by admin | Feb 5, 2017 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy
MY REVIEW:
One thing I have learned from reading most of Billy Coffey’s books is that when I open one I can expect the unexpected. Not only does this author have a brilliant mastery of words but his imagination is extraordinary.
I am finding it somewhat difficult to know what to say about this amazing novel without spoilers. “Some Small Magic” is about what might be called a journey of faith with three unlikely characters. This journey takes them through some very dark places as well as danger. As the reader gets to know these characters and their circumstances, the unbelievable somehow becomes plausible and anything is possible. Although a bit confusing at times, all the loose threads are woven together for a satisfying ending.
This poignant story is filled with quotable lines and left me with much to ponder about life and death and how we live our lives. I hope other readers will give this fine author a chance and read “Some Small Magic”.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that was provided by Amazon Vine. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
She whispers, I’m supposed to take you home. Not yet, Abel says. Please, just not yet.
All Abel wants is a little bit of magic in his life. Enough money so his mom doesn’t cry at night. Healing for his broken body. And maybe a few answers about his past.
When Abel discovers letters to him from the dad he believed dead, he wonders if magic has come to the hills of Mattingly, Virginia, after all. But not everything is as it seems.
With a lot of questions and a little bit of hope, Abel decides to run away to find
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
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by admin | Jan 6, 2017 | Adventure, Books, Dystopian, Fantasy
MY REVIEW:
It has been awhile and many books in between since I read the previous books in Bonnie’s Stone Braide Chronicles so it took me just a bit to reacclimate myself to Selah’s world. It didn’t take too long to catch back up somewhat and jump into the action along with Selah and her crew in their quest to complete the Third Protocol and potentially save not only Selah but other inhabitants of their world.
In this fast-paced and action-packed story, Selah, along with her friends and family are racing against time to complete their mission and they seem to run into roadblocks everywhere they turn. It seems that the very ones who should want to help Selah do not trust her and wish to destroy her. Meanwhile Selah’s abilities have advanced but she also can tell her strength is ebbing away. Time is running out and it looks like all they have been through could be in vain.
Although I am not a huge dystopian fiction fan, I did mostly enjoy “Storm” and the rest of the Stone Braide Chronicles. The main characters are strong and I was happy with the way Selah matured over the course of the series and grew in her compassion toward others. I believe this series would be a good one for those who enjoy dystopian fiction and might be looking for a less secular series.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that was provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Selah’s mind and life are beginning to fracture. Can she complete the Third Protocol before it’s too late?
As Selah and her companions mourn the loss of those who died in the Mountain, they are faced with a new threat. Selah must complete the Third Protocol before she fractures and loses herself completely. All clues lead to the West, but what will they find when they get there? The other side of the mountains holds unknown perils–volcanic ash, dangerous storms, and strange new settlements that could hold the keys to Selah’s quest . . . or lead to her destruction.
The clock is ticking and Selah’s abilities are growing–along with the list of those out for her blood. Selah must find the strength within herself to keep going and complete the mission for which so many have sacrificed so much.
But have she and her companions pinned their hopes on nothing more than a legend?
Read an excerpt from “Storm” Here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bonnie S. Calhoun is the author of Thunder and Lightning, the first two books in the Stone Braide Chronicles. She loves to write, but it doesn’t make her happy unless there are the three Bs: body count, blood, and blowing things up. She also has mad skills at coding HTML and website design. Bonnie lives in a log cabin in the woods with fifteen acres and a pond full of bass. But she’d rather buy fish, ready to eat and under plastic, at the grocery store. She shares her domain with a husband, a dog, and two cats, all of whom think she is waitstaff. Learn more at www.bonniescalhoun.com.
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by admin | Nov 18, 2015 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingHand Me Down PrincessCANDID Publications (August 31, 2015)byCarol MoncadoABOUT THE AUTHOR:
When she’s not writing about her imaginary friends, Carol Moncado is hanging out with her husband, four kids, and a dog who weighs less than most hard cover books. She prefers watching NCIS to just about anything, except maybe watching Castle, or Girl Meets World with her kids. She believes peanut butter M&Ms are the perfect food and Dr. Pepper should come in an IV. When not watching her kids – and the dog – race around her big backyard in Southwest Missouri, she’s teaching American Government at a local community college. She’s a founding member and President of MozArks ACFW, category coordinator for First Impressions, blogger at InspyRomance, and represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Prince Malachi Van Renssalaer of Mevendia is getting married. The problem? He’s never even met his bride. His father arranged everything, right down to the marriage contract. Malachi swears to himself that he will be nothing like his father in the ways that count – including his fidelity to his wife.
Jessabelle Keller would happily spend her entire life in obscurity, but her father once saved the life of a future king. Before he dies, her father is committed to seeing that king make good on his promise to have one of his sons marry her so she would be taken care of for life.
No sooner than Prince Malachi and Jessabelle return from their honeymoon, they find themselves dealing with both private trauma and the very public drama of groundless accusations from the press. Just as they begin to weave their fragile trust back together, a ghost from the king’s past arrives and threatens everything they’ve ever held dear.
Secrets have a funny way of coming out and this one could rip the faith of the country in their leaders to shreds. Malachi is determined to protect Jessabelle no matter what it takes, but will it ever be enough for her to not feel like a Hand-Me-Down Princess?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Hand Me Down Princess, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Hand Me Down Princess is a fantastical tale of a young woman who considers herself an ugly duckling who finds herself in an arranged marriage to a prince. Fortunately Jessabelle’s new husband has a strong faith and wants his marriage to succeed. Under his patient and tender care, Jessabelle is slowly transformed into a confidant and beautiful princess whose caring heart wins over even those who were first against her.
This book was a bit of a surprise to me. Expecting the usual royal romance, I soon found that there was much more to Hand Me Down Princess. Life as a royal was depicted with its downside as well as the glamour involved. And then there was mystery, danger, intrigue, and suspense. Prince Malichi and Jessabelle’s story line wrapped up quite nicely but there were a couple of unresolved situations that I am hoping will be continued in a future book.
by admin | Oct 22, 2015 | Biblical, Books, Fantasy, Historical, Speculative, Time Travel
MY REVIEW:
Book three of Lynne Gentry’s The Carthage Chronicles series, “Valley of Decision” was a fitting conclusion to Lisbeth and Maggie’s time travel into third-century Carthage. There were times that I just wanted to close its covers and walk away – not because the writing wasn’t good or was difficult to read. No, I tend to be just a tad squeamish and I didn’t want to deal with events that I could see coming before the end. I pushed myself to read the entire book and was thankful that the events I feared were not described graphically but were tastefully written. Thank you Lynne.
Even more than the first two books of the series, “Valley of Decision” emphasized just how serious the decision to be a Christian could be during those tumultuous times. It sometimes required literally laying down one’s life for one’s beliefs or to protect others. I saw example after example of how the sacrificial and loving acts of early Christians, even toward their enemies influenced others for Christ and possibly even changed the course of history.
This is truly a book about decisions, both good and bad. Selfish and vengeful decisions that led to chaos, death, and disaster were vividly contrasted with decisions to love and forgive that led to healing and changed lives. “Valley of Decision” is a book to make its reader think about how our own decisions affect the people we come in contact each day. Can we live for Christ the same way here in our modern lives of comfort and plenty?
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Every choice has a consequence in the explosive conclusion to the Carthage Chronicles as Lisbeth returns to third-century Carthage for a thrilling final adventure.
Thirteen years ago, Lisbeth made an impossible decision—leave third-century Carthage and her husband Cyprian behind for good. She knew it was to protect her daughter Maggie, so Lisbeth gathered the strength to move on with her life.
All these years, Lisbeth has thrown herself into her work and raising her headstrong daughter, all to live up to the promise she made to Cyprian. But Maggie is sick of being protected. In an act of teenage rebellion Maggie decides to do what her mother can’t—secretly returning to the third century on a quest to bring her father back, leaving Lisbeth no choice but to follow.
With Maggie’s surprise arrival in Carthage, chaos ensues. She finds her grandmother on trial for murder and attempts to save her, but instead the diversion sparks a riot that nearly destroys the plagued city. Only one thing will appease the wrath of the new proconsul of Carthage: the death of the instigator.
Will Lisbeth arrive in time to save her daughter from the clutches of Rome? How can God possibly redeem such a slew of unwise decisions and deep regrets? Filled with heart-wrenching twists and riveting action, Valley of Decision brings the romantic adventure epic, The Carthage Chronicles, to an electrifying conclusion.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lynne Gentry has written for numerous publications. She is a professional acting coach, theater director, and playwright. Lynne is an inspirational speaker and dramatic performer who loves spending time with her family and medical therapy dog.
Find out more about Lynne at http://lynnegentry.com.
by admin | Sep 11, 2015 | Books, Fantasy
MY REVIEW:
“The Traitor’s Heir” is one of those good versus evil novels with a somewhat medieval setting. Supernatural events, both good and evil, are scattered throughout the narrative and at times the same character is able to operate in either aspect of power. The book is a lengthy one that weighs in at 544 pages.
I didn’t particularly like the hero Eamon Goodman. For most of the story, he seemed to be pretty wishy-washy and had difficulty remaining loyal to his friends. Of course, that was partially due to the author’s intent to illustrate the strong spiritual battle Eamon was in. The fact that Eamon tended to make the choices that were easiest for him was probably pretty true to the choices most of us also make in our daily lives. Hopefully we can learn from our mistakes as Eamon eventually managed to do.
Although “The Traitor’s Heir” is published by a Christian publisher and its overall theme would fall into that genre, readers need to be aware that there is some language and lifestyle choices that many Christians might find objectionable. Overall the book was fairly enjoyable although I would have preferred a hero who was a bit less wimpy and showed a bit more integrity and backbone.
This book was provided for review by the Book Club Network.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Every man has a destiny. His is to betray.
Like many from his village, young Eamon Goodman dreamed of joining the Gauntlet, the army of the overlord Eldered. Now he is about to complete his training and swear his loyalty to Eldered and his commanders, the Hands, who uphold Eldered s tight control of the land.
Entering into the service of the Gauntlet, Eamon s gifts, particularly his potent Sight, quickly become valuable to his superiors and he advances to the command rank at a speed that arouses the suspicions of fellow officers.
However, Eldered’s bloody rule, and Eamon s personal friendships, start to challenge the young soldier s assumptions about what might be true, and worthy of service. And soon Eamon must conceal a fatal secret: he is sworn to both Eldered and to Hughan, the rightful king of the land. Yet he may not forswear the vows he has uttered in all good faith so however he serves, his name will be traitor.
As tensions and military skirmishes increase, Eamon finds himself trusted by both his masters. How can he possibly maintain his integrity, act justly to his fellow officers of the Gauntlet, and act on behalf of all the warring people of the land?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Anna Thayer graduated from Cambridge with first class honors in 2005 and, bilingual in English and Italian, went on to teach in Sicily. She now writes and lectures internationally on the works of Tolkien and Lewis, and teaches English at an independent school in southern England.
by admin | May 28, 2015 | Books, Dystopian, Fantasy
MY REVIEW:
“Not to be chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making”
Little girls spent years preparing for their Choosing ceremony as well as preparing for the devastating possibility that they might not be chosen by enforcing the idea that not to be chosen was their own fault. In a world of authoritarian religious control, Carrington Hale is still unprepared for rejection yet accepts it as most do. Yet once she has been initiated into life as a Lint, it does not take her very long to begin to question the Authority that rules. Offered an unusual second chance, her longtime dream of a superior marriage quickly deteriorates into a nightmare.
“The Choosing” is the debut novel by Rachelle Dekker, daughter of best-selling author Ted Dekker. His influence is obvious but Rachelle’s novel is anything but a copycat of her father’s work. The plot is well paced with a good balance between action and contemplation. Dekker’s characters are strong and it was very easy to identify with some and abhor others. The cover is gorgeous with its subtle metallic sheen.
Although a dystopian novel, “The Choosing” is not as dark and depressing as some of that genre can be but offers genuine hope for Carrington by its end. There are a few somewhat violent scenes that serve to illustrate the evil madness behind one particular character but none are overly graphic in nature. Actual Christian faith is not portrayed but is insinuated through the character of Aaron who teaches Carrington what it really means to be chosen.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel with its theme of self-worth and how we are all chosen by the Lord. I look forward to the next novel of The Seer series so I can continue the adventure with Carrington and Remko.
This book was provided for review by The Tyndale Blog Network.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—to end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. Though the whispers contradict everything she’s been told, they resonate deep within.
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, yet she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.
Read an excerpt from “The Choosing” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
The oldest daughter of
New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker,
Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through storytelling. She graduated with a degree in communications and spent several years in marketing and corporate recruiting before making the transition to write full time. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat Blair. Visit her online at
www.rachelledekker.com.
