Hannah G

A tale about the French Revolution and sweet young Edmée, a survivor and the ancestress of the children listening to the tale.

Here's a fun little tale of Bath, written as letters from young Ann Northcutt to her dearest friend Julia. While my attention lagged a bit at the midway point, just picking up near the end, I'm still rating it high because the period tone was done so well and was so delightfully reminiscent of Jane Austen's books. I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel and am happy to recommend this little story of travel and friendship to anyone who loves Austen's work or to those who prefer no romance in their stories (this one has almost zilch.)

Every word counts in this delightful novella. We are brought fully into the world of Dorothy and her friends as she decides to enjoy herself in a bit of “innocent fun.” Her stern father has forbidden parties that have dancing, but Dorothy is slightly crazy about dancing, and is willing to join the secretive and exclusive Lost Lake House dancing club and sneak out of the house after dark in order to go there with her friends. After all, what her father doesn't know can't hurt him, right?

I loved feeling the emotion as Dorothy is pulled more and more into a life she didn't look for. You can almost hear the music and feel the night air from the descriptions, and you might try to reach out and tell her exactly where her “harmless” path is taking her. Then there's the additional drama of getting glimpses into the life behind the scenes and the young man who's trapped in a job he needs too badly.

Two favorite things: How fast her shoes wear out—and the ending!

A very good ending to the Serena Jones Mystery trilogy. I'm not ready for it to be over; I wish there was a whole other trilogy of Serena novels! (At least three more, maybe more) The light-hearted humor in these books, contrasted with the solemnity of some of the crimes, with a really confident lead, sparkles with life and draws in the reader.

In this one, we finally have the end of the famous love triangle, where the author actually let her readers have some input on who Serena ends up falling for. I dislike love triangles in particular, but since both guys are worthy suitors and the outcome isn't a known thing from page one, it didn't bother me too much, though it was my least favorite part of the books. I actually like Nate better in this book, but she always should have ended up with Tanner from the very beginning, you know? Or a dark-horse candidate that was better than both would have been a fun twist...

The mystery strikes close to home (an honorary relative and a vacation to Martha's Vineyard) in this one, and I loved how it was all-hands-on-deck in trying to solve this mystery. Aunt Martha is a huge favorite of mine, and she was her normal bigger-than-life self here, including a big surprise from her near the end that had me grinning and chuckling.

Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

Wow, what a fun, sweet story!

While there were a few things that didn't add up with the musical stuff a piano would have been referred to as "pianoforte" still, and historic gut strings on a violin would have crumbled to nothingness in thirty years of disuse and a few oopses in formatting, I'm breaking all my rules of perfection on this one and giving it all five stars because Jonas and Olivia were just so special!! Read it as soon as you can.

A light-hearted romp of a story set in an island in the Bahamas. I wasn't planning to read a lot of novellas this year, but the covers in this series are too cute, and the story matched that vibe perfectly. I'll definitely be reading more of the series and of this author's work.

I'm divided on my feelings about this book. I wanted to see a bit more of a story arc but instead it's a build to a cliffhanger. I liked the parts about her overcoming her prison time; I strongly disliked the parts where her boyfriend and another man tried to force her to sleep with them. I was expecting more suspense but it didn't really happen until the end. The characterization wasn't super deep and there was very little description. I also disliked the several swears. However, that cliffhanger....I guess I'll get to the next book to see what happens!

If the last story hadn't been a dud with graphic violence (tragedy by fire) and liberal politics, I'd have probably given this an extra star. Here's the breakdown of the stories in this collection:

Lady and the Tramps- 4 stars
This one was just a lot of fun. I love stories of orphans getting taken in and the Wild West/outlaws who strike a train and the Wells-Fargo agent who saves the day. But that's not all that's going on, as Mattie and the kids quickly discover. It would have been perfect if the epilogue hadn't felt rushed and surprising (things happen that weren't clear to happen in the body of the story).

The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek- 4.5 stars
This one was just totally sweet and I enjoyed every minute. The hero got himself in a jam by being a little too nice, and now he's got a lawsuit. He's happy to pick up and run home to get a bride...but she isn't there. And maybe she didn't send him that note after all...this relationship was fun and engaging.

The Bride of Basswood Hill- 3.5 stars
This one needed some more work on setting and a couple more chapters on the relationship's growth. While the story is sweet and the two leads engaging, the leap to true love and understanding was a bit hasty and I had to take the author's word for it that they would be okay.

Echoes of the Heart- 1 star
Ouch. I was looking for enjoyable, clean fictional romance. Hardly any romance, lots of socialism, lots of politics, and lots of graphic deaths by fire. And I do mean graphic. This was a bummer of a note to end on and I had to take a few deep breaths to cool off. The author posits that banning free labor in the factory would have prevented the fire altogether. Now, pardon me, but pro-union is NOT the only way a company can be asked to complete basic safety features. And then the three chapters of on and on, blood and guts, people jumping from windows, etc etc. Just nope.

Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

Another quiet village tale with much of the same charm from the first book, but a good bit more heartbreak as change hits right at the heart of town. The ladies are facing losing Ivy Cottage and it seems life will never be the same...

Bindloss's primary powers as a storyteller are in description and characterization. When an author succeeds in making me feel chilled on a hot day, he's done his job. The pace is slower than many other tales by other authors, but I knew Ingleby better than he knew himself, and could feel each pang of Hetty's loyal heart. Those two were my favorite characters, though many other interesting and many-layered characters peopled these pages. It's a tale of hard work, of mining in old Canada, and of what really matters when life puts everything to the test.

This was one of the first books I read after discovering Project Gutenberg, and it's the one that introduced me to Harold Bindloss. It's a sweeping moral tale of right and wrong...how even choices made when there seems to be no other option can haunt us for the rest of our lives. It's set in the Canadian prairies in the early 1900s, and you will feel the sting of snow and taste the hunger of desperation as you read.

A short suspense that I liked. Rachel is former FBI and Grey a Ranger who's home on hardship leave after his daughter's kidnapping. The relationship between the two was the best part of the book for me.

The ending was weak as the culprit told all about the crime instead of the leads figuring it out by clues. I didn't think the bad guy(s) character quite fit the given motivations and sudden unveiling. Otherwise I'd have given an extra star.

Also I don't think the Rangers can just up and decide to leave without notice...I thought there was a process for that. I may be wrong.

Connection to other books: Rachel's coworker Shelley is featured in The Littlest Witness by the same author.

Perhaps the crime Macey recalls witnessing isn't quite the same crime she thought she forgot. She's shut out a lot of memories from the night that she accidentally got mixed up in a home invasion, and now that Tylar, one of the perpetrators of the robbery, has gotten out on parole, things have started happening that freak Macey out. But what if Tyler isn't the one pursuing her? What if he is?Published in paperback form in the [b:Sins of the Past 27066717 Sins of the Past Dee Henderson https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1444845411s/27066717.jpg 47107192] collection.

Eason's writing has polished and improved since this earlier book, but it's still a good and worthwhile read! Paige was an interesting character, and Dylan a steady hero. Little Will was so cute, especially the time he was ready to defend his uncle from the bad guys! I personally think Will was the star of the piece, just because. :)

There were some plot points that were a little difficult to understand, but not enough to make the mystery un-guessable. What annoyed me most was a certain tornado response: Never, ever go under a bridge in a tornado. Get in a ditch and cover your head. Even a small tornado becomes more dangerous under a bridge because the strength of a bridge acts as a wind tunnel and the wind is worse under the shelter. I'm a little stunned that neither Eason nor her publisher nor any of the other reviewers didn't know this, so...here's a public service message. :)

Another clever Winter & Furneaux-linked mystery. A young man is up too late at night and a black cat takes a hand in romance and intrigue. I loved the drama of it and the string of little clues that ties it all together. It was definitely unpredictable and has little dashes of humor here and there as well.

Overall, it was an enjoyable suspense story. I liked the Colorado setting and the characters, but felt the bad guys were way too bold and eager to kill...not too smart on their part. Definitely an author I'll be reading again, and having a K9 in the story is a fun plus too.

I loved how front-and-center the faith element was as the heroine battles debilitating panic attacks and everyday anxiety. I honestly think this is my favorite yet of Patch's writing and I loved the dangerous journey to solving the cold case. Can't wait for the next in the series in August!

Loved this one! I listened to it on LibriVox (very good recording, except for the second chapter) and it absolutely kept me guessing all the way to the end. There are mysteries layered on top of mysteries, but the main villain is the same throughout and the detective hero, T.X. of Scotland Yard, is a smart criminologist who refuses to give up. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this book! I've read several of Parrish's works before, and have not been disappointed; but this one was different. It was very well written, and the characters were vivid and interesting throughout. I must even admit to having a strong urge to cry while reading the events of the almost-final chapter!
This is probably one of the best Westerns I've ever read. Parrish himself apparently lived and worked in the West only a decade after the events of the story, which lends an authentic flavor to the writing. There's a complex mystery to be solved and a love story to have set right, as well. Nothing stereotypical about this tale!

I read this several years ago and enjoyed every minute of the tale. An orphan without a home goes to a crabby old man and adopts him, becoming his housekeeper and looking after him. She also takes in two stray dogs. If you need a wonderful, heartwarming story about home and family, head over to Project Gutenberg and enjoy this for free.

4.5 stars
A tale of family and home set in the mid-19th century. Sandal has been in the family for generations and is in the story almost as a character itself. Charlotte is ultimately the focus of the novel, and I did enjoy her tale. She does all she can to honor her family while her sister proves herself to be less than concerned with others' feelings, and her brother is away spending more money than he ought of his inheritance.

My favorite part is that you feel like you know the family when you finish a Barr story. All the interesting little details are there, the herbs on the floor, the stress of bad news, the cook's dismay at “a little pudding” being required...you can identify with it all, though the description is done with a light hand. A few words suffice.

I love this story! It is very, very deeply Christian; for instance, one character is a Methodist preacher who sympathizes with Freedom's cause but has done his best to prudently prepare for his future prosperity by making himself indispensable to the English with his saddlery shop...and keeping his mouth shut. But when he realizes that the men he preached to are starving and dying in prison for their politics, he has to take a stand; he determines to aid them as best he can, even to going one day a week and leading them in a Bible study. When the commander objects, it goes a bit like this: “Have I given you cause to suspect me of being a traitor? No? Then why do you prevent me from seeing these men?...You are a Godfearing man. The Good Book says we minister to Jesus Himself when we minister to those in prison. Are you prepared to answer at the Judgment Seat for why you prevented another from ministering to Him in prison?” And so he gains his point. The characters in the book are deep thinkers, and several must be strong enough to face the loss of everything they hold dear before the story is all told.

Maria is an interesting main character...a girl of seventeen, maturing into a woman of twenty. She makes mistakes and suffers for them, in some cases very deeply.

The history of the occupation of New York is also very fascinating!

A favorite verse from the story:
No wind that blows can ever kill
The tree God plants:
It bloweth east; it bloweth west;
The tender leaves have little rest,
But any wind that blows is best.
The tree God plants
Strikes deeper root, grows higher still,
Spreads wider boughs for God's good will,
Meets all its wants.

What an enjoyable story! A young Englishman, ill and disillusioned with the society that produced him, goes to the North Carolina mountains to find health again. He finds a great deal more...work, friends, restored faith, and a wonderful young woman who steals his previously untouched heart.
There were some implied faults of theology and a leaning toward pacifism on the part of the author, but other than that I have no complaints.
The storyline is very good, as David Thryng learns the lessons of true manhood and must make a final great decision. And the ending is very well written. Not many books have a perfectly paced last chapter.
I read the Project Gutenburg ebook, which has beautiful illustrations included. It was pretty well done, with only a few strange line gaps and misplaced apostrophes.

Read in 2007.
This was originally written as a boys' tale. It is from 1864 and the writing is a bit slow-paced for modern tastes, but the research into Ethiopia is fascinating.

Fun, humorous, dramatic little romance. Great for a dim and rainy day. I bought this last week, and it could not sit long on my shelf!