Fiction Friday: A Wreath of Snow by Liz Curtis Higgs

Margaret Campell is a successful, twenty-six year old teacher in Edinburgh. After a fight with her brother on Christmas Eve, she quickly takes a train away from her hometown of Stirling. On the train, she meets and intriguing stranger, one who she realizes is Gordon Shaw, the man who had paralyzed her brother with his careless drunkenness. When their train goes awry, she is forced to bring him back to her family’s home. This book perfectly displays the danger of keeping secrets hidden, as well as how the truth really does set you free.

This was a very good book; it had just enough of a plot twist to make it unpredictable, and it was the perfect length for a Christmas vacation. This was one of the first novellas I have read, and it was definitely a good one! It is nice to have a shorter book every once in a while. I could not believe that so much character and plot development could fit into a mere 224 pages (or 1,972 KB, for you e-readers ;) Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a nice, relaxing read on your vacation, or just a fun book for anytime!

I received this book free in exchange for this review, courtesy of the publisher.

Adieu to twenty-twelve.

     Wow. Can anyone else believe a year went that fast? In a few meager hours we will be in the year of our Lord two-thousand and thirteen. What is to come in the next year? Where will I be on December 31st, 2013?
      As my favorite football player once said, " I don't know what the future holds, but I do know who holds my future." While I don't know what the next year holds, I do know that it will be good, I know that God has a good and perfect plan for my life, a plan for a hope and a future. All I need to do is follow the Shepherd's voice. When I do that, the next year will undoubtedly be the best yet.
In this season of rest, I believe the most important thing to remember is this:
The best is yet to come.

Book Review: Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love

 

Sophie Caldwell returns to Hickory Ridge with one purpose: her newspaper, The Gazette, to be successful.  Returning is easier than she could have hoped, despite her sorrowful memories. Ethan Heyward is the successful contractor for Blue Smoke, Hickory Ridge’s new resort. When Sophie and Ethan begin to fall for one another, it becomes harder and harder to unveil their past secrets. Will the truth ever be uncovered?

I liked:

• The plot. It was different from what I expected it to be. It had enough suspense to keep you turning the page, yet it gave enough away to where you were hungry for more.
• The character development. The author definitely knows how to bring a character’s past into the story. She would drop little tidbits into the story to help readers sympathize with the characters.
• The cover. Again, I am a sucker for beautiful covers. This cover, although somewhat monotone, was quite lovely in it’s simplicity.

I disliked:

• The somewhat predictable turn of events. Although not highly predictable, there were definitely aspects that I saw before they happened.

Content inappropriate for those under 13:

• None. I don’t know that a thirteen year old would enjoy the story, but they could read it unscathed.

Overall, I would suggest this book to anyone ages 13 and older, even younger depending on their genre preference. This was a well-written book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thomas Nelson gave me this book in exchange for a review.