Camp Club Girls: Elizabeth by Renae Brumbaugh Green

Title: Camp Club Girls: Elizabeth

Author: Renae Brumbaugh Green

Pages: 384

Release Date: January 1, 2019

Genre: Pre-Teen Mysteries

Publisher: Barbour Books

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

What happens when six girls end up not only in the same cabin at summer camp, but are quickly embroiled in intrigue?

     They form a super sleuth ring and call themselves the Camp Club Girls. Each girl uses her special skills--analyzing, spiritual insight, gadgetry, physical skills, research--to help the whole team stump adversaries and master the mysteries they encounter. Join the Camp Club Girls on a series of clue-filled adventures and cheer them on as they crack the case in this entertaining 4-in-1 story collection.

What's REALLY going on at Camp Discovery Lake? 
     When Alexis, Bailey, Elizabeth, Sydney, McKenzie, and Kate end up as roommates at summer camp, they soon suspect there's more going on than crafts and Bible quizzes. Will they put the puzzling pieces together before time runs out?

What's so important about a missing bag of marbles? 
     Elizabeth and McKenzie are roped into a mystery as big as Texas, when a strange man shows up in town, asking about a special tip left to a waitress thirty years ago. Will their skills be a match for this mixed-up mystery?

Is foul play to blame for the strange string of unfortunate events that threaten the River City Cruise Boat business? 
     While helping out with ministry activities at the Fiesta Noche Del Rio on the Riverwalk, Kate and Elizabeth investigate! Will the girls reveal the source of the trouble before the River City Cruise Boat business goes bust?

Who's the thief responsible for stealing a valuable Gibson guitar?
     Elizabeth and Bailey investigate the case in Music City. With only a handful of clues, will the girls be successful in turning up the missing music maker and returning the guitar to its rightful owner?

My review:

     I loved these pre-teen mysteries!

     These stories are reminiscent of the Trixie Belden books that I read multiple times growing up.

     In the first story we meet six girls ranging in age from 9 to 14 years old. As they all arrive on the first day of camp they meet each other. They immediately become friends as they settle into their cabin. They are very well developed. They each have different interests, strengths, and weaknesses.

     They are very observant and once one of them identifies a mystery they all jump in using their own skill to help solve it. Each of the mysteries is different but they are all undertaken to help someone else out.

     I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that they encourage each other with scripture. They also go to God in prayer asking for guidance and protection.

     I have decided to give this book a 5 star rating. I am definitely recommending it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green

Title: Between Two Shores

Author: Jocelyn Green

Pages: 400

Release Date: February 5, 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and through NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval finds it is easier to remain neutral in a world that is tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the fray against her wishes when her British ex-fiance, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel asks her to help him escape, claiming he has information that could help end the war.

     Peace appeals to Catherine, but helping the man who broke her heart does not. She delays . . . until attempts on Samuel’s life convince her he’s in mortal danger. Against her better judgment she helps him flee by river, using knowledge of the landscape to creep ever closer to freedom. Their time together rekindles feelings she thought long buried, and danger seems to hound their every mile. She’s risked becoming a traitor by choosing a side, but will the decision cost her even more than she anticipated?

My review:

     This is an incredible historical novel!

     I am amazed at the depth of the characters in this book. There is quite a variety and I was able to picture them and their mannerisms very clearly. They all had different baggage and hangups that they were dealing with. All of them were slowly revealed and developed throughout the book.

     The period and historical setting were wonderfully presented. I had never learned anything about the French and Indian War beyond George Washington’s involvement. I was fascinated by the fact that this book presented it from the sides of all three people groups, the French, Canadians, and Mohawk people. The conflict and distrust between them was great. 

     I love the fact that the author includes a section at the end explaining which portions of the story are actual historical events. This really shows how much research she did prior to writing this wonderful book.

     I have to give this marvelous book a rating of 5 stars. I am highly recommending it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

The Progeny (Descendants of the House of Bathory #1) by Tosca Lee

Title: The Progeny (Descendants of the House of Bathory #1)

Author: Tosca Lee

Pages: 336

Year: 2016

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: Howard Books

Format: Hardback Library Book (also available in eBook and paperback)

About the book:

     New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee brings a modern twist to an ancient mystery surrounding the most notorious female serial killer of all time.

     Emily Jacobs is the descendant of a serial killer. Now, she’s become the hunted.

     She’s on a quest that will take her to the secret underground of Europe and the inner circles of three ancient orders—one determined to kill her, one devoted to keeping her alive, and one she must ultimately save.

     Filled with adrenaline, romance, and reversals, The Progeny is the present-day saga of a 400-year-old war between the uncanny descendants of “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a secret society dedicated to erasing every one of her descendants. A story about the search for self filled with centuries-old intrigues against the backdrop of atrocity and hope.

My review:

     This thriller caused an extreme adrenaline rush!

     The characters are incredibly well developed. There is an amazing variety among them and some of them have very unusual quirks.

     The plot is very intricately woven. I was definitely kept guessing as to where the danger was coming from. Another huge question was what would put an end to the danger. Audra was easy to connect with and from the beginning I was rooting for her to figure things out. I really wanted her to reach a safe place and had no idea where that might be.

     One thing that I do want my readers to be aware of. There are references to Audra and Luka sharing a bed at times. There are no descriptions of intimate behavior beyond sharing a bed though.

     I have wanted to read something by Tosca Lee for a very long time. I don’t know if this was a good place to start or not. At least it is the first book in a series. I do know that after reading this book I will be reading more by this wonderful author. I have decided to give this incredible book a rating of 5 stars. I am definitely recommending it.

Flights of Fancy (American Heiresses #1) by Jen Turano + A GIVEAWAY

About the Book

Title: Flights of Fancy  

Author: Jen Turano  

Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Gilded Age  

Release date: January 1, 2019  

Publisher: Bethany House


Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she’s always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has built his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he’s unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner.

Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora’s secret threaten those they love, they’ll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after.

Click here to order your copy!

My Review

This is an absolutely hilarious historical romantic comedy!

This wonderful book is filled with laugh-out-loud moments. There were times I laughed so hard I was crying. Anytime you take a character that lives at one end of the social scale and drop them in a position near the other end there are plenty of opportunities to laugh. Then throw in an eccentric elderly person and a group of children under 10 years old and the possibilities are multiplied.

I love all of the characters, obviously except for the villains, they are so incredibly well developed. I just plain loved to hate the villains.

The plot was fantastic. I was thrilled with the journeys that both Isadora and Ian took to figure out what purpose God had for them and what was truly important to them. This is the type of journey that we all need to take so it was easy to relate to.

I was completely captivated by this wonderful book and am giving it a rating of 5 stars. I am definitely highly recommending it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the Author

  
One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO.

Guest post from Jen

Q & A With Jen Turano

“Flights of Fancy” is the first book in the American Heiress Series. What inspired you to write this series? 

The inspiration for this entire series started off with a What If? All of my proposals for new series start off that way, and this time it was – What if Consuelo Vanderbilt had balked when her mother insisted she marry the Duke of Marlborough – and then that led to – What if she’d run away until her mother came to her senses? Just like that, an entire series was born – a bit of a different take on American heiresses because in all three books, my heiresses might decide to go a tad…rogue. We start off with Miss Isadora Delafield – who does run off to avoid marriage to a duke, then we get to meet Miss Poppy Garrison, who is an unexpected heiress but who can’t quite seem to get a handle on the expected social decorum of the day, and then the final book revolves around Miss Beatrix Waterbury – who gets banished to Chicago after she annoys her mother one too many times, and once there, well, gets up to a bit of mischief. 

How do you come up with the names of your characters? 

I find most of my names as I research the New York Four-Hundred, although I normally take a first name here, a last name there so I’m not stepping on any toes by writing about an actual historical figure – except for some of the main figures in New York society back then, such as Mr. Ward McAllister – who was the social arbiter of the day, or Mrs. William Astor, who was the queen of that society. What I don’t do is simply make up names, no matter how outrageous they may appear. And, no matter how I may love a certain name, if the character decides it doesn’t suit them, that’s it, it’s out and I’m back to the drawing board. 

How do you picture your character? Do you use Pinterest, magazines, movies?

Odd as this may seem, I don’t use pictures for my characters. They start off in my mind as a blurry figure, and then, they develop from there – I like to keep my descriptions of them somewhat vague on the pages so that the reader can imagine them exactly the way they’d like them to be. 

What are some of your favorite resources for historical research? 

I’ve been building up a research library over the past few years and now have over 200 books dedicated to the Gilded Age. My favorites are – “A Season of Splendor” by Greg King, “Society as I Have Found It” by Ward McAllister, “The Gilded Age in New York – 1870-1910” by Esther Crain, and “ ‘King Lehr’ and the Gilded Age” by Elizabeth Drexel Lehr. 

The setting for “Flights of Fancy” is a bit of a departure for you since it’s set in and outside of Pittsburgh. Any reason for that? 

My mom was born in Pittsburgh, and unfortunately, her father, a prominent attorney back in the day, died when she was only four. I thought it would be cool to set a story in Pittsburgh, which would then allow me to really dive into some research. And get this – while I was doing that research, I found this obscure journal called “Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. In that journal was a bit about my great-grandfather, Fred, his wife, Susie, my grandfather, and his brother and sister, but I’d never heard about this brother, who apparently died quite young. One of the most fabulous research tidbits I’ve uncovered to date. 

What are you working on now? 

I’ve just recently turned in the content edits for the second book in this series, “Diamond in the Rough,” and I’ve also turned in a novella about the Harvey Girls that will be coming out in a novella collection in Fall, 2019. With those out of the way, I’m now starting the third and final book in the American Heiress series, Miss Beatrix Waterbury’s story, but I’m having a bit of a struggle with the hero at the moment – he was supposed to be Edward, but he doesn’t want to be an Edward – I think he wants to be Norman – but, time will tell on that one – don’t hold me to the name – it’ll depend on if he changes his mind or not – pesky characters. 

You seem to enjoy adding animals in many of your stories. Will we find any animals in “Flights of Fancy?” 

Since Miss Isadora Delafield ends up on a farm, I do believe you will find a few animals, such as an adorable cow by the name of Buttercup, a few goats that seem to have a great liking for laundry, and…there might be some chickens.

Thanks for stopping by today, everyone! Always enjoy visiting with all of you – in fact, that’s the best part of my job! 

All the best, 

~ Jen ~

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, January 10

Among the Reads, January 10

Through the Fire, January 10

To Everything A Season, January 10

Reflections From My Bookshelves, January 11

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 11

Blogging With Carol, January 11

Southern Gal loves to Read, January 11

Back Porch Reads, January 12

KarenSueHadley, January 12

Godly Book Reviews, January 12

Daysong Refections, January 12

Livin Lit, January 13

The Christian Fiction Girl, January 13

The Becca Files, January 13

Texas Book-aholic, January 13

Rebekah’s Quill, January 14

Blossoms and Blessings, January 14

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 14

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 15

Just the Write Escape, January 15

Stories By Gina, January 15

God’s Little Bookworm, January 16

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, January 16

Splashes of Joy, January 16

Janices book reviews, January 16

Happily Managing A Household of Boys, January 17

Mary Hake, January 17

Maureen’s Musings, January 17

Bibliophile Reviews, January 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 18

Baker Kella, January 18

Simple Harvest Reads, January 18 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 19

Captive Dreams Window, January 19

Robin is Bookish, January 19

Carpe Diem, January 19

Have A Wonderful Day, January 20

Life with the Tribe, January 20

Inklings and Notions, January 20

Rachel’s Back Talk, January 21

Inspiration Clothesline, January 21

amandainpa, January 21

A Baker’s Perspective, January 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 22

Pause for Tales, January 22

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, January 22

Raining Butterfly Kisses, January 23

Live Love Read, January 23

A Rup Life, January 23

Bigreadersite, January 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away a grand prize of a trunk filled with all of Jen’s full-length novels released to date!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

Click the link below to enter. 

https://promosimple.com/ps/d8d1/flights-of-fancy-celebration-tour-giveaway

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Cold Fury (Cold Harbor #3) by Susan Sleeman

Title: Cold Fury (Cold Harbor #3)

Author: Susan Sleeman

Pages: 303

Year: 2018

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Edge of Your Seat Books, Inc.

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     Five years ago tragedy tore them apart…

     Forensic anthropologist Maggie Turner happily works as an assistant professor at her local university and lives a quiet life near campus. That is until Jackson Lockhart enters her classroom. Then a cyclone of emotions erupt as she remembers the tragedy that once tore them apart. She’s often thought of him, but they’d agreed never to see each other again and so far they’d kept their promise. But today…Jackson has a good reason for breaking his promise. Maggie’s life depends on it.

     Will it now bring them back together?

     In an ongoing investigation, Jackson has learned that university officials secretly videoed her classroom in a study on attendance. The recorder was supposed to run only during the class session, but it malfunctioned and recorded an entire week, which includes a shocking murder that has now put Maggie’s life in danger. Can Jackson unravel the lies surrounding this incident before the killer unleashes his fury on Maggie and takes her life?

My review:

     This is an incredible romantic suspense novel!

     It was wonderful to return to visit the team at Blackwell Tactical. I loved getting a look at how life is progressing for the main characters from the first two book in the series. In this story though Jackson Lockhart steps into the spotlight. His pas is revealed along with some things that helped form his character. All of the characters in this book are very well developed and presented in a way that I can just picture them in my mind’s eye while reading.

     It was great getting to know Maggie, Jackson’s lost love. They are both holding deep heartache from a tragedy that tore them apart. I thoroughly enjoyed the emotional journey that they each took. They had to learn how to trust God with their pain and move past it.

     The plot for this book is fantastic. It is filled with lots of twists and turns. I was fascinated by the details given about the tactical ops the team carried out.

     I am giving this wonderful book a 5 star rating. I am highly recommending it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Flights of Fancy (American Heiresses #1) by Jen Turano

Title: Flights of Fancy (American Heiresses #1)

Author: Jen Turano

Pages: 352

Release Date: January 1, 2019

Genre: Historical Romantic Comedy

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and through NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she’s always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania.

     Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has build his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he’s unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner.

     Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora’s secret threaten those they love, they’ll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after.

My review:

     This is an absolutely hilarious historical romantic comedy!

     This wonderful book is filled with laugh-out-loud moments. There were times I laughed so hard I was crying. Anytime you take a character that lives at one end of the social scale and drop them in a position near the other end there are plenty of opportunities to laugh. Then throw in an eccentric elderly person and a group of children under 10 years old and the possibilities are multiplied.

     I love all of the characters, obviously except for the villains, they are so incredibly well developed. I just plain loved to hate the villains.

     The plot was fantastic. I was thrilled with the journeys that both Isadora and Ian took to figure out what purpose God had for them and what was truly important to them. This is the type of journey that we all need to take so it was easy to relate to.

     I was completely captivated by this wonderful book and am giving it a rating of 5 stars. I am definitely highly recommending it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*