Fawkes by Nadine Brandes ~ Review

My Review:
Thomas Fawkes, the son of Guy Fawkes, longs to receive his mask and color power so that he can stop the plague that is slowly turning him to stone.

This fantastical new read reimagines the story of Guy Fawkes and the infamous gunpowder plot, in a world of masks, colors, secrets, and truths, through the eyes of his son, Thomas. Thomas longs for his mask so that he can receive his powers, but color powers are passed from father to son, so when his father fails to make him a mask and show up on the day of his color testing, Thomas decides to seek out his father himself. On his journey he must decide who to trust, and with whom he will cast his lot, his friendship with the powerful and mysterious Emma, an Igniter, makes him question everything The Keepers have told him about White.

I was drawn to this book as I am something of an Anglophile, and have always wondered what the big deal was about Guy Fawkes day. I can't claim to understand it after reading this book, but I found this to be a fascinating retelling of historical events, with an element of fantasy melds surprisingly into the history and politics of the tumultuous tension between the Protestant Reformers and the Catholic church. An original plotline with many unexpected turns make this a truly unique read, especially as much of the book's audience will likely be American and Guy Fawkes is much more obscure stateside.

I liked how the story unwound from Thomas's point of view, we learned things as he did. I liked the friendship between him and Emma, and looked forward to their scene together. Emma is a beautiful young woman with powerful color power, she sees Thomas beyond his plagued eye.

An imaginative adventure set in King James's England, full of adventure, secrets and mystery. I loved how this book dealt with color in a wide sense, with powers and also race. I also really liked how unpredictable it was, as I learned things as Thomas did, and while I did see some things coming, there are quite a few good reveals. Plenty of action, and intrigue, but there were times when I thought that the pace slowed.

A great book for fans of historical fantasy, with brave heroes, that reimagines the gunpowder plot in a war of colors, in a fight for faith.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: Journey to Jericho by M.J. Thomas, illustrated by Graham Howells ~ Review

My Review:

Mary, Peter, and Hank's adventures continue in this 4th installment to this popular series. This time they travel to just outside Jericho to where God's chosen people are preparing to take possession of the Promised Land. Mary and Peter have 14 days to complete their mission and discover the secret message on the ancient scroll, or be stuck thousands of years in the past.

A fun, fast paced read, perfect for young juvenile readers who are just starting to gain confidence with chapter books, great for 2nd to 4th grade level readers. We have this series at our church library and it is even popular with older kids who just like the stories.

I love how these books bring history to life for children, with relatable characters, who bring humor, and a 21st century perspective to familiar stories. Mary and Peter learn to trust God, and stay out of the clutches of the evil one, by clinging to God's words.

A fun-filled adventure, with plenty of action, spies, and mystery. A great series that teaches children important lessons of faith, that goes straight to the source, with adventures that dive into scripture--literally. The stories are well written and the font size, illustrations, and chapter length are all well crafted with the target age group in mind, all while being fun and engaging. Highly recommend!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

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The Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof ~ Review

My Review:

An achingly beautiful and bittersweet tale of love, loss, addiction, and family, set in the heart of Appalachia.

Young widow Aven Norgaard leaves Norway to live in the Appalachian Mountains with her late husband's kin, helping to care for his cousins. But when she arrives she is surprised to find that the kin in question are not young boys in need of mothering, but strong and strapping men who make and market the finest hard apple cider around.

The brothers are different as can be, but they share a special bond forged by long hours working side by side to make their cidery a success. Aven finds herself drawn to the strong yet silent and deaf Thor, who finds much of his identity in working his craft, but also fights the demons in the bottle that make up his family's livelihood.

Mountain life is far from easy, with feuds and addictions that run deep, can love have a chance to grow?

This is a highly anticipated read for me. I was so excited to read this book as I have vastly enjoyed previous books by Joanne Bischof, and this one did not disappoint. Once you read this book you will be aching to read the next book, as it seems to end with a perfect transition into the next chapter of the family saga. I loved how Ms. Bischof dealt with the different facets of the various relationships between the characters and their varying level of communication with each other, showing the brothers's second nature ease with sign and reading each other's emotions, versus with Aven and the barriers that she faces coming to live with the close knit brothers.

The brothers' livelihood is hard cider, and though Thor lives in a silent world it is the cider that is his prison. I liked how Ms. Bischof did an excellent job portraying the dichotomy of the struggles at war within Thor, with layers of complexity that make this book sing a heartbroken yet hopeful mountain melody. A stunningly heartfelt read that speaks most in the quiet moments, with characters that will capture your heart and not let go even after the last page is turned down.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Texas Baby Pursuit by Margaret Daley ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

After the death of her husband, big city cop Rachel Young takes the job of becoming the sheriff of a small Texas town to be with her parents, who can help her care for her young daughter, Katie.

Texas Ranger Dallas Sanders stops by to introduce himself to the new sheriff, when they get a call from Dallas's teenage daughter, Michelle, who was babysitting her cousin, when someone broke in and took him. Dallas's top concern is the safety of his daughter, and he wants to do everything that he can to help Rachel catch the kidnapper who took his nephew.

Rachel's father was the sheriff before her, and their house has top notch security, so she invites Dallas and Michelle to come and stay with them during the investigation. During that time Rachel and Dallas get to know each other more personally while working together to get his nephew back. Michelle is a great help and wants to do everything that she can to help them.

Dallas has been through fire and back again, he does his best to live with integrity and faith. He is great at his job and is very resourceful. I really liked how this book talks about his struggles, and faith hasn't come easy for him, he's had his dark times and doubts in the past.

Rachel is a strong woman and mother, she is determined to do her duty, and she won't back down. I admired her respect for Dallas, and how seeing his faith in action makes her take a look at herself and how she's been living. Rachel and Dallas make a great team, and are very supportive of each other throughout.

A fast paced read, with a lot going on, and plenty of action. Rachel and Dallas work well together, and are both likable, strong characters. I like how the case brings them together, using their God-given strengths to protect and serve. A highly enjoyable read!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Called to Protect by Lynette Eason ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Chloe St. John has been working on the K-9 force with her canine partner, Hank, for over a year. Chloe and Hank join a special task force to bring back US Marshall Blake MacCallum's daughter, who has been kidnapped and is being held as leverage for blackmail.

Blake has been to assigned to guard a judge, and when his daughter is taken the kidnappers demand that he kill the judge in return for his daughter's life. Will he and Chloe find a way to thwart the kidnapper's evil plans and mend their broken hearts?

Blake is torn between the love of his daughter, and duty, he is clever and quick thinking calling on his friend in the FBI to help him out. Blake is understandably very stressed out, he is a man of action and he hates the helplessness that he feels to help his daughter.

Chloe is a great partner, supportive and honest, she knows what to say to Blake, and prays for him and Rachel constantly. Chloe is a well of strength and competence, and holds to her faith throughout.

Blake's daughter, Rachel, is brave, determined, and somewhat stubborn, she helps them track down the guy who took her, but doesn't run because she hopes to help her friend who was also taken.

Overall, I loved the suspense of this book, it has great dialog, and admirable characters. It is chock full of action, and it was hard to put down. I thought that it dealt well with the difficult topic of human trafficking, though as a mother it was hard to read about, but it is good to be aware of this very present issue. Great pacing makes this story fly by. I loved the way that this book portrays the men and women who risk their lives to protect and serve.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Ashes on the Moor by Sarah M. Eden ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

After the death of the rest of their family, sisters Evangeline and Lucy are torn apart, Lucy is sent to a boarding school, while Evangeline is to be the new teacher in Smeatly, Yorkshire, a small factory town.

Dermot McCormick is a brick mason overseeing a crew for the Bartons, and not an errand boy, but his is given the task of escorting her to and from the schoolhouse, and showing her what's what in town.

Evangeline is determined to prove herself, and get her sister back, but she has a daunting task ahead of her, with the schoolhouse in disrepair, she has never taught before, nor cooked, or lived alone, and she has no money as her grandfather controls her funds. Evangeline strikes a deal with Dermot, he will teach her to cook and she will tutor his son. Evangeline is very clever and cares for the children, she works to find ways to overcomes the barriers of language and learning levels. She is a natural mentor, and encourages the children to follow their dreams.

Ronan is a special boy who reminds her of her own brother, he is quietly withdrawn, he doesn't like strangers, change, and his senses can be overwhelmed. He is very clever, and warms up when he trusts someone.

Dermot is a good man with a great work ethic, he expects his men to work as hard as he does, he a fantastic father and loves his son so much.

Overall I really liked this story and how the characters grew over the course of the book. I especially like Ronan, as it isn't often in historical fiction that you see characters who learn differently. There is great interaction between Evangeline and Dermot, they both help each other and make the other a more well-rounded person. Fantastic read from beginning to end!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas : Madeline's Search by Kathleen Y'Barbo ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Pinkerton Agent Jonah Cahill is hired by Mrs. Smith to find her granddaughter, Tre'sor, which is complicated by the fact that Mrs. Smith has never met Tre'sor. Tre'sor was separated from her family years ago during a storm at sea, and Mrs. Smith is convinced that she will be found in Galveston.

Meanwhile Mrs. Smith also hires Madeline Latour to write her memoirs. Madeline is convinced that Mrs. Smith also has a connection to another story that she is working on as well, about the pirate Lafitte. Madeline and Jonah were engaged at one time, but Madeline chose her career over marriage, and now he doesn't trust her.

I like that Jonah grew up in Galveston, digging for treasure with his friends on his family land that is said to have also been home to Lafitte. When Jonah notices new holes appearing on his family's property he fears for his mother and sister's safety. Jonah is a great detective, he is dedicated to his job.

Jonah and Madeline reluctantly start working together, and rekindle their friendship. I liked their interaction and how their dialog changed throughout the story. Madeline is intelligent and has great investigative instinct.

Full of adventure and mystery, with great situational humor, surprises, and plenty of witty dialog. A fantastic adventure, highly enjoyable read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi ~ Review

My Review:

Fans of Roshani Chokshi's Star-Touched Queen and  A Crown of Wishes will welcome the opportunity to read more about their favorite characters as well as meet new ones in these 3 novella length stories. Told with Ms. Chokshi's signature vividly descriptive storytelling that paints pictures in the mind's eye, Indian-style folk lore of love and the otherworld is brought to life in screaming colors.

Two beings destined to be alone as they work in darkness find unexpected love together, while Aasha has left the otherworld to be with Gauri and Vikram, but in order to stay with her friends she must rise to the challenge of training to be a Spymistress, learning every characteristic of danger and poison. A bride loses her bridegroom on the eve of their wedding, and must face death to win him back.

Lush descriptions make Ms. Chokshi's stories to come to life, and these novellas are no different, as the heroes fight for their destinies in a colorful world where the line between the world and the otherworld is thin.

Written for young adult audiences I think that a PG-13 rating is appropriate as Vikram is well known to make crass jokes, as well as some adult themes. A good compliment to the previous books in the series, it helps to have at least read A Crown of Wishes, before reading this collection.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."


Roshani Chokshi is the New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen and A CROWN OF WISHES. Her middle grade debut, ARU SHAH AND THE END OF TIME, released April 3, 2018 from Disney/Rick Riordan Presents. Her next young adult novel, THE GILDED WOLVES, is slated for Winter 2019. Chokshi's work has appeared in Strange Horizons, Shimmer, and Book Smugglers. She was a finalist in the 2016 Andre Norton Award and the Locus Top Ten for Best First Novel. Her short story, "The Star Maiden," was longlisted for the British Fantasy Science Award.