February Book Haul

Here is is. My February book haul. Finally, lol. Please don’t mind the things in the background. Those toys are my niece’s, who I babysit. Anywho, this was an exciting book haul for two reasons. The first, I reached my goal of 30 days no hair pulling. For anyone curious as to what I am talking about, I will be writing a post about that in greater detail. The second reason, I received four books last month as gifts. They were also gifts for reaching my first 30 days of no hair pulling. Now, onto the books!

Based On True Events-

The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe

Mystery-

The Newsmakers by Lis Wiehl

A Cry From the Dust by Carrie Stuart Parks

The Bones will Speak by Carrie Stuart Parks

Deception on Sable Hill by Shelley Gray

Threads of Suspicion by Dee Henderson

Dressed for Death by Julianna Deering

Murder on the Moor by Julianna Deering

Death at Thornburn Hall by Julianna Deering

Shattered by Dani Pettrey

Stranded by Dani Pettrey

The Anatomist’s Wife by Anna Lee Huber

Novels (Drama)-

The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers

The Magdalen Girls by V.S. Alexander

Fantasy-

Mistress of All Evil by Serena Valentino

 

Are there any on this list you have read? What were your thoughts about the book(s)? Are there any on my list you want to read? I would love to hear from you!

Have a sweet Sunday 🙂

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The Sea Before Us

1944 London, England. A place filled with soldiers, native and foreign, air raids, and preparations for an invasion into France. Naval Officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton, from Texas, works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a WREN, in the Women’s Royal Naval Services. They work together to piece snapshots together to make the maps used as accurate as possible. Their friendship begins to turn into more, but the demands of the war, and of their own personal lives, threaten to ruin any possibilities of a love. Can they be stronger than the demands of the world?

The prologue was definitely a puncher. It started off grabbing hold of me and by the end of that chapter I was hooked! Unfortunately…. the story lost its grip on me after the prologue. I continued reading for a while but finally stopped. I did not finish the book. As quickly as it grabbed my attention, it quickly lost my attention. I found the story difficult for me to get into, it became dull for me. I was bummed. The book unfortunately goes on my list of Did Not Finish.

*I received this book free from Revell in exchange for my honest review. What I have expressed are entirely my own thoughts. I was not compensated in any monetary way.*

Website Remodeling

Good morning, Friends

I hope you are all doing well and having a nice day. I want to let you know I am working on my website again, this time focusing on the Sweet Pea page. I am working on taking pictures of my items (books, notecards, jewelry, paintings….) to post them onto the page. Make sure to keep checking back for updates!

 

Happy Friday 🙂

The Evaporation of Sofi Snow

 Confession time- I, Kymberli Briggs, actually finished this book a little bit ago but it has taken me this long to put my thoughts and emotions together so I can write the review the story deserves.

The first thing I noticed about this book is the cover. It has a 3D affect on it! Yes, 3D! How awesome is that?! And when I unwrapped the cover paper to look at the book itself, it has this cool snakeskin feel to it. This book definitely goes on my list of favorite book cover designs, both designs.

Okay, now for the story. Sofi Snow knows how to play the system. She is a tough girl who does what needs to be done. No matter how hard that step may be. However, as the story unfolded, I saw it was a thick protective layer she used to cover her vulnerability. When Sofi’s brother goes missing after a bombing she must join forces with a person from her past she had hoped never to have to be involved with again, in any way. But sometimes you need to bite the bullet and do something for the greater good.

The story reminded me of a mix of Tron meets a toned down Hunger Games. I admit, initially I was a little leery about the story. I even almost stopped reading it in the beginning. Shame on Me! I held on for whatever reason and I am so happy I did! It was not what I was thinking at all. Oh! and the ending?? Oh my word!! It was one of those “WHAAAATTTT?!!” moments. Please tell me the sequel is coming out really soon!!

*I received this free from Fiction Guild and Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation. What I have expressed are entirely my own thoughts.*

 

Parental Guidance- I would rate this story PG-13 due to intense scenes and content.

The Separatists book review

BREAKING NEWS- NORTH DAKOTA HAS SECEDED FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION OF OTHER SECESSIONIST GROUPS TO FORM IN OTHER STATES. 

News journalist Erica Sparks is right there capturing every moment of this historic event. This is the biggest story in a very long time. If these groups are successful in separating from the USA, a second civil war could be declared. How far are these groups willing to go? And when Erica uncovers more and more, the stakes are raised to a very dangerous level.

Lis Wiehl did an exceptional job in taking me behind the scenes of Washington and journalism. Her ‘Newsmaker’ series keeps me riveted, as if I really am watching a true news event unfold. I was glued to the pages of this story the same way I would be glued to the TV if this really was happening. And that ending? Goodness! What more could happen??

*I received this book free from Thomas Nelson and The Fiction Guild in exchange for my personal honest review. I was not compensated in any monetary way.*

 

My star rating- 4 out of 5 stars

Parental Guidance- I would rate this book a PG13 due to Intense Scenes and Adult Situations

January Book Shopping

All the books!!!! 🙂 19 to be exact. Sorry the pictures don’t capture every book very well but I did my best.

In the Fantasy genre I picked up the rest of the Tales of Goldstone Wood books I have not read yet. Think of a new twist on fairy tales, complete with fairies, dragons, princes, princesses, cats….

Veiled Rose, Moonblood, Dragonwitch, and Shadow Hand

I completed my collection (up to date, anyway) on Melanie Dickerson’s fairy tale retellings. I have been on a kick for fairy tales lately. Who doesn’t like a good fairy tale story?? I am a Disney girl through and through. So, to catch up on her fairy tale stories I got….

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, The Merchant’s Daughter, The Fairest Beauty, The Captive Maiden, and The Golden Braid

To finish up in the Fantasy genre I got….

Grimm’s Fairy Tales (complete collection), Redwall, Before Tomorrowland, and Whispers of Liberty

I couldn’t not look at the mysteries, you know how much I love those, and found a few….

Until We Find Home, Magic Hour, The Kitchen House, and The Woman in the Window, The Snow Lane and The Road to Ever After

 

I am looking forward to sinking myself into these inked worlds. Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts (without giving spoilers, please)?

 

A Stanger at Fellsworth

    A brother that scares me, and arranges a marriage for me with a man who has less than polite and gentlemanly thoughts and intentions? Or, an uncertain future on my own? Option B, please! A lady who has grown up in London’s high society choosing to live a less than elegant lifestyle to protect herself? Now that is my kind of heroine! And that is exactly what Annabelle Thorley does.

Along Annabelle’s journey, which is in no way a smooth one, she does find friends in unlikely places, a family who she has not seen in years but takes her in and guides her, and most importantly, Annabelle finds herself. This was a very enjoyable read and I hope you like it as well.

*I received this book free from Thomas Nelson and The Fiction Guild in exchange for my honest review. I have not been compensated in any financial way and all of the thoughts I have shared are entirely my own.*

 

The Noble Servant book review

 Once upon a time, there lived a nobleman’s daughter and a duke….

Magdalen of Mallin has received a proposal from a duke. It almost seems too good to be true. Her future looks bright and hopeful now. On her journey to his home, however, she discovers that things are just that, too good to be true. Magdalen is overpowered by her maid and in order to protect herself and her friend, she must trade places with the maid, allowing the servant to marry the duke. Magdalen is trapped, stripped of her identity and forced to tend to the geese. She soon befriends the shepherd boy and begins to suspect that he is carrying his own secrets. Can she trust him to help her gain back her rightful place? Or is he working with her maid, making sure Magdalen stays quiet?

I was very excited to jump back into another Melanie Dickerson fairytale. Her writing style is so easy to follow, her characters are entertaining, and the stories themselves are like little portals of time travel, taking me back to happy days of my childhood. And that for me, is the best part. I also have to mention the cover image. I love how colorful it is, it suits the fairytale theme so perfectly. Melanie Dickerson has become a new favorite author of mine. In fact I bought all of the other fairytale books she has written that I had not read yet. If you are looking for a fun, light read with a bit of childhood reminiscing, I highly recommend this book, as well as The Silent Servant, the other story from Ms. Dickerson I have read.

*I received this book free from The Fiction Guild and Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review. What I have expressed are my own thoughts, and I was not compensated by any financial way for this review.*

Top Favorite Books of 2017

Good afternoon, friends!

I hope this day is going well for you and wherever you are it is warm. Last week in my area we had below zero temperatures and wind chills made it around -25/-30 degrees! Yes, I hibernated as much as possible, lol. Today it is still cold out but compared to what we have had it is pretty nice. And the sun is shining.

I have taken the last couple of weeks to look back on the books I read last year and have my list of favorites ready. the stories took me on so many different paths. I walked through family secrets, fantasy worlds, countries, centuries of adventures. But out of all of them, there were four that really left their print on me. In no particular order….

 

A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz

Laura Frantz swept me away to the wild land of Kentucke. A place filled with surveyors and pioneers determined to colonize the area even amidst dangers all around. Tempe Tucker, the innkeeper’s daughter, guides the new surveying party through the land. 1777 Kentucke wilderness, an adventurous heroine, secrets. This story had so much. I felt as if I was part of the surveying party. The details brought everything to life. It is a story richly filled with history, mystery, adventure, and love. For a deeper look into my review of this story the link to the original review is here:

https://kymberlibriggs.wordpress.com/2017/01/23/a-moonbow-night/

 

Child of the River by Irma Joubert

Everything about this story did it for me. The cover image, the heroine, the other characters, the way Ms. Joubert wrote the story, the setting, everything Persomi had to face. This was my first story set in South Africa, add in that it was set in the 1940’s and 1950’s and I was transported there instantly. I could not put this book down, I stayed up late to read it. This is a book I highly recommend.

https://kymberlibriggs.wordpress.com/2017/03/11/child-of-the-river-book-review/

 

The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green

Julianne Chevalier has been branded a criminal in France and sentenced to the New World in exile. She is shipped to Loisiana and quickly discovers she needs more strength than she ever imagined. Again, I was swept away to different worlds. 1700’s France into Louisiana. There were trials and dangers around every corner and Julianne quickly had to learn who she needed to be if she ever thought of staying alive.

https://kymberlibriggs.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/the-mark-of-the-king/

 

True to You by Becky Wade

I was introduced to my fictional twin when I read this story. Nora’s love of books, vintage styles, genealogy, BBC and PBS. Her house is filled with books. Nora is asked to help a former Navy SEAL find his birth parents and it takes each of them on a journey neither planned for. Family secrets, second chances. This story is my favorite Becky Wade book to date.

https://kymberlibriggs.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/true-to-you/

 

There you go. I hope I may have helped you find some good reads for this coming year. What books did you read last year that left their mark on you? I would love to hear about them. I can never have too many books!

True to You

    If ever there was a story written that reminded me of myself, this is it! I do believe I have found my fictional twin! Lover of books, genealogy, vintage clothing and accessories, tea, BBC and PBS. I am still waiting for the family reunion with Nora. Let me introduce her to you.

Nora Bradford, genealogist, has known heartbreak. She buries her life in her job, which also includes maintaining a historical village. She has learned to protect her emotions the best she can and disappears into the fictional world of books and British TV shows. When John, a former Navy SEAL, comes to Nora needing assistance in finding his birth parents, he causes the kind of distraction she loves. However, as they get closer to finding out the truth behind his birth not only does she feel her heart opening up again, they also uncover family secrets neither of them were prepared for.

Becky Wade continues to be a favorite author of mine and this particular story is my #1 favorite of hers. As I mentioned already, Nora is basically my fictional twin. It was so easy for me to connect with her personality. Throw in family secrets and this was a definite winner for me. A five star book for sure!

*I received this book free from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review. What I have expressed are entirely my own thoughts and I was not compensated in any financial way.*