Love Unexpected by Jody Hedlund

Beacons of Hope - Book 1

Setting: 1859 - Presque Isle, Michigan

This is the classic, marriage of convenience, quickly turns into the husband & wife falling in love type story, with a hint of mystery.

It is mostly a romance, with a few other subplots, but I'd say the main focus is our two MC's being married (only in name) and their process of falling in love & overcoming the hurdles of beginning their relationship out of necessity, and wanting to continue it as a married couple. If those kinds of stories aren't your jam, or you are under 18, I'd give this book a pass.

The plot flowed well and consistently. Since this book has hints of danger, but it isn't a thriller or suspense book, naturally it is going to be "slower", but in my opinion, it carried along nicely and didn't lag anywhere.

As for the romantic/sexual content involved...our two MC's are married, so their relationship has more allowance for them to be contemplating being physically intimate, since they are married. There are a few pretty steamy & passionate kissing scenes, and a good deal of contemplation as to whether their spouse finds them attractive...how to let their spouse know they desire them in a way a married couple would, vs. just a man & wife married in name only, etc etc.
In the end...
-----SPOILERS--------
Patrick & Emma leave the room 
to (it is eluded) be physically 
intimate, but the only thing we 
witness is the husband (Patrick) 
carrying his wife (Emma) out 
of the room. Their time together
is implied only. 

So as you've read, the theme is mature. The MC's process of falling in love isn't dirty & sinful- it is good & beautiful (& designed by God)...but depending on the reader's age, and the season of life they're in, it may or may not be what they need to read. That decision needs to be made by each person, based on where they're at.

I loved both Emma & Patrick as individual character's, and I loved watching them fall in love and their relationship as a couple. It was awkward and funny & real, and that's what I enjoyed about it.

Jody's writing style carried well and beautifully depicted the character's, but also the history of that time.

4 Stars & I'd recommend this book for ages 18-19 +

Falcon by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Book 3 in the 'Quiet Professionals' series belongs to Falcon. This book is, by far my favourite of the series. See review's for book 1 (Raptor 6) & book 2 (Hawk) 

PLOT:

It begins immediately following where Hawk left off, and jumps right into an explosion/action sequence. As where book 1 & 2 in this series (Raptor 6 & Hawk) took a while to build & get going, simply due to the military strategies and lingo involved, Falcon started off in high gear, and the plot pretty much stayed that way throughout the entire book.
So plot wise, this book flowed swiftly. All that waiting you did in book 1 & 2, you don't do in book 3.  Everything you were waiting for, IT ALL HAPPENS.

Another thing I like about this book is how many subplots there are. SO MANY. Kiew & Cassie, Kiew & Daniel, Takkar Corp, Candyman & Takkar, Cassie & Sal, General Burnett...Eamon Straider- & a bunch of others. I loved every minute of how diverse this novel's storyline is.

The MC's in Falcon were my favourite. Salvatore (eerbody calls him Sal) "Falcon" Russo was passionate, real, and a total hardheaded idiot at times, but I loved him anyway. It was his flawed realness that made me identify with his struggle & journey.
Cassandra...I loved watching her character through this book...especially given that hardly anyone trusts her (her plight is real & terrible), and Sal is on a serious hate rampage to cover his feelings that yes...he still has for her.

VIOLENCE:

As with all war books, the violence is higher- comes with the territory. There is torture, bombs, shooting, attacks, & people die. Plenty of blood (not grotesquely explained, but we don't see it from a mile away, either) & gun wounds. A soldier does cutting on his arms in the shower a few times.
An Afghanistan mother kills one of her children and nearly does in the second with a knife (we don't see her doing it, but happen upon the aftermath of her young daughter's body & tunic being slashed and blood everywhere)

SEXUAL CONTENT / ROMANCE

There are mentions of a relationship filled with unbridled 'passion' that took place in Cassandra & Sal's past as lovers.

---------SPOILERS---------

After splitting, Cassandra finds out
she is pregnant with Sal's child
but she doesn't tell him until midway 
through the book. 

They share several passionate kisses.
Eamon falls in love with someone. Dean has a fairly off-screen relationship with Zahrah, but she appears here and there.

CONCLUSION:

This book has everything a good military suspense novel should have. Action, sacrifice, overcoming, some romance & a killer plot. Ronie's writing is nothing mediocre, or even good. It is phenomenal. It captivates you. It brings you right into the story like I've not witnessed many author's accomplish. This lady has a way with words that is incredible.

I give this book 5 stars and would recommend it for ages 17+

Hawk by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Hawk is slotted as book 2 in the 'Quiet Professionals' series by Ronie Kendig, set in (current day) war-torn Afghanistan with a group of Special Forces soldiers dealing with a hacker accessing and wreaking-havoc on their military computer database. So in other words, missions get corrupted, they receive phoney orders from upstream and trust is not something easily come by.

Check out my review for book 1, Raptor 6 here & review for Falcon (book 3), here.

With this series, each book builds on the last, and they are not (in my opinion) books that should be read out of order, or with a hope that the evil forces will be defeated until the end of book 3. This series is something you have to be dedicated to over the long-haul, if you want to see things resolved- so stay committed!

Comparatively speaking, I feel Hawk is lighter than Raptor 6. Yes, there is war violence, people die and there is evil, but it is overall less intense than book 1. Yet even this book has it's moment's of total craziness & it get's pretty tense. I mean...let's be real...this is a military book, and the violence is naturally going to be higher than in other books. It comes with the territory.

The plot took a bit to get going (I know, the opening scene was all guns blazing & our MC got knocked out, but I'm talking overall plot)
As I mentioned in my review of Raptor 6, because there is a lot of military lingo & computer hacking tech-talk, it takes focused brain power to comprehend what's going on and get through this book. It isn't an 'easy' read, or mindless AT ALL. You have to be functioning on all your mental burners in order to keep up with this plot, otherwise you won't have a clue what's going on.
If I was tired and read sections of this book...I was LOST.
This novel requires absolute attention & concentration, because it is a plot powerhouse. I don't know how Ronie does it, but she keeps creating mind-blowing content where her plots are concerned. #authorrespect
The attention paid to detail makes you feel as though you're watching a movie, rather than reading a book. Ronie's writing has a definite cinematic vibe to it- and without fail you are thrown into the story as if you were witnessing it unfold in person. Not many writer's can do this well as she can.

The romance was not the main plot- it was an undercurrent that popped up here and there. A few passionate kisses that were interrupted...falling in love attraction and the like, but it wasn't a 'romance' novel.

As far as the character's went...I enjoyed Brian's frank and open personality. It was refreshing, until his going banana's all the time left me like...'whet?' although certainly believable. I have met many a dude with un-hinged anger issues. Closer to the end I enjoyed his character more.
Fekiria wasn't my favourite...it was simply a personality clash, but she was well written & came off the page. She just wasn't my personal fave, but that is no fault of the author's.

The setting of Hawk, being that it was in the middle of winter (with blizzards aplenty) kinda just set me off the wrong way.
Again, just a personal preference, but somehow I couldn't 'get into' the story, given the overload of snow- now I live in the Great White North, so snow is no stranger in my world, but for some reason, I've never been a fan of books or movies set in the dead of winter. They seem depressing & bleak, and aren't my cup of tea. Anyone else feel this way?

CONCLUSION:

Amazing book- not quite my cup of tea, and simply due to personal preference. If you enjoy books set in the winter, & brainy techy type plots where you have to concentrate hard & be in for the long haul, this may be right up your alley.

For how good, well written & thought out the book is, I'd give it 5 stars. For how much I personally enjoyed it, I'd say about 2-3 stars.

Book 3 (review coming soon) is my favourite in the series...so I can't wait to share it with you peeps.

Lethal Legacy by Irene Hannon (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Normally crime fiction and me aren't the best of friends. Simply because, more often than not the villains are major psychotic creep's who do things that make your insides churn...
Some people like that, but I'm not the type of person who gets an adrenaline rush from being sickly disturbed by the evil dudes-that-be. However, I do like myself a good suspense, cat & mouse type novel with law enforcement, so long as nothing gets super creepy and grotesque. This is not to say that this book is not without it's creepy moments. I mean, it is a crime fiction suspense book. There's nasty, grisly stuff that comes along with the criminal world & those who seek to enforce the law & keep others safe. It isn't as gruesome as some crime fiction I've read, but it isn't a tip-toe through the tulips. You've been forewarned ;)

I loved Lethal Legacy. The plot felt fresh and unexplored (unlike the ones that have seemingly been done over & over), and a good pace was kept throughout. 

I was drawn to the character's- they were unique & compelling.

The romance was steady throughout the storyline & real without tripping over into anything steamy. 

I loved the elements including the Taylor family's sibling dynamic- it made everything feel that much more real.  

I was on the edge of my seat until the end of the story. This is the sort of book that would make for a great crime/suspense movie. 

4 Stars, and would recommend this book for anyone 17+. 

Along Came Jones by Linda Windsor (Review by Ashley Nikole)

First time I read this book was during my mid-teen years, and I loved it. So, for the love of going back & reminiscing about a good book (which seems rare to find- I am decidedly a media snob and I'm not even sorry about it), several years later, I picked it up & started reading again. 

The first few chapters were great- I felt the plot & character's had a good deal of potential. There were some laughs along the way with a few moments of suspense that could have lead to something amazing, but...it didn't make the cut for me this time round. 

Why? 
I couldn't identify with the character's- maybe Shep (the dude) a small handful of times, but not often. I was not compelled by Diana, her situation, or virtually anything about her. 
The plot lagged & seemed to build up, go *poof* & then kinda smack you in the face when you weren't expecting it, but not in a good way. The plot didn't feel grounded. It just...floated. 

The romance was this awkward 'I don't know you but there's all this sizzling heat when I'm around you' type of thing, but there was no real friendship to back up their unexplained feelings for each other. 
If there is going to be a romantic, or even sexual pull for two character's, I need for there to be something more than the physical side of things backing it up. So, for the MC's (main character's) to have a pull between them, but they fight a bunch, don't trust each other & won't become friends, but they are falling in love...that seems like a recipe for disaster, and it just didn't make me want to root for their relationship. It was more annoying than anything else. 

I wanted to like this book, especially when the first time I read it, I was doing a happy dance cause I thought it was so adorable and sweet. Clearly my taste's in fiction have changed and the bar has been set higher. I'm okay with that. 
If this book floats your boat, great. For me, it didn't. This is not to say that I don't like Linda Windsor's writing. On the contrary, I've read several of her books and I love them- just not this one. 

The one thing I did enjoy about this book was Shep's old-fashioned gentlemanly cowboy behaviour. When the rest of the plot wasn't irking me, I must admit, it was sweet. Apart from that, this book was just a no-go all round. 

1.5 Stars. 

Have you read this book? What was your take on it? 

Raptor 6 by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Before we get into things, I just have to point out how awesome the cover is...not only because it looks L-E-G-I-T, but because the model on the cover is actually a military veteran. Say what? I think that is so rad. (the men on the two other cover's of the 'Quiet Professional's' series are also veterans) 

Well written book filled with action, intrigue and sacrifice. The first half was a little slow, just getting into the groove, I think just because there was a lot of heady information (due to the fact that the villain(s) are combined military & computer hacker brains) and a back story had to be built, in order to get to where it could essentially "explode".

The last quarter of the book was quite intense (comparatively speaking with most of Kendig's work, I'd say the last quarter of this book was the most intense I've seen her writing get...just with the brutality stuff), with a good deal of torture and the also rape...so it was, like I said- quite intense. 

Since this is a three part series, the villain didn't end up getting defeated, so it was a bit of a momentary let down...simply because the characters went through so much, and the pay off seemed fairly non-existent (apart from getting out alive, which is a big plus, of course). 
However, with this series, it is definitely the kind where you need to read all three books (Hawk & Falcon- reviews coming for these soon!) to get the overarching problems solved. Whereas in some series, there is an individual problem for each book and it gets resolved at the ending of said book, this series has a collective villain that all three books work towards defeating, and yes, it takes all three books to uncover the crazy force they are up against. 
So definitely, stick to the end and read all three books- don't give up on the first simply because it looks like there isn't a lot of resolution that takes place in book 1. 

PLOT: 
Like I said above, it was a bit slower unless you could plow through a lot of technical military & hacker wordage and complex plot buildup. It wasn't that it lacked something going on- there was a LOT going on, it was just quite large and took a bit more brain power to comprehend. Kendig is a literal plot genius- and it takes a fully engaged mind to understand and track what is going on, in all the different plot/subplot strains.
The last quarter was quite intense- when everything went crazy, it went full throttle.

VIOLENCE: 
With a book set in Afghanistan about the military, you just know there's gonna be some nasty violence. Innocent people (including a child- though we don't see them when it happens) die from Taliban (I think it was Taliban, I'll have to check back on that) attacks and the ravages of a country torn apart by war. A soldier has flashbacks about getting tortured in the past, and also is captured & tortured again. Also including a scene of physiological warfare, where (when in captivity) captors turn out the lights and blast screamo-heavy metal music, to essentially wear down the mind & create terror.

SEXUAL CONTENT: (SPOILERS) 
Apart from the regular and pretty low profile romance between the main characters, Zahrah (lady main character) is raped. As reader's we aren't in the same room when it happens, but we can hear her screaming in the other room.

CONCLUSION:

Since this is a three part series, the villain didn't end up getting defeated, so it was a bit of a momentary let down...simply because the characters went through so much, and the pay off seemed fairly non-existent (apart from getting out alive). 
However, with this series, it is definitely the kind where you need to read all three books (Hawk & Falcon- click the titles for a link to their respective reviews) to get the overarching problems solved. 
So, stick to the end and read all three books- don't give up on the first simply because it looks like there isn't a lot of resolution that takes place in book 1. 

This is definitely a heavier read. With the reality of war and the atrocities that come along with it, it shook me up since I was so invested in the character's and storyline, and they were hurt deeply physically, emotionally and mentally. Despite the heaviness that the reality brings, it remains an amazing book- but, depending on what you're looking for in a read, it may or may not be up your alley. 

3.5 stars. (the dock in stars is resulting from the fact that it was more intense than I prefer (regarding torture & rape) but that is merely a personal preference, and in no way should reflect anything but amazing writing, character & plot creation by Ronie Kendig) I would recommend this book for ages 19+ 

Have you read Raptor 6? What were your thoughts? 

Season Of Fire by Lisa T. Bergren (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Book 2 in the Remnants series

Genre: Dystopian (Young Adult)

After finishing this book, I tried getting my thoughts together on all that I thought about it...and I couldn't. I'd keep thinking about the book, get confused or divided within myself about this or that, and not really come up with a solid opinion. So here I am...a few months later with a fresher perspective on it, writing a review.

I have to put out there that firstly, I'm not a big fan of dystopian anything. It's just not my jam, but anywho...that aside.

To me, these books almost feel like historical fiction, because in them, society has progressed so far that it kinda digressed and went back in time :S so...it almost feels like more historical fiction than dystopian (just my personal opinion), which suits me just fine.

PLOT:

I really enjoyed it and the complexities involved, including all the different characters. I loved that there was a merry band of Remnants and their Knight's, instead of just a couple striking out on an adventure.

It flowed well, and the suspense always kept things fresh and moving at a good pace. This was one of those plots were it JUST WORKED. It kept going. It sang. It was beautiful & intricately woven.

ROMANCE:

A brief kiss here, and a more passionate one there. With one character in particular there is always an underlying sensual pull, but he isn't flat-out perv. (more on that in the next part)

Character chit-chat & confusion (SPOILER WARNING)

I love Ronan & Dri's (Andriana's) chemistry, both as friends and romantic interests. It was kinda sad how they were separate for a good portion of the book, so nothing could occur between the two, but such is the advancement of the book's plot.

Keallach...okay, this guy could pretty much be labeled as 'Mr. Confusion in the ranks'. I both love and hate him (well done Lisa, you've created a villain your readers don't just hate, they love) so it's a grrr and yay moment all at the same time.

Keallach is bad, yes? He locked his brother up in prison and usurped the thrown and ordered the death of his parents. Then he buddied up with a Sheolite creepy guy named Sethos, who is just plain bad, no conflict there.

But as a reader, I jumped between, 'Keallach is bad, plain bad trying to look good' & 'Keallach seems like he is definitely under Sethos' spell and he's merely misguided & blind'. So I never quite came to a serious conclusion about Keallach's true motives, because he flops between seeming good & evil. The multiple personalities he switches between make me think he's probably bad (emotionally unstable people who flop from kind to exasperated in seconds, for no valid reasons...just no)

And...can we talk about body control for a minute? Mind control be one thing, but Keallach controlled Dri's body more than once- both times to make her kiss him (quite passionately the second time...#whoa)  So...what's to say he would make her do other things against her will with his ability to control her body? That was a little strange. Especially after the body control stuff, I was more prone to think he was just straight-up, bad guy.

However, I can't pre-judge his character as a whole, until everything comes to a head in book 3, 'Season of Glory' coming out this winter.

What did you think of Keallach?

--------------------------------------------

CONCLUSION

This is one of those books where I'm hesitant to come to any big conclusions, until I've read the third book in the series. Generally I can come up with an opinion simply based off one book, but then there are times when I have to read the entire series first, before I can say exactly what I thought about the books collectively. So...until Season of Glory comes out, I'll still be in a bit of a limbo, regarding Season of Fire. Not in limbo over the plot, cause the plot & the characters were a-okay, but Keallach was just plain weird at times and I wanted to know if he was good or bad- not waffling in between, ya know?

Still, even given the strangeness of certain aspects of the story and its characters, I enjoyed this book & it kept me reading and wondering what would happen next. I would suggest it for readers 16+

So I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Have you read Season of Fire? If so, what were your thoughts? Join the conversation below :)

The Messenger by Siri Mitchell (Review by Ashley Nikole)

An engaging read about the revolutionary war, spies (one of them being a Quaker) & a jail break, all set in 1778 Philadelphia during the British occupation.

Loved this book- the ending however, left a lot to be desired (in my opinion). 

I enjoyed the plot, the romance (despite it being almost non-existent, and more of a friendship because Hannah was quite conservative, and a Quaker. Jeremiah wasn't, so a romance between them was...unheard of and nearly impossible) the American History, and the character development. It was intriguing and paced pretty well. It wasn't fast paced, but it definitely didn't lag. 

I found the Quaker-speak (Old English) with the overuse of 'thee' and 'thou' and etc. was a bit stifling and made the Quakers hard to relate with, because they felt quite...robotic almost, in their use of the old language. But, eventually I found it wasn't that bad, and almost saw it as quant that Hannah spoke with a superfluous amount of 'thee' and 'thou'. 

The ending, (******SPOILERS*****)
(imagine with me) felt akin to breathing in, and finding the room void of oxygen. It was just coming up into a glorious territory of a seriously good ending, and then- nothing. Just ended in a kinda strange fashion. So, while I truly enjoyed every page of this book, the ending was a big let down for me. I'm a serious advocate for strong endings, and this ending, it just felt- incomplete and off. 

The writing was beautiful, the plot well thought out and compelling, & you really felt like you were there, not just reading about a story. Other than the ending, it was a great book and I would definitely recommend it.

4 stars overall. 

Against The Tide by Elizabeth Camden (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Ahh...I was not expecting this book to go where it did, but it was fabulous. I was thinking, 'nice historical fiction with some military (navy) involvement, & a tad bit of suspense' but I was positively blown away by what I found within the pages of this book (in a good kind of way).

Against the Tide is beautifully set in 1876 Boston. I love all the historical detail in this book...it doesn't feel like someone is writing historical fiction, it feels like you are IN history.

PLOT:

It took a bit of time to build, with a slower beginning, but once you reach the halfway point- look out people! I couldn't stop reading until I finished. A literal page-turner.

ROMANCE: 

It was sweet, nothing overtly passionate but it was purely genuine. I appreciated Bane & Lydia's relationship, as friends as well as romantic interests. I fell in love with their individual character's, but even moreso with them as a couple. Their relationship didn't feel like the vast majority of relationships I've read on paper. It was fresh, raw & truly beautiful.


#plottwist
I was not expecting this novel to have an entire subplot about substance abuse. I found it intriguing, given the time period and how certain people found themselves addicted to drugs (some unknowingly) & how they dealt with their dependency on the drug. So if you're a younger reader, (below 16) I'd suggest you shelve this book for a few years.

CONCLUSION:

The suspense of this book took me entirely by surprise. I don't think I've read a historical fiction book so heavy laden with it, and I loved every minute. It was so intense- and the plot just WORKED, people. An absolute stunner of a book. Granted, it is a heavier read with the content involved, but SO GOOD.

Definitely in my top 10 favourite books OF ALL TIME. 
5 out of 5 stars for sure!

Hearts Made Whole by Jody Headlong (Review by Ashley Nikole)

I've read a handful of Jody Hedlund's books in the past, not been a huge fan (I'll get into the why) but saw this was a book immediately following the Civil War (I have a fascination with books from that time period currently), so I picked it up and gave it a read.

I loved the plot and how the main character's Caroline and Ryan came together in a tough predicament. Their romance was sweet and touching- it didn't venture into anything too steamy, but it was passionate and real.

Seeing Ryan struggle through remembering his past crimes from his days in the war, and learning how to cope without (and with) drinking himself into oblivion, was real and raw, making you feel as though you weren't just reading a story, you were there.

The one thing I didn't like about this book, which subsequently ruined the whole book (nasty when that happens) was the villain.


--------SPOILERS BELOW ------ WARNING!!!

Arnie Simmons (the bad dude that no one knows is the bad dude until it's too late) just personally, REALLY got on my nerves. I totally get that the bad guy is supposed to do that, but he did in a way that made me irked to even read about him as a villain.
He was gross, a seriously sorry excuse for a man, a coward, and weird weird weird. This high dislike for villains like him, is simply a personal preference of mine...so don't go discounting her writing for YOU, because sometimes the villains rub ME the wrong way.

Jody is a gifted author, I truly believe that, but you know, 'different folks, different strokes' it simply doesn't work for me- generally.
Reason being?
Several of the bad guys in previous books were religious people, who were straight up perverts. Like major creepo's. Again, I know that there are religious people out there who claim to be good, but are actually quite evil, but just for me, it really can work me into a dither when I read about a pious individual who is a total hypocrite and is a MAJOR VILLAIN. It just makes me feel slimed with crapola. Just me. Not everyone will feel that way.

But on the flip-side, two of her books were some of my favourites. So, sometimes it works for me to read & love her books, other times they can rub me the wrong way.

So for this book, I'd give it a 2 Stars outta 5. And that's all personal preference...not because I felt her writing wasn't good. Because she writes very well. Romance was on point. Good plot. Relatable characters.

Read this book? What were your thoughts?

Traces of Mercy by Michael Landon Jr. & Cindey Kelley (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Intrigue, suspense & the element of unknown (with the main character suffering from amnesia) set this book into motion quickly. I stayed up until 3 AM reading it, as I simply couldn't put it down without knowing the conclusion! Incredible post Civil War novel with amazing character's and a great plot!

The last third of the book is where things get pretty intense, and then you pretty much just hope you have a few hours to dedicate to sitting still and reading this emotional rollercoaster of a finish- yikes- and like I said, I stayed up till 3 AM when I accidentally found myself reading that last third before bed...yup, it happened. 

Romance in this book is present but pretty subdued. It exists, but it isn't really the focus of the story, and there isn't a whole lot of attention paid to it. So not at all steamy or intense on the romance side of things. 

Overall, the pace was pretty good. Occasionally it lagged at times with the nuns, but apart from that...I don't have any complaints about the plot or flow of this book. 

4.7 stars