Well, weather is warming and fingers are busy with a selection of various projects. Reading has slipped just a bit. BUT I have managed to finish the third book in the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children… Library of Souls (by Ransom Riggs). Now I must warn you… this is an impossible book to review without putting forth information regarding the first two books… and you really MUST read them in order!

Dramatic and at times heart rending, Library of Souls is full of action and angst, friendship and betrayal, love and pain. One of the things I love and hate about this book is the confusion that runs through it. There are so many possible allies and enemies. The world is a dark place in book #3 where the entirety of Peculiardom is in upheaval and distress. The Ymbrynes are all abducted, the peculiars dead, taken or destroyed by a need for what is later shown to be essence of other peculiar’s “second soul” which acts much like an addictive drug.

In this dark and dangerous scenario are Emma and Jacob and Addison the peculiar dog. There is something absolutely lovable about Addison… There are so many other characters… and so many amazing pictures to put faces to descriptions. That really is the key to these books, Ransom Riggs has such a touch and eye to combining amazing images to enthralling words. 

Book 1 was an introduction to the world, a hint a the troubles… book 2 threw us into danger and intrigue, book 3 brings us full circle to even more new and unique loops and worlds that defy imagination. Library of Souls is a dark book, but it is a book of hope and possible redemption. It is a book of adventure and battle and decisions made under pressure. 

I have a favourite line in this one… said by Emma Bloom – when asked whether or not she doubted…

Emma shook her head. “Doubt is the pinprick in the life raft.” 

I don’t know why but that resonates with me. I hope that you will hunt down these books at your local bookstore or library, they are well worth it… Go, jump into the world of the peculiar! 

From the paranormal and surreal to a light Texas romance rife with twins and now… a Love Inspired HISTORICAL! What a weird collection these past few weeks. Set in 1881 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee His Mountain Miss by Karen Kirst was a rather sweet period romance. The third book (once again, like Carbon Copy Cowboy, right into the middle of the series… oops) in the Smokey Mountain Ranches series, this book centers on one of the daughters in the O’Malley family… Megan and her interactions with New Orleans aristocrat Lucian Beaumont. 

Lucian has come to sell off his estranged and now deceased grandfather’s property so he can return to New Orleans free of what he sees as the abandonment of his mother by her father and himself in turn. Tied to this property is Megan and the people of Smokey Mountain who are (according to the will) allowed access to the property to continue on the good works of its previous owner. 

I really appreciate the author’s grasp of the era (and since this is not my favourite… I prefer Regency, this was a wonderful surprise), she really does draw you into the scene and make you want to know all you can about the characters. There is a bit of a mystery to what happened to between Lucian’s mother and his grandfather to clear up… many members of Megan’s family to meet and the surrounding townspeople. 

This is definitely a faith based book… Megan with her strong faith and Lucian needing to regain his in the face of his loss of his mother. Class differences in the era are touched upon lightly as are the conditions and difficulties of the time. This story deals with loss, with faith and love, with knowing what is best for yourself beyond your past and the future your family or your status seems to demand. And it helps that Lucian has his French words tossed in there for flair and a description that is quite marvelous. Definitely an enjoyable read! 

Well, I know I haven’t mentioned this one the blog yet (being so far behind as I am!) but this is our time to learn all about Australia and all things Australian. It has been almost a full month now of amazing facts and interesting dialogue between ourselves and the friends online who live in Australia currently. While searching for books at the library (and I may add someone else is doing the same topic and chasing me for resources! ACK!) I came across some fiction books under the same keywords. So what is a girl to do but request one and give it a go! So… here goes!

First off, Patchwork Family in the Outback by Soraya Lane is one of a series called Bellaroo Creek (which is also the location they are set at in… you guessed it… the Outback). They are also NOT the inspirationals I usually read, rather a Harlequin Romance, though still soft and without great detail in regards to intimacy… a sort of, kiss kiss fade to black but we darn well know what those two got up to… sort of story.

Basically Bellaroo Creek is in need of a teacher, otherwise its school will close and families will have to move (or as we have learned, take radio school… though this option is not discussed in the book). This is a huge fear for single father Harrison Black who regards life as one bitten always shy… no twice about it… when his wife jumps ship to move to a more urban center. Enter Poppy Carter, wooed by the one dollar a month rent and the chance to make a difference after her own disastrous romantic history.

I enjoyed this book on a rather light hearted, easy read sort of basis. There is no religious component and the speed of the story is relatively quick. I don’t know how true to life it would be, this Bellaroo Creek in the Outback and would love it if someone could fill me in either way.

What I found interesting is the isolation and how the characters reacted to it. I wonder how I would feel out where you really have to depend on those things at hand and people near by with the understanding that outside that bubble is quite the drive to get to more.

The characters are endearing, the issues spring up from the past and the current weather/land/seasonal change. So there is no true bad guy dipping a finger in the pot. I liked that. The intimacy description was well within my comfort range though at times I wanted to swat the man upside the head. So, if you are interested in a light read based in Australia… give it a go… and please let me know if you do!