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Book Marks: Chasing Symmetry – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

Goodreads Summary

Someone had been trying for the perfect shade of red . . .
When art professor Bianca James tries to save a dying woman, the grudge-holding chief of police is all too quick to catapult her to the top of the suspect list. As if that isn’t enough, her ex-boyfriend’s younger brother, Finn Tierny, is assigned to the case, and she’s faced with a trilogy of dilemmas: go head to head with the chief, stop a cold-blooded killer on her own, or trust another Tierny.

Finn’s return to Riley’s Peak is bittersweet. He’s flooded with memories, both good and bad, as he battles doubts about being a cop, a cantankerous father, a jealous brother, and a drug dealer with a rap-sheet longer than the list of addicts he’s been supplying.  Threats escalate, the suspect list grows, and it becomes clear—the murderer’s resolve to kill Bianca is almost as strong as Finn’s desire to keep her alive.

Almost.

My Thoughts

I love murder mysteries! When I was contacted about reading this book, I was beyond excited! And then when I received it in the mail along with a note and special little “gift” from the author, I was ecstatic! I wanted to dive right in…but, sadly, my TBR list was ridiculously long so I had to wait a while.

So, the time came that I could get into this book and I wasn’t disappointed! I am usually pretty good at figuring out ‘who done it’ but not this time. I was wrong! Very wrong. This book is full of surprises and keeps you guessing the whole time.

Now, I could have done without the ‘romance’ things in this book. And, honestly, the choice words were a bit much for my liking. Those were the only reasons that I chose to give Chasing Symmetry 4 stars instead of 5.

I will definitely be recommending this book to fellow mystery lovers! Chasing Symmetry will be a book that I keep for my collection!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie Kurtz is a full-time mom and wife who can’t help but make time to explore new worlds in between carpooling and laundry loads. She’s trying to encourage a similar obsession with reading in her two children, and she’s grateful her husband supports her habit. She can be found at Carrie K’s Book Reviews.

Book Marks: The Ivory Caribou – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

The Ivory Caribou by Caroline McCullagh

Goodreads Summary

Is it a love story? Or is it an adventure story? Or is it a commentary on the tragedy of war? It is all of these, and more. Award Winning Author Caroline McCullagh weaves a thrilling and dynamic story around Anne O’Malley’s genealogical search for the story of her late husband’s father that takes her to the far North of Canada to find new relatives among the Inuit culture, to Europe behind the lines in World War I, and back to the small Inuit village where she finds romance. The Ivory Caribou won Best Unpublished Novel in the San Diego Book Awards.

My Thoughts

I think I say this a lot, but I really am such a blessed person! People send books to me to read and review, some of which I probably wouldn’t have picked up on my own, and they end up being wonderful! The Ivory Caribou is one of those books. I honestly don’t think I would have chosen to read this book on my own because it’s not the typical kind of book that I enjoy. Most often, when I actually go to a store and pick out books for myself, I choose books that are either somewhat exciting/action packed, someone recommended them or, if they are contemporary fiction, have characters that I can relate to (around my age, similar lifestyles, things like that). The Ivory Caribou doesn’t really fit any of those. But, I really enjoyed it!

Anne O’Malley is an older woman, a widow, and she doesn’t have any children. I wasn’t sure how much I would be able to get into her life. But I was drawn right in! Her inward struggles and loneliness reached right into my heart and there were times when, because of work and being a mom, I had to put the book down to do something and I realized that I was feeling Anne’s sadness so deep that I had to remind myself that it was just a book!

I really enjoyed all of the journal entries from her father-in-law. Surprisingly, I have come to love historical fiction books lately and this has several touches of that element wrapped up in it. Such an enjoyable bonus! I also really enjoyed learning so much about the Inuit culture! Again, something that I wouldn’t have necessarily expected to enjoy as much as I did. There were also a few romantic situations but they weren’t “graphic” or inappropriate. Just sweet and, well, romantic!

I definitely recommend The Ivory Caribou! A very strong 4+ stars! The only reason it’s not a full 5 stars is because it ended a bit abruptly. However, I realize that it’s probably because this is book 1 of The Anne O’Malley Arctic Adventures series. Still, I found myself wanting a bit more in this book. Very Good though! Read it!!!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book Marks: The Mine – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

The Mine by John A. Heldt

Goodreads Summary

In May 2000, Joel Smith is a cocky, adventurous young man who sees the world as his playground. But when the college senior, days from graduation, enters an abandoned Montana mine, he discovers the price of reckless curiosity. He emerges in May 1941 with a cell phone he can’t use, money he can’t spend, and little but his wits to guide his way. Stuck in the age of swing dancing and a peacetime draft, Joel begins a new life as the nation drifts toward war. With the help of his 21-year-old trailblazing grandmother and her friends, he finds his place in a world he knew only from movies and books. But when an opportunity comes to return to the present, Joel must decide whether to leave his new love in the past or choose a course that will alter their lives forever. THE MINE follows a humbled man through a critical time in history as he adjusts to new surroundings and wrestles with the knowledge of things to come.

My Thoughts

Oh, how I loved this book! So good! I have never read a ‘time travel’ book before so I really didn’t know what to expect. I was certainly hoping that it would be a good read and it was!

Let me be totally real with you though, when I first started reading The Mine my immediate thought was that I wasn’t going to enjoy it. The first chapter did not give me a great impression of Joel. In fact, I did not like Joel at all. He seemed like a total brat. And then, when he first went back in time (I’m trying not to give spoilers, guys) it seemed like he adapted a little too easily.

Then, I started thinking about how I always say I was born in the wrong era. I thought about how I might feel if I was able to go back in time… I think I’d do great too! I might have a little longer adjustment time than Joel did, but that might just be a personality difference between us (you know, if he was a real person… sometimes I get wrapped up in a story and I forget it’s not real).

The ending was absolutely spectacular! I adored it! I was actually hoping for that kind of ending but I didn’t imagine it quite the way it happened. I liked Mr. Heldt’s version better than the one I created in my mind 🙂

I will definitely be recommending this book! It was extremely good and I can’t wait to read another John A. Heldt book again soon!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Book Marks: The Hearts We Mend – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

The Hearts We Mend by Kathryn Springer

Goodreads Summary

Planning and Post-It notes are the epitome of Evie’s life. But when she meets Jack, her life gets more than a little complicated.

Thirteen years ago, Evie’s firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty, leaving her to raise their young son, Cody, alone. Now, Cody is marrying the love of his life, and as he packs up his belongings, the house feels as empty as Evie’s heart. But for all her planning and mad organizational skills, Evie could never have anticipated the dramatic shift her life about to make.

Tattooed, rough-around-the-edges Jack raises quite a few eyebrows in the tight-knit community of Banister Falls. Where Evie’s life is stream-lined, Jack’s approach to living is moment by moment. But as Evie gets drawn into Jack’s world—a world that isn’t as safe or predictable as the one she’s worked so hard to create—he challenges her to open her eyes to the problems outside the walls of the church.

Jack doesn’t make Evie feel comfortable, but he definitely makes her feel something. Something she hasn’t felt since Max passed away—or, maybe ever. Because even though Jack isn’t anything like her late husband, he might be everything she needs.

My Thoughts

This book is just lovely! Wonderful amounts of sweetness, drama, funny little parts, faith, and love! Just simply lovely! I am ready to read more books by Kathryn Springer right now!

I wanted to get to the end so bad, and yet I didn’t want it to end! I caught myself trying to skim ahead on the page so that I could see what was going to happen several times (mostly nearing the end of the book) and had to stop myself and go back to where I was supposed to be reading. There were times that I got so frustrated at Jack, just wanting to smack some sense into him, and then I would feel the same way about Evie!

Faith was a big part of The Hearts We Mend but it wasn’t the kind of book that shoves it in your face. If you enjoy reading faith-based books, you will like this one. But, even if you don’t typically enjoy faith-based books, you’ll most likely still enjoy this book. It was just really well written. I highly recommend reading The Hearts We Mend by Kathryn Springer!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Book Marks: By the Hands of Men – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

By the Hands of Men Book One: The Old World by Roy M. Griffis
By the Hands of Men Book Two: Into the Flames by Roy M. Griffis

Goodreads Summary

By the Hands of Men Book One: The Old World

“With elements reminiscent of Hemmingway’s A Farewell to Arms, in the midst of World War I, a relationship develops between an English lieutenant and a young Russian nurse – a surprising tenderness against the backdrop of war…with likeable characters, spending more time in the “Old War” is an appealing prospect.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A truly remarkable historical novel – so finely rendered in period detail – that the reader becomes one with the plot and characters. Mr. Griffis has a superb talent for capturing the small details that make up the whole – from the horrors of war to the very intricate procedures involved with early 20^th Century Wartime medicine. Charlotte Braninov is a very complex character, one who is beautifully drawn by the pen of Mr. Griffis. Her conflicting feelings on war and her intense emotions sparked by her time treating Lieutenant Robert Fitzgerald left me breathless – they were so emotionally powerful. This is a novel that will not only entertain and inform, but pull at your emotions as well – a truly beautiful novel set during a horrific time in history.”
AN OFFICIAL JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB MUST READ
RICK FRIEDMAN, FOUNDER, THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB

With the Great War raging around them, wounded Lt. Robert Fitzgerald falls in love with Russian nurse Charlotte Braninov. Torn apart by illness and betrayal, they pursue separate quests that take them across a world on the verge of change. From Shanghai to revolutionary Russia, they learn that hands of men can create a hell on earth – or, through the redemptive power of love, a heaven in which to truly live.

By the Hands of Men Book Two: Into the Flames

Charlotte Braninov, traumatized by loss and her service as a frontline nurse, returns to war-torn Russia to find her family. Captured by the Red Army, she exchanges one hell for another. Her still-loyal Lieutenant, Robert Fitzgerald, believing the woman he loves is dead, struggles to recover from the ravages of combat and typhus. In a desperate bid to rediscover himself, he commits to serve his country as a pawn in distant Shanghai. Forging their destinies in a world reeling after The Great War, Charlotte and Robert will learn anew the horror and the beauty the hands of men can create when they descend into the flames.

My Thoughts

Wow…

That is the best word I can find to describe these books. Wow! So Good!

Roy Griffis contacted me and asked if I would like to read and review the first two books in his By the Hands of Men series and, of course, I said yes. I was honored and, to be completely honest, a little nervous. I haven’t read many historical novels and I have never read any about war. I wasn’t sure if I would like them and I really, really hate writing negative reviews! Mr. Griffis sent me the novels and I was so excited when I checked the mail and they were there! I love getting new books and was thrilled to see that he signed them for me too! I was ready to dive in! I was already in the middle of another book so I made sure I set enough time in my day to get through it so I could jump into my new, beautiful books.

I’m not sure why, but I felt intimidated when I first started reading book one, The Old World. War…it made me nervous. Please like it, please like it! Well, as I read I quickly realized that I was nervous for no reason at all! It was so good! I couldn’t put it down! Before I knew it, I looked at the clock and it was after 1 o’clock in the morning! I had to make myself put it down so that I wouldn’t be a zombie at work the next morning. As soon as I got home from work I picked it back up and devoured the rest of the book.

Right after I finished the first book, I picked up book two, Into the Flames. Once again, I was sucked right back into this beautifully written novel. Oh my word! It was possibly even better than the first book! I didn’t want it to end! So Good!

I highly recommend reading both of these wonderfully written books and I can’t wait to read the third as soon as it becomes available! Thank you so much, Roy Griffis, for sending these beautiful books to me! These are definitely books that I will read over and over!

Book Marks: Keeper of the Stars – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher

Goodreads Summary

She blames him for her brother’s death. Can she let go of resentment and open her heart to love?

Penny Cartwright found it difficult to understand why her younger brother would choose to join a country singer’s band rather than return to Kings Meadow after college…and the separation strained their relationship. Then a car accident made certain her brother could never return.

Trevor Reynolds has chased stardom in Nashville for more than a dozen years, but it remains out of his reach. After an accident kills his young drummer, Trevor goes to Kings Meadow to keep a promise – and perhaps to discover what truly matters in this life.

Thrown together by circumstances, Penny and Trevor must learn to give and receive forgiveness. And if they do, perhaps something beautiful can rise from the ashes of heartbreak.

My Thoughts

I wasn’t opposed to reading this book but I honestly wasn’t really excited to read it either. I have been in the mood to read exciting, suspenseful books and this clearly wasn’t going to be that kind of book. I was actually kind of dreading it a little bit.

However…

I really enjoyed it! Keeper of the Stars has just the right amount of enjoyability, heart, love, faith, and a touch of sadness (not too much) to make it a really good and cozy read. I give it two thumbs up! I started it yesterday, late afternoon, and had to make myself put it down so that I could go to bed since I had to work this morning. I finished it an hour or so after I got home from work.

I am happy to say that I have found a new author that I will be on the lookout for. Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher was well written and enjoyable. Definitely one I will recommend to fellow readers.

*Note: I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Book Marks: My Name is Mahtob – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

My Name is Mahtob by Mahtob Mahmoody

Goodreads Summary

The daughter at the center of the international bestseller and film Not Without My Daughter finishes the story that captivated the world: held hostage in Iran, escape over the mountains, growing up in fear of kidnapping, battling deadly disease, and leaning on the sustaining power of God’s goodness.

Two decades ago, Not Without My Daughter (a global phenomenon made into a film starring Sally Field) told of the daring escape of an American mother and her six-year-old child from an abusive and fanatical Iranian husband and father. Now the daughter tells the whole story, not only of her imprisonment and escape but of life after fleeing Iran: living in fear of re-abduction, battling recurring nightmares and panic attacks – all under the menacing shadow of her father.

This is the story of an extraordinary young woman’s triumph over life-crushing trauma to build a life of peace and forgiveness. Moving from Michigan to Tehran, from Ankara to Paris, Mahtob reveals the profound resilience of a wounded soul healed by her faith in God’s goodness and his care and love for her.

My Thoughts

My Name is Mahtob is a companion book to Not Without My Daughter. Mahtob Mahmoody shares her experiences in her own words. She writes about her feelings, thoughts, and experiences while being held captive in Iran and even afterwards when she made it home.

I actually haven’t read or watched Not Without My Daughter but that didn’t make My Name is Mahtob any less interesting. I enjoyed reading this book and I definitely plan on reading and watching Not Without My Daughter now.

I do have to say that after about the first half of the book it got pretty slow. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t quite as interesting as the first half of the book. It got a little confusing at times because it wasn’t necessarily in chronological order.

Mahtob Mahmoody did discuss her faith but not to an extent that it was overly religious toward any certain religion. She is Lutheran but this book isn’t offensive to readers of any religion. It is just an autobiography of her life and faith and it is a lovely book.

*Note: I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Book Marks: Truthseers Trilogy – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

Prodigal Son, Heart of Stone, and Warrior of Fate by Debra Mullins

A few months ago, Kitty introduced me to a friend of hers who also happens to be an author! That friend was Debra Mullins 🙂 This is the book review I posted on my own blog not long after.

Debra asked me if I would like to read her Truthseers Trilogy and review them on my blog! The first two books are award winning books and the third book, Warrior of Fate, isn’t available yet but will be on October 20th. Of course, I said yes! She sent them right out to me and I got started reading 🙂 Let’s start with letting you know a little about each book…

Goodreads Summaries

Prodigal Son
Bounty hunter Rafe Montana is a Seer, descended from the fabled Atlanteans. He uses his inherited power to “see” criminals across the globe and track them down, and he’s just started on a new case. Danny Cangialosi is accused of disappearing with a stolen car…but for the first time in his life, when Rafe goes looking, he is unable to “see” him. Instead, his search leads him to Danny’s stubborn, meddling, and very cute stepsister, Cara McGaffigan.

Cara is looking for Danny, too, but not to turn him in. He is her brother, after all, and she’s convinced he has a good heart. If she can just find him before the cops do, she’ll figure out a way to get him out of this. But Cara didn’t count on a scorching-hot bounty hunter getting in her way.

Heart of Stone
Darius Montana is a Seer. With his gift of empathy, he can see into the hearts of others, both human and Atlantean. When his family comes into possession of one of the legendary power stones of Atlantis, Darius is sent to find the Stone Singer.

Faith Karaluros is the last Stone Singer. Manipulated all her life for her rare ability, she is widowed after her husband tried to steal her power for the Mendukati, an extremist group that hunts Seers. Faith wants nothing more than to stay out of this war when Darius comes to find her—just in time to rescue her from being kidnapped.

Warrior of Fate
Warrior Adrian Gray has dedicated his life in service to his people, and has never doubted his calling… until now. Three mystical Atlantean power stones were assumed lost for centuries, but one by one the Seers of Atlantis have tracked them down in a tireless race against the extremist Mendukati. Adrian’s mission? To ensure that the stones are acquired and protected by the right people—his people.

My Thoughts on the Books

I don’t typically read this genre but, I do have to say, I enjoyed the story lines a lot! I liked the mystery and excitement that each book brought. I liked how each book focused on a different set of characters while still including the past characters. In Prodigal Son, you read the story back and forth from Rafe’s perspective and from Cara’s perspective. In Heart of Stone, it was Darius and Faith, and then in Warrior of Fate it was Adrian and Tessa.

Now, I do have to add that these are adult romances. I do not usually read adult romances which makes this review a little harder to write. Like I said, the story lines were wonderful! But, I personally couldn’t give them 5 stars because of the “romance” sections. If you are like me and don’t read adult romances but like fantasy types books, you can always skim past those parts!

I feel so honored to have been asked to read and review these books for her. I love that I have made a new friend as well! If you like Adult fantasy/paranormal romances then pick these up! If you like fantasy/paranormal books but not typically adult romances then these may or may not be for you (again, you can skim past those parts if you want to!).

*Note: I received these books from Author Debra Mullins in exchange for an honest review

Book Marks: A Season to Wed – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

A Season to Wed by Rachel Hauck, Cindy Kirk, and Cheryl Wyatt

Goodreads Summary

They’ve helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples. Now twelve new couples will find themselves in the wedding spotlight in the second Year of Weddings novella collection.

Love at Mistletoe Inn by Cindy Kirk
Sometimes the road to happiness is paved with youthful mistakes.

Ten years after what she thought was her almost-wedding, Hope Prentiss discovers that the ceremony counted—and, as fate would have it, the jilted John Burke has just ridden back into town. After spending some time with John and helping plan a Christmas wedding for a mystery couple, Hope begins to wonder if she really wants a divorce . . . or a real wedding of her own.

A Brush with Love by Rachel Hauck
Revealing the beauty in other women might be Ginger Winters’s specialty—but it will take an unexpected kind of love to help Ginger see the beauty in herself.

Ginger Winters will be the “beauty-maker” for the Alabama society wedding of the decade.

But when high-school crush Tom Wells shows up looking for a haircut, Ginger’s thinly veiled insecurities threaten to keep her from love once again . . . despite Tom’s best efforts.

Serving Up a Sweetheart by Cheryl Wyatt
Meadow knows how to serve delicious food to match any wedding theme. But can she accept love when it’s served up on a silver platter?

Meadow Larson is having the mother of all Mondays when her roof caves in during a blizzard, right before the most important wedding contract of her career.

Renovation contractor Colin McGrath offers to fix Meadow’s roof, even though he knows he is the last person she would accept help from.

But the more Meadow gets to know the new Colin, the more she realizes God may have something more permanent in store than a new catering kitchen.

My Thoughts

Sometimes I just get in the mood to read novellas. To have a fun, enjoyable book that doesn’t take forever to read. And what is better than a good novella? Three novellas!!! A Season to Wed is a collection of three Winter love stories and they were all good!

I’m not sure which one I enjoyed most because they were all pretty good. Christmas/Winter/Holiday stories are my favorites! I’m thinking that I enjoyed Love at Mistletoe Inn a little more than the others but I may change my mind later J

I’m so happy to be able to write another positive review! I hate having to write negative reiews so this book totally made me happy! I will definitely be recommending A Season to Wed to my friends and fellow book lovers!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from BookLookBloggers.com in exchange for an honest review.

Book Marks: If I Fall, If I Die – Book Review by Carrie Kurtz

If I Fall, If I Die by Michael Christie

Goodreads Summary

A heartfelt and wondrous debut about family, fear, and skateboarding, that Karen Russell calls “A bruiser of a tale… a death-defying coming-of-age story.”

Will has never been outside, at least not since he can remember. And he has certainly never gotten to know anyone other than his mother, a fiercely loving yet wildly eccentric agoraphobe who panics at the thought of opening the front door. Their world is rich and fun loving – full of art, science experiments, and music – and all confined to their small house.

But Will’s thirst for adventure can’t be contained. Clad in a protective helmet and unsure of how to talk to other kids, he finally ventures outside. At his new school he meets Jonah, an artsy loner who introduces Will to the high-flying freedoms of skateboarding. Together, they search for a missing local boy, help a bedraggled vagabond, and evade a dangerous bootlegger. The adventure is more than Will ever expected, pulling him far from the confines of his closed-off world and into the throes of early adulthood, and all the risks that everyday life offers.

In buoyant, kinetic prose, Michael Christie has written an emotionally resonant and keenly observed novel about mothers and sons, fears and uncertainties, and the lengths we’ll go for those we love.

My Thoughts

There were things I liked about this book and things I didn’t like as well. I was very interested in reading this book when I read the summary but it didn’t seem to hold my interest. Reading felt more like a chore than fun pastime, which makes me sad, so it took me quite a while to read this one.

The beginning of the book was super slow, the middle got pretty good, but then the end seemed rushed and anticlimactic. There were too many story lines mixed in and I just couldn’t keep up! And then it just ended…as if the author was told to wrap it up.

If I Fall, If I Die certainly wasn’t the worst book I have ever read but it wasn’t my kind of book at all. I probably will not be recommending this book to many people but I wouldn’t mind trying another book by Michael Christie if he writes one. His writing style was good; I just didn’t enjoy this story.

*Note: I received a copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for an honest review.

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