Letters From My Sister By: Valerie Fraser Luesse Genre: Fiction, Historical Publisher: Revell Publication Year: 2023 Series: Stand Alone My Rating: 5 of 5 stars Synopsis:
Two Sisters. One Single Event. A Family Changed Forever.At the turn of the twentieth century, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life as the only daughters of a wealthy Alabama cotton farmer when their well-ordered household gets turned upside down by the arrival of Lily McGee. Arrestingly beautiful, Lily quickly—and innocently—draws the wrong kind of attention. Meanwhile, Callie meets a man who offers her the freedom to abandon social constraints and discover her truest self. After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something she was never meant to see—or did she? Her memory is a haze, just an image in her mind of Emmy standing on a darkened riverbank and cradling Lily’s missing baby girl. Only when the sisters are separated does the truth slowly come to light through their letters—including a revelation that will shape the rest of Callie’s life. ~Taken from Valerie's site: https://www.valeriefraserluesse.com/ My Thoughts: A sweet, touching story of two sisters as they travel different roads after an accident affects one of their memories. Emmy and Callie have the sweetest sister relationship. As Callie tries to recall a hazy memory after an accident involving her sister, she never loses faith in her sister’s innocence. Mixed in is a sweet love story, midnight escapades and a sad twist of tuberculosis. The value of family is strong and much appreciated especially in this day in age. Recommend? Yes, this sweet tale holds a little mystery and the same southern charm her other books do. Cheers, Rebecca Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Countdown By: Lynette Eason Genre: Fiction, Romance, Suspense Publisher: Revell Publication Year: 2023 Series: Extreme Measures, Book #4 My Rating: 5 of 5 stars Synopsis:
A stalker who wants to finish what he started. A US Marshal who’s vowed to protect his charge. And one woman who is determined to put the past in the past. Flight paramedic Raina Price has been running so long it’s hard to stop. To escape a dangerous stalker, she changed her name and disappeared, building a new life with the help of a friend from her time in juvie. It feels good to put her energies into saving people’s lives, but because her stalker was never found, she’s never stopped looking over her shoulder. And one can only run so far before the past finally catches up. US Marshal Vincent Corelli’s job is to hunt down fugitives and protect those who are assigned to him. When Raina is almost killed right in front of him, he vows to protect her at all costs–whether it’s his job or not. Together they work to solve the mystery of Raina’s past. But someone is out to make sure Raina doesn’t live long enough to do it. ~Taken from Lynette's site: https://lynetteeason.com/books/countdown/ My Thoughts: Eason delivers another fast paced, edge of your seat novel to finish off her current series. With twists the reader doesn’t see coming until the very end, this novel keeps the reader spellbound from the first page to the last. After being introduced to Raina in the first three novels and being teased with her backstory, the reader finally receives the whole story of her past and how she met the other girls. Raina and Vincent’s characters are well rounded but with enough flaws and room to grow throughout the book. Recommend? Yes, this is a thrilling conclusion to her Extreme Measures series, although it could be read as a stand alone. Cheers, Rebecca Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own. The Long March Home By: Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee Genre: Fiction, Historical Publisher: Revell Publication Year: 2023 Series: Stand Alone My Rating: 5 of 5 stars Synopsis:
Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire. Life in the Philippines seems like paradise–until the morning of December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific Theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history. What follows will become known as one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare: the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive. Inspired by true stories, The Long March Home is a gripping coming-of-age tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the power of unrelenting hope. ~Taken from Tosca's site: https://toscalee.com/product/the-long-march-home/ My Thoughts: Wow. What a story. Tosca Lee and Marcus Brotherton have written an amazing, heart- wrenching, story of tribute to those who survived in the Philippines during World War 2. The use of flashbacks to portray the relationship between these three men was the perfect touch this story needed to help the reader know the depths of brotherhood these three men shared. I do not usually cry over books, but by the end of this one I was crying. The cruelty and starvation perpetrated by the Japanese was heartbreaking to read about and as such I can not recommend this book for younger readers. The authors do not sugar coat what happened to the men, but provide an accurate portrayal of what happened. We all hear about the atrocities that happened in Europe, but more often than not we do not hear of what happened in the Pacific. We need to know. We need to remember. Recommend? Yes, for older audiences. The authors do not sugar coat the horrific things that happened to these soldiers while they are prisoners of war to the Japanese. Cheers, Rebecca Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own. After the Shadows By: Amanda Cabot Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical Publisher: Revell Publication Year: 2023 Series: Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing, Book #1 My Rating: 4 of 5 stars Synopsis:
Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the new schoolteacher and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless. When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boarding house, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town. Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father's death and to aid Craig Ferguson, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. Together they must work to unmask a killer and escape the shadows of their own pasts in order to forge a brighter future. ~Taken from Amanda's site: https://www.amandacabot.com/index_files/more-shadows.htm My Thoughts: Cabot has written another sweet romance set in Texas. Emily suffered abuse in her marriage, but she is glad to be free and home again after the death of her husband. While she is skittish around the new school teacher, he soon wins her trust with his gentle ways and patience as he helps her figure out what happened to her father. I enjoyed watching Emily grow as a character throughout the book as she becomes more confident and brave to the point of standing up for a child and solving the mystery surrounding her father’s death. Recommend? Yes, a sweet romance of learning to trust again with a side of mystery. Cheers, Rebecca Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own. Blind Trust By: Natalie Walters Genre: Fiction, Romance, Suspense Publisher: Revell Publication Year: 2023 Series: SNAP Agency, Book #3 My Rating: 5 of 5 stars Synopsis:
Lyla Fox knows she has a reputation at the SNAP Agency for impulsivity, but when she receives a threatening letter from a man she helped put in prison, she can't stop herself from going all in to find out why he's coming after her. Unfortunately, she's going to need the help of the one person who questions her reckless choices more than anyone else. Explosives and weapons specialist Nicolas Garcia agrees to help Lyla in order to keep her safe, but her recklessness continues to be a major concern, especially when her investigation into a conspiracy puts a target on her back. Dealing with bombs is dangerous. Working with Lyla is proving to be just as treacherous--to both the mission and his heart. ~Taken from Natalie's site: https://www.nataliewalterswriter.com/books/snap-agency-series/blind-trust-snap-agency-3/ My Thoughts: Natalie Walters delivered a resounding conclusion to her SNAP series! Lyla and Nic’s relationship throughout the story was the perfect slow burn set against the backdrop of the conspiracy they are investigating. We also get to see a bit more of Walsh (the boss) and his role in SNAP. Walters takes the reader on a stunning conclusion of the SNAP team and to be honest I am a little sad this series is over as I could just keep reading about these characters. All in all a great ending to a spectacular series! Recommend? Yes, the conclusion to the SNAP series was everything it needed to be. It is not necessary to read the first 2 books or prequel, but it will help the reader know who everyone is and their backstories. Cheers, Rebecca Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own. |
Welcome!My name is Rebecca and this blog is dedicated to my thoughts and opinions of the books I read. I hope you enjoy reading through my reviews. And hopefully you will find a good one to get lost in! Archives
November 2019
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