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The Last Thing To Burn
The Last Thing To Burn
Will Dean | 2021 | Crime, Thriller
9
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
The protagonist in this novel is Jane (it is not her name, but I will use it to avoid the spoilers), and the story is told from her perspective. Jane lives with her husband in a countryside farm. There is nothing around her but fields, and she is being held captive in that farm for years now. Jane has learned during those 7 years, that her husband always gets what he wants, she learned to adapt to the situation, but she hates every single day of her life. I found Jane very strong, selfless, caring and incredibly absorbing. She has so much to share with the reader, and it is truly heart-breaking to read her story.

The narrative of this book is very well written and entwined with present and past lives, that Jane had. During her daily routine, she shares how she ended up where she is. Her feelings and thoughts are painful to read. She keeps clinging to anything to survive, and it is devastating. This book really made me think, what I would do in Jane’s situation? How would I try to survive… I really wanted to know, how Jane will escape all this, that is what kept me constantly going. I wanted more action and less routine and mentioning of “his mother’s things” next to everything. (I got the point that nothing belonged to her 😉 ) There are some great twists and turns in this book, that enriched the plot immensely. The topics discussed in this book were human trafficking, rape, mental and physical abuse, the strength of motherly love, trauma, hope and many more.

The writing style of this book is absolutely brilliant. It is very hard to believe that this book is written by a male because Jane’s feelings and thoughts were very detailed and very accurate. Well done to Will Dean for this! The author managed to pack so much in a book that is 250 pages long. The chapters of this book are pretty short, and every chapter finishes with kind of a cliff-hanger, so my curiosity was always driving me forward. 🙂 The ending was very satisfying, and I am incredibly proud of Jane. 🙂

So, to conclude, this story is filled with incredibly damaged characters, mentally and physically. The plot carries a lot of pain and horrifying experiences, but it also channels love, hope, strength and determination. This book is full of triggers, but if anyone is looking for an amazing psychological thriller, I would strongly recommend this book. It is needed in society, maybe it would help to save a life one day…
  
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Book Divas (227 KP) rated Fjord Blue in Books

Dec 12, 2017  
Fjord Blue
Fjord Blue
Nina Rossing | 2016 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received an eARC via NetGalley and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.

I've never read anything written by this author so I picked this book based on the description. I'm happy that I was able to read it as I found it to be a beautifully written story.

Benjamin is sent to Norway to work on his grandparents’ farm after some reckless behavior gets him into trouble. He's a young man dealing with his sexuality as no one knows that he is gay. Once he gets settled in and begins working side by side with Even who is employed by Benjamin's grandfather he starts falling into a routine while secretly fantasizing about this gorgeous eye candy. Unbeknownst to Benjamin, Even has his own secrets and demons. The characters are strong and believable. The use of Spanish and Norwegian words in this story line were excellent and it was a well-rounded read.

I found myself laughing and at times crying but most of all I loved the emphasizes on family and even though they aren't always perfect or always accepting, they are truly an important part of our lives. My only gripe is that the cover should be more appealing.
  
Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she’s always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania. Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has built his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he’s unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner. Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora’s secret threaten those they love, they’ll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after.



My Thoughts: Another winner from Jen Turano! This one will not disappoint the reader. As always Jen comes through with wonderful characters and an intriguing storyline. The reader will be amused as they read along and become acquainted with the characters.


I truly enjoyed this book, a wonderful historical romantic for anyone to enjoy. This one comes highly recommended. I look forward to the next in the series.
  
Mending Fences (The Deacon's Family #1)
Mending Fences (The Deacon's Family #1)
Suzanne Woods Fisher | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am sure if you have read Suzanne Woods Fishers book or a few you may have read a book about Luke Schrock in one of her books. Then you ran into Stoney Ridge community. I know I did. It nice to see Luke and see if he make it in the world.

He is mentioned in the “The Queting” in the Bishop series. This book is mostly about Luke and him making amends. Though we meet someone new named Issy? Luke seem to want to be friends with this girl that at windmill farm.

There seems to be a story behind Issy and we get her side and Luke's. Will Luke be able to help Issy? What is really behind Issy and her looking for her mother? I can say you will be surprised to find out how David and his family and Amos Lapp stories or past are connected. There seems to be mystery to Chris and Jenny Yoder.

We follow Luke on his journey though this book. I really think this is book about redemption and learning to trust god. Will Issy and Luke get together? We see Fern and Amo's health and their lives and how they add other trouble children to stay with them.
  
It Started With A Tweet
It Started With A Tweet
Anna Bell | 2019
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Phone addict Daisy will do anything for a like on social media. She shares almost everything from her life and exaggerates about all of it too. It’s a good skill to have when your job is to run the social media of a company, not so good when you accidentally send an explicit tweet through your company’s account rather than your own.

Daisy’s life is turned upside-down. She is sacked from her job after her tweet goes viral, and hopeless that she will find another place willing to take her. A digital detox is just what she needs. She goes to stay at a farm her sister Rosie has bought and helps her renovate it, meeting some interesting people along the way.

It Started With A Tweet reminded me of Cecelia Ahern and Sophie Kinsella, so it was right up my street. It’s lighthearted and laugh-out-loud funny and overall a really entertaining read. Daisy’s constant comments made me giggle and she was such a lifelike character.

It was also interesting to read someone going through a digital detox because I know for sure that I wouldn’t be able to just stop using my phone and my laptop. My life is social media, so I have a real understanding of Daisy’s character.
  
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Janeeny (200 KP) rated The Farm in Books

May 10, 2019  
The Farm
The Farm
Joanne Ramos | 2019 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
plausibility (2 more)
well researched
likable characters
Jane is a Filipino immigrant trying hard to support her baby daughter.
Reagan is white, educated and wants to make a difference in the world.
Jane and Regan are just two of the many girls who work at Golden Oaks as ‘Hosts’.They are basically surrogates for the rich and influential.
But is all as it seems at Golden Oaks, (nick named ‘The Farm’ by some of the hosts) and can you truly sell a part of yourself without ramifications.
 The story essentially focuses on Jane and her struggles, but it is also told from the perspective of Reagan (Jane’s room mate) Ate (Janes Cousin) and Mae (The manager at Golden Oaks).
 This took me a little while to really get into the characters at first, but once I had the story flowed nicely and it was easy to get engrossed in. The thing that drew me to the book was that it had been highlighted at ‘A Handmaids Tale for 2019’ and you can definitely see that. The set up at Golden Oaks is all very plausible and sounds idyllic, the Hosts are all there willingly and being paid handsomely. However, you can see how an institute like Golden Oaks could descend into Margaret Atwoods dystopian nightmare.
  
When Holly White calls off her wedding, she returns to her family’s tree farm in Maine just in time for the annual Reindeer Games, which take place in the twelve days leading up to Christmas. However, the night before the games are set to start, Margaret comes in causing problems in her quest to keep the town exactly historically accurate. When Holly finds Margaret dead among the trees a few hours later, the police start looking a little too close to home. Can Holly clear her family and friends before Christmas?

If you are looking for a Christmas cozy, this one is perfect. Each page oozes Christmas cheer, and the games sound like a ton of fun. I’d love to visit and play myself. Unfortunately, I did feel this got in the way of the mystery at times, and Holly spent quite a bit to time reacting to events rather than actually investigating at other points. Still, it held together well overall, and we got a great climax. The characters are already sharp, and their relationships help add to the Christmas cheer.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-twelve-slays-of-christmas.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
TA
The Amish Bride
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I enjoyed this book and received though net gallery. I am review. I truly enjoyed reading this. I could connect though the Characters of this book. The book starts out with Ella reviving a book from her grandmother. The book is from her Great Grandmother Sarah. There a mystery or code that Ella is asked to break in her great grandmothers book.

Her mother and grandmother and the Grandys want their relationship with Ella and Ezra to change. They Ezra is to go to a farm but Ella decides to go with him. She get a job and a place to live. She forms a friendship with an Amish farmhand named Luke while in Indiana.

There a tragically back at home, with her brother Zed. She goes back home and has to face her past from what she was running way from. I really like this book. The mystery is pulled though out the whole book. It come to lite and helps another family in the process. The mystery is revealed at the end of the book.

So does Ella choose Luke or Ezra to Marry? What is the Mystery in the book that Ella must break the code? To find out these answers I suggest you read the book. I would Recommend it too.