Review: Goodnight Wishes!

Goodnight Wishes! by Leea Baltes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a sweet story with beautiful illustrations. Leea did a wonderful job depicting this story. Plenty to look and and discuss.

Being a believer in Jesus and through whom all things were created, I hesitate to highly recommend this book because it trembles on top of the fence with wishes (hence the name of the story) and prayers of the mama mouse. The stars and moon do tell the mama that the blessings come from the one who created them, but most of the story is about wishing with all your heart, and blessings coming after wishing and doing as much as you can.

Without getting into deep theological reasoning here I can see how this book is perfect for those kinds of discussions that Christians want to have with their children even as young as three years old. It is sure to draw out questions as long as you make sure your child is getting the message you want her or him to hear.

This book can go either way... just a fun, sweet story with a wonderful happy ending, or a way to talk to your child about belief in God the Creator, prayers, and how blessings do come from prayers when faith is exercised.

I am going to read this to my granddaughter who loves Jesus with all her heart even at 3 years old. I am going to talk to her about the difference between wishes and prayers. I think it is a great discussion starter which is why I gave it 4 stars. If it had greater emphasis on God than on wishing on the moo, I would have given it 5 stars.

I really love the illustrations!

I received this from the author. No exchange agreement was made. This is my honest opinion.

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Review: Ashes of Glass

Ashes of Glass by E.J. Hill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A refreshing of the Cinderella story with a faith foundation. Very nice. Good writing, character development, and interesting intrigue. I quite enjoyed this novel. It is a fairly quick read, and isn't as predictable as it might seem.

You'll enjoy getting to know Ella, who is a scullery maid promoted to chamber maid. She is a very good girl with some very unsavory characters out to see to her harm.

I received this book from the author, and this is my honest review.

4 of 5 stars

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Review: When Hearts Rekindle

When Hearts Rekindle by Janet Syas Nitisk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had forgotten what it is like to hold a real paperback in my hands to read. This book brought back all those old (and tender feelings) of staying up late, and reading in my bed. Great memories.

This is a good romance, third in the series, but very stand alone. Didn't feel lost even once. It has a very interesting premise. Broken relationship creates need to get away and do something else. And that something else is going to nursing school and meeting a new fella, a fella that is good, kind, thoughtful and lovely to love.

Nursing school in the 1890s was extremely viable. At one point in the 1890s there were more women in the medical field than men. That is when medical schools started restricting registrations of women into the school, and that is when nursing school registrations swelled. The historical aspects of this novel are very good and accurate. So read on history buffs!

Nitisk does a great job of giving good reasons for the two main characters to fall in love with each other. That is something that isn't exactly rare, but it isn't exactly run-of-the-mill either these days. I was glad to see not only those reasons, but also a strong faith aspect in this novel. The characters have a lot of challenges to face, they grow, they grow up, they make mistakes, and they live life. I also like the way Nitisk uses anticipation to keep the pages turning. Of course, the build up to the climax gives you a blatant clue as to how it all turns out, but I won't go there--you need to read that for yourself.

There are some problems with the editing, though, typos and some grammar errors. I do mention those because being an editor these errors are like neon signs to me. They are story flow dams that need a blast of editing to break it all loose so the reader can hit the rapids.

I was talking to a publisher a few days ago, and he still has a disdain for indie published books. At the top of his list were these same kinds of errors. Anyone reading this and who is an indie author, please get your work professionally edited. It truly will lift you from being just a good writer to being a great writer.

Nitisk is a good writer. As you read, you can smell the dirt and grime, feel the heat and cold wind, smell the cigar smoke--that is good writing. Great writing is creating a wonderful river-like flow for the reader where you rush through the rapids, slow down through the deep water, and splash in the shallows. That's the kind of ride that keeps readers buying books

Four of five stars. This book is worth the money, and you'll enjoy the read.

I received this book from the author. This review is my honest opinion.

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Review: Sam: The Cat Without A Tail

Sam: The Cat Without A Tail by Gloria Lintermans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful illustrations, quite colorful and attention keeping!

The story moves quickly and with the interactions among the cats, it lightly delves into the realm of self-esteem and how others can make one feel unwanted because of differences. The story also touches on how differences makes you unique and suited for different achievements.

Really good story for discussing these complicated issues with young ones. I can't wait to read it to my grandchildren.

I also like how Gloria subtly points out using our skills to do for others helps put self-esteem in the proper perspective.

I read the eBook version and it works very well as an eBook read.

The author gave me this book, and my voluntary review is above.

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Review: 3 Hour Dad

3 Hour Dad by Adam T Hourlution
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Having birthed two babies and the pregnancies were normal but highly uncomfortable, I find it very hard to believe that a highly active woman was completely unaware she was pregnant and still be thin enough that friends and family had no clue either. However, I take him at his word. Nothing but the truth -- and love -- could change a person's heart this much. There are all kinds of miracles, aren't there?

This is an entertaining peek into one man's push over the edge into fatherhood--literally three hours notice that he would be a father to a bouncing baby.
I imagine there are lots of men who secretly feel the exact same way Adam did about children, but are afraid to voice it aloud. But this gives you insight into the thought processes a man races through to find all that tender love a baby showers into his heart.

A humorous, yet touching read. Whether Adam and his Lindsey want to admit it or not, God had a huge hand in providing them this bundle of love and life. A very good read for ladies to get a peek at how their man might be feeling about having children. A great read for men to see how one little baby can change a heart and soul into tender but protective mush.

Received this book from the author; voluntary review is above.

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Review: Serial Rites

Serial Rites by Cortez Law III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cortez has produced a marvelous insight into some intriguing characters and a horrific serial killer case that needs solving quickly before more victims die.

These characters are very well developed to the point you can almost predict how one will react to a situation...almost. There are quirks in every human, and without God's controlling hand, we all flounder. Some even flounder with God's presence in their lives. Cortez does a wonderful job highlighting those contrasts in this story packed with action, surprising twists, faith, leadership, and matching wits with a vengeful and twisted psychopath.

Parts are so real, you can tell he's either lived the life or his research is ocean deep. You definitely won't be bored with this novel.

When I read books, it is difficult to impossible for me to turn off my editor mode. I can't help it. I did find some story logjams. There are some cultural references that may not be clear to you. However, the humor and the personalities override those problems. Another story flow jam happens when the dialogue is so cryptic that you can't understand what was just said. There were a lot of places where this happened. Some typos may have caused that problem, but not all. Also there are some sentences that are not clear enough to understand.

Setting all that aside, the story is good, the characters are very believable, the faith factor flows generously throughout making this a joy to read. It really is worth the money.

I received this book from the author so that I could review it for him. This is my honest opinion.


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Review: A Defense of Honor

A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An amazing story. Great premise, and a subject that I have not seen or read about in any novels -- that's up in the thousands of books read over my ummmhumm years of reading.

I'll skip over the story overview. Lot's of other reviews to read for that.

Hunter delivers a fast-paced romance that is not fluffy but has some strong pillars lifting it up from the rest of the pack. Romance, a little suspense, a little mystery all add up to good reading fare.

The only problem I had was that every in novel I've read with an English backdrop that has a character named Kit, the Kit was a man. I had to adjust my brain to that, then I was on a good ride.

I never did wonder what happened to the noblemen's byblows. In fact, some kings and noblemen recognized their boy-children, but what happened to the girls? I could tell the Hunter did some great research. She dealt well with the threads of faith and God's control in the lives of believers. I also like the fact that both character knew God, just didn't have the personal relationship very well developed.

The whole reading experience was very, very good. This is the book that backed up my reading queue because, frankly I savored it. Not very often does a well-written novel such as this come my way. I had to savor it.

Received this from Netgalley. No exchange agreements were arranged. This is my honest opinion.

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Review: Together Forever

Together Forever by Jody Hedlund
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really did like this sequel. The first one was superb, this one had a lot of hashing/rehashing of character angst. I like a book's plot to move forward not stay in first gear, move to second, and then go back to first gear. I did finish it, though, and for me to plow through all that angst says a LOT for the writing of Hedlund.

I liked the insight into the orphan trains and the people who placed those orphans. I really didn't know that these placers went back to check on the children placed. That was a new piece of history that I didn't know. Good to know.

Historical tidbits through out this story are very interesting. Characters from the first book are interspersed in this one except we delve deeper into Marianne's story who I thought was a brat in the first one.

I think this story is written to be a stand alone--I don't think you have to read the first in order to enjoy the second.

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Review: The Fashion Designer

The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here is a great sequel to Moser's first one, The Pattern Artist. Loved the characters then, and still love them. Sometimes it's nice to find out What Happened Next!

Characters were developed well in the first one. This one, it's kinda difficult to develop them even more. There were mentions of characters in the first book that are developed more in this one. Quite interesting. Since i read the first one, it's hard to tell if you really need to read the first one to get everything in the second. Although there was some rehash from the first, so I doubt reading the first is a must.

The plot moves along at a steady pace. The difficulties the characters must overcome are completely different, and that is what makes this book as interesting as -- maybe even a bit better -- than the first. Good reading all around. Five of five stars.

Received this book from Netgalley. No exchange agreements were made for this honest review.

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