Besotted

 

Besotted is the final book in Jody Hedlund's The Fairest Maidens series.  Queen Aurora has been hidden deep in the forests of Mercia in an effort to keep her safe.  One day she is discovered by a woodcutter named Krysten.  Aurora has no idea, but Krysten is actually the son of King Christian and he is in Mercia as a part of his royal testing.  Kresten's focus must be on the thought Deny Thyself!

Before you know it, Aurora and Krysten are falling in love with each other.  Unfortunately, they both have something else to be moving toward:  Aurora on officially becoming the Queen of Mercia and Kresten on completing his testing to potentially take over as King of Scania!

By the end of this tale, you will get a taste of the age-old story of Sleeping Beauty.  The twist in this re-telling is that Krysten is the individual who ends up falling into a deep sleep.  Hang on until the final pages to see what will bring Krysten back to the land of the living!

I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for my honest review.

Whatever is Lovely

Whatever is Lovely, by Willow & Ink, is a great gift for anyone you know who has an artistic leaning.  This is a book full of postcards ready to be colored and sent out to encourage people in your life!

These postcards contain scripture and quotes that can bring calm in the busyness of life!

The sender can put their individual artistic signature on each postcard to make it a gift worth keeping!

I received a copy of this book from Ink&Willow Publishers. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Joy to the World

Joy to the World is a book containing three stories focused on the Christmas season in Regency England.  These novellas are each a quick read that will help you prepare for the holiday!

The first tale is Heaven and Nature Sing written by Carolyn Miller.  When Edith Mansfield is invited to attend her godmother's Christmas gathering, she has no idea that George Bannerman (her former fiancee) will be there, as well.  Will Edith finally have an opportunity to be honest with George about why she broke off their engagement?

The next tale is Far as the Curse is Found, by Amanda Barratt.  Dwight Inglewood, Earl of Amberly, has returned from war a severely wounded man.  To protect himself from the rejection of the world, he has generally kept to himself at his country estate.  When he goes to London to prepare his townhouse for sale, as he walks the dark streets, he meets Jenny Grey.  When Jenny suddenly loses her job, Dwight offers her work on his estate in an effort to save both Jenny and your young daughter from a life of poverty.  In the end, Jenny is not only saved from destitution, but she has the opportunity to point Dwight in the direction of our amazing God as a means to bring new life to the deadness of his world!

The final tale is The Wonders of His Love, by Erica Vetsch.  After Lady Priscilla Haverly's mother-in-law injures her ankle, Cilla decides to throw a Christmas party to help raise everyone's spirits.  When a painter is brought in to create portraits as gifts, you will not believe what happens at this festive event!

I received this book  from Kregel Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Burden of Proof

 

Burden of Proof, by Davis Bunn, is the tale for you if you enjoy the idea of having a second chance to live your life.  A chance to reverse major mistakes from your past!

You will meet Ethan on the opening pages of this tale.  Ethan is now in his fifties and has skin-cancer that has progressed to the state that he only has weeks left to live.  When he runs into his brother's widow,  a scientist working on ways to time-travel, she offers him the chance to go back in time and save his brother's live.  Ethan simply cannot refuse!

After the transition takes place, Ethan awakens to find himself a 20-year-old young man paddling down the waterway in Cocoa Beach, Florida.  This is an interesting journey to take with Ethan as he attempts to discover the best way to save his brother's life.  Along the way, you will watch Ethan find that the focus in his former life had been in a totally wrong direction!

I received this book  from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

The Gentleman and the Thief

 

The Gentleman and the Thief, by Sarah Eden, is a tale full of twists and turns.  Hollis Darby and Ana Newport are an odd pair.  Hollis's family is wealthy and well-known in society, while Ana's family has worked hard and moved up from the lower rung of society.  However, her family has also suddenly lost it all.  The next oddity is that they both have secrets.  Hollis has taken to writing penny novels, not acceptable in society, in and attempt to keep his family afloat.  Ana has been secretly reclaiming items that were wrongly taken from her family!

This is an interesting tale to follow as Hollis and Ana not only build their relationship; but work against the wrongdoings taking place in their world!

This tale is unique because it has a penny novel interwoven with Sarah's tale!

Beguiled

Beguiled, by Jody Hedlund, tells the fairy tale of Snow White with a new twist.  In this re-telling, Princess Pearl is not running away from her wicked stepmother, but rather from her own mother. When Queen Margery sends her daughter on a hunting expedition, Pearl escapes sure death and and flees to the Isle of Outcasts!

The island is filled with people not accepted by polite society; however, these individuals become dear friends to Pearl.  Prince Mikkel of Scania is also on the Isle, as he is attempting to fulfill his testing to possibly become the next King of Scania.  To complete his testing, Mikkel's focus must be on the thought: To Look on the Heart!

When Mikkel is captured by Pearl's tribe, before he knows it, he finds himself married to Pearl.  Now Mikkel has more to focus on than just his testing.  His wife, Pearl, still needs protection from her mother, who is still seeking her death!

You will see God work on both Pearl and Mikkel's hearts by the time you reach the final page!

I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for my honest review.

The Sound of Falling Leaves

The Sound of Falling Leaves is the latest from Lisa Carter.  Following a traumatic event that causes Tessa, a young opera singer, to lose her voice, she has retreated to her aunt's home and apple orchard in the rural hills of North Carolina to recover what she can of her former life.  As soon as Tessa meets the apple orchard's caretaker, Zeke, she senses that they are going to have a conflict!

As Tessa attempts to fit in to her new surroundings, she uncovers another young woman, Leota, who had an unbelievable voice.  However, this young woman disappeared from these hills years ago!

When Tessa looks into what happened to Leota, she is suddenly joined by Zeke, as they both try to make sense of  this strange world in which they live.  You will not believe where Tessa and Zeke end up by the end of this tale.  This story describes some violence; however, it is what one could expect from this type of backward community!

The one positive element of this tale is that you will see God redeem the lives of both Tessa and Zeke by the final page!

I received this book  from Kregel Publishing in exchange for my honest review.