Sunday, April 15, 2012

Interested in the Titanic?

The Band That Played On, The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic is written by Steve Turner and published by Thomas Nelson.

What an informative book! Do you enjoy the stories behind well-known historical moments? If so this book is a perfect book for you. We have all heard about the tragedy of the Titanic. I would also say that most of us have heard of the brave musicians who played on the decks until the very end. What most of us do not know is who those musicians were before they boarded the Titanic. This book is filled with information I have never heard before about the lives of these eight men.

The amount of research that went into the book is reflected in the many behind the scenes stories retold by the author. The book is not just a boring retelling of these stories but a well-written narrative of the events. I enjoyed every page of this enlightening book. From what song the different passengers heard the men playing to how they all came about being on the ship at that time, each section of this book held my attention. Each time the author revealed information about one of these amazing men, I could not wait to hear the next bit of information awaiting me on the next page!

I gave this book 5/5 stars because of the informative writing and amount of information presented. I would recommend this book for everyone interested in the history of the Titanic.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.


A great book set in an Amish community

An Uncommon Grace is written by Serena B. Miller.

This book is more then just another Amish story set in Ohio! You will find this book to have a murder as well as a romance. The murder is what sets the story into action and the romance is what carries it along.

Grace Connor has served in Afghanistan as a nurse but is happy when she is needed at home to help her Grandmother recover from surgery. Adjusting to life outside of war is not as easy as she thought it would be but getting to know neighbor Levi Troyer and his family, is helping her more then she realizes.

Levi’s life changes in one afternoon and starts taking him in a direction he never thought possible. Will he stay with the Swartzentruber Amish he has grown up with or will he follow his heart and learn to follow Christ on his own?

This book is great at explaining the different sect of the Amish. You can tell there was much research done and it does not hold the story back but actually helps you understand the characters better. The writing style was excellent and gave you very in-depth insight into the thoughts of the Amish.

The characters are well developed and the romance advances at a believable pace. I could not put this book down! I enjoyed the story lines, I liked the characters and I loved how the author concluded all the different plots. I gave this book 5/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who loves to read Christian fiction!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.


A great western with a bit of mystery and romance

Love on the Range is written by Jessica Nelson and published by Harlequin (Love Inspired).

Do you like westerns? What if the author threw in a little mystery and some romance too? If you like any of those three plots in a book you will enjoy this adventure set in the early 1900’s. Gracelyn Riley has been sent to her uncle’s house in a remote area of Oregon. While there she decides to do some research and write an article about a hero from the West call "Striker." One thing not on her agenda is to fall in love, but feelings for a certain rancher begin to surface! Rancher Trevor Cruz is not too excited about this new addition to the ranch. He is also not very happy to hear her asking so many questions about a person he is very close to and wants to protect, "Striker!

This was a very well written book. I enjoyed how Biblical principles were woven into the story. The spirituality of the characters helps the story line and you can see the characters change based on their spiritual growth. Although not overly spiritual it has just the right amount written to make this a Christian fiction book.

I liked the story itself and enjoyed how the main characters reacted to each other. I especially like the mystery of who Striker was as well as who robs Gracelyn. Even a kidnapping and poisoning takes place! This book held my attention till the end and concluded all the story lines. I gave this book 5/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who wants an easy to read romance set in the west with a bit of mystery included!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.