Who knew I would like Amish stories? I certainly didn't, or didn't realize that I would enjoy them as much as I did. But I guess when you look at it if it is a really good romance story and the plot really catches your interest then anything is possible. =0) And that's what I found with "Hidden" (part of the Sisters of the Heart series) by Shelley Shepard Gray.
This is the first story in the Sisters of the Heart series. I'm not sure if I'll read the others anytime soon, but after reading the first chapter the book held my interest and I couldn't put it down. It's an easy read (under 300 pages) about Anna, a woman who really has no direction in life and finds herself in an abusive relationship. After trying to talk to her family and police about her situation, and everyone not believing her, she turns to the last people she can think of her friend Katie's family who are apart of the Amish community in Pennsylvania. They take her in, and she earns her keep while hiding from her abuser and everyone she knows as she thinks her loved ones who inform him of her location. While doing so she grows as a person, gains a special relationship/friendship, and feels happier then she has in a long time. But what will she be able to go back to the life she just left??
It was a very good story ... if you don't mind it being full of detail yet short ... I give it 5 out of 5 stars. I'm not sure if I'll read the other stories in the series but you never know, since I did love the main characters in this book.
To find out more about this book, series, or other of her books ... then check out Shelley Shepard Gray's website.
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Out of all of her novels, "Just One of the Guys" by Kristan Higgins is by far one of her best!! This great romantic comedy, just made it so I couldn't put it down. Especially with lines like, "I'm being killed by my appetizer.", you just can't go wrong. I think most women at one time or another feel like 'just one of the guys', which is a good thing but not when your in love with one of those guy friends.
Which is what happens to Chastity. After moving back to her hometown, the books opens with her getting dumped and not in the most pleasant way either (even though it's never really pleasant). Getting back into the swing of things again, hanging out with her 4 older brothers with their co-worker buddies and such has it's benefits. However, she really would like to find her special someone. In doing so she can't help but still have her crush on one of her best guy friends, named Trevor, whom she has known since she was 10 yrs old and has practically been raised as another brother around her. Then there's a new handsome doctor in town that has caught her eye. And what would she do just to not be seen as just one of the guys ....
This book is one of my faves for Kristan Higgins, my other fave of hers is "Too Good To Be True." To find out more about this book or others of hers, then check out her website.
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"Stealing Heaven" by Elizabeth Scott is a great book! It's about Dani who is 18 yrs old and has been a thief all of her life. It's basically the "family business," since her earliest memory is of her with her parents braking into a home when she was about 3 or 4 yrs old. The book starts off with things going good from a heist with her mom .... and they make plans on there next location. Once they get there, Dani finds that being invisible, like she normally tries to be, isn't as easy. Especially when locals are trying to befriend you. Soon she comes to a dilemma does she still want to live the life she's always known or live the life she's always wanted?!
This is my second favorite book so far of Elizabeth Scott's novels. To find out more about this book or others by checking out her Amazon Page.
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Over the past three days I have started and finished reading "Dead Until Dark" and "Living Dead in Dallas" which are by Charlaine Harris from her Sookie Stackhouse series. For both books I think I'll give them 4 out of 5 stars.
Both books talk about Sookie's life and how she copes with her power. In "Dead Until Dark" Sookie meets Bill a vampire, who is the first one she has ever meet and decides to start living "mainstream" by moving back into the town he use to be from (when he human). Some situations take place that throw these two together and they see if they're able to make it work.
In "Living Dead in Dallas", Sookie get requested to go to Dallas with Bill, by Bill's boss, to help some vampires there. Throughout this whole book Sookie's wondering/finding out that that she knows she loves Bill but she's not sure if she's in love with him. And like always (at least from what I've seen in these first two books) Sookie tries to save/help everyone she can, no matter what the risk is to herself.
Basically I really liked both books and I can understand why everyone (like my best friend) is highly addicted to this series. Especially since I cannot wait to start on the next ones to see what happen. However, they are a little too fast paced for me. I mean they are good books ... but I think I'm just used to reading more detail in my books ... so that's why I really liked them but I didn't love them. *shrug* But I would still recommend the series to everyone else who has yet to read them. =0)
For more information on the Sookie Stackhouse series or other of Charlaine Harris' books then please check out her website.
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"When one door of happiness closes, another opens;
but often we look so long at the closed door that
we do not see the one which has been opened for us." - Helen Keller
Heartache, friendship, forgiveness .... are just some words to describe this touching story called "How Sweet It Is" by Alice Wisler. I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars ... definitely living up to it's name! It's about Deena whom is living in Atlanta, GA and moves into her grandfather's cabin in Bryson City, North Carolina after her life crashes (literally). And the best way to turn her life around for the better is by moving.
Once she gets to the town she meets a town of characters from -- a Dr. Seuss-quoting plumber named Jonas (my favorite character in this book), to her crazy aunt Regena Lorraine, to a group of misfit middle school students, and more ... with the cherry on top being a hot social worker named Zack who usually seems to know the perfect thing to say to her.
I really think everyone should read this ... it's a great book of redemption. To find more about this book check out Alice Wisler's website.
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Happy 25th Birthday to me today!! =0)
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Last night I finished reading .. "Husbands" by Adele Parks, which I'll give it 3 out of 5 stars. I mean .. it was a good book and I think I loved it right up until the last few chapters. =0P
It's about Bella/Belinda who is thirty but is still living in the past (even though she thinks she's moved on). The problem is when she moves on she has a tendency to ignore things like '2 weeks notices' or telling those around her how she really feels ... so she just walks away (by avoiding calls or moving). Which is how she has gotten into the mess that the book talks about.
It starts off about her married life with her husband Phil ... and how wonderful that life is. Then her best friend Laura gets a new boyfriend ... and the twist is that this boyfriend of Laura's is Bella/Belinda's 1st and current husband Stevie, whom she left about 8 years previously without any note and never divorced from.
Throughout the book it's all about how Bella/Belinda is planning on handling her mess of a situation (since she has 2 husbands). The book is funny, charming, and sweet ... making you wish that everything will work out for the best. And I will admit I like who all the characters ended up with. Yet I guess I just don't like the ending ... it could have been better.
However, I think I will look into more of Adele Parks' books since I do like her writing style. And I do love me some British literature. =0) To find out more about her and her books yourself ... then check out Adele's website.
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
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So far in my major book reading lately I have found that no one else but Susan Elizabeth Phillips can write a great romance novel where every single one (thus far that I've read) deals with opposites attracting to each other (or at least that's what the characters believe in the beginning). My favorite of her novels is still "Match Me If You Can" from her The Chicago Stars books.
However, I just finished reading "Ain't She Sweet"!! And I have to say it has become my second fave out of all her books! Definitely 5 out of 5 stars! It's all about Sugar Beth (a Southern Belle who growing up has made her town resent from all the trouble she caused) and Colin (a British writer who moved to the south and when he started to try making a name for himself, met his match - not always in the best way either). The story is really charming ... and I like how Sugar Beth and Colin "overcome their demons". So-to-speak. =0)
To find out more on this novel or others by Susan Elizabeth Phillips then check out her website.
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"Nerd herd, focus. You're here to help the fledglings. Dour One and Dour Two aren't important," said Aphrodite.
"Dr. Seuss reference. I like it," Stark said, giving me a check-me-out-I've-always-read-books hottie grin.
Aphrodite frowned at him. "I said focus, not flirt."
Okay ... I'm going to try and be nice ... trying not to give away any spoilers but if I do ... I apologize ahead of time. *long sigh* And I'll start by saying: **SPOILER ALERT** Just in case! =0)
I just now finished reading "Tempted" by P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast .... and again I say OH MY GODDESS!! It was soooooooooooooo goood!! I cried at the end! So I recommend that if you read it ... bring tissues!
It's the 6th book in the House of Night (HoN) series, and it is already my fave one thus far, I give it 5 out of 5 stars!! As always there are love triangles galore in the book! *big grin* I have to laugh, that Stevie Rae is starting her own love triangles too. =0) I think I'm going to enjoy the relationship between her and her new guy (the one she imprints with!!). I think Aphrodite & Darius' relationship is very sweet! And I'm extra happy that Zoey finally smarten ups about Erik ... he was turning into such a jerk. =0P
Which leads me to my two fave men in the series Heath and Stark ... and I absolutely LOVE how they act ... what they do ... and just what good guys they are in this book ... it just made me love them more. =0)
However, I will say that this is the first book out of the series that made me bawl like a baby at the end. I mean yes I cried when Stevie Rae died ... but this was different. =0( And it was the first one that definitely ends with a cliffhanger, compared with the others. Since I mean you are always curious as to what will happen next ... but this one just stopped in the middle of a big plot twist.
I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL "BURNED" (the next book in the HoN series) COMES OUT IN MAY 2010!!! YAY!!
Also ... I'll say that I really liked how this book we were able to get glimpses into the heads of some of the other characters. Since in the previous books you just got it all from Zoey's point of view .. which is fine since she's an awesome character .. yet it's fun to see things from another prospective too.
To sum it all up if you haven't read the House of Night series then I DEFINITELY recommend you starting! To find out more about the HoN or just about Tempted, then check out their Amazon author pages: P. C. Cast's Page & Kristin Cast's Page
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This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
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