Bookish Thoughts: Worthy of Legend

 

Description:

1906

After a summer of successful pirate-treasure hunting, Lady Emily Scofield and her friends must hide the unprecedented discoveries they've made, thanks to the betrayal of her own family. Horrified by her brother, who will stop at nothing to prove himself to their greedy father, Emily is forced to take a stand against her family--even if it means being cut off entirely.

Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, is fascinated with tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table--an interest he's kept mostly hidden for the last decade. But when a diary is unearthed on the islands that could lead to a secret artifact, Bram is the only one able to piece the legends together.

As Bram and Emily seek out the whereabouts of the hidden artifact, they must dodge her family and a team of archaeologists. In a race against time, it is up to them to decide what makes a hero worthy of legend. Is it fighting valiantly to claim the treasure . . . or sacrificing everything in the name of selfless love?

About the Author:

Roseanna M. White (www.roseannamwhite.com) is a bestselling, Christy Award-nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. She pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of numerous novels, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to Edwardian British series. Roseanna lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at www.roseannamwhite.com

My Thoughts:

So, I’m just kind of waiting for Ms. White to finally write a book that I don’t absolutely adore.  I’m also really hoping that never happens.  I love picking up one of her books and diving into an excellent story that I know from the start is going to touch my heart and have characters that become dear friends by “the end.”  Obviously, this book is not “the one” that just makes me turn my nose up and wish for a former story.  I finished it thinking “no!  I can’t be at the end so soon!  Just a few more pages!”  Which I suppose there technically were, if you read the author’s note (something I occasionally do).

So, where to begin?  With Bram?  Or Emily?  Or Sir Tristan, a fictional dog I might actually be okay with having as a pet?  *Sigh*  I had been so hoping that this would be Bram and Emily’s story and was super excited when it was announced!  The romance is by far my favorite part of the story.  I loved getting to know both of them better and seeing Bram seek to build up what Emily’s family so often delighted to tear down.  I so enjoyed the deep conversations and thought-provoking questions they raised.  I also very much appreciated how Ms. White chose to answer those questions.

"Where did mercy and justice meet? With pain and sacrifice. And beauty beyond anything he'd ever seen."

What else?  Oh, I knew so little about King Arthur.  But like Bram, I really enjoyed the stories of honor and integrity woven into the treasure hunt.  And knowing nothing about it, I enjoyed the author’s note, clearing up a little of what is fact and fiction.  I also seriously loathed Nigel.  Can I say that after talking about honor and integrity?  Neither of which Nigel seemed to possess.  Though I surprisingly liked Vandermeer and the creative verbal sparring with Bram.

Overall, I found this book to be the perfect finale to this series!  I would highly recommend it, as well as the previous ones!

*My thanks to the author and publisher for my copy of this book!  I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way.  All opinions expressed are my own.  

Does anyone else have a hard time spelling "legend"? My fingers keep wanting to add an extra "d" to it. Haha!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

Goodreads

The Story Graph

Heart thoughts: Our Heaven Baby

 “Why, God, do people have to die?  A daughter or a son, sudden and so young, long before their time? . . . I don’t understand, but I understand why God, I need You.  It’s why, God, I run to Your arms, over and over again.  It’s why, God, I cling to Your love and hold on for dear life.  And I’ll find, You are right by my side, even here, in the ‘why, God?’”  - Austin French

They tell me “it’s okay to cry.”  But they don’t cry with me.  They tell me that it’s healthy to grieve, but I don’t know how to.  How do I grieve my heaven baby, but still live and laugh with my precious girls?  How do I keep breathing, when every breath hurts so much?  How do I let go enough to keep moving and doing, but hold on so I don’t forget?  Because despite how much it hurts, I don’t want to forget our Amarielle Rose.  I long for stories to tell about her, like “she had the most beautiful smile,” instead, I have dreams that are returning to black and white.  We got to love her for such a short time.  Just weeks, instead of the years I had been assuming we’d have.  I took for granted that I’d had two healthy pregnancies and just assumed this one would be like the former ones.

The words, “there is no heartbeat” has to be one of the worst sentences I have ever heard spoken to me.  We went to the appointment, excited to see our baby for the first time, but left with confused and hurting hearts.  “God, where are you?  Why is this happening? My precious girl . . . “

Today marks 2 weeks since that day.  Since we found out that our sweet baby had already gone to Heaven.  I have wrestled with so many thoughts, so many questions and doubts, so much pain and also a disheartening numbness that makes it hard to get out of bed sometimes.  I’m thankful for our sweet girls that are here for me to hold and love.  They force me to keep moving, even when I really just want to sit and cry.  I don’t have answers.  I still have so many questions, but I doubt I’ll know the answers this side of Heaven.  I think of Heaven, how my mom and grandpa are holding Amarielle for us.  How the first sight her tiny eyes ever saw was the glory of God and the indescribable beauty of Heaven.  I think that I must be selfish to wish her still here with me . . . . I wonder at how God made our hearts able to so deeply miss someone that we never even got to meet.

I spent a few days feeling so very angry at God.  I had prayed for our sweet baby so many times.  I prayed every night for her to be healthy and growing well.  From the day I had a positive pregnancy test, I had prayed for her.  And it’s so easy for me to look with my human eyes at the situation and say that God didn’t act.  Or that He simply said, “No.”  Or that He heard my words and didn’t care.  Or that He didn’t even hear me at all.  And I can give myself all of the trite answers that must be in some Christian handbook somewhere - “What to say when someone is hurting.”  But those empty words don’t bind the wounds.  They don’t offer comfort.  I don’t know why God didn’t answer my prayers.  I don’t know why our family is experiencing this pain.  But I do still believe that He is here with us, mourning with us, because His heart breaks with the pain His children experience.  I know that God didn’t choose this for us.  I know death wasn’t in His plans.  He didn’t create us to die, it is a curse of the fallen world we live in.  I know these things.  But my heart still hurts.   

I thought at one point that I wished God had simply not allowed the pregnancy, rather than allowing my baby to begin to live and then her heart stop beating.  Now, with a smidge of hindsight, I am so thankful for our Heaven baby.  I got to love her for such a short time.  My heart feels heavy with the love I won’t get to lavish on her.  But isn’t it amazing how our hearts are made to expand with each person who comes into our lives, regardless of how long they stay?  I pray that somehow, in the midst of this pain, we learn to love in a way that reflects our Savior.  And that our hearts will be softened and open to love others who are experiencing the same pain, because we understand the road they are traveling. 

Bookish Thoughts: Sunburst

 

Description:

When former Navy SEAL and lifelong bachelor Ranger Kingston is called upon to take part in a rescue

mission to save his brother Colt, who has been kidnapped by terrorists in Nigeria, he is shocked to

find among the hostages a woman he knows and could never forget.

Noemi Sutton was attempting to return a young girl to her family in Boko Haram territory when she and the girl found themselves taken hostage, along with several others.

And while Ranger Kingston may be able to get the hostages away from their captors, he'll need Noemi's help if he ever hopes to get out of Nigeria alive.

Her solution? Pose as husband and wife. But when her uncle discovers the union, he insists on a traditional Nigerian wedding--binding Noemi to a man destined to break her heart. Worse, she's discovered the real reason she was kidnapped, and anyone around her is bound to be caught in the cross fire. Including her so-called new husband.

She'll need to figure out a way to leave the man she loves if she wants to save his life.

About the Author:

Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly 90 novels with more than 1.5 million books sold, including the Global Search and Rescue and the Montana Rescue series, as well as Sunrise and Sunburst. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT Medallion and numerous Readers' Choice Awards, Susan makes her home in Minnesota. Find her online at www.susanmaywarren.com, on Facebook @SusanMayWarrenFiction, and on Twitter @SusanMayWarren.

My Thoughts:

 I used to be a huge fan of Susan May Warren's novels, but then I took a break a few years ago and just

didn't pick the new ones up.  If all of the others are this good, man, I've been missing out!  And I have

a lot to look forward to finding!

I realized this was the second book in a series after I got it, but thankfully, my library app had the first.

I'd say you probably could read them out of order, but they are definitely written to be a series,

including a cliffhanger that now has me anxious for Colt's story!  (side note: the chapter with the

cliffhanger is titled “what comes next” - so if you don’t want to be left wondering too much, just stop

reading at the end of the epilogue)

The first book is entirely set in Alaska, so I admit, I was very confused and curious as to how they

were going to get from Nigeria to Alaska in this one.  Or how they would bring Alaska to Nigeria. 

But that aside, I loved this adventure to Nigeria!  I adored Noemi, Ranger, and Blessing!  I so

enjoyed the vibrant descriptions and details, bringing a unique culture to life.  It's apparent

(also from the back cover, you know) that Ranger and Noemi have a past.  I really enjoyed how

the author wove glimpses of their past into the present.

If you’ve read any of Mrs. Warren’s prior suspense novels, please note that this one is marketed

as a contemporary romance.  So there is suspense, yes.  But if you’re going into it expecting a

“hanging on the edge of your seat” kind of story, I don’t know that you’ll find it here.  I personally

greatly enjoyed the story as a whole.  I enjoyed the suspense, but I also just love a great romance,

and that’s a lot of what you’ll find within these pages.  

Overall, I loved this book, as well as the first one, and can’t wait for the final Sky King Ranch novel!

*My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book!  I was not required to write a review, positive

or otherwise, and have not been compensated for it in any way.   All opinions expressed are my own.

Amazon

GoodReads

Barnes & Noble