She's Got Character--Still Life with Murder Book Review

4****

Still Life with Murder by P.B. Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars








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LAST LIGHT: by Terri Blackstock

Last Light by Terri Blackstock

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Well written, intriguing and fast-paced. The end might have been a little stronger with regard to the villain (who becomes more of a cut-out bad guy the more we see of him) and the heroine, who makes annoyingly obvious bad choices; but otherwise the premise is so strong that we are compelled to see what happens,and we do care about the characters. I recommend this book for sure.



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Time for a Book Review

4.0 out of 5 stars

19th Century Mystery Delivers

By Linore Burkard "Inspirational Romance Author"


I read the Kindle edition of this book which had no description; I expected an historical romance of sorts and found that it is really much more
a mystery, and a crime mystery at that.

Despite not being my favorite genre, there is a lot going for this book, including a lovable protagonist, some very strong surrounding cast, wonderful descriptions of a country estate and lots of other 19th century details which make the reading so interesting--at least for an historical romance author like me. The mystery is well done and made me stay up half the night to find out how it all ends.

I wasn't crazy about the ending, but there is so much of England in another century here, to savor, that I may even read this again, or at least parts of it. Definitely worthwhile reading for history buffs, Anglophiles, mystery lovers, and there was, indeed, a thread of romance--thin, but there.

Note: There are paperback editions of this book available on Amazon, or you can download the Kindle edition for free. If you don't have a Kindle, use the Kindle app for PCs, also free.

Happy reading!

ROOMS, by Jim Rubart

"The Family Man" meets "It's a Wonderful Life" in this Christian fantasy where a lifetime's worth of spiritual lessons are brought home to one man--literally--through a living mansion, where mysterious rooms appear and disappear, and spiritual lessons (and danger) abound. Hold on to your hat and get comfortable; you won't want to put this one down.

There are certainly passages where you won't have to remind yourself that it's a FANTASY, and I'd have rather seen more Jesus and less Angel, but it was still a fun read. And, what a fantastic cover! That alone made me want to read this one.

BOOK REVIEW:To Have and To Hold, by Mary Johnston

To Have and to Hold: A Tale of Providence and Perseverance in Colonial Jamestown by Mary Johnston


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was an unexpected delight. Besides the fascinating historicity of 17th century life in the early Virginia settlement (Jamestown), there is a love story, a good meaty villain, and a winsome, well developed cast of characters. The place sketches (land, water, geography, topography) is so well drawn by the author that you can feel the wilderness about you while reading.
The heroine is perhaps the "weak" spot in the book. She is a stereotypical frail beauty, retiring, shy, and breathtaking. She does manage to make a small claim upon the heart by the ending chapters particularly; and the chapters where Indians are prevalent are really eye-opening. We get to see how treacherous life was back then, and appreciate the cunning and subtlety of the native enemies. Great history, fun story, go for it.

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Note: This book was a free upload from Amazon Kindle.

Highland Blessings

The beautiful cover of this book opens to a great read I didn't want you to miss.
Since this blog is called "She's Got Character" I had to talk about Highland Blessings,, as the heroine, Akira, is a feisty female character you'll love.

Here's my brief review of the book:

Highland Blessings is a surprisingly adept first novel from Jennifer Hudson Taylor. The book serves up a truly likeable heroine, a satisfying romance, and all with a lush backdrop of castles, clans, plaids and a Scottish brogue to boot. A good supporting cast brings depth to the story, and I can recommend this book for a good dose of blessings, indeed. I look forward to seeing more from this new author.

There were a couple of plot points I stumbled over a bit, but the good far outweighs the bad in this medieval Scottish tale.
Click the title of this blog to learn more about the author, Jennifer Hudson Taylor, and congratulations to you, Jennifer, for a strong debut novel.

Long and Short Romance Reviews Agree: She's Got Character

Just came in: a new review of, Before the Season Ends by Long and Short Romance Reviews.
They affirmed that Ariana Forsythe, the feisty heroine of BTSE, has character, alright. "Throughout, the strength and personal devotion of our heroine, as well as the peculiarities of the many characters will surprise and delight readers."
Strength and personal devotion--I like those qualities in a heroine, don't you?
Read on for more snippets of the full review, and you can even vote for my book (or others) by following the link at the end. Voting starts on Saturday 5/7 and only lasts until Sunday 5/8, so vote soon!
(PS: There's also information about a book giveaway and other contests there, so take a peek even if you don't want to vote for any book!)

Before the Season Ends by Linore Rose Burkard
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Genre: Historical; Inspirational
Length: Full (348 pages)
Heat: Sweet
Rating: 5 books
Reviewed by Snapdragon

...Jane Austen fans and readers of historical romance will love Before the Season Ends.


Those who do indeed love to read will saunter through Before the Season Ends by Linore Rose Burkhard and savor all the delights...


Ariana is dropped in the deep end of society quite abruptly, and she is from a provincial if genteel background. She is charming whatever her circumstances and of a stronger will than it first appears. Busy city life and high fashion do not turn her head. A myriad of diverse and interesting perspectives prove valuable to her. She is clever enough to detect subtle differences among the many classes – far from merely the lower and upper crust, London of the time clearly set apart ‘the beau monde,’ ‘the ton,’ – to say nothing of royalty. Distinctions were important, to some. The Aunt Bentley’s of this world are understandable, even if the object of humor, although Burkhard cleverly makes it easy to sympathize with her, too. Indeed, she toys with our emotions throughout.

Suddenly Ariana is in the ‘marriage mart’ but hardly taking it seriously. Instead, she turns up unsuitable friends, climbs trees, and barrels into all the wrong people. She manages to annoy some of the ‘right' people –and among those, there is no want for high-handed old busybodies in society, disagreeable countesses and soft-hearted admirers... There seem to be consequences to her most innocent actions: and even her parents will weigh in again before the end. Readers will revel in the unexpected, so I dare say no more.

Throughout, the strength and personal devotion of our heroine, as well as the peculiarities of the many characters will surprise and delight readers.

Unexpected action – and more unexpected consequences – keep things hopping throughout the 1813 London Season! The consequence of setting off on the first page of Before the Season Ends is to be held enthralled, tickled, and intrigued right to the end. 5 books, and this reader shall certainly remember and look for author Linore Rose Burkhard’s books again.

Thank you, Long and Short Reviews!

Want to vote for the book? (Voting starts tomorrow) Want to vote for a different book? (horrors!) Go here: LASR Weekend Vote

Thanks for your vote!

In this book, SHE'S GOT CHARACTER

Today, I pass on a book review from Author's Choice Reviews because it sounds like a great read, with a fictional infusion to a REAL female character--Eve--that promises a huge payoff to readers. I'm putting this on my TBR (TO BE READ) pile for sure. Even wanted to know, "All About Eve?" I have. This is likely the closest we'll get this side of heaven!

HAVAH-The Story of Eve
By Tosca Lee
ISBN 978-1-60006- 124-0
NavPress
Reviewer Cynthia Hickey

Eve, or Havah, as Adam called her recounts the story of her life from
the moment God whispers "Wake", to her last breath. From the Garden of
Eden through exile and the birthing of a world, Havah recounts her
struggles, her hopes, one son's murder by his brother, and the turning
from God of her descendents.

A sensual, passionate love story of the first woman for, not only her
mate, but for God. From the first bite of forbidden fruit, Eve spends
her life trying to get back to the verdant valley of her birth. Into
exile, she brings God's promise of hope, her bitterness toward a
husband who blames her for his eating of the fruit, and a searching to
see God's face again. Oh, the wonders Havah saw come to fruition, the
despair she battles with, and the hope she carries through her life.

Tosca Lee has crafted a story so real, so full of detail, the reader
will feel as if they know Adam and Havah intimately. The reader will
catch a glimpse of God so rich they will take it with them far beyond
the last page. This novel is a ten, not only on the faith scale, but
in a well-written story.