Waukegan Public Library - series

Have You Heard About... Katie’s Way

Fran J — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:46:12 +0000

… the quilt shop that brings trouble to the community? In Katie’s Way, a recent installment of the Pleasant Valley series* by Marta Perry, we meet Katie Miller who has just opened a quilt shop in Pleasant Valley. Katie was jilted by her intended when he married her best friend. Katie can’t face life in her hometown, so she moves to Pleasant Valley to open a quilt shop. It’s a very slow start to get her new business to make money. The Amish make quilts, so they don’t need to buy them, and tourists are few and far between in this small community. Her next door business neighbor, Caleb, has his doubts about a quilt shop being next to his furniture business. Caleb has a secret past.

One of Katie’s younger sisters is in her rumspringa and is causing problems at home, so she is sent to Katie to help out. Caleb has heard of this problem. He has his doubts about Katie and her sister when bad things start to happen in the community. With the Amish and Englisch businesses in the area, Katie and her new friend Lisa hatch a plan to bring more business into the community by sponsoring Pennsylvania Dutch Days. Some people don’t want the hordes of tourists invading even though they want to see their businesses increase in sales. Can a friendship between Katie and Caleb develop when vandalism increases and Caleb thinks the worst of Katie and her sister? This has a somewhat surprise as to the vandalism angle but a very nice, feel good ending.

This is a standalone book with enough backstory into the characters of the previous books. It is the first book that I have read in this series, and I didn’t feel as if I was missing anything, although I do plan to check out the other residents of Pleasant Valley.

* Other books in the series include Leah’s Choice, Rachel’s Garden, Anna’s Return, Sarah’s Gift and Hannah’s Joy.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Ender’s Game

Fran J — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 07:47:10 +0000

… the future of Earth, when children are trained as vicious soldiers? In Ender’s Game*, by Orson Scott Card, children from all over the world are trained at Battle School to fight as soldiers in an upcoming battle with Earth’s mortal alien enemies, the buggers. And Ender Wiggin is hailed as the answer to the military’s prayers – a ten-year-old prodigy trained as a brilliant, creative, and ruthless general. During his time at Battle School, Ender trains using mock battles and computer-simulated games designed to push him to his physical and mental limits. But the longer he’s at Battle School, the more Ender suspects that his training is more than just a game.

Ender Wiggin is a really complex and interesting hero. In training, he is wise beyond his years and a brilliant strategist, but in his everyday life, he struggles with issues of friendship, humanity, love, and isolation. He is revered, mocked, and hated for his brilliance, and so he must learn to cope and take care of himself– a lot to ask of someone who begins his training as a soldier at age six.

This is an interesting and compelling book for adults and teenagers alike, and even for people like me who haven’t read much science fiction. And make sure to read the book before the movie comes out at the end of the year!

* Other books in the series include First Meetings, A War of Gifts, Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind.

Reviewed by Katie (staff)

Have You Heard About... Cherry Blossom Capers

Fran J — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 07:40:30 +0000

…the latest mystery and murder in Washington D.C? Cherry Blossom Capers* by Gina Conroy, Frances Devine, Cara C. Putman and Lynette Sowell has something for everyone in this four-in-one collection of short stories. Each novella is a standalone, but the characters are Tara, an assistant chef at the White House, Susan, who owns a sweetshop, Ciara, an attorney, and Samantha, a budding archeologist. They each show up in other stories and are neighbors.

While mystery and murder are the theme of each novella, romance also plays a big part. The murder of a judge runs through each storyline, making these stories loosely connected. When each story ends, it’s not really the end of the mystery as it’s continued into the next story line, making for some really puzzling red herrings that will keep you reading in large blocks of time to the last page.

*Cherry Blossom Capers is part of the Romancing America series of unconnected inspirational romance novels.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Leah’s Choice

Fran J — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:01:04 +0000

… the people who are Old Order Amish and Mennonite? Leah Yoder longs to get married and raise a large family. Her Amish roots stress family and community helping each other, something Leah has rarely questioned. Leah’s Choice*, by Emma Miller, finds Leah attending a community lecture given by Mennonite Daniel Brown. Daniel is a missionary and also a nurse. He spreads the word of God while he administers to people in faraway places. Daniel is taken by Leah’s loveliness and wants to get to know her better. Leah is immediately smitten with the way he talks and looks. She knows it is forbidden to mingle with someone who isn’t Amish, but she has not yet been baptized and brought into the church. What she thinks is secretive on her part - seeing Daniel unchaperoned - really isn’t. Her sisters see love in her eyes. It’s against each of their faiths to marry each other. Will these two ever find a common ground? It is a surprise as to how Daniel and Leah conquer all.

This is a quick and very satisfying read. This is book four in the “Hannah’s Daughter’s” series*. While it is not necessary to read the previous books, you might want to give them a try to find out about some of Leah’s other sisters.

* Earlier books in the series include Courting Ruth, Miriam’s Heart and Anna’s Gift.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Bring on the Night

Fran J — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:22:46 +0000

… the vampires who get “stuck” in the time period when they died? Bring on the Night* by Jeri Smith-Ready continues her adrenaline-filled series about Ciara Griffin and the rest of the staff and DJs at WVMP. Ciara becomes an agent for Control, battles zombies and a plague, and makes two of the hardest and most important decisions of her life – all to stay with the vampire she loves. If an obsessive-compulsive vampire can change, so can a con artist.

This series stands out among the modern fantasy crowd in the disadvantages of becoming a vampire. While they can live in normal society, their increasing obsessive-compulsive traits and difficulty adapting to changes beyond the time when they were alive leaves vampires very vulnerable. This helps add to the individuality of the characters and makes some great scenes of people using or trying to overcome these disadvantages. This is a fun series with a good twist.

* The first two books in this series are Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio

Fran J — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 07:19:28 +0000

… the mysterious stranger in Sugarcreek, Ohio? In Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio, by Serena Miller, Joe Matthews has been accused of murdering his wife in L.A. He and his little boy, Bobby, are on the run and show up in Sugarcreek looking for a temporary place to stay. Rachel Troyer, who is half Amish and half Englisch, is the local cop. She is very protective of her three elderly Amish aunts who run the small inn where Joe and his son seek shelter. Being a good cop, Rachel is very suspicious of Joe as he won’t give her any information on who he really is and why he is in Sugarcreek. He looks and acts too refined to be just a homeless drifter as he proclaims.

The aunts adore Joe and hire him as a handyman until he can get enough money to get back on the road, much to the dismay of Rachel. It isn’t until over halfway through the book that you learn who Joe really is, which keeps the suspense high as Rachel starts to fall in love with Joe. When Joe’s father and brother turn up and a suspicious fire burns down the inn, you’ll be glued to your seat. The twists and turns in this book will keep you hooked to the very end as you laugh, cry and know that there is a happy ending that will surprise everyone.

Sugarcreek, Ohio, also known as “the Little Switzerland of Ohio,” is about an hour’s drive south of Akron, Ohio. Several places mentioned in the book really do exist, and I can highly recommend Beachey’s Country Chalet Restaurant. The food is to die for, but being in Amish country it is not open on Sunday.

*Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio, is part of the Love Finds You series of unconnected inspirational romance novels.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... The First Love Cookie Club

Fran J — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:01:37 +0000

… the charming series set in Twilight, Texas? It starts with Lori Wilde’s The First Love Cookie Club*. Is it really romance, the magic of Christmas or something more?

Sarah Collier was a pudgy kid who got picked on a lot. When she was old enough, she left Texas for New York and is now a bestselling children’s author named Sadie Cool. She hates Christmas, and she’s down on romance when she is talked into going home for the holidays. Getting reacquainted with the people in her hometown gives you the warm fuzzies, and a very sick little girl will steal your heart. Will Sarah end up with the man she loves? This book is just perfect for holiday reading.

* Other books in the Twilight, Texas series include The True Love Quilting Club and The Welcome Home Garden Club.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Love Finds You under the Mistletoe

Fran J — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:40:28 +0000

… two stories with a mistletoe connection in one book? There’s twice as much fun when Love Finds You under the Mistletoe*.

“An Appalachian Christmas” by Irene Brand is set in the 1940’s just after WWll. Julia Mayfield honors her dying sister’s wish to see that her two-year-old nephew gets to his paternal grandparents in the small hollow of Mistletoe, Kentucky. Julia is not used to children. Mistletoe is so far off the beaten path in the Appalachian Mountains that she has no idea what she is getting into. A kindly mailman helps her out by taking her to spend the night with Granny, a very wise older lady. David Armstrong, one of Granny’s grandsons, enters the picture in the form of a lot of help with decision-making on what to do with little Bobby when the paternal grandparents don’t even want to see him. Sparks fly between David and Julia when Julia decides to stay a while with Granny in hopes that Bobby will soon see his grandparents. The mountains work their healing magic on a troubled soul. The mistletoe that grows wild soon becomes a viable income for the ladies of the hollow thanks to Julia. Bobby’s grandparents finally come around after a miracle that will surprise everyone. David and Julia are headed for romance. See what happens when you read this wonderful story.

In “Once Upon a Christmas Eve” by Anita Higman, Holly Goodnight is all about Christmas. Her Christmas-themed store in Noel, Missouri, has just won an award for best Christmas shop in the USA. In the store is a mistletoe ball that was sent to Holly’s adoptive father shortly after WWll. Holly and her best friend Quig never seem to get under it at the same time. A famous writer named Van has somehow discovered that Holly was abandoned as a baby on the shop’s doorstep on Christmas Eve. He wants to write her story, and she reluctantly agrees. Holly’s best friend Quig thinks it’s a terrific idea until Van falls in love with Holly. Quig sets out to win Holly for himself. Will one kiss under the mistletoe ball help Holly decide who is right for her?

*Love Finds You under the Mistletoe is part of the Love Finds You series of unconnected inspirational romance novels.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Plain Promise

Fran J — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 07:54:18 +0000

… Sadie, the Amish widow, and Kade, the multi millionaire? In Plain Promise* by Beth Wiseman, Sadie rents a small cottage to Kade who is trying to figure out why he’s not happy being so rich. Being Amish, Sadie has a lifestyle that is very foreign to Kade and vice-versa. When Kade’s autistic son, Tyler, comes to live with him, Kade has no idea how to cope with this special child of God. Everyone in the Amish community is accepting of Tyler and slightly suspicious of Kade and his motives for being in Penn-Dutch country. Sadie and Tyler connect instantly, but she is leery of Kade. She wants to help him but doesn’t want to go against her Amish beliefs. Can these two find happiness coming from separate worlds or is Tyler their only connection?

This is a very satisfying read. Keep a tissue handy though. It is not necessary to read the first two books of this series, but I found them enjoyable as well.

* Other books in the series include Plain Perfect, Plain Pursuit, Plain Paradise and Plain Proposal.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas

Fran J — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 06:51:39 +0000

… the fun of camping in Arkansas? Lucy Binoche is about to find out in Sandra D. Bricker’s Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas*.

Lucy can’t ride horseback, hates hiking and isn’t into killing a worm just to hook a fish. So what is she doing signing up to go camping in Snowball, Arkansas? Her singles church group is going on a camping trip, and hunky Justin, a newcomer, is very into the outdoor life. Lucy wants to impress Justin and hopes that God will turn her into something she’s not – the outdoorsy type. Her good friend Matt can’t talk her out of it so he signs up to go along to sorta keep an eye out for her. Lucy has good intentions, just not good judgment. The mishaps that Lucy encounters will keep you in stitches. Will Lucy impress Justin or will Matt come to her rescue?

*Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas, is part of the Love Finds You series of unconnected inspirational romance novels.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)