The Girl From the Hidden Forest ~ Review

The Girl From the Hidden Forest

By Hannah Linder

She doesn't remember her life before the forest. But she remembers her nightmares and the beast that haunts them. Eliza Ellis calls the forest home, which is isolated with just her dog Merrylad and Captain, her father. She knows and loves her home. She dreams about the worlds that live within her books, never thinking she would ever see them. 

But when Felton Northwood steals her away from all she's known, her world is shattered. He tells her that the life she's known is a lie. For 14 years her life has been a lie. But Eliza knows the truth. Captain is her father, not some unknown viscount. And she never witnessed her mother's murder. And yet there is something familiar that nags.

Felton knows that Eliza is the key to clearing his family's name of the murder of Lady Gillingham. If only she can remember the truth he knows that the true killer will be identified and the cloud hanging over the Northwood name will be destroyed.

But nothing is ever easy and Eliza's return awakens danger - someone seems determined to keep her memories hidden away, even if it means ending her life.

Anyone who loves fiction with a Gothic feel will LOVE this book. This has forbidden romance, a displaced character, unwanted attraction, family secrets, and a beast. This book has emotional swings as Eliza tries to adjust to everything while longing for what she had. The forest and its simple, uncomplicated living calls to her. 

This book does an excellent job of concealing the true villain, and there were several likely suspects. The way the story comes together is perfect. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an excuse to stay up all night reading. This is a can't put it down book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
 
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.
 
That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.
 
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?
 
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?

AUTHOR BIO

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, a 2023 Angel Book Award third-place winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments--piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele--songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, square dancing, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.

 To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.

The Orchids of Ashthorne Hall ~ Review

The Orchids of Ashthorne Hall

By Rebecca Anderson

Hyacinth Bell has come to Ashthorne Hall to care for the estate's orchids. But soon she is caught up in the mystery surrounding the estate - rumors of hauntings are soon not just rumors. But more is going on at Ashthorne than is readily apparent. 

When Hyacinth meets Lucas Harding, the manor’s caretaker, she feels a connection with him. But she can tell that he is hiding something. Something that may be vital to understanding what is going on at Ashthorne. 

And unless Hyacinth can discover the truth, those who call the estate home and even her beloved orchids will be in danger. Because someone haunts the halls and she very much fears that it isn't a ghost that threatens them all.

There is definitely a Gothic thread running throughout and it adds a deliciously tantalizing undercurrent throughout. There is a serious side to this book, one that delves into the plight of the worker and how those in power and authority misuse them. This is a powerful yet entertaining story, which I highly recommend.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

A ghostly estate. 

A handsome caretaker hiding a secret. 

And the intrepid Hyacinth Bell who is set on solving the mystery of both.

1887, the Cornwall coast

For years, rumors have flown through the village of Suttonsbury about Ashthorne Hall—that its occupants hoard pirate treasure, that a ghost walks its halls—but botanist Hyacinth Bell only cares about the estate’s extensive, one-of-a-kind orchid collection. As an independent woman, she is eager to focus on her career, even if it means waiting to pursue a romantic relationship. After all, love—like an orchid—must be nurtured and tended before it can bloom.

What she doesn’t expect is to be swept away by Lucas Harding, the manor’s caretaker, upon their first meeting. He is handsome and charming, and the connection between the two is nearly instantaneous. Hyacinth is certain this autumn will be the season that everything good in her life takes root.

But then strange things start happening in the seemingly empty halls of the estate: unexplainable noises, items appearing then disappearing from her room, threatening messages, and glimpses of a woman in white who vanishes into the dark. Lucas dismisses Hyacinth’s worries, insisting that there is no ghost at Ashthorne Hall, but she suspects he is withholding information and decides to investigate the mystery herself.

Armed with little more than her instincts and her courage, Hyacinth must venture deep into the shadows of Ashthorne Hall to uncover the truth Lucas is keeping secret before she herself falls victim to the dangers hidden in the estate.

Sleeping Spells and Dragon Scales ~ Review

Sleeping Spells and Dragon Scales

By Wendy S. Swore

With a title like this one imagines a fantasy story with maybe some laughs. But this book is more an idea of fantasy instead. There is a serious aspect to it that is actually the main story.  Liam and Alaina are really good friends, but when Liam starts having sleeping spells and seeing things that aren't there Alaina is the only friend who believes him. 

She knows what it's like to have strange symptoms and feel like your body is just weird. Alaina has type 1 diabetes and has been living with it for several years. And she has a theory about how to help Liam.

Alaina believes the two of them have upset the fairies, accidentally. But she believes they have to try breaking Liam's curse before it is too late. And they'll use her research and knowledge of fairies and fairy tales to do this.

Sleeping Spells and Dragon Scales is a contemporary set chapter book that uses Magical Realism perfectly as Lian and Alaina work together to try to understand and figure out what is wrong with him. Because something must be wrong even if the doctors say he is fine.

This book is perfect in explaining the troubling aspects of having an unknown and chronic condition. We are introduced to the struggle to explain what is difficult to explain and even harder the cruel comments and accusations of lying. How do you convince others that something is wrong when the experts say you're fine? And how long do you keep going on before you give up?

I think this is a book that all middle-grade readers should read. It is an eye-opening read about diabetes, narcolepsy, and cataplexy. I know the words sound scary and the reality of living with these conditions daily is just as scary. I think this book excellently presented this allowing the reader to experience the unknown - the feelings, the pain, and even fear. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Can two friends solve the mystery of Liam's "curse" by using their knowledge of fairy tales?

Something is wrong with Liam. He collapses during soccer practice, he can’t stay awake in class, and he’s starting to see a ghostly white fox that disappears into smoke. His parents and teachers accuse him of being lazy and staying up too late, but he knows it’s something worse.

No one believes him except for Alaina, a friend and self-proclaimed expert in fantasy and fairy tales. She’s seen this sort of thing before and believes Liam has been cursed with a powerful sleeping spell. Her journal is full of possible ways to break a curse. Liam is skeptical, but with his normal life slipping further away, he agrees to try her potential cures.  

As they search for answers in stories, Alaina shares that she also is dealing with something no one else can see: type 1 diabetes. It rears its head like an invisible dragon, and she carries her medical equipment as a knight’s lance and dragon-scale shield to battle it. 

As Liam’s mystery illness worsens, he will need Alaina’s friendship—and perhaps a bit of fairy magic—to find a way to understand the truth of what is happening and regain the pieces of himself that are lost.

Sandcastle Inn ~ Review

Sandcastle Inn

Hope Harbor #10

By Irene Hannon

Vienna Price never wanted to lose her place on the corporate ladder. Still, the sacrificed weekends, non-existent holidays, and skipped vacations couldn't save her from the corporate chopping block of restructuring. With a strange desire to see her mom in person (in her not-so-new home in Hope Harbor), Vienna does just that. What she never expected was to put her MBA and work skills to use on a B&B floundering on the edge.

When Matt Quinn responded to his sister's plea for assistance, he never expected his guilt to make him try to help her with the B&B she bought without seeing beyond the realtor's spiel. But what does a veterinarian from San Francisco know about getting a B&B into shape? 

Sandcastle Inn takes the reader to Hope Harbor, Oregon, a place where the seagulls know when something special is about to happen. Hope Harbor sounds so full of possibility, and it is, but it doesn't happen overnight. It takes work, but it also offers healing. I love how there was a secondary story of a down-on-their-luck couple Andrew and Paige who are trying to rebuild their lives after being blindsided and betrayed by an employee. I love how these three seemingly unrelated life-changing events bring these people in need of hope together. This a lovely contemporary story. If only everyone could so easily find and embrace their own harbor of hope when they most need it.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Vienna Price never intended to return for more than a passing visit to Oregon and all the bad memories she'd left behind. But when your career tanks, home is where you go to nurse your wounds and chart a new course. Only temporarily, of course--because as much as she loves her quirky mom, anything more than a short stay would drive them both crazy.

A trip to Oregon isn't in Matt Quinn's plans, either, until a perfectly timed appeal for help arrives from his sister. What better place to decompress after a shattering loss than a quiet, seaside town named Hope Harbor? But R&R isn't on the agenda when he arrives to find his sister's new enterprise on life support.

Vienna, however, may have just the skills needed to resuscitate the foundering B&B--if Matt can convince her to hang around long enough to mend an inn . . . and his heart.

Abandoned Shores ~ Available Now

 Abandoned Shores by C.J. Milacci is now available!

This book is a campanion book to the Talionis series.

About the Book:

In a world shattered by chaos and divided by the brutal reign of the Raiders, one woman longs to break free from the shackles of her family’s legacy. Born into darkness and raised to become heir to the ruthless Raiders, Princess Catori yearns for a life beyond the violence and oppression that defines her existence. When she meets Micah, a riverboat captain with an unwavering sense of justice, she sees a glimmer of hope for a different future. But her grandfather, founder of the Raiders, has a plan for Catori’s life that he refuses to relinquish. He’ll stop at nothing to see her become all he has prepared her to be, whether she wants that existence or not. Will Catori and Micah ever escape to the safety of the new life they long for, or is Catori destined to become something she despises? In this gripping companion novel set in the world of the Talionis Series, readers will be transported on a thrilling journey with Catori and her companions. Filled with action, suspense, and romance, Abandoned Shores is a story of survival, hope, and the power of love in the face of adversity. Available to purchase at Amazon.

Eat Dessert First ~ Review

Elise's Home Kitchen: Eat Dessert First

By Elise Thomas

With a title of Eat Dessert First, one tends to think this is a cookbook devoted to sweet treats. But with more than 150 recipes less than half are desserts. As someone who is partial to desserts I was more than happy to give this cookbook by Elise Thomas a try, or as Yoda says do or do not, there is no try. Yes, you could get this book just to look at all the lovely pictures, but you won't get as much enjoyment out of it if all you do is look.

There is a delightful assortment of recipes. I have not attempted them all yet. As a Vegetarian I was more than pleased at how easy it would be to switch out vegetarian substitutes for some of the ingredients. Anyone who doesn't have dietary restrictions will love working their way through this cookbook. And there are a lot of pictures which I feel are necessary to have a really good cookbook. I love pictures so that I have a idea of what I'm attempting to create. 

I highly recommend this book if you want something new to serve. Add a new twist to an old favorite and prepare to enjoy the taste and the compliments. But a word of warning this book will make you hungry! Don't open on an empty stomach!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.                                                                                                                                                        

About the Book:

The founder of a successful chain of bakeries shares more 

than 150 no-fuss recipes for delicious go-to family dinners and desserts.

In 2020, when the world was hit with a pandemic, Elise Thomas used her own small kitchen oven to begin baking her signature gourmet cookies. Selling them first out of her garage, her business quickly skyrocketed into a successful chain of bakeries--Cookie Co.--and earned her the nickname "the cookie lady."

Now, in her debut cookbook, Elise shares not only the delectable baked goods she is famous for but also the fast, easy, and delicious meals that have become staples for her own busy family. Recipes are broken into sections based on cravings: Burgers, Sandwiches and Tacos, Pasta, Soups, Salads, Side Dishes, Appetizers and Dips, Breads, Cookies, Cakes and Pies, Desserts and Treats, Breakfast and Brunch.

Whether you're looking for savory dinners like Bacon-wrapped Guacamole Chicken or Beef and Biscuit Pot Pie, or something sweeter like French Toast Rollups or Oreo-Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies, Elise's recipes are both simple and flavorful and focus on ingredients most people already have in their pantry. Alongside full-color original photography of each dish are the culinary tips and tricks Elise has learned over the years, a suggested pantry list, and notes about which dishes her kids love most, which can help take the guesswork out of what's for dinner or dessert.

The British Booksellers ~ Review

The British Booksellers

By Kristy Cambron

The British Booksellers is a split-time book that takes the reader between the two world wars, that reshaped the world and England and the lives of Amos Darby and Charlotte Terrington Holt. From his earliest memories of Charlotte, Amos has always cared for her more than a tenant should for the daughter of an earl. They are bound together by their love of books and a secret dream to own and run a bookstore.

But time, war, and social standing have a way of destroying hopes and dreams. Instead, Amos returns from war broken both in body and spirit, and Charlotte is a war widow with a daughter. And they become competing booksellers in Coventry. Time, in this case, doesn't heal all wounds. And the Great War, which was the war to end all wars, was a false hope because war has come again. And it has come to Britain, attacking in the night, bringing destruction in its wake, igniting old nightmares, and drawing in a new generation. 

This was an excellent read. One was drawn to Amos and his hopes and dreams. Dreams he knew better than to have, but the heart doesn't pay heed to the head. I like how we are slowly introduced to both chapters of Amos's life and how his childhood friendship with Charlotte changed over time. I also found the contrast between Charlotte and her daughter, Eden, to be interesting. The different ways they look at situations and handle them add some insight into their characters. Even more interesting is how the people of Coventry view Amos after his return from war. And then we have the mystery of why Jacob Colt has come to Coventry from America during a war. I love it when there is a bit of a mystery involved and this book definitely offers this with the back-and-forth between the two wars. Add in a double dose of romance, and you have the perfect weekend read.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Inspired by real accounts of the Forgotten Blitz bombings, 

The British Booksellers highlights the courage of those 

whose lives were forever changed by war—and the stories 

that bind us in the fight for what matters most.

 

A tenant farmer’s son had no business daring to dream of a future with an earl’s daughter, but that couldn’t keep Amos Darby from his secret friendship with Charlotte Terrington…until the reality of the Great War sobered youthful dreams. Now, decades later, he bears the brutal scars of battles fought in the trenches and their futures that were stolen away. His return home doesn’t come with tender reunions, but with the hollow fulfillment of opening a bookshop on his own and retreating as a recluse within its walls.

 

When the future Earl of Harcourt chose Charlotte to be his wife, she knew she was destined for a loveless match. Though her heart had chosen another long ago, she pledges her future even as her husband goes to war. Twenty-five years later, Charlotte remains a war widow who divides her days between her late husband’s declining estate and operating a quaint Coventry bookshop—Eden Books, lovingly named after her grown daughter. And Amos is nothing more than the rival bookseller across the lane.

As war with Hitler looms, Eden is determined to preserve her father’s legacy. So when an American solicitor arrives threatening a lawsuit that could destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to preserve, mother and daughter prepare to fight back. But with devastation wrought by the Luftwaffe’s local blitz terrorizing the skies, battling bookshops—and lost loves, Amos and Charlotte—must put aside their differences and fight together to help Coventry survive.

 

From deep in the trenches of the Great War to the storied English countryside and the devastating Coventry Blitz of World War II, The British Booksellers explores the unbreakable bonds that unite us through love, loss, and the enduring solace that can be found between the pages of a book.

 

AUTHOR BIO

 

Kristy Cambron is an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of nonfiction, including the Verse Mapping Series Bibles and Bible studies. Kristy's work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations, and has been featured at CBN, Lifeway Women, Jesus Calling, Country Woman Magazine, MICI Magazine, Faithwire, Declare, (in)Courage, and Bible Gateway. 

She holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing and lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, where she can probably be bribed with a peppermint mocha latte and a good read. You can connect with her at: kristycambron.com and versemapping.com.