Playing the Part by Jen Turano

Lucetta Plum has taken care of herself for years.  She finds herself if a situation where whe has to depend on others to protect her, and she has a hard time accepting their help.  She is one of the most sought after actresses in New York City.  When one of her admirers gets too determined to have her she has to hide until it blows over.  This leads her to the mysterious Ravenwood, and it's attractive owner, Bram Haverstein.  Will she be able to accept his help?

I really enjoyed this book.  I have read several books by Jen Turano, and they are always a fun read.  The characters are unique and quirky.  There is a good pace to the book, and you never know what is going to happen next.  Lucetta is an interesting character.  She is not perfect, and that makes you like her all the more.  Bram is also interesting.  It is fun to watch him as he learns that Lucetta is not the person that he assumed her to be, but then grows to love her even more for the person that she actually is.   There are several impossible situations that happen in the book, and it is always fun to see how they are going to get out of them.  I would give this book 4/5 stars.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers.

The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker

I was really excited to read this book!  I love reading dystopian novels, and seeing the different ideas of our future.

Carrington Hale has spent her whole life preparing for her Choosing Ceremony.  She has done everything that was expected of her and excelled at it.  So how come she wasn't chosen? 

I found the world very interesting.  I like to see how the author had society rebuild itself.  It seems very plausible to me that the society could be based on a religion, and that the people in the city are required to live by the religion.  I found it sad that it was such a constricting religion and that it valued women so poorly.

The characters were interesting.  Some were creepy, and some were people that I could see myself being friends with.  I felt like the characters grew throughout the book.  It was interesting to see them come to understand themselves and their world.

I liked that the book talked about finding your own worth.  I think that this is an important thing that gets overlooked.  Our worth is not defined by what we have, or who we know.

Overall, I enjoyed this story.  The plot was a little predictable, but the characters and the world were interesting.  I would give this book 3/5 stars.  I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers.

A interesting Q&A with the author can be found here.

After a Fashion by Jen Turano

Harriet Peabody always prays for a birthday wish.  This year she has left it up to God, and just asks for something wonderful.   Now can she survive the journey and find out what it is he has in mind for her?

I always enjoy books written by Jen Turano, and this book is no exception.  Harriet is a very likable character.  She is surrounded by a cast of characters that is both fun and crazy.  Harriet is a very strong woman.  She has plans and dreams and is going to make them happen.  Oliver is a very nice, if somewhat crusty gentleman.  It is fun to watch the relationship develop between them.  I also enjoyed watching Oliver develop his relationship with God. 

Books by Jen Turano are always a fun, light read.  The characters find themselves in impossible situations but they always manage to come out on top.  I would give this book 4/5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House. 

Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh

Abigail Pressman has everything she has ever wanted.  Almost.  The opportunity to finally expand her business is finally happening.  If she can only buy the building before someone else does.  Abigail has seen love fail too many times to want to have it happen to her.  But, then the handsome Dr. moves to town.  Can she open her heart and let God lead her?

The characters in the book are fun.  Abigail has her quirks and is a very likable character.  You want her to be happy and to have her dreams happen.  There are a lot of fun, quirky people in the little town of Loves Park.  The town is obsessed with love, and it would be fun to visit.  Jacob is conflicted, but nice.  I had a hard time with the fact that he was so easily okay with kicking Abigail out of the building.  The paper hears was a really cute idea.  I like that the book tries to show that love isn't always perfect.  There are hard times and good times.  I would give this book 4/5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale. 

The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen

I really enjoyed this book.  Abigail Fosters family has recently lost most of their fortune, and they have been forced to seek a new home.  During their search they are approached with an offer that is too good to be true.  Soon they find themselves moving into a manor house that has been abandoned for almost 20 years. Soon they start to hear rumors about what happened to the former occupants and also what might be hidden in the home.  What is in store for Abigail and her family?

I really liked Abigail.  She is a very interesting, real character.  She has her good and bad parts and she is portrayed in a convincing manner.  I also generally liked the person that she was.  The book itself kept me guessing.  I wasn't sure how things would turn out in the end.  The mystery was interesting.  I liked learning the back history of the home and Pembrooke family.  I felt like the book had a good pace, and it revealed things at a good rate.  Not to fast, but also enough to keep you interested and guessing.  I would give this book 4/5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House.

Buttermilk Sky by Jan Watson

Mazy is tired of everybody else making all of her decisions for her, so she decides to make some for herself.  She enrolls in Secretarial school and moves away from home.  Chanis Clay is sure that she will come back and marry him, but will Mazy meet someone new while she is away?

Mazy is a fun character.  She is a good girl who is trying to find out what she wants from life.  The story was sweet, but overly simplistic.  There were many themes that could have been explored more deeply. There were a lot of elements of the story that were just barely touched on.  Some things were mentioned so briefly that I wondered why they were included at all.  Other times things happened with absolutely no build up, or hinting, and they didn't seem to fit the characters involved.  Overall, it was a sweet story, but it could have used a lot of reworking.  I would give it 2.5/5 stars.  I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale.

Candy Aisle Crafts by Jodi Levine

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program.  This book is adorable!  It is amazing the cute things that can be made out of a couple of pieces of candy.  The book is well laid out.  There are sections on the different kinds of candy that you can use.  There are a lot of pictures to help you know what to do.  The instructions are nice and easy to follow.  I can't wait to show this book to my kids!  I would give it 5/5 stars.