Book Review of "Valley of Dreams"by Lauraine Snelling

    Addy Lockwood's life has turned upside down. Firstly, her mother had died when Addy was young. Following her mother, her father died. On top of that, the wild western show she has worked in since she was young closes down. Addy is thrust into a new life, one she is naive existed. Traveling with only a hired hand and an Indian chief from the once-thriving show, she tries to travel to the legendary valley her father had promised to take her to, and never did. She hopes she can reach this "Valley of Dreams" before winter, and the dangers of the black hills, swallow them.
  I liked the plot of this book, except, however strange it sounds, it needed more conflict. It was almost too easy. I did love the descriptions, the characters, and the sweetness of the book. I loved how innocent and naive Addy was, as well as the emotions she fights through. On a cosmetic note, I liked the cover a lot, the swirled accents and the colors were beautiful together. Her longing look also is wonderful for the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the beauty of the Black Hills, and also anyone infatuated with the old west. Overall, a Very, Very good book.
Richard L.

Bethany House Publishers gave me this book free in exchange for this review

Book Review: Departures by Robin Jones Gunn

     Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen both have one thing in common: They both are dealing with friend problems, boy problems, and emotional freak-outs.  Christy is simply unsure about her feelings toward her “friend” Matt.  Just friends or something much more cherished? She hopes that in the short weekend her family is visiting her hometown; she can sort through her feelings enough to enjoy her vacation. Sierra wonders if she is the only girl who has not yet begun to like boys, and if she should or should not. After a fun vacation with friends, that all might quickly change for Sierra.

    I thought this book was very cute. A fairly predictable plot, but with enough different “bumps” that it was still totally unique.  I loved the two characters and their descriptions, as well as the untimely “meeting” the two had. I agreed {for the most part} with their dating/courting philosophy and would likely recommend this to friends. I am eager to read the rest of these books, as I can hope are as well written as this one. Overall, I hope this review has helped you see that these characters and the story are beautifully written, as well as appropriate for girls of all ages!

Richard

This book was given to me free of charge by water brook for this review