Photo from Goodreads.com

About: 

There's nothing Ella Blythe has wanted more than to dance in a theater. So she's thrilled when she finally gets her chance at Craven Street Theater- the very same theater where, years ago, a famous ballerina met her tragic end. As time goes on, however, Ella begins to realize that her life is starting to mirror that of the dead ballerina's- eerily so. 

Ella's life has now just gotten a lot more complicated. Ballet is a competitive, and sometimes vicious, career, and once you've entered it, there's no going back. An old memory draws her closer to principle dancer, the mysterious, handsome Phillipe, but with the past haunting her, will all her dreams die?

My review:

Today when I think of ballet I think of hard work, beauty, the celebrity that comes with being a renowned ballerina, and lots of pink. However, the world of ballet in the 1800s was a hard, competitive world where ballerinas were seen as ruined and disgraced outside of the theater. Under Joanna Politano's pen and imagination, that dark world comes to life in A Midnight Dance. 

I just can't describe to you how much this book made me feel. I actually procrastinated for awhile on this review because I love this story so very much, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do the beauty of it justice. Only the best  books leave me breathless, and A Midnight Dance is up there at the top. 

There's so much to love about it, but some of the best things are the characters, particularly the heroine- flawed but beautiful, who captured me from page 1 with her artistic, beauty-loving soul. Then there's the one who will earn her heart (who, might I add, just set my standard for a boyfriend very high!); and the myriad of other characters whose stories are as varied and layered as the heroine's and hero's. 

 As I read Mrs. Politano's latest, I was struck, as I always am, at how unique and fresh her voice is in the Christian fiction world. If there were several passages from different books sitting in front of me, I'd know instantly which was written by her. You truly never know what's going to happen when you pick up a Joanna Davidson Politano novel. Her mind for storytelling is amazing, and the imagery she paints makes her a true artist. 

I voluntarily received this book from the publisher in order to write an honest review. All opinions are truly my own.

About: 

My Review: 

I wish I could have liked this more. It's got an amazing, adorable cover and I'd already read an excerpt, which was pretty good and was what drew me to the story in the first place (and yeah, again that adorable cover also was a pretty big draw. I mean, just look at it!). Plus, I think Leah's character is unique, and I wish I had her sense of vintage, slightly quirky yet cool, style.

The reason I gave it two stars is because the story itself just didn't seem that unique. I predicted much of what was going to happen before it did, which made for an unsatisfying ending since the element of mystery was gone. One of the main plot points is the romance, which got tiring. I think a book's storyline shouldn't revolve so much around the romantic aspect or else it gets boring and stereotypical.

Also, the many characters (especially the girls) confused me. Which was weird, since I'd read the other books in the series (actually had recently finished book 2), but I just had a hard time remembering who was who and what was what- they all kind of seemed the same.

If you like hallmark-type stories, or Christian romance where the characters face real life problems but happy endings abound, then this story may be for you. Unfortunately I just couldn't get into it.

I voluntarily received this book from the publisher in order to write an honest review. All opinions are truly my own.

Also, I apologize for the wonky font, sizing, etc. For some reason, Blogger has been glitching on me a lot lately. 

Description: 

Spend Christmas in Texas this year with these charming holiday novellas from bestselling historical romance author Karen Witemeyer, whose writing is spiced with her signature blend of humor, thrilling frontier action, and sweet romance.

In this 3-in-1 novella collection, Witemeyer presents the new story "A Texas Christmas Carol," where a town's wealthy, Scrooge-like bachelor finds his world invaded by a woman set on earning his donation for helping the local poor, and the penetrating questions of three mysterious visitors. It also includes, for the first time in print, "An Archer Family Christmas." When the Archer clan gathers for the holiday, they encounter an unexpected request for help that will require all their effort and a Christmas miracle to see them through. In previously published "Gift of the Heart," a widow uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local resort owner. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love this Christmas. 

Description & photo from Goodreads.com

My Review: 

Out of these three short stories, my favorite was An Archer Family Christmas. I loved reading Karen's previous books about the brothers, and it was nice to revisit the family and see how Karen Witemeyer imagined their lives continuing. It was also the most exciting of the Christmas stories, and to me the most heartfelt. If you've read and enjoyed the other Archer brothers books, then you'll enjoy a revisit with this short story!

A Texas Christmas Carol was also an interesting spin on the traditional Christmas Carol. There were quite a few puns that were fun to catch, and I enjoyed seeing how the author was going to adapt the story into a romance.

I also liked the additions of the devotional, recipes, and fun facts about Christmas. They were all a nice touch to the collection and really added to the charm of the book.

Karen Witemeyer has penned a sweet collection of Christmas stories perfect for the holiday season!

I voluntarily received this book from the publisher in order to write an honest review. All opinions are truly my own.