"Abused Bride and Her Adopted Baby” by Florence Linnington

Caroline was married to an abusive husband named Leland. Her best friend Anna, pregnant and unmarried, died in childbirth after making Caroline promise to raise her baby. Knowing that to stay with her husband meant that eventually her adopted daughter would also be subjected to Leland's abuse, Caroline places an ad in the matrimonial times & eventually is proposed to by a farmer in Kansas. Wasting no time, she accepts and runs away believing that she left no clues behind as to her whereabouts. Unfortunately, she was wrong.

I received a review copy of this book, and like all of her other books, this story drew me in as it painted a vivid picture of a woman desperate for a way out and a better life for both herself & her child. Caroline took a leap of faith, knowing that the man she was traveling across the country to meet and marry could easily be as bad as the husband she fled from. Of course, if you've read Ms. Linnington's other books, then you have probably already guessed that Henry, the man Caroline left an abusive husband for is a kind and gentle man. And that after some difficulties and other problems, this book will have a happy ending.

This book does offer a message of love and hope, as well as trying to show that honesty is always the way to go, even if being fully honest with someone can be terrifying. It does not exactly resolve the issue of Caroline’s having already been married to Leland when she married Henry, but I choose to believe that Henry believed Caroline’s marriage to him was more valid than one to a man she felt a need to escape from. And given that the doctor seems to have recognized the fact that she had been abused & commented on how she was not the first to move out west for a fresh start, that Henry wasn’t the only one to accept her despite her initial lack of forthrightness about Leland.

If you have enjoyed any of Ms. Linnington's other books or if you enjoy mail-order bride stories, then I believe that you will enjoy this book.

This book may be found thriygh the following vendors:

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"All the Faire's a Stage" by Nova Nelson

Sir Olivia is a fallen Angel who is trapped in a cursed Renaissance Faire. All of the performers are magical beings, though many didn't know of their heritage until they ate some cursed candy while they bought from a shop there & have not been able to leave ever since. In fact, those who knew them before they were cursed no longer have any memory of them. It is as if they had never existed outside of the faire. In this book, one of the actors performing Macbeth is killed while onstage using her dagger. Now, Sir Olivia must find the real killer before the wrong person is blamed and possibly executed for the crime.

This is the 7th book.  I have read the first 6 books in this series and I have enjoyed them all so far. Each of the three authors contributing to this shared world series have done a fantastic job. Nova's characters, highlighted in this tale, are well developed, and the moral dilemma that this angel must deal with when partnered with a dove (formerly her wings) who possesses a penchant for petty theft are entertaining.

I'm not going to tell you exactly what the moral dilemma is (as that would be a spoiler) or why she must face it herself, but it involves a very interesting twist that could change the Faire for more than just herself and her wings, but for everyone else as well.

I received a review copy of this book. I believe that if you have enjoyed the previous books in this series, if you enjoy Renaissance Faires, or if you have enjoyed other books by Ms. Nelson that you will enjoy this one too.

This book may also be found through the following vendors:

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"Daughter of Serpents" by Sydney Wilder

Marissa is a half Naga raised in an orphanage by a woman who had made a promise to her husband that she would never turn away a child. But it has always been quite clear that she would have preferred not to have had to raise a reptilian child. Marissa has always had to hide who she was, and at 18 was forced to leave the orphanage To make her own way in a society of humans who would likely kill her on sight if they knew what she was.

Most humans consider reptilians as mindless beasts because they do not speak & cannot communicate with the humans. But the truth is that the two are more alike than anyone realizes. And it is looking like it won't be long before the humans and reptilians will soon be at war. And only Marissa and a reptile-loving distant royal, Arthur, seem to be interested in preventing it.

I found this book very interesting. The various varieties of reptilians are based on actual reptiles. And the behaviors of people when confronted by snakes in the real world is quite accurate to that of people confronted by the reptilians in this book. The story hooked me from page one, and I will definitely be looking forward to reading book 2 in this series when it becomes available.

This book may also be available through the following vendors:

https://books2read.com/daughterofserpents01 

"Lord of a Shattered Land" by Howard Andrew Jones

Hanover was once the ruler of a beautiful and prosperous kingdom, but multiple wars saw his kingdom destroyed, many of his allies killed, and the remains of his people enslaved and scattered across enemy lands. Hanover himself was believed killed in that final battle, but against all odds, he managed to survive. And now, he is determined to find and free all of his people, taking them all away to somewhere they can live free and safe as they begin a new life.

This was the first book in what is sure to be an epic adventure. The main character has set himself what appears to be an impossible task, but refuses to give up or to give in to despair. It is written as a series of his adventures, where the characters are often seemingly sidetracked into helping others along the way. And yet, each success does seem to bring them closer, as well as farther from, his ultimate goal. 

I found this book to be very interesting, and enjoyed the unique way in which it was told. The "sidekick" character who has attached himself to the main character and begins traveling with him as he sees Hanuvar as the means for him to write an epic tale that will live on long after the both of them have passed. And while initially his reasons for helping Hanuvar may appear a bit self-serving, he soon becomes not only a good friend and traveling companion, but a very necessary part of the story. 

If you enjoy stories full of adventure and difficult challenges to overcome, then I believe that you will enjoy this book as much as I did. I'll be waiting for the next book in this series to be released so that I can find out what happens next.

This book may also be available through the following vendors:

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"Shadow Guardian" and the "big Bad Wolf" by Robert J. Lewis

Two people had been cursed by a demon to know their love exists somewhere in the world, but to never again be allowed to be together. Through lifetime after lifetime, they search for each other, but in order to be together once again, the demon must be banished back to Hell, and they must find each other again. The curse can only be broken when they finally manage to touch each other. But with so many obstacles in their way, can this curse ever be ended?

I read an Advance Review Copy of this book. It was the second book in a series, but I have not yet read the previous book. Even without having read book one, I didn't feel at all lost while reading this one. I'm sure there are things that would be clearer had I read the previous book already, but I do plan on going back to read it when I have the chance.

Parts of this book made me snicker in amusement quite a bit at the antics of one character. He really managed to help keep things somewhat lighthearted, even when he wasn't trying to. Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I believe that anyone who enjoys fantasy novels with a lighthearted batman-style superhero would enjoy this book. It really is a fun read. And I'll be keeping my eyes open for both book 1 and book three in the series. If you enjoy superhero stories, give this series a shot. I think you’ll find it’s a fun one.

This book may also be available through:

https://books2read.com/shadowguardian02

"The shadowless" by Ty Carlson

Shipley Bowden is a scavenger who lives on Earth in what appears to be our future, if things continue as they seem to be going currently. It is a dark and cruel world. The sun is hidden behind the "Everstorm," only appearing when one of the many "black eyes" (tornadoes) that happen across the world appears to cause even more death and destruction. After one such event, he finds a lone surviving 6 year old girl. He takes her with him, planning to find somewhere safe to leave her, but things don't go as planned.

I read an Advance Review Copy of this book. It was the 3rd book in a series, and not having read the first two, I don't know what happened before this point, but this book was a complete story on its own. In other words, I didn't feel lost, but I do intend to go back and read them when I get the chance anyway.

This was a fantastic post-apocalyptic story that tells a very vivid tale of what happens to the planet when people are only out for themselves, caring nothing about what happens to other people or the planet itself. I greatly enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone, even though it paints a grim future for mankind. Be warned though, there is a great deal of violence in this story.

This book may also be available from the following:

https://books2read.com/dadirri03

"Orphaned Bride and the scarred Farmer" by Florence Linnington

When their mother died, Beth and her little sister Hannah learn that the debt on their property of $12,000 has been past due for quite some time.  They are about to be evicted. Beth accepts a proposal from a man across the country and sells everything they own, but is cheated out of some of the money she needed in order to pay the debt. Beth and Hannah try to sneak out of town, barely escaping the sheriff, knowing they still need to find a way to pay the remaining $6,000.

David wasn't expecting his mail order bride to arrive with a little sister. What will he do when he learns she also comes with a large debt? Will he still marry Beth and allow them both to remain, or will he send them packing?

As with her other books, I enjoyed reading this one. There were a few more twists in this book, than in some of the previous ones, but the usual themes of honesty, communication, trust, family, and love remain. And when all those items come together, you get a heartwarming tale the way Ms. Linnington is so good at sharing with us.

If you enjoy western mail-order bride stories, or have enjoyed any of Ms. Linnington's other books, then you should also enjoy this one.

This book may also be found through:

https://books2read.com/u/b5wOyw