Book Review - Together Forever by Jody Hedlund + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Marianne Neumann is searching for her younger sister, Sophie. Filled with desperation, Marianne becomes a placing agent with the Children's Aid Society in hopes of locating her sister. As a placing agent, Marianne hopes to locate a better life for the orphans, while locating her sister in the process. 

Andrew "Drew" Brady is accompanying Marianne on her first placing trip. He is a former schoolteacher who gets along with the children. However, underneath his charm and beauty, lies a dark secret that continues to torment Drew. The pair finds themselves growing closer until a devastating accident threatens to break their bond. Will Drew be able to put aside his feeling of guilt? Will Drew and Marianne be able to move past the accident?

This historical romance was an enjoyable read. It was an interesting topic about placing orphans from New York City to other small towns. While the book was good, I found the beginning a bit slow but it picked up towards the end. The characters were all flawed but they were trying their best with the cards they were dealt with. 

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

About the Book

Title: Together Forever, Orphan Train Book 2
Author: Jody Hedlund
Genre: Inspirational historical romance
Release Date: May, 2018

Determined to find her lost younger sister, Marianne Neumann takes a job as a placing agent with the Children’s Aid Society in 1858 New York. She not only hopes to offer children a better life, but prays she’ll be able to discover whether Sophie ended up leaving the city on an orphan train so they can finally be reunited.

Andrew Brady, her fellow agent on her first placing-out trip, is a former schoolteacher who has an easy way with the children, firm but tender and friendly. Underneath his charm and handsome looks, though, seems to linger a grief that won’t go away–and a secret from his past that he keeps hidden.
As the two team up, placing orphans in the small railroad towns of Illinois, they find themselves growing ever closer . . . until a shocking tragedy threatens to upend all their work and change one of their lives forever.

About the Author

 

Jody Hedlund is the author of over a dozen novels, including Love Unexpected, Captured by Love, Unending Devotion, The Preacher’s Bride, and A Noble Groom, winner of the 2014 Carol Award for historical romance. She received a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin, both in social work. She lives in Michigan with her husband and five children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog at www.jodyhedlund.com.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jody is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Click below to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/cee5/together-forever-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Review: Wish Rider by Barbara Casey + Giveaway

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When Dara Roux was seven years old, her mother took her to a candy store and left her there. She was sent to live at an orphanage where she met two other young women who were classified as geniuses like Dara. Together with their teacher, Carolina Lovel, the quartet travel to New York City to locate Dara's mother. While on their journey, they realize that not everything is what it seems as they keep digging into something sinister. What happened to Dara's mother? Why is she in NYC?

This was the second novel of the FIG series and it can be read as a standalone novel. I felt like this second novel was a bit of a disappointment as majority of the novel was spent giving readers a summary of the first book along with the information being repeated several times.I also didn't like that some parts of the story was literally word from word taken from the first book. I found the characters to be a bit annoying that they kept repeating that they are genius and how they know everything. For example, they never went to New York City, but they act like they know directions better than an NYC cab driver but when it comes to utilizing a telecom system, they leave it to Jennifer to use since she went to NYC when she was younger. I felt like the majority of the book was either fluff material or a summary and the final few pages were dedicated to the overly simplistic plot.  

The Wish Rider: Book 2 of the F.I.G. Mysteries

​Book Details:

Book Title:  The Wish Rider (Book 2 of The F.I.G. Mysteries) by Barbara Casey
Category:  YA Fiction, 160 pages
Genre: Literary / Mystery
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications
Release date:  May 10, 2016
Content Rating: PG-13

Book Description:

Seventeen-year-old Dara Roux and her two best friends, Mackenzie Yarborough and Jennifer Torres, the three collectively referred to as the F.I.G.'s (Females of Intellectual Genius) because each has an intelligence quotient in the genius range, have just returned from Frascati, Italy. It was there that their much loved teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel, discovered that her birth parents were gypsies, and that she had a connection to the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world.

Now, with graduation from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women behind them, Dara asks her friends to help her locate her birth mother when she learns that she might be living in New York City. Relying on Dara’s gift for speaking and understanding foreign languages, the black and white images that stir musical cadences in Jennifer’s mind, and Mackenzie’s mathematical calculations that normally provide numerical solutions and answers to life’s most difficult questions, the determined young women tirelessly go from one address to another in search of Dara’s mother.

Their determination turns to desperation, however, as they encounter a dark hidden society more dangerous and terrifying than they could have imagined. It is there that Dara hopes to find out why she was abandoned in a candy store all those years ago.

​Buy The Clock Flower: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~  Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:
​ Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction true crime and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. Barbara is also a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband, and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Fitz, a miniature dachshund; and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts.

Connect with the author: Website

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Book Review - The Cadence of Gypsies by Barbara Casey + Giveaway

Photo Source - Amazon

Carolina Lovel knew that she never quite fit in with her parents. When she receives a letter on her eighteenth birthday that she was adopted she kind of expected it.  The letter was written in an unknown language and has answers surrounding her birth and her family. Carolina decides that she would take  her three intelligent and gift students with her to discover more about her past. Will Carolina and her students be able to decipher the note?

The novel had an interesting premise and was fun to read. I found the four main female characters to be lovable and well-developed. However, I found that the story was more of a cozy read than a thriller or action packed that I thought it would have been. I felt like a lot of the mysteries and answers just fell into the protagonists' lap and there wasn't much mystery or action. I also appreciate how the author weaved in historical facts but I was dismayed that she referred to the Hindu people as "Hindoo" and alternated the spelling of "Sanskrit". If one is going to use a culture and religion, please make sure to use it correctly.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

The Cadence of Gypsies: Book 1 of the F.I.G. Mysteries

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Cadence of Gypsies (Book 1 of The F.I.G. Mysteries)by Barbara Casey
Category:  YA fiction,  272 pages
Genre:  Literary/Mystery
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications/Hungry Goat Press
Release date: April 2015 (e-Book)
​Content Rating:  PG-13 (A few expletives, mild sexual innuendo)

​Book Description:

On her 18th birthday Carolina Lovel learned that she was adopted and was given a letter written by her birth mother in an unknown language. After years of research she travels to Italy on a mission to find the truth about her past. Carolina is accompanied by three extremely gifted but mischievous students the FIGs from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women. In an effort to help their favorite teacher, the FIGs will have to use their special abilities to decipher the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, and the one thing that is strangely similar to what Carolina was given. Their search will take them into the mystical world of gypsy tradition and magic, more exciting and dangerous than any of them could have imagined.


Meet the Author:
​
Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction true crime and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. Barbara is also a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband, and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Fitz, a miniature dachshund; and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts.

Connect with the author: Website

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Book Review - The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff

Photo Credit - Amazon

Noa was sixteen years old when she cast out in disgrace from her family's home after becoming pregnant by a Nazi soldier. With nowhere to go and barely any possessions, she heads to the city to a shelter where her baby will be given to a family in need. After delivering her child, she has to leave the shelter to locate a job to support herself. She finds employment at a small rail station where she cleans and lives in a small utility closet. However, one faithful night, Noa stumbles upon a boxcar containing several Jewish infants who are bound for a concentration camp. She is unsure what to do, but one infant catches her attention, he reminds me her of her own beloved child she had to give up. She steals the child and seeks refugee, but fears the German soldiers would locate her and the child. Noa escapes into the forest under the protection of the snowy night, but with her meager clothing and provisions; her journey ends abruptly. When she recovers, she finds a safe haven among a traveling German circus, where she must learn the flying trapeze act to blend in and to earn her keep.

Astrid is the lead aerialist of the German circus and she doesn't believe Noa has the skills necessary to learn the act. Whether it is because of jealousy or Astrid's past, she has a hard time warming up to Noa even though she is Noa's only lifeline and flying trapeze instructor. However, slowly Astrid warms up to Noa but is unable to trust Noa. Will Noa's secret destroy their friendship? Will their friendship be able to help them survive?

When I first picked up this book, I thought it was going to be about an abandoned child who conquers the world against all odds. Then I read the summary, it seemed interesting as a beach read or maybe something to read while commuting. However, I am ashamed of myself for putting down one of the most heart warming and interesting books I read this season. The dual narrated novel captivated my heart and I couldn't help rooting for Noa's and Astrid's friendship. I wish every single human on this planet had a person like Astrid and Noa in their lives.They truly define what it means for someone to be a friend. There were times, that the two characters did act a bit petty and I found Noa's secret to be an "insignificant" (for a lack of better words), compared to Astrid's own life, but I can't judge because I don't know what it feels like to live during that horrendous time. Perhaps, if I was in Astrid's shoes and I found someone I liked during a time of uncertainty, but I felt they weren't being completely honest, but I would also behave like a "high school" girl. I think one of the reasons why, some readers might think it felt like a "high school" cliche is because maybe Noa and Astrid never really had strong female friendships. Noa seemed to be secluded in her small village and Astrid focused mostly on her career and none of the other performers in the circus seem to like her much either.  Speaking from my own high school female friendship, I also had petty moments and moments of fiercely protecting my friend. Personally speaking apart from minor "She hates me!" moments, I found the book very enjoyable and I look forward to reading other works by the author.

Book Review - The Heirs A Novel by Susan Rieger

Photo Credit - Amazon

After their father, Rupert Falkes, dies his five adult sons find their inheritance threatened when a woman sues their father estate, claiming she has two sons by him. While the brothers are still reeling from their father's death, they feel betrayed by the turn of events. However, their mother, Eleanor seems to be calm and cool even under pressure of the claim. Eleanor even believes that they should give some of the money to the "other" sons. The novel follows the quirky cast of characters as they deal with Rupert's death. Who is this mystery woman? What secrets is the family hiding?

A quick and interesting read with an unexpected ending.  A good read for the beach with the complex and interesting characters. But it lacks much of a story line; if you rather read more about character details, than this book is for you.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - Home at Last (Chicory Inn #5) by Deborah Raney

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Every sibling in the Whitman family has settled down with their soul mates, except for Link. He is stuck in a dead end job, lives in a small dump of apartment, and can't seem to find love. When, his sister's wedding day approaches, Link feels the loneliness sinking in.

Shayla Michaels has always felt the burden of life. Her mother's white family disowned her and her mother because of her African American father. While, her father's family did disapprove of her, they eventually embraced her.  After her mother's death, following her brother's incarceration, it left Shayla with a niece, Portia and her father bitter. Will Shayla and Link be able to put their differences aside and find love? Will they let the skin color dictate who they should fall in love with?

The novel was beautifully written and had engaging characters. I found myself hoping that Link and Shayla could put their differences aside and fall in love. I sometimes, find myself yelling, "Why did you do that, you fool --- Go after her!!".  I loved how the story featured characters of mixed races and felt that added another dimension to the story. A truly heart warming story and I can't wait to read other novels by the author.

**Disclosure -  I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**