Book Review: Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums by Jamie Davis

I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Book Description: The Shadow Man haunts penitentiary cell blocks.A chilling wind runs through the Death Tunnel.The Red Eyes Apparition lurks in abandoned hallways.

Explore frightening ghost stories and true paranormal encounters at ten well-known, haunted institutions across the United States. This unique collection of investigations is filled with terrifying photos, spooky highlights from on-site tours, and historical information about each location.

Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums explores the country's scariest institutions, including the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia Penitentiary, and St. Albans Sanatorium. Discover creepy conversations between the authors and restless spirits, interviews with facility staff and knowledgeable ghost hunters, and helpful tips gathered from each investigation. You'll also enjoy an introduction to basic ghost hunting equipment and detailed information about organizing your own visits to these haunted establishments.

**********
Review: Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums is a wonderful guide to haunted (or supposedly haunted) locations that is perfect for ghost hunters; amateurs and seasoned investigators alike, but especially those who are just starting out in the field of paranormal investigation. Author Jamie Davis offers readers a brief, but adequate description of each location and their history, as well as a run-down of some of the reported paranormal happenings that have occurred there. I found the histories of the locations to be the most interesting aspect of the book... I like seeing how these institutions developed and seeing how the past events play into the current ghostly activities. Also included are descriptions of the author's experiences at each location. These were interesting enough, although I wish the author had used many different methods of investigation instead of depending so heavily on the flashlight method. Although I would have loved to see more details, in the end the book delivered and I was left with an even longer mental list of places I want to visit.
Jessa's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Want to read Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums by Jamie Davis? Get your copy HERE. Happy reading!

Note: This post originally appeared on Once Upon A Book HERE on August 28th, 2013.

Book Review: Ripples Along The Shore by Mona Hodgson

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah's Blogging For Books program in return for my honest review.
Book Description: Can a War Widow Escape Her Grief—and Find God’s Promise—on a Wagon Train West?

When Caroline Milburn steps off the boat and back into her hometown of St. Charles, MO, part of her wishes she could step right back on board and sail away. St. Charles, though home to her beloved friends and quilting circle, hasn’t felt like home since the death of her husband. And living with her sister, Jewell’s family hasn’t provided much balm for her grieving heart. Caroline knows something needs to change—but for now she’s stuck sharing her sister’s home, and enduring the anger and bitterness of her brother-in-law.

But change is brewing in St. Charles. A group of brave souls are preparing to head west on the Boones Lick Wagon Train, led by the mysterious and handsome Garrett Cowlishaw. Despite her dislike for Mr. Cowlishaw, who served as a Confederate soldier in the war that killed her husband, Caroline is tempted to join the wagon train and start fresh somewhere new.

When the lovely young widow makes her intentions to travel west known, Garrett Cowlishaw forbids her—a single woman—to travel with them. Will one man’s prejudice destroy Caroline’s hope for a new future? Or will the ripples of God’s love bring the answer she needs?

***************
Review: I enjoyed the previous two books in Mona Hodgson's Quilted Heart series, but always wished they were longer simply because I loved the characters, the setting, practically everything. In the third installment, Ripples Along The Shore, I found the story to be a little predictable, but still enjoyable. All of the familiar characters I've come to love popped up at one point or another and the charming setting still made me long for a simpler time when dusty dirt roads and small towns where everyone knew everyone else was commonplace. It had a great build-up, but in the end there was no climax. I felt very disappointed with the abrupt ending and unsatisfied with all of the unanswered questions that were still floating around in my head. As the end of a series, it's a bit of a let down, but if you consider it as more of a transition between this series and the next (Hearts Seeking Home - the first book, Prairie Song is due out August 6th!), it's really not so bad. In the end it does exactly what it should: makes you want to read the next one!
Jessa's Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Want to read Ripples Along the Shore by Mona Hodgson? Get your copy HERE. Want to know more about the author? Check out her website HERE. Happy reading!

Note: This post originally appeared on Once Upon A Book HERE on July 29th, 2013.

Book Review: Bending Toward The Sun by Mona Hodgson

NOTE: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah in return for my honest review. The opinions contained in this review are completely my own and have not been influenced by WaterBrook or the author.
Book Description: Can the Divine Quilter stitch together the torn pieces of Emilie’s heart?

Divided between the love of her father and the desires of her heart, Emilie Heinrich must rely on the love and wisdom of the women in her quilting circle for support. Since Emilie is dedicated to her education and to helping her father in his general store, she is convinced she doesn't have time for love. But when a childhood friend returns to St. Charles, Missouri, after serving in the Civil War, his smile and charm captures Emilie’s eye and her heart.

Quaid McFarland has a gentleness and humor that causes Emilie to question her indifference toward romance. But her German father sees only one thing when he looks at the young man: an Irish teamster. And Johann Heinrich is not about to let such a man court his beloved daughter.

Her father’s prejudices test Emilie’s faith in God’s ability to mend the patchwork pieces of her life. Will she be forced to choose between honoring her father and a future with a husband and family of her own?

Book Review: Initially I was disappointed that this book didn't focus on Maren and Rutherford, but my disappointed didn't last. I enjoyed the first book in Mona Hodgson's The Quilted Heart series, but I enjoyed the second installment even more. I think part of the reason was because I had been introduced to the characters in the first book and had a better understanding of them, their surroundings, and the era in which they lived. The author does a magnificent job of painting the picture of St. Charles, Missouri, just as the Civil War comes to a close and many families in the area are dealing with devastating losses. As the series continues, I find myself becoming more and more emotionally attached to the characters, even those that are on the fringe of the story. Their troubles become my troubles, their joys are my joys. It sounds silly, but it was so easy to get completely lost in this book. The only issue was that it was much too short. As in my review of the first book, I will have to say again that I think this book would have benefited greatly from being written as a full-length novel.
Jessa's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Want to read Bending Toward the Sun by Mona Hodgson? Get your copy HERE. The first book in the series can be found HERE and the third book is available now HERE. Want to know more about the author? Check out her website HERE.

Note: This post originally appeared on Once Upon A Book HERE on June 21st, 2013.

Book Review: Suddenly You by Cecilia Gray

I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Book Description: Fanny doesn't want to be at The Jane Austen Academy. She intends to lay low until graduation when she can try out for the Olympic track team. She doesn't need friends or love. She only needs her running.

But The Academy is in danger. In an effort to save it, Fanny joins forces with the friends she never knew she wanted. Suddenly, Fanny finds herself center stage in the middle of the Academy's biggest love triangle as the lead in the school play...only this track star can't afford to break a leg.

The last thing that the girls at the elite Jane Austen Academy need is hot guys to flirt with. But over the summer the school has been sold, and like it or not, the guys are coming. And it’s about to turn the Academy—and the lives of its students—totally upside down…

The Jane Austen Academy series are modern retellings of Jane Austen classics set at a beachside California boarding school.

****************
About The Author: Cecilia Gray lives in the San Francisco Bay Area where she reads, writes and breaks for food. She also pens her biographies in the third person. Like this. As if to trick you into thinking someone else wrote it because she is important. Alas, this is not the case.

Cecilia has been praised for “instilling a warmth and weight into her characters” (Romancing The Book Reviews) and her books have been praised for being “well-written, original, realistic and witty” (Quills & Zebras Reviews).

Her latest series of young-adult contemporary Jane Austen retellings was named a What’s Hot pick (RT Book Reviews magazine) and is a Best of 2012 pick (Kirkus Reviews) where it was praised for being a “unique twist on a classic” and offering “a compelling mix of action, drama and love.”

She’s rather enamored of being contacted by readers and hopes you’ll oblige at cecilia@ceciliagray.com or any of the following sites: WEBSITE . TWITTER . FACEBOOK . YOUTUBE . NEWSLETTER

************
Book Review: When I first began Suddenly You I worried about the roll that track would play in the book. I'm not an athlete by any stretch of the imagination and, for the most part, sports hold all of the excitement of watching paint dry for me. Fortunately, while running did play a part, it wasn't overwhelming. I was quickly drawn into the story and found myself liking everything about it: the strong characters, the distinct personalities, the engaging plot, even the writing style itself. It's no secret that when it comes to modern retellings of the classics that I'm more than a little weary. I don't like when someone takes a classic, adds a few minor tweaks and then calls it their own. In the case of the fourth installment of Cecilia Gray's The Jane Austen Academy Series, she does a masterful job of taking a few elements from Jane Austen's Mansfield Park and molding them into her own modern, unique story. And while this may be the fourth installment in the series, the book can easily stand on its own. It's a fast read that will leave you wanting to read more.
Jessa's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Want to read Suddenly You by Cecilia Gray? You can get your copy from AMAZON, B&N, APPLE, or KOBO.

Note: This post originally appeared on Once Upon A Book HERE on June 20, 2013.

Book Review: The Super Spies 1&2 by Lisa Orchard

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of these books in return for my honest review.

Book Description: This book opens in a small town in Michigan where fifteen-year-old Sarah Cole is stuck spending the summer at her Aunt and Uncle’s with her sister, Lacey. She’s not happy with the situation until she befriends a girl named Jackie. The three girls stumble upon the ruthless murder of a reclusive neighborhood woman. One of the officers investigating the crime believes the girls are responsible for her death. Fearing that this officer will frame them for the murder, the girls organize their own detective squad. They become the Super Spies and start their own fact-finding mission. The Super Spies can’t understand why anyone would want to murder the “Cat Lady” until they start digging into her past and discover a horrible crime that happened thirty years ago. They uncover a connection between the two crimes and attempt to bring this information to the police, only to be reprimanded for meddling in the inquest. Not only are the girls upset by the admonition, but they also struggle with the fact that their exuberant investigating could provide a legal loophole allowing the killer to go free. To make matters worse, the police don’t even believe them. Frustrated by this turn of events, the Super Spies realize it’s up to them to snare the Cat Lady killer.

Review: This is a fantastic novel for young adults. It's clean - devoid of cussing and sex, which the YA genre is flooded with these days - while still maintaining a fast paced, interesting storyline. The characters were fairly well-developed and likeable, even if some of their decisions might make older readers cringe (like unwittingly contaminating a crime scene, perhaps?). As someone who enjoyed The Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew series when I was younger, I found this to be a highly enjoyable and satisfying tale of mystery and friendship. Definitely worth reading!

Jessa's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

********************

Book Description: This book opens in a small town in Michigan where Sarah and her sister Lacey are now living with their Aunt and Uncle. Still reeling from the fact her parents have disappeared, Sarah starts the school year with her new friend Jackie Jenkins. When Sarah learns the school has been bombed, she’s filled with dread. Uncle Walt is a teacher, and he was in the school when the bomb exploded. Taking matters into her own hands, Sarah decides to search for him. The rest of the Super Spies are right behind her. When a fireman chases them away from the school, Sarah becomes suspicious. She decides to investigate. The FBI arrives on the scene. Sarah realizes this bombing could have even bigger implications. Searching for the bombers, Sarah is introduced to the world of terrorism. She fears that the bombing and her parents’ disappearance are connected and terrorists are involved. To make matters worse, the bombers are determined to finish the job. Can the Super Spies find the bombers before it’s too late?

Review: The latest installment of Lisa Orchard's Super Spies series is nearly as good as the first book; chock full of suspense, adventure, and mystery. It was hard to put down once I really got into the story and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I like how these stories deal with some difficult subject matter, such as death, without becoming too dark. I also enjoyed seeing sisters Sarah and Lacey bond and become closer than they've ever been. While there isn't anything wrong with Hinkle's as a setting, I did wish that the Super Spies would branch out and meet in a few other places to change it up a bit. The end was abrupt. I couldn't believe it ended where it did - what a brilliant cliffhanger! I can't wait to see how the next book in the series plays out!

Jessa's Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

You can get your copy of The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer HERE. Don't forget to check out the sequel, The Super Spies and the High School Bomber HERE. Want to know more about author Lisa Orchard? Check out her site HERE.

Note: This post originally appeared on Once Upon A Book HERE on May 25th, 2013.

Book Review: Dandelions On The Wind by Mona Hodgson

NOTE: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah for this review. This is my honest opinion and has not been influenced by WaterBrook or the author.
Book Description: Tattered relationships and broken hearts, like a quilt, can be pieced together by God’s love.

When Maren Jensen took a job on Elsa Brantenberg’s St. Charles, Missouri farm, she never expected to call the place her home. As she grows to love Mrs. Brantenberg and her granddaughter, Gabi, Maren is transformed from a lonely mail-order bride-without-a-groom to a beloved member of the Brantenberg household.

But when Gabi’s father, Rutherford “Wooly” Wainwright, returns to the farm unexpectedly, everything changes for Maren. Despite the failing eyesight that caused her suitor to reject her, she can see that Wooly desperately needs to reconnect with the family he abandoned when his grief sent him running toward the army—and into the Civil War. She also senses there could be something more between the widower and herself, if either can move beyond their past hurts.

Comforted and counseled by the wisdom of the women in her beloved quilting circle, Maren begins to discover the cost such decisions demand of her heart. Are her choices in obedience to God, or is she running from His plan? Is it too late for love to be stitched into the fabric of her life?

************
Review: I find novellas to be a refreshing change of pace from longer novels. They're perfect for instances when you don't have the time to read a full-length book, as well as when you're looking for a quick, entertaining read on the weekend. Dandelions on the Wind, the first novella in Mona Hodgson's The Quilted Heart series is good; short and sweet. I enjoyed the historic setting of wartime St. Charles, Missouri, as well as the quaint imagery of life on the farm. The only thing I disliked about this novella was the lack of character development. This is, unfortunately, a problem that plagues many novellas. Don't get me wrong though, I liked the characters well enough, but I didn't feel as close to them as I would have liked. I would have enjoyed seeing more of their personalities, hearing more of their inner thoughts, and most of all, I would have liked to see more interactions between characters (especially those involving the budding romance within this novella's pages!). In sum, it's a good book, but had the potential to be so much more. It definitely would have greatly benefited from being written as a full-length novel. I look forward to reading the second novel in the series to find out what happens and to gain insight into these characters' inner workings.
Jessa's Rating: 3 stars out of 5

To learn more about the author and get the latest news, check out Mona Hodgson's website HERE. Can't wait to read Dandelions on the Wind? Get your copy HERE.

Note: This post originally appeared on Once Upon A Book HERE on May 7th, 2013.

Book Review: All Over The Place by Serena Clarke

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Review: Serena Clarke's debut novel lives up to its title All Over The Place. While I did like it, the story itself seemed to jump around a lot and with the constant stream of new characters it made it unnecessarily complex and just a tad hard to follow. There were several elements, like Livi's parental drama, that I felt could have been left out entirely as they added very little to the story and seemed more like filler than anything else. Maybe with a little reworking they could have been incorporated a little more smoothly into the story. Livi was endearing in her awkwardness through her search to find herself and the charming, sexy owner of the backpack that she accidentally ended up with after a chance meeting on the tube. The other characters that popped up, with a few exceptions, definitely served to liven up the novel and I liked the majority of them, even if there were one too many. The author has a good "voice" and wrote with humor and a touch of sassiness that won me over in the end. The British terms did throw me for a loop at first, but luckily my Kindle's dictionary was pretty worldly and when it couldn't offer any suggestions as to a possible meaning it turned out it wasn't too hard to figure out for myself. It got easier as time went on as I slipped farther into the story and its setting. I can't say much about the ending for fear of giving too much away but it was sweet and satisfying and made the entire book worth reading, in my opinion. If you're in the mood for a adventure/romance or a relatively quick, fun beach read then this is your cup of tea (which, by the way, you'll be craving after all of the mentions it gets! ;)).
Jessa's Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Can't wait to start reading All Over The Place? Get your copy HERE. Be sure to check out the blurb, author bio, and enter the giveaway HERE.

Note: This post originally appeared at Once Upon A Book HERE on April 30th, 2013.