Cursed Negligence

So, have you ever wondered what ISIS in space would be like? Look no further than the Angel in the Whirlwind series. This is book 3 in a four book series and I can tell you, each installment has captured my attention. The main characters in Cursed Command is again Kat Falcone, but this time, we are joined by William McElny newly promoted Captain of the HMS Uncanny, commonly known to all around as the Unlucky. Prior COs have been killed and the ship is in disrepair.

I felt genuinely bad for McElny as I read this book. After all, he’s a man who has served the Commonwealth for many years, but because of a bias in the Commonwealth for those born outside of Tyre, he was never going to be given a fair shake at a ship. Being assigned the Uncanny (Unlucky) was really the ultimate slap in the face for a career man. I believe that the author, Christopher Nuttall, does such a good job describing the bias against outsiders and the issues that will arise should society fair to give them an equal seat at the table. Ultimately, many of the action-packed elements in this book are a direct result of the Commonwealth not giving all of its members an equal chance. I could continue to wax eloquently on this, but that would probably be too spoiler packed and there are a few other things I want to mention.

The Theocracy, aka space ISIS, has continued their aggressive expansion, even in the face of their defeat. The Jorlem sector is their newest target. Of course Kat Falcone and the HMS Lightning along with the HMS Uncanny are sent to deter any more planets from joining the Theocracy. Will they be able to staunch the tide, or will more planets join the Theocracy because they have no hope for better treatment within the Commonwealth due to outsider bias?

If you enjoy sci-fi, you will love this series. I cannot recommend it enough. Even better, if you’re part of Kindle Unlimited you can read all of the books thus far for free. I am giving this book 5/5 stars for great characters and a story that is different enough from real life that it does not hit as close to home.

A Great Beginning

Starters is a Young Adult Dystopian Fiction book written by Lissa Price. This genre has become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to efforts of the Hunger Games, Divergent, and other similar books. The main protagonist of Starters is Callie, a youth who has been doing whatever it takes to survive along with her brother Tyler. The book is set in post spore-war California which was ravaged by a disease that wiped out anyone from 20-60. As a result, Starters (youth under 20) are left to fend for themselves while Ender’s (those over 60) exploit the youth. If a youth is not claimed by an Ender they are left in halfway houses (code word prisons) to make them ‘responsible’ members of society.

The entire premise for Starter’s is unique. Callie, in an effort to raise money and find a stable home decides to rent her body out to wealthy Ender’s to ‘experience the wonders of youth again.’ Of course this is not a legal practice, since renting a body is viewed as a job and teenagers are not allowed to hold jobs. All in all, it’s a very scary society where no one is as they seem. A society where you never know if the body next to you is inhabited by an old Ender experiencing life again. In an effort to expand life, Ender’s lost their basic humanity allowing teenagers to be locked up and kept in half way homes after many of their parents and children died. In a way, this book is similar somewhat to the movie Just in Time, but instead to extend the feeling of youth one must inhabit another body.

I would recommend this book to any reader that enjoys the young adult genre. After all, it was well written, has a witty protagonist, and the second book Enders is out now, so you can read Starters and not have to wait for the sequel. As a result of this great storyline that kept me waiting for more and guessing all the time, I give Starters 5/5 stars for an excellent book. I look forward to reading and reviewing Enders Soon.

Blown Away!

The One by Kiera Cass was a wonderful ending to the Selection series. Once again we are reintroduced to America, Maxon, and Aspen’s love triangle. Who will America choose? Prince Maxon or her boyhood sweetheart turned palace guard?

If that had been the whole story to The One, it would not have been nearly as good. Instead, we were introduced to the ever-present ever-vexing rebels who sometimes took things and other times attacked. All along the Selection series I had been curious about the Rebels and their motivations. Suffice to say your questions will be answered satisfactorily.

In addition to answering many of the questions brought up about the Rebels, we will also get to know the other competitors better. America of course still remains the worst option in the King’s eyes. She’s subversive, too willing to ‘save the underdog.’ Who will Maxon choose and more importantly, who will America choose?

My only complaint, is that the series wrapped up too fast. Like many of the series book I have read, the ending was a bit rushed. But I understand, I doubt many of us who have read the series faithfully would have ever been ready to let go.

Now that the series is over I look forward to seeing what Kiera Cass will write in the future. Until then, I can say. If you have read the series faithfully thus far, then The One will not disappoint. Don’t wait to read this book! As a result of a purely enjoyable series, I am giving The One 5 Aspen&Maxons out of 5 for a great book! 🙂

Enchanted by Enchanter!

I found the Magio-Earth series by Joanne Wadsworth a week ago, and since then I have not been able to put the books down! Enchanter is the 3rd book in the Magio-Earth series. If you have not yet read Protector or Warrior, I strongly encourage you read both of those books before reading Enchanter as the books are all connected to one another.

Without spoiling Protector or Warrior, Enchanter is the story of Silvie and Guy, two individuals on different sides of a war. Of course, they are doomed to be one another’s soul mate. At first they are determined to end their connection and attempt to move on, but eventually they realize they cannot survive apart from one another.

Along the way we learn more about Silvie and Guy. Silvie starts to develop special abilities, including the ability of fire. Anytime her emotions heat (like when kissing Guy) the whole room gets visibly warm for everyone.

I really enjoyed Enchanter as will anyone who enjoys the Young Adult Romance/Adventure books. This was well written and an easy read. Once again a wonderful book by Joanne Wadsworth, I give this 5 flames out of 5.

The Carnelian Legacy

The Carnelian Legacy by Cheryl Koevoet was a tremendous book. It is the first of three books that will tell the story of Marisa. What I loved most about this book was the strong female lead.

Marisa is a 17 year old girl who has just lost her father. Reeling from his loss and wanting distance, Marisa decides to go horseback riding. It’s on this horseback ride that she is transported into an alternate dimension. What follows next is an adventure, as Marisa meets with Darian and Arrie who are on a mission to save the kingdom from civil war.

The Carnelian Legacy features politics and intrigue, mystery and destiny. Of course, what story today features a female heroine without a love triangle? Marisa has to contend with the affections of Savino, the power hungry cousin and Darian, the heir to the throne.

What makes this story so wonderful is the interactions between the characters. I love the rapport between Marisa and Arrie. Arrie is an extremely likable fellow, who is almost like a cousin to Marisa. Watching the two of them bond throughout the journey is a pleasant surprise. In addition to the relationship between Arrie and Marisa, the character development between Darian and Marisa is also what makes the story interesting. Both sides start off distrusting one another and as a result repress their feelings. This inability to trust of course gives more than a few plot and character twists that readers will have to find out.

I would suggest this book to individuals that enjoy romance, intrigue, and faith. This is a great fantasy series and I look forward to the next book. As a result I am giving the Carnelian Legacy 5 swords out of 5 for an excellent book!

 

Note: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Different Kind of Merlin

Having grown up reading Arthurian legends, I was very pleased to see Merlin’s Blade as an option for review. Merlin’s Blade by Robert Treskillard is a different take on the story of King Arthur and Merlin. Rather than being a story based all about Merlin’s magic, instead we find Merlin as an unremarkable swordsmith’s son.

In this story you see the battle of good versus evil played out. The villains in this story, a druid group, are determined to use a strange meteorite ‘demon stone’ to usurp the throne from King Uther, and the future King Arthur. I have to confess, the ‘demonic stone’ was hard for me to follow at times, but I also respect that Treskillard wanted to keep magic limited to objects outside of this world, such as a meteorite rather than inside people.

I have always enjoyed the story of Merlin and King Arthur. I thoroughly appreciated this version as well, because it introduced Jesus/God into the story and made it the ultimate battle between good and evil. In a way, it reminded me of Narnia. Now, for a word of caution, there is a lot of violence in this book, you also see treachery, demonic worship, spiritual visions, and deadly wolves that chase after Merlin. This is definitely not a book for young children; in fact I would caution individuals under the age of 16 from reading this book. There are a lot of concepts to grasp and understand that I believe would be better suited for an older audience. I am happy to recommend this book to the appropriate age level and give it 4/5 stars. Take the time to read this book and future releases from this author!

Thanks again for reading my review, I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Kelley 🙂

The Governess of Highland Hall

The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky is an excellent period piece set in England during the early 1900s. Much like Downton Abbey, Turansky shows the struggles and dynamics between the downstairs help and the family upstairs. Our main character, Julia, is stuck in the middle of that divide. As governess to the children and nieces of Sir William Ramsey, she walks the tightrope between staff and family. This is the opening of what comes to be a brilliant story crafted by Turansky.

While Julia is having her struggles to fit in, with jealous housemaids and romance between the help and the family they serve. Our other main protagonist, William, is also stuck in the middle of the divide. Due to the unexpected death of his cousin Randolph, William is suddenly a titled peer. Several of the servants are a bit unsettled with this new change, much like the Crawley’s he is unaccustomed to the changes that come with being a peer. Forced to give up his half of his fathers business (because no peer of the realm dabbles in business…) he is suddenly at a loss of how to work his estate and still have a purpose. In addition, with the imposed estate taxes, William is also concerned with how he will pay the estate taxes without losing or breaking up Highland Hall. Add to the mix his two nieces and their aunt who make life difficult, attempt to manipulate the staff, spend more lavishly than the property is able to provide. Will William be forced to marry a wealthy American Heiress or will he be able to find love with Julia? I will leave that to you to find out as you read.

Any fan of Downton Abbey will be enamored with this story. While reading it, you can almost feel as if you are there. The level of detail put in is extraordinary. I would highly recommend this book. As a result I am giving The Governess of Highland Hall 5/5 stars. I look forward to reading more in this series on the Edwardian time period.

I hope you take the time to read this book, feel free to share your comments!

-Kelley 🙂

I received this book for free in return for my honest review

Divergent: A MUST Read!

I sat down lately to re-read Divergent. Dystopian stories are some of my favorites, and of late, there have been a lot of options. Divergent is the story of Beatrice Potter, a young Abnegation girl who questions where she belongs. The story is set in post-apocalyptic Chicago, all of the survivors are separated into 5 factions; Abnegation, Dauntless, Candor, Amity, and Erudite. Each group is focused around the meaning of their name, and once you choose a faction upon turning 16, that is your faction for life. A popular motto is faction before blood, meaning that the faction you choose is more important than your family. In order to assist individuals in selecting their faction, each year there is a test given that helps measure aptitude. Everyone that goes through the aptitude is told the faction that would most suit them, except those that are divergent… During the choosing ceremony, prospective members choose that faction and begin initiation into it.

There are a lot of parallels between Divergent and our society today. We have stereotypes that each individual fits in to, in fact, if they step outside those stereotypes, we’re often surprised. In Divergent, Veronica Roth explores the same issue. Once you’re part of a faction, you forget your old faction and move forward adopting the practices and customs of that faction. The factions also cannot seem to comprehend anyone that strives for balance, as that could be construed as a form of disloyalty. Divergent wrestles with that most basic of questions we all ask, “Where Do I Belong?” Throughout the novel, we see Beatrice (Tris) wrestling with the same thing. Never feeling as if she’s a part of abnegation she joins what could almost be called its complete opposite, but even there she doesn’t seem to fit in at first. Will she always be a ‘stiff?’ Will she ever find a place where she belongs? Can she only belong in one place? Along the way as Tris seeks to answer these questions, we meet Christina, Will, and Al. Each of these characters, though secondary for most of the novel, have their own struggles to face, as they work to become part of Dauntless. Another interesting character that we meet is Four, the trainer for the Dauntless recruits. It’s his job to prepare them for initiation, but he wrestles with feelings of his own.

While at times, Divergent brings a bit too much emotion to the table, all in all, Roth has constructed an excellent book. I am looking forward to seeing this on the screen next year. Until then, I will re-read Insurgent, the second book in this series in preparation for the release of Allegiant on October 22^nd. I am happy to give Divergent 5 factions out of 5 for a great reading experience. If you like Hunger Games and the Partials series, you will enjoy Divergent.

Thanks for reading!

Kelley

Read This! City on Fire: A Novel of Pompeii

City on Fire by Tracy Higley is a re-release of an earlier title. While I’ve not read that book, I’m happy to say that not only are this book and the cover visually appealing, but the story is gripping as well. One of my favorite genre’s to read is Christian fiction. Tracy Higley is a fantastic author whose extensive research adds a level of depth and clarity to her novels that few authors can achieve. In City on Fire, we are introduced to Ariella, a Jewish girl who was in Jerusalem when it fell. Taken slave by the Roman’s she’s sold to a particularly cruel master who almost erodes her belief that God can exist, because if God existed, why would he allow that? Reasoning that death is better than her current circumstances, she runs off and joins a gladiatorial troupe, shearing her hair to hide her gender. We are also introduced to Cato, a disillusioned politician from Rome that comes to Pompeii to start anew, but it seems that his past follows him still. What follows is an excellent story with a strong heroine, a disillusioned hero, and the love of a God who never gives up all set to the backdrop of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

What I enjoyed most about this story was the character of Ariellia, like other heroines from Higley’s novels, she’s a strong female who knows what she wants rather than allowing herself to react to what surrounds her. The journey that Ariella takes to get to God and become whole again is a magnificent story. Her journey coincides with that of Cato’s. Seemingly, Cato has everything, but life still feels empty. When he came to Pompeii, it was with the hope that he could make a new start, without all the complications that he had in Rome. Cato runs afoul of the political intrigue in Pompeii, and before you know it, he’s back in the running for a local leader, exactly the opposite of what he wanted.

Both Cato and Ariella have a long path to learn where true strength comes from, not inside, but from God. I am sure that readers who have read previous books of Tracy Higley will enjoy this book. Also if the genre of Christian Fiction appeals to you, or ancient Rome you will enjoy this book. For this reason, I’m happy to give City on Fire 4/5 stars for a great book! I received this book for free from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.

A Bountiful Read

When I heard of a new impending release by Tessa Afshar, I was excited. Biblical Fiction is one of my favorite genres to read, and after reading her previous book, A Pearl in the Sand, I expected a great story. I was not disappointed as I saw the creation of a strong character in Sarah who provided a look at what could have been.   If you are familiar at all with the Biblical story of Esther, this is situated right after the death of Queen Esther, King Xerxes, and is during the time of King Artaxerxes and his Queen Damaspia. There is little mentioned on this time, so a lot of creative license can be taken.   Sarah is immediately someone a reader can relate to, a scared girl who wonders if she is valued, loved. We all deal with that inadequacy, wondering if we lack something. Afshar’s take on this character as well as her handling of the delicate issue of being a female scribe in a job that is commonly held by a man is refreshing.

I picked this book up at 6pm and did not place it down until I’d finished reading it, sometime around 10pm. It was not a short book, but it was one I found hard to place down. With engaging characters and dynamic story-lines, Afshar immerses her readers in the world of which she writes, a world that leaves us wanting for more, even when the story ends.   If you enjoy Biblical Fiction, this is a book you will not want to miss. For that reason I am giving Afshar’s book 5 out of 5 stars for what I consider an excellent addition to the genre of Biblical Fiction.   I received this book for free from Moody Publishers in return for my honest review.

What defines a great story for me is engaging characters and a dynamic story. Harvest of Rubies possessed all of that. If this is your first Tessa Afshar book, be sure to read the book she wrote before this, A Pearl in the Sand which is about the story of Rahab. Once You’ve Finished with Harvest of Rubies, be sure to look at Harvest of Gold, the sequel to this book that continues the story of Sarah and Darius as well as the Historical events surrounding them.