"The Swindler's Daughter" by Stephenia H. McGee

About this book:

  “A surprise inheritance. A cache of family secrets. A choice that will change her life forever.
   Lillian Doyle has lived her entire high-society life with her widowed mother, believing her father died long ago. But when news arrives that her estranged father only recently passed away--in jail--Lillian is startled to find that the man has left a business and all of his possessions to her, making her a rather unusual heiress.
    When she goes to take possession of her father's house in a backwoods Georgia town, the dilapidated structure is already occupied by another woman who claims it was promised to her son, Jonah. In her attempts to untangle the mess, Lillian will discover not only a family she never knew she had but a family business that is more than meets the eye--and has put a target on her back.
    To discover the truth and take hold of the independence she's always dreamed of, she'll have to make friends with adversaries and strangers--especially Jonah, the dusty and unrefined cowboy who has secret aspirations of his own.”


Series: As of now, no, a stand-alone novel.


Spiritual Content- Psalm 32:8 at the beginning; A few Scriptures are remembered & quoted; Prayers & Thanking God (including one by a criminal); Talks about God, His will, & wondering why bad things happen; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; A couple characters (Jonah & his mother) ask God why nothing is easy for them (she takes it in stride, but he feels like a failure because of all of his plans not working out); Jonah feels like God thwarts him and his plans at every turn (he feels bitter for the majority of the book, *Spoiler* but after a discussion with his mother about there being opposition if we’re following God’s path and praying, he releases the bitterness and feels like a new man *End of Spoiler*); Lillian prays for guidance but doesn’t receive any & later asks why God is punishing her (*Spoiler* she later realizes that God has a plan for her that included those trials *End of Spoiler*); Jonah’s mother (Melanie) says people learn about God’s plans for them in three ways (they receive a vision or an angel comes to visit them, by a quite sense from the Holy Spirit usually while immersed in the Bible, and thirdly, someone else tells them; Jonah wonders how she really knows anything about God’s plans); Mentions of God, His will, following Him, & having faith; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food (including Lillian wondering why God would give the answer to her prayers to Melanie instead of her); Mentions of churches & church going; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A few mentions of those & events in the Bible; A few mentions of prophets; A mention of something feeling like a godsend; A mention of a miracle; 
             *Note: A mention of Jonah thinking he has rotten luck; A mention of alcohol being called the “devil’s brew”.
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘confounded’, a ‘stupid’, a ‘what in the dickens’, two unfinished ‘what in the—‘s, two ‘what in tarnation’, and three ‘shut up’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Fighting, being shot, being held at gunpoint, being attacked by an intruder, being tied-up, being locked up in jail, injuries, pain, & passing out (up to semi-detailed); Thinking that an officer might be dirty; A few lies (said by Lillian due to how her mother raised her with wanting society’s approval, though Lillian corrects a couple of them); Lillian and her mother have a strained relationship (her mother wants society’s approval and for Lillian to marry into a rich family; Lillian feels like her mother’s affection is always just out of reach and that if she receive it if she obeyed or accomplished something her mother wants (Lillian is glad for her independence while handling the inheritance); Lillian’s mother says “good riddance” to her father’s death; Many mentions of bootleggers, alcohol, & someone being drunk; Many mentions of intruders, a break-in, stolen items, stealing, & vandalism; Mentions of deaths, a possible murder, & possible poison; Mentions of fires, a family losing everything when their house burned down, & a criminal threatening to cause a fire; Mentions of criminals & crimes; Mentions of prisons/jails; Mentions of someone being shot, blood/bleeding, & gunshots (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of being attacked, being tied-up, screams, injuries, pain, & passing out (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of tobacco; A few mentions of being threatened with harm & death; A couple mentions of threats; A couple mentions of a father drinking to soothe his aches and his family not liking how he was on those days; A couple mentions of rumors; A mention of murder; A mention of hatred; 
             *Note: Mentions of the deaths of infants (*Spoiler* a side couple has buried four babies and announces at the end that they are expecting *End of Spoiler*); A mention of some men thinking that women have no place in business. 
 
 
Sexual Content- Staring at someone’s lips; An almost (semi-detailed) kiss, a forehead kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, two semi-detailed kisses, and a detailed kiss (mentioning his desire for her); Remembering kisses (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, Electricity, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing & Staring (including muscles, up to semi-detailed); Lillian was born out of wedlock (she has always been told her mother was a widow and her mother tells her that he couldn’t accept the responsibility of being a father *Spoiler* In a letter, her father tells her that their affair was short lived and her mother’s parents disowned her when finding out she was pregnant and Lillian is hurt by her grandparents not wanting her *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of Lillian being an illegitimate child (she is embarrassed by it, but thinks that it wasn’t her fault);  Mentions of kisses, kissing, & a couple being caught kissing (or that they were “smushing lips” as said by a ten-year-old); A few mentions of an affair & mistress; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
             *Note: A few mentions of “women’s troubles” (periods); A couple mentions of a woman’s figure (by Jonah). 
 
-Lillian Doyle, age 23
-Jonah Peterson
                                P.O.V. switches between them 
                                           Set in 1912
                                                        352 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

I was super curious about this book based on the title and back-cover blurb alone—it felt like there might be a slight mystery!—but I was a little hesitant because I wasn’t a fan of the author’s prior book…mainly because of the main girl.

With this novel however, I did like Lillian. She’s a little bit of a snob, but it’s to be expected with how she grew up and it wasn’t overly annoying. She did make some choices I’ll honestly say I thought were dumb, but let’s call that character development and lesson learning. 

Jonah has major trust issues and at the beginning was constantly having a bone to pick with Lillian. I wasn’t a big fan of him and his lack of communication and pity parties did annoy me at times. There wasn’t the miscommunication trope per say, it was more of a lack of communication between Lillian and Jonah that finally got resolved at the end. There was one kiss that was too much for my tastes and a bit more noticing of the other’s physical appearance that lowered the ratings. 

Because of different elements, it kind of felt like historical HGTV, which was kind of fun, actually! I don’t think I’ve read a historical book that features so much renovation and creating a special place (being vague for spoilers), but I really liked that element. I do wish there had been more details on the colors and fabrics used, though, so I could have pictured it better while reading. 

I will say that the title’s implication was different than I was expecting and hoping this book would be, but how it turned out wasn’t bad. I liked the ending and how it wrapped up well. While I can’t call this an excellent book, personally, it was a fun read that kept my attention and interest. I was really concerned before starting it, but it ended up a good book.

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.

"Cold Light of Day" by Elizabeth Goddard

About this book:

  “Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and even an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.
   Grier is in Alaska for the same reason so many others are--to disappear--when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he's not sure even Autumn could save him.
   As the stakes rise and the dangers increase, Autumn and Grier must rely on each other to extinguish the deadly threats.”


Series: Book #1 in the “Missing in Alaska” series. 


Spiritual Content- Micah 6:8 at the beginning & read a few times in the story; A handful of Scriptures are read, remembered, & referenced; Prayers & Thanking God; Talks about God; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Mentions of God, His purpose, & being in His hands; Mentions of prayers & praying; A few mentions of a man’s truck having “Jesus Saves” and other Christian phrases and symbols on it; A few mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A couple mentions of having faith; A couple mentions of Sunday school classes; A mention of God’s creation; A mention of a chapel & wanting to pray; A mention of a miracle; A mention of a godsend; 
             *Note: A couple mentions of a villain saying he attended the best Catholic schools & quoting “there is a season for everything”; A couple mentions of a witch hunt (the phrase, not literally); A mention of it seeming like someone has the “forces of the universe” against them.
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blah, blah, blah’, a ‘blasted’, a ‘dumb’, three ‘stupid’, and five ‘idiot’s; Being tortured, pain, & wanting to die (waterboarding, up to semi-detailed); Almost being shot, Being abducted, Being held at gunpoint, Being attacked, Fighting, Gunfire, Pain, Blood/Bleeding, & Seeing others killed, shot, or almost shot (up to semi-detailed); Shooting & killing a criminal (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing murders & people being killed (semi-detailed); Seeing a car going over a railing (up to semi-detailed); Rescuing others from drowning (up to semi-detailed); Finding bodies (x4, all were affected by nature or animals) & figuring how what happened to them (semi-detailed); A mudslide (semi-detailed); An almost panic attack (barely-above-not-detailed); Autumn’s mother saved her from drowning & was never found (this is recalled by Autumn a couple times and she feels to blame for her mother’s death, *Spoiler* her mother is actually alive and faked her death *End of Spoiler*); Some eye rolling; All about many, many mentions of murders, murderers, bodies, how the murders happened, nature & animals affecting the bodies, seeing murders, seeing people shot, shooters, manhunts for criminals, seeing people held at gunpoint, gunfire, gunshots, blood/bleeding, injuries, pain, missing people, the possibility of being killed, drownings, near drownings, violence, crimes, crime scenes, & criminals; (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a possible suicide attempt; Mentions of beatings & torture (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of abductions & being drugged; Mentions of hostages & being held hostage; Mentions of avalanches, mudslides, people being killed in them, & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fighting, fights, & attacks; Mentions of organized crime groups & trafficking rings (arms, drugs, & people); Mentions of money laundering; Mentions of threats; Mentions of prisons, jails, & arrests; Mentions of dirty cops & officials; Mentions of car accidents, injuries, & deaths (of someone’s parents); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, drunks, drunk driving/DUI, & a bar (including Autumn’s father falling into depression and alcoholism after traumatic events); Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of someone’s dog missing & possibly being hurt or dead (the dog is okay); A few mentions of wars (Vietnam & WWII); A few mentions of burglaries, robberies, & break-ins; A few mentions of bringing closure to families of missing people; A few mentions of grief (shown on the pages for a man with his nephew); A few mentions of hunters; A couple mentions of an explosion; A couple mentions of domestic violence; A couple mentions of parents fighting; A couple mentions of stolen cars; A couple mentions of bribes (to government officials); A couple mentions of hypothermia; A couple mentions of gossip; A mention of serial killings; A mention of embezzlement; A mention of eavesdropping; A mention of wounded wildlife; 
             *Note: Mentions of Bigfoot and Nantiinaq (& the town cryptozoologist talking about and trying to find him often); Mentions of car, gun, & camera brands; A few mentions of an iPad; A few mentions of fictional characters (Captain America & Steve Rogers). 
 
 
Sexual Content- Staring at someone’s lips (twice), an almost (semi-detailed) kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and three semi-detailed kiss; Recalling an kisses (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Staring (including Autumn staring a bit at Grier changing out of his diving suit, but looking away because it feels “inappropriate” to watch; barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of kisses & an almost kiss; A couple mentions of a man being obsessed with a woman because of her beauty; A couple mentions of blushes & winks; A mention of electricity when Autumn & Grier are in a room together; A mention of flirting; A mention of dating; Love, falling/being in love, & the emotions;
             *Note: Autumn hits a man in “his most vulnerable parts”; A few mentions of a wife planning to leave her family for another man.
 
-Autumn Long, age 30
-Grier Brenner, mid-thirties 
                                P.O.V. switches between them & another (in the Prologue only)
                                                        352 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

{Not for those sensitive to murder or torture}

I’ve never been a fan of the “lost in the wilderness” trope (perhaps because that feels like camping and I am absolutely nota camping girl), so I was a little less than excited about this plot, but decided to give it a try because I recently read another trilogy by this author and enjoyed it. 

The setting of this book felt like another world. I’ll be honest and say that a lot of the Alaska and diving and areas/places and cold weather things didn’t always make sense to me so I was lost and had to reread quite a few parts. This book reminded me of something I already knew: I’m a Texas girl through and through, who likes hot weather. 

Besides those elements, I think my main struggle with this book is the fact that the reader is left out on knowing so much. His background, her family past. And when they finally tell or get told info, it gets cut off or the chapter ends without telling us anything but their reaction. I don’t like being left out in my suspense books. I want to be in the action and reveals with the main characters, right in the thick of it, but that’s definitely not how this book worked. I don’t feel like I got the answers I wanted until 70% in, so it was a struggle to stay interested in the plotline. I feel bad giving it a two-stars for my personal rating, but that means it was “okay” and that’s how I would describe my feeling for it.
 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

"Whistle-Stop West" by Arleta Richardson

About this book:

  “Nine-year-old Ethan Cooper has managed to keep his family together for a year in a Pennsylvania orphanage. Now he and his siblings are boarding a train headed west. He can’t help but worry: Mr. and Mrs. Rush in Nebraska have agreed to adopt all four Cooper children, but what if they change their minds?
   In the meantime, Ethan and his siblings encounter their first dust storm, explore train cars, and watch friend after friend leave with new parents. The children dream that soon they will have a new ma and pa too.
   Based on the story of a real family, this second book in the historical Beyond the Orphan Train series reminds us that God never leaves us, no matter how far we journey to find home.”


Series: Book #2 in “The Orphans’ Journey” series. Review of Book #1 Here!


Spiritual Content- Proverbs 20:7 at the beginning; Scriptures are read, quoted, ; Prayers & Blessings over food; Retelling about events from the Bible; Going to church (once); Talks about God; 'H's are capital when referring to God; A child says that he doesn’t know Jesus (which the Matron says that they want him to know about Jesus and tells him about Him); Mentions of God, Jesus, & trusting Him; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, thanking God, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, services, pastors, sermons, hymns, & Sunday school; Mentions of Christians & a Christian duties; Mentions of a Christian children’s home; A few mentions of a mission society & missions; A couple mentions of spreading the Gospel; A mention of Heaven; A mention of being Blessed; A mention of a man doing “what he thinks the Bible tells him to” (about child rearing and teaching them to obey); 
             *Note: A mention of someone saying a couple doesn’t have children because of the Lord’s blessing as they don’t have a heart between them.
 

Negative Content- A bit of eye rolling & children bickering; Mentions of deaths, a child falling through a frozen pond, & grief (for a son, all up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a mortician & taking care of the bodies (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of a family dying in a fire (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of (adopted) children being punished (by a new father, because that’s how he was raised (obedience and not sparing the rod being mentioned and someone else saying the new father will make a strong-minded boy feel low); Mentions of gossip & rumors; A couple mentions of smallpox & deaths (a man’s wife and son); A couple mentions of kidnapping; A couple mentions of stealing; A couple mentions of jail & arrests; A mention of a tavern; 
             *Note: There are many prejudice comments about orphans (quite a few mentions of people sending the kids back if it doesn’t work out, replacing a child who has passed away, having them as unpaid servants, called “street kids” and thinking they may have diseases, some saying about not knowing where the kids come from or not wanting to let them into their homes; some of the comments or attitudes are corrected by others); A few comments from the hired help for a family complaining about the daughter of the family (calling her good-for-nothing and not wanting the family to adopt because it will be more work for them); Mentions of some children living on the streets & eating food from the trash or stealing it; Mentions of a wife complaining a lot (& her husband spending a lot of time out in the field because of it); A couple mentions of fighting Indians; A mention of a woman saying that her adopted daughter is “not very pretty” and hopes that she’ll grow out of it.
 
 
Sexual Content- N/A.
 
-Ethan Cooper
                                P.O.V. switches between many different characters
                                           Set in 1908 
                                                      192 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

{Could possibly be triggering for adoptees}

I do think this particular book could possibly be trigger or a hard read for adoptees due to all the prejudice comments made from people in different towns the orphan train is coming to. I would say it was about 60/40 on what was said about the children (negative vs kind/compassionate). While it’s easy to note based on the writing that the person is in the wrong (such as their words or actions with their comments being rude or hoity-toity), not all of those comments or thoughts are corrected. Unfortunately, it’s part of history—no matter if it’s hard, uncomfortable, or just plain wrong, it’s something orphans heard during this time (and sometimes nowadays still) and were treated as less than others or as servants. It definitely makes you compare the difference from then to now in how adoptions happen. 

Because we are many different points of view, including the family that’s supposed to adopt the Cooper kids, there were cute moments and then moments that I felt a bit stressed! Especially towards the ending, and I’ll admit that it didn’t end how I was hoping, but hopefully the next book will make up for that. My jury’s out on the new family.

This series has been cute so far and I’m looking forward to continuing it, though, I am concerned about the new family.

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

"The Tapestry of Grace" by Kim Vogel Sawyer

About this book:

  “When a group of Kansas women start a Frauenverein, a benevolent society devoted to aiding widows and orphans, life changes for more than just the hurting people they seek to help in this heartwarming romance inspired by historical events—from the bestselling author of Freedom’s Song .
    With classes paused for the planting season, Alexandertol’s schoolteacher Augusta Dyck is glad for some meaningful work to occupy her time. She even knows exactly who their town’s benevolence society should help quiet, reserved widower Konrad Rempel and his young twin sons.
   Konrad Rempel, however, is adamant that he doesn’t want help. His boys are mischievous but good-hearted. And though Konrad may be struggling, he doesn’t want anyone else sticking their nose in and telling him what his sons need. Or what he needs.
   For her part, the charity’s founder Martina Krahn is relieved to have a reason to spend time outside her unhappy home. It even occurs to her that she may, through her work, encounter a boy in need of a family and so find a son for her husband since they have no children of their own.
   Augusta, Konrad, and Martina each have deep needs and desires, and each imagines how they should be by reaching out or by being left alone. But God, indeed, knows best. Will the competing agendas of Alexandertol’s residents prevent them from receiving God’s help? Or will the members of this small Mennonite community find the answers to their prayers in the very last place they expect—in one another?”


Series: As of now, no, a stand-alone book.


Spiritual Content- Hebrews 4:16 at the beginning; Scriptures are quoted, mentioned, remembered, & read; Prayers; Church going; Talks about God, Heaven, praying, & sins; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Martina wonders how long God will answer her selfish prayers and if He will stop listening to her because of them (she’s been mad at God for a while, but starts praying later for others); A man thinks that God hasn’t given him a child because he’s weak and God doesn’t trust him; Mentions of God, Jesus, His will, trusting Him, & leaning on Him; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, praising God, thanking God, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, services, worship, hymns, sermons, & a reverend; Mentions of a benevolence society aimed to take care of the widows and orphans; Mentions of Heaven; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; Mentions of sins; A couple mentions of being baptized; A couple mentions of a Christmas program; A couple mentions of miracles; A mention of a Bible study.
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: Two ‘dumb’s; Some eye rolling; Martina’s husband is “drowning in his sorrow” (with alcohol, which she feels like it is her fault as she’s been unable to give him a child; she is talked to about this towards the middle that it’s not her fault; *Spoiler* Passed the halfway point, her husband gets rid of all of his wine making equipment *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of deaths & grieving (a wife, a husband, children, parents, & a beau); Mentions of an accident & burns/scars (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of alcohol/wine, drinking, & drunks (Martina’s husband); Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of gossip; A few mentions of stealing & stolen items; A couple mentions of a hunting accident & death (Augusta’s husband); A couple mentions of being bullied & teased (Konrad as a young boy because of his scars); A mention of a frozen solid body; A mention of cigars; 
             *Note: Augusta & Konrad are both widowed; Konrad is self-conscious because of his scars. 
 
 
Sexual Content- A hand kiss, two head kisses (both between married couples), five barely-above-not-detailed kisses (three between married couples), and a semi-detailed kiss (between a married couple); Touches, Embraces, & Hand holding (up to semi-detailed, x2); Blushes; Noticing (including muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kisses, kissing, kissing being intimacy between a married couple, & the needs of a married couple; Mentions of reputations & making sure someone isn’t alone with the opposite gender; Mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of embraces; A couple mentions of blushes; A mention of a husband wanting to spend time with his wife (implied intimacy); A mention of Augusta longing for “a man’s strong presence, tender attention, companionship, and even intimacy”; A mention of Konrad wondering if men and women can be friends as maybe temptations could spring up; A mention of a man’s desires; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
             *Note: Martina and her husband are childless & she wishes she could give him a son (She feels to blame for it and calls her womb “useless”; Trigger Warning: miscarriages *Spoiler* They miscarried six times; He felt guilty because of getting her pregnant due to “his needs” and would drink to forget *End of Spoiler*); Martina doesn’t want the benevolence society to minister to men because it could “lead to impropriety” (but later changes her mind); Augusta was 16 when she married her 30-year-old husband; Mentions of a wife dying in childbirth & the stillborn baby (Konrad’s wife); A mention of a couple conceiving a dozen years into their marriage. 
 
-Augusta Dyck, almost 40
-Konrad Rempel, age 41
-Martina Krahn
                                P.O.V. switches between them 
                                            Set in 1897
                                                        305 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

While not my favorite book by this author—it’s hard to top the wonderful book that is “The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow”, after all—it was still a really sweet book. Slower than I would have prefer, but sweet, nonetheless. 

I absolutely adored Augusta’s daughter, Juliana. She was such a dear! I would love to see her story in a separate book. 

I’ll admit that Martina did annoy me at the beginning. She’s one of those characters—like a real person in this way—that can’t see anything outside of her goals and her wants, not paying attention to how she’s hurting others. I didn’t like her much, but did enjoy seeing the character development.

Because we do see the point of view of a married woman, later in the book there’s a few hints to intimacy. I think they would go over younger readers heads’, though.

Overall, this was a pleasant and calm read. I particularly liked the ending and would honestly be more than happy to see all of these characters again in another book. (wink wink ;) )

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Waterbrook) for this honest review.

"Mark of the Raven" by Morgan L. Busse

About this book:

  “Dreamwalker. Nightwatcher. Lady of Ravenwood.
    Lady Selene Has Come into Her Family's Power. But Has She Inherited a Gift or a Curse?
    Lady Selene is heir to the House of Ravenwood and the secret family gift of dreamwalking. As a dreamwalker, she can enter a person's dreams and manipulate their greatest fears or desires. Soon after the gifting, however, Selene discovers that the Ravenwood women have been secretly using their gift to gather information or to assassinate those responsible for the fall of House Ravenwood to the Dominia Empire hundreds of years ago.
    As she becomes more entrenched in Ravenwood's dark past, Selene longs to find out the true reason behind her family's gift, believing that its original intent could not have been for such evil purposes, but she is torn about upholding her family's legacy—a legacy that supports her people. Selene's dilemma comes to a head when she is tasked with assassinating the one man who can bring peace to the nations—but who is also prophesied to bring about the downfall of her own house.
    One path holds glory and power and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and likely death. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen?”


Series: Book #1 in “The Ravenwood Saga”. 


Spiritual Content- Prayers (to “the Light” from Damien and to “the Dark Lady” from others); Selene prays for any of the gods to help her, if they’re real & later says another prayer, wondering whom it is towards; Damien believes that the gifts of each house are from the Light & prays to the Light before using his gift; Both encouraging and negative voices appear in Selene & Damien’s minds (Good vs Evil); Mentions of prayers, praying, & Thanking the Light (mentions of prayers to the Dark Lady as well); Mentions of monks, an abbey, & a Father; A few mentions of priests & a temple; A couple mentions of miraculously healing & a House being able to heal people by touching them; A mention of a House being blessed; A mention of someone looking like an angel; 
             *Note: Each of the seven Great Houses have a special gift (some control water, others fire or the earth, and Selene’s house is able to get into others’ dreams) and some believe in gods of some form, the “old god/god of old ways”(called “the Light”), and others believe in “the Dark Lady”; To keep people from sharing house secrets, they are “bounded” to their house (and consort as well) and if they go to speak of the secrets with someone else, now words will come out of their mouths; Selene slips into others’ dreams, talking on the form of a raven (she is told to never touch the orb in the dream as that is the person’s soul); In the opening chapter, Selene is at a sanctuary with her mother and sister praying to “the Dark Lady” (who is the patroness of their House) while a “dark priest” speaks in an old tongue; Later, Selene’s mother receives a message from the Dark Lady via the priest; Prior to getting her gift, Selene was a “doubtful—but dutiful— follower” of the Dark Lady (she picks up her string of beads to pray, but is unable to, feeling like her lips have been sealed; she starts questioning about the Dark Lady about halfway, thinking that she knows the Dark Lady exists, but wonders about the other god, “the Light”, and who actually gave them their gifts; Later, Selene prays for the Dark Lady to help her but is met with silence); After seeing a soul that is a bright light, Selene desperately wants to touch it, wonders how somehow has a blazing light, & wants to have it as well (*Spoiler* It seems to be connected to how someone believes, the person who’s soul she sees is a follower of the Light *End of Spoiler*); Selene wonders what’s after death, thinking that her soul is too dark for a good place and the Dark Lady will make her pay; It’s said that the Dark Lady exists “where she is given power”; Selene’s mother doesn’t want to think that the Dark Lady is bound “by a higher power” or inferior to the Light as her house has trusted her; Mentions of how those who are followers of the Light’s dreams are harder to manipulate; Mentions of souls & some being dark and some being light (in the dream world, Selene’s mother says the pure ones are the most dangerous to them); A mention of Selene thinking that her destiny will “paint [her] soul blacker than hell”; A mention of the Dark Lady blessing the House of Ravenwood; A mention of keeping demons away (thoughts); A mention of a devilish smile; A mention of a rumor of someone being cursed. 
 
 
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘bah!’, an unfinished ‘what the—‘, and seven ‘dart’an!’, (used as an exclamation); Curses that go with the gods of the book: a ‘Light’ and two forms ‘Dark Lady’ (all used as the start of a sentence or could be a replacement for taking God’s name in vain); A tiny bit of sarcasm; Selene receives her “gift” of being able to walk into others’ dreams and her mother teaches her to be able to manipulate the dreams to find out the dreamer’s fears, secrets, or possible guilt or even kill them (Selene is unsettled by this and doesn’t want to do it, but believes she has to because her mother will train her sisters if she doesn’t and Selene doesn’t want that for her sisters, so Selene tries to lock away her heart and emotions); Selene’s mother orders her to kill others (some to practice her gift & another who is in the way in her plans), which Selene does not want to do, but finds herself wondering if she’s turning into a killer (up to semi-detailed on the planning); Selene’s mother puts her and her sister against each other (which Selene hates as it does nothing to help their relationship); Damien grieves his parents & brother; Causing deaths (drownings) & seeing bodies (for the protection of his people, but still feels guilt, up to semi-detailed); Fighting (barely-above-not-detailed); Almost drowning & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Seeing a fire, bandits attacking, a wolf attack, & deaths (in dreams, up to semi-detailed); Social drinking (wine at dinners, both main characters drink); A couple lies; Eavesdropping; Mentions of wars, deaths, a razing, fights, fighting, & weapons; Many mentions of murders, murderers, assassinations, assassins, & plans/orders to kill others; Many mentions of nightmares; Mentions of plans to kill others (via nightmares/dreams); Mentions of executions (including burnings at the stake) & treason; Mentions of deaths, drownings, bodies, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fires, deaths, injuries/burns, & guilt (in a dream, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a wolf attack, a death, blood, & a body (in a dream, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of criminals/bandits, bandit attacks, screams, & injuries (in a dream, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of blood/bleeding, injuries, & a girl’s mind being shattered (leaving her disable *Spoiler* Selene accidentally does this and is distraught by doing it and plans to protect the girl *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of rumors; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of the deaths of loved ones & grief (for parents and a brother); Mentions of drinking & wine; A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of pipes & smoking; A few mentions of relieving oneself (more awkward because it’s a group of mixed genders); A mention of a suicide mission; A mention of divorce (which Damien’s House does not allow); A mention of a man being cruel to animals.
 
 
Sexual Content- A (borderline barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed) hand kiss; Touches, Dancing, & Warmth (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes & Flutters; Noticing & Smelling (including muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of affairs & lovers (*Spoiler* Selene is told her mother is having an affair and she thinks it’s true *End of Spoiler*); A few mentions of blushes; A couple mentions of bandits taking women away from their group & Selene being shaken to see what happened (in a dream of an actual event, all she can see and that is mentioned is her seeing their legs; implied assault); A mention of seeing a couple in bed together (Selene looks away, not wanting to see an intimate moment, but realizes it’s not); A mention of a man staring at Selene and her thinking that she knows what’s in his mind without going into his dreams (implied suggestive); A mention of hand holding; Some attraction & interest; 
             *Note: Selene wonders how her youngest sister came to be as her parents detest each other; A couple mentions of a girls dress with a deep neckline.
 
-Selene Ravenwood
-Damien Maris, age 24
                                P.O.V. switches between them & Lady Ragna (x2)
                                                        341 pages

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My personal Rating- 

I’ve heard about this trilogy for years and since I was craving a fantasy series, I decided to finally pick this one up. 

At first, I was a bit concerned about what I was getting myself into with that opening chapter. Selene is at a sanctuary praying to “The Dark Lady” which is said to have given her ancestors their powers. Needless to say, I was concerned on this darker element, but it’s quickly was revealed to be a book of Good vs Evil (or in this case, Light vs Dark) and have a moral dilemma for our main character (which I love reading those!). 

This was a really interesting plot, I have to say. The fantasy elements worked well and made sense even to my not-a-big-fantasy-fan brain. Though I did struggle a bit with all the characters, thankfully there was a character guide at the beginning of the book. I was quickly invested into the story and was curious how things would go. 

I would probably mark this series as more NA (new adult) than YA (young adult) based on a few hints in this book and different things I’ve heard about the rest of the books, but we’ll see how the rest of the trilogy continues. I think major fantasy fans would probably really like this one.  

 

 

See y’all on Monday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.