Life in Spite of Me by Kristen Jane Anderson and Tricia Goyer

Kristen's story, told by herself and author Tricia Goyer, is a story of pain and heartache, a story of extreme desperation, and yet a story of hope.  Kristen shares with readers the pain that led her to attempt suicide by throwing herself in front of an oncoming train.  She relates the struggles that ensue as she learns to cope with her life despite handicaps.  And, ultimately, she shares the hope and joy she has found through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Memoirs are one of the genres that I really wasn't aware that I enjoyed until last year.  But, in my readings last year, I discovered several that were really good reads.  Kristen's story is another.  There are times when it is dark and difficult to read.  But, her honesty about her desperate feelings will resonate with readers.  The joy that is evident through her new life in Christ will bring hope to the despairing.  And her encouragement without being preachy ensures readers that she has been through the hard times and has come out whole- and wholly alive in Christ.

I thoroughly enjoyed Life, In Spite of Me.  It was touching and encouraging and seemed very "real."  I'd give it a good 4 stars.  I'm not sure how appropriate it would be for some readers because of the despairing things Kristen faces, so I'd give it a PG rating.

I received a free copy of this book for review purposes from Waterbrook Press.  All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman

Once again, I'm very pleasantly surprised (and probably lured into buying) by a free Kindle read.  A Hope Undaunted is apparently in a series.  And, although I had no trouble reading and enjoying it as a stand alone, I long to hear the "back stories" of some of the now beloved characters.

Katie O'Conner is strong and determined. When she meets Luke, the pesky orphan who tormented her as a child is now all grown up.  And Katie finds herself irresistibly drawn to him.  But, so many things in her life seem to conspire to keep them apart.  As both learn to trust in God, they also learn that He has a plan to which they can trust their hopes and dreams.

There were many things I loved about this book; the feisty heroine, Katie; the charming and rugged hero, Luke; the sweet romance; the strong faith in God that seemed real and not preachy.  I was a little put off because the book seemed to drag at times.  I just wanted things to hurry up and work out, but I felt that sometimes the story line was lagging.  There were also a few moments where the characters seemed a little too good to believe. Their behavior made the story a little less than realistic.

The fact is; though, that the really good things in the book more than made up for the minor frustrations I had.  This one was a really good read that makes me want to look up the others in the series.  I give it a strong 4.5 stars.  And, I'd rate it a PG because of some of the adult situations.  It is a Christian romance and really doesn't have any objectionable content.

Abducted by T.R, Ragan

I've now read two very different free Kindle reads from T.R Ragan.  Abducted is a suspense/thriller along the lines of a James Patterson novel.  It is apparently the first in a series about Lizzy Gardner who was abducted fourteen years earlier and escaped from her abductor.  She's now a private investigator, but her former abductor is back.  And, Lizzy's niece is one of the girls in danger.

This was a little different from the other two Ragan books I've read. It was much darker and more of a thriller than a romance (although there is a budding relationship with Lizzy and her former high school sweetheart).  I still really enjoyed the read.  I've liked all of T.R. Ragan's books so far.  I'll be looking for the following book in this series.

I give this one a 4.5 stars and an R rating for some rather graphic violence and intimacy scenes.

The Secret Dreams of Sarah-Jane Quinn by Sharon Gerlach

And here is yet another free Kindle read that turned out to be pretty good.

Sarah-Jane Quinn had a not-so-pleasant childhood and has a pretty low view of herself.  But, she's working in a job she enjoys, and she has some secret dreams.  One is to have a romantic relationship with Collie- her best friend at work.  Another is to own the bed and breakfast that she has happy memories of from childhood.  Things seem to be working out with Collie, but then the road turns rocky and Sarah is the victim of a brutal attack. Was Collie really the man of her dreams?  And what about the bed and breakfast inn she remembers?

This read was told from a first person perspective- not my favorite- and had some crass language I could have done without (but not lots to make it unreadable).  Other than that, I really enjoyed the read.  Sarah-Jane was a wonderful heroine- sometimes awkward and very self-effacing but also brave and spirited.  The climax and resolution were pretty unexpected and kept me guessing to find out what was going to happen to Sarah's dreams.

This was another pleasant surprise for a free read.  I give it a good four stars and a PG-13 rating for some language and implication of intimate relationships.

Robin: Lady of Legend by R.M. ArceJaeger

Another free Kindle read has emerged as one of my favorite reads.  Robin: Lady of Legend is a new spin on the old Robin Hood tale.  I am a huge fan of historical/fantasy reading, so I picked this one up eagerly when it was a free read.

In this version of the legend, Robin is a young lady, not a man, who ends up in Sherwood Forest when she flees a dreaded betrothal to the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham. She passes herself off as a man to protect her life, and she eventually becomes the leader of the famed band of Merry Men.

I loved, loved, loved this sweet and entertaining version of an old tale.  With lots of daring adventure, a hint of romance, and all the best-loved parts of the original Robin Hood tale, this was definitely a 5 star read for me.  The romance is PG rated (at most), and the violence isn't very graphic, so I'd give this a safe PG rating for any fantasy fan.

Daughter of Time by Sarah Woodbury

This was another pleasant surprise that I got as a free Kindle read.  Time travel romances have been a genre I didn't expect to like so much but found myself enjoying after the Outlander series.

In Daughter of Time, Meg is transported to 13th century Wales after the tragic death of her abusive husband.  Along with her two year old daughter, she finds herself taken in by Llewelyn, legendary Prince of Wales.  Although Meg and Llewelyn obviously fall madly in love, the historical information and view of life during this very turbulent time in England's history is enough to keep the book from being trite and predictable.

I believe this novel is just the first in a series (An excerpt from book 2 is in the back.).  I'll certainly be on the lookout for others!

I'd give this one a 5 star rating for romance, fantasy, and history all wrapped up in a tale that kept me reading and interested through the last page.  This one is much less descriptive about intimate situations than Outlander, so I'd keep this one at a PG rating.

Two Kids Reads

The Vampire Mystery (a Boxcar Children mystery) by Gertrude Chandler Warner is a book in the beloved children's series The Boxcar Children.  I chose this one to review because my older kids have read and enjoyed some scary stories, so I thought my younger crew would enjoy something with "Vampire" in the title.

The Vampire Mystery has the four siblings from the Boxcar series in a new mystery.  When their grandfather's friend leaves them to house sit his home while he travels, they stumble into a mystery.  Is a vampire really haunting the house and the old cemetery behind it or is there something else going on, someone who doesn't want to see the house sold?

This mystery has plenty of clues and adventures for young readers but nothing really scary.  There is reference to vampires - which may frighten the younger set- but all's well in the end for the mystery solving siblings.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are entirely my own. 

I loved the first TJ and the Time Stumblers book by Bill Myers!  I think I may have enjoyed it as much as my middle schoolers- the target audience for the series.  I was super excited to get my hands on this fifth installment in the series.

TJ and her friends from the future, Tuna and Herby, find themselves in all kinds of trouble when the friends' plan to retrieve a plutonium power pack goes horribly awry.  Their bumbling results in TJ switching bodies with her old enemy Hesper Breakahart.  As TJ and her futuristic friends struggle to make things right again, they are chased by an enemy from the future.  Amid lots of fun and misadventures, all of our characters learn the importance of forgiveness as Tuna and Herby get one step closer to going home.

This book, like the first one we read, is incredibly funny and appealing to preteens while still teaching valuable life lessons.  There is nothing serious here, and older kids may find it too corny (even though I enjoyed it), but there's plenty of laughs and fun while TJ and friends learn more about the way God wants them to behave.  This is the 5th book, and we've missed books 2-4; but I didn't have any trouble picking up on what was going on.  I think readers could even pick up this one without reading the first one, but I'd recommend finding them all just because they are so fun to read!  I'll be looking for books 2-4!


I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale for review purposes.  All opinions are entirely my own.