Forsaken Dreams (Escape to Paradise #1)

Forsaken Dreams by M.L. Tyndall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really liked this book though it seemed a little different than her other books. I liked all of the characters, even down to the "bad guy" who was just straight CREEPY!

This book really was about escaping. These war-exhausted southerners are ready to leave their roots in the south after the civil war. They seek to start a new colony in Brazil where they can start fresh and away from the Union.

Ms. Tyndall is a talented author (my favorite) but this book really shows her growth I think. It's beautifully written, it was seamless to me.

As always, I love her journey into faith for the characters, though the journey for each of them was not quite as powerful as I have read in some of her other books. But that did not take away from it at all.

I am so very excited to read more in this series and see what lies ahead in Brazil!



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The Restitution

The Restitution by M.L. Tyndall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I forgot to mark that I finished this book, I've been so busy I haven't picked up a book other than the Bible in a few weeks.

I don't remember all the detail of this book but I know I loved every second of this pirating adventure written by MaryLu Tyndall. I think there is only one book I have left of hers to read and then I can say I've read every one. By far, she is my favorite author.

Her amazing ability to combine real life emotions, battles, adventure, and Christianity into one fantastic book makes her undeniably talented. I look forward to keep reading her books as she publishes them!

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Surrender the Dawn (Surrender to Destiny #3)

Surrender the Dawn by M.L. Tyndall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will never tire of reading her books. I cannot say enough how fun, adventurous, and romantic they are! The spirituality of these books make them that much better. Books you can totally feel good about reading.

This was the final book in this series and it wrapped up nicely. All of the books are loosely connected and this and the book preceding it are definitely tied together during a particular event.

This was so, so good. Can't wait to read every single book she publishes!



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The Doctor's Lady

The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and was tickled to read this book was loosely based on the travels of the the Whitman's, a married missionary couple heading west in 1836. The route they took would later become the Oregon Trail. The historical portrayal was very interesting but the authors fictional spin was great!

My first Jody Hedlund book...but not the last.

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The Reliance

The Reliance by M.L. Tyndall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, just another fantastic MaryLu Tyndall read! Her books are so exciting and deal with Christ in such a realistic way. This book points out that even as Christians, we can fall from our ways but we can always be forgiven when we repent and truly mean it. God is wonderful and will forgive us our transgressions. Amazing.

Captain Edmund Merrick and his wife, Charlisse are quickly separated in this book when the town they are visiting is raided by pirates. Edmund thinks his wife has died in an explosion and is completely devastated. He blames God and turns from Him and starts to turn to his old sinful ways from before he accepted Christ. But God isn't so easily willing to let Edmund turn Him away.

Meanwhile, Charlisse must face that fact that her husband may never find her since he believes her dead. She is in fact imprisoned on a pirate ship along with Lady Isabel Ashton. The two become quick friends in their struggles and make a plan to escape the evil clutches of Captain Carlton. Captain Carlton is infatuated with Isabel and provides her many comforts but he cannot seem to win her affections.

When Charlisse and Isabel are able to escape, they face a reality that life may not be the same as when they were first kidnapped. Charlisse dresses up as a pirate to head into town where she thinks her husband may be. She see's what she thinks is her husband’s deviant new ways and tells herself she no longer needs him. While she is witnessing this in town and bears the heart break, Isabel is once again kidnapped by Captain Carlton. After discovering her friend is missing, Charlisse takes command of her husband’s ship with the help of some of her husband’s loyal friends, who are disappointed to see him turn away from his good ways, and embarks on a mission to rescue her new friend again.

Once Edmund discovers his ship missing, he is determined to find his so-called loyal friends and try to figure out how and why a tiny new pirate could take over his ship. It isn't until he comes upon the ship that he discovers who this new pirate is and why this pirate gives him such a steely look of hatred that makes his stomach do flips. Could it be.......

I'll leave it at that. Very good book!!

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Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cheryl Strayed went through a rough patch in her early twenties. The death of her mother, a divorce, dabbling with drugs and men, she was pretty lost in life. It was one day that she up and decided she wanted to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. On her own.

Cheryl flits back and forth between her hike and the people she meets along the way and the things that happened in her past that led her there. She meets some amazing people and has one awesome adventure that opens her mind and her eyes to her past and to healing.

I can't relate to Cheryl much personally but I admire her for everything she went through and how she decided to overcome it; despite how unprepared she was for her hike on the PCT. She wanted to give up so many times but she kept on going. Both through sheer will and inspiration from her fellow PCT hikers. There are so few people who would face such things, let alone a woman in the wilderness by her lonesome.

I don't know what type of person Cheryl became after her major trek. I am quite curious of how parts of her life played out after her life changing hike. The last few lines of the book give the reader a quick little snippet but I still would have more questions if I were ever to meet her!

Overall, great book of a wayward woman who found a path that she literally and figuratively overcame in her life.

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Wanderlove

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm not really an adventurer, I'm certainly not a global back packer but that doesn't mean I didn't like this book. Nor am I a big fan of contemporary lit. I like books that take me away from reality. Whether it be in the past, the future or something of a fantasy, contemporary tends to bore me. Not this contemporary, it did take me away from my reality and on to an adventure, it was fantastic!

I really didn't understand what this book was about but my first thoughts were, "uh oh, liberal loving vegetarian hippies". Well, it kind of was but that was such a background issue that it mattered not to me. If anything, I could say I learned a lot outside my sheltered conservative bubble of a life.

I was in love with the insecurity the main character had but her willingness to try a new adventure; to be something that no one else thought she could dare to be. I guess in a way I had my own back pack adventure right out of high school, one that made sense to no one either. I can absolutely relate to that because I joined the Army right out of high school. I too met a guy but that's where the similarities would end!

This is another one of those books that I had never read before. It was the perfect amount of adventure, romance, and craziness!

Great, great book. One of my favorites.

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