Book Review: Bridge to Haven

Today’s review is on Francine River’s latest release, Bridge to Haven

I have been a fan of Francine Rivers ever since I picked up her novel, The Atonement Child when I was in 8th grade. A friend had recommended it to me, and I loved it. Since then, I have read most of her novels and I continue to enjoy her writing style.

Bridge to Haven was easy to get into and I liked the whole setting of the fictional small town of Haven. The characters were realistic, even though Pastor Zeke could get annoying with his coldness and sense of duty. I felt like how he treated Abra at the beginning of the novel was kind of cruel, but at the same time I understand why he did what he did.

Abra was a dynamic character, there seemed to be a lot of depth to her and her struggles throughout the book. Through Abra’s struggles to find where she belongs, the reader discovers the price of fame and searching for a place to belong in all the wrong places.

However, even though the book was good, there were a few things that I did not like about it. Firstly, I didn’t like the theme of mother issues, which seems to come up in almost all of Francine  Rivers’ contemporary novels. Secondly, I felt like the ending was wrapped up too quickly and that there were some loose ends left untied. I also found that it was predictable when it is revealed who Abra’s mother is, it was obvious when the character was first introduced.

I am giving this book 4/5 Stars because Francine Rivers doesn’t disappoint with this latest novel, and I could not put it down.

Happy Reading,
Janelle

P.S. If you have any book recommendations let me know and I will check them out. 🙂

Fall 2015 To Be Read List

Summer is over and the Fall semester has started. As an English major, I already read a lot and I don’t have as much time for personal reading as I do in the summer, it is for this reason that instead of a monthly TBR list I am doing a list for the whole semester. However, I will still do a monthly Books I Read post. Without further ado here is my TBR list for the next 3 months:

1. Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

I love Jane Austen and this is related to Jane Austen somehow so I really want to read it. I’ve heard that this author’s novels are really good and that this is a book to read if you like Jane Austen’s novel. And it is an epistolary novel, which I love.

2. Esther by Angela E. Hunt

This sounded interesting and I like biblical fiction books, and I love Angela Hunt’s writing so this was definitely on my TBR pile. It is about Esther and it is the first book in series called The Dangerous Beauty series.

3. Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass Series #2) by Sarah J. Maas

I read the first book in this series and I enjoyed it and I really want to find out what happens next after the events of  Throne of Glass. I have heard that the books in this series keep getting better and better, so hopefully I won’t be disappointed in the next installment.

4. One More Wish by Robin Jones Gunn

Ever since I picked up a volume containing the first three books of the Christy Miller series, I have watched Christy grow from a young woman into a woman. This is the third installment in the Christy and Todd: The Married Years, and I can;t wait to see what happens to these beloved characters.

5. Fairest by Marissa Meyer

This is a prequel to the Lunar Chronicles series and it is about Queen Levana before the events of the Lunar Chronicles. I am debating as to whether or not I should read this before or after I read Winter, although it probably doesn’t matter.

6. Winter (!!!) by Marissa Meyer

This has to be my most anticipated release of the year ever since I finished reading Cinder. I cannot wait to see how Marissa Meyer ties things up, but at the same time I am kind of sad that this will be the end of the series.

I don’t know how successful I will be in completing this list this Fall, but I am going to try and complete it.

Happy Reading,
Janelle

What I Read in August

So August was a pretty good reading month for me, unfortunately the next 3 months will probably be low on the reading side because school has started up again. 

1.  A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter (Novella)

It was nice to read something from a new author. This is a prequel to Kristi Ann Hunter’s debut novel, A Noble Masquerade which is being released this month. After being introduced to some of the characters in this novella, I am looking forward to catching up with the Hawthorne family again. 3/5 Stars

2. Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers 

This is Francine Rivers latest novel, which was released last year. I loved the plot and the various themes that came through over the course of the novel. Ultimately it is a novel about the price of sin and the power of love, forgiveness and mercy. I read it in 2 days even though it is almost 500 pages long. It was gripping, I enjoyed it, I had a hard time putting it down. However, I felt like all the loose ends were tied up too quickly, it could have been about 20 pages longer to do it. I will have a longer post up on it soon. 4/5 Stars

3. The Shepherdess (Loves of King Solomon #2) by Jill Eileen Smith (Novella)

This was a quick read, it took me about 2 and half hours, with interruptions, to read. It was nice to read something by Jill Eileen Smith again, even though it is a novella.  It was good, even though it was short. Unfortunately, I have to wait until next year to get the next installment… I will have a longer blog post up soon about The Shepherdess. I am giving this 4/5 stars.

4. Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury

This was good, not great, just good. I liked the story line and most of the characters, but there were a few things that annoyed me while reading this book, which  I will discuss in further detail in my longer review of it, which should be up soon. 3/5 Stars.

5. The Texas Brides Collection by Various authors

This was a collection of 9 short stories written by several authors. I liked all of the stories even though they were a little bit predictable, but they were still nice to read, and they weren’t cheesy stories. I will have longer review up in a few weeks. 3/5 Stars.

6.  Cress  (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Another great installment to a great series and I really need November to come soon so I can read Winter! This was kind of retelling of Rapunzel, I will have a longer review up in a few weeks time. But really you need to read this series

7. The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen

I love Julie Klassen and I loved this book. There were so many surprises and twists that I was not expecting at all. I will have a longer review up soon. 4/5 Stars

8. Reached (Matched Trilogy #3) by Ally Condie

I will have longer review on the whole Matched trilogy but this was an unsatisfying conclusion to the series and there were a lot of grammatical errors. 2/5 Stars.

9. Saving Wishes (The Wishes series) by G.J. Walker

This book was okay, there were a lot of elements that need a lot of work. I liked the idea, but the ending was a bit far-fetched but it did make me want to read at least the next book in the series. 2.5/5 Stars.

10. Throne of Glass (The Throne of Glass Series #1) by Sarah J. Maas

This was a very interesting read, and even though it took me about 5 days to finish it I really liked it. It is different from other books I have read, I haven’t read many books about an assassin. Even though the ending is predictable, there are so many twists and turns to get to the end. I am giving it 4/5 Stars.

11. The Preacher’s Bride Collection by Various Authors

This was a second collection of short stories that I read this month. It was okay, but I felt like the stories were not as good as The Texas Bride’s Collection, despite the fact that most of the stories were longer in this volume.  3/5 Stars.

So how did I do with my TBR for this month? I did pretty well, I read four out five of the books I wanted to read and that is because this month I kept finding books that I wanted to read before I started school because I know I won’t have a whole lot of time for personal reading.