Book Review: Short Straw Bride, by Karen Witemeyer

Short Straw Bride, by Karen Witemeyer
No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?

Print Length: 371 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; 1 edition (June 1, 2012)

My Review:
This is another sweet, christian romance novel that is free of sex scenes and/or violence.  There is some suspense and romance, but nothing to make you squirm.  Meredith is a strong christian heroin with a vibrant love for the Lord and a desire to do His will.  She gets caught in a predicament that forces her to marry Travis Archer, the recluse cowboy that refuses to let anyone come onto his land. 

The Archer brothers are all so humorous and adorable.  I especially loved Crockett.  He was quite the character.  Jim was funny because he was so stoic, and you never quite knew what he was thinking, except when it came to Meredith's cousin.  

I love characters that have flaws, whether they are physical or internal.  Both Meredith and Travis have strengths and weaknesses that make them more realistic and believable.  

I felt like the second half of the book dragged on a little bit too long.  One thing after another kept popping up to keep the newlyweds from ever being alone together.  But it was a fun twist to see a couple that is forced to marry still try to go through a proper courtship and get to know each other before anything physical happens between them. 


The Cover: I love this cover.  It is super cute, and I love the way Meredith is trying to sneak a peek at the straws in Travis' hands.  The title design is really cute and goes well with the rest of the cover.

Amazon | Goodreads | Website

About the Author:

CBA bestselling author, Karen Witemeyer, writes historical romance fiction for Bethany House, believing that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. In 2011, her debut novel, A Tailor-Made Bride, was a finalist in the Best First Book categories for both the prestigious RITA® award and the National Reader's Choice Award. Karen holds a master's degree in Psychology from Abilene Christian University and is a member of ACFW, RWA, and her local writers' guild. She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children.


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Book Review: Making Waves, by Lorna Seilstad

Making Waves, by Lorna Seilstad
When spunky Marguerite Westing discovers that her family will summer at Lake Manawa in 1895, she couldn't be more thrilled. It is the perfect way to escape her agonizingly boring suitor, Roger Gordon. It's also where she stumbles upon two new loves: sailing, and sailing instructor Trip Andrews. But this summer of fun turns to turmoil as her father's gambling problems threaten to ruin the family forever. Will free-spirited Marguerite marry Roger to save her father's name and fortune? Or will she follow her heart--even if it means abandoning the family she loves?
 
Author Lorna Seilstad's fresh and entertaining voice will whisk readers away to a breezy lakeside summer holiday. Full of sharp wit and blossoming romance, "Making Waves" is the first book in the LAKE MANAWA SUMMERS series.

My Review:
I've been reading a lot of Christian Romance lately.

Making Waves was a really cute historical romance novel.  It had everything that a Christian Romance novel should have: a horrible suitor, a mysterious and handsome hero, a feisty and adventurous heroin, and plenty of Christian values thrown in.

I've never been sailing, but I was able to appreciate Marguerite's love of it from the way the author describes everything so well.  Marguerite is a disaster most of the book.  She stirs up trouble (albeit mostly unintentional) wherever she goes, she is perpetually late for everything, and has this very unladylike love of the water and sailing.  

The challenges and restrictions placed on women during this time period were well described.  Women should not go swimming, sailing, or do anything other than sit around and chat with one another.  While other women do not even seem to notice the restrictions placed on them, Marguerite is not one for sticking to the expectations of others.  She wants to live life to the fullest and she fully plans on doing so, whether it is proper or not.

Roger was a perfectly horrible suitor.  He was boring, self-centered, and rude.  He even became a heartless and violent towards the end.  

Trip was a nicely flawed hero that I couldn't help but love.  Besides being handsome, he also sports a wicked temper and an uncanny way of making Marguerite feel special.  He treats her well and does not expect her to be anyone or anything that she is not.  They both have to learn some things and change a few others along the way.

The Cover:  Meh.  Don't love it, don't hate it.  It is what it is.

Amazon | Goodreads | Website





About the Author:
For as long as I can remember, I loved writing. I even dreamed in plots. I also grew up attending antique auctions nearly every weekend, so history was as much a part of my life as chores on our farm in Iowa, reading books, and playing with Barbies.

So, writing historical romances fit perfectly. Times may change, the style of clothes, the way we speak, but the common threads that unite us remain the same. Couples fall in love. Injustices
happen. We fight for what we believe in. We struggle. We endure. We grow.

After graduating from York College in York, Nebraska with an A.A. and then receiving a B.S.Ed. from Lubbock Christian University, I met and married the love of my life, David. God had
written our love story, and I knew from the moment we met that he was the one. It was not love at first sight by any means, but I was so sure he was "it" that I wrote that I'd met the man I would marry in my diary. We pledged our hearts to one another two and half years later.

I taught high school English until my oldest child was born. After that I began my career as a professional wiper. I wiped noses, counter tops, tiny tushes, tears, and scraped knees.

Deciding that my children were now older and less in need of my constant supervision, I started pursuing my first love again --writing. After joining American Christian Fiction Writers, I found a wonderful critique group and began studying the craft of writing.

David and I have three children ages 18, 16, and 11. We also work in youth ministry and teach youth and adult Bible classes. Pin It

Book Review: Gentleman of Her Dreams, by Jen Turano

Gentleman of Her Dreams, by Jen Turano

When Miss Charlotte Wilson asks God for a husband, she decides He must want her to pursue Mr. Hamilton Beckett, the catch of the season. The only problem? She's never actually met Hamilton. Fortunately, one of her oldest and dearest friends, Mr. Henry St. James—who has returned to New York after a two-year absence—does know Hamilton. Much to Henry's chagrin, Charlotte immediately ropes him into helping her meet Hamilton. However, none of her plans to catch Hamilton's eye go as she expected, and she is even more confused when her old feelings for Henry begin to resurrect themselves. In the midst of the mayhem Charlotte always seems to cause, she wonders if the gentleman of her dreams might be an entirely different man than she thought.

This novella is a companion to A Change of Fortune, Jen Turano's full-length debut novel, available fall 2012.

***

Short, sweet, and adorably funny, Gentleman of Her Dreams is a companion novella for the full length novel A Change of Fortune.  However, it is not necessary to read one to understand the other.  They are both fine on their own.

This quick read was an absolute delight and just what I was looking for.  I love historical fiction, and every now and again I feel the need to get away from all the paranormal and adventure and just read a good clean romance.  This short christian romance was exactly what I wanted.  It was humorous, witty, and super cute.  It was squeaky clean, too!  

It is FREE right now on Amazon.  Definitely worth the read.

File Size: 415 KB
Print Length: 81 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 1, 2012)

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Blog Tour and Giveaway: First Time, by Samuel Ben White

Tour Schedule

First Time: The Legend of Garison Fitch

"What if history didn't happen that way ... the first time?"

Garison Fitch was one of the most revered scientists in the Soviet Americas until he left fame behind to work on a secret project in his log cabin in the mountains of Marx.

But something went wrong. Instead of traveling interdimentionally, Garison has traveled through time ... twice.

Now, he's in something called "The United States of America" and a woman he's never met before is calling herself his wife. It it a hoax? Or, has he somehow changed history?

If so, can he return the world to what he believes is "normal", or must he live in this strange world he created?

Purchase

Kindle * Nook * Smashwords

Praise:

"Sam continues to weave his magic as a storyteller. I always find myself anxious to find out what will happen next and what kind of twist will befall the adventurers. It helps to be familiar with the places that the heroines go, which adds to the story."

~Labdaddy, Texas

"I've had a few very unproductive but enjoyable days thanks to Samuel Ben White. If you haven't read Sam's books you have been missing a treat. These were funny, suspenseful, spiritual and kept you turning the pages."

~Karen S.

"Just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed your books. I have a Kindle and I have purchased all of the Garison Fitch novels. I am in Saudi Arabia and your books have really helped take me away from here."

~Scott, Saudi Arabia

Also Part of the Series:

Saving Time

Two years ago Garison Fitch traveled through time and rewrote history. An accident in the eighteenth century created a whole new world, and even gave Garison a wife he had never met before. Now, he’s got a daughter and he’s coming to enjoy this world he created. Until he’s attacked by men masquerading as Indians, and a funeral procession from out of the past enlists his help, and a tree grows from sappling to full-grown in a matter of minutes, threatening his daughter’s very life. Time itself is unraveling and Garison’s trips through time seem to be the cause. Garison must go back in time once again and keep himself from making the original trip that started the problem. But he can’t use his time machine to go back. How does one sew up a rip in time?

Lost Time

Jason Kerrigan and Brownwyn Dalmouth are pilots with the Republic of Texas Army Air Corps. A world war is going on and bombs have just brought an end to Crockett Air Field in south Texas. Jason and Bronwyn, though, are called away from the battle to be test pilots for a new aircraft that-they're told-will bring the war to an end. The experimental craft lives up to expectations in early tests, but then it lands them somewhere it never should have sent them. Another place? Another time? Another dimension? Somehow, they've taken a trip to the future and changed the past. Or did they? The answer to their change of reality may be known to a Justice of the Peace in Colorado named Garison Fitch. To figure it out, though, Garison may have to team up with his least favorite person: Bat Garrett.

Excerpt

"That's George Washington," she replied, surprised that he had never seen a dollar bill before. Although, she was becoming less surprised with each of these new revelations. His memory seemed to be as full of holes as a sponge, yet sometimes as solid as coral.

"Is he someone famous?" Garison asked. Inwardly he laughed as he mused that young George must have taken his advice and made something of his life to appear on currency.

Heather looked at him incredulously, but said, "Everyone in the world knows who he was—literally. Everyone. George Washington? He was the first President of the United States. Lead the Continental Congress when they drafted the Constitution. Held us together. Father of the country."

"I thought John Adams was the first president," Garison offered meekly, surprised he remembered even that little bit of historical trivia. He was embarrassed by his lack of knowledge of history—which in the last day seemed to have become even worse than he thought.

"No, John Adams was the second president, and George's vice-president before that. George was the man who, as general, turned the colonial rebels into a force coherent enough to beat the British off the soil. Then he brought us together as a nation."

"Uh-oh," Garison said, slumping to the couch.

Purchase

Kindle * Nook * Smashwords

Author Samuel Ben White

Samuel Ben White (“Sam” to his friends) is the author of the national newspaper comic strip “Tuttle’s” (found at www.tuttles.net) and the on-line comic book “Burt & the I.L.S.” (found at www.destinyhelix.com). He is married and has two sons. He serves his community as both a minister at a small church and a chaplain with hospice. In addition to his time travel stories, Sam has also written and published detective novels, a western, three fantasy novels and four works of Christian fiction.

Links

Twitter * Facebook * Website

Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card
Ends 12/18/12
Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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First Time: The Legend of Garison Fitch Tour Schedule:
http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/10/first-time-blog-tour.html

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Book Review: Highland Sactuary, by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

From Goodreads:
Gavin MacKenzie, a chieftain heir who is hired to restore the ancient Castle of Braigh, discovers a hidden village of outcasts who have created their own private sanctuary from the world. Among them is Serena Boyd, a mysterious and comely lass, who captures Gavin's heart in spite of harboring a deadly past that could destroy her future.

The villagers happen to be keeping an intriguing secret as well, and when a fierce enemy launches an attack against them, greed leads to bitter betrayal. Then, as Gavin prepares a defense, the villagers unite in a bold act of faith, showing how God's love is more powerful than any human force on earth.

***

A friend of mine recommended this book to me.  Historical Fiction has always been one of my favorite genres to read.  Add a little romance and I'm hooked.

This was such an unusual story.  In a lot of ways it was predictable and very similar to most other books on the market.  But there were other things that were new to me and took me completely by surprise. 

The predictable elements included the love story.  It was very obvious what was going to happen and who Serena was going to fall in love with.  They had the typical "forbidden love" that all nobility/peasant romance stories have.  In spite of it's predictability, I still enjoyed the love story. It was clean and sweet.  Gavin was a gentleman and I adored him completely.  Serena loved with her whole heart, and was good to the core.

The not so predictable aspects were pretty interesting.  Serena has a secret, but even she doesn't know the whole of it.  She lives with her mother in the Village of Outcasts, a community of misfits that find sanctuary living together in the woods.  Serena suffers from seizures, or "fits" as they are called in the book.  Her father wanted to abandon her when she was a newborn because he believed she was possessed of an evil spirit.  Her mother took her and fled to the Village of Outcasts where she was able to keep her daughter safe.

As Serena's relationship with Gavin develops, he is curious to know what her big secret is.  He is introduced to it at the market when Serena has one of her fits in public.  The townsfolk think she is a witch and possessed.  They want to burn her at the stake.  

There were more surprises as the book went on, but I don't want to give everything away.  I found it very interesting and had a difficult time putting it down.  The writing wasn't perfect, and the use of dialect was pretty heavy and made some of the reading frustrating. 

It is available in both Kindle and paperback formats.


Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 2011)
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Review: Grave Mercy, by Robin LaFevers

From Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

***

Beautiful.

Gripping.

Breathtaking.

 This is one of the most beautiful stories I have read in a long time.  The writing was delicious and lyrical.  The story was captivating and I could not put the book down.  I honestly carried it around with me and would read it anytime I had a spare minute or two.  I even kept it in the kitchen with me while I made dinner so that I could read in between stirrings.  I devoured this 549 page book in 2 days. 

Ismae is a fantastic heroine.  I loved her from beginning to end.  The beginning of the book establishes her dismal plight in life.  Her abusive father has sold her into an equally abusive marriage at the age of fourteen.  She escapes her husband and finds a new life at a convent that promises to train her as an assassin.  Essentially, this is a female, medieval Jason Bourne.

As one of Death's daughters, Ismae learns to serve as His handmaiden.  At seventeen, she is sent out on her first couple of assignments.  I found this portion of the book to be a little too crude and dark for my taste.  I had trouble sleeping after reading about her poisoning and strangling two different men.  But the assassinations slow down after this because she is given a third assignment.  She is to pose as mistress to the half brother of the duchess to gain intelligence surrounding the problems at court.

As Ismae moves through the story, she grows into herself.  She comes to understand so much more about who she is and what Death expects of her.  And it isn't necessarily the same as what the convent expects of her.  She starts out as a bloodthirsty and eager novice, ready to jump at any opportunity to prove her worth as an assassin.  By the end of the book, she has learned how to use her gifts, and learns that she is more than just a tool to be used by her misguided convent.

My favorite part of this book was near the end, when she meets Death face to face.  He approaches her, names her his daughter, and kisses her brow.  He shows her that He loves her unconditionally, and that He knows the true desires of her heart - to serve Him completely.

I just loved, loved, loved this book.  It was beautiful.

The only downside to the story was that I felt it got unnecessarily crude in places.  For example, Ismae's love interest Duval, is dying from poison, and the only way for her to save him is to "lay" with him.  There are no details, but it still bothered me. 

Duval is, of course, the perfect hero for Ismae to fall for.  I don't know how believable it is for him to fall in love with an assassin, but I still enjoyed the love story.

The cover of the book is gorgeous.  I love it.  Books don't always measure up to their covers, but this one definitely does.  I really hope someone makes this book into a movie.

Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 560 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; 1 edition (April 3, 2012)
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Review: Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare

From Goodreads:
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

***

If it is possible to love the second book in a series even more than the first, then I have found it.  This was a story full of black magic, demons, and romance.  What's not to love?

In this book we are taken deeper into the mystery of the Magister and find out more information about him.  We also discover more about Will and his history.  Jem is more developed as a character but his past still remains vague.  We do get to see a little more of Magnus Bane, a character I absolutely adore. 

The encounters with automatons were not as frequent as in Clockwork Angel, so I rarely had problems sleeping.  The romance was so thick and beautifully written.  Maybe I am a glutton for disappointment, but whenever I read a book with a love triangle, I am always rooting for the wrong guy.  (I was Team Jacob, in case you are wondering.) The action scenes were fantastic and not so frequent that I got tired of them.  There was a nice pace throughout the story that kept things moving without it getting boring or going too fast.

I don't know if I will be able to wait for another year before the final book comes out!


Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 528 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Book
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Review: The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky

From Goodreads: When Louise Lambert receives a mysterious invitation to a traveling vintage fashion sale in the mail, her normal life in suburban Connecticut is magically transformed into a time traveling adventure.

After a brief encounter with two witchy salesladies and donning an evening gown that once belonged to a beautiful silent film star, Louise suddenly finds herself on board a luxurious cruise ship in 1912. As Alice Baxter, the silent film star, Louise enjoys her access to an extensive closet of gorgeous vintage gowns and begins to get a feel for the challenges and the glamor of life during this decadent era. Until she realizes that she's not just on any ship-- she's on the Titanic!

Will Louise be able to save herself and change the course of history, or are she and her film star alter ego, destined to go down with a sinking ship in the most infamous sea disaster of the 20th century?

**

I don’t know why, but I didn’t know this was a middle grade book when I started. So I was shocked to find out Louise was only twelve. That aside, the book was well written. The characters were unique and I was fascinated by Louise. I was very much her opposite when I was that age. For that reason, I had a hard time identifying with her character.

However, I’ve always been interested in the Titanic, so that was definitely a plus. I thought the illustrations were amazing. I’m glad they were included because I had a hard time visualizing the elaborate fashions described.

I did think the book was a little slow paced, but I was happy with the ending.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Poppy; 1 edition (April 5, 2011)
• Source: Giveaway
• Amazon
• Goodreads

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Review: Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

In this coming-of-age story set in a medieval kingdom, Andrea is a headstrong princess longing to be a knight: something both her parents have forbidden. In an angry rage, she chases after a legend and finds her way to modern-day California where she finally belongs. But her accidental return to her family's kingdom and a disastrous romance brings war, along with her discovery of some dark family secrets. Readers will love this mix of traditional fantasy elements with unique twists and will identify with Andrea and her difficult choices between duty and desire.

**

Wow. Was this a surprise or what? While I was reading this book, I enjoyed it. But by the time I finished the book, I was in love.

I always admire female characters who want to break through the norm. But Andrea is different. She is very strong willed, but she tries her hardest to do what her parents ask. When that doesn’t work, she decides to take things into her own hands.

She accidentally finds a door to modern-day California, and discovers a world where she finally belongs. When she, again accidentally, finds her way back to her medieval home, she finds herself causing a war. In an attempt to save her people, she makes matters worse. She has to use her knowledge of the modern world and put it to work to save her ancient home.

I absolutely loved the story. And just when I’d given up all hope of any romance in this book at all, I was blind-sided with one of the sweetest love stories you can find. 

I just learned there is going to be a sequel and I’m so excited!

The reading level is officially middle grade, but I found it to be a bit more mature than that. Not that there's mature content, I just think older readers will enjoy it as well.

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Paperback: 323 pages
• Publisher: Tanglewood Press (April 1, 2007, re-released June 16th, 2010)
• Source: Publisher, via NetGalley
• Amazon
• Goodreads

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Review: Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell

Elaine of Shalott has many brothers. Almost 350 of them. When Elaine's mother was murdered by Saxons, Elaine's father had no choice but to bring his frightened eight-year-old daughter to the army camp where he lived and served under Arthur.

Elaine grows wise and strong in the camp and becomes a friend, sister and nurse to the men as they return from battle after battle. But she'd like to be more than friend or sister to the handsome Lancelot. And Lancelot seems to reciprocate the feelings...until Gwynivere shows up.

After nine years as the lone woman in a camp of men, Elaine is eager to make a female friend! But Gwynivere is cruel and mean spirited. Not to mention Lancelot is bewitched by the woman. Elaine's heart is broken, but the mischievous and dashing Tristan is always by her side to steal a laugh or two and lift her spirits.

As Arthur's camp readies to march to battle, and leave the women behind, Elaine must do whatever she can to ensure that her men, her brothers and friends, come home safely.

And the cost very well could be her life.

**

(Warning, this is a review only kinda sorta. It's more me sitting here, hugging the book to my chest and begging you to go read it. On with the kinda sorta review.)

Now this is my kind of story.

Exhibit A: King Arthur.
Exhibit B: the Lady of Shalott.
Exhibit C: Tristan. The Tristan, from Tristan and Isolde!
Exhibit D: It's a heart-warming love story.

Sigh.

Song of the Sparrow is written in verse, meaning it's creatively constructed almost like a song or poem. This takes about two pages to get used to, and that's it. For me it was the fact that I felt like it should rhyme or something. While this seems a little bizarre, it's fascinating! It is amazing what this allows the author to do. For example, on page 57 it says: (the dialogue is in italics in this book)

Return to...
                                      me
                   us
soon, I tell him.

See what she was able to do? Oh. I love it.

Moving on.

I really can't say too many good things about this book for fear I'll give away the whole thing and you won't have to read it. And I promise you, you want to read it.

The book is thick and intimidating, but it's actually a very quick read since each page contains a single column of writing.

You will love Elaine, headstrong, proud, caring, loving, brave and witty. She literally risks her life to save her country and her family, and she is greatly rewarded in the end. I'm going to stop now and say go read this book. Get it from your library, borrow it from a friend, steal it from...never mind. Don't steal. Borrow. That's a better idea. Then come back here and tell me what you think. Pin It

Teaser Tuesday -6-

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I don't usually share just two sentences. I usually share two passages. :) In this case, the two passages are one after another, so it looks like one.

Here's my teaser:

Elaine, I remember the first time
I met you.
You were so young,
so scared. It nearly broke
my heart to see you so.
I look up at him, tears in my eyes.
Morgan sits beside me and squeezes my hand.
Those were bad days, I whisper.

Song of the Sparrow, by Lisa Ann Sandell, page 153. I've read this book before, and I loved it! Be sure to check back in a few days for my review.














Leave a link for your TT, or leave your TT in a comment if you don't have a book blog.

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Review: The Oracle of Stamboul by Michael David Lukas

Young Eleonora Cohen, a Jewess born in 1877, is a girl of many talents. She can read and write in 7 languages, she learned to read and memorized entire books by the age of eight. Eleonora is a quiet, reserved girl who loves to read and is constantly thinking.

When her doting father, Yakob, plans a business trip to Stamboul, Eleonora does not plan to stay behind in the care of her resentful aunt and stepmother, Ruxandra. She stows away in one of Yakob's trunks. It is there, on the shores of Bosporus, Eleonora meets her father's business partner and friend, Moncef Bey, and realizes a new life awaits her.

This new life includes tragedy, an American Tutor who could be a spy, and meetings with the Sultan Abdulhamid II.

Let me first start by saying I don't love historical fiction. I don't know why, I just usually don't necessarily enjoy it.

I had heard that the beginning of The Oracle of Stamboul was a little slow, and I found this to be the case. Luckily I pushed through and found the jewel within.

The writing is simply fantastic! The descriptions were natural and flowing. I felt like, for a time, I was tucked into this world or warm sunshine where everything smelled like lilacs with a hint of orange. I was a little hesitant to enjoy a book where the main character is 8-years-old, but as you will find, she is no ordinary girl. And truly, this is no ordinary book.

The jury is still out on whether or not I appreciated the ending, but I suppose it's the only way Eleonora would have wanted her story to end.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through the Goodreads Firstreads program.

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