Charlie Bear at Taylor's Tips

Awhile ago i found an awesome blog at bjtaylorblog@wordpress.com and as i have been following the little rescue dog Charlie Bear from the time he was found until now, i have had many great insights to my life as well as a dog's life. It is written as if the puppy (for he is still a puppy) is talking with the humans in his life coming in as "female peep" and "male peep". Life is not at all good for a puppy on the run, and he has bad habits to over come. Will the puppy always want to run on his own and be his own boss, will he make canine friends as well as human friends or is the vagabond too deeply ingrained so that CB never settles down? i loved this story, and am sorry to see it come to an end. But Charlie Bear says his mom is going to write a book about his escapades, and so somethings must end so others can begin! i should have blogged about this site earlier, but the blog will still be up and running (i hope) with links to the archives! Check back with me or on her blog to find out when BJ will have the book available. i'll keep you posted!

The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir

Product Description

How much money would it take for you to betray the truth? Ex-homicide detective Ray Quinn never had glamorous thoughts of the life of a private investigator-but being cornered in a bathroom stall by the enraged philandering husband of a client? That's something he could live without. Retired from homicide and living with a painful disability, Ray's options are limited. Stick to the job, keep impetuous sidekick Crevis alive, and spend quiet evenings with trusted pal Jim Beam, that's about the best he can hope for.
As a new client emerges, Ray finds himself in an impossibly large boardroom holding a check with enough zeros to finally lift him from his financial pit. The job seems easy enough: find Logan Ramsey, an ex-cop turned security officer who's taken off with sensitive corporate information. But few things are easy in Ray's world, regardless of the amount of zeros in the check.

MY REVIEW

This is the first of the Ray Quinn novels that i have read. Actually, it is also the first one of Mark Mynheirs that i have read.  Although this is not the first book in the series, i had no trouble following through. Enough is said about Ray Quinn’s history to bring the reader up to the present time. 

The pace was a little slower than i usually expect from a suspense novel, but since i have never read any of Mark’s novels before, i can’t say whether this is typical for a Ray Quinn novel or not. Also, i was reading it on my kindle for pc, which might have made a difference.

It is a well written crime novel with enough twists in the plot to keep me reading it and enough clues are given to make you think you know what is coming. Some of the things took me by complete surprise, which a good suspense novel should. The characters are well rounded, and believable and the story flows smoothly from one scene to the next.  I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys police crime fiction, and personally, i will be looking for more of Mark’s novels!

I received this book as an ebook free from Blogging For Books a division of WaterbrookMultnomah Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to make a positive review. The opinions stated are my own.

The Journey - Wanda E Brunstetter

 

Publisher's Description

Now a New York Times and USA Today Besteller! Discover along with Titus Fisher how life can begin anew in Christian County, Kentucky. Moving from Pennsylvania, finding rewarding work, and leaving a broken romance behind is the best decision Titus ever made. But is he ready to consider love again when he meets two women: one who seems perfectly suited for any Amish man and one who challenges long held ideas of the woman’s role. Who will Titus choose, and will it be the right choice?

MY REVIEW

Another book i had started a while ago, and returned to finish it for the read-a-thon. Wanda Brunstetter is a well know author writing about the Amish. i picked this book up out of a bargain box, to read and review. With so many Amish novels out there, one would think that what can be written about them, has already been written,  but obviously we don't really think so or we as readers would not be picking the newest on the matket up to read! i personally am glad that Wanda is still writting them. She combines sorrow and humor, joy and soberness in delightful ways. Though this book is like a lot of Wanda's novels, she still kept me guessing, and i had to keep turning pages to find out what happened. There were some surprising twists to this one. i would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Amish novels, or Wanda Brunstetter books. i give this one a 4.5 out of a possible 5 because, though it is very well written, and you feel part of the story, i will not likely read it again, but only because there are so many more great books and authors out there.

The Hamilton Heir - Valerie Hansen

The Gossip Guru

…hears tough tycoon Tim Hamilton—the legitimate son currently running Hamilton Media for his ailing father—was seen squiring his assistant, Dawn Leroux, around town last week. Inside information is that Tim wrecked Dawn's car and offered to lend her a replacement, but her concern was with the people on her meal-delivery route. Only time will tell if the lovely Ms. Leroux's sweet nature can tame Tim's all-business beast and turn him into a human being.


M REVIEW

i started this book one afternoon, and finished it on Monday. It is not a new book, but i picked it up at a bargain bin, and decided i needed some that was quick, fun and not one with a lot of depth to it. The story is well written, and Varerie does a great job of bringing the people and places to life. The characters are well-rounded, and there was enough humor that it kept me reading. This one gets a 4 out of a possible 5 stars. Again, i will not read it through the second time (there are just too many great authors and novels out there that i would not reread most of my books) but will recommend it to anyone who needs a book to relax with.

Will hidden secrets destroy the love they’ve built?

In the early 1800’s, the wondrous land of Australia is full of possibilities as settlers stake their claims. Hannah and John settle their own piece of land in New South Wales and have hopes of starting a family, but their dreams for the future are clouded with trouble.

As they try unsuccessfully to have a baby, Hannah suffers from guilt over her past. What she hasn’t told her husband about this chapter of her life haunts her and threatens to destroy their relationship.

MY REVIEW

This is another book i bought at a Christian Bookstore, and i read this for the read-a-thon as well. Bonnie Leon is an author i really like, and this novel was no different in that respect. i like to read about Australia, and Bonnie does a grand job of discribing life and land in the early 1800s. She uses words to vividly protray the landscape, and the reader is transported to an era when Australia was being populated by the British. It is a story of longing, of danger, but also of bright hope. The characters are well-rounded, and you feel like you are walking their path with them. i would give this a 4.5 out of a possible 5 stars, only because i will not likely read it a second time, but would recommend it highly to others.

Just Between You and Me - Jenny B. Jones

 

Just Between You and Me - Jenny B. Jones. This is what i read for the read-a-thon

A novel of losing fear and finding God. Maggie lives life on the edge, seemingly unafraid of anything. But the image she so carefully constructed is coming undone. Her job as a videographer takes her around the world. She tells people’s stories, especially those of impoverished children. That’s when she feels most alive, like she’s making the world better. But when a secret from her past resurfaces, Maggie gets a call that sends her home. Her dad desperately needs her help. Her estranged sister has run off, leaving 8-year-old Riley in his care. She returns reluctantly, hoping to help her niece. There she reconnects with Cooper–a once awkward and shy, now handsome, veterinarian. Her feelings skyrocket when she’s with him, but she’s afraid if she shows him her true self, he’ll reject her. MY REVIEW This was the first of Jenny B. Jones novels i have read, and to be honest with you, i started it awhile ago, and now decided i needed to finish. I am very glad i did, and will be looking for more of Jenny's titles. The only reason i set it aside for a time was because it is written in the first person view, and if i have one written in third person, i will pick up the second novel instead of the first one. (this is just a personal preferance, and though i always enjoy them, it is just harder for me to get into them.) The story is very well written, dealing with many issues. The characters are well rounded, the scenery vividly described.  And though the subtitle says this is a novel of losing fear and finding God, it is also about relationships - parent/child, peers, aunt/niece. An up coming class reunion and it's subsequent pre-meetings deals with the expectations of young people starting out on life of their own and how far (or not) they have come in the years from graduation until now. Again, i would not give it 5 out of 5, because it is totally unlikely that i will read this one again, but i will look for Jenny's next book and read it, as well as recommending this book to others. This is another book i bought at a Christian Book store.

This was the first time i ever participated in anything like this Once Upon a Time Read-a-thon, so don't know if i got it right or not. Also, i know today was the last day, and though i read and read, i didn't blog and blog. So will see what comes of this.

i read The Bride Bargain by Kelly Eileen Hake

Product Description

Living on the wild American plains, Clara desperately wants to build a home and a future for herself and her aunt, despite her limited resources. When she approaches a lonely trader and strikes up a bargain with him to fool a headstrong doctor, will it lead to an unexpected avenue of romance for Clara?

 

My Review

Kelly tells a delightful tale. The characters are well developed and Kelly uses words wisely to paint a vivid picture of life on the wagon trail in the mid 1800s. The main characters are strong, virtuous people. I enjoyed the life protrayed in the small town of Buttonwood, with it's many colorful people, the tension caused by some unknown (and only brought into the story for the sake of conflict) past happening. Although definitely a romance, i liked the humorous incidents Clara Fields and her friends find themselves in, even when these are of their own making. i would recommend this book to teenagers and adults who enjoy reading a clean, fun romance. i would give it 4 out of 5 stars, because though i enjoyed it immensely, i probably will not pick it up to read for the second time. i bought this book at a Christian bookstore.

i'm so glad to join you in this Monday Madness Hop. Welcome to my blog!
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