A Bookworm's Book Reviews

With Every Breath – Elizabeth Camden

Title: With Every Breath

Author: Elizabeth Camden

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Kate Norton is a brilliant and super competitive student. But in the late 1800’s, the only way she can truly go to college is on a scholarship. But she loses the chance during a academic contest with equally brilliant and competitive Trever McDonough. Years later, Kate is working as a clerk when she earns an interview for a data analysts at a hospital. When she arrives, she learns that she’d be working for Trevor. He challenges Kate to put their old rivalry in the past and work for him. Trevor goes on to explain she’d be inputting data collected for tuberculosis patients. He wants to find a cure for them. Kate tries to befriend the patients but Trevor maintains a cold distance from everyone. But someone is trying to defame and discredit Trevor. Can the person be caught and stopped in time? Can Kate and Trevor learn to work together? Or will their differences drive them apart?

Rating: 4.0 – a sweet historical fiction

Opinion: This was a sweet and sappy historical fiction book. I love this author for this style of book. This book was no exception. I loved learning about the history of the doctors who where trying to cure tuberculosis. I was thinking that doctors cured the disease about the time they cured during the time of the book. But I learned it wasn’t until much later, after the events of the book. I enjoyed the stubbornness of Trevor and Kate and brought them together and made each other better. I had no issues with the book. I loved the book and would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction books.

Where the Crawdad Sing – Delia Owens

Title: Where the Crawdad Sing

Author: Delia Owens

Genre: Mystery

Plot: Kya has grown up in the swamps of North Carolina. The local townspeople of Barkley Cove call her the Marsh Girl, and trashy. Her mother left her family when she was young. Slowly her siblings left until it was only her and her father left. Even her father left one day. A neighbor, Mabel and Jumpin’, take pity on her and give her odd jobs in exchange for food, clothes, and gas. Then a man, Chase Andrews, turns up dead. Kya and her dated for some time. The town of Barkley Cove are quick to blame Kya. But did she do it? Or did someone else? What will the jury decide?

Rating: 4.3 – an interesting murder mystery

Opinion: This was an interesting book. Everyone I talked to loved it and highly recommended it. I thought I’d give it a try since there’s a movie coming out soon. This book was as good as everyone said. It had me hooked the whole time. I really thought the murder would be a certain character but was a little shocked when it was someone else. It took me back for a second. But when I thought about it more, it made total sense. I think you’re not supposed to think that though. Good plot point by the author. It’s been a while since I’ve read a really good book, and this was a really good book. I highly recommended this book for anyone looking for a great mystery.

The Hidden Child – Louise Fien

Title: The Hidden Child

Author: Louise Fien

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Edward and Eleanor Hamilton are part of the eugenics movement in the 1920’s in England. They believe that intelligence in inherited and those with disabilities, criminals, and those of the lower classes and different races are not as intelligent. Those who are classified as less intelligent should be put away and not be allowed to reproduce. But when Edward and Eleanor’s child, Mabel, develops epilepsy, they’re world is rocked. Standard treatment at the time isn’t helping Mabel. So she’s sent to an asylum and they’re treatment isn’t helping either. Eleanor’s thoughts on eugenics begins to change. She abandons the ideas to help Mabel get proper treatment. But Edward forbids any change in treatment for Mabel and is staunch in his beliefs with eugenics. Can anything be done to help Mabel? Will Edward see what his beliefs are doing to others?

Rating: 4.0 – an different side of history

Opinion: This was a great book. It pissed me off that people believed, and probably still do, the ‘facts’ of the eugenics movement. Which was probably the point of the book. I looked into that movement and learned that England’s eugenics movement helped give Hitler is ideas for his Third Reich. I was glad that Edward and Eleanor began to question their beliefs in the eugenics movement. It took some time but I’m glad that they saw that eugenics has flaws in it. This book helped me learn about a different part of history. I’m glad it did so I could see another point of view. This is a great book for anyone who loves historical fiction.

The Sandsea Trilogy – Chelsea Abdullah

Title: Book 1: The Stardust Thief

Author: Chelsea Abdullah

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: Loulie al- Nazari is known as the Midnight Merchant and known for selling magical items. One of her buyers introduces her to the sultan of Medinne. One of the sultan’s sons, Omar, asks her to bring him a magic lamp. Omar says he’ll go with but tricks his brother, Mazen, and magic relic thief, Aisha, go with Loulie in his place. Loulie brings her jinn bodyguard, Qadir. Together, they travel to find the land of the jinn, where the lamp’s supposed to be hidden. But there are others who are looking for them. Jinn who know about what Omar and Aisha have done to their kind. Other humans seek to betray them or get the lamp for themselves. Who will get the lamp first? Or will the jinn capture the group?

Rating: 3.5 – an interesting take on Middle Eastern mythology

Opinion: This was an interesting book. I really liked learning more about Middle East mythology. The book focused on jinn, ifrit, and ghoul (different kinds of ghosts). I found it interesting that interesting that Middle East stories start with “not here or there, but long ago” instead of “once upon a time.” I also enjoyed picking up on some Arabic words and phrases. There is no English translation after the words but most of them are easy to pick up on what they mean with context. The one thing that bugged me about the book was that when new or different characters enter the scene it takes a little bit to figure out who’s there. It also kind of felt like the author wasn’t sure how the book was going to end. It felt a little rushed, too. Overall, I really did love this book. The characters are well written and different. This is a great book for anyone who loves fantasy and mythology.

Adorned – Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Title: Adorned: Living Out the Beauty of the Gospel Together

Author: Nancy DeMoss Wulgemuth

Genre: Christian Living

Plot: This is a way we, as women, can live alongside each other. Nancy uses Titus 2 to encourage older and younger women to come together and mentor each other. Nancy talks about different ways we can share life with each other and encourage each other. She gives good advice on how to mentor and invest in other people. Titus 2 great way of looking at the world around us and how we can navigate this world with a Godly focus. Nancy talks about how to model and mentor with a God centered life, how to have a cleaner look at your own life, and how to have a God centered home. Throughout all of this there’s a theme of doing life together and how we’re not meant to live life alone.

Rating: 4.0 – a good look at living life together as Christians

Opinion: This was a good book about living life together. It’s so easy to try to live an independent life your own way. This book is a great reminder on how to live a Godly life with one another. It talks a lot about finding a mentor and/or being a mentor. It’s not talked about a lot in churches, at least not the ones I’ve attended. Bible studies, living life together, and discipleship, yes, but not about mentorships. It’s easy to put those things on the back burner because our lives get busy and complicated, but it’s important to take time out of your day, or week, for these things. I do like that the book talks a lot about deeper things and wanting the reader to talk with other trusted members of the church about these things. I liked that the book talks about what certain things don’t look like as well as what they should look like. Though the one thing I wished this book talked about was what mentorships looks like. It gives a vague look into them, but focuses more on what to talk about in mentorship relationships. Overall this book is great and I loved seeing another woman’s opinions about the gospel and living life together. This is a great book for a women’s bible study.

The Colonel’s Lady – Laura Frantz

Title: The Colonel’s Lady

Author: Laura Frantz

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Roxanna Rowan is on her way to surprise her father at a Kentucky fort during the Revolutionary War. But her boat is attacked and her possessions gone on her way there. On top of that, Roxanna learns that her father was killed on a campaign days before she arrived. Now without any family or money, she’s asked to stay at the fort as a scrivener for the fort’s colonel. Roxanna reluctantly accepts. Soon she learns of a spy at the fort, but who is it? There is also the threat of attack from Native Americans and the British. Can Roxanna survive at the fort? Or will she ever escape it? Will the spy be found out? Or will he bring ruin to everyone at the fort?

Rating: 3.5 – a good historical fiction

Opinion: This was a good book. I enjoyed learning more about the frontier life during the Revolutionary War. I didn’t know that the Kentucky wilderness was a part of the colonies. I’d always thought the colonies stopped at the Appalachian Mountains. This was a different kind of sappy romance. It made me want to smack one of the characters because they didn’t want to admit their feelings for another character. While I like this style, it was a little annoying how long it for them to admit their feelings. One of the other things that kind of annoyed me was that it took a while to get an explanation of how or why Roxanna got to the fort. Overall this was a cute story and I enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the history and slight mystery. This is a good book for anyone who loves historical fiction.

The Lady of Bolton Hill – Elizabeth Camden

Title: The Lady of Bolton Hill

Author: Elizabeth Camden

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Clara and Daniel are the best of friends, despite their drastic differences in social classes in the late 1800’s. Clara’s father sends her to England where she becomes an investigative journalist. She gets in trouble for reporting about children in the coal mines. She’s forced to return to the United States where she’s reunited with Daniel. He’s become a railroad tycoon and rich. But he’s holding a bitter grudge against his former employer. It’s now causing a rift between him and his employees after Clara writes an article about his business practices. Now it’s getting Daniel and Clara in trouble. But who’s causing the trouble? Can they put an end to it? Or will it all end in trouble?

Rating: 4.0 – a sweet historical fiction

Opinion: This was a sweet, sappy historical fiction. This does a good job with giving some details about the differences between classes and lifestyles. I was surprised with the return of a character. He’s been in a couple other of Elizabeth Camden’s books and I was glad to get to know the character more. I enjoyed reading the sappy romance. I loved one of the themes was holding onto grudges and how it can affect your life. It can be easy to hold a grudge and this book talks about how it can effect others when you have a long lasting grudge. This is a good sappy romance and historical fiction book. I recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction.

The Night Tiger – Yangsze Choo

Title: The Night Tiger

Author: Yangsze Choo

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Plot: Ji Lin is helping her mother pay off her mother’s mahjong debts in British colony Malaya (now Malaysia). She has an apprenticeship with a dressmaker and works part time at a dance hall. One of her dance partners drops something after a dance. A finger. Ji Lin’s not sure what to do. She asks her step brother, Shin, about it. He thinks it belongs to the local hospital he works at. There she meets Ren, who’s searching for the same finger which belongs to his former master. Ren must reunite the finger with is former master’s body or his master’s spirit will wander the earth as a weretiger according to local lore. With a tiger in the area, is the local legend true? Or is it a real tiger? Or something else?

Rating: 4.0 – a surprisingly good mystery and historical fiction book

Opinion: This was a good book. I enjoyed learning about Malaysian history and culture. The book gave good insight into the daily lives and beliefs of Malaysian people and what outsiders thought of them. It was interesting to learn how the local people thought of the British and Chinese who came to Malaysia. I enjoyed the air of mystery woven into the book. The author does a really good job with this. She a good job throwing suspicion on the right people, and animals. It gave good reasons why the locals, or anyone, could believe in the local legends. This was a steady read and kept my interest throughout the book. It did a good job building up to the ending. There was one thing that bugged me about the book. There was so much description in certain parts that it was easy to miss little things. This is a great book for anyone who loves historical fiction and wants to learn more about another culture.

Behind the Lights – Helen Smallbone

Title: Behind the Lights: The Extraordinary Adventure of a Mum and Her Family

Author: Helen Smallbone

Genre: Memoir

Plot: Helen Smallbone is the mom (or mum because she hails from Australia) of 90’s and early 2000’s Christian singer Rebecca St. James and now popular Christian duo for King and Country. In this book, she tells the story of growing up in Australia, meeting her husband, starting a family, and starting over in the USA. Life was never easy for her and her family. She learned with her family and shares stories of success and failure. Helen tells stories of how Rebecca St. James and for King and Country got their start and how it was a family venture. Everyone had a role in their family and how they learned what they now. Helen leads us all the way up to the present and what led her to write the book.

Rating: 4.0 – a good story about faith, family, and music

Opinion: This was a great book. I grew up listening to Rebecca St. James. I think she was one of the first concerts I went to when I was a kid. I didn’t know she was so young when she was popular. Now I love listening to her brother’s band, for King and Country. I loved knowing that for both of them, their music was a family business. I’m glad their whole family was a part of their music. I loved that everyone in their family got to help and had a part to play. It was interesting to know how much they all were able to do and showed that not everything is learned in a classroom. Some things are better learned on the job. It was nice to hear about the ups and downs of life and not everything is easy. It paints a better picture of family life and makes it easier to relate to them. I loved getting to know more about two artist I love from the eyes of one of people who loves them the most. This is a great book for anyone who loves Rebecca St. James and for King and Country.

The Hacienda – Isabel Cañas

Title: The Hacienda

Author: Isabel Cañas

Genre: Thriller, Historical Fiction

Plot: Beatriz has just gotten married to Rodolfo Solórzanos not long after being arrested by Mexico’s newly founded republic after their war for independence with Spain. She and Rodolfo move to his house, Hacienda San Isidro. Beatriz longs to make the house hers. But not everything is as it seems. After Rodolfo returns to the capital, Beatriz begins to notice odd things: red eyes in the shadows, temperature fluctuations, blood soaked things, and a skeleton buried in the wall. When she tries to show others what she saw, the things vanish. Still, Beatriz seeks help from the local priests. They try to dismiss her, but Padre Andrés believes her. He promises to help. Padre Andrés being there only brings up more secrets from the past. Secrets that people want to keep buried. Will Padre Andrés’ help be enough? Should the secrets of the past really be uncovered? Can they save the hacienda? Or is it lost to whatever, or whomever’s taken up residence there?

Rating: 4.0 – a good blend of historical fiction and thriller

Opinion: This was a great book. It was hard to put it down. There were a few times I had to put it out of sight so I wouldn’t be tempted to read it. It was definitely creepy but not creepy to keep me up at night or freak me out if I read it at night. I loved the history of this book. It was interesting to read about a different culture and their history, even if was a thriller. I learn a little about the caste system Mexico had in college, but this has a more in depth and more interesting way to learn about it. I enjoyed learning about daily life on an hacienda and life from an outsider’s perspective. This book does have a fair bit of Spanish, but most of it has the English equivalent nearby or is self explanatory. I loved this book. It’s a great blend of history and spookiness. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves history and thrillers.