A Billion Books

I normally don’t write movie reviews. Actually I’ve never written one. But when Sarah M Eden announced a couple of years ago she was going to make one of her books a movie I immediately knew I would be writing a review for this movie.  Seeking Persephone. The myth of Hades and Persephone. A love story, the enemies to lovers trope. It’s a classic and it’s beautifully done in Sarah M Eden’s book, so could she do it in her movie?  The answer is yes. Yes she could. The acting, the set, the costumes, the attention to detail was beautiful. It brought you into the world of Persephone and Adam the Duke of Kielder. I watched with my sisters and they immediately wanted to show my mom and we’ve showed to to countless others since. This is a book to movie adaptation that doesn’t disappoint. And it also is a regency era movie you can show the whole family which is refreshing these days. One critique was for those who didn’t read the books many were confused about how cold Adam was at the b...

  Summary of Book 1 below my review.   Do you ever read a book and just instantly love the characters? That is what happens every time I read a K.M. Shea book! I don't know how long ago it was when I discovered her books, but I love every single one of them. I recently re-read her Court of Midnight and Deception Series and I enjoyed every moment of it! I really love it when you can re-read books and you want to keep reading because the book is just that good.   The book is set in the USA but there are magical beings walking around with humans. Leila, the main character, is half human and half Fae. She is suddenly told that she is the queen of a kingdom of Fae known as the Night Court. She has such a fun personality, once she realizes that she has to be queen she puts 100% into it and just keeps on being her happy, sarcastic self. I couldn't stop laughing at the many funny situations Leila gets into and the many funny things she says. I also love her inner circle, ea...

I'm one of those people who always has my nose in a book, I used to say I can't pick a favorite book but now I can. And I can never get tired of this book! I own both the kindle and audible book. I no joke read it around 3 times a month, it never gets old :) I love the characters, the plot and conversations. Miranda is one of those ladies where it is hard for her to control her emotions and the man she loves can see her in a way no one else can. He understands that it is hard for her to keep her spitfire temper in check. They always have witty banters and are constantly doing things to throw off the other's plan to make them mad. But behind all this plotting they both know they love each other and in the end there is a very wonderful Happily Ever After. Book 3 also shows some of their story. I love all the books in this series and would recommend reading all of them!

 I really liked this coloring book. This is a countdown to Christmas, starting with December 1st. Every day has a devotional and a coloring book. It was fun to see the cool designs. The cover is a good representation of the detail in the pages, they just take up the whole page instead of the borders. The devotionals in the book are very good and help you focus on the real reason of Christmas.  If you want a teen/adult coloring book, this is a good one to get. I received a free reviewers copy in return for an honest review from Tyndale House Publishers.

Official Summary: Norah has agoraphobia and OCD. When groceries are left on the porch, she can't step out to get them. Struggling to snag the bags with a stick, she meets Luke. He's sweet and funny, and  he just caught her fishing for groceries.  Because of course he did.  Norah can't leave the house, but can she let someone in? As their friendship grows deeper, Norah realizes Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can lie on the front lawn and look up at the stars. One who isn't so screwed up. Readers themselves will fall in love with Norah in this poignant, humorous, and deeply engaging portrait of a teen struggling to find the strength to face her demons. My thoughts: The summary was very accurate. I did fall in love with Norah and Luke too! I know people who struggle with these demons and I think the author did a very good job showing what it really feels like. Everyone with OCD has different demons but they are all hard to deal with. Luke was a very good...

Summary: Scripture memorization grounds kids in the faith, equips them for the future, and solidifies relationships with Christ, family, and others. The  Hidden in My Heart Scripture Memory Bible  was created to encourage kids not only to read God’s Word but also to hide it deep within their hearts. One hundred of the Bible’s core verses have been set to music by renowned children’s author and song writer Stephen Elkins. The 100 songs include a variety of genres and are available in the New Living Translation, New International Version, and King James Version, and all songs are free with the purchase of the Bible. Additional interactive features encourage school-age kids to engage with the Word in every place of their life. My thoughts: I really enjoyed reviewing this book! The first thing I did was to download the songs that go a long with the selected verses they have for memorization. The songs are a variety of genres from lullabies to upbeat pop songs...

Summary: When her mother suffers a stroke, medical student Deirdre O'Leary makes the difficult choice to put her career on hold to care for her. Dr. Matthew Clayborne is renowned for his amazing results with patients, but when Deirdre approaches him about helping her mother, she finds him challenging and surly. Deirdre has had enough of complicated men in her life. After her fiancé left her, she vowed never to give a man that kind of power again. Widower Dr. Matthew Clayborne is devoted to two things: his work with wounded soldiers and his four-year-old daughter, Phoebe. He won't abandon either of these priorities to care for one older woman. However, when Phoebe suffers a health scare, they're offered respite at the Irish Meadows farm, where his daughter's weakened lungs can recover--but only if he cares for Mrs. O'Leary. Matthew intends to hate Irish Meadows, yet he immediately feels at home, and soon both Mrs. O'Leary and Phoebe are showing improvement. B...

Official Summary: When Clara Vesper's husband, Adolph, dies suddenly, Clara is stunned--but not grief-stricken. Her marriage to Adolph had been arranged, their primary interaction revolving around the sapphire jewelry Clara designed and Adolph produced and sold. Widowed and penniless, with two small children, Clara decides to return to her aunt and uncle's ranch in Montana, the only place she has ever been happy. Curtis Billingham, injured in a sapphire mine collapse, is recuperating at the ranch of his friends, Paul and Madeline Sersland. But when the Serslands' niece returns from New York City, Curtis curses both his broken body and his broken past. Clara, the love of his life, has come back to him, but he is no longer worthy of her love. Clara's brother-in-law Otto Vesper, Adolph's business partner, fears that the loss of Clara's design skills will doom the company's prospects. Following her to Montana, Otto is prepared to do whatever it takes to get ...

Summary: After a medical discharge from his duties in the Napoleonic War, Thomas Quincy Fitzbatten has returned home. Disoriented, burdened by guilt for his wealth, and disillusioned with life's injustices, Thomas longs for a chance to make a difference in the world. But he keeps himself a mystery to those around him as, another motive for his charity gnaws at the back of his mind: to seek redemption from the traumatic demons of war. Then everything changes at the arrival of Ruth Dawson, the niece of Thomas's butler, a stunning woman with a secret of her own. Thomas graciously offers to assist Ruth in her predicament, but a surprise instinct prompts Thomas to handle the case a little more personally. As their love blossoms, it appears that all will be well—until Thomas receives a mysterious letter from an old friend in trouble, compelling him to the rescue. But will Thomas do when nothing is as it seems? And why can't Ruth shake the feeling that her destiny is intertwine...

Summary: Spring 1813 The exotic splendors of India are legendary, and the colorful sights of her new home in Calcutta immediately captivate eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Poulter. Whereas many of her fellow British expatriates despise the culture they see as barbaric, Helen sees excitement in the unusual locale. It is in this vibrant, bustling city that she finds a kindred soul in Captain Michael Rhodes, an Englishman whose lifelong love of India runs deep. Their friendship quickly grows, yet despite their undeniable connection, she could never think of Captain Rhodes as more than a dear friend. Her love, in truth, has been captured by dashing British Lieutenant Arthur Bancroft. This handsome soldier represents the embodiment of all she’s dreamed of in a husband. Preoccupied by her growing affections, Helen never dreams that beneath the  glamour  of the city, hostilities are reaching a boiling point. When battle ultimately threatens both of the men in her life, she...

Summary: Lady Ella Myerston can always find a reason to smile--even if it's just in hope that tomorrow will be better than today. All her life everyone has tried to protect her from the realities of the world, but Ella knows very well the danger that has haunted her brother and their friend, and she won't wait for it to strike again. She intends to take action . . . and if that happens to involve an adventurous trip to the Cotswolds, then so much the better. Lord Cayton has already broken two hearts, including that of his first wife, who died before he could convince himself to love her. Now he's determined to live a better life. But that proves complicated when old friends arrive on the scene and try to threaten him into a life of crime. He does his best to remove the intriguing Lady Ella from danger, but the stubborn girl won't budge. How else can he redeem himself, though, but by saving her--and his daughter--from those dangerous people who seem ready to destroy t...

Summary: It is 1664 and Patience Terry is devastated to learn that Captain Jeremy Horton’s ship has been shipwrecked off the coast of Barbados. There were no survivors. She had hoped that Jeremy would someday give up the sea and settle down with her in Southold, Long Island. Unaware his memorial service is being planned, Jeremy sails aboard a British warship with secret orders to attack New Amsterdam and claim it for the British Crown. When he makes his surprise return to Southold—and to an overjoyed Patience—it’s not quite the happily-ever-after his beloved had hoped for. With a finely tuned sense for authentic historical characters and settings, Rebecca DeMarino plunges you into a world of tall ships, daring journeys, and yearning hearts. My thoughts: I wasn't aware that this book was in a series that I think needed to be read in order. So I thought this book was cute in the beginning when he was missing and she still thought he was alive when everyone said h...

 official summary: While Lydia King's reasons for joining the Teaville Moral Society might be suspect to some members, her heart is in the right place. Because of her father's debts and her mother's persistent illness, her best chance at a secure future and curing her mother is to impress the politician courting her. Her first task--to ask the town's wealthiest man to donate--seems simple enough . . . until he refuses. Despite appearances, Nicholas Lowe wants to help others, but prefers to keep his charity private. When Lydia proves persistent, they agree to a bargain, but Nicholas still intends to do things his own way. Neither predicts what they'll learn about true charity or foresee the complications their actions will bring to the town, forcing Lydia to decide where her beliefs and heart truly align. My thoughts: I enjoyed watching Lydia pester Nick. She is very determined to get what she wants and Nick doesn't want to budge. They both grow a lot in thi...

official summary: Emma Hill was practically born with a violin in her hands. She lives for the life of the piece, for each song’s story, for the perfect stillness after the endnotes when the vibrations of sound are still humming through her body. If only her love life were that harmonic. But she knew her chances at love would take a hit when she decided to leave her prestigious concertmaster position in the Cleveland Orchestra and move back home to Asheville, North Carolina. She justifies her actions with the fact that being concertmaster for the Asheville Symphony is better than no dates  and  no job. But when Emma’s world collides with piano-playing YouTube sensation Elliott Hart, she finds herself falling for the way he plucks at her heartstrings. Despite a— ahem —not-so-good first impression, the two soon develop the beginnings of a rhythmic relationship. But when Elliott insists they can’t be together, it’s up to Emma to strike up a little romance. Will she be abl...

official Summary: Now that Stephanie Pink has broken off a bad engagement, a new career opportunity appears to be just the distraction she needs. Presented with the chance to achieve her dream of becoming a full-fledged literary agent, Stephanie seeks to retrieve a coveted, handwritten manuscript from reclusive author Agnes Wharton. Things go awry when Agnes's dog, Sweetness, runs off during their meeting. The distraught author gives Stephanie an ultimatum: find her dog or Stephanie will never see the manuscript. While combing a nearby campground for Sweetness, Stephanie meets Rhett Hastings. Unbeknownst to her, he's a former CEO and bazillionaire who walked away from the very world she's trying to enter. Rhett agrees to help Stephanie search for the missing dog, and so begins a high jinks-filled adventure in a thirdhand RV.  Will Stephanie ever obtain the elusive manuscript and launch her career? Or will she see that maybe, just maybe, Rhett's choice for a simpler li...

official  summary : Sarah Yoder belongs to a Plain community in Oklahoma, but her days are far from simple. Her father suffers from bipolar disorder—until a tragic accident ends his life and the abuse he inflicted. Instead of stepping up to provide a better future, Sarah's mother packs her bags and leaves her six children behind. Alone with her younger siblings, Sarah is exhausted but finally at peace. Then she nearly runs over a small Hispanic boy with her buggy...and somehow finds herself sheltering two more orphans. Paul Byler moved to Cody's Creek to help his brother in a time of need. But now that Joseph has recovered from his heart attack, Paul's ready for a quiet place of his own. The only problem? His new property lands him next door to the orphaned Yoder family—and a calling from God he can't seem to ignore. My thoughts: I  usually  stay away from  Amish  books because although authors research, unless they are of that religion they will get ...

Official Summary: After ten years in the NFL, superstar Gray Fowler is accustomed to obsessive fans. But when Gray starts receiving death threats from a stalker, his team hires an executive protection agency to guard him until the culprit is caught. Dealing with bodyguards 24/7 is a headache, especially when one of them is a young, beautiful woman. How can a female half his size possibly protect him better than he can protect himself?  Dru Porter is a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt--none of which saved her from disaster on her last assignment. In order to rebuild her tarnished reputation, she's determined to find Gray's stalker and, since relationships between agents and clients are forbidden, avoid a romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past. Yet every secret that leads Dru closer to the stalker also draws her closer to Gray. As the danger escalates, they'll survive only if they can learn to trust t...

Janice Thompson is hands down one of my favorite authors. About 30-50% of the time I read a book and say " I Love that book!" I look at the author and it's from her. A lot of her books are about weddings. When I found out I could review this book I was super excited. Summary: Katie Fisher is ecstatic. Pro basketball star Brady James has proposed, and she can't wait to start planning their life together. But it's hard to focus on her own happily ever after when her calendar is filling up with celebrations for friends and family. Beyond that, it seems everyone around her has an opinion--and a strong one at that--on what Katie's special day should look like. Will she ever manage to settle all of the details for  her storybook wedding? Or will her overzealous friends and relations make a mess of everything? My thoughts: This book is the 3rd in a fantastic series about Katie. I read the first two books and absolutely loved them. I recommend you read a...

summary: Seventeen-year-old Cyra Berque wants two things in life: a date with Rochan and a chance to fence at the Olympics. But people with one hand don’t normally fence, and girls with big thighs don’t get the boy. Knowing that she wants to make the Olympics, Cyra’s coach sets her up with another coach, one who could take her all the way to the top, but the new coach costs more. Feeling her dreams slipping out of reach, Cyra agrees to tutor a ballerina with a rich father and a D minus in English. It’s triple the pay and triple the pain. The ballerina isn’t interested in passing classes―she wants Rochan, and she’s promised she’ll turn her D minus into a full-fledged F if Cyra doesn’t help her win the heart of Rochan. My thoughts: I really liked the detail the author went into to see Cyra's passion. She doesn't let her one handless arm get her down and doesn't do the woe is me act. The ballerina, Christine is a very fun character and Crya and her compliment each other v...

  Men are optional. That's the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts preached and why she started a successful women's colony in Harper's Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive them out, Emma admits they might need a man after all. A man who can fight--and she knows just the one. Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's plea arrives, he bolts to Harper's Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve. As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow and deepen, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive. My thoughts: I really liked this book. Emma has spunk and determination that a lot of authors try to get and Karen Witemeyer nailed it. She wants to be able to help the ladies in the colon...