Refuge of the Heart by Ruth Logan Herne | Review

Title: Refuge of the Heart
Author: Ruth Logan Herne
Pages: 336
Publisher: Franciscan Media
Goodreads Rating: 4.73 stars
Published: September 25th, 2015
Source: Paperback/from publisher

Description:
District Attorney Mitchell Sanderson wanted for nothing and lost everything in a tragic accident. A dogged worker, Mitch’s conviction rate earned him respect and trust. Now up for re-election, Mitch’s law-and-order persona makes him a shoo-in candidate. But when faith, conscience and love of a troubled refugee ripple the smooth waters of his existence, can Mitch risk everything for love?

Magdalena Serida fought her way out of the terrors of a government-quelled insurgent uprising in Chechnya. The church-sponsored refugee knows the horrors of war first-hand. Now in America with her five-year-old sister, Lena is uncertain who to trust. Her Christian faith has maintained her through the loss of her family, but when Mitch Sanderson shows interest, Lena longs to take a chance. Should she open herself up to this man of law and order, a man who imprisons women like her? Or slip quietly back into the shadowed fringe of anonymity?

But choices slip away when Mitch’s friend spews half-truths about Lena, rumors that cost Mitch his new love and possibly the election. Can he find his way to a faith deep enough to love again, and to offer Lena the refuge of his heart.

My Thoughts:

Okay, I'm honestly having a little trouble collecting all my thoughts for this!  So this might be a little more of a bullet review.  Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author for an honest review.  Here I go!

The book follows the story of Lena and her little sister Anna, both refugees from Chechnya who have been in the US for a couple years.  Lena was working towards a nursing degree so she can continue doing what God had called her for and provide for her sister (she had just graduated with her doctorate before her and her mother were taken by a Russian officer).  She had many things happen to both her and her mother that still haunt her, things she just does not want to share with anyone unless absolutely necessary.

Mitch Sanderson was... content with where he was in life.  He was skating by in life, had dove into his work so hard that he had absolutely no time for anything else.  After losing his wife and unborn child in an accident, everything he had truly loved was gone and he didn't want to face it.  Then, one day, he helped a young woman with her flat tire, and he started to see what he was missing.

I love the story of Mitch and Lena (and Anna)!  I was drawn into their world and hoping they would both learn to trust the other and lean on them.  At first it seemed like Lena would have the hardest time trusting Mitch, and that was true.  But Mitch had a difficult time trusting Lena with his heart as well.  At one point he pushed her away so hard, and it was all because he couldn't trust that she would tell him the truth - without even asking her one simple question: "why?"

Ruth Logan Herne is a wonderful story teller, bringing characters to life in a world you will get so engrossed in, you'll feel like you're there.  I actually had my fireplace going one of the days I was reading, because I just felt so cold when she was describing how cold Lena and Anna always were during the cold months where they live!  I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I hope anyone reading this review decides to pick it up and enjoys it too.

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson | Review

Title: The Golden Braid
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Pages: 320
Publisher: Zondervan
Goodreads rating: 4.06 Stars
Published:  November 1st, 2015
Source: Hardcover/gift

Description:

The one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man around. And her skills as an artist rival those of any artist she’s met. But for a woman in medieval times, the one skill she most desires is the hardest one to obtain: the ability to read.

After yet another young man asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides they need to move once again, but this time to a larger city. Rapunzel’s heart soars—surely there she can fulfill her dream. But Mother won’t let her close to a man. She claims that no man can be trusted.

After being rescued by a knight on the road to the city, and in turn rescuing him farther down the road, Rapunzel’s opportunity arrives at last. This knight, Sir Gerek, agrees to educate Rapunzel in order to pay back his debt. She just has to put up with his arrogant nature and single-minded focus on riches and prestige.

But this Rapunzel story is unlike any other and the mystery that she uncovers will change everything—except her happily ever after.


My Thoughts:

First, I"m a huge fan of Tangled, and my kids were on a Tangled kick for a while there, and I swear I was watching it at least once every few days.  I've always been a fan of Rapunzel, because *hello* HAIR.  I think a lot of young girls of my generation went through a phase with one person they looked up to or were enamored with having long hair.  Who has better hair than Rapunzel?  But I digress.

Melanie Dickerson's Rapunzel was very interesting.  I feel like this book had more layers that her others have been lacking.  And where the last couple books in this series have had leading ladies who were trying to be more self-sufficient and strong on their own, Rapunzel took the steps to do that.  In fact, if it weren't for a sad twist of fate, she would have succeeded {but where would the adventure and fun be in that?}.

Mother Gothel is as reclusive as she forces Rapunzel to be in most the book, and is constantly telling Rapunzel that men are evil and only ever want one thing, then they will leave you.  This is drilled into Rapunzel, but a time comes when she starts to see that Mother Gothel may be wrong about saying all men are like that.  With some of the new-found independence {and the knowledge she's gained by learning to read without Gothel's permission}, Rapunzel decides to go out on her own, getting a reputable job away from the oppressive house Gothel was running.

I don't want to spoil the book for any potential readers, but twists and turn and unexpected revelations keep this one of the more interesting books in the Hagenheim series.  I would definitely suggest this to those who enjoy YA fairytale retellings!  I would suggest starting with the first in the series {The Healer's Apprentice}, but that's definitely not a necessity {though you would find out histories to the leading ladies in the previous books}.

The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson | Mini Review

Title: The Princess Spy
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Pages: 292
Publisher: Zondervan
Goodreads rating: 3.99 Stars
Published:  November 4th, 2014
Source: Paperback/gift

Description

Margaretha has always been a romantic, and hopes her newest suitor, Lord Claybrook, is destined to be her one true love. But then an injured man is brought to the castle, claiming to be an English lord who was left for dead by Claybrook's men. She convinces herself "Lord Colin" is just an addled stranger, until Colin retrieves an heirloom she lost in a well and asks her to spy on Claybrook as repayment. Margaretha knows she could never be a spy---not only does she tend to talk too much, she's sure Colin is completely wrong about her potential betrothed. But she soon discovers her romantic notions may have been clouding her judgment about not only Colin but Claybrook as well. She soon finds herself running for her life--and it may be up to her to save her father and her family from one man's wicked plot.

My Thoughts

Another great book by Melanie Dickerson!  Although I'm not entirely sure what fairytale this is supposed to be a retelling of {is she done with the retellings?  Are these just going to be their own things now?  Or do I just really not know a good share of fairytales anymore?}.

Margaretha is a great character, as she has her faults and learns from them, but she's confident in what she knows {even if every now and then she's a little overconfident}.  Colin almost crashes into her life, and stays there as she's the only one in the castle who understands English in their German town {or at least the only one who knows English and also knows about Colin, since he's trying to avoid detection from the men who beat him and left him for dead}.

This story takes as unexpected turn about halfway through {I've noticed her books tend to do that... }, and it did seem to drag for a little bit.  I don't know if I was just waiting for something to happen and it was frustrating me that it would be so close and something would take away any progress made by the characters.  It didn't stop me from finishing the book {it takes a lot to put a book on my DNF [Did Not Finish] list}, and by the end I was back to singing Melanie Dickerson's praises again.

All of her Hagenheim books are easy YA reads, and I generally enjoy them all.  I'm looking forward to being able to pick up her next book in this series!

The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson | Review

Title: The Captive Maiden
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Pages: 306
Publisher: Zondervan
Goodreads rating: 3.93 Stars
Published:  November 23, 2013
Source: Paperback/Bought

Description

Gisela's childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and his young son. But since her father's death, each day has been filled with nothering bu servitude to her stepmother. So when Gisela meets the duke's son, Valten-the boy she has daydreamed about for years-and learns he is throwing a ball, she vows to attend, even if it's only for a taste of a life she'll never have. To her surprise, she catches Valten's eye. Though he is rough around the edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces are bent  on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts

I'm a big fan of Melanie Dickerson, and The Captive Maiden was no exception. The author has a way with fairytales that really just make you love them, and I do love how she brings God and scripture into each one.

Gisela is everything you would expect a Cinderella-esque heroine to be: beautiful, kind, caring... and mistreated.  She lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters in her father's house, trying to keep her stepmother from selling off all of her late father's beloved horses.  She shares the love her father had for the animals, preferring them to her step-family.

The book changes the meeting between Gisela and the prince {or in the case of this book, the young lord} much like the live-action Cinderella movie Disney released a couple years ago - a chance meeting in the woods.  Though Gisela isn't quite as whimsical as Lily James' Cinderella, she still has the kindness we all love in our little Cinder-girls.  While The Captive Maiden is a fairtale retelling, it does try to show a little how life would have actually been during that time period {although fairly loosely}.  Like needing a male escort to go to the market {or face unwanted attention from rude men} or being completely at the mercy of your family, not matter how much you disliked them and didn't agree with how they were running the family's affairs.

However, one thing that was much more fairytale than real was the leading man's choice on a wife: he was able to pick from any of the single, beautiful females of the land.  Lord Valten has been a little shafted in love, since his betrothed married his younger brother.  But he isn't too upset by that, as he hardly knew her, yet alone loved her, and his younger brother was quite in love with the girl {and she with him}.  After traveling and competing in tournaments for a while, Valten decided it was time to go home and settle down.  Enter Gisela and a chance meeting in the marketplace.  They quickly bond over their love of horses and both find the other very attractive.

While there was some typical, expected elements to this book, it took a rather unexpected turn a little over halfway through, and had at least one good "what in the world?" moment towards the end.  If you like fairytale retellings or just want to give one a whirl, this would be a great one to pick up.  Though I would suggest starting with the first one, as this is the fourth in a series and would ruin the others with some of the information causually thrown out later in the book.

Overall, it was a great quitck read and I would highly recommend it!