Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer Review

 

Oh my goodness, what a wonderful book. I loved the premise of this book, a western retelling of Snow White. It was better than I ever imagined. If I didn't have to take care of my family, you know cook food and clean the house, I would have sat there reading it straight through. As it was, I had trouble putting it down to get anything done. I read it in just over 24 hours. 

Instead of a princess with a wicked stepmother who uses magic, we had a maid serving a self-absorbed actress who used her feminine wiles and acting skills. 

Penelope Snow has dealt with her share of trama and heartbreak. She finds herself in the employ of Madame LaBelle who is a coniving, narcissistic actress who is also very demanding and harsh. They are part of an acting troupe making their way through Texas. 

Titus Kingsley is a Texas Ranger who has also dealt with his share of heartbreak and devastation. He comes across Penelope who is in dire straits but because of his past, he isn't sure whether she can be trusted or not. 

Penelope ends up staying at the Diamond D Ranch with Titus Kingley's grandfather and six drovers or cowboys. That would be seven drovers in total. .

I love all the little details that the author includes that connect this story to the Snow White tale, while making it her own western story filled with cowboys, intrigue, danger, adventure, and love. All the while the author also weaves in faith and the importance of trusting in Christ and surrending to Him. 

Definitely a book I highly recommend. And I can't wait to read more of the author's books.

Timeless Treasure by MaryLu Tyndall Review

 

I absolutely loved Timeless Treasure by MaryLu Tyndall and could not put it down. This is my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last. Originally I had chosen this book because I needed both a book about pirates and a book with a body of water on the cover for a couple of my reading challenges. I had heard good things about the author’s books, and this also covered another challenge for a book with a treasure hunt.

The book gripped me from the beginning, and I was quite intrigued with the possible hidden pirate treasure.

I’ve been a huge fan of dual timeline books recently, so that was another point FOR the book. I loved that the author segued from the present timeline to the past timeline, in the 1700’s when Lexie and Barret were reading the letters of Captain Bonnet, the pirate, and Lexie’s far off ancestor.

I enjoyed learning more about Captain Bonnet and his exploits that we saw from his point of view. I also found it quite intriguing that the notorious pirate Blackbeard was a part of this tale.

I loved the present day story that was filled with adventure, mystery, danger, suspense, friendship, and love. Additionally, there was a thread of faith throughout. There was the importance of listening to the nudging of the Spirit and trusting in Christ, instead of choosing to follow one’s own path.

I read this book on Kindle Unlimited and did not need to write a review. I just wanted to share my thoughts as this is an awesome book. 

Definitely a book I highly recommend.

Friday Fun - June 30, 2023

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

This week I have two books to share with you. 

I read Timeless Treasure by MaryLu Tyndall. I needed a book with a body of water on the cover for one of my reading challenges this month. This was a great dual-timeline pirate story filled with danger, suspense, love, and faith.

       

I am currently reading the newest book by Karen Witemeyer, Fairest of Heart, a Texas Ever After book. It is a western story based on Snow White, and I am absolutely loving it so far. It is also for one of my June reading challenges, a book with a fairy tale trope. 

              Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my Book Beginnings for Timeless Treasure by MaryLu Tyndall:

"Lexie Cain was completely and utterly alone in the world."

 

How sad. Depressing. I wanted to know why she was all alone.

And here is my Book Beginnings for Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer:

"'Keep your eyes down and head bowed,' Edith instructed. 'Do nothing to draw attention."

Sounded like she was some sort of servant or slave.

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

Timeless Treasure by MaryLu Tyndall:
 

"Halting, she stared up at him. Wind tossed her ivory bangs across her forehead, and she brushed them away. 'I don't care. When I see a woman. . . a mother, it doesn't matter. My mom an I were homeless for a while, and I'm going to do all I can to help other women in that same situation. If she scammed me, that's on her.'"

Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer:

"Titus had forgotten how good it felt to sleep in a bed that wasn't attached to a saloon. Doc's spare room might smell like liniment and old socks, but it was blessedly void of the ruckus spawned by piano music, dancing girls, and drunken cowboys that could plague a fellow into the wee hours of the morning."

Rescue in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd Review

 

This is the first book I have read by Andrea Byrd and I was excited to be on the launch team. I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from the Frontier Hearts series.

We meet Lucinda and William and follow them from Virginia through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky during the winter of 1779.

Lucinda has been living a lonely life, hidden away from the world while living with only her father since her mother passed away years earlier. Sadly, her father has abused her and she thinks her life is of no worth and can't understand how anyone could care about her.

William saves her from a horrid fate and takes her with him on his journey with a multiude of others on the Wilderness Trail from Virginia to Kentucky in an attempt to make new lives for themselves. Even though he is seen as a hero and rescuer to Lucinda, he also has his secrets and feelings of unworthiness.

This story is full of heartache and danger, what with the harrowing terrain and fear of imminent attacks, but also full of faith and growth in Christ. There are secrets that need to be shared and opening up to each other. Needing to see the truth of their worth. Learning to trust fully in God.

I really loved seeing the relationship between Lucinda and William evolve.

Even though there were a host of side characters, we didn't really get to know most of them very well. And the ones we did get to know more about, weren't in the story for long. The book focused on Lucinda and William. I admit, there were some characters I wish we had learned a bit more about and would have gotten to know their fates.

I enjoyed this journey and really hope we get to see more of Lucinda and William in future books.

I received an ebook for free from the author as a part of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own, honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - June 23, 2023

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

This week I have one book to share with you. 

I am reading The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green. This was one of 12 books recommended to me at the end of last year for the 12 Recommendations from friends challenge. I'm so glad it was recommended. Such a great book. And I love that there are flashbacks that take place during the time of WWI, as I can picture what was taking place in England in A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White (this is a book I shared last week).

       

              Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my Book Beginnings for The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green:

"Avis gripped the ladder as her huband climbed, a thick swath of black bunting draped over his shoulder."

 

Well, knowing this is during WWII, I knew what was going on here. 

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green:
 

"She left the library with the date and time of the first discussion, a novel for herself called In the Name of Love, and the satisfaction of doing a good deed. 

Did she have any idea what a book club actually was? Not a clue.

But there would be muffins."

Friday Fun - June 16, 2023

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

This week I have two books to share with you. 

I am reading A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White. This is the third book in the Codebreakers series and I am loving it as much as the other two books in the series. 

       

I also read Love From Afar by Penny Zeller. This is the first book in Love Letters From Ellis Creek series. The third book from this series just released this past Tuesday.  

              Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my Book Beginnings for A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White:

"He could see it all so clearly. As the renewed rocking of the train lulled his fellow passengers to sleep, Zivon Marin watched the pattern of their movements."

 

Ah, seems we are going to learn more about Zivon and how he ended up in England where we first met him in On Wings of Devotion. This seemed like such a peaceful scene, but I figured something was going to happen soon.

And here is my Book Beginnings for Love from Afar by Penny Zeller:

"Another wedding dress completed.

Another happy ending.

Just never her own."

So, we go from accomplishment, to happiness, to despair? Frustration? Sadness?

I also wanted to share my First Line Friday images for the four books I am on the launch teams for that are releasing within the next two weeks. 

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

A Portait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White:
 

"He recognized the grumble too-Phillip Camden, one of the few of his new colleagues who always greeted him with an easy smile instead of polite distrust. 'How in blazes am I supposed to decode something in a whole different alphabet? And how the devil can I know which one?'"

Love from Afar by Penny Zeller:

"Gabe shook his head. 'Lula, please tell me you did not write letters to Meredith from me.' If Meredith didn't already think him a buffoon, she certainly would after some crazy letters supposedly from him."

This is Where it Ends by Cindy K. Sproles Review

 

I was excited to have the opportunity to be on the launch team for This is Where it Ends by Cindy K. Sproles. Though the author is a new-to-me author and the book isn’t my usual genre, the book sounded intriguing.

An elderly lady, Minerva Jane Jenkins, nearing the end of her life is living alone on a mountain in Kentucky in the early 1900’s. She had promised her husband that she would keep his secret when he passed away thirty years earlier. She’d kept the promise all these years, and then suddenly her life is invaded by a newspaper reporter, Del Rankin, who heard tales of stolen gold. She is determined to keep her promise to her dead husband, though she then wonders whether or not there really is gold. As she nears the end of her lonely life, she begins to get to know this young man who she isn’t sure she can really trust. Is he there for the story or the gold? Will she remain determined to keep this secret or will she decide it’s better to share what she knows, though she isn’t even sure exactly what she does know?

I loved getting to know Minerva and Del, along with Satchel who is Minerva’s dog and has been her companion on the lonely mountain for years. We learn more about Minerva’s past through her memories and things she tells Del (and what she doesn’t tell him). It was sweet to see their relationship evolve.

I admit I did start wondering what would be worse, breaking a promise to share what one knows or constantly lying and deceiving to keep a promise one is not sure one should have made in the first place.

I was drawn into the story right away, though I did wonder how much I would enjoy reading about this old woman living alone on a mountain. But the book kept my attention, especially when Del joined Minerva on the mountain. The interactions between the two were realistic and heartfelt, though they could be frustrating at times, but there was quite a bit of humor too. Plus God’s truths were shared and Minerva’s faith was real, along with the struggles and questions. She imparted wisdom in a quirky old-lady type of way. I also loved that intrigue and danger were brought into the story when it appeared that there might just be someone else trying to find the supposed gold.

What an amazing story. Be prepared though, you might just need to have those tissues handy. Definitely a book I highly recommend.