Julie Cross at her finest!!
591828
I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and I am in no way compensated for my opinions.

I have so many good things to say about this book that I don't even know where to begin.

As a character, Isabel was well defined and rounded. I connected with her on an emotional level. Her struggle to fit in, to be normal even though she was extraordinary was something anyone could relate to. Every relationship she had was carefully thought out and showed her growth, or regression, as a person. This made every heartbreak, every insecurity, and every joy feel as if Id experienced it myself. She was a brittle kind of strong, where she always seemed ready to break. I enjoyed her struggle to identify herself as Izzy Jenkins, teenager, instead of just Isabel Jenkins, MD.

Marshall was the perfect male lead, as well as the perfect balance to Isabels character. He was sweet, with a strong love for his overbearing family and deep loyalty to his friends. He always put himself last, and in the way of heroes, this isn't such a terrible flaw to have. His personality was a great complement to Isabels struggle. I loved watching them figure it out together. His eventual sickness was so tangible, so real, that I couldn't put this book down.

The pacing of Third Degree was spot on. I was never bored, nor did I figure things out before the characters. I opened the book and fell into perfection. Julie Crossyou genius, you.

If youve followed my reviews, you know that I haven't read a lot of NA because it tries too hard. I think authors are excited because they can finally write YA with all the sex. I prefer my romances heavy on the story with a side dish of sex as opposed to heavy on the sex with a side dish of story. Ive been disappointed before, but basically, if Julie Cross could write EVERY NA book from here on out, I would be one happy reader. I need authors to focus on the story before they get to the sex. I need to care about the characters before you start throwing in words like nipples. Cross, however, made me love the characters long before I got to the good stuff. So when the sex happened, it was PERFECTION, not raunchy, nothing like the other NA books Ive read.

NA writers, please, PLEASE reference Julie Cross. She knows what shes doing!!

I cant say a single bad thing about this book. Being in the medical field, I really enjoyed all the references to medicine, though I don't think it was overdone, just enough to immerse the reader in Isabels world. It made Marshalls condition real. It made me ache for him.

Third Degree was perfect. (I know, Ive said that three times, at least.) With a suspenseful, romantic plot and crush worthy characters, Julie Cross has nailed NA romance. This book will satisfy readers who want their romances with an original plot. Julie Cross is fantastic.

Read Third Degree. Seriously.
4709564
I have loved Marcy and Patrick as the matriarch and patriarch to the O'Connor family in Julie Lessman's Daughters of Boston series and Winds of Change series.  Now we finally get to see how their love story came about, and it's got all of Julie's trademark elements: drama, humor, and of course passion!  No one writes it like Julie Lessman, and a few chapters in I was already thinking "Oh this is gonna be good!"...and I was NOT disappointed!!!  A definite "must read" - whether you're new to the O'Connor family or feel like a seasoned family member yourself!! :-)
1779298
Wonderful read! Chrissy Anderson will leave you wanting more. Once I started I could not stop reading. I felt all emotions throughout this book: Happiness, sadness and laughing my butt off (Da Ku Ku! Haha!!!).  Loved every minute of it!  Can't wait for The Hope List!! You Rock Chrissy!
714512
Before I share what I thought about The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, I have to mention that Julie Klassen is one of my mom's favorite authors - she's read all of Julie's books and when she saw that I had this book for review - she immediately took it from me and had to read it first! And guess what? My mom loved this book from the first sentence on... literally!

While Julie Klassen is not a new author to my mom, she is to me - this is the first book I've read of hers and I don't know why. It was phenomenal! Absolutely stunning and vivid in details! If all of her other books are like this one, I've completely been missing out.

"He is reading my letters now too...."

That opening sentence had me wondering who was reading her letters? What else had this person been doing? There is so much just in that first sentence! :)

The characters in The Maid of Fairbourne Hall had such interesting stories and what happened between Margaret and Nathaniel years ago made it impossible for me not to care for these characters and what would happen in their lives.

This is shocking to me, since this book is over 400 pages long, but I read The Maid of Fairbourne Hall in less than 24 hours! I couldn't stop reading for long, and after a few pages/chapters, I was hooked. It was that good and entertaining that I found there wasn't a good place to stop and before I knew it I was done with the book! Too soon, I might add - I was not ready to say goodbye to the characters. I'm hoping for a sequel (as I normally do with books I love).

My mom and I don't always agree about books, but in this case we do. The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen is a definite winner and as you can see from the award above, this is now a favorite book of mine! I 100%, without a doubt, recommend this book - especially if you enjoy reading historical novels!!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via CFBA. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
1860124
When I first heard that Julie Lessman had a new series coming out, I was SO excited! I read the O'Connor books late last year and was instantly hooked. I had heard conflicting things about Love at Any Cost, but to be honest, I wasn't disappointed in the least. Julie has once again sucked me into a story filled with tension, passion, laughter, a twist that I never saw coming, and flawed characters that saw the need for Jesus in their lives.

Cassidy is a spunky young woman who has been jilted by her boyfriend, and wants nothing to do with men for a long time. Jamie is a young man who is haunted by his past, and who wants a better future for his family. He is willing to sacrifice his happiness to do just that. But when Cassie steps into the picture, he never imagines falling in love with her. Cassie begins to feel the same way, but sets some ground rules if they are going to start courting. Jamie does not want to agree to these terms, especially the one about having a strong faith in God. As the story progresses, however, he softens to the rules- as well as to the idea of trusting God to be his Lord and Savior.

Julie hasn't disappointed with this first book in a fun and exciting new series. With a cast of characters just as loveable and endearing as the O'Connor family, you'll find yourself immersed in not only the story of Jamie and Cassie, but also the one of Logan and Cat, Cassie's aunt and uncle. Perfect for a summer day or any time you're in the mood for a great read, I highly recommend LAAC! I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeves for book 2! Two thumbs up and five stars- great job, Julie!
4525921
I just finished reading this book, and once again Julie has blown my mind with the stuff she comes up with!  So far Ive read about characters that range from a down and out girl who becomes a body paint model, a gorgeous genius who has pets who tend to his sexual proclivities, a hotter than hell stud who builds custom motorcycles and is the lucky guy who gets to do the body painting.  Ive also read about assassins, some more messed up than others, with one being a 13 year old girl who was probably the best of all of them.  So when Julie said she was writing a story involving a student/teacher relationship I really had to wonder how she was going to stamp this in the usual Julie style.  I wondered if this book would follow the style of the daughter of a hotel magnate who has the unfortunate luck of having to work with a male stripper who teaches women how to be sexy.

For me, this book didn't turn out to be anything like any of those previous stories I mentioned.  No matter how real Julies other books have been, this one was the realest of them all and hit closest to home of my own personal life.  The book starts on the day of Shannons 18th birthday.  We quickly learn that nothing has gone very well so far in Shannons life.  Shes living in California after moving from Ohio with her sister a year ago.  A lot has happened in that year, shes experiencing a lot of things she never experienced growing up in Ohio.  She has to make up credits if she wants to graduate high school so she finds herself signed up for a trigonometry class.  Enter Mateo Alesci.  All I can say about him is WHOA

As usual, Julie leads us on a wild ride, pushing my personal comfort zone multiple times and leaving me saying, what? which by the way, Shannon also does all throughout the book.  There are multiple things going on throughout the story, but I never felt like I couldn't keep track of what was going on at any one time.  OK I take that back, I thought I was keeping track and had stuff figured out, but of course Julie throws these zingers in there that made me step back and go what the frig?, I never saw that coming!

It wouldnt feel like a Julie book if it didn't have hot, steamy, sheet clawing sex and let me tell you, Mateo can boss me around and tell me what to do in the sex category any day of the week  Mateo is 10 years older than Shannon, her being 18 and he being 28, but at no point did I feel like this was an icky or taboo thing, because even though Shannon is not as worldly as she probably needed to be, she is a very intelligent, mature young woman who has really had to grow up way before she should have had to.  Im not going into detail; youll just have to experience Shannon and Mateos story for yourself!

If you're a diehard JA Huss fan like I am, you need to read this book to get your next Julie fix.  And if you haven't read anything from her yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???  As for how Shannon ranked amongst the models and bikers and assassins?  I think she is just as bad*ss as any of them and holds her own just fine.
828891
I loved every single page of this book!  I absolutely could not put it down from start to finish, I read the whole thing in one sitting!  I was hoping it would be nothing like Julie and Julia and it wasn't! I can hardly wait for a sequel!
978903
I have read all of Julie Klassen's books and I relish every one!  One thing that impresses me most is that her storylines are all so varied and unpredictable.  The turn of events in her latest book, The Girl in the Gatehouse, always had me wondering what would happen next and what would the final outcome be.  Her character development has great depth and believability.  Mariah Aubrey captured my heart and I longed to see her redeemed from her past. I recommend this book, and all of Julie's books, to you, to my friends AND to Liz, my local bookstore owner. :-)
4585987
The O'Connor saga continues and my love for this family is only peaked further!! Can't wait to read the next one---a typical feeling after reading any of Julie Lessman's books. This book is packed with everything a romance reader craves--- fun, adventure, surprise, and, of course, passion at its best. Unexpected twists and turns keep the reader guessing throughout the story. Found myself having to read "just one more chapter"! I made new friends with the new characters and became even more familiar with those who reappeared from the books prior. By the end of the book they all become dear to one's heart. I can't wait to see how Julie concludes her stories, and, at the same time, I don't want the stories  to end. And the spiritual message Julie presents is always beautiful and becomes a strong cord that runs throughout the plot. Our passions must be guided by God's Love and His Will. Life gets complicated when we stray from Him. Thanks, Julie, for another powerful, passionate, and heartfelt romance. On to Book 5 in the Winds of Change.
181502
Julie never ceases to amaze me with her words. Every book gets more and more shocking and Five was no different. I've wanted him and Rory together for so long I wondered if it would ever happen and I was an emotional wreck while reading it. There's so many twists and turns I never knew what was coming. I wanted more of an HEA than we got but knowing it's coming makes it all worth it because Julie's words are life!!!
2375314
Julie WETZEL has delivered a fantastic,totally absorbing reading experience with this TERRIFIC SERIES!  Each book broadened the characters and storylines making for a truly great relaxing reading experience. You're going to be absolutely entrenched in the pages!! I'm So RECOMMENDING YOU HAVE THIS TERRIFIC SERIES IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIBRARY!!
1502155
Julie Roberts has the voice of a country angel! The first time I heard "Break Down Here" I knew I had to have this cd. It has been in my cd player ever since! Every song has its own little flare and each as wonderful as the next. I can't wait for her next single "Wake Up Older." My personal favorite "Rain on a Tin Roof" but like I said they are all wonderful and close seconds haha. Do yourself a favor and grab this CD, you won't regret it
247277
Amy  Cross  is an author  who writes some of the  best scary novels of all time! I started reading couldn't stop until I could see what happens!  Not one of the chapters  are  boring, at times I find  myself saying to some of the characters " Don't go in there!" or "Oh,no!!"  You really need to read this book, if you love haunted houses as much as I do  !  Keep the lights on!!
1345910
This was my first Julie Klassen and I LOVED it!!!  She made it intriguing from the start.  It was nicely paced with, not necessarily lulls, but there were places I could set it down and pick it up again later.  Which was great since I do have to sleep! :D  From the prologue this book grabbed me and took me on a great story with twists and surprises!  Just when I though I knew what was coming Julie threw more twists in!  This plot REALLY has a footloose feel all the way through, which I loved, with characters and personalities reflecting those of the movie.  But it is also different enough to stand on it's own feet with slight differences to fit into the time.  I LOVE the spiritual lessons and messages and the end of this book is awesome!  As a matter of fact, though I enjoyed the book as a whole, the last few chapters were my favorite and really made this book for me!  I would have liked a little more background of the dances, but I loved the way Julie described them.  For example there is a sword dance mentioned. but I would have liked it if she went further into the history of why it was done and how it came about...but maybe that's just me... The characters are fantastic, from characters you immediately love, to those you grow to enjoy, and then there are certain characters that make it hard to turn the other cheek.  I love how Julie ties them all together and wraps up the end.  The epigraphs at every chapter were great and added another element to the book!  It's made my Favorite Books list!!!  P.S. I also must compliment Karen Schurrer for her editing of this book; she did a fabulous job!

Songs: "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" by Chris Tomlin,
"Rock Of Ages" by Mike Curb Congregation
"Christ The Lord Is Risen Today" by Mike Curb Congregation,
"Traditional Hornpipe 138" by Ellery Klein & Ryan Lacey,
"Two Hornpipes (Tortuga)" by Hans Zimmer,
"The Sailors Hornpipe" by Whistling Tom,
"Hornpipe from Water Music Suite" by George Frideric Handel, George Szell,
"Foursome Reel" The Auld Reekie Scottish Dance Band,
"Highland Reels" by The Riverside Ceilidh Band,
"The Highland Wedding." by Caledonian Strathspey & Reel Society,
"North Highland Reels #18 and #21 / Nine Pint Coggie /" by Sandy King Laura Risk,
"Oranges And Lemons" The Rainbow Collections,
"Mozart, Minuet for Harpsichord K05" by Musica da Camera Orchestra,
and
"For The Beauty Of The Earth" performed by BarlowGirl

Matthew 5:23-24
~ASC

*I received this book for the purpose of reviewing it.  This is no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts about The Dancing Master!
1858062
Julie London remains a one of the greatest female vocalists of the entire twentieth century; and every minute of this album proves it. Hers was a talent we just don't get to cherish very often.

The CD track set begins with "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend." The upbeat melody complete with bass sets the tone; and when Julie comes in you know she's the best! Julie's excellent diction bolsters this number as well. The strings work wonders for this number. "Can't Get Used To Losing You" offers a more subdued, somber number even though the melody appears to be light. "Can't Get Used To Losing You" gives us Julie singing about her pain after her love affair is over. Excellent!

"Fly Me To The Moon" begins with a late 1950s/early 1960s Latin beat to make this ballad all the more romantic, although later on the melody get that easy listening feel to it. Julie delivers "Fly Me To The Moon" without a superfluous note--wonderful!

"Hello Dolly" shines in Julie's competent hands; and the slower than usual tempo helps Julie to put her own stamp on this classic number! Great percussion, too. "Light My Fire," a number made famous by The Doors in the 1960s, gets the royal treatment from London, proving that she can even handle the rock and rock classics with grace and style. Impressive!

"You Made Me Love You" sports a few chord changes to once again help Julie to put her own stamp on this classic ballad. The organ works well for "You Made Me Love You." "Call Me Irresponsible" begins with a musical flourish and when Julie comes in she massages the lyrics beyond perfection! The strings play a little too loud in my opinion; but this number sounds great anyway. In addition, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" showcases Julie's magnificent voice; the piano has a great effect upon this number. Julie London performs "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" with great sensitivity and panache. Excellent!

"As Time Goes By" starts off with some great percussion in the musical intro; and Julie yet again delivers another classic ballad flawlessly. What a treasure!

The liner notes have a fine essay by Martin Hutchinson; he writes about Julie London and her career. You get the song credits; and the front cover artwork reflects good judgment.

Julie London once again proves her mettle with this CD of remarkably well done, thoughtfully delivered classic ballads. I highly recommend this CD for fans of Julie London and classic pop vocals.
2163956
I love this book! Julie created a wonderful story about family, love and the ties that lie deep within us - our DNA. I was transfixed with the genetic subplot and eagerly devoured the novel and couldn't put it down. I could relate to so many of the struggles Paige had, an absent father, a worried mother and sometimes letting fear stand in the way of life. I cried, laughed, shouted at the book and soaked it all in. Read this book! You will love it!
3976581
This is a great book whether you know the past events or just be reading alone!  Amy Cross is a great author!!!