The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton Book Review

// The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn //

 

By Lori Benton

 

{Review By Bethany}
 

Number of Pages: 400
ISBN: 0307731499

Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Released: April 29th, 2014
Source: Blogging for Books

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 

// Book Synopsis //

Taken from Good Reads

 

"Western North Carolina, 1787 ~ To escape a threatening stepfather and an unwanted marriage, Tamsen Littlejohn enlists the aid of Jesse Bird, a frontiersman she barely knows, to spirit her away from Morganton, North Carolina, west beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Trouble pursues, as the two men intent on seeing her recovered prove relentless in their hunt. Trouble awaits in the form of a divided frontier community. Across the mountains the State of Franklin has been declared, yet many settlers remain loyal to North Carolina. Chaos reigns, thwarting Tamsen and Jesse’s hastily cobbled plan to keep her safe.

With her pursuers ever nearing, the region in turmoil, neighbors grown suspicious of her presence, Tamsen’s safety is soon put in greater jeopardy. Gaining the freedom she longs for will mean running yet again, to the most unlikely refuge imaginable—the Cherokees, a people balanced on the knife edge of war.

But the biggest complication may prove to be Tamsen’s growing bond with her knight in greasy buckskins, Jesse Bird. Falling in love was never part of the plan."

Author's Website
More Info
Read Chapter 1
Author Bio

 

// Bethany's Book Review //

Wow! What an exciting journey this book took my on! Before reading The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn I'd never read any of Lori Benton's books, but had always heard great things about her work, and wanted to. I enjoyed this book so much, that I'm pretty much deeming it my favorite book that I've read this year so far, and I'm sure it will keep this place even after I've finished reading all the books I plan to read this year. I was completely blown away with the story which exceeded my expectations for being a good book by such a great level! I'm so sorry I didn't find out about this author sooner!

 

I think one of the reasons why this book was such a favorite, was the combination of the wonderful writing style, well-thought out plot, as well as the characters that you can't help but fall in love with as you read about. This book was so amazing I'm fining it hard to adequately describe how much I loved it, and why I loved it so much. But I think I should start by saying that the writing style and plot, which was full of so many twists and turned and constantly kept me on the edge of my seat; was blew my mind with how amazing it was compared to my expectations! The plot was so original, and written in such a way that you were literally "there" with Jesse and Tamsen, running for their lives. You are actually there beside them as they are being thrust together in unlikely circumstances that test one's true character, which is only revealed in difficult situations (This particularly proved Jesse's character to be admirable, which I'll say more on in a bit). This story-line was so exhilarating that I literally couldn't put the book down, and I was in awe of the constant action and twists that kept me surprised with the plot and wanting to keep reading. There was never any dry spots, and was so fast paced and exciting that there was constant action and excitement throughout the almost 400 pages of the novel, which flew by faster than I thought they would.

 

Another thing I loved about this book was the bits of history that were woven into the story. Aside from it being a masterfully plotted fictional story, there were parts that were based on actual historical events. I always enjoy getting a "history lesson", if you will, in my novels so I found this to be very much to my liking. Plus it was neat getting to see what it was like for people who lived during this time period, and seeing how that affected how they lived. Especially in Jesse and Tamsen's case where they were constantly on the run and in several awkward situations at times.

 

And then we come to the characters. Oh my goodness! Let me just say this: Lori Benton has crafted such love-able and no-desirable characters, that I doubt I'll forget these dear friends (and enemies!) anytime soon. I just fell in love with each of the good characters, and  felt a deep distaste towards the bad ones. I saw such great character development throughout the story-especially with Tamsen who went from a wealthy girl living while constantly being waited on, who then lost everything and was on the constant run, living in the woods and fearing her father. The characters also were very love-able for me; especially Jesse and Tamsen. I felt such a connection with the characters and particularly love Jesse's character. He was such a gentleman who had a heart for the Lord and it showed through his actions when no one was looking. His character made me deeply admire him and I just loved how he treated Tamsen with respect and gentleness.

 

Overall I absolutely LOVED this novel and for sure declaring it a top favorite which I'd highly recommend! I'm eagerly awaiting more books by this author in the future, and was extremely impressed with this book. The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn will forever hold a spot of my bookshelf as a beloved story with beloved characters; which I will make time to re-read again and again.

 

D I S C L A I M E R :: I received a free copy of The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn from the publisher through Blogging for Books, for the sole purpose of this review. I was not paid to write this review, and all thoughts expressed in my review are completely my own, honest and unbiased.

The Thief By Stephanie Landsem Book Review

/ / The Thief / /

/ / The Living Water Series / /

{Review By Madi}

Book Title: The Thief

Author: Stephanie Landsem

Source: Litfuse Publicity Group

Book Genre: Christian Fiction

Number Of Pages: 324

ISBN: 978-1-4516-8910-5

Publisher: Howard

Year Of Publication: 2014

Rating: Four Out Of Five Stars

 

/ / Book Description / /

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Nissa is a Jewish woman with a sharp tongue and no hope of marriage. Abandoned by the God she once loved, her only recourse is to depend upon Mouse, the best thief in Jerusalem, to keep her blind brother, Cedron, fed and the landlord satisfied.

Longinus is a Roman centurion haunted by death and failure and is desperate to escape the accursed Judean province. Accepting a wager that will get him away from the aggravating Jews and their threats of revolt, he sets out to catch the thieves harassing the marketplace.

When a controversial teacher miraculously heals Cedron, Nissa hopes for freedom from her life of lies. But the supposed miracle brings only more misfortune, and Longinus, seeking to learn more about the mysterious healer, finds himself drawn instead to Nissa, whose secret will determine the course of both their futures.

Cedron, Longinus, and Nissa are unexpectedly caught up in the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. As danger closes in on them from every side, they must decide if the love and redemption Jesus offers is true or just another false promise. How can the so-called Messiah save them from their shackles, when he cannot even save himself?

/ / Book Review / /

I have always loved biblical fiction. This book took real life events that happened in the new testament and turned them into a compelling story about love of family and love of God. I have been anxiously awaiting this book's arrival for quite some time now, all I had to do was read the back cover and I knew that it was going to be a book that I would enjoy immensely. And I was right. This novel was marvelous. It took my love for Biblical Fiction to a whole new level. Within the first few pages there was a major plot twist, and I mean MAJOR. It was very interesting to see the events of Jesus' lifetime through the eyes of this author. Do you remember how Jesus healed a blind man by mixing his saliva into the dirt, rubbing it on the blind man's eyes and telling him to wash it off? That man (in this novel) was Nissa's big brother. How cool is that?! I only have one complaint. After things slowed down from the initial whirlwind in the beginning of the book, it took a while to speed back up. It was kind of the same thing repeated in a few of the chapters between the beginning and the end. I had a hard time keeping focused on the book there for a bit, but once things started to get going, I was a goner. I wonder if this author has any other novels? That is something that I will have to look into. Anyways, this book was fabulous over all, and it was definitely worth the time that it took me to read it (which might have been a bit longer than usual). I would recommend this book to someone that has a soft spot for Biblical Fiction and page turning novels (because it WAS a page turner in most parts).

 

~The Literary Maidens

 

Note: I was provided with a free copy of this book by the Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not further compensated for reviewing this product, and all thoughts and sentiments expressed above are completely my own and unbiased.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Healer of Carthage by Lynne Gentry Book Review

// Healer of Carthage //

 

The Carthage Chronicles // Book 1

 

By Lynne Gentry

 

{Review By Bethany}

Number of Pages: 416
ISBN: 1476746338

Publisher: Howard
Released: March 4th, 2014
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 

// Book Synopsis //

 

Taken from GoodReads.com

 

"A modern-day doctor gets trapped in third-century Carthage, Rome, where she uncovers buried secrets, confronts Christian persecution, and battles a deadly epidemic to save the man she loves.Dr. Lisbeth Hastings, a first-year resident, is summoned by her eccentric father to join him at his archaeological dig. She is hesitant to accept his invitation, but when a tragic mistake ends her medical career, Lisbeth decides the only way to redeem her failure is to care for her confused father.

While exploring the haunting cave at her father’s dig, Lisbeth falls through a hidden hole and awakens to find herself the object of a slave bidding war! She tries to escape her captor, a wealthy Roman lawyer named Cyprian Thascius, and discovers that the city she remembers as ruins has somehow become brand-new. Who restored Carthage to a thriving metropolis? And if she is in the third century, how did this happen?

Cyprian believes God called him to rescue the beautiful and strange woman being auctioned off as a slave. He doesn’t understand why saving the church of his newfound faith requires him to love a mysterious woman who seems determined to get him killed by her stubbornness. But who is he to question God?

Their colliding worlds spark an intense attraction as Lisbeth and Cyprian soon find themselves united in a battle against a deadly epidemic. Together they confront Christian persecution, uncover buried secrets, and witness the beginnings of a medical revolution, but they fear Roman wrath will separate them forever. Will Lisbeth save the man she loves and the family she longs for—or will their separate worlds pull them apart forever?"

 

// Bethany's Book Review //

 

Be sure and fastened your seat belts, because author Lynne Gentry will take you on a fast-paced, exciting ride back in time to third century Carthage, Rome. Brace yourself to take part in a thrilling journey with doctor Lisbeth Hastings, as she puts her medical training to good use when helping the people of Rome, when a deadly sickness causes many to die in Carthage. Filled with lots of twists and turns, fast paced action and excitement, and a lot of heart; this ride is sure to delight all historical fiction fans-leaving you eager for the next trip to Carthage!

 

I had never heard of this author, but when I had the opportunity to review her newest book Healer of Carthage, after reading the synopsis and seeing that this book had potential I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did, as I think this book will make it to my favorite list of books read this year! It reminded me a lot of the popular young adult fiction River of Time series by Lisa Bergren, which is also a time travel series. But, Healer of Carthage had a unique doctor/medical aspect which made the book all the more enjoyable.

 

This book is pure action, and is so fast paced and exciting, that there was never a dull moment, and I had no problem turning pages! The plot was written very nicely, and flowed easily. I really enjoyed seeing the true Lisbeth come out during the trying time of traveling back in time to ancient Rome, with no idea of how to return to the current world. I loved seeing her grow and mature in her worldview and how her perspectives changed after going back in time; and I loved seeing how she changed and started making the most of the time she was given. As well as the other valuable life lessons she learned during her time in Carthage.

 

And then there is Cyprian. For sure he is my favorite character, though I really liked Lisbeth too. This guy was a model Christian, and I loved his courage for standing up for what he believed in and how his Christianity effected his choices. I thought it was neat how many of the main characters in this novel, including Cyrian were real people who actually lived during the third century in Rome, and thought that was a neat aspect of the book. He was such a strong sturdy Christian character that I really admired and respected, and I can't wait to see more of him in the second book in this series!

 

Another thing I loved about this novel was the historical detail, and getting to view it through 21st-century Lisbeth's eyes. There were lots of historical details that were interesting to read about, and it was obvious that this author did her research. I felt like I learned a lot, and got a good idea of third century Roman life through reading this book. 

 

Due to some mature content including detailed injuries/violence with the Romans and their persecution of Christians, coliseum scenes, as well as some mature marital content and a lady who's body is in slavery to a man who misuses her, I'd recommend younger readers read with caution as some of the scenes are a bit detailed. I felt like at times the author wrote these mature scenes with descriptive details, and would only recommend this book to mature readers, around the ages of 16+.

 

This is definitely an interesting novel from a new-to-me author that has a unique writing style that I've not read anything like before, and I'm super excited about the next book in The Carthage Chronicles series, Return to Exile! I highly recommend this book to fans of Lisa Bergren's River of Time series, or fans of time travel and historical fiction novels!

 

D I S C L A I M E R :: I received a free copy of Healer of Carthage from the publisher for the sole purpose of this review. I was not paid to write this review. All thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own, honest and unbiased.