Greetings from the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge

This book sounded interesting so I picked it up.  I have read some of Rene Gutteridge's books before and enjoyed them.  This story started out ok, but then I was extremely confused as to what was going on.  Maybe it was because I was reading an unpublished copy so the format was off.  I couldn't understand why the story kept saying Hope was in a coma when she went to Idaho and then her driving the car off the cliff and her killing herself confused me more.  If she was in a coma right after the wedding, then she couldn't have driven her car off the cliff.  About half way through the story, I finally realized that when the story was being told from her perspective, she was in a coma.  Either I missed something in the beginning or it just wasn't really written well enough for me to understand that.  Once I understood that was what was happening, I enjoyed the story a lot more.

I received this book for free from NetGalley.  I was not required to write a positive review for receiving this book.

The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

I have never read a book by Carrie Turansky but I had heard a lot of good things about this one so I was eager to pick it up and read it for myself.  The story wasn't one I would typically read but I enjoyed it.  It definitely seems like a book that would fit in with what a lot of people are interested in right now (Downton Abbey, Jane Austen) especially most of my friends.  I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series when it is released.

Here is the description from the author's website about the book.

Two worlds . . . one calling. In 1911 Julia travels from the exotic land of India to Highland Hall, a magnificent English country estate. Will she follow her heart and stay on as governess for Sir William Ramsey, or will she return to her mission work and the life she left behind in India?

Missionary Julia Foster loves working alongside her parents, ministering and caring for young girls in India. But when the family must return to England due to illness, she readily accepts the burden for her parents’ financial support. Taking on a job at Highland Hall as governess, she quickly finds that teaching her four privileged, ill-mannered charges at a grand estate is more challenging than expected, and she isn’t sure what to make of the estate’s preoccupied master, Sir William Ramsey.

Widowed and left to care for his two young children and his deceased cousin Randolph’s two teenage girls, William is consumed with saving the estate from the financial ruin. The last thing he needs is any distraction coming from the kindhearted-yet-determined governess who seems to be quietly transforming his household with her persuasive personality, vibrant prayer life, and strong faith.

While both are tending past wounds and guarding fragile secrets, Julia and William are determined to do what it takes to save their families—common ground that proves fertile for unexpected feelings. But will William choose Julia’s steadfast heart and faith over the wealth and power he needs to secure Highland Hall’s future?

Carrie Turansky's Site

Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund

I won this book through a contest on Soul Inspirationz while I was overseas on a mission trip last month.  I was super excited when I got back as I had seen this book in the store but hadn't picked it up yet.  I wasn't sure how long it would take me to read it so I was waiting to read when I had plenty of time.  Today was that day and I was not disappointed.  It took me around 3 hours but I read the whole thing in one sitting.  I loved the fact that it was inspired by John and Abigail Adams.

The story is about Susanna Smith who is well off because of her family.  She has a desire for higher learning and to help the less fortunate.  However, since she is a woman, she is not allowed to pursue an education and so she learns what she can from the books in her father's library as well as by listening in on her younger brother's lessons.  She wants to marry someone well of so she will be able to continue to help those who are less fortunate.  Benjamin Ross is a lawyer who comes from a poor background.  His family sold some of their land so that he might attend Harvard to become a lawyer.  He returns to his hometown and is determined to make things better for the people there.  Susanna seeks his help in helping a runaway indentured servant.  However, in the process she and Benjamin endanger their hearts as well as the lives and well being of some of the people that are closest to them.

Jody Hedlund's Blog

An Untamed Heart by Lauraine Snelling

Ingeborg is happy being at the seter during the summer with her cousins.  While there they find an injured Nils, who was still recovering from a previous injury.  Ingeborg works on helping him recover.  They end up spending time together and believe they are in love.  However, Nils has to go back to the university and Ingeborg has to go back to the farm.  Nils promises to write to her.  Then something tragic happens and Ingeborg is heartbroken.

I haven't read the books that follow this one so I wasn't really familiar with Ingeborg and her life.  I felt like the story moved to slow for me.  There was a lot of talking but not a lot of action.

I received this book for free from NetGalley.  I was not required to write a positive review for receiving this book.

Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley

This is the third book in Margaret Brownley's The Brides of Last Chance Ranch series.  If you have read her previous books in this series, then you will know most of the characters in this book as well.  The two main characters are Miranda Hunt and Jeremy Taggert.  Both are working undercover on a case for their employers.  Miranda, a Pinkerton Agent, goes undercover as a potential heiress in order to try and find out who the Phantom, a bank robber, is.  He is rumored to be hiding out at the Ranch.  Eleanor, the owner has placed an ad for a heiress to the ranch and Miranda answers it in order to be able to investigate for her case.  Jeremy, a Wells Fargo agent, is also undercover trying to find the Phantom.  His best friend went missing while working on the case and so he is determined to solve it and find his friend.  Miranda and Jeremy both suspect each other as working for the Phantom.  They are attracted to each other but try to put the case first.

I enjoyed this story a lot.  I have read both of the other two books in this series and so I was familiar with many of the characters as well as the incidents that had happened in the previous books.  I was surprised to find out who the Phantom really was.  I had my list of possible people but this person was definitely not one of them.  The story was written so that even when I did find out, I wasn't surprised.

I received this book for free from NetGalley.  I was not required to write a positive review for receiving this book.

A Talent for Trouble by Jen Turano

This book centers around Miss Felicia Murdock and Mr. Grayson Sumner, which were introduced in Turano's previous books, A Most Peculiar Circumstance and A Change of Fortune.  Felicia fancied herself in love with the Reverend Michael Fraser but he has just married another.  She is determined to wallow in her self pity.  Meanwhile, her meddling mother is trying to find her husband.  She plots to get Grayson to escort Felicia to tea.  This event is just the beginning of all the trouble Felicia starts to get into.

I have enjoyed all of Jen Turano's books that I have read so far.  This was a fun-filled read that I'm sure I will come back to in the future.

I received this book for free from NetGalley.  I was not required to write a positive review for receiving this book.

Destiny Brides by Murray Pura and Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

I had not read the first story in this book of two stories before.  The first story was about Travis Logan who meets Caleb Wharton on a ship when Caleb gets sick.  Caleb gives Travis the deed to his land.  However, when Travis arrives, he finds Heaven and Angel Wharton, Caleb's daughters.  Heaven ends up shooting Caleb, thinking that he is trying to take their land.  When she realizes that he actually is there to take their land, things don't go quite as well.  The story centers around them and also introduces us a few people from Heaven's past.  I enjoyed the story, however, I wish that the characters Jake and Annabelle could have found some resolution as well.  I was left wondering what happened with them even though they weren't the main characters in this story.

The second story, which I had read before, follows Charlotte Spence and Zephaniah Parker.  Zeph finds two Amish children whose families have been killed.  The children have seen the riders who did it and are in danger of being killed.  Charlotte and Zephaniah agree to escort the children back east to their relatives.  The story has some twists I didn't see until closer to the end.

I received this book for free from NetGalley.  I was not required to write a positive review for receiving this book.

This book will be released on November 1, 2013.