Tag: Christie Kern

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The Cairo Curse by Pepper Basham

The audio version of this review can be found on Episode 57: A Bookchat about The Rose and the Thistle with Laura Frantz & a Review of The Cairo Curse by Pepper Basham

THE BOOK

Clue meets Indiana Jones with a fiction-loving twist only Grace Percy can provide.

Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley have already experienced their fair-share of suspense, but when a honeymoon trip takes a detour to the mystical land of Egypt, not even Grace with her fiction-loving mind is prepared for the dangers in store. From an assortment of untrustworthy adventure-seekers to a newly discovered tomb with a murderous secret, Frederick and Grace must lean on each other to navigate their dangerous surroundings. As the suspects mount in an antiquities’ heist of ancient proportions, will Frederick and Grace’s attempts to solve the mystery lead to another death among the sands?

The Cairo Curse is a delightful sequel to The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham in the Freddie and Grace Mystery series.

THE REVIEW

Pepper Basham stays true to her trademark style of infusing romance, laughs, and danger into her stories for an unputdownable combination. Grace and Frederick leave for a honeymoon trip and take a brief stop in Cairo to visit with one of his cousins. When jewelry goes missing, an archeological dig site is worthless, and tempers flare–someone is bound to end up murdered. But with a large cast of characters, who will Grace’s active detective imagination cling to as the culprit? 

Per all of Basham’s books, the romance is on the sweet-spicy side and the thread of second chances, God’s plan, and faith to meet people who think they’re too fallen for redemption is palpable. A few instances of mild violence at the climax but the incidents throughout the story mostly happen ‘off screen’. 

This is the second in a series and there are several allusions to the instances in the first book but it could function as a standalone. Except, the first book was so much fun to read that I highly recommend reading that one too!

THE AUTHOR

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the wife of a fantastic pastor, mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her nineteenth novel, Authentically Izzy, debuts in November with Thomas Nelson. She loves connecting with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook & Instagram.

You can learn more about Pepper and her books on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com

Reviewed by Christie Kern. Follow @WriterCBK219 on Instagram for more book reviews and recommendations.   

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.

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The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee

The audio version of this book review can be found on Episode 55: A Bookchat about The Weight of Air with Kimberly Duffy & a Review of The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H McGee

A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They’re easier to handle, they’re more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father’s passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.

Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father’s death–even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he’s come to admire.

REVIEW

Rebel women in historical times are hardly anything new in the fiction world–so it’s refreshing when the rebellious character in question is Nora Fenton. There are plenty of times when her confidence wavers and she gets trampled on by the men who are tasked with planning her life, yet she forges ahead with the desires of her heart–to save Emberwild and its horses, especially Arrow. 

When the search for answers in his father’s death leads Silas to Emberwild, he encounters more than simply training a tempestuous trotter. He meets Nora who is determined to help train Arrow for racing so Emberwild can once again be a profitable endeavor. Accidents happen and suspicions rise in the midst of family turmoil and unearthed secrets. With so many decisions hanging in the balance, this story mixes intrigue with romance, resulting in a page turner until the very end.

If you’re in the mood for a combustible combination of danger, romance, strong characters, willful horses, and family drama–The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H McGee is a must-read!

THE AUTHOR

Stephenia H McGee is a multi-published author of stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. She lives in Mississippi, where she is a mom of two rambunctious boys, writer, dreamer, and husband spoiler. Her novel The Cedar Key was a 2021 Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice award winner. A member of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), she loves all things books and history. Stephenia also loves connecting with readers and can often be found having fun with her Faithful Readers Team on Facebook. For more on books and upcoming events and to connect with Stephenia, visit her at www.StepheniaMcGee.com.

Reviewed by Christie Kern. Follow @WriterCBK219 on Instagram for more book reviews and recommendations.   

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.

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The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano

The audio version of this review was first shared in A Bookchat about The Hidden Prince with Tessa Afshar & a Review of The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano

The Book

When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant’s father dies, he leaves to her the care of an adult ward she knew nothing about. The woman is supposedly a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. The woman’s portrait is shockingly familiar to Vivienne, so when the asylum claims she was never a patient there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.

The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, receives strange missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know. But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?

The Review

Today’s bookworm review is brought to you by Christie K. of the historical bookworm review team.

Politano creates another fantastic story with an undercurrent of foreboding, seemingly insurmountable obstacles, a forbidden romance, and a heroine who is determined to find her path through it all. Vivienne, a woman besieged by the men in her life, must unravel the circumstances that led her to Hurstwell Asylum and discover the truth regarding a figure from her childhood who may be trapped there. She meets an interesting array of characters along the way who either propel or prevent her from obtaining the answers she desires. Perhaps the most surprising thing to Vivienne is the way she begins to see the patients themselves and how perhaps, the mysterious magic of music can be a balm to us all. 

The Author

Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, released from Revell. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.

Reviewed by Christie Kern. Follow me for more book recs on Instagram @Writercbk219 

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.

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Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 37: Guest Naomi Craig and a Review of Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano

THE BOOK

To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become. 

Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy’s grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for. 

THE REVIEW

Turano’s take on pairing a no frills Poppy with etiquette lessons from Reginald, who is straighter than a ruler, will leave the reader laughing out loud at some of the antics and conversations the two of them have. Turano is a go-to author for readers of historical romance because her characters are always uniquely funny and standout-able (even if that’s not a word). There’s a bit of mystery thrown in for spice, but the quirks of falling in love amid unusual circumstances will keep the reader entertained long into the night. 

The often hilarious, and always swooning romance writing style of Turano will have readers coming back for her next book in the series!

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.

THE AUTHOR

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. Readers may find her at www.jenturano.com or https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/or on Twitter at JenTurano @JenTurano.

Purchase Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano here.

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Review of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye by Janyre Tromp

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 32: Guest Jody Hedlund & a Review of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye by Janyre Tromp

THE BOOK

Charlotte Anne Mattas longs to turn back the clock. Before her husband, Sam, went to serve his country in the war, he was the man everyone could rely on–responsible, intelligent, and loving. But the person who’s come back to their family farm is very different from the protector Annie remembers. Sam’s experience in the Pacific theater has left him broken in ways no one can understand–but that everyone is learning to fear.

Tongues start wagging after Sam nearly kills his own brother. Now when he claims to have seen men on the mountain when no one else has seen them, Annie isn’t the only one questioning his sanity and her safety. If there were criminals haunting the hills, there should be evidence beyond his claims. Is he really seeing what he says, or is his war-tortured mind conjuring ghosts?

Annie desperately wants to believe her husband. But between his irrational choices and his nightmares leaking into the daytime, she’s terrified he’s going mad. Can she trust God to heal Sam’s mental wounds–or will sticking by him mean keeping her marriage at the cost of her own life.

THE REVIEW

Janyre’s debut novel showcases a beautifully woven story filled with uncertainty, redemption, revenge, and forgiveness. Each character seems to go through their own transformation by the end, but this story isn’t only character-driven but also plot-driven. This story centers around Annie, a woman learning to live with this new war-torn version of her husband, Sam, while her husband battles the demons he brought back with him from the war. But aside from the inner struggle is the suspicious activity near their house and the shady criminal underbelly that rules the nearby town. No one believes Sam when he shares what he witnesses, and when he follows the trail of clues to do the right thing, he drags everyone he loves into the middle of a dangerous maelstrom. 

If you’re in the mood for a realistic depiction of mid-century slice of life with a side helping of mystery, then Shadows in the Mind’s Eye is a great read for you!

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.

THE AUTHOR

Janyre Tromp is a historical novelist whose loves spinning tales that, at their core, hunt for beauty, even when it isn’t pretty. She’s also a book editor, published children’s book author, and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her family, two crazy cats, and a slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog. You can grab a free copy of her novella Wide Open on her website: janyretromp.com

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