even halfway through this bible study book. It is good, but it isn’t turning out to be quite what I wanted. It is interesting learning more about Sheila Walsh – as she has her personal story in each chapter. This book is to help women with broken hearts from their past learn to accept Christ’s healing and acceptance. It is very well written, my disappointment with it has nothing to do with the actual book. Like I said, it’s more that I was searching for something else.

Take Hold by Ariel and D’vorah Berkowitz – This is off my OH’s bookshelf. And I have not picked it up as much as I want to. This book teaches about the unity and equality between Jewish believers and non- Jewish believers through Messiah; the inheritance of non -Jewish believers through the covenants of Israel. As the back cover states “What is your relationship to the Land, the People and the Scriptures of Israel?”

In Sheep’s Clothing by Susan May Warren – Gracie Benson is on the run – from the man who murdered her best friends. The man trying to keep her alive, an FSB agent, is haunted by mistakes of the past, and intent on catching the man who ruined his father’s life. What Gracie doesn’t know is that she carries a medical secret that in the right hands, could save millions. Outwitting the Russian old guard with a small group of friends is the only way to save Gracie’s life. ACK! I love love love this book. This romantic suspense, has everything you want in a novel!

The Shadow of the Bear by Regina Doman – This is a modern retelling of the Brother’s Grimm fairytale, Snow White and Rose Red. I must admit that I forgot how much I enjoy this book! Bear, a rough and mysterious young man shows up on Blanche and Roses’ doorstep. While the sisters’ opinions on him are opposite, he becomes their closest friend in New York City. But Blanche’s fear that he was putting her family in danger, become horribly real and they must fight for their lives. (!!!) This book is a must read! I got this years ago from a dear friend and it has become a yearly read for me.

Black As Night by Regina Doman – This is also a modern retelling of a fairy tale. This time it is Snow White. She handles this one as well as the last book. I am halfway through it right now – and don’t remember too much about it which makes it more fun to read! A runaway girl named Nora is found in the vestibule by seven friars who work with the homeless. While they offer her a place of safety, Bear searches for his missing girlfriend, Blanche. This suspenseful story brings back the characters from the Shadow of the Bear book with a whole lot more background on them. (plus I just found out there’s another book to this retelling ‘series’! i’m so excited to find it!!!)

The Belly Off Diet by Jeff Csatari – I got this book from the library to try out some new recipes. It’s actually from Men’s Health, and is interesting reading. It’s got a quick-start 7 day program – recipes, workouts, etc – that is proven and says that you will see results within days. The exercises don’t require a gym (always a plus!) and the meal plan isn’t one that leaves you full at the end of each day. It’s full of REAL food – spaghetti, chicken wings, pizza, taco salad, etc. I’ve tried several already and plan on keeping them in my ‘repetoire’! For anyone looking to lose that stubborn stomach weight but hate the gnawing on your insides because the portion sizes are too small – check this book out!

I already have a list of books to read this coming month – some from the library, some from my own shelf! Including – but not limited to – Finding Betty Crocker, A Tiger in the Kitchen, Fast, Fresh and Green, A Beauty so Rare and finishing Take Hold. I do want to read the Anne of Green Gables series, but not sure when I’ll start that!

Happy reading friend and I’ll talk with you next week!

~Laura

Tags: book review, christian book reviews, christian suspense novels, dee henderson, jeff csatari, regina doman, sheila walsh, susan may warren, young adult novels