by Crystal Caudill | Mar 31, 2023 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
It’s time for another month of our Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge: Unlock an Adventure. I’m so excited to be joining you on an adventure this year with guest reviews from members of our reading challenge participants. If you have a review you’d like to submit for upcoming months, feel free to sign up for a month here and use the Google form to submit your review. As my time has become too limited to do a suggestions post each month, I encourage you to jump over to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page and ask for suggestions from there or from any of a number of amazing reader groups like Avid Readers of Christian Fiction.
*The list of prizes available from my prize shelf can be found here.*
March’s Theme: Gold Rush
April’s Theme: Lawman Hero
Bridge of Gold
by Kimberley Woodhouse
Review by: Charity Henico – Check out her Instagram account at @charitys.book.escapes for lots of bookish fun!
REVIEW
This book was so good. I had no idea what to expect except that it’d be about the Gold Rush. But actually, this was more about a ship from the Gold Rush that was discovered later and then re-discovered even later. The whole thing was just fascinating.
AND! I had no idea that part of San Francisco was built ON TOP OF abandoned ships from the Gold Rush! Some of the streets were built on top of the ships-on top of a landfill! Mind-boggling.
The mystery and suspense in this book were top-notch, and I did NOT see that ending-the who-done-it coming. This is one of those books where you want to read it to see what happens, but then again, you have to take a break after each chapter because of the tension!
If you enjoy books on the Gold Rush and the Great Depression, and books that are filled with suspense, then you definitely want to read this one!
~ Charity Henico
Genre: Dual-Time
Plot Overview:
Underwater archaeologist Kayla Richardson is called to the Golden Gate Bridge where repairs to one of the towers uncovers two human remains from the late 1800s and the 1930s. The head of the bridge restoration is Steven Michaels, who dives with Kayla, and a friendship develops between them. But as the investigation heats up and gold is found that dates back to the gold rush, more complications come into play that threaten them both. Could clues leading to a Gold Rush era mystery that was first discovered during the building of the bridge still ignite an obsession worth killing for?
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Baker Bookhouse | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook.com
Giveaway
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month and you will also be entered into the year-end Grand Prize Reader Basket. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced don’t the Rafflecopter widget.
*Open to all residents of the contiguous USA, legally able to enter, and an e-book format or Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to those outside that range who are legally able to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
What did you read for the challenge? What were your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?
by Crystal Caudill | Feb 28, 2021 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
Welcome to the second month of the Unlocking the Past 2021 Reading Challenge. This month focused on the Revolutionary War Period, and my choice of story was The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse. Once you read my review, don’t forget to comment on what you read to be entered for your chance to win a copy.
Last month’s winner was Kathy A. You can see a picture of her with her book on the Challenge Page.
*Want more interaction and/or suggestions each month? Join the Facebook Group. Want a bookmark with the monthly themes? Fill out this Google Form.*
The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse
With over half of my February being either filled with edits or travel, I opted for a quicker read this month. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Kimberley Woodhouse’s books that I decided it was time for me to check into a new-to-me author.
The American Revolution was one of my favorite time periods in high school. I lived, breathed, and researched it probably more than any other typical teen that I know. Even as an adult, my bucket list includes visiting the entire Freedom Trail. I’ve done a decent portion now, but I’d still love to go back. Reading The Patriot Bride was a little thrill to this history nerd’s heart. The characters, the history, the plot were beautifully intertwined so that I didn’t just discover a personal view of the Revolutionary War, but I discovered a wonderful story that I will likely reread again. I loved bright, spunky, independent Faith; steadfast, brave Matthew; the realistic, human aspect of George Washington, hilarious and always fascinating, Benjamin Franklin, and the wonderful butler, Claton. The cast of characters really made the story, and everything felt like it progressed in a realistic way. And who can turn away a story of spies?
Overall, it is a story I would recommend to lovers of historical fiction (especially the Revolutionary War), readers who love strong, independent heroines, and stories that have romance but are light on the sappy.
Genre:Â Historical Romance, Revolutionary War, Boston, MA
Plot Overview:
Spies Work Together for the Patriot Cause
Faith Jackson is a wealthy widow, friend of George Washington, and staunch supporter of the Patriot cause. Matthew Weber is friends with both Ben Franklin and his son William, who increasingly differ in their political views; and Matthew finds himself privy to information on both sides of the conflict. When a message needs to get to a spy among the Loyalists, Faith bravely steps up and in turn meets Matthew Weber. Suddenly she believes she could love again. But someone else has his eye on the Faith she portrays in elite social circles. What will Matthew and Faith have to sacrifice for the sake of their fledgling country?
What I loved:Â The characters and history were magnificently woven together. Part of this story was taken from the POV of George Washington. I loved how it brought him to life in a realistic way. You also got to meet Benjamin Franklin, and he was as odd and humorous as always. The amount of research that went into this book must have been staggering.
Favorite Character and Why:Â This is a hard pick for me because so many of the characters were amazing. Faith was spunky, independent, but real. Matthew also had his own realistic struggles. The butler was amazing.
Who would like this? Lovers of historical fiction (especially the Revolutionary War), readers who love strong, independent heroines, and stories that have romance but are light on the sappy.
Rating and Why: Five stars. She did a great job with interweaving real historical characters with a fictional story that kept me engaged the whole time I read.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon  Baker Bookhouse    Barnes & Noble    Books-a-Million    Book Depository    Bookshop.org    Christianbook.com    Get It Local    Indiebound.org
To be entered to win your own copy of The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse, comment or email me at Crystal Caudill Writes (At) Gmail (dot) Com with what YOU read for the challenge this month. (My crystal@crystalcaudill.com isn’t working right now.) For extra entries, visit the rafflecopter below. Opens on February 28th and ends at 11:59 pm on March 7th. Print copy open to all legally eligible U.S. Residents. International residents will receive a $10 Amazon gift card as Book Depository doesn’t have copies available at this time.
What did YOU read for the February challenge?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
