Book Review - Under the Bayou Moon by Valerie Fraser Luesse

 

Ellie Fields wants more out of life than what her Alabama home is willing to offer. She decides to accept a teaching job in a tiny town of Bernadette, Louisiana deep in bayou country.  The inhabitants are suspicious of outsiders because their language and culture are being threatened. However, Ellie ends up teaching the people and help them feel appreciated. She struggles to deal with opposition from the school board and the politician with ulterior motives while keeping the trust of the bayou people.

As Ellie learns to live in the bayou country, she crosses path with a lonely Cajun fisherman, Raphe, who she finds intriguing. He introduces her into the rich tapestry of Cajun culture including, showing her the legendary white alligator. As Raphe and Ellie begin to trust each other, their is a huge bounty being offered for the elusive gator that will test their love for each other.

I enjoyed reading this book and found Ellie to be a delightful character. I thought the scenes with the trio (Ellie, Raphe, and Heywood) to be my favorite. I appreciated and loved the rich details that the author gave but, felt like some of the story line lacked depth. For example, a character goes missing and we are lead to believe that he might be doing something but, then we find out what happened to him in passing.  I wonder if its because the author had too many plot lines and she wasn't sure how to tie them all in together as some plot lines were solved "off screen" with a few sentence to wrap it up. Overall,  it was a great book and I look forward to reading more by the author.

Book Review - Promise for Tomorrow by Michelle DeBruin + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Logan and Karen decide to live a life of faith but, things are not going as they planned. Karen Millerson hoped to be teaching at a high school but, she is now teaching at a country school while boarding with a family of farmers.  She becomes engaged to  Logan De Witt and shares a life of faith with him. However, after a tragic accident occurs and the school catches on fire, Karen is blamed. Her future at the school remains uncertain.

Logan De Witt is working to remove his family from financial debt. However, when he accidentally breaks his leg, he is unable to work the farm which affects his ability to repaid the debt. Logan is faced with difficult decisions that might affect his desire to marry Karen. Will Logan and Karen find a way to care for his family and protect his love for Karen?

This the second novel in the series and while it can be read as a standalone, I felt like I was missing as few references as I didn't read the first book. For example, the struggles that Logan and Karen faced before agreeing to get married were already sorted in the beginning but, the couple didn't want their relationship to be noted as scandalous as they were courting while she lived with him. There were a few places were the book was a bit slow but, I enjoyed the plot twists. I enjoyed the part where the kids were playing pranks with each other even though, I felt for Karen.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Promise for Tomorrow
By Michelle De Bruin
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 290 Pages
November 19th 2019 by Mantle Rock Publishing

Living a life of faith isn’t going the way Logan and Karen hoped until some special visitors arrive and offer them their future back.

Karen Millerson dreamed of teaching high school but now finds herself boarding with a farm family and teaching country school. She is engaged to marry Logan De Witt and is getting prepared to share in ministry with him. But when she gets blamed for the tragic fire at the school, Karen’s future grows uncertain.

Logan De Witt is working to clear his family’s name with the bank. But when he breaks his leg, hindering his ability to work the farm, Logan is faced with life-changing decisions. When his best friend can’t offer the help he requested, can Logan find a way to care for his family and court Karen at the same time before his love for her destroys all of them?

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Other Books in the Series

Hope for Tomorrow
By Michelle De Bruin
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 294 Pages
October 23rd 2018 by Mantle Rock Publishing LLC

When Logan De Witt learns of his father’s sudden death, he returns home to the family’s dairy farm. During his stay, he discovers his mother’s struggle with finances and his younger sister’s struggle with grief. Concern for his family presses Logan to make the difficult decision to leave his career as a pastor and stay on the farm. As a way to make some extra money, he agrees to board the teacher for their local school.

Karen Millerson arrives from Chicago ready to teach high school but her position is eliminated so she accepts the role of country school teacher. Eager to put her family’s ugly past behind her, Karen begins a new career to replace the trust she lost in her own father who had been in ministry when she was a child.

Logan and Karen both sense a call from the Lord to serve him, but neither of them expected that one day they would do it together.

Can Karen learn to trust again? Will Logan lay aside his grief in exchange for God’s purpose for his life?

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

About the Author

Michelle De Bruin lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. She has a bachelor’s degree in Religion with a Christian Ministry emphasis, and in Music. Michelle is the spiritual services provider for an organization that offers services for people with mental and physical disabilities. She has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) since 2015. Michelle writes inspirational historical romance about people who live in rural communities. Characters that bring to life the delights of farm and small-town living, whispers of Dutch heritage, and Christian faith make Michelle’s stories distinct. A romantic at heart, Michelle is always on the lookout for glimpses of God’s love through the window of a good story. Her first book, Hope for Tomorrow, released in 2018. The sequel, Promise for Tomorrow, released November 2019.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a signed print copy of Promise for Tomorrow, chocolates, and a winter-themed quilted table runner (US only)

Ends February 26, 2020

ENTER HERE

Book Review - Witchlight by Jessi Zabarsky

Photo Credit - Amazon

Lelek is a witch on a mission. As she makes her way through the city, she kidnaps a peasant girl, Sanja. As they continue to travel together, the pair becomes closer. The duo travel to different cities to find the missing half of Lelek's soul so, she can regain her magical powers. As they continue the journey together, they both search for ways to be whole again.

The graphic novel was beautifully illustrated.  I thought the storyline was interesting but, I felt like the writing was a bit choppy. I found myself lost a few times while I was reading. I wish the characters were a bit more developed.

 **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Liar's Room by Simon Lelic

Photo Credit - Amazon

Susanna Fenton is living a lie. She is keeping secrets from her daughter and her friends. Fourteen years ago, she left her husband and her identity behind to keep her daughter safe. She works as a therapist helping people, hoping she put her past behind her.

A young man, Adam Geraghty walks into her office, insisting he needs help from Susanna. Susanna feels that Adam isn't being honest with her and he has a darker motive. She begins to fear that her secret has been discovered. Why is Adam asking Susanna for help? What are his true motives behind his visit?

The novel had a few twists and turns but, I didn't find the novel to be exciting. I didn't find any of the characters relatable and I felt that the novel moved very slowly. Overall, it wasn't a bad read but, it wasn't very psychologically thrilling.

 **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

Photo Credit - Amazon

Ivy and Tabitha are twin sisters but, only Tabitha was lucky enough to be blessed with magic. Ivy likes to believe that she is okay with not having any magical abilities but, deep down she is envious of her sister. She wishes that she can be like her gifted twin sister instead of being a mediocre private investigator.

When a gruesome murder occurs at The Osthorne Academy of Young Mages, Ivy is bought in to help solve the murder. Ivy is reluctant to accept the case because her estranged twin sister teaches there. While investigating the murder, Ivy is pulled into the world of deadly secrets and dangerous power. Ivy desperately wishes she was a part of this magical world. Will be Ivy be able to solve the murder without losing herself or her sister in the process?

When I first saw this cover, I knew this book was for me but, sadly it wasn't.  I felt the novel focuses mostly on Ivy trying to become something she wasn't then the "magic" aspect. She had this self-pitying attitude that was annoying. I wish she was more confident in herself and her abilities. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. It felt like a letdown after being tension built up earlier. Overall, the novel had great potential but, it kind of fizzes out to a "meh" feeling.

**Disclosure - I received a free unedited copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Watching You by Lisa Jewell

Photo Credit - Amazon

Joey returns home after working aboard for four years to live with her brother and sister-in-law. She and her new husband is adjusting to their new life together.  However, Joey finds herself drawn to the married man next door. He is the headmaster at the local school, who is almost double her age. While Joey's attraction to the next door neighbor grows, she starts to realize something is not quite right with the family next door.

I have read another book by Lisa Jewell and enjoyed her work. However, I found this book to be very predictable. I thought some of the characters to be a bit creepy and stalkerish. I am guessing it leads to the idea that even small towns have questionable characters. Overall, a good read but, I wish there was a bit more going on.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Doom, Gloom, and the Pursuit of the Sun by Antoine F. Gnintedem + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Mbengwi, Cameroon is a town known for its lack of opportunities. Anyone who is ambitious would find their dreams stifled. Ever since he was little, Austin wanted more from life. However, he experiences firsthand the cruelty and hardships of human nature. In a country, that is plagued with corruption, poverty, and death, Austin struggles to find a future for himself. He applies for a teaching position in the United States, in hopes, of escaping the desperate cycle. When he arrives in America, he is entangled with a host of other issues and problems. He tries to resolve the obstacles but at times they seem to be crushing his spirit. Will Austin be able to overcome his issues?

The novel was written in an essay format. It felt like almost like reading a diary entry but written in a third person point of view. It was an interesting read but I felt like the novel ended a bit abruptly. I felt like it could have been more in the narrative leading up to the ending. However, the book was very educational about life in Cameroon and I enjoyed reading the novel.

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

Book Details:

Book Title: Doom, Gloom, and the Pursuit of the Sun by Antoine F. Gnintedem
Category: Adult Fiction, 208 pages
Genre: Biographical Fiction
Publisher: Createspace
Release date: February 7, 2018
Tour dates: June 11 to 22, 2018
Content Rating: PG (No f-words, some mild profanity, and mild religious expletives such as "damn", "hell" and "Oh God!", some depictions of brief sexual content.)

Book Description:

The town is famous in the region for its chronic stillness...Consequently, every ambitious person who grows up there eventually leaves in search of better opportunities.

Life in Mbengwi, Cameroon, is not easy for Austin-or for anyone else. While growing up, he bears witness to the worst parts of life and the cruelties of human nature. These things keep his homeland trapped in a cycle of misery and suffering. In a country overrun by poverty, death, unrest, and corruption, he sees no future for himself. The only way to escape the cycle is to flee to a place Austin believes to be free of all these troubles, a place where he hopes his dreams will come true: the United States of America.

However, when Austin arrives in this supposed promised land, he is met with a crushing revelation. He finds America to be rife with all the same problems he thought he'd escaped, merely in different forms. Rather than give in to disappointment, he decides to combat these obstacles with a firm resolve. Before long, though, these obstacles threaten to overwhelm him. This realization prompts Austin to rethink how he sees the world and the challenges it throws at him.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Antoine F. Gnintedem is a renowned educator both in the United States and across the world. As a linguistic consultant, he has worked for the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Security. In addition, he has served as an educational assessment expert for leading national and international testing companies. His academic achievements include a PhD in English language and literature and another doctorate in educational leadership.

Connect with the author: Twitter ~ Facebook 

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends June 30, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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 - 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

a Rafflecopter giveaway