Hello Sweet Readers!

What a month March has turned out to be. Blizzards. Rain. Massive flooding. So many of us have been forced indoors. Hence, my reading has been off the charts! I’d love to share the latest books that have graced my coffee table and yes, sported coffee stains.

But first, a little picture of the aftermath of the latest blizzard. Rising rivers pushed chunks of ice against the roads, toppled bridges, and even took out a dam. Now that’s power. Please keep the Midwest in your prayers as constituents take on the task of cleanup and rebuilding.

 

 

 

The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

I’ve enjoyed the latest offering by Melanie Dickerson. The Warrior Maiden is a Mulan retelling with a surprising twist. I understand reviewers have questioned Mulan, an Asian female lead, finding romance with a German duke’s son. This is understandable as YA fantasy continues to push for greater diversity. However, I didn’t find it detracting from the story. Dickerson has created a believable world within Medieval Europe and to cast the romantic lead as anyone other than a knight, wouldn’t fit with the rest of the series.

The romance was sweet. Mulan is one of the “stronger” characters in the fairytale series, yet she still maintains femininity and vulnerability as a woman struggling to find her place. She wrestles with her faith and her growing attraction to Wolfgang. I always appreciate the faith element within Dickerson’s books. Mulan’s insecurities and protective nature will appeal to younger readers.

It’s a solid 4/5 stars for me. I have bought every single book this author puts out and I have no intentions of stopping with this series. Already my kids are eyeing the collection. They are a little young for it yet, but soon. Very soon!

You can purchase this beauty here. Isn’t it gorgeous? Thomas Nelson puts out some of the prettiest covers!

Back cover blurb:

She knows women are expected to marry, cook, and have children, not go to war. Can she manage to stay alive, save her mother, and keep the handsome son of a duke from discovering her secret?

When Mulan takes her father’s place in battle against the besieging Teutonic Knights, she realizes she has been preparing for this journey her whole life—and that her life, and her mother’s, depends on her success. As the adopted daughter of poor parents, Mulan has little power in the world. If she can’t prove herself on the battlefield, she could face death—or, perhaps worse, marriage to the village butcher.

Disguised as a young man, Mulan meets the German duke’s son, Wolfgang, who is determined to save his people even if it means fighting against his own brother. Wolfgang is exasperated by the new soldier who seems to be one step away from disaster at all times—or showing him up in embarrassing ways.

From rivals to reluctant friends, Mulan and Wolfgang begin to share secrets. But war is an uncertain time and dreams can die as quickly as they are born. When Mulan receives word of danger back home, she must make the ultimate choice. Can she be the son her bitter father never had? Or will she become the strong young woman she was created to be?

This fresh reimagining of the classic tale takes us to fifteenth-century Lithuania where both love and war challenge the strongest of hearts.

 

The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White

In future posts, I’ll be sharing a little more about another fabulous read involving strong women and a dash of danger. When I heard that Roseanna M. White’s latest novel involves women who love math and a spy or two, I said, “Sign me up!” As a former audiologist, I’m always drawn to female characters who excel in math or science.

Stay tuned for future giveaways and some fun info on The Number of Love. In the meantime, you can find it here!

Back cover Blurb: Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network–field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.

Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy who just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the intelligent Margot, but how can he convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?

Amid biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save themselves from the very secrets that brought them together.

Doesn’t this book sound absolutely fabulous?

As always, I love to hear what you are reading and if you have any great book recommendations in the comments below.

Happy reading!