Category Archives: Novels

No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer

Posted in Book Reviews, Christian, Historical Fiction, Novels by

no-other-will-do

Men are optional. That’s the credo Emma Chandler’s suffragette aunts preached and why she started a successful women’s colony in Harper’s Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive them out, Emma admits they might need a man after all. A man who can fight–and she knows just the one.

Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma’s plea arrives, he bolts to Harper’s Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she’s not a girl any longer. She’s a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn’t deserve.

As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow and deepen, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.

No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer
Published June 7, 2016 by Bethany House
Format: Netgalley e-book; 384 pages
Historical Fiction/Christian Fiction
Also By This Author: Short-Straw Bride, To Win Her Heart
Goodreads | Amazon | Author’s Website
My Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Thoughts

Once again, Karen Witemeyer has created wholesome and endearing characters that inspire readers. Emma Chandler is an 19th century female banker with a heart for broken women who need a second chance at life. When someone starts threatening the lives of the women in her care, Emma turns to one of her oldest friends, Malachi Shaw, a timid dynamite expert with a protective streak, to help protect her women’s colony.

One of my favorite parts about No Other Will Do is Malachi’s career in 19th century explosives. I know in the grand scheme of the novel, this character description is only slightly relevant to the plot line, but I still thought it was remarkably interesting. I also appreciated how Malachi’s career choice contrasted with his quieter and hesitantly expressive personality.

Emma, on the other hand, is inspiring in her own sense. She’s brave, strong-minded, and incredibly compassionate. When the odds are stacked against her, she still manages to overcome every challenge, even when she’s struggling with her own doubts and failures.

Although I’d categorize No Other Will Do as an inspirational novel, it also features some darker scenes and depictions. Harper’s Station is a refuge for battered and abused women, but Karen Witemeyer is able to blend the harsher depictions of domestic abuse with compassionate characters who impart healing and hope.

Read This Book If…

…you enjoy historical fiction set in the American west.
…you’re looking for an uplifting novel to start the year off with.
…you appreciate themes of feminism and redemption.
…you’re interested in well-researched 19th century life (including insight into the life of a dynamite expert).

Final Musings

I can’t believe that Karen Witemeyer has been one of my favorite authors for four years now and I haven’t written a single review for her on my blog yet! I know I’ve recommended and gushed about her books plenty of times, but I’m happy I finally got around to putting together a formal review. If you think you’d be interested in Karen Witemeyer’s other novels, I’d strongly recommend Short-Straw Bride and To Win Her Heart.

2017 Reading Challenge

Posted in Fun, Novels by

Happy New Year! It’s the time for reflections and resolutions. I’m already excited about 2017 because this year I plan to write a book! I hope to eventually post it on my blog (as like a modern serial) after it’s written and revised, but let me stop from getting ahead of myself! This post is about my reading goals for 2017.

Modern Mrs. Darcy is one of my favorite bookish blogs to follow. She is also one of the rare blogs I follow by email because she sends out a list of the daily kindle e-book deals. Since I’ve been wanting to branch out of my reading comfort zone, I’m so happy she’s created this 2017 “Reading for Growth” reading challenge for 2017.

reading-challenge

I haven’t picked out all the books I want to read yet, but I am excited about these categories! Some of the books I do know I want to read are Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (ok, not really outside of my preferred genres, but I’ll probably read some other plays or poetry, too), The View From Saturday (Newbery Award winner) and All the Light We Cannot See (Pulitzer Prize winner).

Any recommendations for me? Please share!

  • A Newberry Award Winner or Honor Book – A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
  • A book in translation – Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont
  • A book that’s more than 600 pages – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
  • A book of poetry, a play, or an essay collection – The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare (finished 2/15/17)
  • A book of any genre that addresses current events – The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
  • An immigrant story – My Two Italies by Joseph Luzzi
  • A book published before you were born – Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (finished 1/14/17)
  • Three books by the same author – Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery
  • A book by an #ownvoices or #diversebooks author – Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (finished 5/3/17)
  • A book with an unreliable narrator or ambiguous ending – We Have Always Lived In the Castle by Shirley Jackson
  • A book nominated for an award in 2017 – When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
  • A Pulitzer Prize or National Book Award Winner – All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer

2016 Reading Superlatives

Posted in Fun, Life, Novels by

  1. Number Of Books You Read: 54 (58 if you count individual short stories)
  2. Number of Re-Reads: 4 (The Cask of Amontillado, Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, and The Choice)
  3. Genre You Read The Most From: I read 13 Classic novels/short stories this year and 21 Young Adult books (divided into contemporary, sci-fi, and fantasy categories)

best-YA-books-2014

  1. Best Book You Read In 2016?: THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! If I have to pick just one, excluding rereads, it would have to be Time’s Edge, because I kept thinking about that book for weeks afterwards.
  2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?: Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid. I didn’t even finish it…
  3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?: The Husband Secret by Liane Moriarty. I was totally expecting some dark mystery novel and it was really a romance novel with some suspense. I read it with my book club and I think we were all disappointed. Some of us didn’t even finish it.
  4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?: I got at least 2 friends to read Timeline by Michael Crichton :)
  5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?: The Chronos Files series by Rysa Walker has become a new favorite of mine! I devoured all three books (plus most of the novellas). Winter by Marissa Meyer was a fantastic series ender, as well.
  6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?: Probably Rysa Walker.
  7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?: I read a lot of high fantasy this year, which was sort of new for me. Graceling by Kristin Cashore and Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake were intriguing.
  8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?: I guess I’d have to say And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I read the whole book in a day because I had to know “whodunnit?”.
  9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?: It’s a toss up between Timebound by Rysa Walker and Winter by Marissa Meyer. Although Pride and Prejudice is a book I could reread every year.
  10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. Look at it!
    three-dark-crowns
  11. Most memorable character of 2016?: Demelza Poldark! New role model for me :)
  12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?: The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman. It will pull on your heartstrings. (Honorable mention: Graceling by Kristin Cashore has a very beautifully written love scene, despite the fact that I thought the majority of the book was written very bluntly).
  13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?: I read some very good books this year, but none that I would define as “life-changing”; however, the Poldark books introduced me to two amazing female characters (Demelza and Verity) who I would now consider as fictional role models.
  14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read?: Timebound! Ugh, why didn’t I read it when I bought it back in 2014??
  15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?: I’ve been so bad at writing down favorite quotes! Here’s one of my favorites from The Secret Garden that really spoke to the Anne Shirley side of me:

    “I’ve seen the spring now and I’m going to see the summer. I’m going to see everything grow here. I’m going to grow here myself.”

  16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?: Shortest: 2092 by Rysa Walker (48 pages), although The Oval Portrait by Edgar Allan Poe is only a few pages long, but I read it as part of a collection of his work. Longest: Winter by Marissa Meyer (832 pages).
  17. Book That Shocked You The Most: The ending to Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake really surprised me (in a good way). It’s probably the only reason I’ll read the sequel.
  18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!): I was a huge Kate/Kiernan shipper while reading The Chronos Files series.
  19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year: Cinder and Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles Series.
  20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously: Timeline by Michael Crichton. I read that book and then read two others by him because his writing is fantastic.
  21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure: There were several, but Graceling is probably the one I enjoyed the most.
  22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?: Kiernan Dunne from The Chronos Files. He’s Irish and from the early 1900s so double win.
  23. Best 2016 debut you read?: I didn’t read any 2016 debuts (I don’t usually)!
  24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?: I hate repeating myself so many times, but I loved all the time travel in The Chronos Files. So well researched.
  25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?: Happy Again by Jennifer E. Smith was a fun novella! I love her writing.
  26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?: Speaking of Jennifer E. Smith, her book, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight had me crying at one point. There’s a sweet moment between the main character and her father that was really touching.
  27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?: Civil War: The Amazing Spider-Man. One of two 5-star rated reads I haven’t mentioned yet! (The other is also a graphic novel: Out of the Past (Once Upon a Time #3). I love Spider-Man, and I really liked Captain America: Civil War, so I shouldn’t have been surprised at how great this comic book was. It was just a collection of the Spider-Man Civil War editions, but it’s by far the best comic book/graphic novel I’ve read since I started reading comics and graphic novels a few years ago. I couldn’t put it down and my mouth was literally hanging open after the cliff hanger at the end. SO good.
  28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?: The Light Between Oceans, as expected. I wonder if I would have felt the same way had I read this book before I became a parent.
  29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?: The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe, not because I enjoyed it a lot, but because it was one of the first (if not THE first) detective stories ever written.
  30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?: Hmm…it didn’t make me extremely mad, but Forbidden by Ted Dekker had a really stupid death it that I haven’t entirely gotten over. Maybe that’s why I haven’t finished the series, yet.

looking-ahead-books-2015

  1. One Book You Didn’t Get to In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?: Stars Above by Marissa Meyer! I’ve already started it :)
  2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut): I really want to read the Time Trial graphic novel (part of The Chronos Files universe).
  3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?: Write a book! I’ve had a couple of stories rolling around in my mind, and I think 2017 is the year I’m finally going to stop being afraid of not getting them right and just write one of them already. I’m also taking a few online writing classes which I’m excited about. In my reading life, I plan on branching out of my comfort zone by reading more non-fiction and literary books. Last year I read a lot of YA, so I think I’d like to read more books directed towards adult readers.

 

Time’s Divide (The Chronos Files #3) by Rysa Walker

Posted in Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult by

times-divide

The Cyrists are swiftly moving into position to begin the Culling, and Kate’s options are dwindling. With each jump to the past or the future, Kate may trigger a new timeline shift. Worse, the loyalties of those around her—including the allegiances of Kiernan and the Fifth Column, the shadowy group working with Kate—are increasingly unclear.

Kate will risk everything, including her life, to prevent the future her grandfather and the Cyrists have planned. But, when time runs out, it may take an even bigger sacrifice to protect the people she loves.

Time’s Divide (The Chronos Files #3) by Rysa Walker
Published October 20, 2015 by Skyscape
Format: Kindle e-book; 543 pages
Young Adult/Science Fiction/Historical Fiction
Also By This Author: Timebound, Time’s Divide, The Delphi Effect
Goodreads | Amazon | Author’s Website
My Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Thoughts

I’m a little upset with myself for not getting this review posted earlier, BUT can I just say that I finished Time’s Divide weeks ago and I’m still on a tiny bit of a book hangover from it? That’s how phenomenal this series was to me. I even finished this last book while I was at work (it was a slow day so I’m not that much of a slacker) and it took most of my self-control to hold back the tears that wanted to burst out of me.

I had guessed (or nearly guessed) halfway through the book how some of the major plot points were going to play out. Some of my suspicions were based on mild spoilers and others stemmed from some of the fears I had about how the story was going to end, and although I wished some thing had happened differently, I think Rysa Walker crafted a beautifully bittersweet ending and I am satisfied with how Kate’s journey played out.

I don’t know why this series seems to be so underrated. My local library doesn’t have any copies of the books and I couldn’t find physical copies in major bookstores (I haven’t checked local and used bookshops, yet). I wish more readers knew about the Timebound books because I truly think it’s the type of series that can draw anyone in. I got my husband hooked on the series and he even finished the last book before I did (maybe by a couple of hours, but still). And yes, he loves science fiction and time travel, but he’s also a 33 year old man reading a book from the point of view of a 17 year old high school girl. I guess that just shows how well-researched and creatively written Rysa Walker’s series is.

I don’t want to say too much and give away any unintentional spoilers, but I do want to say that seeing little glimpses of history and a possible dystopian future was really interesting. I’ve repeated it multiple times, but I love the idea of time traveling and being able to witness history first hand. At the end of Timebound, Time’s Edge, and Time’s Divide, Rysa Walker shares how factual the historical fiction parts of her books actually are. Kate and Kiernan visit so many different eras in history, and they encounter fictionalized versions of real people, such as Harry Houdini, and I was surprised to find that Walker didn’t really bend history too much; she basically just added her characters into the mix.

(I’m changing my typical “Read This Book if…” section to make it more holiday themed!)

“But there’s plenty of truth in fiction.”

Put This Series On Your Wish List if…

…you appreciate well-researched novels (especially historical fiction).
…you’re a fan of sci-fi and light fantasy, or you’re open to exploring a new genre!
…you prefer reading plot-driven stories with easily likable characters.

Gift This Series to…

…a friend who would enjoy YA if it contained some heavy and serious situations.
…someone who likes fast-paced, high-risk adventure stories.
…anyone who enjoys watching sci-fi/fantasy/drama shows like Timeless and 11.22.63 and movies like X-Men: Days of Future Past.

“And one day, if I see your smile on her face, maybe that’ll keep me from feeling I’ve left a piece of my heart behind.”

Final Musings

These songs were playing in my mind quite frequently while I was reading the series. The John Newman song felt like a perfect end-credits song if Timebound is ever turned into a movie (it would be a fantastic movie).

  • Love Me Again by John Newman (Kate and Trent)
  • Silhouettes by Of Monsters and Men (Kiernan and Other-Kate)
  • Love Like This by Kodaline (Kiernan and Kate)

Top Ten Tuesday: Recent Additions to My ‘To Be Read’ List

Posted in Fun, Novels by

toptentuesdayToday I am thankful for slow work days because that’s why I was able to get this post up today ;) I’ve missed making my weekly Top Ten Tuesday lists! With Christmas coming up lately, I’ve been updating my wish lists and most of those lists include books. Here are some of the recent additions to my To Be Read list, and if you’ve read any of them, please let me know what you thought!

Top Ten Recent Additions to My TBR List

TTT.png

Time Trial: The Graphic Novel by Rysa Walker – I still need to post my review for Time’s Divide, the final book in Rysa Walker’s Chronos Files series, but Time Trial is a graphic novel spin-off of sorts. I already think this series would be beautiful to see visually, so I’m excited to get my hands on this collection of comic books sometime soon!

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith – The newest book from one of my favorite YA authors comes out next summer! I honestly don’t even know what this book is about, but Jennifer E. Smith is an auto-read for me.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman – My OTSP Secret Sister sent me this book last month after I asked for some fantasy recommendations. All I know is this book is about dragons, and I can count on one hand the number of books I’ve read that feature dragons. I’m excited to read it later this month.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – Clearly I’m trying to branch out in the fantasy genre. I’ve never read anything by Patrick Rothfuss, either.

Everyone We’ve Been by Sarah Everett – I’ve been straying away from YA Contemporary lately, but this one has a mystery aspect to it that sounds really interesting.

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson – I found a “like new” used hardcover copy of this book a couple of months ago, and although I’ve never read anything by Brandon Sanderson, I know he’s a favorite author among fantasy-lovers.

Saga #1 by Bryan Vaughan – This graphic novel was also recommended by my Secret Sister. It sounds like Game of Thrones meets outer space.

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine – Another Secret Sister recommendation :) They have this series at my local library, so I’ll try to read it before the end of the year!

Ruined by Amy Tintera – I haven’t read any reviews of this book, or seen it in bookstores or libraries, but something about it sounds super intriguing to me. Has anyone read it? I’d love to know your thoughts!

The Delphi Effect by Rysa Walker – The first installment in Rysa Walker’s new series just came out last month! I devoured her previous series, and I’m sure I’ll do the same with this one. It’s also been a long time since I’ve started a current series, so it’ll be interesting having to wait for the sequels :)

Time’s Edge (The Chronos Files #2) by Rysa Walker

Posted in Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Novels, Science Fiction, Young Adult by

22066090.jpg

To stop her sadistic grandfather, Saul, and his band of time travelers from rewriting history, Kate must race to retrieve the CHRONOS keys before they fall into the Cyrists’ hands. If she jumps back in time and pulls the wrong key–one that might tip off the Cyrists to her strategy–her whole plan could come crashing down, jeopardizing the future of millions of innocent people. Kate’s only ally is Kiernan, who also carries the time-traveling gene. But their growing bond threatens everything Kate is trying to rebuild with Trey, her boyfriend who can’t remember the relationship she can’t forget.

As evidence of Saul’s twisted mind builds, Kate’s missions become more complex, blurring the line between good and evil. Which of the people Saul plans to sacrifice in the past can she and Kiernan save without risking their ultimate goal–or their own lives?

Time’s Edge (The Chronos Files #2) by Rysa Walker
Published October 21, 2014 by Skyscape
Format: Kindle e-book; 452 pages
Young Adult/Science Fiction/Historical Fiction
Also By This Author: Timebound, Time’s Divide, The Delphi Effect
Goodreads | Amazon | Author’s Website
My Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Thoughts:

Lately my husband and I have been obsessing over NBC’s new show, Timeless. The premise is very exciting: a time machine has been stolen by a ruthless murderer who is hell bent on changing monumental events in America’s history (so far we’ve seen the Hindenburg disaster, Lincoln’s Assassination, atomic bomb testings in 1960s Las Vegas, and Nazi Germany). The only ones who can stop him are a historian, an apparent mercenary with a mysterious past, and a black pilot who seems to be working as a double agent (the fact that he’s black is especially important as he himself points out: there is no time period in America’s history that would treat him well). Timeless has the potential to become a favorite show of mine, which isn’t necessarily hard to do since I almost always enjoy a time travel story, but one reason I hope this show gets picked up for a second season is because it reminds me of a book series I recently discovered and fell in love with: The Chronos Files series by Rysa Walker.

Last month I posted my review for Timebound, a book I had bought a couple of years ago and for some stupid reason hesitated in actually reading. I devoured the sequel, Time’s Edge, right away but I’ve been holding off on reviewing it and continuing on to the third and final book because I wanted the story to actually sink in.

But I’m here now to tell you that I enjoyed Time’s Edge even more than Timebound. It’s very rare that that happens (I can only think of a couple other examples: Catching Fire over The Hunger Games and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows over the first six HP novels), but the reason is usually due to some heavier stakes for the main characters. In Catching Fire Katniss is trying to save the lives of her friend Peeta and their Capitol-despising allies, as well as protecting her family back in District 12. In Deathly Hallows…well, I don’t want to spoil it for those who haven’t read the entire series yet, but I can say Harry faces some much darker choices and many people die fighting Voldemort and the Death Eaters. I’m not saying that these sequels are better than the original novels, but I did enjoy reading them more.

In Timebound, Kate learns about her time traveling abilities and is almost immediately thrown into an alternate universe where she was never born. Her grandmother, a time traveling historian from the late 2200s, was killed by Kate’s grandfather, Saul, who is trying to rewrite history. Kate, along with the help of her new boyfriend, Trent, and her grandmother, Katherine, tries to put her universe back in order by traveling to the past and thwarting Saul’s murder plot against Katherine.

Time’s Edge goes a little deeper. Kate, trying to reconcile three different realities, has to travel to Georgia in the 1930s (with her alternate reality boyfriend Kiernan) to rescue an unsuspecting group of her grandmother’s former coworkers (also time traveling historians). The get swept up in trying to stop a lynching, which is absolutely terrifying. Much darker than the serial killer chase in Timebound.

Time’s Edge ends on a big cliffhanger, and I had to exercise every bit of my self-control in order to hold off on reading the final book. There are two novellas that take place before Time’s Divide, and I’d like to read them first. But I’m still hesitating on reading the last book because I really don’t want the series to be over! I’ve fallen in love with the characters and the accurate historical depictions. At least I have Timeless to look forward to (confession: I sometimes imagine Kate and Kiernan popping into episodes of Timeless). But now I need to hurry up and start reading Time’s Divide because I got my husband hooked on the series and he just started the last book today!

Read This Book If:

…you’re a history buff.
…you get easily swept away in time travel stories.
…you enjoy love triangles or tragic romances/unrequited love stories.
…you’re intrigued by alternate realities or seeing characters reconciling different timelines.

“It’s a hard lesson in life, but you have to accept that some things are out of your hands. Otherwise, you’ll never know a single minute of peace. You mend what you can, and you let the rest go. You just let it go.”

Final Musings

Here’s a trailer for the pilot of NBC’s Timeless:

Top Ten Tuesday: All About Audio

Posted in Fun, Novels by

toptentuesday

I’m back this week after my summer hiatus from blogging! Yesterday I posted a review to one of my new favorite series, and today I’m talking about my favorite audiobooks and podcasts for Top Ten Tuesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: All About My Favorite Audiobooks & Podcasts

Audiobooks You Can Listen to For Free!
*because who doesn’t like free entertainment?

  • Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton – Michael Crichton’s books are already hard to put down, but when you stumble upon a perfectly narrated audiobook version, you will spend the next 13 hours with your headphones on, visualizing mad scientists, man-eating dinosaurs, and genetic experiments gone wrong. This was me last summer. My favorite part about this audiobook: William Roberts’s voice is exactly like the one you would hear narrating an actual Jurassic Park ride.
  • The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde – I had a Shakespeare professor in college who said that plays are meant to be read aloud, and I wholeheartedly agree with that, especially after listening to this table read of Oscar Wilde’s hilarious play. It’s short (under 2 hours) and I guarantee you will laugh out loud at least once.
  • War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells – The fact that Orson Wells turned this famous science fiction book into a panic-inducing radio broadcast speaks volumes about it’s value as an audiobook. This Librivox version is read by an older British gentleman, and I love the juxtaposition between his calm and proper voice and the chaotic alien invasion he’s narrating.

Favorite Narrators

  • The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – I know I will probably shock and disappoint a lot of people when I say this was only an OK read for me. As much as I laughed at the nerdy banter and satiric writing, there was something that kept me from loving this book. BUT, I will have to say that I really appreciated hearing The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy narrated by the author himself, Douglas Adams. I’m having a hard time finding a link to that particular version, but I checked it out from the library so I know it exists!
  • The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot – I know there are a lot of people who hate Anne Hathaway (which is crazy to me because my husband and I love her), but I really enjoyed her narration of The Princess Diaries audiobooks. She played Mia in the film versions, and listening to the audiobooks convinced me even more than she was perfect for the role of the awkward teenage princess. I’ve only listened to the first few books in this series, but my local library has the rest so I plan on finishing it sometime!
    51e33q7xvml-_sx438_bo1204203200_

These next two are recommendations from my husband (Matt), who listens to more audiobooks than I do!

  • 11.22.63 by Stephen King – Matt and I watched part of the Hulu 11.22.63 miniseries, but I was getting too creeped out by some of the characters, so we stopped and Matt downloaded the audiobook to listen to instead. It wasn’t his favorite book, but he did love the narration by Craig Wasson. He said hearing all the different accents really helped him visualize everything.
    619waz0yzl-_aa300_
  • Les Miserables by Victor Hugo – Matt actually listened to this audiobook in French (because it’s the epitome of French literature and when I asked him if he was listening to the English version he pretended to gag), but the narration must have been well done since he talked about this book for weeks after he finished it. Most of that praise probably goes to Victor Hugo himself, but I also know that an audiobook narrator has the power to make or break (or kill) a book.

Podcasts

  • Astonishing Legends – my favorite! I love to put in my headphones and listen to these podcasts when I’m cleaning or commuting to and from work. If you’re into mysterious and unexplainable happenings, this is a great podcast to binge listen to. Some of my favorite topics have been the Oak Island Money Pit, the Dyatlov Pass tragedy, The Knights of the Golden Circle conspiracy, and the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.
    AstonishingLegends
  • Stuff You Missed in History Class – The name of this podcast pretty much says it all. Holly and Tracy talk about all sorts of interesting, mysterious, creepy, and legendary historical events and people, and each episode is relatively short (around 30 minutes) so it’s easy to listen to an episode while you’re cooking dinner or walking the dog. Some of my favorite episodes have been about early Danish monarchies and the Jelling Stones, The Great Vowel Shift, The Queen Victoria/Lady Hasting’s scandal, the disappearance of the Sodder children, and some other “history’s mysteries” episodes.
    Stuff You Missed in History Class
  • Rebel Force Radio – This is actually a podcast my husband listens to, but I’ve listened along to a few of them and I can totally see why he loves it so much. The few episodes I listened to were the Star Wars Oxygen podcasts where David Collins and Jimmy Mac analyzed John William’s soundtracks to all 7 of the Star Wars films. I was so impressed by how thoroughly they broke down and analyzed each track. I learned some really amazing facts about how the Star Wars scores add an incredible depth to the films.
    1455732388276.jpeg

Timebound (The Chronos Files #1) by Rysa Walker

Posted in Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Novels, Science Fiction, Young Adult by

18108877.jpg

When Kate Pierce-Keller’s grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion and speaks of time travel, sixteen-year-old Kate assumes the old woman is delusional. But it all becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate’s present-day life. Suddenly, that medallion is the only thing protecting Kate from blinking out of existence.

Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and Kate’s genetic ability to time-travel makes her the only one who can stop him. Risking everything, she travels to the Chicago World’s Fair to try to prevent the killing and the chain of events that follows.

Changing the timeline comes with a personal cost, however—if Kate succeeds, the boy she loves will have no memory of her existence. And regardless of her motives, does she have the right to manipulate the fate of the entire world?

Timebound (The Chronos Files #1) by Rysa Walker
Published January 1, 2014 by Skyscrape
Format: Kindle e-book; 366 pages
Young Adult/Science Fiction/Historical Fiction
Also By This Author: Time’s Edge, Time’s Divide, The Delphi Effect
Goodreads | Amazon | Author’s Website
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Thoughts

You know when you buy a book because you have to have it but then for some insane reason you don’t read it right away? And then months or years later you finally pick it up and proceed to slap yourself because the book is everything you could want in a book and more?? This is basically what happened with me and Timebound.

Timebound is part 1 in The Chronos Files by Rysa Walker. It’s about Kate Pierce-Keller discovering she has the ability to time travel and the subsequent journey she takes to stop her sadistic grandfather from rewriting history and committing a mass genocide. There’s also a heart wrenching love triangle, conflicting alternate realities, the pain of your best friend never knowing she knew you, and well-researched and intriguing glimpses into the 19th and early 20th centuries.

I adore stories about time travel. There’s something captivating and heartbreaking about traveling through space and time that mesmerizes me. I remember watching The Time Machine when I was younger and being equally intrigued and devastated by the idea of being unable to return to your own time. I also have vivid memories of seeing The Time Traveler’s Wife in theaters with a bunch of my friends and then crying for at least 30 minutes afterwards because the ending was so beautifully heartbreaking.

Timebound made me feel the same curiosity and heartache that I love about time travel stories. Rysa Walker has created a wonderful world where science fiction and historical fiction blend seamlessly, and her characters deal with experiences and emotions that both young adults and older adults can relate to. I’ve already read the second book, Time’s Edge, so I can say that her writing gets even more intriguing and surprising as the story continues. I’ve been holding off on reading the final book and the related novellas just so I can get my reviews posted on the first two Chronos Files books because I really think this is a series more readers need to know about!

“Having your existence completely erased has to qualify as a life-changing event, by anyone’s definition.”

Read This Book If…

…you enjoy sci-fi, especially if it’s light on the technical jargon.
…you love suspenseful, captivating novels and don’t mind occasionally having your stomach in knots while reading a book.
…you’re a masochist like me who can’t help but pine after heartbreaking romances and relationships.
…you appreciate well-researched historical fiction novels.

Final Musings

“You cannot hide from your heart, Kate. It always finds you. And, sadly, I cannot hide from mine.”

I could honestly keep gushing about Timebound for hours, but instead I’m going to leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book :)

The Book(ish) Box Review!

Posted in Fun, Novels by

IMG_3082

I am so behind in blogging these days. We’ve had lots of friends and family visit us this summer and I always feel guilty about reading and blogging when we have guests (I try not to be too antisocial, even though sometimes I have to escape to my room or the bathroom for a few minutes to myself).

Anyway, at long last I am going to review one of my current favorite things in the whole world: my Book(ish) Box subscription!

Now, I am not exaggerating when I say it took well over a year for me to decide on which subscription box I wanted to sign up for. My husband and I both loved the idea of receiving a goodie box in the mail each month, but neither of us knew which boxes we wanted to sign up for (well, my husband didn’t really struggle with that–I’m the indecisive one). Then, a few months ago, he signed up for The Dollar Beard Club which persuaded me to finally pick a box as well, and I found the perfect one for me: The Book(ish) Box!

Each monthly Book(ish) Box comes with a t-shirt from Appraising Pages and 3-5 bookish home, beauty, and fashion items. You can select different t-shirt styles and sizes, and they are super comfy!

When I discovered this wonderful subscription box I knew I had to sign-up right away! But alas, they were all sold out for that particular month! I am not exaggerating when I say that I was pretty devastated. My husband, being the sweet and thoughtful person he is, secretly emailed the lovely owners of Appraising Pages a long, Victorian-inspired message, asking them if they would have one more box that I could sign up for. He must have won them over with his writing skills because they kindly let me sign up, and I was overjoyed because that month’s theme was Classic novels (MY FAVORITE!).

When my first box arrived, I WAS SO EXCITED to open it. I made myself some tea (because that’s what Classic novels call for, am I right?), and I carefully fangirled over each gift in the box.

June’s Book(ish) Box – Classic Novels

Alice in Wonderland t-shirt (Appraising Pages)
Great Gatsby Notebook (Bugaboo Bear Designs)
Ampersand Ring (A Cute Geek)
Alice in Wonderland Socks (Out of Print)
Magnetic Persuasion bookmark

I wear this ampersand ring nearly every day. It’s not made of metal so it doesn’t tarnish at all, and it fits perfectly on my middle finger :) I also adore the Curiouser and Curiouser shirt and the White Rabbit socks are adorable. The Great Gatsby notebook is made from recycled paper, which is awesome! I recently misplaced the Persuasion bookmark while reading For Darkness Shows the Stars (which just so happens to be a Persuasion retelling), but I’m sure it’s in my couch somewhere!

July and August’s boxes were equally wonderful, and I will share with you some detailed pictures of the Fantasy and Fairy Tale Retelling themed goodies!

July’s Book(ish) Box – Fantasy

IMG_6437IMG_6439

J.R.R. Tolkien inspired t-shirt (Appraising Pages)
Saphira Eragon Blend Coffee (Passive Juice Motel)
Fantasy Antler Headband (Night and Day Baby)
Game of Thrones inspired bangle (The Geeky Cauldron)
The Mortal Instruments inspired crossbody tote (Fiction Tea)

I finally drank the Eragon themed coffee earlier this week when we ran out of our usual coffee. It was good! And I absolutely love the crossbody tote bag, even if I haven’t read The Mortal Instruments.

August’s Book(ish) Box – Fairy Tale Retellings

IMG_6445IMG_6446

A Court of Mist and Fury t-shirt (Appraising Pages)
Peter Pan Necklace (The Bookish Box)
Beauty and the Beast watercolor bookmar (Lexy Olivia)
Mug inspired by Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Evie Sea)
Disney post-it notes (Appraising Pages)

It’s hard to tell, but the Peter Pan necklace is a thimble with a tiny acorn and the Disney post-it notes say: “Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever.” The Beauty and the Beast watercolor book mark is BEAUTIFUL!

If you’re a huge bookworm like me (which, I’m assuming you are since you’re perusing a book blog), you are probably wondering how you can sign up for your own Book(ish) Box immediately!

Here is a link to subscribe: GET A BOOK(ISH) BOX! September’s boxes don’t ship for almost another 2 weeks, and the theme is Literary Ladies (so I’m expecting at least one Hermione themed item!). Hopefully I’ll be quicker at posting a review of that box than I was with my first three boxes :)

Playing the Part (A Class of Their Own #3) by Jen Turano

Posted in Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Novels by

25695484.jpg

Lucetta Plum is an actress on the rise in New York City, but is forced to abandon her starring role when a fan’s interest turns threatening. Lucinda’s widowed friend, Abigail Hart, is delighted at the opportunity to meddle in Lucetta’s life and promptly whisks her away to her grandson’s estate to hide out.

Bram Haverstein may appear to simply be a somewhat eccentric gentleman of means, but a mysterious career and a secret fascination with a certain actress mean there’s much more to him than society knows.

Lucetta, who has no interest in Abigail’s matchmaking machinations, has the best intentions of remaining cordial but coolly distant to Bram. But when she can’t ignore the strange and mysterious things going on in his house, it’ll take more than good intentions to keep her from trying to discover who Bram is behind the part he plays.

Playing the Part (A Class of Their Own #3) by Jen Turano
Published March 1, 2016 by Bethany House
Format: Netgalley e-book for review; 352 pages
Historical Fiction/Christian Fiction
Also By This Author: The Ladies of Distinction series
Goodreads | Amazon
My Rating: ♥♥♥

Thoughts:

Playing the Part is the conclusion to Jen Turano’s A Class of Their Own series. I haven’t read the first two books, After a Fashion and In Good Company, but the author does a good job at filling new readers, like myself, in on previous plot lines that are important for Lucetta and Bram’s story.

I had previously read Gentleman of Her Dreams, a novella from Jen Turano’s Ladies of Distinction series, and I really enjoyed the humor of Turano’s writing as well as the stubbornness of the main character. I was really looking forward to experiencing that again with Playing the Part, but unfortunately my expectations must have been too high because I found myself not connecting with this novel as much as I wanted to. Lucetta is still a fierce and strong-minded heroine, and there are some funny scenes in Playing the Part, but overall I thought it was missing something to make it great.

I did enjoy the allusions to some of my favorite gothic literature. Classic gothic lit is one of my favorite genres, and it made me happy to read references to Edgar Allan Poe and Dracula (the love interest’s name is Bram, which I really loved!). Plus there’s also a dungeon and unexplained “hauntings” going on in Bram’s gothic castle, so if you’re like me you’ll probably enjoy those descriptions.

Read This Book If…

…you enjoy historical fiction.
…you’re a fan of classic gothic fiction including Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker (there are several references).
….you like reading clean romances that aren’t excessively religious.

Final Musings:

Although I didn’t love Playing the Part, I did enjoy it enough that I will probably read the first two books in the series sometime. Jen Turano is a fun writer who places her characters in entertaining situations. Her novels are great picks if you need a lighthearted historical romance to read.