Inside the Wong Mind

Book Review: A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert

A Broken Kind of Beautiful
by Katie Ganshert
Rating: 5/5
WaterBrook Press – Fiction|Christian|Romance

For twenty-four-year-old Ivy Clark, life as a supermodel has a shelf life. Her ten years in the biz has shown her that she is nothing more than a shell. When she returns to Greenbrier, South Carolina, for her father’s funeral, she is filled with conflicting and frustrating thoughts. The illegitimate child of her father’s mistress, Ivy has never felt wanted and loved by her father. On top of this tragedy, Ivy is facing the end of her career. Too many young faces are stealing the spotlight from her. When her uncle (her agent) convinces her to do a bridal magazine spread for her stepmother, Marilyn, who designs wedding gowns, she is desperate, yet hesitant to stay in Greenbrier. Marilyn’s nephew, Davis Knight, will be the photographer, and Ivy is uncertain whether or not he is up to the challenge. Tortured by his past, Davis Knight knows all about the world of fashion photography. Having given up his passion in photography, he is reluctant to jump back in, even to help his beloved aunt and benefit his blind sister, Sara. Davis has a gift of seeing more than what’s on the outside; Ivy cannot seem to use her usual seduction tricks on him. Can Ivy find love and redemption in the small town of Greenbrier? Can Davis forgive himself for his past mistakes? Can Ivy and Davis find a way to work together and possibly more?

I found out about author Katie Ganshert on Facebook and was curious to read one of her books. When I found her recent book available on Blogging for Books, I immediately signed up to read it. This story is only her third book. I literally read the book in 4 hours (midnight-4am). I could not and would not put it down. This book is simply one of the best Christian romances I have ever read, and I have read MANY books. The beautifully woven story of faith and redemption is so heart-wrenching and perfectly written. The reader falls in love with the characters and their journeys to redemption. The plot keeps moving along – not too slow or fast. My only concern was that the story ends a little abruptly for my taste. It was a somewhat satisfying end, but the short epilogue was not enough for me. That is how much I enjoyed the book. I just want to thank the author for writing such a powerful story of God’s redeeming love and forgiveness. I was so moved by the story of God’s faithfulness and love, even when we don’t deserve it.

I highly recommend this story for anyone who loves Christian romance. Warning: you may need tissues.

I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.

June 28, 2014 by Kim Book Reviews

Book Review: Raptor 6 by Ronie Kendig

Raptor 6
by Ronie Kendig
Rating: 4/5
The Quiet Professionals series

Estranged from the only family he has left, Captain Dean Watters considers his Special Forces elite team his only family. When 10 secret military computers go missing, his mission is reacquire the stolen tech. If he fails and the enemy is able to crack the code to access the computers, millions of Americans lives will be at risk.

In Afghanistan as a missionary, Zahrah Zarrick is determined to give every girl (and boy) a fighting chance by teaching them English. She finds herself unknowingly entangled in a dangerous game with the Taliban. When she disappears without a trace, Captain Watters and his team must find a way to save the retired general’s daughter before it is too late. Can Dean get over his fears of captivity and torture to save the woman who has stolen his heart?

I am a big fan of Ronie Kendig. Her military experience as an army brat and her extensive research make for an authentic and exciting read. She creates characters that are real and likable. Although the story seemed a little confusing at first (especially with the Kindle formatting), I was still able to pick it up and devour the text. I wanted to get to know the characters and how they came to be. I wanted more, so I’m glad that this is just the beginning of the series. There were definitely some threats that weren’t resolved by the end of this book, so I look forward to the next book. However, I feel there could have been more development with the main characters and their backgrounds but maybe that will happen some more in the next book?

This is definitely another exciting, military mystery read from Ronie Kendig!

I received this book for free from NetGalley but was not required to give a positive review.

June 27, 2014 by Kim Book Reviews

Book Review: An April Bride by Lenora Worth, Rating: 3/5

An April Bride
by Lenora Worth
Rating: 3/5
A Year of Weddings Novella

Stella Carson is ready to be married to the love of her life, Marshall Henderson, but while he’s stationed overseas, he gets hurt and sent home. He has hysterical amnesia and does not remember Stella and the life they had together. As his memories slowly start coming back, he is determined to honor his promises to her but is so frustrated and scared and also suffering from PTSD. Stella struggles with her faith while trying to help Marshall remember all that they’ve been through and rekindle the love that Marshall knows is there but doesn’t feel anymore. With only weeks before their April wedding, can the two of them reignite their love or will the wedding be cancelled?

I’ve been enjoying this wedding series from some of my favorite authors and I was not disappointed by this one. The main characters were so considerate of each other in everything that they did. They demonstrated such love and respect for one another even though the situation was so strange and tragic. The plot is reminiscent of some other stories, but Worth puts her own spin on the story. Although the story was a bit predictable, I still enjoyed meeting the wonderful characters and wondered what I would be like if I were Stella.

Definitely a light and romantic summer read!

I received this book for free from NetGalley but was not required to give a positive review.