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

Courage and Grace {Book Review}

Courage and Grace is today's review read. I received this book in exchange for my honest review, which I've given below.

Source

  Description: If their secret is discovered

They will not survive…

While the Holocaust rages, two very young brothers, Joseph and Yitzhak, adopt false Christian identities and hide in the Aryan side of Polish cities and countryside.

Their lives, as well as the lives of their parents, swing wildly between the terror of being apprehended by the cruel regime and collaborators of the Reich, to their desperate need to continue living "freely" outside the ghetto walls.

They undergo an agonizing five and a half years, mostly in constant fear that their false identities will be exposed and their lives ended.

~~

Since my younger days I've had an interest in both the holocaust and the Jewish people. I believe that the Jews are God's chosen people (though he also has a spiritual people - Christians) and the extreme wickedness and evil done toward them during the holocaust was an act of Satan himself using evil men to try to destroy God's people. Of course, this terror campaign did not succeed, because as The Bible shows over and again, God always saves a remnant.

The family portrayed in this story is a part of that remnant. I still haven't gotten all the way through the book--it's quite lengthy, over a hundred pages--but I find myself astonished at the amazing survival story in the pages. Most holocaust stories I've read involve those who haven't survived or tales of hiding within walls--such as those hidden by Corrie Ten Boom and others. 

This story is different. Yes, there is hiding... a lot of it. But the main difference I see is that this family was intelligent and courageous in such a way that they often hid in plain sight, assuming false identities to survive the war. 

This is not a light book. It took me several tries to begin it, but once I did, I found it surprisingly engrossing. See, this is not written as a novel or biography, but it is an explicit autobiography in places. Yoseph Komen (the smallest boy in the photograph on the cover) tells his story--as much as he can remember. The smallest details stand out to him, surprising in their descriptive accuracy. He remembers the layout of homes he stayed in, etc. Yet, some larger details--such as who accompanied him during an important train ride--remain a contested mystery. 

The scope of this story awes me, honestly. I am impressed by this remarkable family--a deaf father who used his disability and his blonder looks to masquerade, a mother who fearlessly taught her child, children who were somehow able to keep the secret of who they really were.

Yes there are many names. This story is not just the story of Yoseph Komen's immediate family, but many other relatives and acquaintances who lived or died during the war. Glimpses of other lives are available, such as the many brave families who hid them, or aided them. There's a lot to keep up with. The timeline might be confusing. But this is a raw, real story. It's full of memory and detail. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to see into the lives of this remarkable family, to remember why we say "never again" to attempted genocide and cruelty.

You can find the book here: Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072J3MW1J

Review: Composer of the Calm Horizon

Hello all! It's been a minute. Today I have a new review for you. Composer of the Calm Horizon by Al Romano. I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review, which I've given below.

 Description: Have you ever felt like the stork got the wrong address? So she left you where you're not supposed to be: in a cage that you can never escape? That's exactly how 15-year-old Neph Baker feels, hated by literally everyone in his town for an arson whose perpetrator remains at large, yet for some reason everyone blames Neph. But he himself can't recall where he was when it happened. Nonetheless, the rumors were strong enough to grant him the ill-favored epithet that induces terror in all who hear it: The fire kid. But things aren't all bad, because even with everyone against him, he still has the company of the ever-loyal Grasshead, an otherworldly creature known as a hiphomoy and the only means of comfort Neph has. But with no money, no friends, no support and nowhere to go, Neph is forced to bide his time until the moment when he will leave his wretched cage of suffering and loneliness… for that is his one and only desire.Everything changes when he discovers the Natin, a group of humanoids who invite Neph to their home, for they believe he is the composer of the calm horizon, the long-lost hero of legends, who will defeat the Airatsmeka, the Natin's eternal enemies. Neph enters the novaverse, a utopian parallel world dominated by the Natin. Yet the utopia may be destroyed by the Airatsmeka if Neph doesn’t live up to his supposed destiny as the composer. Because they have no alternative, the Natin are open-minded to the idea that Neph is the composer, since they waited seven centuries for an opportunity like this, and time is running out.But there's an even bigger problem: no one is certain Neph is actually the composer. But the Natin are willing to test him if it means the defeat of the Airatsmeka. Realizing this might be his only shot at a better life, Neph is willing to go through any and all trials to prove himself. Should he fail, he will return to a life of condemnation and to the world from which he came, for the Natin have no tolerance for failures… and Neph can’t to go back into the cage.
~
Okay, let's get into the review. First of all, I'm a huge fantasy reader, so I thought this book might suit my interest.

The Cover

The cover is probably one of my favorite elements to this novel. Fantasy creatures can be hard to picture, so the fact that the aforementioned Grasshead is included helps for imagery purposes. It also gives a clear picture of what it is: a fantasy book. Expectations met there.

The Characters

Ah, the characters. My feelings are so mixed here. I really did not enjoy Neph as a character and considering he is the focus, that was a bit of a problem for me. It's not bad to have a main character with problems, but I personally found him to be quite abrasive and frustrating at times. He had a bit of a romance involved and he was SO mean to the girl he liked at times. It felt a bit much.

My favorite character was probably a Natin named So'Krang, but overall I kind of found the characters to be a bit one dimensional. They had a lot of potential but never quite reached it. If the author continued to develop this further, I would encourage him to find more dimension in his characters, especially the more prominent ones. 

The Plot/Story

Okay, the plot was pretty interesting once I understand what was going on. But it also seemed like only a small portion of the story was covered in the book, since the author seemed to describe every minute detail. This was okay some of the times, but often it created longer than necessary scenes and chapters and put the book at a slow start. Additionally, some of the plot elements were not really integral to the story... there was a character included near the beginning that was discussed and only briefly mentioned later in the book. I didn't understand the significance of this character since she seemed like a large player early and then just vanished with no explanation of what she was about. I like the fact that this book plays with the "chosen one" trope since the main character doesn't actually know if he is, in fact, the supposed "chosen one". So that was a nice little twist to see. The writing could have been much tighter in places. I felt at times that I was reading a first draft, which isn't something you want. One of the large things that bothered me was the amount of cussing. I guess it's just something you don't expect from a fantasy novel, especially one with a main character of fifteen. Suffice it to say, I was really surprised with that fifteen's year old's mouth was extremely dirty. The publisher/author should probably make it known that though the character is a teen, this is not a true young adult novel, as it could be assumed to be. 

Overall, this book had a complex world. I wish we could have seen more of that world and have it more detailed and written with far less passive voice. With a bit of an overhaul, this book could be a rich, detailed addition to the fantasy genre.

If interested, you can find more here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q84R9GB

Broken Trust: A Book Review

I hope everyone has had a great Christmas season. Tomorrow a new year starts with new challenges and possibly some resolutions--though I have thoughts about that. I'm hoping to get a post written about both my first semester at my new college and new year out very soon. One of my Christmas presents was the FINAL book in the Mission League series by Jill Williamson. Today I am reviewing Broken Trust--the penultimate book in the series--before finishing the newest release, so strap in. This one is a real ride.



Note: I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Also, this is the second last book in a deeply developed series, so I don't recommend reading this post if you haven't read the previous books as I will probably reference previous books and plot lines.


Blurb: In the midst of training for the outdoor survival trip to Alaska, Spencer is distracted by a mysterious young woman—Nick's new girlfriend. He's not just wondering how someone that gorgeous would waste her time on a jerk like Nick, he recognizes this girl from her bit part in one of the cultish Jolt movies he's been investigating. She's up to something, and Spencer is determined to find out what. As he gets closer to the truth, it becomes harder to know who to trust. Things are getting dangerous. Can Spencer figure out what's going on, or will this mystery leave him M.I.A?

~

The Cover

So this cover may be my favorite from the entire series. The elements of the wolf-dog, Spencer, and the explosion/fire meld together really well. The cover alone promises this book to be an adventure.

Characters

Jill Williamson truly is the queen of characters. No matter what story of hers I read, it is her characters who stand out. This book is no different. We have read Spencer's journey over two novels and two novellas and his development has been very satisfying. He started as a selfish kid who saw girls as objects and is now testing the waters of recent conversion to Christianity. He's already so much nicer.

Additionally, we get to meet some new characters and get to know old ones better. 

Plot and Story

This book deviates from the theme of the past two full length features. The characters don't travel to foreign countries for 8 weeks. Instead, it is a year for survival training. The first half of the summer is spent doing various assignments (Spencer is working undercover and keeping tabs on a company) while characters like Nick Muren are getting into trouble. Spencer realizes a fellow classmate has him as an assignment, which complicates things since he kind of likes her. Badummmm. Things really take an interesting turn when the kids leave for their survival trip to Alaska where they are supposed to well... try to survive... for a certain amount of time until--as usual--things don't go as planned.

I really enjoyed this one. The first half of the plot was a little slow at times, but still kept me involved and interested. This might should go into character but... I'm not a huge fan of Spencer and Grace's growing closeness. But then, I am a Mary Stopplecamp fan for the guy so. The entire Alaska plot was really nice to see because we got to see the kids work together in a way that was kind of missing in the previous novels. I enjoyed the teamwork as well as the suspense. The book was a great read and I'm so excited to go read my Christmas present and see how everything is tied up. (And let's all hope my OTP happens... Spencer and Mary!(

Have you read any of the Mission League Series? Thoughts?

~ The Dramatic Bookworm

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!

Unblemished: A Book Review

 Okay, so in my old schedule, Tuesday was the day for theatre-related goodness. Now I do the bulk of my theatre fangirling over at The Fangirl Initiative, a site dedicated to all things fandom, which you should check out. Still, I plan to share some of the events going on in my theatre life, but that will have to wait. Today I am going to share another book with you. Unblemished by Sara Ella. I received this book free, but the review containes my thoughts and opinions.

Eliyana can’t bear to look at her own reflection. But what if that were only one Reflection—one world? What if another world exists where her blemish could become her strength?

Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a birthmark covering half her face, she just hopes to graduate high school unscathed. That is, until Joshua hops a fence and changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her like he does: normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.

But one night her mother doesn’t come home, and that’s when everything gets weird. Now Joshua is her new, and rather reluctant, legal Guardian. Add a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle to the mix and you’ve gone from weird to otherworldly.

Eliyana soon finds herself in a world much larger and more complicated than she’s ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. And Eliyana holds the answer to defeating him. How can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can’t even save herself?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know what you're thinking. Ugh. Another story about dark brooding heroes who have a secret that will change the boring heroine's life. And maybe that's sort of right. But this is not that story.

The Cover:

First, I must take a moment to comment on the cover. The saying about judging a book by its cover is true, but I love a gorgeous cover like this one. Sometimes having a face on a cover is interesting, but I like the sort of lower face approach here. The font, all lowercase, goes well with the ethereal glimmers of white and the pattern swirling about her face is curious and pretty. I also like how the image of the trees and building were included at the bottom. This is a well-designed cover and definitely eye-catching. So A+ as far as covers go.

Extra:

Next, I have to point out that this book has a map at the start, which is always a good sign in my opinion. The book is also split into 'acts' which makes my theatre nerd self really happy. Many musical references are written into the prose, which also makes me happy. But onto the actual review...

The Characters:

Understanding a character is imperative to understanding the story. In Unblemished we have a relatively large cast of unique and developed characters. I can't talk about some of the characters without spoilers, so I will do my best to avoid those. We have the heroine Eliyana, a girl struggling with her self-worth. Many people suffer with it, me included at times, Eliyana has a strange red birthmark on her face that mortifies her. With all she goes through during the book, Eliyana is a character that grows a lot and one I liked for the most part. 

Other characters of note include Joshua, Eliyana's guardian just a few years her senior, and Ky, who I would describe as the bad boy to Joshua's nice-guy persona. Both of these characters are well-written and I absolute love how Sara Ella did not write them as tropes, but made them into layered and sympathetic people. They got on my nerves at times, especially one of them, but they are important to the story and a good character will aggravate you at times. Perfect characters are boring!

The villain is pretty chilling. I can't go into why he's so chilling, but trust me. One doesn't want to mess with Jasyn Crow. 

The supporting characters are pretty fabulous as well. In general, this book has a well-rounded cast.

The Story:

Ah. The thing that connects everything and keeps the characters and plot together... Unblemished obviously carries a message of self-acceptance, not a truly rare message, but an important one nonetheless. Self-acceptance is also rarely presented from a Christian perspective, so that's also a good thing here, even if the novel is a fantasy. 

This story does have some tropes in it (which I don't necessarily mind). There's the one where a person goes to another the world, the enduring love triangle, and the chosen one storyline (sort of). These actually all work pretty well into the fabric of this story. The other world is a reflection of our own and Eliyana's journey there is nothing like Lucy's peaceful journey into Narnia. In fact, it's kind of scary and worrisome. Goody. 

The love triangle. I hate love triangles. Okay, I dislike them. Sometimes. I've watched enough Korean dramas that I know my love triangles... The thing about love triangles is this: if they aren't done well, they are the worst. The girl in a love triangle (or guy, if the situation is reversed) is often so indecisive and flaky that the guys should just go find someone else. I found that to be much less promiYonent here. The love triangle had explanations. The reason the main character struggled had an explanation. It wasn't just because she couldn't decide which of the two buff, extremely hot guys she liked more.

Also, I want to note how much I love that looks are not highlighted here. Eliyana has a hideous birthmark. Ky has horrible acne. I just love that not everyone is porcelain skinned or the world's definition of beautiful. Thank you, Sara Ella, for that. 

The story is well-written and exciting. I spent a lot of time that I should have been sleeping during college last semester burning through this book. Yeah, I have no regrets. 

The worldbuilding is excellent. In one book Ella created an expansive universe of sorts full of exciting possibility. 

Also, I shall not spoil it, but there is a bit of a twist that I didn't see coming. As a person who often sees things coming (an annoyance when trying to watch a film), I was pretty surprised.

Unblemished is a great book about embracing who you are and your purpose and the characters go on both literal and figurative journeys that are incredibly engaging. Add to that Sara Ella's beautiful prose and you have a winner for this author's first novel. I can't wait to see what comes next!

You can buy Unblemished here or wherever it is sold.

~ Bethany

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

Precious Moments 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury: A Review

 Today I'm reviewing a children's storybook. True, that's a bit abnormal, but if you have children or nieces and nephews you may understand as I picked to review this because I am a proud aunt and I thought my niece and nephew would enjoy it. The book is Precious Moments 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury. I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Description:

Create a Bedtime Tradition in Just 5 Minutes

Delight your little ones with these sweet Precious Moments® characters as you share beloved Bible stories and comforting bedtime scriptures with them.

The five-minute format helps parents create a meaningful bedtime. With paraphrased stories from the International Children’s Bible®, you’ll nurture a love for God’s Word.

Take five minutes before bed to create a special connection with your precious child.

 I love Precious Moments designs. I always have. I guess it goes back to my Grandma first loving them and passing that down. The little characters look so sweet and innocent, how can you not think it's cute? And that makes it perfect for kids. 

 My sis agreed to do a miniature photoshoot with my adorable niece. I believe the nephew was taking a nap, so he missed out this time, but there will be more reviews in the future, I'm sure. This is Rachel. She's four. She loves girly things and playing and I think she's already gaining a love of books (I hope!). 

 This book is a great addition to the bedtime story collection. As a Christian parent, I know my sis wants to incorporate the Bible into the lives of her children, even when they're little.  This book allows that seamlessly with large, bright illustrations and simplified stories that still hold to the Biblical original. 

The book is a hardback cover with a soft cushion around it so it isn't easy to tear apart, very helpful when it comes to children.                                   

 Rachel hasn't quite learned to read yet, but from the concentration in the image to right, I think she's trying to pick out some letters. 

The kids really like this book. My sis describes it as "well-loved" and that makes me happy since as soon as I saw it I liked it. 

Charity (my sis), also says that the kids love the illustrations, so I guess they will be carrying on the tradition of being Precious Moments fans. 

 Overall, this book is well-made with large,gorgeous illustrations to captivate young readers (and listeners) to hear some important Bible stories and lessons. I'm glad to have had the chance to review it. To end, here are some more photos of those pictures. If you are interested in purchasing, it is available online, for one!

To fill out church records!

Family tree page.

As you can see, this book has many hidden treasures including a page for a family tree and church events. This book could be a well-loved memory for your grown child one day. 

 Thanks for reading!

~ 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

The Heir War: Book Review

  Hey, everyone! Thanks to an atrocious school semester I've been M.I.A for a bit. Now I've returned so expect to see many posts and reviews this summer! We're going to start with the second part of King's Folly...The Heir War. This is written by the talented Jill Williamson and I was able to read the story in exchange for my review. 

 Now, The Heir War is being released exclusively as an ebook to be followed by The End of All Things, however, King's Folly contains all three parts into one print tome which I will be reviewing later.              

Synopsis: With Prince Wilek still searching Armania for a murderer, his brother Prince Trevn finds himself pulled deeper into the dangerous politics of who will be Heir. Trevn, though, is far more interested in his studies with a local priest and the attentions of a young honor maiden.

The book that he has been copying during his lessons is not the book that teaches of the god of the soil. Instead, it teaches of a one true God. If accurate, then it means there is no soil god to satiate. There is nothing they can do to save their world, and all of King Echad's sacrifices have been futile.                               

I love the detail Williamson puts into her world.  The Five Realms of this story are so unique and interesting. At one point, a prophecy is used by several different groups all relating to the same thing. That is only one example. The Heir War takes us even further into the realms and into new places. We are introduced more to Inolah and the kingdom of Rurikar where she is the misused queen.  We also meet Qoatch, a eunuch, and several other important players.

 Many plot points are opened and expounded upon in this second part. To me, the second part is often my favorite and I find that to be somewhat true in this case as well. The story continues to grow and the characters learn and change. Trevn is still one of my favorites and his character change has started more noticeably. I still love several of the characters.

 Overall, this second installment is pretty wonderful and you should check it out! I will be reviewing the third installment and the entire book very soon.

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.

To Win her Favor: A Book Review

 I'll try to have another post up with an update on some things happening in my life, but for today I have a book review for you. It's been a while, so I hope you're excited. I'm reviewing To Win Her Favor by Tamera Alexander. I received this book through BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Back cover:
A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who can help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing for good.
An Irish-born son far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He's come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and start a farm, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he'd wagered, especially when Maggie Linden's father makes hiwas m an offer he shouldn't accept yet cannot possibly refuse.
Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the annual Drayton Stakes at Nashville's racetrack--the richest race run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance, and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder, Maggie's father--aging, yet wily as ever--makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail--Maggie must marry a man she's never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.
Cullen and Maggie need each other in order to achieve their dreams. But their stubborn, wounded hearts--and the escalating violence from a "secret society" responsible for lynchings and midnight raids--may prove too much for even two determined souls.
~~

I've heard good things about Tamera Alexander's writing for far too long. I've been looking for the opportunity to read one of her book sand when the opportunity represented itself of course I couldn't refuse. This book is actually the second in a series, but reading it first probably has no effect on anything. The plot was interesting. I've seen many comment that Maggie's marriage is arranged, but I disagree since she is given the choice. I liked the focus on race horses and the nineteenth century. The Civil War era is one I enjoy reading, so reading this one, right after the War, was pretty entertaining.

 I liked the characters for the most part. Maggie probably bothered me more than any of the main or supporting cast. She is a Christian, but has some strong prejudices that make her look rather ugly. I understand that we probably all have some sort of prejudice but I suppose since I knew who she was prejudiced against it bothered me. But I give Maggie the benefit of the doubt because when she wasn't acting a bit spoiled she was a good character. I liked Cullen a lot. Even though he was withholding secrets and whatnot, he was a good man who cared about others. Just a nice guy. He had his issues to work out, but work them out he did. Then there were other supporting characters like Ethan, Gilbert--Maggies father--and one of my favorites, an adorable little former slave girl named Kizzy--a character filled with spunk, something I love.

 While the book had a pretty well paced plot, a bit of that plot disconcerted me. There was a lot of discussion into marital kinds of things and lots of love going on, though the scenes never went far, I feel at times they went too far for the market this book is selling to. So I wouldn't recommend anyone reading it but adults. I'm nineteen and even I felt a little awkward around parts of it. The story also has some frightening sequences thanks to racism and violence.

 Besides a couple of things I enjoyed this story. Pretty well written. I hope I can get my hands on another of Tamera Alexander's novels to see if I enjoy it even more than this one.

Buy it here.

~ a rambling author

Tea Review!

  I'm still waiting on more questions on Ask Bridger (see the post before this one) but tonight I have a review. Writers love hot beverages. It makes things feel more... official? Or something? Either way, we love boasting about drinking hot cocoa or tea in teacups. *Shrug* So today I'm reviewing Energy Tea from Total Tea. I received this product in exchange for my honest review.

 

Unfortunately, although I enjoy drinking tea, I haven't had the chance to try this particular tea yet. Rather, I haven't made it for myself yet. You see, I often drink tea for the purpose of helping my voice as well and I've just not taken the time. Which is my loss. My mother on the other hand has been drinking a cup faithfully almost every day ever since we got it.

  This tea is for weight loss and energy. It is a herbal tea with lots of green tea in it. It's all natural being kosher and gluten free. Here are some of the ingredients: guayusa, green tea, cinnamon bark, eleuthero root, and ginseng root. All of these ingredients do fantastic things for your body like sooth the nervous system and increase the metabolism.

  Here's what my mother has to say about the tea:

My beautiful Mom.

 I love it! Not only is it good for you but it tastes good too. Another thing I love is that one teabag brews a nice big cup. I leave the teabag in the cup as I sip with pleasure and it never gets that too strong bitterness. I haven't really paid that much attention to the claims for weight loss and energy as I have just enjoyed a great cup of herbal tea.

 When she says a big cup, I mean big. Look at this thing. Whew. Also, though she said she didn't notice much weight loss stuff, I did hear her mention losing about five pounds the other day, so... who knows? I just had a sip and it tastes pretty yummy. Perhaps the next ingredient to continue my writerly perseverance? We'll see. Find it here.

~ a rambling author