I’ve
never been a big of the contemporary genre. But here recently I’ve slowly been
reading more and more contemporary and I find myself enjoying it. The Two of Us by Victoria Bylin has made
me a fan. This was my first read from Victoria Bylin and definitely not my
last. The way she writes her characters is amazing. They’re believable and
relatable. You instantly fall in love with the characters and feel empathy for
them and their situation.
The Two of Us centers around two main
characters, Jake and Mia. Jake is an ex-cop that sustains an injury in the line
of duty. Mia is a nurse looking to put her skills to the test by applying for a
nursing job overseas. She also has the issue of her pregnant younger sister getting
married in Vegas. Both Mia and Jake’s lives intersect when Mia attends her
sister’s wedding and Jake is the friend of the groom.
I was
hooked the very first chapter. I got right into the story and kept my attention
the whole way through. You get to know the characters so well and find out
everything about them. Once you think you everything there’s more. I enjoyed
how she wove Jake’s mom into the story. I can see how people would love her
characters because their just so relatable with the struggles they go through
and face.
I loved
this book and would highly recommend it, even if you’re not a big fan of
contemporary. You’ll be one after reading this.
I received this book from Bethany House for my
honest opinion.
A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White is
set in 1914 in England right before World War I begins. The two main characters
are Rosemary and Peter. Rosemary has had a hard life ever since her parents
died when she was a child. She did what she could to survive, even if that
meant breaking the law. Now, even as an adult she is willing to do just about
anything to see her ‘family’ thrive in a life of crime. When she is approached by
a man to investigate into Peter Holstein’s life and to see if he’s loyal to the
crown, she jumps at the offer. This assignment could set her for life if she
can prove Peter’s name disloyal. So she poses as a librarian for the Holstein estate.
But as she tries to dig up dirt on Peter’s name she is soon unsuccessful. As
Peter and Rosemary grow closer she sees Peter is loyal to the British crown, despite
him from being of German decent. But is he still hiding something?
I love
this series! I was hooked the moment I read the first book (Counted with the Stars). Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette is the third book in the Out of Egypt Series. I was excited to
begin reading this book because I loved the first two so much. And let me tell
you, it did not disappoint! I loved this book. It could very likely be my
favorite of the series. It seems like with every book Connilyn Cossette writes
it just keeps getting better and better.
I’ve been wanting to read more non-fiction books and I thought this would be a good book
to start with. It sounded interesting and I thought the topic was relevant for
this time. Known: Finding Deep Friendships in a Shallow World by Dick and Ruth Foth is about just
what the title suggests. After reading the back description I was intrigued and
interested. The topic is one that can benefit everyone and isn’t exclusive. I
also like the idea of a book like this out there. I feel as if there are a lot
of books of there about relationships, but friendships is one of those that are
past by frequently.
The Chapel
Car bride is a historical fiction book set in 1913. It centers on our two main
characters Hope and Luke. Hope Irvine is
the daughter of a preacher who travels around the country in a train car
converted into a chapel. Hope decides to join her father after her aunt passes
away. Despite her father’s hesitation Hope feels as if God is calling her to
ministry work with her father. When they finally stop in Finch, West Virginia
for an extended period of time Hope becomes fast friends with local miner Luke Hughes.
But when a mine manger arrives in town with less than noble intentions, Luke
and Hope’s relationship is put to the test.
I was
really excited to read this book because I knew it was historical fiction and
it was set during a war, which are one of my favorite genres to read. I read
the description but wasn’t sure about the time period, I was guessing some time
during World War I. But I soon found out that it was set during and after the
Spanish-American War in 1898. I loved reading about this time period because it
was something I wasn’t as familiar with. Elizabeth Camden did a good job of
infusing a lot of historical elements which I greatly enjoyed because I love
history. So not only did i enjoy a great story but i learned some things on the
way.
Shine like the Dawn by Carrie Turansky
is set in the early 1900s in England. It follows main character Maggie who was
left raising her six year old sister because of her parent’s and older sister’s
untimely death. Four years later she and
her sister live with her grandmother and work at their own millinery shop. As
events unfold she has doubts that her parent’s and sister’s death was not just
an accident. And if things couldn’t get any worse, the one who she suspects has
something to do with their deaths is her old friend’s stepmother.