Original Sin by Beth McMullan

I received an advanced reader’s copy of Original Sin: A Sally Sin Adventure by Beth McMullan from Hyperion. I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise; however, overall I thought it was an interesting secular spy thriller.

Known as Sally Sin in her former life as a spy, Lucy tries to keep a lid on the ghosts of the past while juggling a diaper bag and play dates for her three-year-old son. Besides staking out her son’s preschool, she seems to be succeeding in leaving her past in the past. Until her former boss turns up to inform her that she will be the bait to lure her archenemy out of hiding. Through a series of flashbacks, the reader gains a glimpse of her adventures as a spy and understands the love-hate relationship she shares with her nemesis Ian Blackford.

Okay, I have to point out the mistakes I found. This will probably not change anything--sigh--but too many years as an English teacher led me to this point. On page 18, lead should be led in the following clause: “which might have lead...” On the top of page 32, there are some problems with punctuation/capitalization: “The one thing you never understood,” he said. Is that...” There should be a comma after he said and another quotation mark with a lower-cased i to restart the dialogue. On the top of page 97, McMullan writes, “In my room, I lied down on my bed.” Lied should be lay. On page 111 there should be a question mark in the first line instead of a period after insane. Again lied should be lay page 154. Also on page 154 in the last paragraph there is an extra comma that should be deleted after “victory,.” Final mistake I saw was on page 172 when she writes brief case instead of briefcase. Is this information necessary in a review? I don’t know. I just know it jars me out of the fictional world the author creates when I find mistakes. My teacher-trained brain gets so bothered by the errors that it takes me a while to start enjoying the story again.

Sharpshooter Misses the Mark for Me

I received an advanced reader’s copy of Sharpshooter in Petticoats by Mary Connealy from Barbour Publishing. I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise. My feelings are mixed about this story. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t “I-don’t-want-to-sleep-till-I-finish-this-book” good. The main characters were interesting and certainly unique; I can’t quite put my finger on what in the book left me unsatisfied.

Mandy Gray, quickest gun in the west, finds herself caught in an agonizing dilemma: marry the man she loves and condemn him to death or remain isolated with her three small children, held hostage by the Cooters who have declared a blood feud on her family. When Tom Linscott breaches her protective walls and forces her hand, she fights him every step of the way. Together they must end the blood vendetta if they don’t destroy each other first.

As always, it disappoints me when I find errors. These weren’t egregious ones, but I do hate to see these get past the editors and proofreaders. On page 37, one of the sentences begins, “The fuses where ready...” Where should be were. And on page 305, it says, “The train bumped to a haul...” I believe haul should be halt.

Overall, an interesting read. Perhaps one of the elements that bothered me in the book was that all the women seems to be characterized the same: overbearingly bossy and domineering towards their husbands. Anyway, these are my thoughts on the book!

Loved it!

I received an advanced reader’s copy of Rugged and Relentless, Kelly Eileen Hake’s new book from Barbour Publishing. I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise; however, I would highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun read with engaging characters set in the wild, wild west.

Four young women, determined to handle the curveballs life has thrown them, set forth to revive Hope Falls, a ghost town demolished by a mining accident that destroyed their investments. To save the town, they determine to establish a sawmill and, for their protection and success in their venture, they conclude that they need husbands. However, their advertisement blitz for God-fearing men that have knowledge of logging brings them much more than they expected.

Hake excels in creating vivid characters. I loved them and found myself laughing out loud at the antics and exchanges between the four women. The story centers most on Evie, the enterprising cook who left a successful cafe in Charleston to accompany her sister out west. She quickly establishes a new venture in the mining town, and I found my mouth watering more than once at the description of her culinary creations.

Jake Granger, fighting for his family’s honor in tracking down his brother’s killer, is the other central figure. Believing the shiftless gambler Twyler has seen the advertisement and set his cap for a rich wife, Jake takes on an assumed name and finds himself enmeshed in the drama unfolding in Hope Falls. Attraction and exasperation battle his sense of honor as he strives to protect the four women while pursuing his elusive enemy.

Fresh writing and funny exchanges kept me entertained. This book was a light-hearted escape from reality and definitely worth the read! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series as Hake writes it...

Can I get a spell check, anyone??

Through netgalley.com, I received access to an advanced digital copy of The Crossing, Gilbert Morris’ new book from Barbour Publishing. I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise, on the book and no money exchanged hands. However, I really hope someone from the publishing company reads this review and takes the time to correct some obvious mistakes!

Like a traditional Morris hero, Yancy Tremayne must find his place in the world, making peace with God as a man of war. He is introduced as a 12-year-old in the story and becomes the endearing hero of the tale. The reader feels with him the agony of his heritage, part-Indian warrior, part-Amish peacemaker, and wholly at odds with his identity.

Not till Yancy is befriended by Stonewall Jackson and his wife do the pieces of his identity come together: taken as a protege of Jackson at the Virginia Military Institute, he excels as a cadet, utilizing both his Indian shooting skills and his Amish work ethic to make an admirable soldier. As the years pass, Yancy develops into a leader, a man of character and integrity.

As the Civil War tears the country apart, Yancy serves as a courier to Stonewall Jackson, and the reader gains insight into the thoughts and personal life of the great Confederate leader. On one of his courier escapades, a life-changing event on the battlefield shakes Yancy’s view of the world and eventually leads him to love and faith.

In some ways, the book is predictable. I have read many books in the House of Winslow series, and it seems that almost all of them center on a strong male figure who struggles to find his faith in God and place in the world; this book is no exception.

It is, however, an interesting read from an historical perspective, making me wonder if the “real-life” characters are represented accurately. I don’t know much about Stonewall Jackson’s personal life and have never read of the eccentricities he exhibits in the book, such as sucking on lemons daily and eating only one item at every meal. Nor did I know that he had lost his first wife and child as well as the first child born to his second wife. Morris’ account of the Civil War from the South’s perspective was also an interesting one. I felt that he tried to portray both sides fairly and convey the true horror of war.

And now to my pet-peeves--spelling and grammar errors!!!!!!! On p. 23, there are three s’s in the word crosssed. How could a simple spell-check program not catch this error? Same goes for the bottom of p. 272: belongd is missing an e. The following errors are a little more complex: On p. 115 a person quotes scripture in his dialogue; therefore, single quotes should be used around the scripture. Instead, double quotes are used. Faraway on p. 284 should be far away (note: as far as I understand, faraway is only used to precede a noun; not as a stand-alone adjective). The sad thing is that I wasn’t reading the text closely, like I would if I were proofreading; I was simply reading the story for content and these errors jumped out at me. Please, someone, fix these mistakes before the book shows up on the shelves in February!