Chivalrous (Valiant Hearts Series #2) by Dina L. Sleiman: A Book Review

Chivalrous (Valiant Hearts Series #2)
Author: Dina L. Sleiman
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Christian
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: 2015
Pages: 368
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: With Her Future In Jeopardy, This Unforgettable Heroine Won't Go Down
Without a Fight!

Strong and adventurous Gwendolyn Barnes longs to be a knight like her chivalrous brothers, but her parents view her only as a marriage pawn. When her domineering father makes plans to see her wed to a brutish man, Gwendolyn must fight for her future.

She's surprised, however, for that clash to include a handsome, good-hearted newcomer. Allen of Ellsworth arrives in Edendale searching for his place in the world, but he finds in Gwendolyn the most unexpected of women.

Tournaments, intrigue, and battles--along with twists and turns aplenty--await these two as they struggle to find love, identity, and their true destinies.

My Review: Gwendolyn longs for adventures and to be a knight in shining armor. However, because she is a baron’s daughter, she must marry for the good of her family. She must play her part as a noblewoman by doing embroidery and playing a pipe. One day, she decides to defy her parents and fight in the tournament herself. Her opponent is Sir Allen. Soon, Sir Allen captures her heart, and the two of them must brave all obstacles to be together.

Gwendolyn is a fun character. She is a skilled fighter. She is romantic and loves to hear tales of adventures. She yearns for freedom, and wants to control her own life. She is also stubborn and and strong-willed. Gwendolyn really reminded me a lot of the character, Merida, in the Disney movie, Brave. I also like that at first, she was not very religious. Yet, over time she has a strong relationship with God. It is God, who gives her strength, comfort, and love that she desperately seeks when she is encountered in rough situations.

I also liked Sir Allen. He is a man of virtue. He studies the scriptures everyday. He is also blessed with good fortune because of his good heart. During the tournament, he forfeits his competition to save a little boy. Because of his heroic deed, the duke grants him a place on the council. However, after the duke’s death the council chose him to marry the duchess and to be the new duke. Allen is blinded by ambition and greed. Allen becomes lost and blind, and he must find his way and listen to his heart.

Overall, this book is about friendship, choices, hope, and love. The message of the book is to trust in God’s love and to follow your heart. The story is fast-paced and filled with interesting characters. It is filled with action, adventure, and romance. I like how the story also has some aspects to King Arthur. While the novel is part of a series, it is a standalone. I am definitely going to read the first novel in the series, and I am looking forward to the series. I recommend this book to fans of Melanie Dickerson, Tamara Leigh, and Jody Hedlund.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

No Stone Unturned (Lucy Lawrence Mystery #1) by Pam Lecky: A Book Review

No Stone Unturned (Lucy Lawrence Mystery #1) Author: Pam Lecky Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense Publisher: Storm Publishing Book Release Date: 2024 Pages: 356 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Lucy Lawrence stared down at her husband, his once handsome face now a twisted mask of death. She shivered and pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. His life had held so many secrets, and now his sins were hers to bear… England, 1886. In the flickering gaslights of Victorian London, 28-year-old Lucy Lawrence's future hangs in the balance. Her husband's murder has left her reputation in tatters, and the theft of her mother's priceless heirloom pearls has only added to her woes. But when the handsome investigator Phineas Stone enters her life, Lucy finds herself drawn into a web of deceit that leads right back to her marriage and a deadly conspiracy that could undo them all. ...

Interview With Carolyn Marie Wilkins

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing, Ms. Carolyn Marie Wilkins. She is the author of the Psychics and Soul Food Mystery series. Her first novel, The Murder at the Wham Bam Club , features a psychic named Nola Jackson as an amateur sleuth. Her sequel, Let the Murderer Say Amen , has just recently been released. In this interview, we discussed her inspiration that led her to writing Let the Murderer Say Amen . We also discussed why she decided for Nola to have psychic abilities as well as her love for the mystery genre. Thank you, Ms. Wilkins! (Photo Credit: Sally Cooper) What inspired you to write the Psychics and Soul Food Mystery series? I am a practicing psychic medium. I talk to the dead, read Tarot cards and attend seances, so this book was a natural for me. I also love reading and writing about African American history. And of course, I love Soul Food. Writing this series gives me the chance to combine several of my ...

Guest Post by Aleksey Linetskiy: The Women Behind the Klondike Story

Today's guest writer is Aleksey Linetskiy. He is the co-author of Finch and Hawk: The Klondike Letters , which is a unique yearly subscription in which the reader reads a story by mail. In this guest post, he introduces us to a few historical women of the Klondike era. Some of these women are Alice Freeman, Flora Shaw, and Helen Dare. Thank you, Mr. Linetskiy! The Women Behind the Klondike Story Before we began writing Finch and Hawk: The Klondike Letters , my partner, Alona Umansky, and I spent a great deal of time researching the Klondike Gold Rush. We were interested in finding the stories of people who maybe didn’t become rich and famous but still went through the experience of a great stampede. As we were reading the newspapers of the time and firsthand accounts, it became very clear to us that we wanted to tell at least part of the story through the women’s eyes. There were so many incredible women who underto...

History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

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