Review: Pray Naturally: Finding Your Spiritual Confidence as a Woman Loved by God

Pray Naturally: Finding Your Spiritual Confidence as a Woman Loved by God by Rachel Britton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a simple devotional guide that also pushes you to think deeply, then Pray Naturally is the book for you.  These 120 days cover fourteen women from the Bible including Eve, Hagar, and Esther.  Each woman starts with some background information and each day ends with two or three questions.  Verses are quoted throughout and additional readings are suggested.  This would not be a good fit for a Bible Study but would be great for a small group of women or a solo study.

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Review: The Wilde Trials

The Wilde Trials by Mackenzie Reed
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Wilde Trials are about to commence and Chloe wants to participate.  She doesn’t want to win for the bragging rights … she wants to win for the $600,000!  Everyone knows that the competition is hard, but this year seems to be elevated to a new level.  When Chloe is blackmailed during the competition, she is forced to partner with other contestants to uncover the answer to another mystery.  Who will win this competition?  What happened to Hayes’s brother?

The Wilde Trials is a stand-alone mystery that had the potential to be amazing, yet didn’t satisfy my urge to be thrilled.  Reed created a plausible story and great characters, but individual scenes seemed forced.  This could be because there have been a lot of books released in this specific niche genre recently and by comparison, it wasn’t up to par.  The Wilde Trials is a fun read if you need a good escape.  

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Review: After Life

After Life by Gayle Forman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Amber is riding her bike home like she normally does … except she died seven years ago!  Everyone has moved on, but Amber is the same.  She doesn’t understand what is going on and neither does anyone else.  At first, Amber tries to reconnect with family and friends, but she quickly learns that her death affected everyone in some way, and it is hard to move past her being back.  Why was Amber and her family given this second chance?

After Life is a stand-alone novel that is one-part mystery and one-part supernatural story.  I was fully invested in this story from the start because I wanted to know what happened.  Forman didn’t disappoint with the wonderful ending and great explanation.  After Life is a short read, so go ahead and start it now.

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Review: Royal Heirs Academy

Royal Heirs Academy by Lindsey Duga
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Titus, Alaric, Emmeline, and Sadie have all had different upbringings.  What they have in common is that they all have the chance to be the heir to Ashland.  King Leander Eldana has decided that his three grandchildren and one commoner will compete to determine who he will name as heir.  They will do this while attending Almus Terra Academy in France.  Each of these teens has different strengths and weaknesses.  Who will come out on top?  Will friendships, alliances, or divisions be formed?

Royal Heirs Academy is a stand-alone realistic fiction story that was a pleasure to devour.  The alternating points of view were easy to follow and led to a greater understanding of the characters and what they were going through.  Duga created a plausible situation in today’s world, and I found myself finding a reason to get back to the book outside of my normal reading time.  Royal Heirs Academy is a fun escape read.

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Review: The Party

The Party by Natasha Preston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Bessie and her friends have a plan for a great party during spring break.  They have access to a castle and want this to be the best party ever.  When the first partier dies, though, this will not be a normal party.  As more people lose their lives, this group of friends will learn secrets best kept hidden.  Who is the killer?  What are the secrets that will be revealed?

The Party is a stand-alone thriller that had so much promise, yet it fell flat. I loved the castle and the English surroundings, but the characters didn’t catch my attention and bring the story forward. It wasn’t a complete bust, and thankfully, it is a short read. It is a fun escape that should not be rushed to the top of your TBR list.

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Review: The Whispering Night

The Whispering Night by Susan Dennard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Winnie believes that her life is finally ready to settle down, but that all changes at the Nightmare Masquerade.  This week-long celebration brings Luminaries from everywhere together, but when unwelcome guests also arrive, Winnie’s life is turned upside down … again.  Winnie has a new group of enemies she must overcome and time is not on her side.  What dark secrets will be uncovered? 

The Whispering Night is the third book in The Luminaries series.  This dark fantasy was just as enjoyable as the first two volumes and readers will quickly fall into the newest adventure.  Character development and world building was complete in the other books, so please read them first to enjoy this experience.  Readers will easily see themselves (and their family) in the characters and they may even get a better understanding too.  The Whispering Night was a great conclusion to this trilogy.

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Review: A Queen's Game

A Queen's Game by Katharine McGee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alix of Hesse knew she was expected to marry royalty, but what happens when she falls for the wrong prince?  Helene d’Orleans may not be a princess anymore, but she loves to go against what’s expected and she has her sights set on Prince Eddy.  May of Teck is not royal but is working toward her own prince.  These strong women want more than a royal marriage, they want love, but they must overcome a fierce adversary, the Queen of England (Queen Victoria), who wants to meddle in relationships around her empire.

A Queen’s Game is a stand-alone historical fiction story that is full of intrigue.  This is a good starting point for those who are not familiar with this time period, yet it is also engaging for those who love everything Victorian England.  There was some hanky-panky, but nothing descriptive.  This was not a deep read and I had to fight NOT to look up these young women to find out the true story.  A Queen’s Game is a fun romantic novel that teaches a little history along the way.

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