BOOK REVIEW: Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond

Blurb:

Hundreds of miles from home, Susannah faces an uncertain future as a mail-order bride on the untamed Dakota prairie.

When her parents die suddenly, and no suitors call, Susannah resigns herself to the only option available: becoming a mail-order bride. Agreeing to marry her pastor's brother, Jesse, Susannah leaves the only home she's ever known for the untamed frontier of the Dakota Territory.

Her new husband is more loving and patient with her than she believes she deserves. Still, there is also a wildness to him that mirrors the wilderness surrounding them. And Susannah finds herself constantly on edge. But Jesse's confidence in her—and his faith in God's perfect plan—slowly begin to chip away at the wall she hides behind.

When she miscarries in the brutal Dakota winter, Susannah's fledgling faith in herself and in God begins to crumble. Still, Jesse's love is unwavering. Just when it seems like winter will never end, Susannah finally sees the first tentative evidence of spring. And with it, the realization that more than the landscape has changed.

She looks to the future with a renewed heart. Yet in her wildest dreams, she couldn't predict all that awaits her.



My Review:

I really enjoyed reading “Spring for Susannah” by Catherine Richmond. It was definitely a well-written novel, that was able to draw the reader in and allow for the reader to lose themselves in the book. The book had the perfect amount of suspense and unexpected events to really keep the reader involved in the novel. I really enjoyed reading about the relationship developing between Jesse and Susannah. It was such a pure romance that came about from such a strange situation. One would not expect a story about a mail order bride to end up being inspirational and tender, but the author somehow is able to pull it off. 

The characters really came across as ‘real’ people. The author did a great job with describing these people, and allowing them to really become ‘real’ for the reader. The author’s writing style is smooth and clear, and the dialogue between characters is interesting and helps the reader get to know them better.

The novel did slow down a little in the middle and drag a little, but overall it was a really good read. I would recommend it to any lover of historical fiction, especially those who are looking for historical fiction that doesn’t have any type of ‘smut’ and is an easy read.

I give this novel a FOUR out of FIVE stars.


About the Author:

Catherine Richmond was focused on her career as an occupational therapist until a special song planted a story idea in her mind. That idea would ultimately become Spring for Susannah, her first novel. She is also a founder and moderator of Nebraska Novelists critique group and lives in Nebraska with her husband.

Reviews for Spring for Susannah:

Inspired by hymn lyrics, Richmond arrives on the inspirational fiction scene with a moving debut novel.Readers will be filled with hope that Susannah will learn the true meaning of love. Highly recommended where inspiring, romantic historical fiction is in demand. --Booklist

...charming inspirational story about a man's extreme faith, a woman's bravery, and God's amazing grace. Catherine Richmond has penned a treasure in her debut novel, SPRING for SUSANNAH. She gives realistic details of life in the 1870's, works in a good measure of inspiration, and just the right amount of romance. This is truly a must read! -FreshFiction.com -- Fresh Fiction

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BLOG TOUR: The Collector of Dying Breaths by M.J. Rose

"It is with irony now, forty years later, to think that if I had not been called a murderer on the most frightening night of my life, there might not be any perfume in Paris today. And that scent—to which I gave my all and which gave me all the power and riches I could have hoped for—is at the heart of why now it is I who call myself a murderer."  

From The Collector of Dying Breaths

"Perfume puts the finishing touch to elegance - a detail that subtly underscores the look, an invisible extra that completes a woman's personality. Without it there is something missing." ―Gianni Versace 

Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Atria Books
Hardcover; 384p
ISBN-10: 1451621531

Tour Schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/collectorofdyingbreathstour

Tour Hashtag: #DyingBreathsTour

Blurb:

From one of America’s most imaginative storytellers comes a passionate tale of love and treachery, spanning the days of

Catherine de Medici’s court to the twenty-first century and starring a woman drawn back, time and again, to the past.

In 1533, an Italian orphan with an uncanny knack for creating fragrance is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. To repay his debt, over the years René le Florentine is occasionally called upon to put his vast knowledge to a darker purpose: the creation of deadly poisons used to dispatch the Queen’s rivals.

But it’s René’s other passion—a desire to reanimate a human breath, to bring back the lives of the two people whose deaths have devastated him—that incites a dangerous treasure hunt five centuries later. That’s when Jac L’Etoile—suffering from a heartache of her own—becomes obsessed with the possibility of unlocking Rene’s secret to immortality.

Soon Jac’s search reconnects her with Griffin North, a man she’s loved her entire life. Together they confront an eccentric heiress whose art collection rivals many museums and who is determined to keep her treasures close at hand, not just in this life but in her next.

Set in the forest of Fontainebleau, crisscrossing the lines between the past and the present, M.J. Rose has written a mesmerizing tale of passion and obsession. This is a gothic tale perfect for fans of Anne Rice, Deborah Harkness, and Diana Galbadon.

Praise for The Collector of Dying Breaths

“History, mystery, ambition, lust, love, death and the timeless quest for immortality…a riveting tale of suspense.” – B.A.Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of The Art Forger

“Mysterious, magical, and mythical…what a joy to read!” – Sara Gruen, New York Times bestselling author.

My Review:

“The Collector of Dying Breaths” is a sweet love story with some very intriguing twists. I liked that the mysterious aspect of the novel is introduced early, the reader is kept guessing, and as you get closer to the end, you’re definitely on the edge of your seat with some of the twists that take place! I really liked that the point of view switched between Rene in the 16^th century and Jac in the 21^st century. I’m usually not interested in reading novels that have a paranormal aspect to them, but the paranormal was introduced so subtly that it helped to make it more believable for me.  Jac’s story is great, and I love how the author created such a believable and interesting personality with her. I also loved her connection with Griffin, it literally stands the test of time and is so sweet that as a reader you really care about them and are rooting for them to make it. Also, the overall intrigue of any novel dealing with the De Medici family is fascinating, and it really brought the historical aspect of the novel to life for me, which was definitely my favorite part.

I wish that more time was spent on Rene’s life. The majority of the novel is spent in the present, and as a historical fiction fan, I wish more time would have been spent describing his life in Catherine De Medici’s court. I was able to get lost in time while reading the parts of the novel that took place during that time period, and I definitely would have enjoyed reading more about it.

Overall this was a great read. I loved the historical fiction aspect of the novel, and I also really enjoyed the intrigue. I was able to suspend my disbelief when it came to the paranormal aspects of the novel, and I ended up really liking the paranormal parts of the novel. I would defnitely recommend this novel to anyone interested in paranormal fiction or in historical fiction.

I give this novel a FIVE out of FIVE stars.

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About the Author

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of fourteen novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the ’80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors – Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose’s novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

MY FIERCE HIGHLANDER by Vonda Sinclair: Review

Blurb:

Gwyneth Carswell, an English lady banished by her father to the harsh Scottish Highlands, wants nothing more than to take her young son away from the violence of two fighting clans--her own distant kin, the MacIrwins, and their enemies, the MacGraths. She risks everything to rescue the fierce MacGrath warrior from the battlefield where he’s left for dead by her clan. She only knows she is inexplicably drawn to him and he wants peace as she does. When her clan learns of her betrayal, they seek vengeance. Dare she trust the enemy more than her own family?

Laird Alasdair MacGrath is driven to end two-hundred years of feuding with the MacIrwins. But by taking in and protecting Lady Gwyneth and her son, he provokes more attacks from his mortal enemy. As the danger and conflict surrounding them escalate, Alasdair and Gwyneth discover an explosive passion neither of them expected. With the arrival of a powerful man from her past, a horrible decision confronts her--give up her son or the man she loves.

My Review:

I love reading books that are set in Scotland or Ireland, so My Fierce Highlander by Vonda Sinclair immediately appealed to me, obviously because of its title! When an author takes the beautiful terrain of Scotland, adds a love story, and historical elements I’m happy. My Fierce Highlander started off a little slow for me, and for the first couple of chapters I struggled a little bit to get into the book. However, I liked her descriptions of the terrain of Scotland’s Highlands, and the characters were believable enough for me to become involved in their story, and once I was involved in the plot the book was hard to put down.

To me Gwyneth was definitely a more believable character to me than the main male character, Alasdair. She was a woman in the 1600’s who was sensual, but yet sought to hide the sensual side of herself, and felt guilty due to it, because it was not acceptable for her to express herself sexually. It’s changed quite a bit since then obviously, but as recently as 60 or so years ago it was still not really considered acceptable for woman. The only reason Alasdair is not as believable for me, is because he seems almost too perfect. His wife had died two years previously and he had yet to remarry or to even enjoy sex. Gwyneth helps to bring him “back to life” in a way. He is the Chieftain of his clan, and I guess I just found it a little unbelievable that he had not remarried in order to have heirs to follow him. In the 1600’s it seems like that was one of the main goals of men who were noble or wealthy, and it did not matter whether love came into the equation. Alasdair does gain the reader’s sympathy though, because he comes across as such a romantic hero, willing to risk his life for Gwyneth and her son. Gwyneth definitely comes across as the one with faults, and Alasdair occasionally comes across as clingy or needy when expressing his desire to wed Gwyneth. Overall I enjoyed reading the book, and it was a quick, fun read. I definitely recommend it to those that are fans of Historical Romance 

Novels, because I doubt you will be disappointed.

I feel good about giving this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

BUY MY FIERCE HIGHLANDER HERE!!

THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER by Suzie Grant: Review

Blurb:

A bounty hunter facing his past encounters a criminal on the run from her own.

Blaze Marie Austin is no longer the little girl forced to be an outlaw. Finding her chance at redemption, Blaze repays the man who’d saved her life. Only her savior’s estranged son accuses her of betrayal and ignites a passion she can’t deny.

Gade Ryder returned to Eden, Texas, after a twelve year absence to investigate a gang of rustlers on the family ranch. Has he accepted the job out of misplaced family loyalty or had the compelling mystery of the devil’s daughter convinced him to stay in the one place he didn’t want to be? Confronted by the memory of his mother’s suicide and the father he blames for her death, Gade seeks comfort from the one woman he couldn’t trust.

When the little criminal is accused of murder, Gade realizes his growing attraction for her could not only cost him his freedom, it may well cost him his life. 

My Review:

I loved this book! It was a great Historical Fiction Western Romance. The vivid scenes that Suzie Grant brings to mind with her beautiful descriptions of Texas, when it was still mostly ranch land, are amazing. I loved Blaze’s character as well. She was hard on the outside, but as a reader you were able to ascertain that beneath her hard exterior she is a lost soul. I was surprised when I realized she was only 19, because she seems so much older. When you continue to read you discover the reason why she seems so much older than she really is. Her life has been a series of hurt and heartaches. Anyone she has ever loved or trusted has betrayed her, including family. She was on her own at such a young age, and had committed shocking crimes when she was barely a pre-teen, because of the people that she was forced to travel with.

The reader begins to see Blaze’s vulnerability when she interacts with Gade. He’s the only man that a woman, who has spent her entire life being forced to be so strong, could ever fall for. Blaze needs a strong man who can love her and also keep her grounded, and Gade is the man. He’s definitely the perfect man for a Western Romance novel. He’s strong and fierce, but he also has baggage that he carries with him that makes him human.

I liked that this book wasn’t all about the sex and romance, yeah there were some good sex scenes, but there was a ton of action as well. The reader is able to really get to know the two main characters, and also some of the more minor characters. It’s easy to care for Gade and his family, and when misfortune befalls them, it’s easy to grieve for them. I think the author, Suzie Grant, did an excellent job at bringing the characters and the scenery in this novel alive, and I look forward to reading more novels by her in the future.

This book definitely deserves a 4 out of 5 stars.

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THE GIFTED ONES by Lisa Vaughn: Review

Blurb:

Lisa was conservatively raised in a Catholic family in no-where middle America, where excitement is scarce and dreams are for sleeping. Little did she know, at age thirteen, she would suddenly find herself on a totally different path. Through an unlikely chance meeting of a fellow classmate, she's surprisingly mesmerized, almost consumed, to befriend a girl who is obviously from the other side of the tracks...the cool side. Lisa does whatever she has to just to be accepted into this small club of coolness. Little did she realize, she was signing up for a lot more than social status. The two best friends find themselves innocently taking their relationship to a foreign level neither had experienced or saw coming. A rollercoaster ride littered with choices and challenges Lisa never fathomed facing, especially in no-where middle America. She will find out what she is made of as she faces the consequences and struggles that come along with going against the grain. Throughout their six year relationship, you will witness a touching story of human nature at it's best...and at it's worst. Showing just how far the human spirit can be challenged and pushed to a point where your “fight or flight” instincts naturally kick in. Struggling just to survive in a world where you are not like everyone else, but at the same time you really are.

My Review:

This book was such a refreshing read for me. I rarely read memoirs or works of non-fiction, so the poignant honesty of this novel was such a nice break from the norm. Lisa Vaughn definitely has lived a life worth writing about, and her insight into the experiences she had are so revealing. I had never looked at love the way it happened with her. The idea that you could be a straight woman, and spend years loving another woman and being with her, was never something that I would have thought possible. I guess I looked at things as black and white; either you’re gay, bi, or straight. I had never thought of the grey areas, or of possibly falling in love with the person inside, rather than limiting yourself by only allowing yourself to fall in love with the person’s sex that you prefer. The love that this story deals with goes beyond the normal “love story” that we see all the time.

I also enjoyed reading about the struggles between Lisa and her mother. I think many young women go through a struggle of wills with their mothers, especially when they are alike in so many ways. I know that I went through a phase where I thought my mother was purposefully out to get me, and to ruin my life. Now, looking back at it, I realize how similar we were, and how often our arguments turned into a battle of wills between us…almost a battle for “power” in some ways.

I would definitely recommend this memoir. It makes you think of and view love in a new way. I think that it would appeal more to female readers, but some men would certainly enjoy it as well.

This novel was definitely a 5 star read for me.


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FAIR MAIDEN by Cheri Schmidt: Review **SPOILER ALERT**

Blurb:

It's the Victorian era in England, but Tessa is from the medieval past. She awakens within a castle she has never seen before. Knowledge of her name also evades her. However, even worse than not knowing who or where she is, she cannot recall how she died or why she is dressed as a bride. 

Along with Christian, the earl of the castle she haunts, Tessa tries to discover who she is and break the spell holding her in a prison of death. They never imagined the curse keeping them apart is the only thing protecting her, until it's too late.

My Review:

I had fun reading this book and getting to know the characters. I was a big fan of Tessa, and I really liked her story. She was entertaining and sweet, the only thing that started to get a little old with her was the crying. She seemed to cry over everything! Obviously she was in a crappy situation, where she spent most of the book confused and not knowing who she truly was, but it seemed like she spent the majority of the time crying. She obviously was very emotional, and if I were a doctor I would probably prescribe her with some serious Prozac! 

The main plot of this novel was trying to figure out who Tessa really is. Christian, the young man who ‘found’ Tessa, is her sidekick turned love-of-her-life who helps Tessa to discover why she was sleeping for a couple of hundred years, and why she comes back in a ghost-like form. Together they are able to figure out how to change her to real flesh and blood, like a human, but they need to figure out how to break the spell in order to keep her from randomly changing back into a translucent ghost-like individual. This novel has kind of a mystery feel to it with the reader working along with Christian and Tessa to try to figure out her past, and why cannot stay in her human form.

Christian was an interesting character, and I honestly didn’t like him very much. He was a little bit ‘over-the-top’ I would say. He gets angry over everything, and he’s also extremely jealous! Christian is the Earl of Krestly Castle, so possibly he felt entitled to act like a jerk because of his status as nobility? Several times he flips at the drop of a hat, and he’s described a lot as making “menacing” faces, or screaming at somebody in the novel. I feel like he’s a little bi-polar (yes, I am diagnosing the emotional problems of these characters!) because one minute he’ll be talking to Tessa like you might talk to a little kid, calling her pet names all of the time, and clinging to her constantly, then the next minute he’s angry or jealous, and he needs to know where she is at, at all times. I understand he’s concerned for her, but acting like a clingy, over bearing woman wouldn’t score any points with me! I wrote a note to myself at one point while reading that said, “He might be a nice catch if he wasn't in serious need of anger management therapy!” And, at the end of the novel I still felt that way!

This book was directed towards readers at a younger age than me. I think that it would more appropriate for a middle school student or a student in early high school.  Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the read and the humor was definitely for older as well as younger readers, but the relationship between Tessa and Christian was a little too juvenile for me.

As I said, I did enjoy the humor and there were several parts where I laughed out loud while reading! In one part of the book Christian and Tessa are kissing, and as he leans forward to kiss her more, she goes from her solid, human form back into her translucent, ghost like form and he falls ‘through’ her and smacks his head off the door!

There was also the ‘evil’ character, who is Prince Dominic. He was alive with Tessa a couple of hundred years ago, and she escaped marriage to him by “dying.” I don’t want to ruin the story with spoilers, but Dominic is an evil guy, and the reason Tessa has the issues with her human form and ghost form has to do with him.

This was a fun adventurous story, and it has a sweet, innocent love story that builds between Christian and Tessa throughout the book. As I said, I wasn’t a fan of Christian, because I think he is a little crazy, but altogether it was a good read that I would definitely recommend, but I think that younger readers will get much more enjoyment out of it than older readers.

I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars!

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Curry And Spice - 25 Easy and Authentic Indian Chicken Recipes by Kakoli DasGupta: Review

Blurb:

While much has been said and is being said about diet food, healthy cooking, low fat recipes - they can never do justice to the demands of delicacy. This book offers select 25 Chicken Recipes from all across India with cooking time, flavor, skill level, accompaniment, and an easy to follow preparation method. Also included are two super-fast recipes for the unannounced guest and recipe for home made spice mixes. Please do read the notes and cooking tips (at the end of the book) before you start.

This is the first book in a series. I will be shortly launching the Meat, Fish, Vegetable, and other Regional Specialties. I could have used glossy and fancy images but I have kept this book straight on basics. Place your Kindle, iPad or Laptop on your kitchen top, open the menu of your choice and cook on.

My Review:

Before receiving this review request I was not familiar with Authentic Indian food at all. I have only tried it maybe twice in my life, not because I don't like it, but because there are no Authentic Indian restaurants in my town or within an hour of where I live! Until reviewing this cookbook, I didn’t even know what went IN Indian food! 

I don't consider myself a terrible cook, but I rarely have a reason to cook at all. I don't see the point in cooking up an amazing meal for just me. I'm sure that someday when I'm married, or living with someone else, then I'll be able to work on my cooking skills, and a book like this would definitely be useful! Not only are the recipes absolutely delicious looking, but they are also relatively easy to  make! People don't generally want a cooking book where the recipes show that you need to slave over a stove for at least an hour! The author of this cookbook lists things that you will need to make the dish, and also gives easy to follow instructions for creating the meal. 

The way that Kakoli DasGupta sets up the cooking instructions is very organized, and for someone like me who rarely cooks, it's important to have everything set up in order so that I don't get lost when I've barely begun!

I'm going to go ahead and copy one of the recipes into this review, because it's easier to SHOW everyone how everything is set up, rather than try to explain it!

 

Chicken Tikka

Cuisine - North Indian
Serves - 4 - 6
Cooking Time - 30 mins
Flavor - Moderate Spicy
Difficulty - easy
Goes well with - Nan / Chapati / Tandoori Roti
Ingredients
Boneless chicken (small one inch size cubes/pieces) - 1 kg

For MarinadeYoghurt/Curd - 1 cup
Salt - 2 tsp / as per taste
Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder (Kashmiri)- 1 tsp
Black pepper powder - ½ tsp
Mustard oil/Vegetable Oil-3 tbsp

For FryingVegetable Oil- 3 tbsp

For BastingMelted Butter
Chat Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp

For GarnishingTwo Large Onion - cut in rings
One Lemon - cut in wedges
Fresh Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp Chopped

PreparationChicken Tikka can be shallow fried or grilled.
Marinate the chicken in a shallow non-metal dish - mix all the ingredients with curd
thoroughly - apply onto the chicken pieces and refrigerate overnight (minimum 4 - 6
hours.

Grilling Option

For grilling thread the chicken in skewers and then marinade in a shallow dish. Heat grill.
Place the skewered chicken on grill rack and cook 5 minutes, turning skewers and basting
occasionally with butter. Keep a glass tray below the skewers to collect the drippings.
Frying Option
Heat the oil in a non - stick pan and fry all the chicken pieces on a very low flame turning
them around. Allow the water to dry and fry till reddish brown in color.
Sprinkle the Chat Masala when done. Serve hot, garnished with onion rings, coriander
leaves and lime slices.

If I can look at a recipe for food that I am not familiar with, and I can figure it out, well then it's a good cookbook! I enjoyed looking at the different recipes that are in this book, and there are recipes here that I will definitely use in the future!

As I said,I am not familiar with cookbooks, but the way it is set up, and the amazing recipes that this book contains, makes this a 5 STAR book! 

Note from the Author:

The most important ingredient of cooking is 'Love' - if you pour your heart while cooking, nothing can go wrong.

I love traveling and tasting exotic recipes. And when I come across great food I make it a point to talk with the chef. Be it in Kashmir or Coorg or Goa or Kerala I have come across amazing delicacies which I never knew existed. Traditional Indian food has a lot to offer and one can expect the most awesome recipe at the most unexpected places.

This book is a part of a series on Indian Recipes. Watch out for other issues being launched soon.

CLICK HERE TO BUY THIS COOKBOOK!

DOORWAY OF THE TRIQUETRA by Lenore Wolfe: Review

Blurb:

When an ancient medallion is passed down to her, Mira is not happy to learn she is the next Jaguar Witch, bound by the blood of the Jaguar, to cross the doorway and learn the Way of the Stone. She must find the Doorway of the Triquetra, but each move she makes only leads her to a deeper mystery, where all of her past lives are bound--to four immortal men.






My Review:

I admit that this book had me pretty lost. I liked the mystery of Mira Levine’s life, but it was almost TOO mysterious, as in by the end of Book One in the series, I still had NO idea what was happening. I understood that Book One is setting the reader up for Book Two in the series, but I don’t feel like I learned anything about the characters or the mystery surrounding them by the end of this four chapter book.  It seemed too short for me, and when I finish a book, whether it be a series book, a novella, or a full fledged novel; I want to know what the heck is going on! Another problem that I had was with the grammar. Way, way too many commas were used. I’m an English teacher, so maybe not everyone would pick up on the excessive comma usage, but it actually began to distract me from what I was reading!

I liked the supernatural events that were beginning to evolve in the story, but I just feel like the book could have been so much better if it had been longer, and had gone into more detail about Mira’s story. It just needed a little more excitement and depth. I won’t say I hated it, because I don’t believe I could ever hate a book, but it just was not one of my favorites. I hope the books following in the series have some serious excitement to make up for the lack in the first book!

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.


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