Wished I loved it but didn't...

I couldn't even finish this book. I tried several times to read the book Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall that I received for free from the publisher through Blogging for Books for my review per FCC rules. Normally I enjoy her books but I couldn't get into the characters at all. I usually like at least one character in a book, and will continue reading but this one for some reason I didn't like any of them. However, I always say that if a book sounds interesting to someone they should read it no matter someone's opinion, sometimes I have liked books and others not. It is hard for me to really rate a book since I didn't even finish it, but since I did read some I will give it a 2.

Never going to be able to finish this book!

 I had gotten this book for free from Blogging For Books in exchange for an honest review per FTC. I thought that would love this book as I am a huge fan of history and diaries, etc. Emma of Aurora by Jane Kirkpatrick is based on the real life of Emma who was part of religious colony in Missouri. She has her eyes on a man who she wishes to marry and then the leader of the colony decides that they need to travel west. This book is based on historical documents, diaries, etc. This book is actually three in one and is almost 1,200 pages. I got partway into the second book. I just couldn't stand the character or at least the way it was written. She seemed highly immature and after she got married complained why her husband didn't seem to share her affections, opinions, etc. I am thinking perhaps this is because they didn't really know each other and she was the one who pushed for a marriage in the first place. On the trip to the West it was only worse, and while I did have some sympathy when they started to try and create a new colony it only lasted so long. I only got to the part where she was constantly fighting with her in-laws that had arrived. The book from the part I read was really slow and very drawn out. I really wished that I could have liked this book, and after trying several times to continue reading I had to finally give up. I only give this book 2 out of 5 stars.

My Hope is Found Review...

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through blogging for books for free, for my honest review of the book. This is the third book in the Cadence of Grace series. I really enjoyed the first two books, and did enjoy some of the parts of the third. Gideon and Lonnie are forced to be separated from each other again, in what may be forever in the third book. While Lonnie and Gideon area no longer together, she wonders what Gideon is doing, while at the same time starts to have feelings to Reverend McKee. Choices at times in our lives are not easy, but in this book at the end I felt that Lonnie didn't really make a choice it was made for her. I had a few issues with this book; how involved both of the Reverends were in the Cassie/Lonnie/Gideon marriage scenario, Lonnie couldn't write her aunt to find out information every once in awhile? (which in previous books she did exchange letters in), Lonnie after a few months of being separated from Gideon, suddenly has feelings and possible fell in love with someone else. These were just a few things that I didn't quite believe. Especially, if Lonnie loved Gideon I would think that she would still be grieving too much to even think about another relationship. Yes, I know that during this time period women still had to rely on men for their livelihood (especially if one had children), but she lived with the Bennetts and it wasn't like they would kick her out on her own. Then at the end she doesn't even make the choice really herself, it is made for her, perhaps because she couldn't decide by herself? I want to know though what happens more to the man who didn't get her in the end. If you have read the other books, you will want to read this one as well, but not the best one out of the series.

Rank: 3.0 out of 5

What's On Your Nightstand? August 2013

I didn't get as much accomplished as I had previously thought I would be able to over this month. Not sure how much I will get accomplished on my to do list for the Classic Club, but looking forward to some of the books I will get from publishers. Classes started last week and I will be reading as a stress reliever for sure!

Reviews of Books that I Read:

Forever Friday -This advanced reader's copy is being given away, check out the link in order to sign up for it. End's today!!!!

A Bride For All Seasons

The Winnowing Season

Currently Reading:

Emma-really enjoying it so far

Need to start for the Classic Club from last month:

Sense and Sensibility
The Railway Children
Heart of Darkness
Jane Eyre for this month's Spin book

Read and Review for Booksneeze:


 I will be reading Hopelifter


Read and Review for Blogging For Books:

I will be reading For Every Season

Read and Review for Tyndale:

I will be reading Born of Persuasion

Do you want to review free books too?

Here are a few links to apply to review books from publishers. Some of these I currently participate in and others I have put in an application to participate. Make sure you read each publishers qualifications and guidelines first.

Tyndale
Bethany
Booksneeze
WaterBrook Multonomah - Blogging For Books

The Winnowing Season review....

I received a free copy of this book The Winnowing Season by Cindy Woodsmall for my review, and am under no obligation to give a positive review. This book is the second in a series, I reviewed the first book here. I was really excited for this book to come out. It continues with Rhoda and the lives of the King brothers and her family, in all trying to start a new Amish community in Maine. Rhoda is with Jacob King, but for this book most of the time he isn't in the same location as her, so she is stuck with her brother and his family along with Jacob's brother and sister living in one house. I never understood Jacobs character in this book and what kind of a hold that Sandra and Casey had over him, I get that he wanted to help but never understood how he felt responsible for them. It always felt that there was more to the story, than what we know. But I could tell that Sandra wasn't who she said she was, but perhaps we will find out more later. The whole thing also with the police investigation and Rhoda felt that it was just thrown in. I am interested though in how Leah and another potential suitor for her will go and about the English neighbors they have. I think Rhoda made a good choice at the end of this book though, and at this point I don't really want her to be with Jacob. I guess we will just have to find out in the final book, but I think in the end it will be Samuel. After all they knew each other first and seemed right for each other, but then who knows?

 

Ranking: 3 out of 5

Be Still My Soul Book Review..

This is the second book I will be reviewing for blogging for books through Waterbrook Multnomah publishing. I received a free e-book for my review and am not obligated to give a positive one.

 

The book I chose to read was Be Still My Soul by Joanne Biscof, which is a Christian fiction romance book. I have never read anything by her and this book is the first one in a series. The main character is Lonnie who lives in the Blue Ridge mountains in the 1800's with her family. I loved the setting in the book, it reminded me sometimes, although not all of the time, of being in the rural Midwest.  The good and the bad that go with it, that is not to say that there are only issues with rural areas, as I don't think any certain place is perfect, whether it be a major city or very small rural area.

  

She has hopes for her future but they are changed, and instead she finds herself having to marry Gideon. They barely know each other at all, even though Lonnie did find Gideon handsome, which Gideon was well aware that most females found him so. He seemed to take advantage of this. I found Gideon wasn't very likeable to say the least; highly selfish, immature, and only cared about getting girls or more moonshine.

 

Lonnie and Gideon end up moving to another area outside of their community, this was done more so at the urging of Gideon. They eventually meet a nice couple, and face heartache and sorrow along the way.

 

I never thought I would end up liking Gideon's character, but by the end I had warmed up too him. They both did not have the best of families to show them love, so perhaps in some cases they went about showing it the wrong way (although Gideon at the beginning of the book didn't care about anyone else). It makes you think about how we should express our love, but that not everyone knows how or does it the same way.

 

Besides making you think about love, the book throughout brought up more subjects that still make me reflect on a few things. If someone has changed how do we know to trust them? Even if they make some changes and fall along the way, does that mean we no longer are they for them or forgive them? Even in our own lives it is hard to come to these answers, and I felt the book did a good job in describing all of the different type of emotions that will come up in trying to figure those answers out.

 

There was a few things that I didn't care for or at least wanted more of. At the beginning of the book I kept on having to remind myself that Lonnie was a girl, because of the name, I have only known men to have it.  Even though we learn Lonnie gets a few letters from her family after she leaves, we are never informed of how they are doing or what she writes to them. I thought this was disappointing, especially since she was so close to her aunt. Gideon did seem to change somewhat fast I thought in maturing and finding faith, but perhaps that was all due to the recent things he can been facing.

 

Rate: 4 out of 5

The sequel to this book will be out in a few days, and I can't wait to read it.

Blogging for books....

If you like books from waterbrook multnomah publishers check out their program in which you can place reviews for books or ebooks. I will be reviewing Christmas in Apple Ridge by Cindy Woodsmall later on.

Sign up here if you are interested in reviewing books!