Song of Ebony by Deborah Grace White

Song of Ebony
by Deborah Grace White

ISBN-13: 9781922636614
Paperback: 415 pages
Publisher: Luminant Publications
Released: December 26, 2022

Source: Free book.


Book Description from Goodreads:
Crown Princess Bianca has always been unusual, from her snow-white hair to the strange way her words dance. But just like every other Selvanan, she’s restricted to the trees, unable to set foot on the deadly soil. That is, until her stepmother betrays her on the eve of her coronation, sending Bianca to the ground to die. Except the jungle floor is not what Bianca expected—from supposedly mythical elves to magic gone wild, it seems there’s much she didn’t know about both her kingdom and herself.

Prince Farrin never intended to get trapped in Selvana forever. He only came to find a cure for his brother’s terrible affliction. But after two years, he’s no closer to his goal. And his continued survival depends on his ability to navigate both the treacherous Selvanan jungle and the ways of the bargain-loving miniature elves.

When he crosses paths with an exiled princess, his course takes an abrupt change. It’s not just because he’s rattled by his all-consuming determination to keep the princess safe. More Selvanans than Bianca will pay with their lives if the pair can’t find a way to outwit her enemies and harness the power of Bianca’s voice.


My Review:
Song of Ebony is a fantasy retelling of Snow White. While the major plot points from the fairytale do show up in this story, the author has extensively created her own fantasy world in which to place the story. Humans live in the trees of the jungle to avoid the wild magic of the ground that will kill them. The elves can live on the ground but have to constantly work to 'mine' the wild magic and place it into objects for specific uses. A jealous queen sends her stepdaughter to the ground to pay a debt to the elves and to maintain her control over the humans. She assumes Bianca will die. But she doesn't because she's a Singer (magic user). Some outcast elves and a stranded human prince help her survive repeated attempts by both the queen and the elves to capture or kill her.

It has things I like: a sweet heroine who is capable (and becomes more so), a trustworthy, supportive prince, and an interesting world with unique cultures. Bianca blamed herself for not taking control from the queen when her father died, but I felt like she had tried and the humans who should have backed her up didn't do so. Bianca's determined to do things right when she regains control, yet by the end planned to sail off with the prince to visit his land. I felt like she still had a lot of responsibilities requiring her to stay home at that moment, so that just felt irresponsible to me.

Anyway, there was no sex or bad language. It was an interesting retelling, so I'd recommend it to fans of fairytale retellings.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Unforgiven by Shelley Shepard Gray

Unforgiven
by Shelley Shepard Gray

ISBN-13: 9780800745790
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: May 21, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Ex-con Seth Zimmerman has spent the last three years making amends by helping the vulnerable in his former Amish community, including Tabitha Yoder. Her divorce from her abusive husband has isolated her from the community. Even though she never comes out of her house to talk to him, Seth knows she watches him from the window while he chops wood, clears her driveway, and drops off food. An uneasy friendship is just starting to take hold between them when small 'gifts' begin to appear at Tabitha's home--gifts that can only be from her ex-husband. Seth might be Tabitha's only hope at maintaining her hard-won freedom from the man whose violent outbursts had almost cost her life. But coming to her rescue might mean he ends up behind bars once again.


My Review:
Unforgiven is a Christian romance. Seth and Tabitha grew up Amish but left. They're not shunned, but their Amish community doesn't quite know how to react to them. Tabitha divorced her violent, abusive husband. Many felt she should have just separated from him or maybe could have eventually reconciled, so she doesn't feel safe or accepted and hides in her house. Her ex-husband swore he'd come back and beat her to death someday. Seth accidently killed a man who was attempting to rape a girl, but even he wonders if he could have handled the situation differently. Both feel unforgiven.

Seth has long had a crush on Tabitha, so he carefully helped her with things like chopping wood or clearing her driveway of snow. She comes to trust him. They and their families worked through what happened to break their relationships so they could move forward with healing.

The main characters were engaging and came across as real, complex people. There was some suspense as Tabitha's husband was released from prison and causing trouble again. Seth and Tabitha helped each other to heal from the past, find forgiveness, and rebuild relationships. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

With Each Tomorrow by Tracie Peterson & Kimberley Woodhouse

With Each Tomorrow
by Tracie Peterson and
Kimberley Woodhouse

ISBN-13: 9780764238994
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: May 21, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As the formation of Glacier National Park takes Eleanor Briggs and her conservationist father on a journey west to advocate for public lands, her heart carries the weight of a painful past. Since the death of her mother, she has spent her life traveling the country with her father and helping him with his work, but now he's considering settling down and writing a book, and she's not sure what that means for her future.

Carter Brunswick faces trials of his own when the Great Northern Railway's departure threatens his family's livelihood and the entire town of Kalispell. In the visiting conservationist's daughter, Ellie, he finds his own dreams for the future begin to change. When tensions over the railroad's departure boil over, Ellie and Carter are drawn together in the face of an uncertain future.


My Review:
With Each Tomorrow is a Christian romance set in 1904 in Montana. This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone. Ellie didn't come across as particularly smart or as capable as she thought she was. Despite working with her father in previous conservation efforts and having visited at least one National Park, she was shocked and indignant at the idea of having hotels, roads, trails, and such in the National Parks so the public could actually view them. She was against private land ownership and couldn't see why farmers needed so much land for their own use, apparently oblivious (despite her many travels) to the fact that farmers grow the food that feeds other people. She's also constantly having mishaps that require Carter to come to her rescue. For example, she was following another person while searching for someone but started to daydream and got lost. Happily, Carter liked playing hero, and she was grateful for his help.

Historical details were woven into the story, but the Glacier National Park wasn't the focus. Much of that effort was talked about 'off screen' between her father and his friends. The focus was on Ellie learning how wrong her views had been, with the main one being that she blamed God for not healing her devote mother. Her hostess was determined to get her to see her need for God. Her hostess also tried to matchmake between Ellie and Carter even though Ellie was clear that she didn't plan to marry and Carter was clear that he was only interested in her as a friend since she didn't share his faith. (Obviously, that didn't go over well with Ellie.)

There's a side plot thrown in about a crazy man, who thinks violence will get the train owners to keep the train route through Kalispell, and his older brother, who just gives in to his brother's plans after his brother beats him up a few times. (Reality check: the author seems to think that hitting a person on their head so hard that they're unconscious for a long time causes no lasting damage--no concussion or risk of death.) There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this story to fans of 'busybody matchmaker' romances.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Shielding the Innocent Target by Terri Reed

Shielding the Innocent Target
by Terri Reed

ISBN-13: 9781335598127
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: May 21, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After witnessing her boss’s murder, Paige Walsh must trust Deputy US Marshal Lucas Cavendish to bring her to safety. But when a notorious assassin targets her and her son, Lucas’s short-term assignment turns into a dangerous cross-country mission. For Paige to survive until the arrest of her boss’s killer, Lucas must get Paige and her son into witness protection. Except the hit man knows their every move and trusting the wrong person could get them killed.


My Review:
Shielding the Innocent Target is a Christian romantic suspense. The assassin seems to know exactly where Lucas and Paige are even after they check for tracking devices, so Lucas thinks it must be one of the people who are handling Paige's case and protection. But who? There's plenty of suspense, including a thriller movie worthy ending. I was confused when Lucas, whose one job is to protect Paige and her son, who doesn't know who to trust, and who is now surrounded by people he doesn't know, orders a stranger with no bodyguard training to protect her while he runs off to help fight a fire (which he's not trained to do) in place of that man. That made no sense.

Anyway, the main characters were likable. Paige's husband died from foolish risk-taking, so she's not interested in a man who risks his life on his job. Paige and Lucas came to care for each other as they spent time together and built up trust. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting suspense novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Bassington by Jenny Hambly

Bassington
by Jenny Hambly


ISBN-13: 9780593197882
ebook: 308 pages
Released: May 6, 2021



Source: Free book.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Captain Charles Bassington of the 13th Light Dragoons is famed for his good luck, high spirits, and devil-may-care attitude. He escapes serious injury at Waterloo only to succumb to an inflammation of the lungs. When he returns home to recuperate, cracks begin to appear in his cheery facade.

Lady Selena has adored Charles all her life, but when she receives a letter from him suggesting his friend Lord Carteret would make a good husband, she is forced to put aside childish dreams that he might one day love her.

As Charles determines to forge a new career close to his family and friends, Selena opens her mind to the prospect of marrying another. It is only when two eminently eligible bachelors appear to be vying for her hand that Charles realises his own heart’s desire. But how can the younger son of a baron ever hope to be worthy of the wealthy daughter of an earl?


My Review:
Bassington is a romance set in 1815 in England. Charles and Selena were long-time childhood friends, so they shared interests and knew each other well. Charles simply needed to see her as a woman and overcome his hurt pride that he didn't have as much rank or money as she did. Historical details were woven into the story, and the author knew a lot about the period without stuffing it all into the story. The main characters were engaging and acted realistically. There was no sex. There were only a few uses bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

A Provincial Peer by Sian Ann Bessey

A Provincial Peer
by Sian Ann Bessey

ISBN-13: 9781524426187
Paperback: 248 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: May 7, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Lord Benning is no ordinary nobleman. The heir to an earldom, he feels more at home working on the farm at his father's country estate than socializing in the ballrooms of London. So when a mysterious, veiled woman mistakes him for a farmhand, he takes the assumption in stride. And though he is not offended, he is intrigued.

Following a devastating outbreak of smallpox, Caroline Granger and her young daughter, Meg, retreat to Caroline’s childhood home in the village of Leyfield in Gloucestershire. Left widowed and weakened by the ravages of the disease, Caroline wears a veil to hide her facial scars and to prevent the inevitable gasps of horror or murmurs of pity others offer in response to her altered appearance.

Caroline is mortified when she learns of her error in addressing Lord Benning—or Benedict, as she called him during their growing-up years—as a farmhand. But shared childhood memories and a precocious four-year-old inevitably draw Benedict and Caroline together, and it’s not long before Caroline realizes that Benedict accepts every part of her—including her scars. With newfound courage and a growing love for Benedict, Caroline feels the first stirrings of hope. But when the disease that took so much from Caroline finds its way to Leyfield, she stands to lose more than she can bear, and Benedict must decide exactly how much he is willing to risk for a chance at love.


My Review:
A Provincial Peer is a romance set in 1796 in England. Caroline married hastily and discovered that her naval husband chose the sea over her. He gave her a daughter but brought home smallpox, leading to his death and her scarring after her recovery. Now she hides behind a veil, but she slowly discovers that not everyone judges by appearance and many have scars. Her childhood playmate, Lord Benning, welcomes her charming daughter (and therefore Caroline) to spend time at his farm. The three spend time together, getting to know each other and coming to admire and love each other. Benedict supported Caroline's concerns and found joy in her company.

However, Benedict has some problems with the estates' steward. He must uncover what's going on while Caroline must confront her fear of possibly losing another loved one through disease. The characters were well-developed and likable. Historical details were woven into the story about how the weather created a food shortage and about a surge in smallpox at that time. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Song of Sourwood Mountain by Ann H. Gabhart

The Song of Sourwood Mountain
by Ann H. Gabhart

ISBN-13: 9780800741730
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: May 7, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
While the century began with such promise, it is 1910 when Mira Dean's hopes of being a wife and mother are dashed to pieces. Her fiancé dead from tuberculosis, Mira resigns herself to being a spinster schoolteacher--until Gordon Covington shows up. No longer the boy she knew from school, Gordon is now a preacher who is full of surprises. First, he asks Mira to come to Sourwood in eastern Kentucky to teach at his mission school. Second, he asks her to marry him. Just like that. And all at once the doors that had seemed firmly shut begin to open, just a crack. With much trepidation, Mira steps out in faith into a life she never imagined, in a place filled with its own special challenges, to serve a people who will end up becoming the family she always dreamed of.


My Review:
The Song of Sourwood Mountain is a Christian romance set in 1910 in Kentucky. I didn't like Gordon at first. He hadn't seen Mira for years, felt God prompted him to talk with her about teaching at his mission school, and then promptly pushed hard on the 'God wants you to marry me and teach at my mission school' without any sort of lead-up or courting. Mira was somewhat interested in the mission school, but she rejected his abrupt marriage proposal. Yet he kept pushing it as an all or nothing deal. Even Mira's landlady pushed her to consider Gordon's proposal. It felt like both had selfish reason (as the landlady felt guilty about having to kick her out and Gordon would get a free housekeeper and schoolteacher).

Mira felt like God closed all the doors locally so she had no choice but to accept Gordon just at the same time Gordon began to realize he'd gone about things wrong. He turned out to be a supportive, loving husband who did his best to make her happy. Both worried that Mira would never return his love. While the story arc was the proposal to Mira deciding if she loved Gordon or not a year later, the real story was more about Mira seeing God's hand in her life through life's blessing and sorrows.

Once they got to the mission, the mountain folk and their customs made the story funny and interesting. Mira got to know the women and children, and we also had the point of view of a wild, 10-year-old orphan girl that Mira reached out to. The historical and cultural details were woven into the story without slowing it down.

The orphan girl was confused about praying to God for people's healing when God took so many of them away from her anyway. There were no sex scenes (though married sex is implied). There was no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Secondary Target by Angela Carlisle

Secondary Target
by Angela Carlisle

ISBN-13: 9780764242502
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: May 7, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
After the brutal murder of her mother and brother twelve years ago, Corina Roberts built a new life in Kentucky. But then strange things begin to happen, and she is thrust into a perilous game of life and death. With nowhere else to turn, her best hope of survival depends on her ex, army veteran Bryce Jessup.

Recently returned from service, Bryce has every intention of staying away from Corina, but when threats close in around her, he isn't willing to leave her safety to chance. As their search for answers uncovers lethal secrets her detective father kept hidden, Bryce and Corina must untangle the mystery of the merciless killer intent on terrorizing and eliminating Corina's family before it's too late.


My Review:
Secondary Target is a Christian romantic suspense. Corina's father abruptly moved with her to Kentucky after her mother and brother were killed by someone who was never caught. Over the years, he never explained to her why they moved and he--a private investigator--didn't stay to investigate. Now she's receiving threats and attacks designed to isolate and scare her. Then her father goes missing and can't answer her questions. Bryce intended to marry Corina until yet another tragedy broke them apart. He's determined to protect her. They discover that the attacker is a serial killer set on revenge against her father by killing his family, but who is it?

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. As Bryce and Corina spent time together, they found healing for past hurts. The suspense was high as the killer wanted to keep her frightened and off balance until he decided it was time to kill her. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this very suspenseful novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Mac by Sharon Srock

Mac
by Sharon Srock

ISBN-13: 978-1539737407
Kindle: 182 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Released: May 1, 2023

Source: Free ebook.

Book Description from Goodreads:
After separating herself from the oppressive cult where she was raised, Mackenzie Soeurs has two dreams: to give her son Riley a better life than she had, and to live in peace, as far from the harsh God of her past as she can get. At least that was the plan until her son got hauled to jail for theft and she lost the mother she never truly understood. In the darkest moments of her life, Mac finds herself surrounded by a group of Christian women she can’t understand and a handsome man willing to take her son under his wing.

Dane Cooper, Garfield’s former bad boy and groom left at the altar, can’t deny his initial attraction to Mackenzie. Neither can he resist the urge from God to mentor her delinquent son. How can he guard his battered heart and still give Riley the same second chance he was given?

When Jesse, Charley, Randy, and Alex signed up for Mac’s first fitness class, they were looking for someone to whip them into physical shape. What they found was a woman bound by a cruel history, suffering through a tragic present, and in desperate need of a friend…or four.


My Review:
Mac is a Christian romance. After Mac's much-older husband dies, she takes her teenage son and mother away from the cult she grew up in. She's set up a successful spa, but her son Riley keeps getting into trouble. When he tries to steal tools from handyman Dane, former bad boy Dane feels that God has told him to take Riley under his care to teach him how to adjust to his new life. Dane's sister and her friends befriend Mac.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Mac had to overcome her desire to remain outside a man's control and to also see how her understanding of God was warped by the cult. She fell in love with Dane as they spent time together and she could see he was a caring, trustworthy man. She fell in love with God as she read the Bible for herself. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this sweet romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.