Review: Merchant of Alyss by Thomas Locke

Merchant of Alyss

Merchant of Alyss is the second book in Thomas Locke’s Legends of the Realm series and I remember reading the first rather quickly and enjoying it.   This one carries on the story nicely but it did take me a little while to get reacquainted with the characters again.  I think that is just due to the book being a fantasy, though.  However, that being said as I delved deeper into the story I had a hard time putting it down.  Our hero Hyam with his bride Joelle is recovering from his battles where he had lost his magical abilities when a shipment of scrolls that only he has the ability to read is sent to his allies.  He also begins to have strange dreams with a dragon involved.  All of this sets our hero, his wife, and their comrades on a very dangerous journey into the unknown to find the answers needed for these new mysteries.  Along the way they meet many dangers and please do be prepared at what happens.  So if you like fantasy with elves, humans, dragons, monsters and more, I highly recommend this series.  It was a riveting read for me even though I did not like some of the plot choices and one particular character was getting under my skin.  I am anxious for the next in this series to see how things can be made right.  I received a copy for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own. 

Review: Where She Belongs by Johnnie Alexander

Where She Belongs

Where She Belongs is the first book I have read by new to me author Johnnie Alexander.  This one was quite a tale.  This is a romance story but so much more as we have some major family drama being played out as well.  Recently widowed Shelby Kincaid has purchased her family’s ancestral home from AJ Sullivan so that she can raise her two little girls in the only place she ever felt like was home.  AJ has never wanted the home but as he meets Shelby and her two little girls, he realizes what a home could really look like besides his messed up childhood.  Shelby wants nothing to do with AJ or the rest of his family as it was his family that drove her grandparents to ruin.

 

As we go through the story, the history of both families is being revealed in bits and pieces at a time.  However, this story has so much going on, in a good way, besides the romance of AJ and Shelby and the mystery of their family.  We also get to meet AJ’s cousins, Brett and Amy, who both have their own agendas.  Wow.  I really enjoyed this book and all the twists and turns it took.  The next book looks to focus more on Brett, who at first was not very likable but maybe he could become the reformed bad boy.  I am looking forward to continuing in the Misty Willow series.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own.

Introducing: Author Nicki Chapelway

A Week of Werewolves, Faeries, and Fancy Dresses

I am a very proud mother of not one, but two budding authors.  My second daughter has just published her first novel at the tender age of 15.  That was her goal and she was on a time crunch as she turns sweet 16 in a couple of weeks.  She and her father have been diligently working to get this story out there.  I am in the middle of reading it now and hope to have a review up soon.  This is the first in a planned four book series.  We have indie published this book as well and my daughters did their own art work for their covers.  Hopefully, one day they will have a publishing contract or two.  We shall see.  In the meantime, check this book out it is a cute fantasy even if I am a little biased.

You may get your own copy here:  

Amazon

Or Here:

Createspace

Kindle version coming soon.

Back Cover:

Enjoy!

Review: Undaunted Hope by Jody Hedlund

Undaunted Hope

I was very much looking forward to this third novel in Jody Hedlund’s  Beacons of Hope series. Undaunted Hope is Tessa Taylor’s story after leaving her sister and brother-in-law’s light house and starting out on her own life.  No worries if you have not read any of the other books in the series.  This novel can be read very well as a stand-alone.   I, myself, have only read the previous book where we meet Tessa and her family.  Tessa was not a character I cared much for due to her attitude and conniving ways in the previous book.  She did something that almost ruined her sister’s chances for true love and did ruin her reputation.  Here in this story, a few years have passed she has matured, and is hoping for a second chance to start over in a town as a schoolteacher without the shadow of scandal.  The moment she steps off of the ship she has her work cut out for her and has an uphill battle.  Though she is quite determined and has learned from her past mistakes, this redeemed character lives up to the title undaunted and was a joy to root for.  She loves teaching, but this town has some dark secrets that threaten her and those she comes to care about.  There is a very evil man and two brothers that are the light keepers that vie for her attention.   This book was a satisfying read and a roller coaster of emotions.   Sometimes I wanted to smack the heroes and the town for letting some of things that were going on to continue.  What was very interesting was the author’s note in the back where Ms. Hedlund received some of her inspiration.  Even though this story was fiction, some of the events were inspired by true stories.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers and the opinions are my own.

Review: Thin Ice by Irene Hannon

Thin Ice

Thin Ice by Irene Hannon is her second book in her Men of Valor series and wow was the bad guy the creepiest one I have read about in a long time.  He was just so cold and calculating and we read from his point of view too.  The attraction between the main characters was quick but it worked.  Our hero and heroine are both in their 30’s and are very capable of making important life decisions.   Lance McGregor, a former Delta Force operator turned FBI agent, has been given the job of reopening the case that everyone thought was closed.  The case being about Christy Reed’s sister’s supposed death in a fire that consumed her home.  However, Christy has been receiving letters in her sister’s handwriting stating that she is still alive.  Now Lance and Christy are stuck on the kidnapper’s time table trying to figure out his next move and what he really wants.  This was nail-biting suspense and not only that but we are also given a couple of side stories as well.  The continuing thread that links all these stories together is about the three brothers, who are the men of valor.  Some major family drama was happening to Lance and his brothers and we got a sneak peek into the baby brother’s story.  I am looking forward to reading that one as well.    I was given a copy for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own honest ones.

Review: The Mountain Midwife by Laurie Alice Eakes

The Mountain Midwife

The Mountain Midwife by Laurie Alice Eakes was a very interesting tale with the practice of midwifery right in the center of the story.   This unbelievably is the first book I have read by her and I can’t believe what I have been missing out on.  We first meet the midwife Ashley Tolliver late at night by a banging on her door of a young mysterious woman who is just about to give birth.  Ashley sees that the young girl whom she just helped deliver and her baby need to get to the hospital, so as she goes outside her mountain home to make the call, the young mother, baby, and the man she was with disappear into the night.  Hot on their heels there is another vehicle in pursuit.  Little does Ashley know that these nighttime visitors will set off a chain of events that will affect her for some time. 

Then in steps wealthy, famous, engineer Hunter McDermott with no apparent ties to the Virginia Mountain folk, except for a strange phone call he received from a woman claiming to be his mother.   His life apparently turned upside down, is now trying to find answers about his identity and where he came from, he seeks out Ashley as her grandmother was the midwife that delivered him into the world.  Ashley’s grandmother is no longer living so Ashley and Hunter begin to work together to find his mystery mother. 

That is just the tip of the ice burg, as Ashley and Hunter discover secrets neither were prepared for and both are beginning to question their life choices and decisions.  This was quite a novel filled with romance, suspense, unknown danger, and two people trying to find their place in this world.  I highly recommend this.  I had a hard time putting it down and I am really looking forward to reading more of Ms. Eakes books. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan’s Fiction Guild and the opinions stated are my own.

Review: Christmas Star Sapphire by Halle Bridgeman

Christmas Star Sapphire

Christmas Star Sapphire is a novella by author Hallee Bridgeman that really packs a punch with some great truths.  This story takes place over a period of a year but the climax does happen around the holidays.  This is not a very long story but in no way does it feel rushed or not enough.  If you have read Hallee’s other Jewel books you will find yourself meeting up with some familiar faces.  If you have not like me, you will enjoy the story too and want to read the others soon.  This is a romance but it is also about forgiving yourself and letting go of the ghosts of your past.  Joe who has dedicated his life to his ministry and doesn’t have time for a relationship is not too pleased when everything changes after he meets the bold, go-getter Madeline.  I thought I would be reading a cute simple love story about Christmas, what I got out of it was pondering some great spiritual truths.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

On a side note, Hallee has included some recipes in the back.  So if your hungry for what the characters are eating -you can make it too.

Review: A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

A Refuge at Highland Hall

If you are looking for a period drama to take you back to the past, look no further than the novel, A Refuge at Highland Hall.  This is the third book in author Carrie Turansky’s Edwardian Brides series and is the first book I have had an opportunity to read by her.  Going into the third book, I was not sure how not reading the other stories would affect my enjoyment.  When I first cracked open the book there was a two page list of characters.  However, not to be dismayed I started into the book and was soon caught up with all the doings at Highland Hall during World War 1.  This story follows a couple of romances and gives readers of the trilogy a chance to catch up with the lives of the previous characters.   This started out a little slow for me but by the time I got about halfway through I was very caught up in the drama of these characters and what was happening in their lives.  I have read quite a few WW2 stories, but I believe this may be the first I have read that dealt with WW1.  And Ms. Turansky’s attention to historical detail was quite mesmerizing.  I look forward to more by this new to me author. 

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.  The opinions stated in this review are my own.

Carrie Turansky 

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Review: Knights of the Empire by Cousing Summers

Knights of the Empire

Knights of the Empire by Cousin Summers is the first book in The Young Heroics series.  This story deals with two boys and one of their Grandfathers, however both call him Grampy.  Boone and Hudson (they call each other by their last names) have been friends for a long time and they are bored during their summer vacation.  Things start to pick up when Boone decides he wants to buy a raft and go down the river to Mexico.  Boone’s mom gives the boys a job to earn the money and to help take care of Boone’s eccentric Grampy.  This is where there summer vacation adventure begins with the boys taking care of Grampy or is Grampy taking care of the boys?  This is a story of legends, friendship, ghost stories, rattlesnakes, and maybe the end of the world.  At the beginning of each chapter we get survival tips from Sir Robert Baden-Powell a real life hero that was really useful.  Overall this was a fun book and I would read more of their adventures with a little more action involved.  I received this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Bubba