A Crown in the Stars by Kacy Barnett-Gramckow

A Crown in the Stars by Kacy Barnett-Gramckow ISBN-13: 0-8024-1369-2 Trade Paperback: 432 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: April 1, 2005

Source: Bought through Books-A-Millions.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Since the death of Nimr-Rada (Nimrod), the people of the Great City have continued to build his enormous Tower. Due to carelessness by her host during a visit to some kinsfolk, Shoshannah is captured by her mother's enemies and is intended to be the lure that brings her mother back into their hands.

Shoshannah is used as a political pawn between the powers that control the city--some want her dead, others want her to serve as priestess to their sun god, and some want to use her to increase their own power. Shoshannah's beloved, Kaleb, comes to rescue her but there appears to be no opportunity until the Most High makes His response to the City's rebellion against Him.


My Review:
A Crown in the Stars is Biblical fiction. It's the third and final book in the series. You can understand this book without first reading the previous books, but it did spoil some events that occurred in the second book. Personally, I enjoyed the first book the most and this book the least in the series (though I did like it), so I'd suggest starting with the first book: The Heavens Before.

One of the things I've enjoyed about this series is that the author stayed true to the information given in the Bible. The author also clearly did her research as to what the culture would have been like, and those details brought the story alive in my imagination.

However, according to ancient chroniclers, the confusion of languages and dispersion happened before Nimrod's death--which also makes sense based on what the Bible says. However, this book had Nimrod dying years before the confusion of languages. I had a hard time getting into the story since I knew events couldn't actually have happened like that (except for her depiction of how the confusion of languages caused the dispersion, which was interesting and possible).

The characters were complex and realistic--even the "bad guys." There was a low level of suspense throughout the story as various characters were in potential physical danger due to the other characters' political scheming.

Shoshannah believed in the Most High, but she questioned why He didn't help her escape her captivity. However, she did come to see how He was protecting her. There was no explicit sex. There was no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Hoppy Easter Eggstravagana Giveaway Hop

As a part of the Hoppy Easter Eggstravagana Giveaway Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following books. Please notice that I have not reviewed these books, but they come from an imprint that has minimal to no bad language and "fade to black" sex scenes in their books.


The Flower Reader by Elizabeth Loupas is a historical fiction.

Rinette Leslie of Granmuir has the ancient gift of divining the future in flowers, but her gift cannot prepare her for the turmoil that comes when the dying queen regent entrusts her with a casket full of Scotland's darkest secrets. On the very day she means to deliver it to newly crowned Mary, Queen of Scots, Rinette's husband is brutally assassinated. Devastated, Rinette demands justice before she will surrender the casket, but she is surrounded by ruthless men who will do anything to possess it.



Dancing at the Chance by DeAnna Cameron is a historical novel.

New York City in 1907 is a kingdom of endless possibilities for anyone who dares to dream. The Gilded Age has ended, and immigrants fill the bustling streets. The glamour of Broadway lures those who desire the limelight...

Pepper MacClair and her mother arrived penniless in New York thirteen years ago, and their fortune has not changed. Pepper dances at The Chance, a rundown venue long past its prime. It is not only Pepper's workplace, but also her home. And as the larger world changes around her and she is pulled into the intrigues of New York's elite, it is her last hope, not only to fulfill her dream, but to fulfill her heart.


This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.


To enter the giveaway:

1) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

OR

2) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement. I'd be fun if you also included why you're interested in reading this novel.


This giveaway ends on April 12, 2012 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on April 13, 2012 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!


The blogs participating in the Hoppy Easter Eggstravagana Giveaway Hop:

Danger In The Wind by Jane Finnis

Danger In The Wind by Jane Finnis ISBN-13: 9781590588901 Hardcover: 330 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: December 6, 2011

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description from Goodreads:
A fine summer in 100 AD and good government under Trajan Caesar promise well for the Roman settlers in the frontier province of Britannia.

Aurelia Marcella runs an inn on a busy road to York. June is always busy, but one day two unusual events occur: a soldier is murdered in his bed at the inn, and a letter arrives from Isurium, a small fort north of the city. It is from a cousin, Jovina, inviting Aurelia to a midsummer birthday party. But the missive also reads as a plea for help, referring to “danger in the wind.”

The murdered soldier also bore a message, locked in Aurelia’s strongbox, indicating violence would erupt at the very same fort on the day of the party.

At Isurium, Aurelia finds Jovina and her drunken husband and unruly children caught in a tangled web of greed, love, intrigue, and death. When violence engulfs the district, Aurelia suddenly finds herself in peril from enemies engaged in an anti-Roman plot and from family members bent on misguided or evil agendas of their own.


My Review:
Danger In The Wind is a historical mystery set in 100 AD in England. This book is the fourth in the series, but you don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and the previous novels are not spoiled if you read this one first.

There was a nice level of cultural and everyday historical detail, and it didn't slow the fast pacing. However, the characters used modern phrases and wordings in the dialogue which tended to break my immersion in the time period.

The characters were engaging, but we didn't get to know them very well. Aurelia was a very practical heroine. Her lover is basically a detective, and they worked together to ask questions and find clues to solve the mystery.

The mystery was of the more realistic sort, where "whodunit" wasn't an unexpected surprise. The problem was sorting through the events and clues to determine which of the "obvious suspects" had done the deed. I wasn't certain whodunit until Aurelia was, though it was technically possible to understand the critical clue before she did. The suspense was partly from the potential physical danger to the main characters and partly from wondering how the whole mystery was going to settle out in the end.

There were no sex scenes (or sex, though affairs were talked about). There was a minor amount of "he cursed" style of bad language. Overall, I would recommend this enjoyable mystery.


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.


Excerpt from Chapter One:
The letter arrived at breakfast. It jolted me out of my quiet morning mood and sounded an alarm in my head as shrill as a bugle.

I don't get many letters, and they still give me a childish thrill of excitement. Half the fun is trying to guess who they're from before I look inside. This one gave nothing away: it was an ordinary wooden note-tablet, folded in half and tied with a cord. It was addressed to Aurelia Marcella, the Oak Tree Mansio, coast road from Eburacum, and someone had written URGENT in large black letters above my name. But then everyone does that, even though we all know it makes precious little difference to how quickly the message arrives.

I gave up the guessing game and untied the cord. I was pleased to see the note was from my cousin, and the first few lines were cheerful enough.


Read more using Amazon's "Look Inside" feature.

Humorous Short Stories compiled by Greta A. Clark

Humorous Short Stories by Damon Runyon, William J. Lederer, Ludwig Bemelmans, James Thurber, Max Shulman, Ellis Parker Butler, and Hannibal Coons Trade Paperback: 94 pages Publisher: Hart Publishing Company Released: 1960

Source: Inherited from a grandparent.

My Review:
This book review isn't likely to help anyone else since the book is so old, but it does fulfill my short story challenge, so...

Humorous Short Stories is a collection of 8 funny short stories. They were all about someone pulling a trick over on another person (though they're not always premeditated tricks), and they did come across as funny. Overall, the writing was good, and I could easily follow the story. It was a fun read, but since it's so old that it's probably difficult to find, I wouldn't say it was good enough that people should go out of their way to find it.


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.

Hideaway by Hannah Alexander

Hideaway by Hannah Alexander ISBN-13: 9780373810987 Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Steeple Hill Released: March 1, 2005

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
When E.R. doctor Cheyenne Allison's own sister dies on the trauma bed, Cheyenne is forced to take leave and retreats to isolated Hideaway, Missouri. She hopes to find peace from the nightmare of being sued by her greedy brother-in-law and her grief over the death of her sister. But peace and solitude elude her in this picturesque Ozark community now terrorized by a dangerous vandal.

Mayor Austin Barlow insists the culprit resides with Cheyenne's handsome neighbor, Dane Gideon, whose ranch for foster boys has given rise to previous violence. But Dane inspires Cheyenne's respect, and perhaps something more--although she can't share the faith that sustains him as the violence turns deadly.


My Review:
Hideaway is a Christian romantic suspense novel. This novel is the first in a series, but it reads like a stand-alone novel.

The characters were engaging and complex. The various characters dealt with real issues in realistic ways. I've been consistently impressed by how Hannah Alexander's characters come across as real people.

The details about the area and small town life brought the story alive in my imagination. There were some ER medical scenes at the beginning. The technical terms were frequently explained or could be understood from the context.

While there were spurts of high suspense during medical emergencies and such, most of the book had a lower level of suspense created by relationship tensions and wondering how the lawsuit would be resolved.

Cheyenne struggled with why some Christians we cruel, greedy, and otherwise not-nice people. If that reflected what God was like, then she wanted nothing to do with him. In the story, the genuine Christian characters' faith affected their decisions and everyday life, and the Christian elements felt like a natural part of the story. I also felt Christianity was portrayed in a realistic manner, from the Christians actions to how non-Christians reacted to them.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this suspenseful, realistic 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Amazon's "Look Inside."

The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon by Leann Sweeney

The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon by Leann Sweeney ISBN-13: 9780451236470 Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Obsidian Mystery Released: April 3, 2012

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When quilter Jillian Hart returns to her lake house in Mercy, South Carolina, she discovered her boyfriend, Tom, is missing-and his estranged half-brother has moved into Tom's house. Jillian doesn't trust the guy, especially since he allowed Tom's diabetic cat to escape. When police officers find Tom's wrecked car with a dead stranger inside, Jillian is determined to find out what what kind of trouble Tom has gotten himself into.


My Review:
The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon is a cozy mystery. This book is the fourth in the series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the mysteries in the previous books.

The heroine was a sensible lady, at least when it came to dealing with a crisis. She was directly involved in the events, so she didn't have to poke about to find clues--the clues were happening all around her. Whodunit wasn't difficult to figure out, though it took a little longer to figure out why.

The characters were either super-nice people who all wanted to cooperate to solve the mystery, or they were mean, scary, or obnoxious "bad guys." It was fairly easy to determine who would play what role in the story. And the eighteen-year-old boy acted like a twelve-year-old who came from a loving, sheltered family, not a runaway from a abusive, neglectful family. So the characters were fun, but not very realistic.

The cats and dog were also main characters, and their every action was mentioned, even if it was just to go lie in the sun. They acted like idealized versions of cats and dogs (or Jullian interpreted their actions that way).

The author frequently cut short potentially suspenseful scenes which meant that the novel lacked suspense. The story wasn't always predictable (in the sense that the scenes could have had this, that, or the other happen, but didn't), but it was never surprising.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of explicit bad language and a minor amount of fake bad language. While the novel wasn't bad, it also didn't leave me sorry to see it finish. If you like mysteries involving lovable cats and dogs, then you'd probably enjoy this one.


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.


Excerpt from Chapter One:
Cats don't worry, I thought as I pulled two of the three pet carriers from my minivan and lugged them to my back door. I disabled the security alarm and carried a couple fur kids inside. Cats are brave, sometimes afraid, always curious, but they do not worry. How wonderful that must be.

Worry had plagued me my entire trip home to Mercy, South Carolina. For the last week, I'd been on a business trip, traveling across a few Southern states selling my handmade cat quilts at craft fairs and cat shows. November can be a sweet month in South Carolina, weather-wise, and offers lots of opportunities to sell my wares. I'd had a successful tour, but my cell phone had not rung once during my journey home. I'd left at least ten messages for my friend Tom Stewart. Maybe more. Why wasn't he calling me back? Had I left too many messages and he'd gotten tired of my calls? Or had there been some kind of emergency?

And the winner is...

It's time to announce the winner of the Lucky Leprechaun Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 60 entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:


@ZaraAlexis


Congratulations! I'll be contacting you on Twitter for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.