The Lodger, by Louisa Treger

Title: The Lodger

Author: Louisa Treger

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Date: October 14, 2014

Hardcover: 272 pages







About the Book
Dorothy Richardson is existing just above the poverty line, doing secretarial work at a dentist's office and living in a seedy boardinghouse in Bloomsbury, when she is invited to spend the weekend with a childhood friend. Jane has recently married a writer who is hovering on the brink of fame. His name is H.G. Wells, or Bertie, as they call him.

Not wanting to betray Jane, yet unable to draw back, Dorothy free-falls into an affair with Bertie. Then a new boarder arrives at the house-striking Veronica Leslie-Jones and Dorothy finds herself caught between Veronica and Bertie. Amidst the personal dramas and wreckage of a militant suffragette march, Dorothy finds her voice as a writer.

My Take
This was a amazing read. I really liked the story. Every time I picked the book up to read, I felt this calming feeling as I went from one page to the next. The story takes you to another world and draws you in to the point to where you can actually visualize the people and the places they go. This to me, shows a really great author. One who truly knows how to write. Seeing how this is her first novel and realizing how great it is, I know she will have more great reads to come.

We are taken on a journey in the time of the twentieth century through the eyes of Dorothy Richardson. She is not doing all that well financially, but is able to survive. It starts of with her spending some time with an old friend and realizing that she has fallen for her husband. Even though that is something that shouldn't be touched, they decided to start to see each other. In the midst of it all, she meets up with a lady named Veronica, who winds up caring for her also. Dorothy is torn between who to care for. During that time, a life with Veronica would be looked upon as not being normal. Then again, if she stays with her friends husband, she could ruin a very important friendship. Along the way, she decides that she wants to take a stab at writing, just like her lover, who happens to be H.G. Wells. Through all of this, she experienced a major life altering crisis. Who does she choose? How does her life turn out? Does she become a writer? Of course your going to have to read the story to find out.

I can't see anyone not liking this book. It was well written and is a simple read. The story and dialogue isn't too over complicated so you can easily get in to the story and not want to put the book down.

About the Author 

Louisa Treger, a classical violinist, studied a the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and worked as a freelance orchestral player and teacher. She subsequently turned to literature, earning a Ph.D. in English at University College London, where she focused on early-twentieth-century women's writing and was awarded the West Scholarship and the Rosa Morison Scholarship "for distinguished work in the study of English Language and Literature." The Lodger is her first novel.

I was given this complimentary book by Kathleen Zrelak for my honest review.

Shadow Hand, by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Title: Shadow Hand

Series: Tales of Goldstone Wood

Paperback: 416 pages

Publisher: Bethany House 

Date: March 4, 2014

Language: English

About the book: By her father's wish, Lady Daylily is betrothed to the Prince of Southlands. Not the prince she loves, handsome and dispossessed Lionheart, but his cousin, the awkward and foolish Prince Foxbrush. As her wedding day dawns, Daylily flees into the dangerous Wilderlands, her only desire to vanish from living memory.

But Foxbrush, determined to rescue his betrothed, pursues Daylily into a new world of magic and peril, a world where vicious Faerie beasts hold sway, a world invaded by a lethal parasite.

About the author: Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of Heartless, Veiled Rose, Moonblood, and Starflower. Heartless and Veiled Rose have each been honoured with a Christy Award, and Starflower was voted winner of the 2013 Clive Staples Award.

My thoughts: Shadow Hand, the sixth book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series is suppose to be an amazing read, but unlike most people who have read this book, I had a really hard time getting through it. I picked it up and put it down a couple of times before just sitting there and reading it. I don't think it had anything to do with the storyline ~ girl loves boy, boy loves girl, girl betrothed to another boy. It is like most love stories that people would enjoy reading, but I guess not me. I do enjoy reading a typical love story, but I think it had something to do with the character names and the place where the story was held. I guess you could say that fantasy books aren't my cup of tea.

The story begins with Lady Daylily and Prince Foxbrush getting ready for their wedding. Unfortunately it did not happen due to the fact that Lady Daylily ran away. This is where I have to say the book took a turn for me. In the woods, or another "place" (Wilderlands) I couldn't quite make it out, she ran into different creatures and animals that could talk to her. Not only were the names hard for me to keep reading, but the names of some of the places and creatures just didn't mesh well with me. Some of the names in the story are Lionheart, Wolfsbane, Rose Red, Tortoiseshell and Nidawi. Some of the sames of places in the book are Farthestshore, Wilderlands, and Middlecrescent. As you can see, these aren't typical names used in our everyday world.

Another thing that I just couldn't get with was the part where they were in the forest (Lady Daylily had to be found) and different animals or creature type things were able to communicate with them, show them things that they wouldn't be able to see on their own, and partly control them. Yes I know, these are all things that would take place in a fantasy story. 

Technically, I could go on and on, but I don't want to tear the book apart and make it look like it isn't worth reading. It is a very easy read. And one can easily get into and follow the story. If you like fantasy fiction, then this book will probably interest you and you will like the story. But for me, who isn't too keen on fantasy stories, not so much. Part of me wonders if I had read the other books if it would have made a difference.

This book was given to me by Bethany House for my honest review.

What The Heart Sees, by Kathleen Fuller

I am a really big Kathleen Fuller fan. So when I was given the chance to review her book What the Heart Sees, I was truly thrilled. Not only do I get to read one story written by her, but also I get to read three all in one book. In this book, she has put a collection of Amish romance stories together.

The first story, A Miracle for Miriam, is about a girl who is young and in love and then has it all taken away from her. That is what happens to Miriam. As a child she has a crush on Seth who one day humiliates her and causes her to harden her heart when it comes to men. As time goes by, Seth moves away and spends time with some English friends. While there, he gets involved in an accident, which causes him to change mentally and physically. When Miriam sees him years later, she notices the changes. But is it good enough for her to let go of the past and move forward with him?

The second story, A Place of His Own, is about two good friends and on tragic moment. Josiah moves away without saying good-bye to Amanda. Years later, he returns to the community a different person. Amanda wonders what has happened to her friend from years ago. Why is he so bitter? Then a barn fire erupts and the community comes together, which has Josiah come to a realization about them.

The third and final story, What the Heart Sees, is about a man name Christopher who is angry from the accident that left him all alone and without a fiance. And after a downward spiral, he enters into a five-year bann. Later he decides to go home where he is reunited with Ellie, who was left blind from an accident of her own. Can they let go of the pains from the past and move forward into the future?

The book also has a couple of Amish recipes in the back that you can try. Can I say Cream Cheese Brownies?

What the Heart Sees is a really great book and if you love Amish books, you will really love this one. Kathleen Fuller is a really great writer and I think everyone should read it.

I thank Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks, is a grab a blanket and don't get up until you are done kind of a book. It was very touching and pulled at my heart strings. It had me smiling, laughing, and crying all the way to the very end.


This story is set in Wilmington, North Carolina between the years of 2000 to 2006. It is about a young man by the name of John Tyree, who was born in 1977 and raised by a single parent. Having somewhat of a tumultuous beginning, he decided to join the army after high school.


One day, while on leave, he meets a young girl by the name of Savannah Lynn Curtis. John, being somewhat of a bad boy and Savannah, being a Christian girl, makes it a bad boy meets good girl type of story. But unlike most, their relationship over the next couple of days develops into a strong love for each other. A love that has them dreaming of being together forever. Then his two weeks leave ends and he has to return to where he is stationed. Their love is then taken through trials and tribulations of a distant romance. The question is can their love, the strongest of all loves, survive the test of time?


This book turned out to be a better read than I thought it would be. I thought it would be a book filled with a lot of letters between the two of them. But it turned out to be a really enduring story and I highly recommend it as a must read.

An Honest Love by Kathleen Fuller

"An Honest Love", written by Kathleen Fuller, is a very compelling novel. The compassion that is shown between the characters in this story made me want to fall in love all over again.

Fuller has set this story, the 2nd book in the A Hearts of Middlefield Novel series, in Middlefield, Ohio, surrounding a small Amish community. When reading this story, you will learn about some of the ins and outs of the life of the Amish men and women and some of their language, which has been implanted into parts of their conversations. You also learn how heavily they rely on God to get them through their times of trouble.

Anna Esh is a caring, quiet, modest young woman who moved to Middlefield with her mother in order to take care of her Uncle Zeb. While she and her mother take over a local goods shop, she meets a strong willed, caring man name Lukas Byler. Upon seeing her, he is immediately smitten, but because of past relationships, it takes her awhile to warm up to him. Overtime, what starts as a friendship turns into a heartfelt romantic relationship. The only problem, Anna has a secret that will either make their relationship stronger or tear them apart forever.

Aaron Detweiler is an attractive, reticent young man who took full advantage of his rumspringa. After returning to his community and starting work as a blacksmith, he meets a carefree, childlike young woman name Elisabeth Byler. Working at the same company allows Aaron and Elisabeth to spend time together and have their co-working relationship grow into best friends. Because of Elisabeth’s naivety and stubbornness at times, Aaron is forced to dwell on his past more than he wants to. Since they are such good friends, a lot of ups and downs are caused in their relationship which tears them between staying friends and wanting more.

This is a very riveting and well written story which makes you feel as though you are right there with them going through everything they are. I highly recommend this book, which has topped the list of my best reads of all time. I will definitely be reading the first book in this series and getting the next one when it comes out.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255