Breathe: A Novel (Homeward Trilogy) by Lisa T. Bergren

Book Description:
Embark on this western epic in Book One of the Homeward Trilogy.

It's Colorado, 1883. A publishing heiress is on the brink of life and death. Her beautiful younger sister is called to the forbidden stage. Her brother and troubled guardian is raging inside. A veiled treasure map leads to a hidden silver mine while a threatening villain hovers in the shadows. And a hero is bent on saving his bride.

Just BREATHE.

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Looking at the covers of the Homeward Trilogy series, I thought each book would be more about one certain sibling and the other siblings would be more in the back ground. If book 1 is any indicator, I would say that view would be inaccurate. In reality, Breathe, just slightly highlighted Odessa, while keeping both her brother and sister very much a part of the overall story. In fact, in some ways their stories stand out a little bit more, as they are those characters that like to flirt with danger... The prodigals if you will.

While Odessa has journeyed West for "the cure" to what ails her (Consumption/TB) and is battling to just Breathe, her siblings are fighting their own battles; internal ones with external consequences. These characters are all so well written, that you will not find it hard to care for them, root for them and at times worry over them. They are characters you can relate to, the ones that make mistakes and sometimes get things right. However, with Nic & Moira, I believe we will see more struggles, mistakes and consequences ahead and of course that is the kind of stuff that makes for a good read. I like redemptive stories and I have a feeling this series will not disappoint on that end. And while this is Christian Fiction, it is not overtly in your face nor preachy. I noticed several reviews by non-christians who had in fact enjoyed this book. For a Christian, like myself, it is a good read and one that as I mentioned before, I look forward to seeing more of the growth and redeeming in these characters over the next two books!

A Draw of Kings (The Staff and the Sword, Book 3) by Patrick W. Carr

The Staff and the Sword Series, has been a wonderful journey filled with some interesting and lively characters! Book 3, did not fail to hold my interest and to conclude the series nicely. Forgive me as this review will be brief... Sadly, I have been sick since I started this book and I am still not feeling well, thus the short review. It may also have impacted how thoroughly I enjoyed this novel. Because while I really liked it, I didn't love it like I did the first two books. Being sick, I had to stop and start reading it repeatedly, as I felt up to it. I much prefer getting to read a book in as few sittings as possible. I love the continuous flow of a good story.

For those who like reading war and strategy stories, you will find this one entertaining and packed full. Our main cast, gets splintered off on separate quest during a good portion of the book. So during these times the point of view will alternate between the different characters leading each quest. A few of the mysteries I could sort of predict how they would conclude. Not the exacts but the gist. None the less, it did not distract from my enjoyment of the tale.

I do highly recommend this series and I am so glad that I stumbled across it to read! I look forward to seeing more of what Carr will produce in the future.



Book Description:

Dark Forces Have Gathered and the Final Battle for Illustra Has Begun.

Their journey to Merakh should have made Errol and his companions heroes of the realm. Instead, they've been branded enemies of the kingdom. 

In the wake of the king's death, Duke Weir is ruling the country--and he intends to marry Adora to bring an heir from the royal line. With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war--and threatened by hostile forces gathering on every side.

A dangerous mission to free Errol is attempted, but the dangers facing the kingdom mount with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferrals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw ever closer. Will the discovery of the true heir turn back the tide of Illustra's destruction?

Praise for The Staff and the Sword series

"This fast-paced fantasy debut set in a medieval world is a winner. Both main and secondary characters are fully drawn and endearing...Fans of epic Christian fantasies will enjoy discovering a new voice."
Library Journal (starred review) on A Cast of Stones

"The adrenaline level remains high..."
Publishers Weekly on The Hero's Lot

"The Hero's Lot is a spellbinding, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that will leave you breathless and reeling from the truly masterful and immensely pleasurable writing of Patrick W. Carr."
Radiant Lit

The Hero's Lot (The Staff and the Sword, Book 2) by Patrick W. Carr

The Hero's Lot, Book 2 in this series, picks up where Book 1 left off. How I wish I would have had time to sit down, uninterrupted and read straight through this one, but of course that did not happen. Instead, I grabbed this novel and read it every chance I had and in the moments I wasn't reading it, I was longing to be caught up in the tale.

Carr writes brilliantly! The characters seem to live and breath and I am cheering on the main cast of characters and especially Errol! If you love those epic journey/quest stories, this one will not disappoint. I am so eager to start book 3 and see how this all plays out, but at the same time I am dreading the series coming to an end. Wow, and to think I was nervous about not liking this series... Now I cannot wait to see what else Carr will produce! Fantastic!



Book Description:

Riveting Sequel from Christian Fantasy's Most Talented New Voice

When Sarin Valon, the corrupt secondus of the conclave, flees Erinon and the kingdom, Errol Stone believes his troubles have at last ended. But other forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom remain and conspire to accuse Errol and his friends of a conspiracy to usurp the throne.

In a bid to keep the three of them from the axe, Archbenefice Canon sends Martin and Luis to Errol's home village, Callowford, to discover what makes him so important to the kingdom. But Errol is also accused of consorting with spirits. Convicted, his punishment is a journey to the enemy kingdom of Merakh, where he must find Sarin Valon, and kill him. To enforce their sentence, Errol is placed under a compulsion, and he is driven to accomplish his task or die resisting.

A Cast of Stones (The Staff and the Sword, Book 1) by Patrick W. Carr

I don't know about you but I am always a little nervous when I try a new author. And maybe even a little more so when I step in the fantasy realm. Fantasy, at least to me, can be done in such a way that it is so fantastic, carrying deeper truths and revealing things to the reader on several levels. However, fantasy can also be done wrong, maybe grossly entertaining but not redeeming. I say all this to let you know that this fantasy novel is of the first kind.

Honestly, in the beginning it moved rather slow. And our hero, seemed anything but a hero at all. His faults were endless and many times I wanted to shake him. There was even a point where I thought do I want to read this any further? Will there be something redeeming in this? This initial part of the story however, is important and lays the ground work for something fantastic! And if you love a good redemption/transformation story this is one not to be missed! From the point our hero reached his crossroads, this story transformed and you could not have pried it from my grasp. I could not help but eagerly devour page after page, and when I had to lay it down, my mind was still thinking upon it and so ready to return!

Carr writes imaginatively and symbolically; mystery and suspense are his friends and his characters breath life. Open up this novel, give it a chance and watch it bloom. It will be worth the risk, and you will find yourself like me edgy and eager to start Book 2!



Book Description:
An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers Will Love 

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

The Remedy (Eyes of E'veria, Book 2) by Serena Chase

Book 2, The Remedy picks up where Book 1, The Ryn left off. This story is sure to stir and please you with all the wonderful ingredients added in - romance, danger, suspense, faith, sacrifice, mystery, on and on I could go! Chase writes wonderful characters, that are both real in their humanness but also absolutely enchanting. They will lead you on a journey that is both an entertaining ride, as well as one that is edifying.

I rated this 4 1/2 Stars, because in the beginning I would have given it 4 Stars but at the end I would have given it 5 Stars. The reason being that although the beginning is well written, it moved a little slowly. There were several places early on that Chase used to remind readers of what had transpired in the previous novel. So for those that had to wait for months to read Book 2, this was probably very helpful. For someone like me, who had just finished Book 1, I did a lot of skimming in those parts. Also, the beginning of the novel lays down the ground work for what is about to come. It was interesting but just didn't give you that gripping feeling. However, once the group take off on their quest things start to get more and more interesting. At that point I did not want anyone or anything to pull me away from the story. And the story just kept getting better and better!

I loved the way everything played out and how Chase wove faith and truth all throughout this tale! You could see Chase's faith coming into play by the last part of Book 1... The symbolism and allegory was, and continued to be in this Book as well, fantastic!

I am giddy now with the wonder and beauty of this story! Loved it! AND I cannot wait for Book 3, that is set to be released this summer, featuring none other than... the young pirate captain/prince, Cazien de Pollis and Erielle de Gladiel!!! Seriously, cannot wait!



** I would recommend this book to YA readers as well. While there is violence in the story but it is not fleshed out and the romance is very sweet, with some mild kissing. 
* There are also a few typos in the novel, nothing major. A good example would be a word like THE being missing from a sentence. 

The Ryn (Eyes of E'veria, Book 1) by Serena Chase

Book Description:
DESTINED by prophecy. GUARDED by deception. PURSUED by Love.

Centuries ago, an oracle foretold of the young woman who would defeat E’veria’s most ancient enemy, the Cobelds. But after two centuries of relative peace, both the prophecy and the Cobelds have been relegated to lore—and only a few remain watchful for the promised Ryn. 

Finally, a child is born who matches the oracle’s description, but a Cobeld curse accompanies her birth. Led to believe they succeeded in killing the prophesied child, the Cobelds emerge from hiding with plans to overtake the Kingdom.

But the child survived.

Secreted away and called “Rose” for the first nineteen years of her life, Rynnaia E'veri has no idea of her true identity until a chance meeting with an injured knight reveals not only her parentage and true name, but the task assigned her by the oracle: discover the Remedy that will destroy the Cobelds' power. 

Now, her time has come.

Offered the assistance of pirates, scribes, storytellers, a young woman who died centuries ago, and the knight who is quickly working his way into her heart, Rynnaia is fortified with friends. But if the Ryn is to complete her task, she must come to terms with not only who she is, but for whom she must be willing to die. For the kingdom’s survival depends on her. 

THE RYN begins an epic re-imagining of the classic Grimm fairy tale, Snow White & Rose Red. Book Two, THE REMEDY, is scheduled for release April 2013.

About the author: Serena Chase frequently contributes book reviews, author interviews, and features for USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog as well as for Edgy Inspirational Romance. A life-long lover of fairy tales who admits to being mildly obsessed with pirates, Serena lives in Iowa with her husband, two daughters, and a white goldendoodle named Albus. The Ryn is her first novel.

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Serena Chase's debut novel, is quite simply, enchanting! I loved the imagery, the characters, the allegory and so much more woven into the fabric of this wonderful story. There is something about reading a fairy tale/fantasy story that just opens up the door to so much wonder, creativity, delight and the ability to not only take the reader into the unknown but to bring forth truths to light in a new and fascinating way. For all those reasons and more you should read this novel!  I for one, am so glad I did AND I cannot wait to read Book 2! And according to Chase's web page she has another book due out this summer - yay! Bring it on Serena Chase, I for one cannot wait to see what you have in store for your characters and for us the readers.

Let the adventure begin!


* This book is one I recommend not only to adult readers, but also to YA readers. It is a good/clean read.

A Beauty So Rare (A Belmont Mansion Novel, Book 2) by Tamera Alexander

Are you ready to be transported to another time and place, one that will capture your heart and attention? If so, then open up A Beauty So Rare. This novel is a treasure trove of delight! To say that I thoroughly enjoyed it, is putting it mildly. The time period, the characters and their story just leap to life.  You will be enchanted with the wonderful, well rounded and intriguing characters found within the pages!  I loved Eleanor and Marcus, and their fascinating friendship.

Not only that, but this novel is beautifully paced. I did not have that hurried feeling of having to rush through the pages, but instead found that I was thoroughly enjoying every moment of where I was within the story. I was SO glad that this wasn't a light weight read! I savored this novel, and every time I had to leave its' pages I eagerly returned, to once more be transfixed and enchanted. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful - seriously! Bravo, Tamera Alexander on a novel well done! This is definitely one for the keeper shelf! 

Loved it!

Look what just arrived...

 

Can't wait to read Alexander's newest novel! 

Deep in the Heart by Staci Stallings

Deep in the heart was a well written novel. The characters are well rounded and the storyline kept me speeding through the story. In fact, I started this novel yesterday and finished it late last night (reading it in two sittings). There were very few places in this novel where you felt you could set the book aside and well by the time I was towards the end of the book, I knew there was no way I could set the book down and go to bed without this book spinning through my mind.

Stallings did a wonderful job of creating not only believable characters but ones you care for, as well as stirring in biblical truths and one great example I am still thinking on today!  And while there is so much to recommend this novel, I had a few minor issues. For one, my ebook version was missing the chapter headings. Thankfully there were page breaks or spacing to help you divided up where one segue ended and one began. The only other thing that bothered me was that the ending just seemed to be a rush to wrap everything up too nicely. I mean it was a good ending of course but there was one part that was just a little unbelievable. Still, overall a really good read!

Dancing with Fireflies (A Chapel Springs Romance, Book 2) by DeniseHunter

I was so excited when my copy of Dancing with Fireflies arrived and couldn't wait to start it! Hunter, a long time favorite of mine, did not disappoint! The story drew me in from the beginning and had me devouring the pages till the end!  Trust me you can pick this book up and find it will make the hours fly by and before you know it you have finished it - I know because I did this today!

Hunter brilliantly brings drama, romance and rich characters to her stories. Her characters feel real and their story breaths off the page. This story, while you may guess where it is heading, you can't wait to see how they get there. I am already eager for Book 3 which should release this December! And per Hunter's newsletter she is currently at work on Book 4... So excited to get to keep up with this family and all it's new additions!

Love in the Balance (Ladies of Caldwell County, Book 2) by Regina Jennings

An enjoyable read, with a few twists that keep the pages turning to see how it will all work out! While at the beginning the story line did seem a little predictable, Jennings did something brave - she let us see our hero and heroine fall. Yes, we all make mistakes and there are usually consequences to our bad choices, but the good news is that God can redeem those as well. There is nothing God cannot do and no person who has fallen too far for Him to lovingly pick up. His love never fails.

Sixty Acres and a Bride (Ladies of Caldwell County, Book 1) by Regina Jennings

Regina Jennings' debut novel is a highly engaging and delightful retelling of the biblical account of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Jennings held me captive from the beginning, excited to see how she would draw their story out in this western tale and I was not disappointed! I loved the characters; both the main and secondary characters were well written, and I look forward to catching back up with them again in Books 2 & 3!

I have only two things that didn't thrill me... and one is a positive! First off, I didn't like that later in the story the angst was drawn out a little too long between the characters. I would have loved to see them get over their issues a little sooner and had a little bit more of them together without it in the way. That is not to say that it didn't have a good ending, it did, but that is just my personal opinion. Lastly, the book ended, as all good books do - ugh, but hey, cheer up Book 2 & three are already out! Yay!

Pearl in the Sand: A Novel by Tessa Afshar

All I can say is thank you Afshar for writing this novel! It was well worth my time and a pleasure to read. Not only did I enjoyed this novel but it moved me emotionally and spiritually. What a beautiful portrayal of God's love, pursuit, grace, forgiveness, sovereignty and so much more! This is one of those novels that just speaks to you on a deeper level and is one that you can't wait to tell others about. This book needs to be on your MUST READ list!

Afshar did a wonderful job of weaving biblical truth with historical facts and then imagination, creating a novel that I can't wait to read again! This is one for your keeper shelf! Another reviewer ranked it right up there with River's Redeeming Love novel and Austin's Chronicles of the Kings Series and I have to agree - yes it is that good!

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Book Description:
Can a Canaanite harlot who has made her livelihood by looking desirable
to men make a fitting wife for one of the leaders of Israel? Shockingly, the Bible's
answer is yes.

Pearl in the Sand tells Rahab's untold story. Rahab lives in a wall; her house is built into the defensive walls of the City of Jericho. Other walls surround her as well-walls of fear, rejection, unworthiness.

A woman with a wrecked past; a man of success, of faith ... of pride; a marriage only God would conceive! Through the heartaches of a stormy relationship, Rahab and Salmone learn the true source of one another's worth and find healing in God.

Never the Bride by Rene Gutteridge, Cheryl McKay

An enjoyable and often humorous read! There is a little of the heroine in all of us... We want control, we think we know best, but when will we learn to let go and trust God?!? There is freedom and blessings in letting God write our story, instead of us trying to wrestle with Him for the pen and paper!