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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
The Innocent by Ann H. Gabhart is an historical Christian novel. It is September of 1865 and Carlyn Kearney has not heard from her husband in two years. He went off to fight in the Civil War and she did not hear from him after the summer of 1863. Carlyn is out of money and has no way to pay the lien on their property and home. Carlyn does not know what to do. She does not want to leave their home in case her husband, Ambrose comes back. Ambrose was listed as missing in action.
Sheriff Mitchell Brodie arrives one day with Curt Whitlow. Curt owns the lien on the property. He has offered to help Carlyn out in exchange for certain favors (we all know he means sex). Curt is married with a family of his own, but that does not stop his roving ways. Sheriff Brodie is very nice and polite to Carlyn. Carlyn greets them at the door with a shotgun and her dog, Asher. Asher has been her friend since the day he arrived starving on her doorstep. Asher does not like Curt and is very protective of Carlyn. Carlyn has one week to leave.
After much prayer Carlyn decides to go to the nearby Shaker village of Harmony Hill. Carlyn is accepted into the village, but not Asher. Carlyn asks Sheriff Brodie to watch Asher for her and give him a good home. Carlyn tries to fit into life at the village, but it is very different. They all have to dress the same way, no violence, a lot of work, many rules, and they are always being watched. Sister Edna is assigned to be Carlyn’s teacher or guide. Sister Edna seems to resent Carlyn (for her looks) and is always finding fault. One day Carlyn overhears an argument between Brother Henry Stratton and Curt Whitlow. The next night their barn with the horses is on fire and Brother Henry cannot be found. Sheriff Brodie sets out to find out who set fire to the barn and who wanted Brother Henry dead (poor man is found under a hay bale). Then Curt Whitlow is missing (and assumed guilty). When Sister Edna is found at the bottom of some steps during the night by Carlyn, Carlyn is accused of pushing her. What is going on in this village? Sheriff Brodie has his work cut out for him. Mitchell Brodie is also having feelings for Carlyn. He would like to get to know her better, but he is unable to with her in the village (Shaker’s are against marriage). Can Mitchell keep her safe and find a way to get to know her better? Does Carlyn have feelings for Mitchell?
Read The Innocent to find out who is messing with the Shaker village and the fate of Carlyn and Mitchell. I give The Innocent 4 out of 5 stars. I liked it, but I admit to not loving it. It is heavy in scripture (a tad preachy). I enjoyed the mystery in the story (I cannot help it if I like mysteries). I found pleasure in how the story ended. Ann H. Gabhart is a good storyteller. I have read books of hers before, and I will definitely will read more of them in the future. She has a good understanding of the Shaker culture and put it together very nicely into this book (there are others as well).
I received a complimentary copy of The Innocent from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-innocent.html
Sheriff Mitchell Brodie arrives one day with Curt Whitlow. Curt owns the lien on the property. He has offered to help Carlyn out in exchange for certain favors (we all know he means sex). Curt is married with a family of his own, but that does not stop his roving ways. Sheriff Brodie is very nice and polite to Carlyn. Carlyn greets them at the door with a shotgun and her dog, Asher. Asher has been her friend since the day he arrived starving on her doorstep. Asher does not like Curt and is very protective of Carlyn. Carlyn has one week to leave.
After much prayer Carlyn decides to go to the nearby Shaker village of Harmony Hill. Carlyn is accepted into the village, but not Asher. Carlyn asks Sheriff Brodie to watch Asher for her and give him a good home. Carlyn tries to fit into life at the village, but it is very different. They all have to dress the same way, no violence, a lot of work, many rules, and they are always being watched. Sister Edna is assigned to be Carlyn’s teacher or guide. Sister Edna seems to resent Carlyn (for her looks) and is always finding fault. One day Carlyn overhears an argument between Brother Henry Stratton and Curt Whitlow. The next night their barn with the horses is on fire and Brother Henry cannot be found. Sheriff Brodie sets out to find out who set fire to the barn and who wanted Brother Henry dead (poor man is found under a hay bale). Then Curt Whitlow is missing (and assumed guilty). When Sister Edna is found at the bottom of some steps during the night by Carlyn, Carlyn is accused of pushing her. What is going on in this village? Sheriff Brodie has his work cut out for him. Mitchell Brodie is also having feelings for Carlyn. He would like to get to know her better, but he is unable to with her in the village (Shaker’s are against marriage). Can Mitchell keep her safe and find a way to get to know her better? Does Carlyn have feelings for Mitchell?
Read The Innocent to find out who is messing with the Shaker village and the fate of Carlyn and Mitchell. I give The Innocent 4 out of 5 stars. I liked it, but I admit to not loving it. It is heavy in scripture (a tad preachy). I enjoyed the mystery in the story (I cannot help it if I like mysteries). I found pleasure in how the story ended. Ann H. Gabhart is a good storyteller. I have read books of hers before, and I will definitely will read more of them in the future. She has a good understanding of the Shaker culture and put it together very nicely into this book (there are others as well).
I received a complimentary copy of The Innocent from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-innocent.html
mat_tobin's review against another edition
4.0
From debut picturebook illustrator, Alexandra Mîrzac comes the story of a cat who, feeling unloved by his owners, decides to venture into the city 'hoping to find someone to play with'. Soon the owners, having been lost in their technological world, realise that their beloved pet has gone. Posters are placed up around the city and the hunt to find Cat begins.
With a mixture of pencil and collage (from early pencil sketches), Mîrzac's illustrations are bold and beguiling. Cat is sharp yet curved and rounded and the use of strong blacks and blues to separate him from the human world is excellent. Double-spreads of city-scapes with minimal colours and the use of perspective give that feeling of Cat being small and out of his depth similar to Deacon's work in [b:Beegu|1362489|Beegu|Alexis Deacon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563239657l/1362489._SX50_.jpg|441825].
I thought this was a beautifully imagined story of lost and found with captivating illustrations.
With a mixture of pencil and collage (from early pencil sketches), Mîrzac's illustrations are bold and beguiling. Cat is sharp yet curved and rounded and the use of strong blacks and blues to separate him from the human world is excellent. Double-spreads of city-scapes with minimal colours and the use of perspective give that feeling of Cat being small and out of his depth similar to Deacon's work in [b:Beegu|1362489|Beegu|Alexis Deacon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563239657l/1362489._SX50_.jpg|441825].
I thought this was a beautifully imagined story of lost and found with captivating illustrations.
longtimereader's review against another edition
5.0
Carlyn Kearney's husband is gone. He went off to the war and she has been alone since then. That was two years ago. Unable to sustain herself, Carlyn loses her home and finds herself in destitution. Harmony Hill, the Shaker community is known to help those in need, and she fits those qualifications. While Shakers do not marry, they aren't trying to force others into their life style if they don't want to do so. That leaves an opening, and a quandary for Mitchell Brodie. He really likes Carlyn, but is her husband alive, or dead? You can't have a romantic relationship with or marry a woman who is married! Mitchell was in the war himself, and is healing. He is also a rather wise sheriff.
Things get very interesting when a murder occurs. Asher, Carlyn's dog is fantastic. I loved him! This was another really good book that stands alone or can be read in this series. You might think that being with a Shaker theme romance wouldn't be available, but Gabhart finds ways to show us what that life might have been like for others and the Shakers as well. She brings in wonderful characters and this book shows God's grace and how it is grace we should remember to be under, not the law.
My copy of this book came from Revell in exchange for my honest review and nothing more.
Things get very interesting when a murder occurs. Asher, Carlyn's dog is fantastic. I loved him! This was another really good book that stands alone or can be read in this series. You might think that being with a Shaker theme romance wouldn't be available, but Gabhart finds ways to show us what that life might have been like for others and the Shakers as well. She brings in wonderful characters and this book shows God's grace and how it is grace we should remember to be under, not the law.
My copy of this book came from Revell in exchange for my honest review and nothing more.
blackngoldgirlsbookspot's review against another edition
4.0
The Innocent by Ann H. Gabhart is yet another terrific installment in the series of Shaker novels set at Harmony Hill. Set directly following the Civil War, it features a beautiful war widow, her dog, and a handsome sheriff. Centered around mysterious happenings at the Shaker village and the town surrounding Harmony Hill, The Innocent is a little more suspenseful than the previous Shaker titles, but no less fascinating. I don't think I will ever tire of reading these fictionalized stories of this strange sect. The Innocent is slightly lacking as far as romances go and I wish there could have been more interaction between the hero and heroine, but the sisterly camaraderie between Carlyn and Sister Berdine makes up for it. Overall, The Innocent is worth the read and deserving of a permanent spot on the shelf in the library!
~ My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ~
*I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*
~ My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ~
*I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*
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