Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck ~ Book Review

Book Description

"Once Upon a Prince, the first novel in the Royal Wedding series by bestselling author Rachel Hauck, treats you to a modern-day fairy tale.

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess---just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn’t going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.

The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon’s Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family’s tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna’s aid under the fabled Lover’s Oak, he is blindsided by love.

Their lives are worlds apart. He’s a royal prince. She’s an ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel’s coronation."

My Thoughts

Ever since I saw the Princess Diary movies, I have had a secret fascination with royalty and recently the Duchess of Cambridge.  Rachel Hauck's latest novel, Once Upon a Prince, is a wonderful story of a girl whose life has recently fallen to pieces at her feet....until she unknowingly meets Prince Nathaniel.

I absolutely loved this book! Susanna is the sweetest character, full of love, fire, and hope.  I enjoyed following her journey to trust God and surrender her life completely to him. Nate is definitely the nicest guy you will ever meet, not to mention his desire to fulfill God's plan for his life and serve his country.

The only concern I had with the novel is the one scene where Nathaniel and Susanna accidentally fall asleep together at a cathedral. While nothing happened, I thought the scene was rather unnecessary and rather out of character for them. On the whole, I highly recommend Once Upon a Prince for anyone looking for a sweet read!

Rating: 4.5/5

Ages: 17+

Once Upon a Prince: Book 1 in the Royal Wedding Series by Rachel Hauck

Zondervan

ISBN:9780310315476

  *Thanks to the publisher and BookSneeze for my review copy. I was not required to write a positive review.*

Good Friday

                                                   

Source

                                                   Oh, to see the dawn,

Of the darkest day,

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men,

Torn and beaten, then,

Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the power of the cross;

Christ became sin for us.

Took the blame, bore the wrath -

We stand forgiven at the cross. 

Oh, to see the pain,

Written on the face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Every bitter thought,

Every evil deed,

Crowning Your bloodstained brow. 

This, the power of the cross;

Christ became sin for us.

Took the blame, bore the wrath -

We stand forgiven at the cross. 

Now the daylight flees,

Now the ground beneath,

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two,

Dead are raised to life,

'Finished!' the victory cry. 

This, the power of the cross;

Christ became sin for us.

Took the blame, bore the wrath -

We stand forgiven at the cross. 

Oh, to see my name,

Written in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death,

Life is mine to live,

Won through Your selfless love.

This, the power of the cross;

Son of God - slain for us.

What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.

The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson - Book Review

Book Description

"In this young adult fairy tale retelling by Melanie Dickerson, a woman arrives in Hagenheim claiming the young woman betrothed to the duke’s son, Valten, is still alive. With Valten injured, his younger brother, Gabe, defies his family to find Sophie himself. When Gabe arrives at the castle, Sophie must make a choice: go to the Cottage of the Seven and fend for herself, or trust the handsome stranger who seems ready to do anything to keep her safe."

My Thoughts

After Gabe defies his family and gallops off in searhc of his brother's betrothed, he is faced with the challenge of escaping with Sophie from the evil Duchess's domain.  However, neither of them counted on falling for each other in the escape for freedom.

I have loved fairy tales since childhood and adore all of Melanie Dickerson's princess story retellings. The Fairest Beauty, based on the Sleeping Beauty, is no exception. Melanie incorporates faith, love, and adventure into an inspiring and spellbinding tale. 

While the plot was somewhat predictable, I was surprised at the climax and enjoyed watching Gabe mature into a responsible young man. His character development was believable and I was happy for him in the end. However, I have to admit I did pity his brother, Valten.

My one complaint with The Fairest Beauty is I felt the romance between Sophie and Gabe happened too fast and as a result did not feel as believable as the romance in Melanie Dickerson's previous books. Overall, while not my favorite of Dickerson's novels, I greatly enjoyed The Fairest Beauty and am looking forward to Melanie Dickerson's next release!

Rating: 4/5

Ages: 14+

The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson
Zondervan
ISBN: 0310724392

*Many thanks to Melanie Dickerson and Zondervan for the review copy. I was not required to write a positive review.*

Heather Burch Twitter Release Party Today at 2 pm!

Q&A to celebrate release day! Tues 2:00 EST. Stop by! #Avenger @heatherburch

Heather Burch Brings Readers Back to Another Realm with “Avenger,” the Third Book in the Wildly Popular Supernatural Series “Halflings”

Halflings scribe Heather Burch pits her 17-year-old heroine Nikki Youngblood up against her most ominous opponents to date, a demonic seeker and a fully powered Damon Vessler, in the eagerly awaited third book in the supernatural series, AVENGER (Zondervan; $14.99; April 2013).

In the exciting new sequel, fans (aka “Fanlings”) will reunite with the tomboy who, after wounding Damon in last year’s Guardian, must find the courage to defeat him once and for all.

Nikki is adjusting to life as a Halfling when she finds herself on the run from the deadly seeker Damon sent after her. With her life and those of the other Halflings (including boyfriend, Mace, and admirer, Raven) threatened, she is forced to become the hero they all know her to be. Put to the test, Nikki determines quickly that her karate sword is not the answer to conquering her adversaries, but it is her faith that is her best weapon.

From the start, Burch captures readers and places them at the center of the action. They will anxiously follow along as Nikki faces off against several dark forces, leading to a nail-biting battle with Damon. It is this escalating tension that fans have come to anticipate from Burch.

The fight sequences are only part of what will keep readers glued to each page. Those still wondering about the romantic cliffhanger in Guardian will discover in AVENGER that although Nikki may be settled into her relationship with Mace, Raven still waits in the wings. In fact, Raven may be the only one who can keep Nikki safe.

While she’s sure Mace is the one for her, Nikki can’t help feeling respect and even a glimmer of adoration for Raven.  At a time when both their fates are in her hands, she struggles to make sense of it all.

Burch scores again with a brooding new tale in the Halflings series that clenches readers with a fascinating portrayal of young woman torn between her heart and her destiny. The author’s perfectly crafted high-intensity scenes are countered with delicate romantic and faith-based elements that create a well-balanced, nuanced story.

Fanlings new and old will not be disappointed with AVENGER. By the end of the book, they will be clamoring to find out what happens next in this hypnotic saga.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Heather Burch grew up in Branson, Missouri, where she first discovered her love of fiction. A former esthetician and now an ordained minister and motivational speaker, Burch writes full time. Her YA series debuted in 2012 with Halflings, followed later that year by its sequel, Guardian. She lives in Venice, Florida, with her husband and two sons. halflings.ning.com

A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund - Book Review

Book Description

"Michigan, 1880

Annalisa Werner's hope for a fairy tale love is over. Her husband failed her in every way and now his death has left her with few options to save the family farm. She needs a plentiful harvest. That, and a husband to help bring it in. Someone strong, dependable. That’ll be enough. A marriage for love...that's something she's given up on.

So her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.

Then a man appears: Carl Richards, from their home country of Germany and a former schoolteacher--or so he says. He's looking for work and will serve on the farm until her husband arrives.

With time running out, she accepts his help, but there's more to this man than he's admitting. He's also gentle, kind, charming--unlike any man she's ever known. But even as Carl is shining light into the darkness of her heart, she knows her true groom may arrive any day."

My Thoughts

I have read two of Jody Hedlund's previous novels, The Preacher's Bride and The Doctor's Lady, and  really enjoyed them, so I was excited to have the opportunity to review her newest release, The Noble Groom. 

I was as smitten with Carl as Annalisa; Carl's relationship with Gretchen and the baby is the most adorable father/daughter portrayal I have ever read. Soooo sweet! Annalisa's love of storytelling and her experience past relationships have left her despondent at ever finding true love. I loved how Carl would listen to her stories for the girls and pretend to be a dashing prince or a magic horse.

Jody Hedlund accurately portrays the hardships of immigrants without losing the reader with long details or hopelessness. I was routing for Carl the whole way through the story felt my heart would break with sympathy for the characters at several points throughout The Noble Groom. A very sweet story!

Rating: 4.5/5

Ages: 18+ 

The Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund
Bethany House Publishers
ISBN: 9780764210471

  *Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy. I was not required to write a positive review.*

Women of Justice Series by Lynette Eason - Book Review

Description "Samantha Cash is the FBI's secret weapon. Her methods are invisible, and she never stops til the case is closed. When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, Samantha is assigned to help local Detective Connor Wolfe find the killer. And he has two problems with that. There's her faith—in God and herself. And then there's the fact that she looks exactly like his late wife. As they get close to an answer, the case becomes personal. The killer seems to be taking an interest in Connor's sixteen-year-old daughter, who thinks her dad is getting way too protective. Can't a girl just have some fun..."

My Thoughts

The Women on Justice series follows the three Cash sisters in their pursuit of justice and fight to rid themselves of the past. I was kept on the edge of my seat for all three of these mysteries and read them all within one and a half weeks. Even though I figured out who the killers were before the characters, I was still kept in suspense until the very last page. Eason's heroines are lovable, if a little too perfect, and her heroes fight bravely to keep the girl they love safe. 

While sometimes a little creepy, the Women of Justice series is a perfect read to satisfy that mystery craving I always get in the winter! My favorite in the series was Don't Look Back. I have already started reading Lynetter Eason's next series, Deadly Reunions.

Rating: 4/5

Ages: 18+

Women of Justice Series by Lynette Eason
Baker Publishing

Grave Consequences by Lisa T Bergren - Book Review

Book Description:

"The Powerful, Epic Romance ContinuesFor Cora Kensington, the journey of a lifetime takes unexpected twists. And her future—her very life—depends on the decisions she’ll make at each crossroad. As her European tour with her new found family takes her through Austria, France, and Italy, an unseen enemy trails close behind. Meanwhile, a forbidden love continues to claim her heart, putting everyone’s plans in danger. And as Cora stays one step ahead of it all, what might need the most protection is her own heart, torn between the dramatic pursuit of a dashing Frenchman and a man who has been quietly staking claim to her affections all along. Love has dangers all its own. She must escape the bonds of the past and discover the faith to make the right choices, as each one has grave consequences."

My Thoughts:

I hardly know how to begin this review after this next, breathtaking installment of the Grand Tour Series. Since it had been several months since I read the first book, Glamorous Illusions, I was a little lost at first. However, after the first chapter, I fell right back into the world of the Kensingtons. The story picks up after the kidnapping attempt in Paris...Pierre is determined to win over Cora's heart and when tragedy strikes Will is forced to accept responsibility of the Tour.

Lisa Bergren has a wonderful way of letting the readers feel and sympathize with Cora's heartbreak, confusion, wonder, and anger. I simply adore Will and Cora's relationship and I confess I hated when Pierre's pursuit of Cora interfered. At times I was so distressed with the way things were turning, I stopped reading, only to pick up reading shortly after as I simply had to know what happened next! All is not as it seems and Cora is forced to grow and come to grips with her place in the world.

Grave Consequences is full of excitement and heartbreak, as well as thought provoking insights into identity and becoming the person God made you to be. Definitely one of my favorite reads this year and I am eagerly awaiting Glittering Promises!

Rating: 4.5/5

Ages: 16+

Grave Consequences by Lisa T Bergren

David C Cook

ISBN:143476432X

  *Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy. I was not required to write a positive review.*