For the Love of Books by Donna Reimel Robinson

Plot:

(From Amazon.com)- Callie is falling for a handsome stranger. Callie Brandt loves books and thinks she’s destined to be her town’s next spinster librarian. But a gorgeous newcomer––who inexplicably finds her attractive––is hiding a secret, and Callie aims to find it out. Lane Hutchins has been living a double life for years, and nothing bad has ever come of it. Until now. In tiny Ft. Lob, Wyoming, he unexpectedly falls in love with Callie Brandt. But how can he marry this sweet Christian girl unless he’s willing to come clean with the truth? Can Callie help Lane let go of his bitterness and rediscover his faith in God?

 My Initial Expectation:
The title was intriguing. I'm a major bookworm and I love Heartsong Presents so I was excited to read this book. I figured it would be feel good romance and that's pretty much it.

Review:

Heartsong Presents was a book club that published novellas and sent out about four every month. They're divided into two categories- historical romance and contemporary romance. There's another branch of the book club that publishes mysteries but I'm not the biggest fans of those.

For the Love of Books is a typical HP book. Boy meets girl, one falls for the other way before there's mutual interest, something in life happens that seems to doom the relationship, and they learn to trust God and each other at the last minute. This one was a little different, though- someone gets shot. I'm not saying who but it really surprised me. Granted, the way they caught the shooter was a tad anticlimactic but the story was still good. I had a hard time putting it down.

If you're looking for a quick read, this is a good one.

Ratings:

(See rating chart on right)

Overall Concept-4
Plot-4
Loveability of Characters-4
 Cover Appeal-5
 Overall Rating-4

The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots by Carolly Erickson

Plot:

(From Amazon.com)- Queen of Scotland at six days of age, married as a young girl to the invalid young king of France, Mary took the reins of the unruly kingdom of Scotland as a young widow and fought to keep her throne. A second marriage to her handsome but dissolute cousin Lord Darnley ended in murder and scandal, while a third to the dashing Lord Bothwell, the love of her life, gave her joy but widened the scandal and surrounded her with enduring ill repute.
Unable to rise above the violence and disorder that swirled around her, Mary escaped to England—only to find herself a prisoner of her ruthless, merciless cousin Queen Elizabeth.
Here, in a riveting first-person account, is the enchanting woman whose name still evokes excitement and compassion—and whose death under the headsman’s axe still draws forth our sorrow.

 My Initial Expectation:

I LOVE Mary Queen of Scots. She's definitely my favorite historical character so I was excited when I found this book on sale at Barnes and Noble. I knew that the author would take some artistic license with her story so I was prepared for a few embellishments.

Review:

Two words if you're interested in this book- DON'T BOTHER. If you're unfamiliar with Mary Stuart's story, this is a horrible introduction. Read Margaret George's "Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles" instead. Erickson puts a note to the reader in the BACK of the book saying that she made up some extra crap that has no historical foundation whatsoever. This book is good from a purely fictional point of view but horrible for Mary Stuart fans. Just a few points that I feel compelled to point out because the way Erickson used them was maddening:

1. Mary and Elizabeth never met in real life. Erickson has them meeting not once, but twice.
2. Bothwell died in Denmark in 1578. Erickson has him at Mary's execution in 1587.
3. Erickson makes no mention of the four Marys and has some lady named Margaret as her lady in waiting.
4. Erickson calls Henry VIII "the Lion of England" and makes other references to various rulers being lions which is really weird in context.
5. Erickson makes the Casket Letter debacle into some weird thing where Elizabeth and Lord Dudley conspire to kill Dudley's wife and hide the letters in her casket. Mary and some cohorts find where Dudley's wife is buried and go to find the letters only to be beaten there by Elizabeth and her entourage. Elizabeth burns the letters by giving some dumb speech about how she knows about Mary and Bothwell's (fictional) daughter and how Mary should give herself up to protect her family.

Yeah, I didn't really care for this book. Granted, the writing is good but the story could be better.

Ratings:

(See rating chart on right)

Overall Concept- 5
Plot- 2
Loveability of Characters- 2
 Cover Appeal- 4
 Overall Rating-2

Buy on Amazon.com

Aesop's Fables

Plot:

(From BarnesandNoble.com)- As legend has it, the storyteller Aesop was a slave who lived in ancient Greece during the sixth century B.C. His memorable, recountable fables have brought amusing characters to life and driven home thought-provoking morals for generations of listeners and modern-day readers. Translated into countless languages and familiar to people around the world, Aesop’s fables never tarnish despite being told again and again.

This collection presents nearly 300 of Aesop’s most entertaining and enduring stories—from "The Hare and the Tortoise” and "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” to "The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs” and "The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.” Populated by a colorful array of animal characters who personify every imaginable human type—from fiddling grasshoppers and diligent ants to sly foxes, wicked wolves, brave mice, and grateful lions—these timeless tales are as fresh and relevant today as when they were first created.

Full of humor, insight, and wit, the tales in Aesop’s Fables champion the value of hard work and perseverance, compassion for others, and honesty. They are age-old wisdom in a delicious form, for the consumption of adults and children alike.

 My Initial Expectation:

I was a little intimidated by the book at first. I sort of viewed it like I viewed Proverbs (from the Bible) at first. I wanted to remember the moral from every story I read but I knew I wouldn't. However, I wanted to be able to say that I've read the book and it looked super easy so I didn't talk myself out of it.

Review:

Alot of Aesop's stories have animals as the main characters. It's easy to fall in love with these creatures even though most of the stories are only a few sentences long. I tended to put myself into the shoes of the characters and wondered what I would do in that situation. Alot of the sayings we get come from Aesop like "Don't count your chickens before they are hatched," "One good turn deserves another," and "Slow and steady wins the race." I read some new stories like "The Dog in the Manger" and well as some old favorites like "The Tortoise and the Hare." If you're looking for an easy read, something to read to others, or if you're looking to expand your knowledge of the classics, this would be a good book for you.

Ratings:

(See rating chart on right)

Overall Concept- 5
Plot- no single plot
Loveability of Characters- 4
Cover Appeal- 3
Overall Rating-5

Buy on Barnes and Noble Website
Buy on Amazon.com

Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida by Sandra D. Bricker

Plot:

(From Amazon.com)- Lawyer Cassie Constantine has no plans to stay in Florida. She’s here just long enough to sell her late husband’s vacation house, a tacky bungalow she’s always despised—then she’ll hightail it back to her gracious Boston brownstone. But the place needs more work than Cassie bargained for. What’s more, her widow status is like a target on her back and the elderly matchmakers around town manage to sidetrack her mission at every turn. Holiday is a landmine of golf tournaments, ballroom dancing competitions, shuffleboard and day trips. But the biggest obstacle of all? Richard Dillon, the stuffed shirt she’s paired with on the dance floor. Cassie had always considered herself uptight but Richard won’t take a walk on the beach without his socks and shoes! There’s one little problem—he makes her heart beat faster than the rhythm of the quickstep. Can Cassie and Richard let loose long enough to have a little fun?

 My Initial Expectation:

My mom gave me this book for Christmas and, I'll be honest, it's not one I would have picked out for myself right away. I'm not too keen on reading romance books about people with grown children simply because I'm barely into my thirties and I want to save that kind of stuff for later on in life. However, I was excited because my mother knows me well enough to know that I'm a sucker for anything set in a place where palm trees flourish. I was intrigued by the flamingos on the front despite my conscious avoidance of them (long story).

Review:

The story was a little slow moving but the concept was interesting and at times I felt like I was reading in circles- Cassie wants to sell her house but she's attracted to Richard, Millicent gets upset that Cassie wants to leave, Cassie has fun dancing and falls farther for Richard, Cassie wants to sell her house but she's attacted to Richard, etc...

But that's where the scathing part of this review ends. Well, almost. I thought that Cassie's daughter could have protested a little more but the plot held together nicely when things got to the climax. A big thing with me is making not only the main plot, but the climax believable and I believed this book. I don't want to spoil anything (and I will if I keep writing) but if the plot sounds interesting, you should definitely check out this book. If you read it in winter like I did, you'll wish you were in Holiday, Florida.

Ratings:

(See rating chart on right)

Overall Concept- 3
Plot- 3
Loveability of Characters- 4
Cover Appeal- 4
Overall Rating-4

Buy on Amazon.com