In Paper Roses, by Amanda Cabot (Revell, 2009), Sarah Dobbs replies to a man in Texas, agreeing to be his bride after a tragedy pushes her to leave Philadelphia. When she arrives in Texas, her husband-to-be, Austin, is dead and his brother, Clay, is determined to find the killer. She struggles to make a home for herself and her young sister in this Texas town. In the process, she learns the true meaning of forgiveness and love. Paper Roses is an uplifting, heartwarming tale set in the 1800s. The main character, Sarah, is a determined, strong character with compassion. She instantly connects with the reader and her situation is realistic....
Book Review: The Blind Assassin
A novel within a novel, within a novel…within a novel. Only Margaret Atwood could do this. That’s my conclusion, at least. Published in 200 by Anchor Books, The Blind Assassin, is a book with countless different dynamics and unexpected twists. To be completely honest, I didn’t like the book for a long time and forced myself to continue to the end. By the last few chapters, as all the pieces came to a beautiful fit, I realized the true genius of the book. The characters are well described and very real. So real, they are almost unlikeable. The antagonists of the book are extra unbearable and I found myself actually...
Book Review: Catching Fire
I indulged this weekend. Rather, I was trapped by this book. Somehow my hands were chained to the hardcover binding and flipping pages madly. I simply couldn’t put it down. So I ignored all other life around me and barricaded myself in my office to read Suzanne Collin’s gripping sequel to The Hunger Games (see my previous post). If The Hunger Games was one of the best books I’ve ever read, I’m not sure how to classify Catching Fire. It surpassed the high standard set by its predecessor, digging deeper into the characters and setting. In this book, nothing is exactly how it seems, and you are left breathlessly waiting...
Book Review: The Hunger Games
Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see. Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in...
What I’m reading
I’m a sucker for good historicals… “Love Thine Enemy” presents memorable characters with page-turning action. Set in Florida during the American Revolution, author Louise M. Gouge puts the reader in the town through strong description and realistic period dialogue. The main characters, Rachel Folger and Frederick Moberly are genuine with true chemistry. Rachel has a heart for helping others among other endearing qualities that instantly connects to the reader. Frederick is the hero we all love, struggling to do right while society looks down upon him. I was sucked into the book right away and unable to put it down until I finished! Gouge has a real way with her...