Murder in Highbury ~ Mini Review

 

Murder in Highbury
An Emma Knightley Mystery #1
By Vanessa Kelly

Emma Woodhouse now Emma Knightley, has given up matchmaking. She is perfectly content being married and doing all the tasks expected of her as the wife of the master of Donwell Abbey.

But Emma's life and indeed the lives of all who call Highbury home are disrupted when Augusta Elton is discovered murdered in the church. Such shocking news is not to be born! But with a murderer on the loose certain precautions must be taken.

When the investigation doesn't answer Emma's concerns she is determined to see that justice is found for Mrs. Elton. And Emma isn't about to let concerns be brushed off like an annoying fly. There is only one thing to be done--she must undertake the investigation herself.

With the same tenacity she used for matchmaking, Emma resolves to solve the travesty that has destroyed the peace that Highbury has long enjoyed. Emma's less than stellar matchmaking and idle gossip aside. And Mr. Woodhouse's complaints. And Miss Bates's excitable, talkative nature. So maybe peaceful isn't quite the right word but it was normal for Highbury and their greatest concern was chicken thieves not murderers.

My full review will be shared closer to the book's November release date so check back later for more on Emma's investigation.

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.

Target Acquired ~ Review

Target Acquired
Lake City Heroes #2
By Lynette Eason

I have to admit I loved this book. It has an intriguing link to the 1940s that is relevant to the present day. In fact, several threads link several crimes to the current situation Kenzie King and her SWAT team find themselves in. We know this because the book takes us back and forth between 1947 and now. 

The reader doesn't know what the link is or why it is important. Even more concerning is why the SWAT team, specifically Kenzie, is being targeted. 

In addition to the outside pressures of being a target, Kenzie is having to deal with attitudes concerning her place on the Lake City SWAT team. Rumors have a way of taking root, and Kenzie's ties have some, not just whispering but talking that her name got her in. The fact that Kenzie is pulling her weight and doing her job doesn't crush the talk.

Then there is her teammate Cole Garrison, who has mixed emotions about Kenzie. She could be the one, but he is her superior, and he takes the whole trying to keep everything professional very seriously. But when she becomes a target, his emotions and concerns for her just might make him confront his feelings.

This was another excellent read from Lynette Eason. The characters have depth, and the suspense is maintained throughout. If you are looking for a clean read, suspense. No lines are crossed as the stakes are raised. There are moments when it seems as if the perpetrator may win the day, but with a team of professionals having their backs, there is hope that they will prevail.

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:

Tough-as-nails Kenzie King has finally earned her place as a tactical medic on a SWAT team. But not everyone on the all-male team accepts her. Rumor is, she didn't get the position because of what she could do but because of who she knew. Which means she has to work harder and longer than anyone else to prove herself.

Cole Garrison is a man with deep faith who is finally ready to settle down and build a family of his own--if he can find the right person, that is. Kenzie sure has set off his interest meter, but trouble seems to follow in her wake. Since she joined the team, someone has begun to ambush and pick off team members, one by one.

It's all hands on deck to discover the culprit and end the killing. Can Kenzie and Cole put aside their differences and work together as a team? Or will their budding attraction be snuffed out by a sniper's bullet?

As you've come to expect from bestselling author Lynette Eason's stories, this tightly wound plot unfurls at breakneck speed and will leave you breathless.

The Sisters of Corinth ~ Review

The Sisters of Corinth

The Emissaries #2

By Angela Hunt

 

This is an interesting read. In this book we are taken to first century Corinth to the home of Narkis Ligus, who is Chief Magistrate. Narkis's home is a blended one and an example of the admonitions about an unequally yoked marriage as he and his daughter, Prima worship the gods of Rome, while his wife, Hester and step-daughter, Mariana worship the Jewish prophet Yeshua.  

This is a story that finds the faith that Hester and Mariana claim to be facing opposition from the Roman Empire, an empire threatened by the love and devotion that the followers of Yeshua don't offer to Rome. Meanwhile the home life of these women mirrors the growing threat as Prima's jealousy and dislike drives her to greater status through a marriage to the local governor's son. And when Prima's hopes are thwarted, well let's just say she is nasty in her dealings to make those in her way pay.

It is interesting watching as these two "sisters" take different paths in life and see the resulting aftermath of their choices. Hope and despair ; love and hate. 

This is the second book in The Emissaries series. Now I will admit I did not know this was the second book in the series and I had no problem getting into the story from the beginning. So don't let that 2 scare you away if you haven't read book one. This was a good book but also sad as one sees the results of Prima's choices, choices made out of jealousy. Highly recommend to those looking for historical fiction about the First Century Church.

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:

When the new provincial governor arrives in Corinth, the esteemed Chief Magistrate Narkis Ligus, father to Mariana and Prima, is delighted. He sees a golden opportunity to propel himself to greater power and fortune by uniting his and the governor's households through the marriage of one of his beautiful unwed daughters to the governor's firstborn son.

Yet complications quickly arise in Narkis's own family. Mariana, his stepdaughter, holds steadfast faith in Yeshua, rendering her hesitant to marry a man devoted to the Roman gods, despite Narkis's urging. On the other hand, Prima, his daughter by birth, yearns for a life of wealth and status and is willing to go to great lengths to secure a marriage that fulfills her desires--even if it means betraying Mariana to do so.

A Kingdom to Claim ~ Review

A Kingdom to Claim
By Sian Ann Bessey

I'll admit it: I love Historical Fiction. I love getting glimpses of what was. A Kingdom to Claim was a wonderful blend of fact and fiction that was entertaining. This book presented information that I had previously read, but it was wrapped up in shiny new packaging that made it new and fresh.

I loved getting to know Aisley, a young woman determined to keep her home and her people free of Viking rule. She's not about to let her father's death be for naught. No, she'll do what is needed to fight for the land and people she loves. And she'll do it with the help of a man she knows to be loyal to King Alfred, even if it means standing against her own brother.

I enjoyed this book. It was fresh and new, though the basics of the story itself are old. The presentation was attention-holding and not just a stale retelling of the historical details. The author has a way with words so that you care about the outcome (though if you remember your English history, you already know what happened). I love when history comes alive and becomes relevant as one works through the book. I would recommend it to those who enjoy early English history, and if you are a high schooler in need of a suggestion for a historical fiction read, here you go!

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:

Aisley lost everything in a Viking attack.
Now, working alongside the one man she trusts,
she is ready to fight for her people—and for love.

Wessex, AD 878

Aisley’s young life was changed forever when her father accompanied King Alfred into battle and lost his life in a deadly skirmish with the Vikings. Now, almost seven years later, the Vikings are once again rallying on Wessex’s borders, and Aisley fears that her older brother may have treacherous plans to betray the king by aligning himself with the invading Norsemen. But when Aisley encounters a handsome nobleman in the market, she feels the first stirrings of hope. Though they met only once when Aisley was little more than a child, she recognizes him immediately as one of King Alfred’s most trusted men.

It has been years since Brecc has seen Aisley, but when he spots her in the marketplace, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the copper-haired young lady with a gift for healing. Before his fledgling feelings for her can develop into something more, however, a Viking attack tears them apart. King Alfred is forced into hiding, and in a matter of days, the Saxon nation is brought to its knees. Unwilling to forsake their people, the king and his men embark on secret raids of Viking encampments. But when Aisley joins the fight, Brecc must reconcile his steadfast loyalty to King Alfred with his growing love for the king’s newest warrior.

Until Our Time Comes ~ Review

Until Our Time Comes
A Novel of World War II Poland
By Nicole M. Miller

Adia Kensington is living a life she loves; she's the trainer of the priceless Arabians raised at the Janów Podlaski stables in Poland. But unrest lies in wait on the horizon as war with Germany moves ever closer every day. Adia will do whatever it takes to keep her beloved horses safe, even face the German army. 

Bret Conway never thought he'd be affected by anyone the way his first meeting with Adia did. But when life and the threat of war get in the way of something more. Yet over the next several years, they keep coming together in unexpected ways and the horses Adia cares for are at the center of everything.

Until Our Time Comes is set in Poland and takes place between 1939 and 1946. Europe is caught in a war, and anyone and anything standing in the path of the war machines making their way across the continent will be crushed. Adia and Bret have duties and commitments that stand in the way of their finding love, although the possibility exists. The title so aptly fits their lives as they both look to a tomorrow without war, one where dreaming about the future seems as if it is a possibility rather than a hopeless dream. 

This was a good read. Unlike most WW2 fiction, it has horses as the focal point, with the wider story branching out from it. It is highly recommended for readers of historical fiction. This is a book of determination and dedication.

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:


American horse trainer Adia Kensington is living her dream of working at the famous Janów Podlaski stables in Poland, where they breed the best Arabian horses in the world. But her plans to bring the priceless stallion Lubor to the US are derailed when the German army storms into her adopted country in 1939. Little does she know this is just the beginning of six long years of occupation that will threaten her beloved horses at every turn.

Major Bret Conway is at Janów Podlaski under the guise of a news reporter, but his true mission is intelligence gathering for the British. That and keeping Adia safe, which is harder and harder to do as she insists they must evacuate 250 horses to save them from being stolen, sold, or eaten by the invading forces. What follows will test their physical, mental, and emotional strength, as well as their faith in God, humankind, and each other.

Drawn from true events of World War II, this epic story of escape, capture, resistance, and love from debut novelist Nicole M. Miller will thunder into your heart like a herd of beautiful horses across a raging river.

Shattered Revision ~ Now Available

 Available Now!

Shattered Revision by Madisyn Carlin 

from The Shattered Lands 

comes a prequel that is 

inspired by Sleeping Beauty.

Beware the truth, for it could cost you your life.

Available to purchase at Amazon

Locksmith-turned-soldier Canon Norr is finally free from war. When his best friend calls in a favor, however, he finds himself stepping right back into danger and potential bloodshed. Protecting the innocent woman targeted by evil schemers would be easy if she wasn’t so distracting and unlike any noble he’s ever before encountered.

Lady Silci Clanna spent most of her life in hiding, but when her people need a leader, she finds herself stepping forward and exposing her existence to those who’ve desired her death since she was born. Can her best friend and a handsome, yet ornery and sarcastic foreigner help her live long enough to see her people finally free from bloodshed and hardship? Or will her enemies finally succeed and end the Clanna line?

As desperation mounts and a malevolent plot is brought to light, Canon and Silci are confronted by danger at every turn. Hope wanes and danger grows, and with it a terrifying revelation—in order for most to survive, one must die.

Shattered Revision is a New Adult Christian fantasy tale inspired by Sleeping Beauty and is the prequel to The Shattered Lands series.

The Shattered Lands
Shattered Revision - Prequel
Shattered Reflection - Book One
Shattered Reaction - Book Two
Shattered Resistance - Book Three
Shattered Redemption - Book Four (Available for Preorder)
Shattered Risk - Novella (Coming late 2025)

The Lady Glass ~ Review

The Lady Glass
An Enchanted Regency Romance #3
By Anneka R. Walker

Theresia Dvor lost everything on the day her father died. Everything except the priceless crystal vase her father left her in his will. But her step-mother has kept the vase from her while hiding her away in a boarding school for nearly a decade. With a bid for a life of her own Theresia determines to take back what is hers only to discover it has been sold. Not to be thwarted from her prized possession Theresia follows the vase to Ashbury Court and into a danger she never expected. 

When Theresia's plan to discover the whereabouts of her vase find her take an unexpected turn she finds herself reluctantly accepting help from Captain Rolland Reese. Rolland is a man who must stop a murderer from killing his father and Theresia's unexpected appearance and anonymity provide a chance to uncover the truth before it is too late. 

The Glass Lady is a Regency-era retelling of Cinderella and it is most delightfully spun into a unique tale that is identifiable as Cinderella but on a subtle barely there whisper. I loved all the layers that came together in this thoroughly satisfying read. Theresia is wholly new and refreshing wronged heroine who refuses to sit idly by while her life is stolen from her. Her isolation from society has left her with an innocence that leads her into situations she hasn't fully thought out beforehand. Fortunately Rolland, though scarred by all he experienced by his service, has a kindhearted nature and aids her how he can. 

This book is part of the author's Enchanted Regency Romance series but it can easily be read and enjoyed as a standalone title. The book is well written, the characters engaging and the villain reveal is definitely well executed keeping it well hidden throughout the book. A definite addition to your TBR list, especially if you are a fan of Historical Romance or Regency Fiction.

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

Theresia Dvorak has nothing left of her parents—nothing save her dowry, a priceless crystal vase stolen and sold by her own stepmother. Theresia will do anything to secure what is rightfully hers—even assume a false identity and steal her future back. When she gains entrance to a house party and has a memorable run-in with the handsome naval captain Rolland Reese, her mission is compromised. She swore never to trust an Englishman again, but when he makes a daring proposal she cannot refuse, she must work side by side with him if either of them is to achieve their aim.

Rolland is stunned when his homecoming from the war takes a decidedly deadly turn. The quickest solution is to throw a house party and invite all the suspects. With the stakes incredibly high, Rolland must root out the killer before they turn their sights to the next potential victim: his own father. The mysterious Theresia is undoubtedly the most suspicious of his guests, but against all odds, he finds himself risking everything to protect her. As Rolland unravels a tangle of clues, he faces the greatest threats of all: a heart of fire and a future as fragile as glass.

AUTHOR BIO

Anneka R. Walker is a best-selling author of historical and contemporary romance. With humor and an abundance of heart, she crafts uplifting stories you won't soon forget. She is the winner of the Swoony Award, the LDSPMA Praiseworthy Award, and various chapter contests. Her books have received praise from Publishers Weekly, Historical Novel Society, Midwest Book Review, and Readers Favorite. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in English and history and hopes to never stop learning. She is a blessed wife, proud mother of five, lover of Jesus, connoisseur of chocolate, and believer in happy endings.