Book Reviews for Thanksgiving Week 2021
By Latisha Sexton
Even though his week has been busy (in a good way), I was able to read three novels and three novelleas. I hope these book reviews will help you find some new-to-you books and authors.
But first, a little about our Thanksgiving week.
The kids and I went to my sister’s house on Tuesday. We wanted to take pictures of my kids and her kids (they turned out amazing!) and also knock out some Christmas cookie decorating while we were there. It was a definite hit with the kids!
On Wednesday, we took all the kids to the park to meet with another homeschool mom. It was a warm day, except for the crazy wind and the kids had so much fun.
Our Thanksgiving day was pretty laid back and quiet (we didn’t have Thanksgiving dinner until Friday). The kids enjoyed being off school this week and momma enjoyed not having to teach them. haha
With all of that said, my reading this week had a wide variety and hit almost all the genres. There was one DNF (did not finish) in my reading because 1) it seemed really slow and boring and 2) it had content that I couldn’t support.
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Shadow Hand by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
The entire Goldstone Woods series is just incredibly well written. The world that Anne Elisabeth Stengl has created is fresh and enchanting (in more ways than one!) Shadow Hand is the 6th book in the Goldstone Woods series. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much because Foxbrush and Daylily were never my favorite characters. But, I should know by now to trust anything Stengl writes! My favorite thing about this book was how so many stories were tied together (please, please read this series in order!). I loved revisiting old characters from previous books. It’s extremely impressive how she was able to take the stories and characters from book one and weave it into the rest of the books. My least favorite thing about this book (and it was still not enough to take off a star) was 1) we got to revisit pretty much everyone except Rose Red-who is my favorite character in the series-and 2) there were some unfinished character arcs that I really wanted to see happen. I’m hoping that there will be mention of it in the next book or two, but I’m not getting my hopes up. Especially since I know she’s no longer writing Goldstone Woods books *cue sobbing*. Still, these books are so worth the read and I wish, wish, wish someone would turn these into movies of LOTR level epicness! Check out my previous post here to read about book 5, Dragonwitch. |
Last to Know, A Christmas Novella by Brandy Heineman
Last to Know is a sweet Christmas novella by Brandy Heineman about the healing that comes with forgiveness and offering grace to those who’ve hurt us. Nadine Notaro and her co-worker, Chase Garren, are devastated when the city cuts the funding to the Blissford Historical Society where they work. Not only that, but they are turning the historical building into a theater. It is the only thing left that is holding Nadine together after a horrible year for her family. As the two pack up the Society’s records, they make a discovery connected with a decades-old murder. Chase and Nadine work together to solve the mystery, bringing them closer to answers and to each other. But when evidence points to a betrayal that Nadine never expected, can grace and forgiveness hold the remaining pieces of her life together? Or will it all come crashing down around her? I really enjoyed this novella and was glad to see well-rounded character development and an intriguing storyline! I do wish there would’ve been just a bit more *something* in the book, but overall, it was a great read. This author is new to me, but I absolutely loved how everything pointed back to God, faith, and forgiveness. I will definitely be checking out more books by her and recommend this book to anyone looking for a Christmas who-done-it plus sweet romance. |
The Sorcerer and the Swan Princess by Lucy Temptest
The third book of this week was The Sorcerer and the Swan Princess by Lucy Temptest. This retelling of The Swan Princess had so many twists and turns and was a fun read. I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this novella, but I was pleasantly surprised. Also, can we just take a moment to talk about how incredibly beautiful this cover is? Okay, back to the book review. The story follows Princess Ava who is getting ready to be named heir to the throne. Except her evil twin sister, Lina, has other plans for her. Lina hires a sorcerer to “get rid” of Ava, allowing her to step into her sister’s shoes without anyone the wiser-not even the Prince who Ava was going to marry. After being knocked out, Ava wakes up to find that she’s not only been kidnapped, but she’s no longer human. She’s taken on the shape of a swan and her captor, the infamous Dietrich Von Rothbart, has no plans of letting her return home. But…is Dietrich the monster he seems to be? Or is there more to the story than meets the eye? Overall, this was a decent read and I really enjoyed the world the author created. I kept getting Harry Potter vibes from it. It was fast-paced and had a great plot, however, I do think it could have been fleshed out more. I would have really liked to see this as a full-length novel. The beginning seemed to happen too quickly. It would have been nice to see some character development with the sisters. Why did Lina hate her so much? Was there more to it than just Ava being the named heir? What shaped Lina into being so spiteful? We don’t see anything like that in the book. Still, a fun, short read for those who love fantasy, magic, and fairy tales. |
My Hope is Found by Joanne Bischof
I don’t even know what I can say to do this series justice. The entire series is gripping and heartwrenching with so many layers of faith, grace, and forgiveness woven throughout.
My Hope is Found is the third book in the Cadence of Grace by Joanne Bischof. The previous two books were amazing (book two was an absolute tear-jerker).
My heart was pounding wildly in several parts. At one point, I found myself saying, “No, no, no, no…” out loud. haha
Lonnie Sawyer has had her heart broken several times over by Gideon. But now he’s out of her life and she’s struggling to pick up the pieces. Until she meets the new Reverand. Toby is a good, godly man. And he loves Lonnie. As the two grow closer, her battered heart slowly starts to heal.
When Gideon shows up on her doorstep, Lonnie is faced with an impossible choice.
One man holds her love and past…and a wounded heart. While the other holds the promise of blossoming love…without the pain.
I don’t want to say more for fear of spoiling the series. And you absolutely HAVE to read these books in order.
All I have to add is if you don’t mind shedding a few tears when reading, then this series is an absolute must-read. I promise, you won’t regret it.
You and Me, a Misty River Novella by Becky Wade
I was so excited to travel back to Misty River for this sweet, Christmas romance by Becky Wade. I pre-ordered You and Me a couple of months ago and have been anxiously awaiting its arrival on my Kindle.
Becky Wade is an incredible storyteller and her books never disappoint. She’s one of the few authors whose novellas I enjoy. I find that most novellas lack character depth and plot. But not hers.
This is such a cute, fun story. Connor Bryant has had a crush on his friend, Shay Seaver, since middle school. Even though the years and distance kept them apart, he never forgot her. Now, he’s back in Misty River taking care of his mom who has ALS.
Connor is finally ready to open up to Shay about his feelings for her, but, he has a creative idea to increase his chances and get him closer to her in the process. He tells Shay that there’s a special someone he wants to ask out. But, he asks Shay to help him with his appearance and dating game before he does.
Shay agrees without hesitation. Connor is a great guy and she wants to see him happy. Plus, it gives her something to keep her mind off of her former boyfriend. But, as she spends more time getting reaquanted with Connor, she becomes jealous of his mystery woman.
Will Connor find the courage to tell Shay how he feels? And if he does, how will Shay respond?
I loved the characters in this book and how they interacted with one another. I also loved the sneak peek into seeing some of the characters from previous books. It can be read as a stand-alone, but it would spoil some of the other books, so I would advise reading them in order.
This book would make a perfect Hallmark Christmas movie!
Mind Games by Nancy Mehl
My last book of the week was Mind Games by Nancy Mehl. It’s the first book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series. This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out who the killer is.
Kaely Quinn was 14 years old when her dad was captured and revealed to be a serial killer. After his arrest, her family fell apart. Now, Kaely works for the FBI as a profiler and analyst with a unique gift and strategy of getting into the mind of monsters just like her dad.
But, when one of those monsters decides to make Kaely the target of his new twisted game, will she be able to stop him? Or will he succeed in his goal of taking Kaely out?
Okay, I can’t wait to read the rest of this series. I kept getting Prodigal Son vibes from it. No, not prodigal son like the Bible story, but Prodigal Son, the TV show starring, Tom Payne and Michael Sheen.
The one and only issue I had with it, was that sometimes the FBI/police jargon was just a bit overwhelming. It wasn’t that it was detailed…it was that there would be like two or three pages full of the jargon and it felt as if it took away from the story just a bit. But, I also understand making it as realistic as possible and letting readers see which department handles what. So, it wasn’t enough of an issue to keep me from giving it less stars on Goodreads or from recommending it to others!
And I will definitely be reading the rest of the series!
Weekly Recap...
That’s my weekly roundup of book reviews for the week of Thanksgiving.
My favorite read this week was probably My Hope is Found. I was so glad to finally have all the unanswered questions wrapped up.
Mind Games was my favorite for a new-to-me-author. Seriously, if you love mystery and suspense, read this series!
What books are you reading or are on your soon-to-be-read-pile?
Right now, I am reading Aftermath by Terri Blackstock and I have several Christmas books to read after I finish it. And if you come back next weekend, you can read my reviews of those!
