5-in-1 :: Fictional Book Reviews

So I finished these books AWHILE ago, and I am embarrassed to say that it has taken me MUCH too long to review them. In the summer I did a 3-in1 fiction review, which I had planned to do again, but then I just kept reading soooooo presenting the first ever at Little Missionary Girl :: FIVE in ONE review! Hope you find one that will suit your fancy...the settings and plots are teasingly diverse.

Breath of Angel

by Karyn Henley

So when I first started reading Breath of Angel, I did not know if I was going to be able to get into it. There were so many characters and the terminology was a whole new learning curve. But after the first few chapters, I was hooked. In fact this is book one in the Angeleon Circle, and I am looking forward to reading more in the series. The story of Melaia, fallen angels, shape-shifters, immortals, and more with myths and stories becoming reality beyond what legends could ever have foreseen. In a world where good and evil, light and dark, and man and immortal flow naturally in the third dimension, Melaia's awakening will leave you breathless for more, longing to journey with her further into the realm of the beautiful unknown.

A Whisper of Peace

by Kim Vogel Sawyer

This is a story of Clay, Lizzie, and Vivian and their adventures on the Alaskan frontier. Lizzie is from the Athabascan people but estranged. Clay and Vivian from Oklahoma are siblings venturing into the wild unknown with a desire to reach the native people outside of Fort Yukon. Life and faith is hard living in the cold Alaskan wilderness. The raw guts of who we are, who Jesus us, and what that looks like in every day life are fully explored through the lives of these three people and who they impact.

A Whisper of Peace reads like a story where you anticipate much of the storyline and yet you will find yourself swept up into the heart of the characters anyway. We all learn hard lessons in our life's path and you will find many of your own struggles in the wrestling of our Alaskan friends.

House of Secrets

by Tracie Peterson

Three sisters....fifteen years of secrets....one sister's desperate attempt to have the truth come to life, but what if that ruins their whole family? Written from the perspective of Bailee, the oldest sister, flashbacks, hidden memories, childhood misunderstood secrets, and adulthood issues began to surface sending her, her sisters, and their father reeling.

While this book is not personally connected to my own life experiences, I believe that the struggles represented in each character are universal. Childhood misperceptions of our parent's actions cloud all of us and when adulthood understanding awakens inside our minds, life takes on new meaning. If you have ever struggled with family issues, the author boldly delves into very real angst that makes this book the perfect way to unearth the needed truths in your own world through another's story.

Valley of Dreams

by Lauraine Snelling

Valley of Dreams is the journey of Cassie Lockwood, skilled trick rider and sharpshooter, who sets off on a journey to find the hidden valley of her father's dreams in the Black Hills of South Dakota after the Wild West Show where she has spent her entire life folds in financial ruin. Cassie and her companions travel through winter winds and snow, over mountain passes and valleys to try to capture the illusive valley where Cassie plans to live out the rest of her days.

While I enjoyed the journey, I was a little disappointed with the pace of the book. There are other character story lines that come into play and make sense near the end of the book, but are not obvious at the beginning. The story ends with a twist preparing you for the continuation in the second book of the Wild West Wind series.  I would love to read the second book but I do wish the pace had moved faster in the first book with less description of the journey along the way to the valley.

Love in Disguise

by Carol Cox

Ellie Moore, a down-on-her-luck actress, randomly lands a job with the Pinkerton Detective agency in Arizona dressed as a middle aged woman in search of the silver shipment bandits. She did not expect her first case to be so hard or her co-detective to run off and get married before the case even began. But Ellie plugged forward anyway.

Love in Disguise is Ellie's journey through romance and mystery, learning curves and unexpected humor. I really enjoyed the way her story weaves through the lives of the characters she is playing as well as the town people who fall in love with her. Because of the detective twist, the story leaves you wondering exactly what will happen next and who the true "bad guys" actually are.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Love in Disguise, Valley of Dreams, House of Secrets, and A Whisper of Peace from Bethany House Publishers and Breath of Angel from Blogging for Books :: Water Brook Multnomah as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."