A Change of Fortune Review

Lady Eliza Sumner has one goal in coming to America, to find Mr. Bartholomew Hayes, the man who stole her fortune. Leaving behind her title she presents herself as Miss Eliza Sumner, a governess for the Watson family. After the death of her father, the loss of her fortune, and being abandoned by her fiancé Eliza doesn't trust anyone easily, especially God. Her plan is to find Mr. Hayes, steal her money back, then go straight back to London. One thing she didn't plan on was meeting Mr. Hamilton Beckett, New York's most eligible widower. The sparks start to fly the moment they meet and when they discover that they have a common enemy they begin to work together. Hamilton never planned on marrying again after what happened with Mary Ellen and after being dumped by Lawrence back in England Eliza doesn't plan on trusting just anyone with her heart.

A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano was a good read. I loved the characters and the story was great. I was hooked from the start and didn't wasn't to put the book down till I was finished. The only thing I was disappointed with was that by the end of the book I still had some unanswered questions. I hope that that just means there is more books to come. If that is the case then I look forward to reading them when they come out.

I got a free review copy of from A Change of Fortune Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

5 out of 5. This Afternoon Snack was worth a fortune. 

Oliver Twist Review

Oliver Twist is a timeless classic that has been loved by many generations before and many to come. It tells of a poor orphaned boy and the trials he must face. Throughout Oliver’s childhood he overcomes one obstacle after another and he never seems to lose hope. Oliver Twist is an inspiring story countless people young and old love. Focus on the Family’s Radio Theater brings this classic story to life in a brand new way that families will be sure to love. The radio drama captures the heart of Dickens classic and captivates its audience from the beginning.

I got a free review copy of Oliver Twist by Focus on the Family from Tyndale House Publishers in return for my honest review.

5 out of 5. An Afternoon Snack that has me saying “Please sir, can I have some more?”

Against The Tide Review

Lydia Pallas finally has the life she always wished for. A steady job she loves working with languages as a translator for the U.S. Navy, a nice place to live, and everything ordered and in its place. All the things she never had growing up in an orphanage. With life just now starting to become perfect Lydia resents the disorder that Alexander Banebridge, Bane to his friends, brings into her life.

Bane is in need of a translator. It doesn’t really matter who does it, so why not choose the neat and orderly Lydia Pallas. She needs the money that his translating jobs will give her and Bane can have a little fun messing with her orderly life style. But he didn’t count on falling in love with her in the process. If he led a normal life like an ordinary gentleman that wouldn’t be such a problem except that Bane is constantly on the run from his past. A wife would only cause problems and right now he needs to focus on a goal much bigger than his happiness, the end to the illegal opium trade. But when Banes biggest foe gains the upper hand he must turn to Lydia for help once more, putting her in a dangerous position.

Against The Tide by Elizabeth Camden is a wonderfully written book with characters you can’t help but fall in love with. I enjoyed the story immensely and would definitely recommend it to my friends. If you’re in search of a story you can lose yourself in completely and not come up for a breath until it’s finished I would definitely read this book.

I got a free review copy of Against The Tide from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

5 out of 5. An Afternoon Snack that could become very addictive. 

At Every Turn Review

Alyce Benson has a compassionate heart with an eagerness to do good. So when she pledges three thousand dollars to missionary’s working in Africa she doesn’t think twice. They need the money and her father is rich enough to supply it. What she doesn’t count on is her father’s refusal to have anything to do with the missionaries. Alyce can’t back out of her pledge because the children in Africa need the money. So she decides that she will come up with it herself. The only problem is that other than her love for driving she has nothing she can do to earn three thousand dollars in the seven weeks until the church expects the money.  When all hope seems lost to Alyce she finds out about a race in which her father’s company is sponsoring a racecar in. The driver of the car would get paid by Alyce’s father and if the driver wins the race he (or she in Alyce’s case) could win five thousand dollars. With that in mind Alyce goes to her father’s mechanic, Webster, and devises a plan.  Everything goes as planned until she realizes she could lose everything including her heart.

     At Every Turn by Anne Mateer was a good read. I enjoyed how the story ended but I got bored at some places throughout the story. Other than that it was a fun read that left me satisfied by the end. I would recommend this book to my friends and will defiantly read more books by Anne Mateer.

I got a free review copy of At Every Turn from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

I give it a 4.5 out 5. As an Afternoon Snack it left me quite full by the time I finished.

Battle for Cannibal Island and Escape to the Hiding Place Reviews

Beth and Patrick are on another Imagination Station adventure this time to Fiji in the 1850’s! The cousins find themselves being accused as stowaways on board a ship being hunted down by cannibals.  After a series of events Patrick and Beth find themselves separated. Patrick is knocked over board with Nettleton, a sailor on the ship, while Beth follows James Calvert, a missionary trying to witness to the cannibal’s king.

Another Adventure is in store for the two cousins, this time during World War Two in Holland. The cousins find themselves in a dangerous predicament. They need to get a little Jewish baby to its mother without being caught. Patrick and Beth hear that it’s not safe to leave the farm where their staying but at the same time they are told that it’s not safe to stay either. As they begin their journey to the hiding place they find that the Germans are everywhere. They begin to wonder if the hiding place is even a place where they can hide and the Germans won’t find them.

Battle for Cannibal Island is the eighth book in the Imagination Station series by Marianne Hering and Wayne Thomas Batson. And Escape to the Hiding Place is the ninth book in the Imagination Station series by Marianne Hering and Marshal Younger. Both of these books were an easy and fun read. The series is obviously written for younger readers but people of all ages will love the Christian values it teaches and enjoy the fun historical read. Lovers of the radio series Adventures in Odyssey will definitely want to read this series and will be sure to fall in love with these books. All in all it was a great book.

I got a free review copy of Battle for Cannibal Island and Escape to the Hiding Place from Tyndale House Publishers in return for my honest review.

5 out of 5. I loved  this  Afternoon Snack and wouldn't mind to nibble on it again!

Guardian Review

Nikki Youngblood just wants things to go back to the way they were before. Before her life spun out of her control. Before she was haunted by hell hounds. Before her parents were murdered. Before she heard of Halflings. Before she fell for not one but two of them…

Nikki can’t help but fall deeper in love with each of them even though she knows it could cost them their eternity.

Mace is safe and dedicated. Protecting her against the evil that threatens her. Mace is what Nikki needs.

Raven is adventure and freedom. Giving her a way out of the cage she feels she’s in. Raven is what Nikki craves.

They both know that falling in love with Nikki will give them a one way ticket to eternal darkness. But they’re both willing to risk it for her.

Nikki wants them both, unsure who to choose. Unsure if she really even has a choice in anything.

Guardian by Heather Burch was awesome! It was a great continuation of Halflings. It answered a lot of questions brought on by the first book while asking for even more answers. Like the first book I was completely immersed in the book from page one. I was on the same wild journey as the character, and loving every minute of it! The only down side to the book was that it had to end. I was so caught up in the story that when I got to the last page I was like “What?!? That’s it? It can’t end here! I need more, what happens next?!” I can’t wait for Heathers next book in the series, Avenger, to come out. All in all it was a great read!

5 out of 5. An angelic Afternoon Snack I plan to munch on again.

Over The Edge Review

Seth Kincaid remembers a lot of stuff in his life. He remembers fighting in the Civil War. He remembers the cave fire when he was nine. The same fire that gave him the scars on his back... and the nightmares that haunt his sleep. He remembers his brothers and the father who wasn’t always there. In fact he remembers almost everything. Except for the tiny fact that he’s married. And his wife, Callie, isn’t happy with him at all. Seth finds himself slowly remembering and trying to make amends but Callie would rather shoot him than look at him. As an old enemy of sorts comes after the Kincaid family will they be able to keep from going over the edge?

Over The Edge by Mary Connealy was a great book. It’s the third book in the Kincaid Brides series. It was a quick read that kept me entertained. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would definitely recommend it to anyone in search of a fun engaging read. Though Over The Edge can be read alone I would recommend reading the series in order.

I give it 5 out of 5. An Afternoon snack I enjoyed immensely.

I got a free review copy of Over The Edge from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

Abducted Review

As a new Christian Police Officer Carly Edwards’s life is going pretty good. She’s back on parole doing what she loves best. She’s forgiven her ex-husband, Nick, and they’re talking about getting back together. All in all everything seems to be going great. Until one night while on patrol with her partner, Joe, they get a call that his wife is at the hospital with an unknown sickness. While at the hospital Joe’s baby, AJ, gets kidnapped. And if that wasn’t bad enough when Nick fails to recover from an injury as fast as he’d like and begins to pull away just as Carly thought everything was getting back to normal. Carly is desperate to find AJ and is worried that Nick might be pulling away from her forever. Is it more than her new faith can take?

Abducted by Janice Cantore is the second book in her debut series, Pacific Coast Justice. It was a great book that continues the story of Carly and her newfound faith. Abducted kept me on the edge of my seat almost impatient to find out what happened next. It could be read without reading the first book, Accused, but I think it would be more enjoyable reading the series in order, how it was intended. All in all I loved this book.

I got a free review copy of Abducted from Tyndale House Publishers in return for my honest review.

5out of 5. I would love to munch on this Afternoon Snack again!

The Twelfth Imam Review

David Shirazi (aka Reza Tabrizi) is a CIA operative who will stop at nothing to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Iran’s prime minister wants to destroy the U.S.A. and Israel, Israel’s prime minister insists that they need destroy Iran’s nuclear sites, and the president of the United States thinks they need to negotiate to find peace. In addition to all that a mysterious man is claiming to be the Islamic messiah, the Mahdi or the Twelfth Imam. Soon stories begin spreading about his miracles. Is he the one they’ve been waiting for?

The Twelfth Imam is a great book filled with lots of international intrigue. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, not wanting to put it down. (Though I had to because of chores, eating, and sleeping… don’t you hate it when life gets in the way of a good book?) I would definitely recommend it to anyone in need of a good book. 

 5 out of 5. A filling Afternoon Snack.

The Touch Review

Andrew Jones has an incredible gift. He’s a doctor who has amazing skills in surgery and a promising future. But one fatal accident changes everything when Jones can’t save the young woman he loves. Abandoning his special gift and avoiding the memories that flood his mind when operating, Jones shuns the operating room. Lara Blair owns a biomedical engineering company that’s developing a surgical tool that copies the exact movement of a surgeon’s hand. So far all of the surgeons that Lara has recruited, the best in the world, have tried and failed. The project seems like a lost cause until they discover Andrew Jones. Jones wants no part of anything to do with surgery or the memories that come with it. But Lara is determined to get him to work with her, he’s her last hope.

The Touch by Randal Wallace was a touching story. (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself) It kept me entertained but it was kind of touch and go. (Again, sorry but it was just too tempting) I don’t know if I’d read it again but I don’t regret picking it up. There was one thing throughout the book that I found troubling. It was the statement “There are only two things anyone must know: there is a God, and that God loves us. That is all we need to know.” I think we need to know more than that. But other than needing to add a touch (I’m having too much fun) more to this area of thought, all in all it was an okay book.

I give it a 4 out 5. I would have enjoyed an Afternoon Snack a little more filling.

Strange Journey Back Review

Strange Journey Back

Mark Prescott’s parents just spilt up and his Mom moves them to a little town called Odyssey. This is not the way Mark wanted to start his summer. All his friends are back home in Washington D.C. and the only kid in Odyssey who wants to be his friend is Patti, an annoying tomboy. The only thing that makes his situation not so bad is Mr. Whittaker, an ice cream shop owner and inventor. Whit’s latest invention seems to be the answer to Marks prayers. A chance to go back and change the past.

High Flyer With a Flat Tire

          Mark Prescott is falsely accused of slashing Joe Devlin’s new bikes tire after getting in a fight. Mark says it’s impossible because he came right home afterwards. The only problem is that no one saw him. Mark decides to play detective and find out who really did it. Rachel, the girl Joe made fun of? Chad, the kid Joe kicked out of his gang? Or someone else? To make matters worse Patti, the tomboy who has decided to be Marks best friend, is acting weird. Or in Mark’s opinion weirder than usual.

The Secret Cave of Robinwood

          Mark Prescott knows a secret. He promises that he won’t tell anyone and Patti believes him. But when that secret could mean his acceptance into a group of boys, Mark betrays Patti’s trust and tells. But is the promised acceptance into the group worth maybe losing Patti’s friendship?

Behind the Locked Door

          Mark Prescott’s Mom is off to Washington D.C. She and Mark’s father are going to meet with a marriage counselor and while she away Mark’s going to stay at Mr. Whittaker’s. But while there Whit tells Mark not to go into the locked attic. Why not? Mark’s imagination goes wild, fuelled by thriller comic books that he sneaks past his mom. But will Mark’s active imagination cause him to lose a close friend and mentor, Mr. Whittaker?

         

Strange Journey Back is a great book. It took me into the little town of Odyssey and made me want to stay there and visit Whit’s end and have an ice cream. If you’ve ever listened to the radio series you’ll recognize some of the characters, like Whit. But even if you’ve never heard of Odyssey you’ll fall in love the second you open this book.  

5 out of 5. Whit’s end is a great place for an Afternoon snack.

Replication: The Jason Experiment Review

Martyr is an 17 year old living in a place called Jason Farms. But don’t let the name fool you, Jason Farms has nothing to do with cows. Jason Farms is a remote facility that keeps hundreds of clones that are referred to as “Jason’s”. Martyr is Jason 3:3 and is planned to “expire” in twenty five days on his 18^th birthday. His whole life Martyr was told that he was made to save humanity from the toxic air outside of the facility. Even though Martyr doesn’t want to “expire” he is content with the fact that his death will help others to live. His only wish is to see the sky. Right before his “expiration date” Martyr manages to escape from Jason Farms. Once he’s out Martyr realizes that all his life he was told a lie.

Abby Goyer is a Junior in high school who just moved to Alaska because her father got a new job.  One day after school Abby decides to explore where her father works, what she finds is a little suspicious. What kind of farm has a barn with a steel, vault door in it? After a little more exploring Abby hopes that her dad isn’t up to his old ways.

When Abby and Martyr meet they decide to find out the truth about Jason Farms.

I loved Replication: The Jason Experiment by Jill Williamson! From the start I was hooked and I couldn't seem to put it down. Jill Williamson did a great job on this book and I can’t wait to read other books by her. 

I give it 5 out of 5. I think it was an Afternoon Snack I'll want again.

Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame Review

Ophelia and Linus Easterday are fourteen year old twins who are living with their Aunt and Uncle on Rickshaw Street. The house they live in used to belong to a mad scientist, Cato Grubbs. When the twins explore their new home they discover a hidden attic, and find more than a couple dusty old chemistry sets! On the eleventh of the month at 11:11 pm. the twin’s doubts about it being a normal attic become much more than a hunch. In fact they become a Hunchback! Quasimodo, from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, has suddenly appeared in the attic and the twins have no idea what to do with him for the next sixty hours before he can return back to the book world. During the course of the next three days the twins, along with their new neighbor Walter, must keep Quasi busy while staying unnoticed, which is hard to do when you have a large hunchback who, quite honestly, was downright ugly in appearance. But once the twins looked past the crooked back, large wart, and all the other flaws in his appearance he was one of the sweetest guys they had ever met. During an attempt to make Quasi feel more at home and still stay relatively hidden Walter, Quasi, Ophelia, and Linus become friends with a bounty hunter turned priest, Father Lou. Together they try to keep Quasi away from Cato and Frollo, Quasi’s evil stepfather, until they can return Quasi back to the book world.

Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame was a wonderful book that I read in one sitting. It was filled with humor while bringing the story of Quasimodo to life in a new way. This is for sure a must read!

5 out of 5. Just right for an Afternoon Snack!

Halflings Review

Halfling: Half angel, half human. An outcast in both the heavenly and the earthly realms.
Raven, Mace, and Vine, all Halflings, are on a journey. Their mission: Protect Nikki Youngblood from the evil out to get her.
Raven believes Nikki's not the only target of evil intent... but should he trust his gut?
Mace promises he'll see Nikki through to the end...but will his promise be his downfall?
Vine, a newbie, has a blast going to high school, bowling alleys, and candy stores for the first time... but can he keep Nikki safe and stop Mace and Raven's constant fighting?
But what’s NOT part of the mission is falling in love with a human. An unpardonable sin for Halflings. But that’s exactly what two of them do.
For Mace everyday he spends with Nikki he finds it harder and harder to follow the rules.
Raven could care less about the rules. On every journey Raven finds what Mace calls ‘Arm candy’. Usually a mean girl who can bounce back when he left, meaning no broken hearts. But with Nikki it’s different. It’s like if he can save her, he just might be able to save himself too.
But the truth of the matter is that if they fall in love they will lose their soul.


I loved this book, finishing it the same day I got it. I found myself in the story feeling what the characters felt. I have to admit that I cried a little at some parts. That in its self tells you it was an epic book. Because, for me, if a book makes you cry and you finish it in one day, that means the author had you living in the book. Heather Burch did a great job and I can’t wait for the next book. 


Over all I give it 5 out of 5. As an Afternoon Snack it hit the spot!