Book Review - The Happy Camper

I.am.so.guilty.

For real, y'all.

Guilty as all heck.

What have I done, you ask? Well, I judged a book by its cover. But I really think you'll give me a pass when you see it. I mean, has there ever been a cover more unbelievably adorable as this one? Take a moment to look at it and literally feel the stress melt away. It is fairly magical.

In all fairness, I did also judge this one by the author. Sometimes I'm having a Melody Carlson kind of day, or week, or quarantine (I'm totally nailing this social distancing thing!) See, I know I can trust Melody to give me the kind of Hallmark-y experience that allows me to simply enjoy a book without super stressful plot twists and deep theological introspection. Don't get me wrong, you know I love all those things, too. But let's recap my own personal reality at the moment:
*Quarantine/Social Distancing Day 12 (TWELVE, Y'ALL!)
*Little Brother has been in a big ol' cone of shame for eleven days. That means, for eleven days he has been trying to cuddle with me and really mostly succeeding only at whacking me in the face over and over. And over. And, also, over.
*Princess Pea Pod is a little frustrated that her spring break is spent at home, being socially distant, and continues to ask if I'll please just take her to (Walmart\the mall\the park\friend's house\anywhere but here) in spite of every explanation.
*Yesterday, the power went out. Then the internet was out. And the garage door broke.

Melody Carlson, take me away! I so need Hallmark-y right now!

Dillon has had enough! She doesn't even realize it until she has chucked the dead-end boyfriend and the dead-end job, but her heart knows exactly where to go, and Grandpa welcomes her home with open arms. When she finds her childhood bedroom occupied by her own mother, Grandpa solves the space issue by offering her a vintage camper. Restoring Rose gives Dillon purpose, as well as the opportunity to get to know Jordan Atwood through trips to his hardware store and a shared enthusiasm for vintage campers. It's a bit of a bumpy ride, but Dillon and Rose find their identity together. I enjoyed the support Grandpa gives, the understanding Dillon and her mother find for each other, the banter with Jordan, and the joy Dillon finds through her new fascination. Thank you, Melody Carlson, for delivering another truly enjoyable story!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Chasing the White Lion

Oh my gravy, y'all! I was doing great in my bookish world, reading all the good books, writing all the reviews, geeking out over all the authors I love. Then along comes James R. Hannibal with The Gryphon Heist, Talia Inger, Tyler, Finn, Eddie and the rest of the merry-ish band of law and disorder. My world was rocked. My Google searches got a little weird and TripAdvisor is STILL trying to convince me to take my dream trip to Transnistria. (Thanks, TripAdvisor, but I'm currently self-quarantined.) By the end of The Gryphon Heist, I wasn't sure who it was that I love and who I don't trust, who is telling the truth and who has been lying so elegantly all along. What I did know, is that I wanted more and Chasing the White Lion could not be released soon enough!

Problem solved! At least one problem was solved; I still had to convince the entire world to leave me alone while I utterly devoured this book! It was almost as if a hand reached out of the story and grabbed my face. There was no putting it down! This is the kind of book that genuinely left me breathless at the end, with a bit of, "What the heck just happened here?!?" The action of the story, the actual pursuit of the White Lion and the search for the missing children, is excellently crafted. The real core of the story, though, is one of redemption and of family.

It is always encouraging when an author takes an opportunity to use an already awesome story to fulfill a higher purpose. James R. Hannibal does this through a partnership with Compassion International, a wonderful organization with a heart for the impoverished children of the world, in which a portion of every book sold goes to support their mission. That's fiction with a purpose, for sure!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.

Book Review - Out of the Embers

Someone was watching.

I was immediately caught! Thanks to Amanda Cabot's hook of an opening line, I was involved in Evelyn's story from the first sentence. Out of the Embers is the first book in Cabot's new Mesquite Springs series and follows orphan Evelyn Radcliffe from the destruction of the orphanage she called home to the home that was meant for her.

Ten years after her parents were killed, Evelyn must start all over when her orphanage home is destroyed by fire. Who set the blaze that killed the matron and all of the other orphans, save sweet little Polly? Where will Evelyn and Polly go? How will Evelyn support them?

Wyatt Clark has always gone above and beyond to care for his family and nurture the dream of his deceased father, but he's planning for the day he can escape to chase his own dream. He is utterly unprepared to do anything more than providing shelter and food to the strangers he finds huddled under a wagon in a storm.

Amanda Cabot entwines their stories and their hearts deftly, while creating a lovable cast of characters in the town of Mesquite Springs. I look forward to the continuation of the series as we see what she has in store for Wyatt's dear sister, Dorothy, as well as the other citizens of their cozy Texas Hill country town.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.