I'm Going on an Adventure: February 2018

Bravery and Insight: The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Genre: Historical Romance

Rating: Five out of five hearts ♥♥♥♥♥ = excellent!

Book one in the Sunrise at Normandy series

About:

In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a "Wren" in the Women's Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France--including those of her own family's summer home--in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.

As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.

Description from Christianbook.com

My Review:

Well, all I can say is, Mrs. Sundin does her research. It just amazes me, and it's a big part of all her novels (in fact, just head over to Pinterest if you want to see Mrs. Sundin's collection of pins about Wrens, the navy, character inspiration, photos from her research trip, and more. There's quite a selection!), so I can't imagine how impressive her knowledge of World War II must be. From the Wren's and naval officer's day-today tasks to the invasion of Normandy, everything is detailed and filled with facts and information. In fact, I could probably have used her book to help research when I had papers to write about WWII in high school! Sometimes the information was a little confusing, since I wasn't there to watch it all happen in front of me and military stuff can be confusing anyway, but nonetheless it helped give me an idea of the work the brave men and women of the Navy did so many years ago, and still do today.

Now, on to the story itself. The setting (1940's England) was as enchanting as it sounds, and I loved the combination of very-English Dorothy with very-Texan Wyatt. The cultural differences (especially during this time period, as I'm very interested in both) were so fun to learn about and see the characters tease each other about. Charming, enchanting England combined with everything I love about America. I also liked how this was not so much a mystery, in comparison to Mrs. Sundin's last series (as much as I loved those books!), although don't worry- there is still that element of adventure and the unknown that you enjoy in a book.

Wyatt and Dorthy (Wyatt especially- I tend to relate to the quieter characters, and I really hurt for his story and the things that haunts him. And yes, I know he's not a real character. But I still hurt for him) had very relatable stories and had everything you want in good characters- humor, worries, loves, joys, fears, heartaches. The things they've been through really tugged on my heart.

My only disappointment? Same one I have every time I read and review one of Mrs. Sundin's latest novels, only I feel it more keenly this time, due to the storyline- it's a whole year until book two, The Sky Above Us, and two years before The Land Beneath Us. Oh well. I suppose I'll find a way to manage somehow.

Note: I got this book from Revell in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Description and photo of book from www.christianbook.com; all other photos from Pinterest

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The Best Yet: A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White

Monday, February 12, 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: Five out of five hearts ♥♥♥♥♥= excellent!

Book two in the Shadows Over England series

About:

Willa Forsythe belongs to one of the best groups of thieves in England, which is why a high-profile client has requested she take on a job he has for her- to steal a cypher key from one of Europe's best violinists. England needs it to help with the war effort. Willa is game, but has no idea how difficult this seemingly simple task will turn out.

Famous violinist Lukas De Wilde is estranged from his family, but determined to find them and bring them to a safe country, away from the threat of the Germans. His only problem is he has no idea where they are, or if they're even alive, and the Germans have a target on his back.

Betraying Lukas is Willa's only option- if she doesn't, her family will be in danger. But if she does, then his suffers the consequences.

Click the link here to see the book trailer.

My Review:

I thought I loved Mrs. White's previous danger-and-intrigue-filled series (Ladies of the Manor), but this new one has proved, in my opinion, to best it. Willa is prickly and tough, Lukas dashing and used to getting any woman he wants. Their lives change, however, over the course of the story (for the better, of course), and I loved how unique each of the characters were and how differently they react to the changes, and how the change comes about. Things are not as they seem.

Willa Forsythe is prickly and cold, but still succeeds at being a lovable, engaging character. Her adversary/admirer Lukas De Wilde is warm and charming- everything Willa is not. One of the reasons they go on so well, and why it's so terrible that their separate agendas are so damaging for the other. Passion for music was a big part of the story, and made me itch to learn to play the violin.

The POV was split- sometimes focusing on Willa, sometimes Lukas, and sometimes Lukas' sister Margot. Instead of taking away from the story, however, like the third point of view element sometimes tends to do, Margot's view added to and enriched the book. I was always eager to see what was going on in her part of the story- and it was always something interesting. She reminded me of a girl version of Sherlock- immensely smart, yet unlike Sherlock, her knowledge has led her to God. Willa and Lukas were awesome, but the other characters shine just as brightly- something Mrs. White has done amazingly. I was sad, and still am, to have finished the book and left them all. We also get to see more of Willa's older brother Barclay, which I was thrilled about, since he's been a favorite of mine since the first Shadows Over England book.

Shadows Over England is the best series yet for Roseanna M. White, in my opinion- the best series of the year, to top that. A Song Unheard was good to begin with, but got even better at the climax- then I was furiously reading, totally invested, even forgetting about the nice weather that happened to come by that day. It pulled me in- the detailed, realistic characters; the different, sometimes cruel, sometimes beautiful settings; Willa and Lukas' sparring and sometimes witty exchanges; forgiveness and family; Willa's passion for music; and the way you don't know how the story is going to end, because so far the options aren't pretty, but you've got to keep going on because you want something beautiful to happen. Danger and all that ensues isn't the only thing portrayed in this novel, however- there's forgiveness and love and family and Father. It's a really touching story.