“A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest” by JA Myhre ~ Book Review

 

“A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest” by J.A. Myhre

Middle grade fiction

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

About the Book:

Ten-year-old Mu, orphaned as a toddler, has lived his entire life in the heart of Africa. For as long as he can remember, he has served in the household of a great-uncle where he is unloved and ignored. In his drudgery-filled life, Mu has little hope of happiness and little hope that anything will ever change. But one day everything does change. On his way to draw water one morning, Mu is astonished when a chameleon greets him by name and announces that they will embark on a quest together. And what a quest it turns out to be! Mu faces danger and finds unexpected allies as they journey through an everchanging landscape. Through his adventure, Mu learns many things about himself. Along with Mu, you will walk through Africa, encountering good and evil. Read carefully and you just may find out who you are too.

 

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

The cover of this book is quite endearing, and the illustrations inside are lovely as well.The writing style flowed really well, and I found this to be an interesting tale. It’s middle grade fiction, I believe, though I’m not honestly sure which age I would personally recommend it to. For sensitive readers/children I would definitely warn that there are serious subjects, and one scene that I found particularly upsetting. I at first thought it was a bit of an allegory, but upon finishing the book, that point never became clear, and I felt was a bit on the harsh side for a children’s book. The spiritual thread I also found to be unclear. I enjoyed the tale itself, and the journey the boy, Mu, takes is enjoyable to follow along with, but to be completely honest, by the end of the book I felt a bit unsettled by the spiritual aspect of it.So while mostly cute, and I liked the setting and adventure, I’m not sure it was my cup of tea.

“The Yellow Lantern” by Angie Dicken ~ Book Review

 

 

“The Yellow Lantern” by Angie Dicken

Part of the True Colors crime series

Review copy through Barbour Publishing

My rating: 4 out 5 Stars

 

About the Book:

Josephine Is Forced to Spy for Grave Robbers
Step into True Colors — a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime

In Massachusetts in 1824, Josephine Clayton awakes on the table of the doctor she’s assisted all these months. She was presumed dead by all and has become the doctor’s next corpse for his medical research. Frightened, the doctor tries to kill her, but Josephine begs to be spared. A deal is struck–Josie will leave her village and work at a distant cotton mill. All the while, she’ll await her true mission–posing as a mourner to help his body snatcher procure her replacement. At the mill though, Josie is praised for her medical remedies among the mill girls, gaining attention from the handsome factory manager Braham Terrance. Yet, when Braham’s own loved one becomes the prey for the next grave robbing, Josie must make a choice that could put her dark past behind her or steal away the promise of any future at all.

What price will Josie pay for love when her secrets begin to unravel?

 

My Thoughts:

 

This is the second book I’ve read apart of the True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime Series, and I’m enjoying it so much. They are so fascinating! Being based on true crime, they kind of focus on the…darker aspects of life, however, they aren’t too heavy or scary-dark that they are off-putting, in my opinion. :) “The Yellow Lantern” tells the story of grave-robbers – what a morbid occupation for certain! As I said, I find the true crime stories really interesting, and this was no exception. The heroine, Josephine Clay, was a lovely character and easy to root for. Hero Braham was an upstanding character with a story to tell as well, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow.I look forward to reading more from this intriguing and enjoyable series!

 

 

 

**I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher; all opinions in my review are my own – I was not required to write a review.

“Like a Winter Snow” by Lindsay Harrel ~ Book Review

 

“Like a Winter Snow” by Lindsay Harrel 

A Port Willis Novella

Review ecopy from the author

My rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

About the Book:

In this standalone holiday novella, return to the charming Cornish village readers fell in love with in The Secrets of Paper and Ink.
Women’s counselor Joy Beckman has always been a friend and helper to all. That’s why she’s given up everything to be with her parents as her mother suffers through Alzheimer’s. Joy may not have a thriving career or a love life at the moment, but she’s doing what she does best—taking care of others. And even though it’s difficult, she knows it’s where she is supposed to be.
But life throws a curveball when she has to leave her parents temporarily to travel to Cornwall, England, for the Christmas-time wedding of her best friend. While there, Joy helps Sophia tackle her last-minute to-do list, and in the process, finally meets a man who turns her head—and her heart. The only problem? He lives in snowy London, and her life is with her parents back in sunny Florida.
She tries to resist Oliver Lincoln’s charms, but it’s harder than it should be. With her heart torn in two, Joy is forced to choose between a life she knows she’s meant for and the one she didn’t see coming.

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

I do believe that this was a deliciously perfect winter novella! It was so sweet, with such a beautiful message, and I just connected to the story so much in the short amount of time given! It gave such a warm feeling and winter glow, with the soft touches of the Christmas holiday.Joy Beckman was such a well constructed character, and I felt like we really got to know her a lot better, even though this was a short story. And I loved seeing the familiar characters from The Secret of Paper and Ink! So special to return to Port Willis.If you’re looking for a sweet, but meaningful novella with lovely romance and that warm winter feeling, definitely check this one out! I loved how the  the point was shown that with God nothing is impossible. That message was poignant and beautiful, and I really didn’t want this story to end!

 

 

**I was provided an ecopy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.  

 

 

Book Sleeve Review – Lulu Book Design//Minnie and Mickey Mouse print

LuLu Book Designs Book Sleeve, Minnie and Mickey design

 

 

 

I had the extreme privilege of receiving this Minnie and Mickey Mouse pattern book sleeve from LuLu Book Designs for review! So without further ado, here are my thoughts about this sleeve:

First off, it is so adorable! I may be in my twenties, but I have a major soft spot for Minnie and Mickey Mouse. :) Minnie was always my favorite when I was younger, and I have many Minnie Mouse themed items. Which was one of the reasons I was so excited to add this to my collection. The print really is just darling – the different travel themed Minnies and Mickeys …so cute! And it is exceptionally well made! The padding is thick and strong, without being too stiff, and it is super durable. I’ve been using it a lot since I got it, and I can say that I am so pleased with it! The quality really is excellent. And I love the inside fabric being such a cheery yellow – it really brings the whole sleeve together!

I definitely recommend LuLu Book Design sleeves – they are gorgeous, well made, and affordable too!

Very thankful to add this beautiful sleeve to my collection. :)

 

 

 

(this photo is taken from the etsy listing)

 

 

 

 

(I share more pictures on my instagram – @vikinglady10)

“Unscripted” by Davis Bunn ~ Review

 

“Unscripted” by Davis Bunn

Contemporary Fiction

Review copy through Revell Reads

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

About the Book:

Young line producer Danny Byrd is well-known in Hollywood for being someone who gets things done on time and under budget. But when his reputation takes a beating after his partner–and former best friend–makes off with their investors’ money, Danny has but one chance to redeem himself and restore his ruined career.
LA lawyer Megan Pierce has sacrificed years of her life proving herself to her impossible bosses only to find herself disgusted at their snobbery and their specious business practices. When an opportunity to actually make a difference comes her way, she knows she has to grab it–even though she’s not entirely clear what “it” is.
Danny and Megan are each other’s best hope for redemption. What they never could have imagined was that they might also be each other’s best hope for love.
Bestselling and award-winning author Davis Bunn takes you into the beating heart of Hollywood with two characters determined to thrive in a cutthroat business.

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

This was the first book I’ve had the plasure of reading by this author and I was quite impressed by the writing talent. The story moved along smoothly, and you could tell the filming aspect was well-researched to add an authenticity that really enriched the story. I found the ploit line intriguing, and enjoyed watching how it unfolded. The characters were interesting, and I thought that Danny Byrd made a good lead character.The romance aspect was tame which I appreciated, though it felt like it was missing the chemestry. I knew the two characters liked each other because the novel told me so, but I didn’t really connect to their story together.The faith strand was extremely light, only mentioned a couple of times with no clear “redemption” or completion arc. I was expecting Danny to find what he was searching for in Christ, but it seemed more that he found it through Megan, which rather disappointed me because there was great potential for things to be turned back to Christ.

The ending was sweet, and it was good to see how the whole project portrayed throughout the novel was brought to completion.

 

 

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. 

“The Inn at Hidden Run” by Olivia Newport ~ Book Review

The Inn at Hidden Run by Olivia Newport

Book One in the Tree of Life series

Review copy through publishers

My rating: 4 out 5 stars

About the Book:

Meri’s family has been producing doctors for so many generations that no one remembers why, so when she flunks out of medical school, she runs as far from her parents as she can get. In the small mountain town of Canyon Mines, Colorado, she takes a job at the Inn at Hidden Run B&B. And waits. It’s only a matter of time.

What she doesn’t count on is genealogist Jillian Parisi-Duffy and her father, Nolan, having her back when it takes everything she has not to bolt again but to stay and face the truth that only unfolding her family’s history will reveal. While Nolan works on keeping Meri calm–and in town–Jillian pulls out of her gems of information she doesn’t know she has and arranges the puzzle pieces.

But none of that changes the fact that Meri’s family is closing in to haul her back to her “real” life. When their arrival inflames tensions and Meri finally does bolt, Nolan and Jillian may be out of time.

 

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

I love the cover of this novel – so attractive! And the title is drawing, too. :) The backcover blurb threw me off a little once I started the book – I thought I was embarking on a journey mainly through character Meri’s POV, but she never actually got her own POV, and while her story was the mainplot, I’d say the central characters where more so Jillian and her father Nolan. Whom I really enjoyed, I was just a little confused at the beginning.

All of the characters were really well written, and I think I have to say that Nolan was my favorite. ^.^ His character was light-hearted, yet meaningul with a great sense of humor.What I also didn’t know going into this book is that it is a time-slip novel, so we also delved into a historical time period which was also fascnating, and also heartbreaking as it dealt with the serious epedemic of yellow fever.The conclusion of the two stories and how they were threaded together was equally well-done, and I enjoyed seeing its completion!All in all, this was a very interesting book, one that I enjoyed, and I would look forward to reading more of this series.

 

**I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.  

“Shanty by the Sea” by Kelli Pizarro

 

“Shanty by the Sea” by Kelli Pizarro

Novella

Review copy from the author

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

About the Book:

Scarlett Cooper’s goals in life up to this point have been simple enough: run The Little Latte coffee shop by day and finish a novel-in-the-making by night. When her creative writing juices dry up, she visits the local bookstore for inspiration and leaves with a flier promoting an upcoming writer’s retreat in Cape Cod.
When announced as a winner, Scarlett crosses the state line from New Hampshire into Massachusetts. What she doesn’t realize is the retreat is themed The Great Writers of History, and she has been selected to play the part of starving artist Charles Dickens.
Hilarity ensues as Scarlett dresses in costume and competes against two fellow writers playing the parts of Jane Austen and William Makepeace Thackeray, spends her nights in a tiny shack on a cliff overlooking the sea, and finds herself developing feelings for a local man hired to tend to the retreat pet: a decrepit donkey named Janet.
Although things at the retreat don’t run as smoothly as Scarlett had hoped, and the competitive nature of the other writers tests her in a way reminiscent of Job who lost half his donkeys (one of which was probably named Janet), she learns that no amount of adversity is worth letting go of one’s dreams. 

 

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

I loved how this book was written. It was very witty, and fun, and easy to follow along with. I was already laughing by the first page, and I really liked the main character, Scarlett! The plotline of her going to a writer’s retreat was great fun and I felt indignant against some of the things that happened to her too – got rather involved. ^.^

The only thing that I wasn’t quite as in love with was the romance – I admit I was expecting a different ending, and while this ending was sweet, I had hoped for a different result (aka, love-interest). The romance was written well and I did like it, I just was kind of surprised by the turn it took in the second half when I rooted for a different turn. :) But yes, very fun, clean story, and I really liked the author’s writing style – would love to read more by her in the future!  Plus the cover is beautiful!!