The Secrets of the Castle (Thunder and Lightning #1) by Aaron Zook

Title: The Secrets of the Castle (Thunder and Lightning #1)

Author: Aaron Zook

Pages: 200

Year: 2014

Genre: Adventure

Age: Middle School

Publisher: Bold Vision Books

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a free eBook copy of this story through The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     Intrigue and danger surround two young boys and their dogs as they seek to unravel a castle mystery.

My review:

     An incredibly well written adventure story!

     Both Gabe and Alex are very realistic youngsters. They have a normal relationship with each other fights and disagreements included. I really liked the relationship that they had with their parents though. The fact that their father has taught them a lot of wonderful survival skills was apparent and very helpful as they faced excitement and adventure. This story reminded me a lot of the Hardy Boys Mysteries that I read growing up.

     An added level of enjoyment for me was all the descriptions of Germany and things there. My husband and I spent 6 years in West Germany with the U.S. Air Force and this book brought back a lot of memories for me. This included the region, the way houses were furnished and a lot of the food. The descriptions were very accurate.

     I was fascinated with the explanation of the training they had given their dogs. I had no idea what type of instructions could be given using specific key words. The level of tasks they were able to get both Thunder and Lightning to do for them amazed me.

     I thoroughly enjoyed this exciting story and am highly recommending it. It gets a 5 star rating from me. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.

A Worthy Heart (Courage to Dream #2) by Susan Anne Mason

Title: A Worthy Heart (Courage to Dream #2)

Author: Susan Anne Mason

Pages: 384

Release Date: January 5, 2016

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     Will Maggie listen to the warnings of those she trusts most or the leadings of her heart?

     The answer to Maggie Montgomery’s dream of seeing America has arrived at just the right time. Not only will she be reunited with her beloved brother Rylan, but she’ll finally be able to escape Neill Fitzgerald and his increasingly unwanted attentions. She’s intent on never returning to Ireland, hoping to build her future in the land of opportunity and perhaps find the love of her life.

     While visiting Irish Meadows, she meets an intriguing man she thinks is a stable hand. Only when her brother demands she stay away from Adam O’Leary does she learn he’s Rylan’s brother-in-law, recently released from prison. Nonetheless, Maggie can’t seem to make her stubborn heart conform to her brother’s request.

     Adam O’Leary has never felt worthy of his place in the family. Now a free man, Adam’s only desire is to earn back his family’s trust. Falling in love with the newly arrived Maggie, however, was never in his plans. Despite everyone’s efforts to keep them apart, the two develop a bond it seems nothing can break – but they soon discover the past isn’t easy to overcome.

My review:

     An absolutely fabulous historical novel!

     This is the second book in a “true” series. You need to read the first book before this one.

     I love the characters that Susan has created for this story. The friends that I made in “Irish Meadows” are back and I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with what is going on in their lives. But the new ones quickly found a place in my heart. Susan does a fantastic job of developing very deep people for her stories. The level of belief that many of them have in God is amazing.

     The story that Susan has crafted is incredible. There are a number of twists along the journey of Maggie and Adam’s relationship. They have a lot of heartache and doubts to work through and overcome. They each know what they are feeling and yet society says that they shouldn’t be together.

     At the same time there are many others with difficulties and issues to deal with that Maggie and Adam get to help with. Though they are the central characters they are not the only ones with everything revolving around them. I found this to be much more realistic.

     I’m already looking forward to Susan’s next book. I hope that it continues the story of these wonderful friends.

     This wonderful story is getting a 5 star rating from me. I’m highly recommending it.

By Divine Right (Darkwater Saga #0.5) by Patrick W. Carr

Title: By Divine Right (Darkwater Saga #0.5)

Author: Patrick W. Carr

Pages: 119

Year: 2015

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: eBook
Note: At the time of this posting this eBook is free on all sellers that I checked.

About the book:

     Willet Dura ekes out a living as an assistant reeve in the city of Bunard, the royal city, investigating minor and not-so-minor crimes in the poor quarter. Ever since a terrible battle, Willet’s been drawn to the dead, and has an uncanny ability not only to solve their crimes, but even to know when one has been committed.

     When a gifted singer is found dead in the merchants’ quarter of the city, everyone assumes by the signs that the old man simply died of a stroke, but Willet’s intuition tells him better. When he learns that this is the second death within the last month of one of the gifted, those with a rare inherited ability, he begins to suspect that something more is afoot, and he soon finds himself chasing a mystery that could bring down the very kingdom of Collum.

My review:

     An intricately woven fantasy novella!

     This novella did a marvelous job of drawing me into the fantasy realm that Patrick has created. I’m captivated by the idea that there are individuals that are gifted and they have the ability to pass their gifting on to an heir before they die. I’m looking forward to seeing how this progresses in future books in this series.

     Willet is an absolutely fascinating character. He is able to read others and relate to people in different levels of society. I thoroughly enjoyed trying to understand him and his past. I know that there are going to be more facets revealed about him.

     I have to give this wonderful story a rating of 5 stars and recommend it highly. It does take a little effort to try and understand the nuances of a totally different realm but this novella is well worth the effort.

The Prophetess: Deborah's Story (Daughters of the Promised Land #2) by Jill Eileen Smith

Title: The Prophetess: Deborah’s Story (Daughters of the Promised Land #2)

Author: Jill Eileen Smith

Pages: 368

Release Date: February 2, 2016

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Publisher: Revell

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     Outspoken and fearless, Deborah has faith in God but struggles to see the potential her own life holds. As an Israelite woman, she’ll marry, have a family, and seek to teach her children about Adonai – and those tasks seem to be more than enough to occupy her time. But God has another plan for her. Israel has been under the near constant terror of Canaan’s armies for twenty years, and now God has called Deborah to deliver her people from this oppression. Will her family understand? Will her people even believe God’s calling on her life? And can the menace of Canaan be stopped?

My review:

     This is a remarkable biblical fiction story!

     I have always liked Deborah. I have to admit that part of the fascination for me has been the fact that I have the same name. I was excited to find that one of the authors I love had taken on the challenge of writing her story. I was not disappointed in how Jill handled it.

     I know that most of this story is a fictional account since there is very little information about her in the bible. This story is so well crafted and presented though that I could see it as a very believable scenario.

     The development of the danger from Sisera made the fear that the Israelites and Heber’s family felt, palpable for me. I was also able to understand their frustration with having to wait for God’s timing to take action.

     There were two things that were address that I’ve always wondered about. The first one of them was, how did a woman become judge over Israel? The second was where did the Israelites get the weapons they needed to wage a war against Sisera?

     I know that the answers to these questions that are given in this book are only the author’s ideas. But to my way of thinking they make sense.

     I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book and am highly recommending it. It gets a rating of 5 stars from me.

Away in the Snow for Christmas by Lisa Boehm Trumbore

Title: Away in the Snow for Christmas

Author: Lisa Boehm Trumbore

Illustrated by: Victor Singer

Pages: about 32

Year: 2015

Genre: Children’s Illustrated

Publisher: Elk Lake Publishing

Format: eBook

Note: I received a free eBook copy of this story through The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     Mimi’s Everyday Adventures . . . where every day is an adventure!

     Although the cousins are excited for Christmas, MiMi steps in and turns this Christmas into an extraordinary adventure no one will ever forget.

     *MiMi stories are sprinkled with teachable “MiMi Moments”

     *Inspired by six adventure-filled grandchildren and a niece

     *Motivates children to work together and rely on each other

     *Ignites your child’s imagination and creativity

     *Sparks a wondrous sense of adventure in your child’s heart

My review:

     This is a very cute children’s story.

     The story is very cute. I really like the family’s version of GPS. The fact that they are all learning to trust God and pray is wonderful.

     I understand why there are so many characters, but I did find this a little confusing and that is why this sweet story only got 4 stars from me.

     I also like the illustrations throughout the book. I especially liked looking for the little dog on each page.

     I am going to recommend this book. I enjoyed it and am giving it a rating of 4 stars.

All Things Bright and Beautiful by Cecil Frances Alexander & Illustrated by Katy Hudson

Title: All Things Bright and Beautiful

Author: Cecil Frances Alexander

Illustrator: Katy Hudson

Pages: 32

Release Date: February 9, 2016

Genre: Children’s Illustrated

Publisher: Worthy Publishing

Format: Hardcover 

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     God’s touch can be seen everywhere: in the rivers and streams, in the forest and its creatures, and in each of us. And nowhere is this more lyrically celebrated than in the words of “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” first published by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1848. Here, artist Katy Hudson brings new joy to the well-loved words with her fresh and engaging watercolors. Readers will be swept along as they follow three young children who delight in a day filled with the discovery of “all things bright and beautiful.” This striking book is a beautiful reminder that every good thing we see is from God.

My review:

     When I sat down to read this book I had not read the inside cover which is where I got the above information about it. I had no idea this was a hymn written in the 1800s.

     Beautifully draws attention to God’s creation!

     The rhymes in this book are simple and flow easily. Each phrase is short and sweet. There is very little written on each page and the pauses are nicely timed with plenty of opportunity to really explore the pictures.

     The illustrations are very detailed and eye catching. It was a joy to look for small things like the ladybugs and butterflies that were on a number of pages.

     I really love the way that all aspects of creation are included. This includes the animals, plants, mountains, rivers, and even the weather. God is creator of, and in control of all of it.

    I’m giving this charming book a rating of 5 stars and highly recommending it.

Merchant of Alyss (Legends of the Realm #2) by Thomas Locke

Title: Merchant of Alyss (Legends of the Realm #2)

Author: Thomas Locke (pseudonym for David Bunn)

Pages: 384

Release Date: January 5, 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Revell

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a free eBook copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     Life for Hyam is bittersweet. Admired by the citizens of Falmouth for his heroic rescue mission, he cherishes these peaceful days with Joelle by his side. Yet grief over the loss of his magical skills during the great Battle of Emporis threatens to engulf him. Sometimes he even wishes he had never known magic at all.

     When Hyam comes into possession of an ancient Milantian scroll, he is thrilled to feel the surge of power that courses through him whenever he touches it. But what he discerns in the text could mean war. He embarks upon another journey to determine its true meaning and forestall any attack. But as Hyam is seeking answers, he is unaware that the merchant of Alyss is seeking him . . .

My review:

     Another fantastic good versus evil fantasy novel!

     This is part of a “true” series. You have to read book one before you start this novel or major parts of the story won’t make sense to you.

     Hyam and Joelle are back along with a number of their friends from the first book. There have been some changes in each of these characters and I enjoyed seeing how they have moved on. They again band together for this new quest. They also have new friends and allies join them as a new evil makes its presence felt.

     The story telling is wonderful and the fantasy land is described in great detail. I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the different races and their histories as they are gradually revealed.

     I certainly hope that this is not the last book about this incredible realm from the author’s imagination. As with the first book in this series I am giving this one a rating of 5 stars and highly recommending it.