July 11, 2018

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Thirty-Six


More mini reviews for your reading pleasure! :) So I'll just skip all the introduction and get to it, how about it?


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All for Love by Mary Connealy, Kristi Ann Hunter, & Jen Turano
Super, super fun! In fact, after reading Ms. Turano’s novella in this one, I promptly bought and read her newest, Behind the Scenes, because I loved Permilia so much!! But all three authors gave me lots of laughs and swoons during their respective stories. Ms. Connealy never fails to make me enjoy a good western (and a really adorable romance!) and this one was no exception. Ms. Hunter's was a reread, but oh how much I love Amelia's journey! And Ms. Turano? Made me want more time with all the wallflower ladies! I confess to rereading these stories several times (it helps that they're short and sweet!) and most certainly love seeing them on my bookshelf. This is a collection well worth checking out, friends! Believe me.

**I received a complimentary copy via Bethany House. All opinions expressed are my own.


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Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano
After getting a small introduction to Permilia and Asher in Ms Turano’s novella At Your Request, I knew I wanted more of those two! So how happy was I that I could download it immediately and begin reading. They are hilariously perfect for each other! And now I’m a new fan of Ms Turano’s. Happy day! :) Permilia is quite the extraordinary young woman and her chemistry with Asher is, shall we say...electric! Watching these two cause consternation and confusion and all manner of emotions in the other was hilarious at times and awfully swoony at others. They are entirely perfect for each other. Add the adorable romance, a mystery or two, and a lot of laughs, and you end up with a load of happy in story form! Now where's book two?


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Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Wow! Just wow. I am very impressed! I'd seen several great reviews for this one and then a good friend basically demanded that I let her know immediately upon reading it. So of course, I had no other choice, right? And what a story! Very unlike anything I've ever read before, the narrator of this audiobook is excellent! The distinctive voice for Auggie is unforgettable and I can still hear it in my mind, weeks later. One of my favorite bits is the (unexpected!) different points of view. By spending time in different characters' heads, we realize precisely how biased we humans tend to be when we only see one side of a situation. No one else can truly see into my heart, like I can't see into theirs. It requires communication and openness, and this story shines a brilliant light on the intricacies of human beings and how none of us is black or white. And just how beautiful differences can be among us, how they should be celebrated and approachable! How we all need to strive to understand and be open to learning new. That accessibility just might bring the best sorts of friendships into our lives. Well worth reading (or listening to), friends!


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A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
I've had this one on my TBR after watching that old five or six hour movie years ago and I was not disappointed! I was actually thoroughly intrigued by how Mr. Shute wrote this story. The usage of a narrator who is not exactly a main character (although he kind of is?) is quite different. We are told the story through his second hand retelling, since he only hears it from Jean (and most of the second half he is recounting her letters) and doesn't actually experience it himself. It sounds a bit strange, but it totally works! And what an adventure he has to narrate. The epic scale of this entire story is incredible. Yet I can't deny that there are parts of the book that dragged for me and I skimmed through several paragraphs at different points. But my overall enjoyment never faltered! I wanted so badly for Jean to have her happy ending after enduring so much, so I confess the romance bits (small though they were) made me delighted! :) I truly enjoyed this one and anticipate rereading it again someday.


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A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty
Color me impressed, I rather enjoyed this! (See what I did there? ;) It’s definitely slower paced, but I didn’t mind that. I knew that all these pieces surely had to come together somehow, yet was happily surprised at how they did! I did like Madeleine a great deal, even if she did make some choices sometimes that frustrated me. And Elliot's mystery to solve had me hooked! I had no idea how things were going to progress at all and it was so fun to journey through this adventure with both characters. A wonderful beginning to this series and now I can't wait to dive into book two!


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A (nearly) Normal Nanny by Krista Phillips
Ms. Phillips knows how to make me laugh! And swoon. This is such an adorable little romance and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Mari wasn't prepared for Brandon and neither was he prepared for her. But once they meet? Sparks fly, as they say. :D The sweet little girls just add a cute bit of flavor (and chaperoning) to the romance happening around them. Loads of fun and a quick, easy read! What's not to like? :)




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Bookends by Liz Curtis Higgs
It's been so many years since the last time I'd read this one that I'd forgotten how much Ms. Higgs makes me laugh! She is so good at putting her characters in hilarious situations and then sitting back and letting them find their way out. Plus she knows how to write a hero to make you swoon! Jonas and Emily fight hard to deny their attraction, for all of two minutes. And then the rest of the time they fight hard about bringing their two very different lives together! It makes for a really fun ride, I must say. :D Their chemistry is, obviously, wonderful, but it's the growth they both need to work through that really struck me. This isn't just a cute little romance, there is much depth here. Both characters have to work hard to figure out exactly what they really want out of life and that sometimes it requires sacrifice. Yet in the end, sacrifice is usually worth it, right? Adorable romance, lessons to learn, unique characters, what more could a reader ask for?




1 comment:

  1. Hooray for Wonder! I think that is a book everyone could read and get something from. Sadly, I haven't even heard of the other books.

    ReplyDelete

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