Monday, January 28, 2019

WHITEOUT by Brett Cain

WHITEOUT by Brett Cain. This book was interesting. I don't normally like a lot of internal thought or dialogue, and this book was full of it. It was one that I kept putting down but had to keep picking back up. The plot was interesting and I like the characters. It was obvious the author had extensive knowledge on a couple of things in the book. That might have been what kept me reading. I wanted to see if I was correct in my assumption of why Frank felt a certain way, and it wasn't until almost the quarters of the way through the book. The ending . . . didn't feel right for me. I can see why it happened that way, however, it left me wanting a better conclusion. I would recommend it to most people.


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Long hours of driving on the frigid interstate have taken their toll. In a split second, Frank Sawyer's car drifts and clips a passing van on the otherwise empty Montana highway. In the aftermath of the wreck, Sawyer encounters a gruesome scene: the van's passenger did not survive. But it isn't the crash that took his life—he's been shot. Before Sawyer can assess what's happened, he's struck from behind. When he regains consciousness, he discovers that his attacker is gone, his car is missing—and the police have named him their prime suspect in the dead man's murder.
The harsh winter weather bears down as the chaos unfolds, and Sawyer finds himself trapped in the small town of Cluff. And law enforcement is keeping him firmly in their sights, so there's no possibility of escape. As he struggles to clear his name, Sawyer looks to the past for answers, becoming embroiled in a decades-old mystery that may hold the key to proving his innocence.

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Friday, January 18, 2019

POTION MASTERS: THE TRANSPARENCY TONIC by Frank L Cole

POTION MASTERS: THE TRANSPARENCY TONIC by Frank L Cole. This. This is a fantastic series. The first book POTION MASTERS: THE EXTERNITY ELIXIR was fantastic. Check out my review here. And this next installment is equally as good. The creative potions that are brewed, the twists and turns in the plot, the action level, everything about it is incredible. I had so much fun reading it. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. My kids are sure to love this one, as will all their friends and anyone else who will take my suggestion. I highly recommend this story and can't wait for the third book.

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It has been nine months since Gordy and his friends, Max and Adilene, saved B.R.E.W. (the Board of Ruling Elixirists Worldwide) and the Vessel—the power source for the secret society of potion masters. Now, Gordy is starting the eighth grade, and has been trying new potion brewing techniques, but when he starts zoning out during practice, he knows something is wrong.
Gordy and his friends continue to work on their potions, but when Gordy chooses Max as his lab partner, Adilene starts to wonder if she still has a place with her old friends. She turns to a new friend, Cadence, who might know a way to help Adilene become a potion master on her own.
And in Greenland, Mezzarix has a chance to escape his Forbidden Zone—as long as he agrees to work with the mysterious Ms. Bimini and replicate an unusual solution known as "Silt." It could be just the weapon Mezzarix needs to destroy B.R.E.W. forever.
With both B.R.E.W. and the Vessel in danger, and with the potion world in chaos, it's up to Gordy, Max, and Adilene to rally the remaining Potion Masters before it's too late.



Tuesday, January 15, 2019

THE HOUSE OF STONE AND IVY by Anita Stansfield

THE HOUSE OF STONE AND IVY by Anita Stansfield. I have read several other books by Anita many years ago and had a hard time with them. However, this plot sounded really interesting so I thought I'd like to give this one a try. Unfortunately, my copy didn't arrive in time for this post, but I look forward to reading it and seeing what I think after all these years. I'll let you know! Be sure to enter to win your own copy and stop by the other reviews on the tour.

Orphaned as children, Hennie and Lottie share an unbreakable friendship. Together, they suffered the horrors of orphanages and the workhouse, and now grown, they continue to rely on each other. When Lottie approaches Hennie about a possible position at a manor house, Hennie is eager to work alongside her dear friend. However, to secure the positions as stable hands, they will have to undergo a bold act of deception: the women must disguise themselves as men.
Upon arriving at the manor, Hennie is stunned. Her new position is at Ivy Manor—the beautiful estate where her mother was employed long ago and where Hennie was raised until her mother's death. Hennie has wonderful memories of her friendship with the son of the house, Jack, and is shocked and dismayed to learn he has vanished. Living in disguise at the manor allows her to gradually uncover the truth of Jack's disappearance and eventually find him. Both Hennie and Jack are thrilled to be reunited, and their friendship is renewed. Soon, their relationship blossoms . . . and threatens their determination to remain concealed. With so much at stake, will they be prepared to risk everything for love?


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Monday, January 7, 2019

SAVING SUSANNAH JONES by Carolyn Twede Frank


SAVING SUSANNAH JONES by Carolyn Twede Frank

This book began with a bang and I was excited to read it. Susannah was easy to fall in love with and have empathy for. Joseph's shyness was very endearing which made him easy to love as well. Their unusual courtship was fun to watch grow, but when they got married, I was surprised at how much of the book was still left. Maybe it was distractions within my own family or maybe it was the book itself, I'm not sure which, but I had a hard time with the rest of it. I could have been that I had it all figured out too early to enjoy it unfold. I'm not sure. It is a fun, clean read that I would recommend to anyone though.

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In the still of a cool Colorado evening, the Circle J Ranch house burns to the ground, leaving Susannah Jones and her two brothers orphaned and homeless. Embittered by the tragedy, Susannah's older brother grows increasingly cruel, leading Susannah to make the difficult choice to leave the last of her family behind to forge a new life for herself. It is the kindness of Dr. Kate, the woman physician in town, as well as a chance meeting with a rugged homesteader that give Susannah the strength she needs to escape.
When Joseph Iverson encounters the harassed young woman on his land one day, he has no thought but to provide the assistance she so clearly needs. Overcoming his shyness, he takes Susannah under his wing and agrees to a marriage of convenience to liberate her from her brother. As the pair works side by side, their mutual admiration deepens. But their happy existence is threatened all soon by a series of "accidents" on the farm. With danger looming ever closer, Susannah and Joseph must discover who is bent on their destruction before the life and marriage they've built together goes up in flames.


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Wednesday, December 19, 2018

THE CHRISTMAS APRON

THE CHRISTMAS APRON. I really enjoyed this movie. It brought up a lot of good questions from my older children. It shows service and love at it's highest, as well as the blessings that can come from that service. It is short, but packed with lots of great teaching opportunities. I would highly recommend it.


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It’s nearly Christmas, and the seven children in Millie’s family can’t wait for Grandma to arrive with her special Christmas apron, newly pressed and filled with generations of holiday memories. According to tradition, each grandchild will carefully write down the gift he or she wants most in the world, and then slip that wish into the apron’s frilled pocket. Then, on Christmas morning, those wished-for gifts will be waiting under the tree—like magic. Little Will wants Lincoln Logs; nine-year-old Grace wants a horse of her very own. Even eleven-year-old Millie, who’s too old to believe in magic, has a precious wish in mind—a pair of silky pink toe shoes. 
But one dark evening, Millie overhears a worrisome conversation between her parents: due to wartime shortages, the family can’t afford gifts for all the little ones. She pictures the terrible disappointment on her siblings’ faces: no toys or games or art supplies to open on Christmas morning (and certainly no horse for Grace!) From that point on, she wrestles with a terrible question: Is she willing to sacrifice her own whole-soul wish so that someone else’s can come true? Full of tender emotion and delightful surprise, this story reminds us of the miracles that unfold when we think of others before ourselves.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

CHRISTMAS BREAK-IN

CHRISTMAS BREAK-IN. My kids have been asking to see this movie since they saw it in the store. They were very excited. This was a very cute, family-friendly movie. There were a couple of parts I had to remind my kids that it was pretend (over-active imaginations make even the simpliest things that are obviously pretend seem real), but the rest of it was fun. I think our favorite part, or at least the part we laughed the most in, was the takeouts at the end. It is a movie I would recommend to anyone who loves a fun, Christmas movie.

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Today was supposed to be one of the best days ever for nine-year-old Izzy Rush. But now, on the last day of class before Christmas break, she has been left alone at school. To make matters worse, the biggest blizzard this town has ever seen is hitting full force. Which is why three bumbling crooks on the lam decide to take shelter in the seemingly empty school. When Izzy discovers that the criminals are holding her friend and school custodian, Ray, hostage, she decides it's up to her to save the day. But what can a nine-year-old girl do? You'd be surprised!
Starring Danny Glove, Denise Richards, and Cameron Seely.

Monday, December 10, 2018

FROM ASH AND STONE by Julie Daines

FROM ASH AND STONE by Julie Daines. This was a really good story. I liked Lady Margaret and really felt for her situation. Angus was a really fun character too. I loved how sticky he was. Their situation showed how hard it was to live during those border wars and how truly one day someone was an enemy and the next the same was an ally. The only problem I had was how quickly her feelings shifted both ways. I guess I didn't feel things as strongly as Lady Margaret did, but as I look back on the story, I can see why it happened. It is a wonderful story full of defiance, love, acceptance, and learning to let others in that I would recommend to anyone who loves a great story. 

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Lady Margaret Grey of Hartfell wants for nothing. The daughter of a knight, she has a loving family, wealth, and even a secret romance with the blacksmith's son. But all that is torn from her one fateful night when her home is attacked and her family killed. She is left with nothing but bitterness, an unwavering mistrust of men, and a strange and mysterious curse that allows her to feel the thoughts of anyone who touches her.
Now, after six years away, Margaret is returning home for one reason: revenge. She hopes that by avenging her family's deaths, she will somehow be freed from her curse. But it won't be easy. the identities of the raiders are still unknown, she has little left to her name, and traveling alone in the Northumbrian hills during the border wars is dangerous. Matters are further complicated by handsome Angus Robson, a Scotsman whose charm threatens to distract her from her plans. But the raiders are closer than she knows, and Margaret soon realizes that what she believed to be a curse may be the key to finding those she seeks. One touch will reveal the truth.


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