tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50234792191509048092024-03-05T06:59:48.110-05:00Kissed BooksChristian/Clean Romance ReviewsKissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-67978560981529611202015-11-06T00:00:00.000-05:002015-11-06T00:00:07.635-05:00Isle of Hope by Julie Lessman<img alt="23440072" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442704075l/23440072.jpg" width="213" /><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
The story of two families torn asunder by deception and betrayal. Lacey Carmichael grew up on Isle of Hope along with her family and their long time family friends, the O'Bryen's. What once was thought of as an inseparable bond between the two families suddenly fell apart.<br />
<br />
After being away for eight years, Lacey returns to Isle of Hope in hopes that she will be able to mend lost relationships, including her Father and ex-boyfriend Jack O'Bryen. But doing so isn't as easy as she thought.<br />
<br />
With a new found faith in God, Lacey trudges forward in her quest, but her depressed Father and grudge holding ex-boyfriend who turned his back on Christ make the mission seem impossible. Will she be able to set things straight and bring them back to what they once were?<br />
<br />
<h2>
My Opinion:</h2>
Never ceasing to impress, Julie Lessman takes a on a whole new genre from her other novels, and still manages to conquer it with a jaw-dropping modern romance. With relationships that are still just as twisted and confusing, she unravels the chaos one chapter at a time, until all is renewed by the grace of God.<br />
<br />
Of course Julie's trademark is still a theme in<i> Isle of Hope</i>, a born again christian and a through and through rebel knock heads and emotions until love conquers all. This engaging scenario never ceases to amaze me, and not for a moment gets old. All the obstacles the characters go through are 100% real life situations as well as the solutions. Their is a balanced blend of, drama, faith, humor, and romance to satisfy many different audiences.<br />
<br />
My favorite aspect of Lessman's writting, including this one, is how detailed every event is in each story. She takes us through flashbacks the characters have as if we are living them. No part of any characters life is a secret from us when we get to the last page of the book, and I love that. It makes the story so much more believeable when everything is laid out on the table.<br />
<br />
I REALLY hope this book is sold in print copies in the near future, because I would love to have this on my shelf!<br />
<br />
And here is Julie Lessman's celebrity picks for Jack and Lacey. I have to say, I completely agree other than the fact Julianne Hough was picked for Charity in <i>A Passion Redeemed</i>! Uh Oh!!!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://www.julielessman.com/storage/JACK%20O%27BRYEN_COLIN%20EGGLESFIELD.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1421426037785" width="260" /> <img height="320" src="http://www.julielessman.com/storage/LACEY_JULIANNE%20HOUGH.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1421425982571" width="213" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1148573/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Colin Egglesfield</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2584600/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Julianne Hough</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-62943098017384472582015-06-05T10:19:00.001-04:002015-06-05T10:19:07.395-04:00Together With You by Victoria Bylin<img alt="Together with You" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403207492l/22504476.jpg" width="208" /><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">A Tender Contemporary Romance about Finding Unexpected Love </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">When a Lost Child warning blasts over the mall's PA system, toy store manager Carly Mason finds the little girl playing with a stuffed rabbit. Something about five-year-old Penny Tremaine is different. An ex-social worker, Carly recognizes that Penny suffers fetal alcohol effects, and a piece of Carly's own past suddenly confronts her. Never again will Carly become involved with a client. The risks are far too great. But something about Penny--and Penny's handsome father--tugs at Carly's heart. Before she has time to think it through, she agrees to a much-needed job as a nanny. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Dr. Ryan Tremaine knows he messed up his life. But this summer he will redeem himself. With his ex-wife remarried and on a trip far away, his two teenage sons and Penny are living under his roof full time. Ryan is dedicated to his sink-or-swim list, a plan to reconnect with his children. The first step: recruiting Carly Mason to be Penny's nanny. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Ryan never anticipated being so drawn to Carly, an attraction Carly seems to fight as much as he does. Could Carly be the missing piece that helps his family stay afloat, or will their blossoming romance only complicate things further?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">My Opinion: </span></h2>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Getting through the beginning of this book took awhile. I feel like the author tried to shove to much information in our faces at once. The information about the FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Syndrome) and the reason behind Ryan's daughter Penny having it was thrust on us from the get go. I liked having the knowledge of these things, but wish it was prolonged throughout the first half of the story. It just made the beginning hard and ridged to get through because their was no excitement. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">The book really took off when Carly accepted the job to be Penny's nanny. After that it really became a story with obstacles and two completely different people working together to overcome them, and let me tell you, Penny's Aunt was probably the biggest obstacle. Lol</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">I really like how Carly accepted the way Ryan was and didn't shame him for his past wrongs dealing with Penny. She acknowledged the fact that someone can change and completely turn their life around. I know a lot of people try to treat people like they have changed, but don't fully believe or take the action in showing that person that they are now trusted. (I hope that made sense) However, I also like the fact that Carly had respect for herself and her own beliefs, ***SPOILER***<span style="background-color: red; color: red;">and even though she was friends with Ryan, she would not let that relationship become anything more unless he gave his life to Christ. (We all have to have "deal breakers")</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span>
Overall, the story was a good and I loved watching the interaction between Carly and Ryan's family. However, the beginning is a little bit slow.<br />
<br />
Stars: 4<br />
<br />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-30355228333241051202015-05-12T20:46:00.001-04:002015-05-12T20:46:32.687-04:00Tiffany Girl by Deeanne Gist<img alt="Tiffany Girl" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1415076358l/22609378.jpg" width="210" /><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Description:</span></h2>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">From
the bestselling author of It Happened at the Fair and Fair Play comes
a compelling historical novel about a progressive “New Woman”—the
girl behind Tiffany’s chapel—and the love that threatens it
all.<br /><br />As
preparations for the 1893 World’s Fair set Chicago and the nation
on fire, Louis Tiffany—heir to the exclusive Fifth Avenue jewelry
empire—seizes the opportunity to unveil his state-of-the-art,
stained glass, mosaic chapel, the likes of which the world has never
seen.<br /><br />But
when Louis’s dream is threatened by a glassworkers’ strike months
before the Fair opens, he turns to an unforeseen source for help: the
female students at the New York Art Institute. Eager for adventure,
the young women pick up their skirts, move to boarding houses, take
up steel cutters, and assume new identities as the “Tiffany
Girls.”<br /><br />Tiffany
Girls is the heartwarming story of the impetuous Flossie Jayne, a
beautiful, budding artist who is handpicked by Louis to help complete
the Tiffany chapel. Though excited to live in a boarding house when
most women stayed home, she quickly finds the world is less welcoming
than anticipated. From a Casanova male, to an unconventional married
couple, and a condescending singing master, she takes on a colorful
cast of characters to transform the boarding house into a home while
racing to complete the Tiffany chapel and make a name for herself in
the art world.<br /><br />As
challenges mount, her ambitions become threatened from an unexpected
quarter: her own heart. Who will claim victory? Her dreams or the
captivating boarder next door?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My
Opinion:</span></h2>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Deeanne
Gist has been one of my favorite authors from the get go. All her
books are a thrill to read and set my imagination soaring on what it
would be like to live in the time periods her books are set in. I
find myself wondering, what would it be like to be a 'mail ordered
bride', a 'Biltmore maid', or an 'Oil Rig managing spinster'? Now,
after reading <i>Tiffany Girl</i> I wonder what it would be like to be a
'New Woman'. What kind of job would I have? What would my wages look
like? How would I be treated by the opposite sex and what would my
family think? I love books that keep me thinking even after I have
finished them. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Reeve
Wilder was not the nicest guy through half of the book. In fact, most
everyone probably would despise him for his views on woman's rights
and why they are here on earth. I know it took a long time for him to
grow on me. However, I liked that I got to see his views slowly
change as he started to have feelings for Florence. (Yes, I use the
name Florence because, sorry, but I hated calling her Flossie). </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
liked how Florence's character was depicted as an average person. She
showed that people do not have to be good at everything to be
important or cherished by society. However, I was upset when we found
out she was average at both glasswork, and her art. It made her seem
like she was basic in every aspect, and we all know that
everyone excels in at least one specific area. That we ALL
are talented at SOMETHING in life. Furthermore, Florence's little
drawings were described in a lot of detail and would require a lot of
work. I consider myself talented in the art department and I know I
could not draw any of the things Florence did without a picture for
reference. In other words, I would say that she was extremely skilled
at art. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now
getting to what most people want to hear and what will most likely be
the deciding factor on if the read<i> Tiffany Girl</i> or not. As most of us
know, Deeanne Gist has switched over from the Christian Fiction genre
to the secular world of writing to hopefully widen and expand her
writing to more people. So what does that mean about the Religious
and Romantic sides of the story? I know I have read reviews on
goodreads which say that their are sex scenes in this novel and I
just want to clarify that that is NOT TRUE! This is actually the most
CHASTE book of all Deeanne's novels! Their might be two kissing
scenes and then a wedding night scene. The wedding night scene only
entailed that they undressed a little. By the end of the book they
were still wearing more than what we do today on a daily basis. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
would still consider this a christian novel. Even though her being a
'New Woman' was the focal point, the characters still talked about
God and mentioned prayer. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All
in all, I liked the book but their were a few little things that I
would have changed. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Stars:
4</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-1399460512160999572015-04-06T16:37:00.001-04:002015-04-06T16:37:26.254-04:00JULIE LESSMAN CONTEST! GET A CHARACTER NAMED AFTER YOU + A BOOK OF YOUR CHOICE!CONTEST TO HAVE A CHARACTER NAMED AFTER YOU IN A BOOK!!
Here's a chance to win a character named after you in Julie Lessman's
next book, a signed copy, and your choice of any of Julie's books or
Seeker books PLUS choice of top CBA book from Julie's library. Here's
the link: http://www.julielessman.com/contest/<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.julielessman.com/contest/"><img alt="Julie Lessman" id="banner" src="http://www.julielessman.com/storage/banner%20header%20new%20v_2.jpg" title="Julie Lessman" /></a>Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-28697412936518853252015-03-16T00:00:00.000-04:002015-03-16T00:00:01.841-04:00Out of the storm by Jody Hedlund<img alt="Out of the Storm (Beacons of Hope, #0.5)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402671564l/22464698.jpg" width="206" /><br />
Description:<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Having
grown up in a lighthouse, loneliness is all Isabelle Thornton has
ever known--and all, she assumes, she ever will know. But when her
lightkeeper father rescues a young man from the lake, her sheltered
world is turned upside down.<br /><br />Bestselling
author Jody Hedlund's Out of the Storm is her first ever novella and
introduces readers to Beacons of Hope, a new series set in the 1800s
amid the romance, history, and danger surrounding the Great Lakes
lighthouses of Michigan.</span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">My Opinion: </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">I thought the idea for this novella was thrilling and am sad that it was so short, since I devoured the pages to quickly. It was fun and entertaining, especially with Henry's comical and flirtatious behavior, although I wish at times he was a little more serious. </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Which is another reason why I wish <i>Out of the Storm</i> lasted longer. I liked seeing Henry's serious side, all jokes kicked to the curb, and I wish I had the chance to enjoy more of it. </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">I also liked Isabelle. She wasn't a perfect character. Most heroines in a story are so close to perfect with insecurity being their only flaw, but Isabelle had something to be insecure about. With that issue thrust into Henry and Isabelle's relationship, it forced her to accept herself the way she was and forced Henry to become the responsible man his Father needed. One that was honorable, trustworthy, and someone he could rely on. </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Not to mention, it forced Isabelle's Father to let go of the reigns of her life, and let her live the way God planned for all of us. </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">With all the characters needing to accept the fast approaching truth of God's bigger picture for their lives, their is also a scoop full of romance to add to the drama. </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Stars: 4 </span></div>
Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-15402205534804328982015-03-09T00:00:00.000-04:002015-03-09T00:00:05.959-04:00Surprised by Love by Julie Lessman<img alt="Surprised by Love (The Heart of San Francisco #3)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394542801l/20665230.jpg" width="207" /><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><span style="color: #999999;">Description:</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><span style="color: #999999;">Shy and unattractive as a child, Megan McClare has always been teased by her classmates. But when she returns home from her senior year in Paris, the wallflower has suddenly blossomed into a beauty. With ambitions to become a lawyer or doctor, Megan accepts an internship at the district attorney's office only to discover that she will be working with Devin Caldwell, a boy who mercilessly mocked her at school--and with whom she was hopelessly enamored. She turns to her dear friend Bram Hughes for support and advice. But Bram's vision is clouded by his sudden unwelcome attraction to a girl he had always thought of as a kid sister. He advises forgiveness, but can he forgive himself for pushing the woman he loves into the arms of another man?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><span style="color: #999999;">My Opinion: </span></span></h2>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Something that I will never get over and never stop cherishing about these books is the easy camaraderie between the characters. Their is tons of dialogue and at no time does it seem forced. The conversations are hilarious, emotional, informative, and entertaining. Not once did I get bored over the story or plot. It all smoothly rolled along scene by scene, and I didn't want to miss a moment of it. Just like Julie Lessman's other books series: Daughters of Boston and Wind's of Change, I felt like I was a part of the story. Seeing everything through their eyes. When Bram would take Meg's hands in his and comfort her, I felt like it was my hands he was holding. When Blake and Jamie joked around with Bram, I felt like they were joking around with me. When the family sat down for dinner together, I felt like I had my own place mat. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">I cannot get over how real these stories become to me, and that is the reason I get so much out of them. The lessons that Julie shares with us are things we can impart in our daily lives. The situations and struggles these characters go through are hard to read, but only because they are SO relate-able for the majority of people today. Their problems strike home for most of us, and truth be told, Julie does not take it easy on us in her writing. Their stories grab and twist your heart until you think you can't take anymore pain, but then she redeems us with the love of God washing over the characters, to the point where I can't put the book down. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">I love the time period that Julie writes about, the late 1800's - early 1900's. I don't come across many authors who write about that period. But what I think I like most about that is she picks to write about ordinary people. Not famous people, not people in a war, but ones you could walk passed down the street. Then she goes on to continue the series with someone else from the family, not a whole new unrelated character, but someone we already know a bit about. This allows us to go DEEP, she doesn't giveaway everything about a character in the first book, but we learn more and more as their life progresses. This is my favorite type of writing. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Now I am to understand that Julie is about to take on her very FIRST contemporary novel. Which, of course, will turn into a series. It's a given. Even though modern stories have not been my 'thing' in the past I pray that Julie will be the one to change that. After all, she does have a way with words. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Stars:5 </span></span></span><br />
<br />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-76815845046773351512015-03-01T00:00:00.000-05:002015-03-01T20:26:40.063-05:00Want the River of Times Series to Become a Movie? ME TOO! Here is what you can do!<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.iflist.com/stories/theriveroftimeseries"><img alt="A dream-casting site for my River of Time Series. Have an actor or director you want to nominate? Just want to support me by "supporting" the concept? (No moola involved...) -->>> GO HERE" height="334" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e1/94/f4/e194f40c71fbbe4e2bf2025c59a10a5d.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Click the above picture to go to the website!<br />
<br />
Thank you to my friend <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/HisSoldier1998/">Abbie</a> for showing this to me! She is so awesome! I hope all of you River of Times fans go to this website in supp<span style="font-family: inherit;">ort for them to become movies. I also hope you share this on facebook, twitter, instagram, pinterest, any site you can think of! Even if you have never read the books, wouldn't you want to see an awesome movie? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm not saying that this will ever happen, but if we want it to, we must try to get as many people as possible involved. For these books to become hit movies would be a dream come true. </div>
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Lets just say I am a little obsessed with these books...</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
For the people who have never read them here are summaries of each one of the books, hopefully they will grab your attention to the point where you want to read them!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Waterfall</h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<img alt="Waterfall (River of Time, #1)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424894458l/7879278.jpg" width="132" /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">What
do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a
different world?</span></strong><br /><br />Most
American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini
sisters have spent every summer of their lives among the romantic
hills with their archaelogist parents. Stuck among the rubble of the
medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, dusty
archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their
minds...until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient
tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in
the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing
forces.<br /><br />Suddenly Gabi's summer in Italy is much, much more
interesting. </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;">Cascade</span></h2>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="Cascade (River of Time, #2)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1423637649l/9368401.jpg" width="133" /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="border: none; line-height: 140%; margin-bottom: 0.19in; margin-top: 0.19in; padding: 0in;">
<em><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Mom
touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and
her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and
forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get
these clothes?”</span></span></em></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="border: none; line-height: 140%; margin-bottom: 0.19in; margin-top: 0.19in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Gabi
knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she
persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so
will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and
all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in
the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great
lengths to see them dead.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="border: none; line-height: 140%; margin-bottom: 0.19in; margin-top: 0.19in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">But
Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to
leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him
forever.</span></div>
<h2 style="border: none; line-height: 140%; margin-bottom: 0.19in; margin-top: 0.19in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;">Torrent</span></h2>
<div align="LEFT" style="border: none; line-height: 140%; margin-bottom: 0.19in; margin-top: 0.19in; padding: 0in;">
<img alt="Torrent (River of Time, #3)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327897989l/9935444.jpg" style="line-height: 140%;" width="133" /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<strong><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When
Gabi and Lia finally learn to surf the river of time, they realize
they must make hard choices about life and love in the third and
final book in the River of Time series.</span></span></strong></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Gabi and Lia Betarrini have learned to control their time travel, and they
return from medieval Italy to save their father from his tragic death
in modern times.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">But
love calls across the centuries, and the girls are determined to
return forever—even though they know the Black Plague is advancing
across Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of the population. In
the suspenseful conclusion of the River of Time series, every
decision is about life … and death.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;">Bourne & Tributary</span></h2>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="Bourne & Tributary (River of Time, #4)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346686172l/15892810.jpg" width="130" /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><strong>It's
possible to beat a She-Wolf.<br /><br />But you cannot keep her
down...</strong><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><br />The
Bettarinis and the boys they love are back with these two novellas
that follow </span></strong><em>Waterfall,
Cascade</em><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"> and </span></strong><em>Torrent</em><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">.<br /><br />In </span></strong><em>Bourne</em><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
t he story picks up right where </span></strong><em>Torrent</em><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"> left
off...Find out what happened to wounded warriors returning from
battle, to the Betarrinis, fighting for the men who've captured their
hearts, and what will happen to them next...<br /><br />A year later,
in </span></strong><em>Tributary</em><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
Lia struggles to overcome the fear that constant battle has heaped
upon her; Gabi and Marcello face an unexpected crisis; and Lord Greco
may be ready to leave the grief and loss of his past behind him, so
that he might grab hold of the future... </span></strong></span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<strong><span style="color: #999999; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></strong></div>
<h2 style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<strong><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;">Deluge</span></strong></h2>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://kissedbooks.blogspot.com/2014/08/deluge-by-lisa-bergren.html"><img alt="Deluge (River of Time, #5)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1405351437l/17372786.jpg" width="133" /></a>Click on picture for my book review.</div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<strong><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Bettarinis and Forellis have found rich fulfillment together in
medieval Italia. But after fighting off countless enemies, they now
must face the worst foe of all. As the Black Death closes in upon
them, threatening everything and everyone they hold dear, Lia and
Gabi–and the knights they love–must dig deep within to decide how
they might remain safe…and if they need to risk it all in order to
truly live as they’re called. </span></span></strong>
</div>
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<strong><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></strong></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<strong><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></strong></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<strong><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Here are some actors that I have thought for the bigger roles:</span></span></strong></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="Henry Cavill- Marcello" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/71/1d/49/711d49a538483b7ed355f255a585d5f7.jpg" width="132" />Henry Cavill as Marcello Forelli</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="Luke Mitchell another idea for Luca" height="163" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/db/8b/05/db8b0570df7484c61e9b3920d5b2d44d.jpg" width="200" />Luke Mitchell as Luca Forelli<br />
<br />
<img alt="Justice Joslin - The Husband Catalog" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/68/03/76/6803764f139c9c4c5ded426db6ddf112.jpg" width="140" />Justice Joslin as Lord Greco (He is not an actor, but a model)</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="Aiden Turner - Really liked this guy in the "Being Human" BBC series, just realized he's Kili in the new "Hobbit" movie. Good for him!" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a1/17/93/a1179343ffe7966e22e1ca1defaaf5b0.jpg" width="148" /> Aiden Turner as Fortino Forelli</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="The shocking way Emilia Clarke became Khaleesi!" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/dd/34/c1/dd34c13628a9ddf4e862b328582afe5f.jpg" width="149" />Emilia Clarke as Gabi Bettarini</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="Teresa Palmer as Bella (17). She's Princess Belle from Beauty & the Beast. She tries to be independent and nice, but the Beast is a freaking jerk. She's very intelligent, but very loyal. She doesn't have that many friends until Harrow comes and makes things different." height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3e/ad/aa/3eadaa38fc14cf1216584f9dec60033d.jpg" width="150" />Teresa Palmer as Lia Bettarini<br />
<br />
<img alt="NATALIE ~ THE YEAR SHE FILMED HER FIRST SEASON OF "THE TUDORS" / ONE OF MY FAVORITE PICS OF HER (I LOVE HER BRUNETTE)" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3b/27/b4/3b27b42b381b1265d924d8967def5846.jpg" width="154" />Natalie Dormer as Lady Ramona Rossi</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="Diane Lane - Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/17/13/31/1713317784a2d41caa66c62704bfadd5.jpg" width="132" />Diane Lane as Adri Bettarini</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="liev schreiber... Love Ray Donovan" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e7/67/95/e76795ca319904edf37803ced27e5bc4.jpg" width="133" />Liev Schreiber as Lord Paratore</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img alt="SAM CLAFIN, Somebody asked me why he was on this board, I just pointed to his face and said "DER!"" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/fe/55/79/fe5579f69cce975f6b6415adff7a0335.jpg" width="133" />Sam Claflin as Lutterius and Georgii (Identical twin knights for the Forelli castle)</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's all I have for now, but I hope it shows you just how excited I am about this whole thing! Please feel free to post your choices for the characters or propose them on the website by clicking the top picture! :) :) :)</div>
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Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-36437525555351008352015-02-23T02:00:00.000-05:002015-02-23T02:05:02.640-05:00An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund<img alt="An Uncertain Choice" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407853441l/22900446.jpg" width="213" /><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Due to her parents' promise at her birth, Lady Rosemarie has
been prepared to become a nun on the day she turns eighteen. Then, a month
before her birthday, a friend of her father's enters the kingdom and proclaims
her parents' will left a second choice. If Rosemarie can marry before the eve
of her eighteenth year, she will be exempt from the ancient vow. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before long, Rosemarie is presented with the three most
handsome and brave knights in the land. But when the competition for her heart
seemingly results in a knight playing foul, she begins to wonder if the
cloister is the best place after all. If only one of the knights the one who
appears the most guilty had not already captured her heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2>
My Opinion:</h2>
</div>
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I was so excited when this came in the mail, but was absolutely shocked by the size of it. It was over 100 pages shorter than most of Jody Hedlund's other novels. However, even though it was short I was in AWH of how Jody made the story come alive with an interesting plot in that time. </div>
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I have never read a book with knights vying for a maidens attention in a competition to win her heart, and even though I found the idea unrealistic, it made for an entertaining read. I literally had a hard time putting this book down. </div>
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I also liked how <i>An Uncertain Choice</i> was not just about the competition, but also about what was best for the kingdom that Rosemarie was about to rule. She didn't just think about what was best for her, but what was best for her people. She had to overcome her insecurities, and pull strength from the ones she loved to become the leader she was meant to be. She had to stand up for herself against the ones trying to undermine her authority. Summed up, I saw a young girl transform into a strong woman of honor, courage, and faith. </div>
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One thing I would have done is give the 'winning knight' a flaw, that way there would have been more of a struggle for Rosemarie and him to be together than just other people getting in their way. </div>
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Stars: 4</div>
Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-20977226101772493622015-02-20T12:00:00.000-05:002015-02-20T12:00:03.431-05:00River of Time (Luca) Recast?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img alt="When the duty RAs are walking by a room and spot a beer can out of the corner of their eyes" height="400" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/4f/f8/53/4ff8533b07f43a5d70a3409cd85a341e.jpg" width="300" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Wait...... WHAT?????</h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That's right guys! So, earlier today I was sitting down with some of my family and we started watching a series on Netflix called The Tomorrow People. It only lasted like a season or two, but what I have seen so far is pretty interesting. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Well, anyway. There is this guy on the show John. WHEN I SAW HIM I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT LUCA! Yes, more so than my last pick<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3010926/?ref_=nv_sr_3"> Bradley James</a>. Let me show you the difference. By the way, the new guys name is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1446779/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Luke Mitchell</a> if you want to look him up! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Bradley James, you are ridiculously attractive and noble and hysterical and strong and wise and loving and endearingly annoying. You and Angel Coulby have some serious chemistry. I'm kinda in love with your character, Arthur. Bye." height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6e/a7/63/6ea763fc8f7444392f0d4486dbd1503d.jpg" width="221" /> <img alt="Luke Mitchell Actor Luke Mitchell attends The CW Network's New York 2013 Upfront Presentation at The London Hotel on May 16, 2013 in New Yor..." height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/9e/6c/f5/9e6cf5099cc04dfbc131db227030e50e.jpg" width="213" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Before (Bradley James) After (Luke Mitchell)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So, obviously they look nothing alike, but after today Luke just strikes me as being able to pull off Luca better if the books were ever made into movies. He even looks more like the guy on the cover!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="My favorite of the River of Time series so far (yes, I'm hoping for more)! <3 the cover!" height="400" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2f/2c/12/2f2c128863a8e9bf7418882d9a425004.jpg" width="266" /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He just has the look to him, here are some more pictures to prove my point if you are like me and need more of a visual.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Luke Mitchell, The Tomorrow People" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b3/9e/4d/b39e4d52131fc0a9d8aba421979c8b6e.jpg" width="281" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Luke Mitchell from Home and Away :)" height="213" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/11/70/6b/11706b6c6b008095b34c2c4acb2bca8f.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Luke Mitchell as John Young in The Tomorrow People, Season 1, Episode 4 - Kill or Be Killed" height="260" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/db/8b/05/db8b0570df7484c61e9b3920d5b2d44d.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Luke Mitchell as John Young on the Tomorrow People" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/8d/aa/55/8daa55edda742f095815fd2c0b5358af.jpg" width="242" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"> I hope you all like the new Luca who will be on my Pinterest board. I will still keep the pictures of Bradley James on there for the people who like him, and because he is already dressed as a knight. I decided to share this with all of you because I get excited about casting characters and I change my mind on them all the time, but when my older sister finally agreed on something with me that had to do with the <i>River of Time</i> I just had to share!</span></div>
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Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-77873770786775462802015-02-16T20:28:00.004-05:002015-02-16T20:31:01.446-05:00Beyond All Dreams by Elizabeth Camden<img alt="Beyond All Dreams" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403190137l/22504481.jpg" width="206" /><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sweeping and Romantic Historical Drama from an Award-Winning
Author <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anna O'Brien leads a predictable and quiet life as a map
librarian at the illustrious Library of Congress until she stumbles across a
baffling mystery of a ship disappeared at sea. She is thwarted in her attempts
to uncover information, but her determination outweighs her shyness and she
turns to a dashing congressman for help. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Luke Callahan was one of the nation's most powerful
congressmen until his promising career became shadowed in scandal. Eager to
share in a new cause and intrigued by the winsome librarian, he joins forces
with Anna to solve the mystery of the lost ship. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Opposites in every way, Anna and Luke are unexpectedly drawn
to each other despite the strict rules forbidding Anna from any romantic
entanglement with a member of Congress. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From the gilded halls of the Capitol, where powerful men
shape the future of the nation, to the scholarly archives of the nation's
finest library, Anna and Luke are soon embroiled in secrets much bigger and
more perilous than they ever imagined. Is bringing the truth to light worth
risking all they've ever dreamed for themselves?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<h2>
My Opinion:</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had no idea what this book was about when I asked for it
to review. When it came in the mail and I read the back of the cover I thought
I was in for a boring story. A map librarian and a Congressman teaming up to
discover what actually happened to a ship at sea fifteen years earlier just
didn't strike me as interesting. My mind was blown when the story actually
captivated my attention. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I liked how both Anna and Luke had unique past experiences,
but that related to each others circumstances in a way that made it easy for
these two polar opposites to connect. Growing up both of them were outcasts
because of people in their families, but they wanted to be more than their
family reputation. In doing that they both got noble jobs working for the
government. Luke wanted to turn his life around not just for him, but for the
future people to come from his family. Anna wanted do something with her life
that would make her father proud. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In all that made them alike, it also put strains on their
growing relationship. Both obsessed with their work and wanting to do what was
best, their missions crossed paths that would lead to one needing to give up
their life's work. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The struggles these two went threw not only to be together,
but to be friends at all was astounding. And I loved watching them overcome
every obstacle. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The only thing that bothered me about this book was that I
thought Anna's obsession with the <i>Culpeper</i> was a little over the top, and she
was EXTREMELY paranoid which became annoying.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Stars:4</div>
Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-12097549509328115332015-01-17T15:49:00.000-05:002015-01-17T15:50:54.601-05:00Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers<img alt="Redeeming Love" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388198504l/11422.jpg" width="214" /><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
California's gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their
souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into
prostitution as a child she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she
hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father's
heart in everything, Michael obeys God's call to marry Angel and to love her
unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel's every bitter
expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings
of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from
her husband's pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her
final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does
... the One who will never let her go.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
My Opinion:</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I loved the idea of the story and that it was a retelling
from the bible, however I very much disliked the way the book was written. I
cannot stand third-person omniscient, and the switching between characters
without a break to represent the change in person. I kept getting lost, not
knowing who said what, so I did a LOT of rereading segments. Which, after a
while, gets really tiring.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also have a hard time believing that people can be as
emotional as these characters. Some of the things they said to each other were
sweet, but totally and completely ludicrous. Nobody talks like these people!
They also were all like mind-readers! They all somehow knew what each other
were thinking, and it drew me kind of crazy. The character didn't have to do
anything or have any tell for the other character to know something was up. I
literally think that almost everything
happened out of convenience. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another thing I didn't like was how sexual Angel was. Yes, I
understand she was a prostitute, but what even? She didn't seem like she wanted
out of the business that much to me throughout most of the book. I know that
she was supposed to feel inadequate and unworthy of Micheal's affection, so she
continued to run away, but what was with all these scenes of her stripping down
to nothing for no reason to 'please' Micheal one last time before she left? I
felt like the author was trying to force in as many sexual scenes into the book
as she could even though they were completely unnecessary. I like romance
novels, but the romance has to be for a reason and make sense in the story.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sorry to say that this book was a bit of a struggle to get
through, there were things I liked about the book, but they were little and far
between. I just don't feel like their was much depth to the story. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stars: 2 1/2<o:p></o:p></div>
Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-83604283243767373312014-12-21T15:39:00.001-05:002014-12-22T14:18:29.428-05:00Harvest of Rubies by Tessa Afshar<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/13160611-harvest-of-rubies" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Harvest of Rubies (Harvest of Rubies, #1)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388712956l/13160611.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
<h2>
Definition:</h2>
<span id="freeText7427662010147710247">The prophet Nehemiah has a cousin who can speak several languages, keep complex accounts, write on rolls of parchment and tablets of clay, and solve mysteries. This cousin is catapulted into the center of the Persian court -- working long hours, rubbing elbows with royalty, and completing high-level tasks as a scribe for the queen. Not bad, for a woman living in a man's world.</span><br />
<br /><br />
<h2>
My Opinion:</h2>
This book started out somewhat slow. I didn't understand why Sarah felt so unloved throughout the book, and how far people had to go to show her that they cared. Also, I was bored with the work that she did under Queen Demaspia. It didn't intrigue me at all. I would say that I finally started getting into the book about a third of the way through when she went to live at her husbands estate. <br />
<br /><br />
I loved Bardia, Shushan, and Pari. The three main servants in the story, they all seemed like realistic friends and co-workers. They had formed a family like bond while living in Lord Darius's house, and to see how Bardia and Shushan brought Pari and Sarah in as their own from the beginning was heart-warming. Plus, I loved how we learned about Darius's loving side through his servants stories of him rather than by him first hand in the beginning. That way we knew he wasn't normally a brooding man, but one of honor and respect.<br />
<br /><br />
I love awkward scenes where the two main characters are forced to be in each others presence. Everything goes completely wrong at first in humorous ways, then we see their relationship settle into something serious that slowly develops into attraction. I believe those are the most romantic stories. Stories like: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/324022.A_Bride_Most_Begrudging?from_search=true">A Bride Most Begrudging</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/deesfriends">Deeanne Gist</a> or <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2288562.A_Passion_Redeemed?ac=1">A Passion Redeemed</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JulieLessmanAuthor">Julie Lessman</a>.<br />
<br /><br />
A little slow in the beginning but worth it in the long run!<br />
<br /><br />
Stars: 4<br />
<br />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-15242368305562719582014-12-17T19:22:00.001-05:002014-12-17T19:22:18.503-05:00Announcing The 2015 Jody Hedlund Challenge!!!<a href="http://booksandbeverages.org/2014/12/17/announcing-2015-jody-hedlund-challenge/#sthash.KOkkVYPd.cmfs">Announcing The 2015 Jody Hedlund Challenge!!!</a> <<< Just click on this link!!!<br /><br />
<img alt="Hedlund Logo" height="387" src="http://booksandbeverages.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Hedlund-Logo.jpg" width="640" />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-28394123108702555982014-12-17T18:54:00.005-05:002014-12-17T18:57:19.704-05:00Wishing on Willows by Katie Ganshert<img alt="Wishing on Willows" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353101896l/15759952.jpg" width="213" /><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<div>
<div>
A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa, she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
With polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender their plans to the God of Second Chances. </div>
<h2>
<br />My Opinion:</h2>
<div>
When I saw the cover of this book I was expecting a historical romance, but it wasn't historical and turned out to be, for the most part, depressing. That's what I get for not reading the back. Don't get me wrong, it was a good book, but it wasn't what I was looking for to read at that moment.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Robin goes through so much heartbreak in the book and it is amazing how Katie got those emotions across. I felt the pain Robin had every time she pressed a key on her piano, every time she looked at her son, and every time she gave a customer free coffee at her cafe. She did everything with a loving heart and just wanted to help people smile, hoping it would help her smile more too. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I don't really understand why Robin hated Ian so much though. Yes, he was trying to get her to close down her business, but he didn't want to! It was his job to come to the town and build condominiums, and if he failed, some of his employees would lose their jobs. He was only trying to look out for the majority of people, and thought her business was in the way of others keeping their income! I understand that completely, so why didn't she?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Other than that, I can't think of anything else to critique. Good story, but keep the Kleenex's close. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Stars: 4</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-41272799903692173782014-11-18T13:12:00.001-05:002014-11-18T13:13:51.000-05:00The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson<img alt="The Princess Spy" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395918036l/21746534.jpg" width="213" /><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
Margaretha has always been a romantic, and hopes her newest suitor, Lord Claybrook, is destined to be her one true love. But then an injured man is brought to Hagenheim Castle, claiming to be an English lord who was attacked by Claybrook and left for dead. And only Margaretha---one of the few who speaks his language---understands the wild story. Margaretha finds herself unable to pass Colin's message along to her father, the duke, and convinces herself 'Lord Colin' is just an addled stranger. Then Colin retrieves an heirloom she lost in a well, and asks her to spy on Claybrook as repayment. Margaretha knows she could never be a spy---not only is she unable to keep anything secret, she's sure Colin is completely wrong about her potential betrothed. Though when Margaretha overhears Claybrook one day, she discovers her romantic notions may have been clouding her judgment about not only Colin but Claybrook as well. It is up to her to save her father and Hagenheim itself from Claybrook's wicked plot.<br />
<br />
<h2>
My Opinion:</h2>
I hate to say it, but this was my least favorite of Melanie's stories. I really didn't see how it related to the Princess and the Frog other than in one way. *Spoiler* <span style="background-color: red; color: red;">At one point Colin is dressed in a hideous outfit that reminds everyone of a frog because their was nothing else for him to wear.</span>*End Spoiler*.<br />
<br />
Margaretha was extremely annoying. She was supposed to be the kind of girl who talks to much, but why in every story like that does the girl have to babble like an idiot? Why can't she be smart and refined and go of on intellectual rants? It just bothers me how people think that when someone talks to much they must be rambling on about things less exciting than the weather. On top of that, Margaretha was constantly apologizing for talking to much. I don't think I could count how many times she apologized on both of my hands.<br />
<br />
The plot was not all that exciting in this one. I felt like the "spying" part was over too quickly and we didn't get to see enough of Claybrooks evil scheming. Claybrook was not made out to be a very intimidating guy. I honestly feel like I would have laughed in his face a few times if he threatened me.<br />
<br />
I loved the prologue of the story, it was very emotional, but after that the story just seemed to lag behind the potential it had. I will say that it was entertaining enough to read and I liked Colin's character. I also loved how Gisela and Valten were in it a little and we had a glimpse of how they were faring.<br />
<br />
Overall, it was okay, but their were some definite things that stood out that I did not care for.<br />
<br />
Rating: 3 Stars<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-15782438378731012742014-11-03T14:45:00.004-05:002014-11-03T14:45:57.610-05:00The Brickmaker's Bride by Judith Miller<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/20665081-the-brickmaker-s-bride" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="The Brickmaker's Bride (Refined by Love, #1)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1393542551l/20665081.jpg" width="207" /></a><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<span class="elementTwo" id="freeText4638220641775334329">Yearning for a fresh start, Ewan McKay travels with his aunt and uncle from northern Scotland to West Virginia, promising to trade his skills in the clay business for financial assistance from his uncle Hugh. Hugh purchases a brickmaking operation from a Civil War widow and her daughter, but it's Ewan who gets the business up and running again. Ewan seeks help from Laura, the former owner's daughter, and he feels a connection with her, but she's being courted by another man--a lawyer with far more social clout and money than Ewan. Besides, Ewan has resolved he'll focus on making the brickmaking operation enough of a success that he can become a partner in the business<br />and be able to afford to bring his sisters over from Scotland.<br /><br />But when Hugh signs a bad business deal, all Ewan's hard work may come to naught. As his plans begin to crumble, Laura reveals something surprising. She and her mother may have a way to save the brickworks, and in turn Ewan may have another shot at winning Laura's heart.</span><br />
<h2>
<span class="elementTwo"><br /></span></h2>
<h2>
<span class="elementTwo">Opinion: </span></h2>
<span class="elementTwo">This review has been a long time coming. I started this book mid-October and finished it this morning! I have not read a book in awhile that took me so long to read. It was a okay book, but it progressed so slow throughout the entire story. After reading other reviews about it I assumed it would pick up in the second half of the book, but nothing changed. Almost every scene seemed unnecessary and some of the characters confused me. It seemed like Judith could not decide on whether she wanted the character to be likable or not and so I was left perplexed with his personality and behavior. </span><br />
<span class="elementTwo"><br /></span><br />
<span class="elementTwo">The romance between Ewan and Laura seemed rushed, and I felt like their characters were to perfect. Neither of them really had secrets, and if they did they confessed right away. I didn't see a struggle to make the relationship work. It just did automatically, and I don't feel like that is a real representation of how life actually works.</span><br />
<span class="elementTwo"><br /></span><br />
<span class="elementTwo">I felt like all the details of a Brickyard were forced down my throat, I would zone out quite often because of all the information that was being handed to me instead of entertainment. When I realized I was zoning out I didn't even care to backtrack and reread because I wasn't interested, and I was pretty sure I didn't miss anything that was important to the story. </span><br />
<span class="elementTwo"><br /></span><br />
<span class="elementTwo">I know this is a pretty harsh review, but I have to be honest. Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean others won't. The concept of the story was a good foundation, I just don't believe it was executed very well. </span><br />
<span class="elementTwo"><br /></span><br />
<span class="elementTwo">Rating: 3 Stars </span>Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-53131978901877522592014-09-22T00:00:00.000-04:002014-09-22T00:00:08.929-04:00The Reliance by M.L. Tyndall<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/562537.The_Reliance" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="The Reliance (Legacy of the King's Pirates, #2)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1202278785l/562537.jpg" width="205" /></a><br />
Description:<br />
<span id="freeText13438935693429144984">Tormented by his wife's apparent demise, Edmund Merrick sails away to drown his sorrows--only to find himself trapped in the dark world of a demented Frenchman. When his mind clears from its rum-induced haze, will Edmund find the will to escape? </span><br />
<span><br /></span><br />
<span>Seemingly abandoned by her husband, Charlisse is thrown into the clutches of the vengeful pirate Kent. Will she be swept away by the undertow of treachery and despair? Can Edmund and Charlisse steer their way to the faith-filled haven they so desperately seek, or will they ultimately lose their love and lives to the sea?</span><br />
<span><br /></span><br />
<span>My Opinion:</span><br />
<span>I was pleased with how great of a sequel this was for <em>The Redemption</em>. I knew it was going to be hard for it to at least match in entertainment. Knowing that Merrick thought his wife was dead made me go insane for almost the entire book. How he buried himself in his sorrow was expected because of his past, but I could not believe how much it hit me and how shocked I was by some of the things he did. </span><br />
<span><br /></span><br />
<span>I was also surprised with Charlisse and how she could be so strong and weak at the same time. I was put through both Merrick and Charlisse being torn away from God at points and fighting the undying faith that they knew is impossible to shake. They both were haunted by thoughts that degraded their self worth, telling them that they would never be good enough or that they were failures.</span><br />
<span><br /></span><br />
<span>In this book, a girl name Isabel was introduced. I was supposed to pity her and the situation she was in, but I could not get myself to. I despised most of her attitude except for the times she was helping Charlisse. The other times I wanted to hit her myself. All I can do is hope that she grows on me in the next book, <em>The Restitution</em>. </span><br />
<span><br /></span><br />
<span>One another note, I have not read many Pirate books, and I am always scared that when I pick on up it will be the cheesy, stereotypical pirate story. MaryLu is a genius and really knows what she is doing when she sits down to begin one of her novels. I will continue to enjoy reading her books for a long time.</span><br />
<span><br /></span><br />
<span>Stars: 4 </span>Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-87789132732096313562014-08-29T16:34:00.000-04:002014-08-29T16:34:01.197-04:00Deluge by Lisa Bergren<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/17372786-deluge" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Deluge (River of Time, #5)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1405351437l/17372786.jpg" width="214" /></a><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<span id="freeText7615311542033166794">WARNING TO MY BELOVED RIVER TRIBE: HARD THINGS HAPPEN IN THIS BOOK. Get your Kleenex ready...If you're not ready for some special characters to perish from plague and in battle, you won't want to read it. Seriously. You can walk away now and you can make up your own ending in your mind. BUT, that said, there's also a ton of romance and suspense and fun too! To embrace life, and live it to the fullest, we must appreciate the day--and occasionally face down death--and our beloved Forellis and Betarrinis learn that all over again. Ready? Ready. We can DO this... --Lisa <br /><br />IT'S ONE THING TO BATTLE FOR LIFE...BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN DEATH ITSELF COMES HUNTING? <br /><br />The Bettarinis and Forellis have found rich fulfillment together in medieval Italia. But after fighting off countless enemies, they now must face the worst foe of all. As the Black Death closes in upon them, threatening everything and everyone they hold dear, Lia and Gabi–and the knights they love–must dig deep within to decide how they might remain safe…and if they need to risk it all in order to truly live as they’re called. <br /><br />Praise for the series: <br />"Disgustingly good. Bergren is a diabolical PLOT GENIUS." --LoganTurner.com <br />"Smart...SURPRISING...Sweet." --Colleen Houck, best-selling author, on goodreads <br />"Can you say 'SWOON'?" --SmallReview.com <br />"400 pages of NON-FREAKING STOP..." --YearningtoRead, Amazon</span><br />
<br /><br />
<h2>
My Opinion:</h2>
I waited to read this book for 2 years. I don't know if you have ever waited that long to read a book that you had been anticipating, let alone wait 2 years for the LAST book of a series, but it is HARD! Even EXCRUCIATING!!! I know that I am not the only one who went through this, thank goodness I had other people who knew why I was so emotional when this book kept on being postponed. But let me FREAKING tell you that the wait was worth it! I wish that Lisa could keep writing about the Forelli's and Bettarini's because they have become my favorite family to read about ever! However, I know that all works of writing must come to an end at some point. I understand. It's a bittersweet thing to know that my journey with them has ended, but I'm glad that I can re-read the books again and again to reminisce about. <br />
<br /><br />
Let me first start with what everyone wants to hear about- Lia and Luca. I'm not going to give anything big and important away, but trust me, Luca was at the top of his game! He was nowhere near failing in the swoon department. Now, I am DIE HARD team Marcello, but Luca definitely was tempting me to come to his side. It is crazy how real Marcello and Luca are to me. I try not to do this, but whenever I am reading another book I am always comparing them to these two, and I have not found any who have surpassed my respect for them. <br />
<br /><br />
I didn't quite know what to expect from <em>Deluge</em>, I knew it was going to be a hard and heart wrenching story. However, I was pleased to have some comic relief sprinkled in certain segments. Actually, about the first half of the book was pretty light and happy. There were some parts where I could see tension and frustration was on the rise, but for the most part it was fun to read and watch the 'She-Wolves' back at proving their 'prowess'. <br />
<br /><br />
There was an extremely interesting twist to this book that I was not expecting. You would think that after waiting for so long to read this, I could have thought of every single possible scenario that could have taken place. Nope. I was thoroughly impressed with the fact that I could not guess what was going to happen. I can see how some people might not like the twist that she put in the story, but I believe it was a great idea. <br />
<br /><br />
One little thing that I was a bit frustrated about was that some of the things that Lisa described seemed to modern. At one part Lia was getting shoes made for her, and to get her foot measured she placed her foot on a row of different outlined feet on a step in the shop. It sounded to much like those rugs you would see in the shoe section at a store for little kids to find what size they were. There were a couple other things that I spotted like this that I just thought seemed to modernized for the 14th century. What do I know though? I'm sure they were civilized and had their own systems for things back then. It wasn't the cavemen era!<br />
<br /><br />
Lisa warns that tough things happen in this book, and I eco her statement. GET YOUR KLEENEX'S AND HAVE THEM READY! Make sure it's a brand new box as well! I could not recommend this book with anymore enthusiasm than I already have! I hope all you will quickly get this uploaded onto your reading devices and start as soon as you can!<br />
<br /><br />
Stars: 5Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-23553033841010848962014-08-21T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-21T00:00:01.654-04:00The Redemtion by M.L. Tyndall<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/229067.The_Redemption" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="The Redemption (Legacy of the King's Pirates, #1)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388303114l/229067.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
Description:<br />
<span id="freeText10623402705447986553">Lady Charlisse Bristol sets off on a voyage in search of a father she never knew, only to find herself shipwrecked on a desert island. Near starvation, she is rescued by a band of pirates and their fiercely handsome leader, Edmund Merrick. Will Clarisse win her struggle against the seductive lure of this pirate captain? While battling his attraction to this winsome lady, Edmund offers to help Charlisse on her quest-until he discovers her father is none other than Edward the Terror, the cruelest pirate on the Caribbean. Can Edmund win this lady's love while shielding her from his lecherous crew and working to bring her father to justice?</span><br />
<span><br /></span><br />
<span>My Opinion:</span><br />
<span>This was a great book, I regret taking so long to read it. You know how you may start reading a book, but then NEVER have time to read it, so when you actually sit down to enjoy your book because it's been so long since you last picked it up, you sorda lose focus? I cannot be the only one that that happens to. I was entertained while reading this but I KNEW I would have loved it so much more if I read it faster. Some people say that they like to read a book slow so they can savor the story, kinda like we do with our food. However, it's the opposite for me... the faster I read it the more I think I get out of it. </span><br />
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<span>This book was very fast paced, I know, ironic that I choose to say that right? But it's true! The story progressed well and I never lost track of where the characters were physically or emotionally. I felt that they both were easy to connect with, as well as the others characters like Charlisse's father. Even though he was Edward the Terror who frightened everyone who crossed his path, after I saw his inner turmoil, I may have not liked him, but I pitied him.</span><br />
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<span>I liked the beginning of the book, it was something new that I hadn't read before. I actually wish that part had been lengthened more with Charlisse on the island. I liked how Charlisse and Merrick both got over their issues. Charlisse had some very mental issues that she had to overcome, and I hurt for her because she felt like she was such a wicked human being, even though she was the sweetest and wittiest I have read about in awhile. </span><br />
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<span>Merrick, after overcoming his past, became the dream guy that all girls would swoon over and want to call theirs. </span><br />
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<span>I definitely would recommend this book to all of you and I cannot wait to read the next in the series. :)</span><br />
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<span>Stars: 5</span><br />
<br />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-2160154933790259492014-08-05T11:52:00.000-04:002014-08-05T11:55:52.227-04:00Mortal by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/12870151-mortal" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Mortal (The Books of Mortals, #2)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1321654760l/12870151.jpg" width="222" /></a><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<span id="freeText11007493640228493683">Centuries have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace...and fear. A terrible secret was closely guarded for centuries: <em>every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity</em>.<br /><br />Nine years have gone by since an unlikely hero named Rom Sebastian first discovered a secret and consumed an ancient potion of blood to bring himself back to life in <em>Forbidden</em>. Surviving against impossible odds, Rom has gathered a secret faction of followers who have also taken the blood-the first Mortals in a world that is dead.<br /><br />But The Order has raised an elite army to hunt and crush the living. Division and betrayal threaten to destroy the Mortals from within. The final surviving hope for humanity teeters on the brink of annihilation and no one knows the path to survival.<br /><br />On the heels of <em>Forbidden </em>comes MORTAL, the second novel in The Books of Mortals saga penned by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee. Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare take the journey.<br /><br />The Books of Mortals are three novels, each of which stands on its own, yet all are seamlessly woven into one epic thriller.</span><br />
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<h2>
My Opinion:</h2>
I so wish I could say this book was well worth the read, since the first one was such a good book. However, this one lacked the luster that the previous one had. Nothing stood out to me that would make me rethink the way I walk with God. I think this book had the potential to make me rethink the way I live, if the people in the story would have talked in plain English so I could have understood them thoroughly. Instead, the characters talked about things that seemed quite important, but said it in ways that just zoomed right over my head! <br />
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On top of that, most of their actions were a bit crazy! I knew going into the novel that Ted Dekker's characters are usually out of the norm and seem to be a bit mental, but usually their is a reason behind that. In this book it just seemed unnecessary, and their actions went far beyond how they acted in Forbidden. I don't think a persons personality and the way they speak is going to completely change in a few years, in that case ever. <br />
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Furthermore, a lot of this story was repetitive. I felt like I was having deja-vu, but NO, they just kept on having the same conversations! ***SPOILER*** <span style="background-color: red; color: red;">"Is Jonathon the savior? Or his blood?", "They have 12,000 Dark Bloods, we have 1,200 Mortals. How are we going to defeat them?"</span> It just seemed like a whole bunch of planning, instead of taking action, which their was very little of! <br />
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Most of the characters had terrible morals, even the Mortals. Their was a scene where, even though not terribly long, it showed how sexual and unscrupulous they, being the mortals, were. I was most of all mad at the leader of the mortals... Concubines? Are we really going back to that? This man was supposed to show honor, respect, and most of all LEADERSHIP! So now he's condoning sexual behavior that's NOT between a man and a wife??? I know people had concubines in the bible, but it also clearly states in the bible that it is a SIN! <br />
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And here is the thing that peeved me off the most. ***Spoiler***<span style="background-color: red; color: red;"> Triphon was thrown around like he did not matter and like he wasn't an important character! He was killed, so he didn't get much 'screen time', then he was brought back to life just to be killed again, and then he CAME BACK TO LIFE AGAIN! (BTW, his deaths were so horribly done I couldn't even get emotional about them, even though he is my favorite character! I just got furious because, even if he was to die, they didn't even try to give him a memorable death!) All I can say is that if he dies in Sovereign, and they don't give him the 'screen time' or memorable death he deserves, then I don't know what I will do. That might just ruin the whole book for me right there.<span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
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I am sad to say that I would recommend skipping this book if you are reading the series. It's not worth the read in my opinion, which is a complete shocker based just upon who wrote it. This was not at all what I was expecting for a sequel, and I am extremely disappointed.<br />
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Stars: 2<br />
<br />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-43920862945039007872014-07-30T12:48:00.002-04:002014-07-30T12:48:24.531-04:00Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/18652058-full-steam-ahead" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Full Steam Ahead" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383168534l/18652058.jpg" width="206" /></a><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<span id="freeText16269403675102283698">Nicole Renard returns home to Galveston, Texas, to find her father deathly ill. Though she loves him, Nicole's father has always focused on what she's not. Not male. Not married. Not able to run Renard Shipping.<br /><br />Vowing to find a suitable husband to give her father the heir he desires before it's too late, Nicole sets out with the Renard family's greatest treasure as her dowry: the highly coveted Lafitte Dagger. But her father's rivals come after the dagger, forcing a change in Nicole's plans.<br /><br />After a boiler explosion aboard the <em>Louisiana</em> nearly took his life, Darius Thornton has been a man obsessed. He will do anything to stop even one more steamship disaster. Even if it means letting a female secretary into his secluded world.<br /><br />Nicole is determined not to let her odd employer scare her off with his explosive experiments, yet when respect and mutual attraction grow between them, a new fear arises. How can she acquire an heir for her father when her heart belongs to another? And when her father's rivals discover her hiding place, will she have to choose between that love and her family's legacy?</span><br />
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<span>My Opinion:</span></h2>
<span>An unexpected surprise! Based on the cover I assumed this book was going to be a straight forward comedy. Even from the description, a dagger? I thought, "this is going to be humorous." Even though there were some funny scenes, it was much more serious then I presumed. An the story pulled off the seriousness of situations quite well. I actually wanted to cry when I saw how past tragedies haunted Darius for over a year. </span><br />
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<span>I loved how Darius made everyone who worked for him feel like family, and how he even called them as such. It was touching how much he cared for people and how quickly he took them on under his wing, even though it was more them carrying his weight for so long. </span><br />
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<span>Darius and Nicole's romance came along pretty fast. I found it a little odd how for a while Darius refused to spend time around Nicole, then all of the sudden he can't be dragged away from her company. I thought the tension between their relationship should have been dragged out a little longer. The speed that everything transpired in was to quick for this story. But, after their relationship got rolling they were the cutest couple you could lay eyes on, and Darius definitely became swoon worthy.</span><br />
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<span>There is nothing left that I could critique about Full Steam Ahead. One small thing that I would have done differently, but other than that. Beautiful story!!!</span><br />
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<span>Stars: 4 </span>Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-26591456764341345242014-07-25T00:00:00.000-04:002014-07-25T00:00:02.449-04:00Abandoned Memories by MaryLu Tyndall<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/18311277-abandoned-memories" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Abandoned Memories (Escape to Paradise, #3)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1376363630l/18311277.jpg" width="210" /></a><br />
Description:<br />
<span id="freeText7374985337800646575">Something sinister lurks in the lush Brazilian jungle. . . .<br /><br />It is 1866 and the fledgling Confederate colony of New Hope is Angeline Moore’s last chance at a normal life. Running from the law, she longs to make a fresh start in this new Southern Utopia. But a series of strange disasters threaten to destroy everything the colonists have worked for, and strange visions threaten to reveal a past Angeline is desperate to hide.<br /><br />James Callaway failed at both doctoring and preaching, but he hopes that his move to Brazil will give him another chance to become the spiritual leader he so desires. He longs to create a world free from the immorality that plagued every street corner back home and ruined his life. And he believes Angeline is just the sort of refined woman he needs to keep him on the right track.<br /><br />But something is amiss in New Hope: haunting visions, the discovery of crypts beneath an ancient temple, and an archaic Hebrew book, set the colonists’ fears on edge. When one of their own is murdered, a series of disasters leads them to believe God has brought them to Brazil to defeat an evil that, if unleashed, could wreak havoc on the entire world.</span><br />
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My Opinion:<br />
Praise be to God for all he has done for us and giving MaryLu the idea for these stories! As I read this I kept begging that she would prolong the series and continue with a fourth book! I already knew the next budding relationship I wanted to see grow...*Cough Cough*... Thiago and Sarah... and the whole spiritual war concept was out of this world! I loved how at the end she mentions this being a play off of an actual legend that she heard about from man. <br />
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The story was constantly go, go, go- not many moments for the characters to actually take a breather, but the action was SO great. Not that what they went through is something that I would want to experience, because I wouldn't, but it sure made for an intense and tantalizing read. <br />
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Would it be bad for me to say that I underestimated this book? That I thought it would fall flat compared to the first two? BOY, was I wrong! The struggles that both James and Angeline went through were so real, and the visions that plagued them were relentless! I loved how this book showed just how far someone can fall if being tempted by the world, but then how with one choice- redemption- everything can change in an instant. Their way of thinking, their confidence, their joy, their forgiveness, and their love for one another!<br />
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The ending of the book, the last few chapters, was one of the best endings I have read in a long time! I can't quite describe what I was feeling during those moments I read it There was this part where MaryLu transitioned ingeniously between characters thoughts. The only way I can describe it was like 'head hopping', hopping from one persons thoughts to the others. Normally, I can't stand it when I only get a half page to a page of one characters thoughts, but at the time in the story it was perfect and added an anxiousness to know what was going to happen next. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat, even though I was laying down in bed when I read the end. <br />
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I can't think of anything else to say, I just hope this review shows the emotion I felt while reading Abandoned Memories!<br />
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Stars: 5<br />
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P.S. I loved this series so much that I just started a pinterest board for the series. You may check it out here anytime you wish :) I hope you will! Just scroll down the right hand side of the page and you will come across quite a few pinterest boards that I have for novels that I have read!!!Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-48501149983426846882014-07-22T11:34:00.000-04:002014-07-22T14:14:18.181-04:00~!!Nominated for the Sunshine Award!!~ <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDrVUAYdkWb1SFv3YaQ2xpKzPI1H3W2jhV2lHACxS7jGgqICvLTcQr4XgnHEQaZJzt0UQB9wCwWGco6kY_fjQSxpDqIz8Na0-2iuxHWYtEkxu0gLRqDMhHForHb-MWJDs7jikMa1esSg/s1600/sunshine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDrVUAYdkWb1SFv3YaQ2xpKzPI1H3W2jhV2lHACxS7jGgqICvLTcQr4XgnHEQaZJzt0UQB9wCwWGco6kY_fjQSxpDqIz8Na0-2iuxHWYtEkxu0gLRqDMhHForHb-MWJDs7jikMa1esSg/s320/sunshine.png" height="320" width="320" /></a><br />
Yesterday, I was nominated for the <i>Sunshine Award</i> by Grace M. at <a href="http://itssimplygrace.blogspot.com/">Fictionally</a>! Thank you so much for nominating me! It is an honor anytime someone shows me just how much they enjoy my blog. Even though where I'm at at the moment is cloudy and threatened by rain, this definitely brightened my day:)<br />
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<h2>
~RULES~</h2>
Thank the person who nominated you.<br />
- Answer the questions from the person who nominated you.<br />
- Nominate a few other bloggers.<br />
- Write the same amount of questions for the bloggers you nominated.<br />
- Notify the bloggers on their blog.<br />
- Put the award button on your blog.<br />
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<h2>
Questions asked of me:</h2>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>1. The last t.v. show/movie you watched that is now your life. What is it?</b></span> I am a complete t.v. addict, which makes this question a little hard. Many shows pretty much make up my life: Once Upon a Time, Arrow, The Flash (which hasn't started yet but I am super excited), Merlin, etc. However, for this question I am going to answer the murder investigation show BONES. It's been around for a while, but I just recently started watching it on Netflix and have watched EVERY episode through season 8 already! Why I watch it? Because of FBI agent Seeley Booth and forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan's budding relationship. LOVE THEM!<br />
<img alt="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/a4/4d/93/a44d930dd3f716ca9cd73e57d0c25854.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/a4/4d/93/a44d930dd3f716ca9cd73e57d0c25854.jpg" height="320" width="240" /><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>2. You're invited to a ball where you have a chance of meeting prince charming, but a fairy shows up and says she'll grant you your biggest non-romantic wish (example: book contract) if you do not attend the ball. Do you take her up on her offer, or go to the ball?</b></span> I hope I would pray about it first, but I think I would go to the ball. I am a Romantic. <br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>3. You're given a ride in a time machine to the future and are able to bring back any one book that you are now waiting to release. What book will you choose?</b></span> I can't think to far in the future for this question, but I would go to whenever the release of Deluge by Lisa Bergren is. I have been waiting for this book for FOREVER, and the publishing date keeps getting postponed!!!<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>4. You're perusing your bookshelf when, suddenly, the back falls out and you see a secret tunnel of stone that leads to a place you cannot see, but you hear a battle in the distance. Do you check it out, or repair the bookshelf?</b></span> Now doubt about it, I'm checking it out and might just stay awhile. Depends on what I see... <br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>5. and 6. You have to spend the day entertaining one of your least favorite characters. Who is it and what do you do to amuse them?</b></span> I have many enemy characters... I don't know if I could pick one to dislike the most. I will have to go with Paratore from the River of Time series by Lisa Bergren. Man that man make my skin crawl. AMUSE HIM??? HA!!!! Can't I just stick him in a cage like he's done with so many other people??? I'll be nice and give him a toy! If I did try to amuse him he probably wouldn't hear me very well anyway... ;)... (some of you might understand that). <br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>7. What would you rather be able to do: fly, breathe under water. or blow fire from your mouth?</b></span> Although all of those would be pretty nifty, I would have to go with breathing under water because drowning is one of my worst fears, if not, THE WORST! Don't try to take me swimming without a life jacket!<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>8. There's a villain, and the only thing you have to knock away the vile stuff he's about to use to turn you into a toad is... a book on your bookshelf. Which book is it?</b></span> Does that mean I choose the book on my shelf that I like the least because the book would probably get ruined? Ummm... I don't know... and I don't want to bash anyone's work. *Shrugs Shoulders* Sorry. :/<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>9. What is your ideal animal companion? Dog, cat, dragon, chameleon, etc?</b></span> Realistically? A dog! Fantasy wise? A Dragon! Or one of those huge flying birds from Lord of the Rings! (I don't know what they are called)<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>10. A grand dinner is held where you and all of your favorite characters are invited. Which two characters do you choose to sit between?</b></span> MARCELLO- just so I can tell him how much I admire him. (I wouldn't try to steal him from <span style="background-color: #6fa8dc; color: #6fa8dc;">Gabi</span>, at least I hope I could restrain myself) and FORTINO (Marcello's older brother)- Because I love him, and so I could join the family!*SPOILER* <span style="background-color: #6fa8dc; color: #6fa8dc;">(IF HE WAS STILL ALIVE!!!!!!) *Rolls on the floor and cries my eyes out*</span><br />
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These characters are from the River of Time series by Lisa Bergren. <br />
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<h2>
My Nominations:</h2>
• Rebekah at <a href="http://backingbooks.blogspot.com/">Backing Books</a><br />
• Chelsey at <a href="http://dwellinpossibilitybooks.blogspot.com/">Charming Chelsey's</a><br />
• Joy and Nancy at <a href="http://www.fictionherofeatures.com/">Fiction Hero Features</a><br />
• Madilyn and Bethany at <a href="http://theliterarymaidens.blogspot.com/">The Literary Maidens</a><br />
• Caitlyn at <a href="http://justyouraveragereviews.blogspot.com/">Just Your Average Reviews</a><br />
• Kate at <a href="http://wordsfromabookaholic.blogspot.com/">To Read or Not to Read</a><br />
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<h2>
Questions for my Nominees:</h2>
1. If you could enter and become another character in any book you have read, what story would you join and what would be your role in the book as a completely new character?<br />
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2. You come across a time portal where you can bring two characters from the past to our modern world... Which two do you pick to bring back and watch struggle to grasp our new world technologies and etiquette?<br />
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3. You have to spend a day entertaining one of your least favorite characters... Who would it be and what would you do to amuse them?<br />
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4. Pretend it's MCM (Man Crush Monday), which character would you pick to be your crush for the day, and what book are they from?<br />
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5. If you were to Direct and Produce one of your favorite books, what would the book be and who would you cast as the main characters? (If you can, please provide pictures)<br />
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6. You find yourself in the middle of a battle, what is your weapon of choice?<br />
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7. If you were born in medieval times, what would you want your name to be and why?<br />
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8. What T.V. show/movie has overtaken your life of late?<br />
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9. Do you have an odd skill or do you do anything that some people would consider 'out of the ordinary'?<br />
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10. You must spend a day doing a job that you know you would absolutely despise, it's the worst and you don't understand why anyone would actually want that job. What is it? (I thought of this b/c of watching the T.V. show <i>Dirty Jobs</i> not to long ago). LOL<br />
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">For Everyone Else: Feel free to answer any of these questions in my comments section and also feel free to ask me some of your own questions! Have a wonderful day! :)</span></b>Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-14372463055815928612014-07-19T11:17:00.000-04:002014-07-19T11:21:25.062-04:00Dakota Child by Linda Ford<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/6886660-dakota-child" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Dakota Child" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1295544703l/6886660.jpg" width="202" /></a><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<span id="freeText17070081850042264107">Trapped in a North Dakota blizzard, single mother Vivian Halliday's prayer for herself and her child is answered. Rescue comes in the seemingly terrifying form of Billy Black, the hulk of a man feared by all the townsfolk. Yet in the home he shares with his ailing mother, the handsome, gentle giant warms her baby's bottles and sings sweet lullabies that lull even Vivian to peaceful sleep. When the storm abates, will she still seek the life that led her back to the village?</span><br />
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<h2>
My Opinion:</h2>
This was probably the best Love Inspired book I have read to date. The writing was done so well I felt like I was actually reading a full length novel. The conflict and solution were both very well thought out and played almost perfectly throughout the story. I loved the characters and their own individual quirks and personalities. I haven't yet read anything quite like this. <br />
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Some things I didn't like so much were how 'big' Billy was made out to be and how quickly the sub-plot was taken care of. The way Billy's size was made out to be made him sound like he was a FEE-FY-FO kind of giant. I would have to realistically think of how big someone could actually get, so I didn't picture him like the size of a fairy tale giant.<br />
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The sub plot had to do with some legal issues and how Vivian signed some papers that she shouldn't have. About a chapter after she addresses her concerns the problem is taken care of, even though it was made out to be an issue that I thought was going to take longer to solve.<br />
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Over all this was a really good read, specially for a smaller book with a short time to fit a story line into. With some minor flaws I still believe that this is a book worth reading.<br />
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Stars- 4<br />
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<h3>
<span style="background-color: #3d85c6; color: yellow;">***GIVEAWAY***</span></h3>
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On another note, go check out a GIVEAWAY I have set up for <em>Remnants: Season of Wonder</em> by Lisa Bergen! You won't want to miss it! You can go directly to the giveaway by clicking<a href="http://kissedbooks.blogspot.com/2014/07/arc-copy-of-remnants-season-of-wonder.html"> HERE>>>.</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13645229-season-of-wonder"><img alt="Season of Wonder (The Remnants #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1375895588l/13645229.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
<br />Kissed bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315772802294052530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023479219150904809.post-77648845440531446712014-07-14T11:50:00.000-04:002014-07-14T11:50:25.762-04:00Captured by Love by Jody Hedlund<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/18651927-captured-by-love" itemprop="image" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Captured by Love (Michigan Brides, #3)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383168393l/18651927.jpg" width="207" /></a><br />
<h2>
Description:</h2>
<span id="freeText7908035881671293088"><span id="freeText7908035881671293088">It is 1814 and the British have taken hold of Mackinac Island and its fort, forcing American residents to swear an oath of loyalty to the British crown in order to retain their land. Pierre Durant is a voyageur--a fur trader who left his family home to find freedom and adventure. He's been gone five years and when he returns, his family's farm is at the mercy of the British invaders. </span></span><br />
<br />Torn between the life he's grown used to and guilt over leaving his brother and mother, he's drawn back into the loyalist fight against the British--and into a relationship with Angelique Mackenzie, a beautiful local girl who's been befriended by the daughter of the British commander. As tensions mount and the threat of violence increases, both Angelique and Pierre must decide where their loyalties rest, how far they will go to find freedom, and how much they will risk to find love.<br />
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My Opinion:</h2>
If I could give this book 3 thumbs up I would! Based on the cover I was nervous to read the book. It's a beautiful cover so I don't why, but I had an inkling that I wouldn't like it. However, that was not the case! This book in fact is probably my NEW favorite by Jody Hedlund, or at least a close tie with The Preachers Bride! <br />
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This book was so fun to read! Not that it was comical the whole way through, because it wasn't, but I felt like I was actually there with Angelique and Pierre. I felt like I was walking right beside them, going where they went, seeing what they saw right at their side. Like I was looking over their shoulder. This book had great perspective and it completely drew me in. <br />
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Pierre and Angelique's banter was hilarious! I caught myself rolling my eyes and laughing at Pierre's cocky comments more than a couple times, but I couldn't stop myself. I also loved that Angelique would reply in a cocky or sarcastic way. It was something that I would have done! As long as both people know they are joking, it's fun to poke fun at each other once in awhile. Who feels the same?<br />
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Both Pierre and Angelique's struggles had a huge impact on me. Angelique was striving to be better than the reputation the women in her family had, while all Pierre wanted to do for the longest time was get away from his family all together. Also, for years Angelique thought she was failing at her goal, while Pierre came to realize that his goal was completely wrong to have in the first place. Throughout the book they both come to terms with the fact that they are who they are, flaws and all, and that all they can do from here on out is be the best they can be for themselves, and for each other. And that God would give them the strength and grace they needed to know that they were not the disappointments they thought they were.<br />
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If you haven't guessed yet, there is really nothing I can judge or criticize about this book. I LOVED IT and I recommend it to everyone who has the slightest interest in it!<br />
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Stars: 5<br />
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<span style="color: red;">***SIDE NOTE***</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">Go to my last post that is a GIVEAWAY for an ARC copy of REMNANTS: Season of Wonder by Lisa T. Bergren!!! You can find it by clicking <span style="color: #38761d;"><a href="http://kissedbooks.blogspot.com/2014/07/arc-copy-of-remnants-season-of-wonder.html">HERE,</a> <span style="color: red;">or just scroll a little ways down the page</span></span>!!! Thank you!!!!</span></div>
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