Review of "Porcelain Keys"

Rating: 5 + Stars

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Review: Without a doubt, Sarah Beard's debut novel, "Porcelain Keys," is one of the most captivating books that I have read recently.  Emotional, graceful, fragile, and strong, this young adult novel transcends boundaries of age and becomes a novel that adults will fully appreciate and enjoy.  Music plays a prominent role in "Porcelain Keys," and the plot soars with its own lyrical melodies.  Beard proves adept at crafting three dimensional characters with scars and secrets that are slowly brought to light.  Like a song that grasps you from the very first note, "Porcelain Keys," grabs you on the first page.  From the moment I read the opening scene, I was engaged in Aria's journey that swept me away on the notes of her life, both the highs and the lows. 

Beard treats readers to not only a love story, but a life story.  The budding relationship between Aria and Thomas is a central part of the novel, but the story transcends far beyond a romance.  Beard constructs a plot full of imagery, detail, and emotion.  I sympathized with the characters, especially Aria and Thomas, whose feelings were raw and multi-faceted.  They both have struggles to overcome as they begin their transitions into adulthood.  Those struggles are painful to witness, but make the song of this story much more poignant and memorable.

"Porcelain Keys" is not a light-hearted story; it is a novel with substance and soul.  Sarah Beard writes on her website that she began writing this novel 6 years ago and shares her inspiring story behind "Porcelain Keys" (read more at www.sarahbeard.com) Her efforts give readers a book worth reading and recommending, and I will certainly anticipate reading more books from Sarah Beard in the future.  

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Sarah Beard. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Summary from Sarahbeard.com: Aria's life is full of secrets--secrets about her mother's death, her father's

volatility, and her dream to go to Juilliard. When Aria meets Thomas, he draws out her secrets, captures her heart, and gives her the courage to defy her father. But when tragedy strikes and Thomas disappears, Aria is left alone to transform her broken heart's melody into something beautiful. Porcelain Keys is a captivating love story that will resonate long after the last page is turned.

Book Trailer: 



Book Information:
Title: Porcelain Keys
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Pages: 352
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (February 11, 2014)
ISBN-10: 1462113966
ISBN-13: 978-1462113965

Author Bio: SARAH BEARD is the author of Porcelain Keys, a YA contemporary romance. She has a degree in communications from the University of Utah and splits her time between writing and raising three energetic boys. She is a cancer survivor and a hopeless romantic. She enjoys reading and composing music, and lives with her husband and children in Salt Lake City, Utah. You can follow Sarah on twitter at @authorsarahb, or at facebook.com/authorsarahbeard. Her website is www.sarahbeard.com.

Review of "Minding Molly"

Rating: 2.5 Stars

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Review: "Minding Molly" is the third novel in Leslie Gould's Amish series "The Courtships of Lancaster County."  Each book is based on one of Shakespeare's classics, and Gould's latest release takes its inspiration from "A Midsummer Night's Dream."  I have enjoyed the previous two books in this series and Gould's portrayal of the Amish. Unfortunately, I never made a connection to the characters or the plot of this novel.  Molly Zook's bossiness and controlling attitude kept me at arm's length throughout most of the book. Although she begins to loosen up towards the end, and we begin to see her insecurities, the change did not come soon enough for me.  Because the story is told from Molly's first person perspective, it is also difficult to relate to the other characters. Not knowing the thoughts and motives of Molly's two potential suitors does keep you guessing who she will ultimately marry, and at times, it seems she is destined to remain single.

Overall, the plot of "Minding Molly" is anti-climatic.  Molly's family is struggling with serious issues, including the recent death of her father, her mother's health problems, and a struggling family farm,  but much of the plot's focus is centered on a weekend camping trip. Some of the details become repetitive and mundane, but Gould's descriptions of Molly's farmers market and flower gardens paint a vibrant picture.  The camping trip scenes are a bit lackluster and choppy, putting emphasis on meal preparations, trail rides, Molly's controlling nature, and misunderstandings between Molly and her friends.  I felt like an outsider observing the scenes without a complete understanding of the participants' emotions.  As a result, the camping trip did not seem to help the plot's progress, it just left growing relationships more muddled.

I enjoyed "Courting Cate" and "Adoring Addie" far more than "Minding Molly."  All three novels are set in the same Amish community, so characters from the previous novels continue to make appearances.  Leslie Gould gives us glimpses into modern Amish life and shows us that Amish men and women face struggles similar to "Englishers." Her Amish characters are more than house wives and farmers; they are resourceful business owners and entrepreneurs with dreams not unlike ours.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Bethany House. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Summary from Bethany House: Molly Zook Has Everything Planned Just Right. Or So She Thinks!

Molly Zook's always liked being in control, so she's struggling with her mother's wish that, to save the family farm, she marry Mervin Mosier. Especially after Molly meets Leon Fisher. He's from Montana but is now training horses at a nearby ranch. He's tall and muscular and confident--Molly has never met anyone like him and she's sure he feels the same about her.

Determined to let nothing get between them, Molly tries to coax Mervin into falling back in love with Molly's best friend, Hannah. A weekend camping trip in the Poconos could be just the place...but things quickly go awry, and it seems Leon and Hannah might be falling for each other instead! Will Molly keep struggling to control everyone and everything around her? Or will she learn to let God handle the twists and turns of her life?

Review of "A December Bride" by Denise Hunter

Rating: 4 Stars

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Review:  Because I have enjoyed many of Denise Hunter's books, I decided to begin the "A Year of Weddings Novella" series by reading her contribution to the twelve novellas collection, "A December Bride."  Novellas can sometimes be disappointing to read because they lack character development and depth, but "A December Bride"  examines the past of the two main characters Layla and Seth.   Both Layla and Seth have been hurt in the past and face their share of uncertainties and insecurities. Set in Chapel Springs, readers of Denise Hunter's "Barefoot Summer will remember Layla as the sister of Beckett O'Reilly.  Although her recent past is shared in "A December Bride," readers will have a more thorough understanding of her childhood and family background if they have read "Barefoot Summer."   When Layla finds herself "accidentally" engaged to Seth,  the scene is set for a light and sweet romantic novella.  While having to spend more time together by staging Seth's house during the Christmas season, Layla and Seth have the opportunity to confront a misunderstanding from their past and begin building a new relationship.   In many ways, it reads like a satisfying seasonal Hallmark movie.   

"A December Bride"  is a short, light-hearted read that is perfect for a winter day.  With authors like Denise Hunter, Rachel Hauck, and Meg Moseley, "A Year of Weddings Novellas" series offers a promising collection of short stories.  

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from BookSneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Summary from Zondervan:  What started as a whim turned into an accidental---and very public---engagement. Can Layla and Seth keep up the façade in Chapel Springs this holiday season---for the sake of her career . . . and his heart?

Under normal circumstances, Seth Murphy - the best friend of Layla O’Reilly’s ex-fiancé - would be the last person she’d marry. But the news of their upcoming (and phony) nuptials convinces a big client that Layla may be high-society enough to work for his agency - a coup that would put her fledgling home-staging business on the map. Seth has secretly loved Layla for years, even when she was dating his best friend. Maybe she’ll never forgive him for the way he hurt her back then, but he has to try. And Layla is willing to keep up their engagement farce until she’s landed her client.

For Layla, it's the chance to save her career. But for Seth, it's his last chance to win her heart.

Review of "Princess Ever After"

Rating: 4 Stars

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Review: Rachel Hauck treats readers to modern fairy tales in her Royal Wedding Series. In "Princess Ever After," fantasy becomes real-life for Regina Beswick when she learns that she is a long-lost princess with the responsibility of a nation's independence on her shoulders. Life as a princess is not all fancy dresses and balls for Regina; she must cope with paparazzi and an influential political opponent.  Hauck sketches Regina as an everyday American girl with her own dreams.  It is easy to relate to her hesitancy in accepting a monumental change and the challenges it brings, both large and small.  Details like riding in the front seat with her chauffeur and asking household staff to address her by first name, reinforce Regina's image as an average person. 

"Princess Ever After" is a fairy tale, but with more believable elements.  Regina's transformation into a princess refreshingly veers from a mere physical change.  Her journey focuses more on emotion, faith, and family. Politics also plays an important role in Regina's path to the throne, and the political climate of Hauck's fictitious Hessenberg is a prominent part of the plot.  Although not complex, the details did not hold my interest, except for in a few tense moments.  

Tanner Burkhardt is a current version of a "Prince Charming."  He has led a far from perfect life, resulting in a failed marriage and broken family bonds.  The relationship between Tanner and Regina is easy and understated, but I would have enjoyed more complexity. Like other parts of the plot, their relationship tied up easily despite difficulties.  "Princess Ever After" is an overall light read with a happily ever after to satisfy readers.  

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Summary from Zondervan: Regina Beswick was born to be a princess.

But she’s content to be a small-town girl, running a classic auto restoration shop, unaware a secret destiny awaits her. One that will leap from the pages of her grandmother’s hand-painted book of fairytales.
Tanner Burkhardt is the stoic Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg. When he is tasked to retrieve the long-lost princess, he must overcome his fear of failure in order to secure his nation’s future---and his own.

Yet lurking in the political shadows is a fierce opponent with sinister plans to abolish the throne forever.
Overwhelmed with opposition, Regina must decide if she’s destined to restore old cars or an ancient nation. Together---with a little divine intervention---Regina and Tanner discover the truth of her heritage and the healing power of true love.

Review of "The Dancing Master"

Rating: 4.5 Stars

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Review:  Since the debut of her first novel, "Lady of Milkweed Manor," I eagerly await each new work by Julie Klassen.  Like the British settings and period dramas that she loves, each of her novels read like scenes from a Jane Austen movie or BBC film.  Her latest release, "The Dancing Master"  will not fail to disappoint readers.  Like the village of Candleford in the British drama "Lark Rise to Candleford," Beaworthy is a village filled with its own mixture of charms, beauty, sadness, and secrets.  Each member of the community has his or her own insecurities or prejudices that they must overcome. Lady Amelia Midwinter is the matriarch of Beaworthy and appears to be bitter and cold-hearted, while forbidding both dance lessons and public dances. The arrival of young and handsome Alec Valcourt, a dancing master from London, begins to unravel some of the fiercely held "laws" of the past twenty years.   Since dancing is not condoned within the village, Alec encounters his share of resistance and prejudice against his profession and his manhood.  The introduction of Alec Valcourt is a welcome distraction for Lady Amelia's flirtatious and reckless daughter, Julia, who feels dissatisfied and imprisoned by the limitations that her mother places upon her.  As each of their lives entwine,  it becomes evident that secrets and mysteries lurk just beneath the surface and each person cannot be defined by one's initial impressions. 

Julie Klassen has mastered the art of storytelling as she creates scenes that are rich in historical details and intriguing characters.  As a reader, I was captivated by the mysterious history of Beaworthy and the complexities of each of the main characters.  Lady Amelia, Alec, Julia, and other supporting characters each exhibit their own weaknesses and struggles.  Julia has a childlike innocence and vulnerability that mirrors her mother's, but only a buried past will allow each of them to flourish.  Alec is also haunted by his own recent past and a scandal that wishes to taint his potential happiness in Beaworthy.   The village is aptly named because worthiness, forgiveness, love, grace, and redemption are themes of the novel.   Just as one becomes frustrated and struggles to learn the steps of a minuet or English country dance,  the trials are worthwhile after each of the steps and dancers unite in perfect synchronization and harmony. Julie Klassen created a plot as graceful and as intricate as the dances she portrayed. The storyline played out with the nuances of a dance- the struggles, anticipation, mystery, climax, resolution and beauty.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Summary from Bethany House Publishers: Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and hidden sorrows of her own.

Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master--a man her mother would never approve of--but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village...and to her mother's tattered heart?

Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/s7Yl1

About the author: Julie Klassen loves all things Jane---Jane Eyreand Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She is a three-time Christy Award winner and a 2010 Midwest Book Award winner for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Learn more about Julie at: http://julieklassen.com

Blog Tour:  http://litfusegroup.com/author/jklassen