Nicole and the Unending TBR

My favorite in this series so far! I absolutely loved Zevi, seeing him go from the youth in Between the Wild Branches to the hero in this book was fantastic! I loved the sparring with him and Yochana and the tension between them, even when they were at odds. I loved the action and political intrigue in this story. It almost reminds me of what it feels like to read ancient Scottish tales, with all the feuding clans. The insight and the way CC brings to vivid life ancient times is truly remarkable. The romance was well paced and I loved seeing how these two people went on this unforgettable journey this is this book. And of course the mystery thread that began in book one was touched on and eagerly awaiting the next story from this author that brings the Biblical world to life like no other. . I recieved a complementary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally. All thoughts are honest and completely my own.

Yes! Back to Deep Haven! I was very intrigued when Susan may Warren announced that she was going to have new authors join her in writing Deep Haven stories.  What would they be like? I was completely pulled into this story! It had the drama,  romance and formula that I love in Susan's books, and so many characters from Deep Haven that I loved. I really enjoyed this author's voice and the way she told this story.  I am a huge sucker for veteran stories! What really touched me was the heroines struggle with her own feelings of being unworthy,  man that hit home for me. A struggle I'm sure many have and told in a way that gives such hope. I read this while on vacation,  tucked into a cabin,  it was perfect! This story is a type of second chance romance that pulled at my emotions and I really enjoyed it!

Jaime jo Wright does it again! She crafts tales that make you want to cozy up and devour, and she weaves in the spooky feels, with great characters and depth.  She has truly made me enjoy timesplit novels! She develops both timeliness so well and then tries them together in the end with I twist that I never see coming! This book took be a little longer to get into, but once I was able to sit down and seriously read it I was whisked away by the story.  And the ending had me flipping pages as fast as I could. I was a little confused aboout how the author left some points hanging on what was supernatural or not. The faith message is a bit on the lighter side in this book, but there are great nuggets of truth in this story.

This series has been amazing. Not only was it a fantasy series that I fully enjoyed, it was a series that reminded me and challenged me to treat prayer as a gift and something that I need to spend more time doing. Everything was set for the climax in this book, and it was so well woven that I couldn't stop thinking about it.  The romance junkie in me wished that there was a bit more interaction between Damien and Selene, but it fit how the story was designed. It really made me think if how even though I am not a dreamwalker (wink), I can truly intercede and do battle on behalf of others while in prayer and communion with my Lord. Prayer is so often treated like an afterthought, or something to do when you can't do anything else. It is an undervalued privilege. While deeply allegorical and with clear spiritual insight this story let me meditate on the real battle, while the fictional characters fought a fictional one. This series has some serious substance, that I have not ever ...

How to describe this book ? It's like chocolate fudge sauce, it's smooth, rich and slowly covers all the feels and seeps into your soul. In other words, it's fantastic. If adoption is close to your heart, this is the book for you. All those periods of waiting, all those emotions, I can remember that when my family started our adoption journey! Nicole Deese weaves a beautiful story about family faith and sacrificial love. I am super picky when it comes to books written in the first person POV, I only have loved a few that are in this format.  This one I loved! It was written in in such a way that you are fully invested in the characters, in the struggles, in the journey of life that is celebrated in these pages. I adored Joshua Avery! Like, wow! He is definitely going to be on my short list of favorite heroes this year. Lauren is a character who drew me in and I could relate to.  I don't want to give anything away, just read the book!!!!!!!!!! I can't recommend this ...

This book picks up immediately were the first book stopped, and continues to build this epic tale. I can't believe how much I have enjoyed this world. You absolutely need to read this series in order!  In Flight of the Raven we see Selene and Damien's relationship grow and see Selene discovering what her gift was meant for. I especially loved her spiritual journey in this book. This spiritual allegory is probably going to be one of my new favorites. My only tiny complaint was that I had wished for Selene and Damien to have worked and talked out some of their problems more with each other, but that is me being picky. I dove into this series expecting to be entertained in a different world from all the craziness going on, but it is so much more. I find myself challenged and exhorted to pray more and to focus my eyes on my Lord.

As soon as I was introduced to Arabella in the first book I was eagerly anticipating her story.  But you guys....... nothing prepared me for how wonderful this story is! Jody Hedlund has outdone herself! This second installment of the Bride ship series is even better than the first! Arabella is a character that you can't help but root for. She is wounded by her past, but watching her grow and become strong is just an amazing story. Pete is a fantastic hero! He is confident, funny and the absolute perfect character to help Arabella. Normally the flirty, outgoing type of heroes are not my favorite, but Pete has this magnetic optimistic outlook that is practically contagious! I loved how the author wove these two opposite personality types together and had them grow in their individual struggles and their faith. This positively swoon worthy romance is blended with historical detail and a inspirational message. This is everything I look for in a historical romance. I could ...

This is the second book I have read from this author and I enjoyed it the most! This book tackled some hard topics and sad realities in 1919, I had no idea that childhood indentures continued for so long! I was shocked! I enjoyed the history and the unique setting of Canada! The pacing of this book was perfect, always the right amount of tension or drama to keep me fully caught up in the story. There were a couple things that seemed wrapped up a bit easy, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the story. I'd recommend this book for anyone looking for a historical drama set in the turn of the century. I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally, all opinions expressed in this review are my honest opinions.

I have loved this series so much! Sarah Sundin has done a wonderful job of taking her readers back in time and make them feel as if they are witnessing the events play out before them. Surprisingly I didn't connect with this book in the beginning. No idea what was wrong with me! I have been so eager to finally read this book. For some strange reason I couldn't connect with Leah in the beginning (so weird). However the more I read, the more I became invested in the story and by the climax I was fully captured by the characters and racing to see how things were going to work out!  

I love, love/hate stories! And I love the extreme love/hate where the characters go from being motivated to kill each other to willing to die for each other! These three books are that kind of story.  And I LOVE them! What is one of your favorite tropes? #christianfiction #lovehate #biblicalfiction #hisyoricalfiction

Veiled in smoke is a novel deeply rich in history! I was truly transported to the windy city to the time of the great fire. I don't know about you, but I tend to compartmentalize history. I never really thought about how men who survived the civil war were present in the Chicago Fire. I really appreciate the intricate research that went into this story! I had never before known about some of these things! This is a story that captures the family drama after tramatic event as well. This is a perfect read for those who want a historical novel without it being mostly about the romance. A well written, well developed historical novel! I received a complementary copy of this book from the author, all opinions are completely my own.

Let's talk about the romance of reconciliation! . I adore both of these books because they have the unique story line of couples that are estranged or growing apart, and how they find their way back! . I love the depth of these kind of stories and how it's not about finding the new, but about fighting for something worth fighting for!

Laura Frantz has swept me away again in this beautifully written tale of frontier life in 1770! Her writing makes you feel as if you are there in person, seeing the sights, smelling the scents. This book took me along for a journey into the wilderness that I won't soon forget. Clay is a man who has come through life battered, and closed himself off. Tessa is a strong woman, who is dedicated to her family, yet she longs for life outside of the valley she has grown up in. This is a tale filled with peril, but one filled with hope as well. A reminder that no matter our circumstances, our Lord is with us. I received this book from the publisher through Netgally. My opinion is completely my own.

Though I was already familiar with Isaiah and Hezekiah, this work of fiction helped me see them as real people. Crazy how fiction can do that! This book had me discussing these biblical characters with my family, and now I want to dig into the biblical account again. Which is exactly what great biblical fiction should do! This story spans decades! Which is something that I don't find much in fiction! You journey with Isaiah, Ishma/Zibah and Hezi, you see their struggle and their triumphs! This author's writing style is different than what I normally read. I am used to becoming imersed in one or two characters for a short period of time. I didn't feel quite as drawn into the characters as I felt drawn into the journey of faith. Which isn't a negative, it's just a different way of story telling!  I loved the message of how our obedience to God is vital for our relationship to thrive and how He is to be our refuge no matter what. I really appreciated the way the author...

Let's talk favorite heroes of 2019! This was so hard to narrow down to just 5 books! These books contained had my top heroes of this year. . Zach Hamilton- More than words can say I had my eye on him since the first book in the series and I just loved him in this book. The tough guy who finds someone who softens him up *sigh* . Malakhi - until the mountains fall  For me Malakhi stole my heart with everything that he went through and remained such a faithful character. I really enjoyed watching him grow and become the man who was an amazing hero. . Leif Metcalf - Storm Rising How can he not be in my top 5? He is protective, dedicated and loyal. Totally awesome hero with a few mysterious abilities thrown in. I loved his determination to  fight for what's right. Absolutely one of my favorite Kendig heroes of all time! I am soooo #teamrunt . Ford  Well actually I cheated and am going to pick Ford and York, since they are both in this book! I loved Ford's dedication once he se...

 I loved the twists, I loved the turns, I loved how the how the past and the present were interwoven in a truly unforgettable story! This book delt with hard topics and definitely had a spooky edge to it. I really enjoyed that about this book! I find it so rare to find a mystery that keeps me guessing like this one did. I can't write much more, or I might accidentally give away spoilers! Get. This. Book! Bravo Jaime Jo! I am definitely going to be reading more of her books in the future!

Wow, what a ride! Bravo SMW for writing another addition to this fantastic family series! Each one of these stories are as unique as the siblings that it features. I LOVED Ford, I mean he was pretty perfect. Wyatt's story is very different, because Wyatt is a totally different brother. He is someone who acts on more emotion. He has a history with Coco that was illuded to in the previous book. And now we finally find out why things happened the way they did. This is another fast paced story and I finished it in a ,day. Very hard to put down. I loved the humorous parts of the book! Wyatt's mind was often jumping to conclusions and then running away with imagination, and I cracked up with his and York's interactions. Seriously, I love York so much! There are several twists in the story that I can't reveal without giving too much away. Some I guessed ahead of time, others caught me off guard. There are some adult themes mentioned, but not too detailed. I loved the ...

Wow! Though not my average type of read, this book sucked me in for a wild ride that was filled with deep thought provoking points. The Sy-Fi angle was different, but I rolled with it and Jordan became my favorite character! What I liked about this story the most was the way we got to explore what it means to be a human. We explore topics of pain, eternity, free will and many more. The one negative thing I will say is how the main character is a female head pastor. The Bible says women are not supposed to be Elders and Pastors, yet this character is "called" to be a pastor? Sorry, I had to take off a star for that. Maybe it was a type of reflection of the society of this futuristic world, I don't know. Other than that I found myself fully engaged in this futuristic/dystopian world! I was left with much to ponder and thank God that even though we experience pain and heartache, we have a Savior and a privilege to be able to spend eternity with Him. I received a comp...