Bookshelf Review - July 2017

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July's Books Completed and Reviewed

My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude’s Mooring by Carrie Fancett Pagels - Maude wants to be allowed to run the inn that's been in her family for generations; Ben is a reporter working on a expose story that, if published, might embarrass Maude and her family.  (Read my full review HERE.)

As he biked towards Maude's home Saturday morning, Ben couldn't stop wondering what on earth Maude Welling was doing working at the Grand Hotel. Was she scoping out a wealthy husband? Or had her family fallen on such hard times that she had to work? Or did they send her there to spy on their competition?

The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer - Jack Carstares took the blame for his brother Richard's disgrace and gave up his rightful title so that Richard could marry the woman he loved. Years later Jack finds a woman he wants to marry but doesn't want to risk the scandal hurting her. At the same time, although Richard doesn't know Jack's dilemma, he is determined to set things right - but if might cost him his wife. (Read my full review HERE.)

Bit by bit my lord discovered that he was very much in love with Diana. At first his heart gave a great bound, and then seemed to stop with a sickening thud. he remembered that he could not ask her to marry him, disgraced as he was, and he immediately face the situation, realising that he must go away at once.

With You Always (Orphan Train) by Jody Hedlund - Elise is a poor immigrant hoping to make a better life for herself and her younger sisters by taking a job in a developing railway town. Thornton is the son of a wealthy railroad developer, and he's trying to make the town successful to win his father's respect and control of the company. Even as they are falling in love, Elise knows that she would never be considered a suitable wife for Thornton. (Read my full review HERE.)

But the more she lingered in his strong embrace, the guiltier she felt. She would only hold him back from all he was destined to do. A man of his position and and wealth could do great things if given the chance. And she wanted him to have that chance.

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh - I read and reviewed this series on Homeschool Coffee Break, but am posting reviews of each of the books separately here over the next little while. This is the first in the series. (Read my full review HERE.)



(Reviews coming soon for: Rush Revere and the First Patriots, Rush Revere and the American Revolution, Rush Revere and the Star-Spangled Banner, and Rush Revere and the Presidency; all by Rush Limbaugh and Kathryn Adams Limbaugh)

   

   

During July I started reading:

Barbara and Susan's Guide to the Empty Nest by Barbara Rainey and Susan Yates - I'll soon be posting my full review of this practical and hope-filled book about living purposefully as an empty nester.

This is why the emptying of our nest is such a shock to our system. When our children leave home, our identity walks out the door with them. Some of us may even feel that "me" dies when "they" leave. And we don't know how to find "me" again.

The Healers Apprentice and The Merchant's Daughter, both by Melanie Dickerson - Actually I just finished these two novels, so the reviews will be posting soon.  The Healer's Apprentice is about a peasant girl apprenticed to the village healer. She's captured the heart of the duke's son, but he is already betrothed to a young woman he's never met who is being kept in hiding to protect her from an enemy. Think 'Sleeping Beauty'.

How would it feel to be loved by the son of Duke Nicolaus of Hagenheim? To be loved for herself, her thoughts, her values? It would feel good . . . very, very good.

The Merchant's Daughter is based on the tale of 'Beauty and the Beast'. Annabel becomes an indentured servant to Lord le Wyse to pay her family's debt. He is feared by most of the village because of his scars and reputation for having a fierce temper, but Annabel finds that he is brave and kind, and that she is safe and happy under his protection.

The heavy weight in his chest grew more painful. But he wouldn't lash out at her. It wasn't her fault she didn't want to marry him. How could she fall in love with a beastly looking man like him?

Egypt's Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra by Angela Hunt - I've just started on this novel about the Hebrew daughter of a royal tutor brought up as a companion to the Egyptian princess.

Out of all the honored foster siblings who were privileged to be the princess's playmates, Urbi loved me most. We came into the world only weeks apart, we grew at the same pace, and when we were old enough to learn, we sat before the same tutors, one of whom was my father.

The Red Siren (Charles Towne Belles) by MaryLu Tyndall - This is a light historical romance with a pirate theme that I've read (but apparently haven't reviewed) before. I decided to re-read it, but it kind of went on hold recently.

Faith paced before the crew of the Flying Dragon, feeling their gazes scour over her and pierce her like grapeshot whenever she turned her back to them. But she was used to it. They no doubt suffered not only the shock of encountering a female pirate but also the humiliation of being captured by one.

Coming Up in August!

Fairy Tale Romance Collection: The Healer's Apprentice, The Merchant's Daughter, The Fairest Beauty, The Captive Maiden, The Princess Spy (Fairy Tale Romance Series) by Melanie Dickerson - well, the rest of the set! I've recently finished the first two.

And I don't yet know what else I'll read next!

This post will be linked at:

5 Minutes For Books - What's On Your Nightstand?
The Book Date - Month In Review - July
A Net In Time - Monthly Book Link-up

©2008-2017 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Scripture and a Snapshot - Revive Us

Will you not revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?

Show us your unfailing love, LORD,

and grant us your salvation.

I will listen to what God the LORD says,

he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants --

but let them not turn to folly.

Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,

that his glory may dwell in our land.

Love and faithfulness meet together;

righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,

and righteousness looks down from heaven.

The LORD will indeed give what is good,

and our land will yield its harvest.

Righteousness goes before him

and prepares the way for his steps.

~Psalm 85:6-13~

Scripture & a Snapshot is hosted by A Glimpse of Our Life.

Glimpses is hosted by Embracing Every Day, a lifestyle blog by Barbie Swihart.

Sunday Scripture Blessings is hosted by Peabea Scribble Pad.

©2008-2017 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude's Mooring

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My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude’s Mooring by Carrie Fancett Pagels - The story opens with Maude going to the wharf to meet Greyson Luce, who she is expecting to marry. But to her shock and embarrassment, Greyson arrives with a wife in tow. Ben Steffan, a Detroit Press reporter, happens to observe and is intrigued by the pretty young woman in obvious distress. But he is there to pursue a story and is working under an assumed name, so he decides it's unlikely he'll run into her again.

Ben is looking for a story about fortune-hunting men who pursue heiresses staying at the Grand Hotel, and must do his best to stay in the character he's chosen, Freidrich Konig. He does, in fact, run into Maude again - or rather, her little brother Jack runs into Ben - and the friendship grows quickly between them. Ben is torn - he needs his story in order to get a promotion, but publishing it could hurt Maude. Besides that, she knows him as Friedrich and how can he hope to win her when he is posing as something he is not?

Maude is expecting to run her family's inn, since it's been owned by the women in her family for generations, but her father is reluctant to allow her to take the reins. She gets a job as a maid at the Grand to try and prove that she is capable of hard work, but she keeps that from her father, and hopes that no one at the Grand will recognize her. But eventually, of course Ben does.

In the background of the relationship story, Maude's extended family and friends try to protect her and some seem to be wrangling for control of the Inn and other business holdings; and there are definitely some secrets and ulterior motives.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this story, but I had trouble understanding motivation in many cases. How did Maude hope to prove anything by working as a maid, especially if her father didn't know? How was it that she could so easily slip into using Ben's real name when she had only known him as Friedrich Konig to that point? What was going on with her father and her uncle? Their actions didn't always make sense to me either. Unclear motives or inexplicable actions in a story don't surprise me or bother me, in general, but I found it particularly odd given that this author is a psychologist.

From the publisher:

Journey now to Mackinac Island where . . .

A Tangled Gilded Age Love Story Unfolds.

Although the Winds of Mackinac Inn has been in her mother's family for generations, Maude Welling's father refuses to let her run it without the guidance of a husband. So she seeks to prove her worth and independence by working incognito as a maid at the Grand Hotel.

Undercover journalist Ben Steffens, posing as a wealthy industrialist, pursues a story about impoverished men chasing heiresses at the famed hotel. While undercover, he becomes attracted to an intriguing maid. By an act of heroism Ben endears himself to the closed-mouthed islanders -- including Maude -- and he digs deep for his story.

But when scandal threatens, will the growing love between Maude and Ben be scuttled when truths are revealed?

Other books in this series: My Heart Belongs in Fort Bliss, Texas: Priscilla's Reveille by Erica Vetsch

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

©2008-2017 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday - Hibiscus

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This post is linked at Wordless Wednesday, hosted by Life at Rossmont; and at Pictorial Tuesday, hosted by Peabea's Scribble Pad.

©2008-2017 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesday - Barbara And Susan's Guide to the Empty Nest

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers! 

I found another gem from this good book that I wanted to share.

But as we ourselves get older, it becomes clearer to us that we really aren't all that different from our twenty-five-year-old. We still want to be loved, to be appreciated . . . In many ways we are merely little girls in antique bodies. So are our mothers.

~Barbara and Susan's Guide to the Empty Nest by Barbara Rainey and Susan Yates, page 120

©2008-2017 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

What I'm Reading - July 24, 2017

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This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next!

I finished reading . . . 

The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer - older brother Jack takes the blame for younger brother Richard's cheating, with long-lasting consequences; but finally Richard has the chance to set things right and ensure happiness for both of them. (Read my full review HERE.)

I'm currently reading . . .

My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude’s Mooring by Carrie Fancett Pagels - Maude wants more than anything to have the chance to run her family's inn on the island. Reporter Ben is in love with Maude, but will she understand and trust him once she finds out who he really is?




Barbara and Susan's Guide to the Empty Nest by Barbara Rainey and Susan Yates - reading this practical and inspirational book in preparation for a review coming soon; and in preparation for my own empty nest, which I hope is still a few more years away!





Fairy Tale Romance Collection: The Healer's Apprentice, The Merchant's Daughter, The Fairest Beauty, The Captive Maiden, The Princess Spy (Fairy Tale Romance Series) by Melanie Dickerson - This particular cover makes this collection look "cheap" but it's actually very good. I'm reading the first novel included right now, and I expect to review each of them separately.

 

So THIS is the one I'm currently reading:
The Healers Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson - a young peasant girl who is apprenticed to the healer captures the attention of the two sons of the duke.




Next on the stack... 

Egypt's Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra by Angela Hunt

On my blogs recently . . .

Here on Just A Second:

Scripture and a Snapshot - Fortress
Recent Reads - Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims
Recent Reads - The Black Moth
Wordless Wednesday - Gettysburg
Teaser Tuesday - My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude's Mooring

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Homeschool Highlights - Camp Week
Flight Learning with Doctor Aviation (A Homeschool Coffee Break Review)
Four Keys to a Successful Homeschool Field Trip on The Homeschool Post
Virtual Refrigerator - Aged Map Art

What are you reading?

©2008-2017 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/