Of Fire and Ash {Book Review}

 Hello all! Today I'm reviewing Of Fire and Ash by Gillian Bronte Adams. Happy release day! Let's get to it.

Synopsis:

She rides a fireborn, a steed of fire and ash, trained for destruction.

Ceridwen tal Desmond dreams of ruling like her father over the nation of Soldonia, where warriors ride to battle on magical steeds—soaring on storm winds, vanishing in shadow, quaking the earth, and summoning the sea. After a tragic accident claims her twin brother, she is exiled and sworn to atonement by spending her life—or death—for her people.

But when invaders spill onto Soldonia’s shores and traitors seize upon the chaos to murder her father, Ceridwen claims the crown to keep the nation from splintering. Combatting overwhelming odds and looming civil war, she begins to wonder if the greatest threat to the kingdom may, in fact, be her.

With fire before her and ash in her wake, how can she hope to unite instead of destroy?

Flames rage and oceans rise in this explosive first installment of The Fireborn Epic as the exiled heir, a novice priest, and a reluctant rebel wage war against a hidden power that threatens to shake the world.

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ .

    Listen, I loveee a good fantasy. I also love a good epic fantasy. So let's see how this one measures up. 

The Cover:

    Covers that are artistic renderings are a hit or miss for me. They can come off amateurish or unpolished. I'm happy to report that this cover does not hit these negative qualities. I love the artistic depiction of Ceridwen atop her flaming steed. It fits the novel and its themes so well and the artist clearly knows what they are doing. This artistic rendering reminds me of more classic fantasy novels when illustrated covers were more than norm and that's definitely not a bad thing here. Lovely cover.

 Characters

    In an epic fantasy of this type, separating the characters from the story is not an easy thing, so I will do my best. The characters that make up the tapestry of the book are imperfect and well-constructed. The book follows three different characters and I actually enjoyed all of them. In fact, I was often hungry for more when a chapter would end only for me to get pulled into another character. Ceridwen's reckless ways, Rafi's joking cowardice, and Jakim's struggles with morality each made for some compelling storylines. There is a full cast to fill out side and minor characters too. One of my favorite has to be Finnian, Ceridwen's partner. No spoilers here, but he rides a shadow horse and is generally very cool. Some might struggle to keep up with all of the many characters, but that's par for the course when it comes to fantasy novels of this magnitude. Just do like I did and look back to find a character's first appearance if you can't remember who on earth they are--here's looking at you, Nold. Sorry about that.

 Plot and Story 

    First of all, let me just say... this story is amazingly detailed. The world is expansive and each culture feels fleshed out and unique. Reading the different story lines set in such completely different parts of the story world is very interesting, as Adams delves into each different culture so completely. At the beginning of each chapter there is a small excerpt related to the different cultures and I found that such a nice and interesting touch. It was a unique way to give more insight into the different cultures without info dumping within the story itself. Without spoiling anything, the story of Of Fire and Ash deals with a lot of broken and struggling characters trying to find their future. The book is full of fantastic horses with amazing abilities. Some of them fly, some are water horses, some shadowers that can fade into shadow and smoke, and the main character's horse is a fireborn. He flames. There is a lot to these special horses but they really add to the story and it's a pretty unique path to take. The book deals with a LOT of heavy themes and there are a couple of very, very sad parts. However, hope is also present and that is the most beautiful element blazing forth. I finished the novel wanting book two very much. I'm curious to see how the stories of different characters will intertwine in the future.

Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Ash-Fireborn-Epic-Book/dp/1621842037/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=of+fire+and+ash&qid=1638939040&sr=8-1

The Girl Who Could See: Release Day Review!

 Hello, all! Today is the release day of The Girl Who Could See, a novella by Kara Swanson. I was lucky enough to be on the launch team and receive an early copy of the book, so I'm releasing my review today.

All her life Fern has been told she is blind to reality—but, what if she is the only one who can truly see?

Fern Johnson is crazy. At least, that's what the doctors have claimed since her childhood. Now nineteen, and one step away from a psych ward, Fern struggles to survive in bustling Los Angeles. Desperate to appear normal, she represses the young man flickering at the edge of her awareness—a blond warrior only she can see. 

Tristan was Fern's childhood imaginary hero, saving her from monsters under her bed and outside her walls. As she grew up and his secret world continued to bleed into hers, however, it only caused catastrophe. But, when the city is rocked by the unexplainable, Fern is forced to consider the possibility that this young man is not a hallucination after all—and that the creature who decimated his world may be coming for hers.



What a title (and storyline), am I right?

Cover

I know I'm on a roll with loving the covers I've reviewed lately, but this one is truly exceptional. It even won a cover contest, so I'm not the only one who thinks so. 

Characters

Okay, but who couldn't love Tristan, the boy from another world who's protected Fern from childhood? That's adorable, right? I think it is. Tristan sort of reminded me of one of my own characters at the beginning of the story, but as I read more of him, he was quite different, multi-faceted, and kind of precious in a tough warrior boy sort of way. I liked Tristan an awful lot. 

Our main character, Fern, is the star of character growth. She starts the book pretty much legally insane and trying to keep it a secret that she's illegally raising her niece. Seeing Fern's character development from someone who was afraid to even think about her childhood, to a strong woman willing to fight for those she loved was pretty incredible. 

I also have to mention that I enjoyed the use of the F.B.I as major players. You don't see this a lot in fantasy books, so it was a fun and unique addition. 

Story/Plot

Getting everything you want to say into a 50,000+ word book is hard. Getting your story into a novella? Crazy difficult, in my experience of writing novellas. I prefer novels because you can get so much more information in.

But Kara Swanson takes that thought and turns it on its head. Not only does she write a good novella, she writes one with just enough detail and a perfectly sized plot to fill her pages just right. The story is action packed, doesn't drag with needless exposition, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I saw someone mention this as a good beach-day read and I agree. If you want a quick summer read that isn't a romance novella, this is a good choice. Action packed and it will only take a couple of sittings. 

I really enjoyed this one and liked that with its short length, it was easy to get through, but also well-developed. I was left with some questions, so I wouldn't be adverse to a sequel, but if there isn't one coming... I think this novella stands well on its own. 

Guess what? This novella is only 99 cents today because it is release day. You should grab it here while you have the chance!

About the author: As the daughter of missionaries, KARA SWANSON spent sixteen years of her young life in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Able to relate with characters dropped suddenly into a unique new world, she quickly fell in love with the speculative genre and was soon penning stories herself.

At seventeen, she independently published a fantasy novel, Pearl of Merlydia. Her short story Distant as the Horizon is included in Kathy Ide's 21 Days of Joy: Stories that Celebrate Mom. She has published many articles, including one in the Encounter magazine. Kara received the Mount Hermon Most Promising Teen Writer Award in 2015.

Congratulations to Kara!

~ Bethany

The Lost Girl of Astor Street: A Book Review

Hey, Guys. Still not a lot of writing news to share, but I have loads of books to share! One of my favorite reads this Winter (so much so that I've been reading it to my mom) was The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill. I received this book in the mail in exchange for my honest review.

Lydia has vanished.

Lydia, who’s never broken any rules, except falling in love with the wrong boy. Lydia, who’s been Piper’s best friend since they were children. Lydia, who never even said good-bye.

Convinced the police are looking in all the wrong places, eighteen-year-old Piper Sail begins her own investigation in an attempt to solve the mystery of Lydia’s disappearance. With the reluctant help of a handsome young detective, Piper goes searching for answers in the dark underbelly of 1924 Chicago, determined to find Lydia at any cost.

When Piper discovers those answers might stem from the corruption strangling the city—and quite possibly lead back to the doors of her affluent neighborhood—she must decide how deep she’s willing to dig, how much she should reveal, and if she’s willing to risk her life of privilege for the sake of the truth.

From the glitzy homes of the elite to the mob-run streets of 1920s Chicago, Stephanie Morrill’s jazz-age mystery shows just how far a girl will go to save her friend.

~~~
A well-written mystery is a good thing. A well-written mystery in the Jazz Age? Even better.

If you can't tell, I adore the YA genre. Though I'm now twenty-one, I still love to read a well-written young adult novel, often more than their adult counterparts. It may be because I mainly write young adult. Whatever the reason, I'm so excited to see a young adult historical mystery novel. Maybe I'm just missing something, but I haven't seen too many of these in recent years, so that already made me anticipate this novel.

Let's look at the elements of this novel.

The Cover

Maybe I just love all covers (doubtful?), but I do adore this one. Blue and green are some of my favorite colors, so their presence n this covers probably makes it more attractive to my eye. Still, I think this cover is nice. The greenish sky is a nice contrast to the standard sky-blue and Piper's inclusion doesn't feel too staged. I'm rather glad she is seen from a side view. I also like the buildings in the background. A really nice cover.

The Characters

Okay, I'll be honest. These days when I hear the words "strong female character" I often want to roll my eyes. Okay, we get it. The main character is tough, can do big things, and can do it alone if necessary. Maybe that's just how I see it. The strong female character clones often seem to be so similar and unrealistic. 

That's why I love how Piper Sail turns that stereotype on its head. Yes, she is a strong female character, but she is also weak. She is human. She has many strong character traits. She is determined, a wonderful friend, and brave. She also has negative aspects that reveal the utter humanness of her. She can't do everything alone. Sometimes she does foolish things, even if they are for the right reasons. She needs help. And there is nothing wrong with that. Piper is better when she has support, and what can be truer than that?

There were several characters in this book of note aside from her heroine, including the many men in her life. We have her brother, Nick, and her dad. In somewhat larger roles, we have Jeremiah Crane, a suave newspaper man who I sort of adored, as well as Walter, Piper's best friend, the son of the housekeeper. Lastly, we have Cassano, a young police detective who has some obvious chemistry with Piper. (I would argue that Jeremiah also has obvious chemistry, but you should read the book). Each of these characters was unique and well-developed. I loved the supporting cast. The missing Lydia was also an important player, literally affecting almost every part of the story. The characterization was great.

Plot/Story

The plot is probably one of my favorite things about this book. At times misleading, at times heartbreaking, at time romantic, the storyline sews everything together quite nicely. There were twists to be found (one big shocker about halfway through the book) but also some calms in the storm involving sweetness. This is Stephanie Morrill's first historical and I think she did such a fine job. I love it and I really really hope we get to see more Piper Sail in the future!

King's Blood: A Book Review

Hello friends of the internet. I have just finished up my first semester at an official university and I am aching to write lots of blog posts this summer. So here is my first. A review of King's Blood by Jill Williamson. This book was complimentary and I am giving my honest review. King's Blood is the second book in the Kinsman Chronicles series, so be sure to check out King's Folly first! Welcome back to Book Thursdays!



Back cover: The Five Realms have been destroyed. The remnants of the population who escaped now find themselves confined only to several hundred ships adrift at sea. Guided by hope, rumor, and a promise, they sail north into the unknown, desperate to find land that might become their new home.

As the king's illness worsens, Sâr Wilek takes authority over the expedition and struggles to rule the disjointed people, while assassination attempts, vicious serpents, dangerous storms, and dark magic endanger his life and the survival of his people.

One prophecy has come to pass, but another looms dauntingly in the future. Who is the promised Deliverer? And if the Magonians have him, what might that mean for the realm of Armania?



One thing Jill Williamson always does well in / her books is world building. World building is the time an author takes to develop their world, all the intricacies of each culture and the expanse of each world they portray. Each of Williamson's novels has a great level of world building that helps make the story more real for the reader. It is an important skill and one she excels in.

One thing every good story need is a good character (or several). Williamson always crafts remarkable characters. Two of my favorites in this series are Sâr Trevn and Hinkdan Faluk, two young men in some perilous situations. I've so enjoyed reading Hinkdan's character development over the first book and this one. He has become so courageous and I like him very much. Other characters are also lovely, though I disliked Charlon (another main character) more this time around. Other characters were written perfectly to disgust the average reader with a conscious, including Sâr Janek and Sir Kamran DanSâr.

The plot of this novel was quite expansive. The novel is nearly six-hundred pages and covers many characters in a detailed and exciting story. A helpful character appendix at the front of the book will help forgetful readers keep characters and relations straight. The story does not feel rushed. I think the pacing was handled well so that everything moved at a good speed. This is that rare type of book with light moments and parts that will make you sob... at least for me. I finished this book in tears, but still excited for the next installment. So if you prefer stories that only include happiness, then this book is not for you. But if you enjoy the realism of pain, the joy of life, and exciting fantasy, you may just in enjoy this story. It is well worth the time it takes to read (and really, it's so interesting that six-hundred pages aren't anything.)

I recommend this book and if you are interested in reading it, you can find it here or wherever it may be sold.

~ Bethany

The Silent Songbird: A Book Review

 Hello all. I apologize for my distinct lack of posts. It's a common excuse but a lot has happened in my life including moving into my college residence and starting a new school. There are some changes coming to the blog and with those changes I wish to resume a more regular schedule. But for now, I present to you a review of The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson!


Evangeline longs to be free, to live in the world outside the castle walls. But freedom comes at a cost.


Evangeline is the ward and cousin of King Richard II, and yet she dreams of a life outside of Berkhamsted Castle, where she might be free to marry for love and not politics. But the young king betroths her to his closest advisor, Lord Shiveley, a man twice as old as Evangeline. Desperate to escape a life married to a man she finds revolting, Evangeline runs away from the king and joins a small band of servants on their way back to their home village.

To keep her identity a secret, Evangeline pretends to be mute. Evangeline soon regrets the charade as she gets to know Wesley, the handsome young leader of the servants, whom she later discovers is the son of a wealthy lord. But she cannot reveal her true identity for fear she will be forced to return to King Richard and her arranged marriage.

Wesley le Wyse is intrigued by the beautiful new servant girl. When he learns that she lost her voice from a beating by a cruel former master, he is outraged. But his anger is soon redirected when he learns she has been lying to him. Not only is she not mute, but she isn't even a servant.

Weighed down by remorse for deceiving Wesley, Evangeline fears no one will ever love her. But her future is not the only thing at stake, as she finds herself embroiled in a tangled web that threatens England's monarchy. Should she give herself up to save the only person who cares about her? If she does, who will save the king from a plot to steal his throne?

I have to admit. This isn't my favorite Melanie Dickerson book. It's good, though, and a worthy addition to her collection of fairytale retellings. If you couldn't tell by the title and description, this is a retelling of Little Mermaid. There are no mermaids involved, however, since like her other novels, this is also a historical. 

So let's talk plot. Like in The Little Mermaid, our heroine, Eva, gives up her speech. Her reasoning is far different from Ariel's, however, and she only pretends muteness. Her plan isn't totally thought out, however, because she finds herself missing her ability to speak very quickly when she falls for the handsome and kind Wesley Le Wyse. *Bats eyes*. The plot was decent and for the most part Eva's choices made sense. Who would want to marry a horrible man way older than them? There were parts of the plot I wished were expanded, but to discuss them would provide too many spoilers. Let's just say that like in the original Little Mermaid, Eva has to save Wesley at one point and I wish that Eva would have had more interaction with some of the people involved in that. Otherwise, the plot was well-rounded and I enjoyed some of the historical details Dickerson included, like scratching pray requests on the chapel walls. 

The characters were fine, though I notice that sometimes Dickerson's characters in different novels are somewhat similar. Perhaps it is just the way I read them. I like the fact that Eva feels guilty over her lies and doesn't just let it go as a character would in many novels. Since this is a Christian novel, I'm happy to see Christian morals upheld and guilt to be applied to the act of lying. I liked Wesley, of course. Dickerson always writes swoonworthy male leads and Wesley is no different. He's kind, adorably sweet, and likes Eva even when he thinks she's a poor mute. Gotta love it when I wealthier guy isn't snooty. After the amount of 'bad boys' in recent fiction, it's so nice to see some kind-hearted ones as well. 

The rest of the cast fulfilled their roles as well. The villain was perfectly villainous and nasty and the king was completely out of it for most of the novel. I had to do some research and the young king from this story had a sad end in real life, dying several years after this story after his kingdom is taken over. I love that Dickerson included a historical character as a large part of her novel and overall I enjoyed this story! You can find a copy at Amazon or wherever it is sold.

~ a rambling author

The Golden Braid: A Book Review

Today I am reviewing The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson.

About: The one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again—this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight—Sir Gerek—Rapunzel in turn rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to this knight than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery is about to be revealed after seventeen years of lies. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?

*****

 I'm a big fan of retellings. I've even written some myself. I'm also a huge fan of medieval settings, don't ask me why. Many of my story ideas live in medieval fantasy world. I read my first Melanie Dickerson book back around 2012 when I used money I won in a writing contest to buy some books I'd grown interested in. Since then I have had the pleasure of reading several of her written works, each seeming better than the one before (though I will always have a special place in my heart for The Captive Maiden.) As one of her releases this past year, The Golden Braid does not disappoint. 

 Rapunzel isn't the most common story you see retold. In fact, I never saw another version of it until the Disney film came out. After that, I did find one story based off of it. Dickerson does something unique with her retellings by placing them in historical medieval settings, making you wonder if they actually could have happened. This makes for a very interesting Rapunzel retelling as Rapunzel is not a story you would think of happening in real life. Dickerson writes it easily, seamlessly connecting it to other stories in her writing collection in a way that will make you want to read the predecessors if you haven't yet. 

 As far as characters go, I found them interesting and I admire the character development. Many of Dickerson's male leads have had a certain gruffness about them and I found Gerek to somewhat fit this category, but he was also a developed character struggling with some mighty heavy things. Rapunzel is a sweet and kind maiden, but she also faces her own problems including fear of men. As I mentioned in the first sentence, I really enjoyed the way Dickerson developed these characters from their initial traits of fear or even selfishness into something new and beautiful. 

 The plot was exciting and made me wonder just what might come next. I guessed a few things about it, partially due to another reader's excitement, but it did not ruin the story for me or the way my eyes teared up in a tender moment. Just when you think the characters are going to relax and take a break, a chapter or two goes by and something else exciting happens. I believe this story coincides with The Princess Spy, a story I haven't read yet, (sadly--its on my reading list!) so I would recommend reading that book first as there are some plot  points in The Golden Braid that might spoil it for you. 

 Overall, I enjoyed this story and am happy to add it to my Melanie Dickerson and fairytale retelling collection. 

Have you read anything by Melanie Dickerson?

~ a rambling author

Darkness Reigns Release and Review!

  Hello, everyone. Today is the release day of Darkness Reigns by Jill Williamson. I've had the great pleasure of being part of the launch team of this endeavor and I'm so excited to share more about this new series with you. The best part? Right now you can get the Darkness Reigns ebook free!

 I would like to share my review with you, but first... here is the cover and description.

The god of the soil is furious. Volcanic eruptions, sinkholes, earthquakes--everything points to his unhappiness. At least this is what the people of Armania in the Five Realms believe. Amidst the unsettling state of the world around them, the princes of Armania live their lives focused more on who will claim the throne after their sickly father, King Echad, dies. That is until Prince Wilek's concubine turns up dead--beside her, a bloodied message that seems to have come from the mother realms. 








 This book is actually the first part of the book King's Folly that will be released in 2016. Darkness Reigns can only be found in ebook format and King's Folly will only be sold as a physical copy. No matter what way the story is sold, it is party of a larger series called The Kinsman Chronicles, which is a sort of prequel to Jill's fantastic Blood of Kings series. 

  I wasn't sure about my feelings after I finished this first installment. The writing was gripping, pulling me into the characters lives after I got over the initial confusion of who was who with the large cast. No, it wasn't the writing I had a problem with. Something else nagged at me even as I devoured every word. 

 It was the darkness. Maybe what they call "thematic elements" on movie warnings. And yeah, this story gets pretty dark. The death, human sacrifice, destructions, and concubines are dark enough, but the really weird thing that bothered me? Some of the characters basically communicate with demons. 

  This bothered me. It was never explicitly said that they were what we think of as demons, but the fact that it wasn't presented as so bothered me a litte.

But here's the thing. This story may be dark, but it is real. It was partly inspired by the kings of the Old Testament. People used to commit human sacrifice, have multiple wives and concubines, and yes... communicate with spirits. These things aren't being presented as right in this story, but they are presented as a darkness. This darkness is so strong that it affects all of the characters. 

 Why is the darkness necessary? Because soon a great light will appear and I'm sure evil will be vanquished. This series actually has so much symbolism to it and is a fantastic read. 

 I really liked the characters, some more than others, but all of them I enjoyed reading about. 


Once again Jill Williamson has riveted me with the first installment in her first adult fantasy series.  

I hope you will take this incredible opportunity to get the book free on kindle or itunes. Here is the link to the kindle version. 

 Tonight at 6 PM Pacific Time there is going to be a facebook party here. You're going to love it and there will be giveaways, so come learn more about it!

About the author: Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms and the award-winning author of several speculative fiction novels including By Darkness Hid, Replication, The New Recruit, and Captives. She got into writing one day when someone was complaining about teen books and she thought, “I could do that! How hard could it be?” Very, she soon learned. But she worked hard, and four years later, her first book, By Darkness Hid, was published and won several awards. Jill is a Whovian, a Photoshop addict, and a recovering fashion design assistant, who was raised in Alaska. She loves teaching about writing, which she does weekly at www.GoTeenWriters.com. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two children, and a whole lot of deer.

~ a rambling author

The New Colored Pencil: A Book Review

 Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I have so many things to be thankful for. I'm thankful to have my family that I love so much, my friends, and my writing and theater. God has blessed me innumerably. This Thanksgiving is a bit stranger because my beautiful Mammaw just passed away, but we are also thankful that she is in Heaven rejoicing with the Savior that she loved so much. 

 I have so many books to review, so I hope you guys are interested in learning about some neat books. Today's book is The New Colored Pencil by Kristy Ann Kutch. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. This book is a bit different than the ones I have reviewed so far, a fact that will soon be apparent. 

Description: 
Start coloring, relieve stress, and learn to create radiant, original works of art using colored pencils, wax pastels, and watercolor pencils.

Add vibrancy to your coloring creations with instruction from best-selling author and teacher Kristy Kutch as she guides you through recommendations for the newest colored pencil brands, best drawing surfaces, and groundbreaking techniques.

Including easy step-by-step demonstrations and inspiring art from today’s best colored pencil artists,The New Colored Pencil shows you how to use color theory to your advantage, combine color media, create and enhance textures, and experiment with surfaces to create phenomenal effects. Whether you use traditional wax-based, or watercolor colored pencils, The New Colored Pencil will take your creative art pieces to a whole new level.

 First off, let me note that this book is beautiful. As you can see from the cover, it makes for a perfect review to post on Thanksgiving. Inside the book are lots and lots of gorgeous illustrations, most of them created by talented author, Kristy Ann Kutch. You could just have the book to look at the many lovely pictures inside.

 This book is very detailed. The author lists many different sources for artistic materials, their quality, and about how expensive they usually are. In some cases too much detail can be an annoyance, but for a book like this, I think it fits very well. While the description lead me to think it was a tutorial book, I found it more to be a guide and advice book. There aren't a lot of step-to-step instructions throughout (I didn't quite finish the book before this review, but I have read and looked enough for this review), but there are some that seem like step-to-step and you could follow along with. I think this is more of a detailed resource that you can use for advice about supplies, technique, and many other aspects of colored pencil drawing. 

I'm really happy to have this book as part of my growing creative books collection. Learning more about the art of coloring with pencils is something I am sure I will be able to put to good use. If you're an art enthusiast and want to learn more about colored pencils, whether you are experienced or a newbie, I'm sure you can use this book. I certainly have enjoyed having it. 

~ a rambling author

Submarines, Secrets and a Daring Rescue: a Book Review

So NaNo was a bit of a bust. I had good reasons for it, though, and I got some stuff written anyway. Instead of telling you why I decided to abandon NaNo for this year, I want to present you with a review! Submarines, Secrets and a Daring Rescue by Robert J. Skead with Robert A. Skead. I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. 

Synopsis:  

In this second book in the American Revolutionary War Adventure series, Submarines, Secrets, and a Daring Rescue, twins Ambrose and John Clark find themselves volunteering for another mission to help the newly forming United States. Inspired by their success in delivering a secret message to General George Washington himself, the boys step up to help transport much-needed gunpowder to the patriots and end up in an even more dangerous situation, trying to man one of the first submarines and then, later, attempting a prison break to rescue one of their older brothers.

Follow these brave young patriots as they follow in their father’s footsteps and rely on each other, their considerable courage, and God’s providence for guidance and strength.

~

 You may remember me reviewing the first book in this series back in April. I was curious to see what might happen to the Clark twins after their initial espionage filled adventure, so I quickly volunteered to read this second installment. I did not read it as quickly as the first, but that was due to college and whatnot, not the book's content.

 The characters in the story were much the same as the first. I did enjoy how the point of view of the story shifted to be from Ambrose instead of John, like the first book. Seeing through Ambrose's eyes was quite a bit different and at times I missed the level headed John, but for the most part I enjoyed the usual mischievous twin learning to be a man. I enjoyed the inclusion of their older brother, Berty, and several historical characters.

 I liked the story line well enough, but probably not quite as much as the first book. Still, it was interesting and kept a pretty good pace. I always enjoy reading fictionalized retellings of historical events. According to some information in the back, some of the events in the story were a bit inflated and didn't really happen, but were based on historical events. I was a bit disappointed to know that the submarine pictured on the cover was never actually used in a successful mission. Anyway, the plot was good for the grade level and kept me engaged.

 Overall, a good work of fiction, especially if you're a young person. This book is middle grade, but can be enjoyed by anyone if you want a light, quick read. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to future books in the series. Buy it here.

The Sound of Emeralds: Cover Reveal!

 Hey guys! I have a special treat for you today. The cover reveal of The Sound of Emerald by Rachelle Rea. *Insert trumpeting.* Before I share the cover, here is the series description.

The Steadfast Love Series is set in 16th-century Europe, where the Reformation rages between Protestants and Catholics. Gwyneth, a half-Dutch Catholic, flees from England to Holland to escape the man who murdered her parents. When he follows her there and insists he has come to rescue her, will she trust him? Or would she rather succumb to the violence surrounding the Dutch Revolution?


 Now that you obviously want to read this book, part of a series, here is the goodreads link to learn more about it.

 And now... The reveal!

Tada! Isn't it lovely? You can order it here on Amazon.


About the author:  Rachelle Rea plots her novels while driving around the little town she’s lived in all her life in her dream car, a pick-up truck. As a freelance editor, she enjoys mentoring fellow authors in the craft. A homeschool graduate and retired gymnast, she wrote the Sound of Silver the summer after her junior year of college.

Top Ten Tuesday: Fairytale Retellings

  It's been a couple weeks since my last post, but I'll have another one up pretty soon to answer Bridger's questions. Today I am excited to take part in Top Ten Tuesday! It's a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. While Tuesdays used to be my day for talking about normal life, I think I'm going to mix it up a bit, because for one, this meme looks like fun. Today's topic? Top Ten Fairytale Retellings.

 Now, I love fairy tale retellings. They're one of my favorite type of story. Sadly I haven't read all of them, but I have attempted to write a few. So here are my top ten retellings. Not necessarily in order of favorites.

10. Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

 Not technically a 'fairytale' retelling, this is a retelling of Peter Pan, so I'm counting it. A bit on the stranger side, but still enjoyable, providing interesting reasons for Peter not growing up, etc

9. The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson

 Dickerson makes my list a lot for her Christian retellings. This one is a retelling of both Robin Hood and Swan Lake so I'm counting it. I have a review of this one coming soon.

8. Before Midnight by Cameron Dokey

 

Retelling of Cinderella with a twist. I like it. 

7. The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

Historical retelling of Beauty and the Beast. First book I read by this author.

 6. Golden by Cameron Dokey

 Featuring one of my favorite fairytale retelling twists, in this Rapunzel story, the known lady of long hair is bald. Makes for some interesting narration.

5. The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

This historical retelling is about as chilling as the original fairytale of Snow White with an interesting cast of characters.

4. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

 

 Eastern inspired retelling of little-known fairytale Maid Maleen. Written in diary format, it is actually the story of the maid's servant, Dashti, and it is extremely well-written.

3. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

 

A captivating retelling of Twelve Dancing Princesses, this book kept me turning the pages.

2. The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

My favorite Dickerson story is actually another Cinderella retelling. Add in a misunderstood prince and a creepy villain (and I'm not even talking about the stepmother) and you've got an intriguing historical retelling. 

1. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

When I first read the fairytale, The Goose Girl, as a child I was both horrified and intrigued. This retelling that expounds upon that classic fairytale takes my top spot for taking small details from the story and using that to create an entire original series after this book. Hale masterfully spins the tale of the princess who experiences betrayal by those closest to her as she journeys to be married to a foreign prince, instead becoming a servant while her waiting woman masquerades as her. Great story, with a wonderful original series following.

BONUS

Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey 

A retelling of the historic tale of the warrior Mulan, this couldn't technically be counted as a fairytale, but I love this story, so decided to include it as a bonus. 

Finally, here are three books I need to read.  (There are more, but.)

1. Doon  

A retelling of Brigadoon, it's on this month's to-read list.

2. Cinderella

Cyborg Cinderella???

3. Ella Enchanted

 

 

Like the movie, need to read the book.

And you can add all the Melanie Dickerson and Cameron Dokey books to this list as well, as well as any sequels to the above books I didn't mention. Also, there are many more I want to read. Do you have any suggestions for me to add to my list? 

~ a rambling author