Welcome to Review Wrap-Up #4! I'm prepping this post as I watch Game 5 of the National League Division Series. The Nationals are currently beating the Cubs 4-1. By the time you see this post, there's a good chance the Cubs won't be playing anymore this season, and that makes me sad. I started following the Cubs more than casually almost exactly a year ago (Game 4 of the NLDS vs the Giants). It still astounds me when I think about the fact that I knew none of these guys' names a year ago. That I knew nothing about baseball. That I found baseball to be the most boring thing ever. What a ride this year has been! Even if the Cubs don't win tonight, I had great fun following the season.
Update: The Cubs did win!!! It was the craziest baseball game I've seen since Game 7 of last year's World Series. The Cubs are now down 2-0 to the Dodgers in the NLCS, and I'll be amazed if they come back to win.
I reviewed nine books over the last month—which is looking to be pretty average for me. I really liked most of them, though there were a couple stinkers in the bunch. Starting with this month, I've decided to spotlight the book I enjoyed reading the most, and then I'll follow it up with the rest of the books I read.
Favorite Book Reviewed
Bringing Maggie Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer (buy it)
Tag Line: "Decades of loss, an unsolved mystery, and a rift spanning three generations."
Genre: Women's Fiction (Inspirational)
My Rating: 5 stars
Quick Take: The relationships between a mother, daughter, and granddaughter made this novel completely captivating, and the mystery surrounding "Maggie" kept me flying through the pages.
Other Books Reviewed
All of You by Sarah Monzon (buy it)
Genre: Contemporary/WWII Romance (Inspirational)
My Rating: 3-1/2 stars
Quick Take: This is the rare case where I didn't enjoy a WWII-set novel. I really enjoyed the contemporary portions, but I skimmed through the WWII parts.
Many Sparrows by Lori Benton (buy it)
Tag Line: "Either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together, or none of them would. . . ."
Genre: Historical Fiction (Inspirational)
My Rating: 4-1/2 stars
Quick Take: Though Many Sparrows was a slow read for me, it was also incredibly thought-provoking and compelling, and I finished it wanting to read much more by author Lori Benton.
Justice Buried by Patricia Bradley (buy it)
My Rating: 4-1/2 stars
Quick Take: This compelling mystery (for I found it to be more mystery than suspense) kept me guessing to the end.
Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey (buy it)
Genre: Romantic Suspense (Inspirational)
My Rating: 4-1/2 stars
Quick Take: The plot of this novel is easily my favorite of this series so far. Romance, suspense, and the finally some answers regarding the series' overarching mystery make it "unputdownable."
All This Time by Melissa Tagg (buy it)
Genre: Romance (Inspirational)
My Rating: 5 stars
Quick Take: All This Time has romance, suspense, family drama, and a surprise ending that's so fitting for Bear & Raegan. It's a fabulous conclusion to Tagg's series.
Christmas at Gate 18 by Amy Matayo (buy it)
Genre: Holiday Romance (novella)
My Rating: 4-1/2 stars
Quick Take: This Christmas-themed romance is witty and entertaining. Perfect for a cold winter night!
Ninja Girl by Cookie O'Gorman (buy it)
Genre: YA Romance
My Rating: 2-1/2 stars
Quick Take: This pseudo-sequel to the adorable Adorkable has a decent love story ... and that's about the only good thing I can say about it.
An Inconvenient Beauty by Kristi Ann Hunter (buy it)
Genre: Regency Romance (Inspirational)
My Rating: 3-1/2 stars
Quick Take: The extreme focus on beauty (which drove much of the plot) turned me off to this novel, but once I got past that, I did enjoy it.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think?
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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