10.12.2014

Thief of Glory ~ Review

Thief of Glory: A NOVEL
By Sigmund Brouwer

Jeremiah Prins' world was ordered and predictable until war came.  His life in the Dutch East Indies was one of privilege until Japan invaded.  When his father and older brothers were taken away, ten year old Jeremiah is left with the responsibility of caring for and protecting his mother, two younger sisters, and his little brother.

But the true test comes when the family is taken to one of the Jappenkamps...  As they struggle to survive the harsh conditions of living in a concentration camp they manage to find some small joys and friendships to sustain and support them.  But all too soon choices have to be made, choices that have consequences that must be lived with.

This is Jeremiah's story.  A story of pain and suffering.  A story of courage and fear.  A story of survival.  This story will move you to tears.  And it is time for Jeremiah to share it and the horrifying truths that have shaped him into the man he has become.  Take a look back as Jeremiah shares a childhood lost...

Thief of Glory looks at a period of history during World War II that many are unfamiliar with.  This is history that was barely acknowledged much less taught in history class.  I have to be honest I did a little internet research and was shocked at the number of Jappenkamps that were listed as having been in existence.

Humanity's lust for power and supremacy is not a virtue and is, in fact, often the catalyst for even greater evils against those who share this world.  Some of the incidents in this book are disturbing and not appropriate for younger readers in my opinion. 


I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.




A boy coming of age in a time of war…

the love that inspires him to survive.
 
For ten year-old Jeremiah Prins, the life of privilege as the son of a school headmaster in the Dutch East Indies comes crashing to a halt in 1942 after the Japanese Imperialist invasion of the Southeast Pacific. Jeremiah takes on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings when his father and older stepbrothers are separated from the rest of the family, and he is surprised by what life in the camp reveals about a woman he barely knows—his frail, troubled mother. 

Amidst starvation, brutality, sacrifice and generosity, Jeremiah draws on all of his courage and cunning to fill in the gap for his mother. Life in the camps is made more tolerable as Jeremiah’s boyhood infatuation with his close friend Laura deepens into a friendship from which they both draw strength. 

When the darkest sides of humanity threaten to overwhelm Jeremiah and Laura, they reach for God’s light and grace, shining through his people. Time and war will test their fortitude and the only thing that will bring them safely to the other side is the most enduring bond of all.

Learn more about the book and the author at:

10.11.2014

Thunder ~ Review

Thunder
The Stone Braide Chronicles 1
By Bonnie S. Calhoun

Determined to prove her worth to her father and her older brothers, Selah is determined to capture a Lander.  She's been warned to stay away from the beach and away from Landers.  But she can't stay away on this the eve of her eighteenth birth remembrance.  But little does she realize that this simple act of disobedience is about to forever alter her life.

More than a century has passed since the Time of Sorrows.  In that time few outside the Mountain have had dealings with those within.  The Company is secretive and hidden from the outside world, but they want Landers and they are willing to pay for them.  And unless Selah can get rid of the Lander mark she woke up with she will soon be hunted down like a Lander and sold.

Landers are of importance only if they retain their markings and their memories.  But Selah has no Lander memories so why is she now marked?  Determined to steal back the Lander she captured before her brothers sell him, Selah sets out towards the Mountain.  Can she get Bodhi Locke away from her brothers or will the truths about her new identity be lost to her forever?

Thunder is a set in the future.  The world as we know it has been destroyed and yet humanity has survived.  But the very tendencies that brought about this destruction still exist within the hearts of those who survived and their offspring.

Dangers exist both within the Mountain and without, the question is which danger is the greater risk to those who are hunted?  And who or what are Landers?  These marked people have abilities (both mental and physical) that are beyond what is considered normal.

Fans of dystopian or speculative fiction should enjoy this new series. In a world destroyed by the very people who called it home a new civilization of survivors has grown up amid the destruction. And in this world various groups are vying for supremacy.  Will the errors of the past be repeated or will the knowledge that the Landers possess change everything?

I for one can't wait for book 2 Lightning (Fall 2015) and the answers it may reveal or raise.

I was provided a copy of this book by Revell in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
The Time of Sorrows is long past.
The future of Selah and her people is shrouded in mystery.
And the clock is ticking.

Hidden in the tall grasses along a shore littered with the rusted metal remnants of a once-great city, a hunter crouches. It is the eve of her eighteenth Birth Remembrance and high time she proves to herself and her brothers that she can stand on her own two feet. Selah Rishon Chavez waits not for game but for one of the small boats that occasionally crash against the desolate shoreline. Because inside one of these boats she will find her quarry--a Lander.

These people from an unknown land across the ocean are highly prized by the Company and bring a good price--especially if they keep the markings they arrive with.

Everything falls to pieces when the Lander whom Selah catches is stolen by her brothers, and Selah wakes the next morning to find the Lander's distinctive mark has appeared on her own flesh. Once the hunter, Selah is now one of the hunted, and she knows only one person who can help her--Bodhi Locke, the Lander her brothers hope to sell in the Mountain.


With evocative descriptions of a strange new world that combines elements of disturbing scientific advances, devious political conspiracy, and survival in a hostile wilderness, Bonnie S. Calhoun weaves a captivating tale of a society more like our own than we may want to admit. From the tension-laced first scene to the captivating last page, Thunder is an epic journey into the heart of humankind that explores how far we are willing to go when we're pushed to the limit.

10.05.2014

Deceived ~ Review

Deceived
Private Justice #3
By Irene Hannon

Three years ago Kate Marshall lost her husband in a boating accident and her young son's body was never found.  Rebuilding her life has brought Kate to St. Louis.  When a chance encounter in a mall makes her doubt her son's assumed death, Kate has no where to turn except Phoenix Inc.

But can these investigators prove whether or not that a glimpse of a child seen at a St. Louis mall is the son Kate thought she had lost in New York?  Kate needs answers and Connor Sullivan is determined to help her find them.

First up finding proof that the child Kate thought she had glimpsed is not just a figment of her imagination...

Deceived is the final book in Irene Hannon's Private Justice series and Connor Sullivan is the Phoenix investigator who takes center stage in this book.  And of course being a character of interest means its time for Connor to take an interest in a client who once the case is resolved may just be more than a former client.

Cases have a way of taking a dangerous turn and Deceived is right on track if you like your books with a dash of danger mixed with a touch of romance.  Irene's characters make you care about them and they aren't perfect.  They are flawed and know it and they are determined to work through these flaws.

This is a great escape book if you just want to take a break from the day-to-day stresses of work or if you just want a relaxing book to read over your week-end.  There is nothing quite like a suspense over the week-end to keep you up late into the night.   As an added bonus there is a sneak peek at Irene's new upcoming series Men of Valor ~ Buried Secrets.

I was provided a copy of this book through Revell's blogger program in exchange for my honest review.


About the Book:
A grieving mother. A mysterious child. And a dedicated PI who's determined to solve the puzzle.

For three years, Kate Marshall has been mourning the loss of her husband and four-year-old son in a boating accident. But when she spots a familiar-looking child on a mall escalator, she's convinced it's her son. With police skeptical of her story, she turns to private investigator Connor Sullivan for help. As the former Secret Service agent digs into the case, the boating "accident" begins to look increasingly suspicious. But if Kate's son is alive, someone is intent on keeping him hidden--and may go to lethal lengths to protect a sinister secret.

As Irene Hannon's many fans have come to expect,Deceived is filled with complex characters, unexpected twists, and a riveting plotline that accelerates to an explosive finish.

Forever Christmas ~ Review

Forever Christmas
By Robert Tate Miller

A Story of Hope, Love, and Christmas Miracles

Sometimes we don't fully appreciate what we have until we've lost it and this Christmas Andrew Farmer is about to find this out firsthand.

Beth was Andrew's childhood best friend and his sweetheart. They seemingly had the perfect marriage, but somewhere during the years Andrew's focus shifted and his career slowly started pushing Beth out.

When Andrew is given a second chance to prove his love to Beth can he accept this gift?  Or will he blow his last chance with Beth? He has mere days to change his life and his focus or he will lose the love of his life.

But to change Andrew must deal with the past and the mistakes he's made along the way.  But can a man change his ways overnight?  Or will the pattern of success he set for himself be too strong to resist?

Forever Christmas is a story of second chances and true love.  How can one prove one's love for another?  Love is more than words and it is more than gifts.  It is ultimately one's actions.  The statement actions speak louder than words is true both in life and in this book.  How can a marriage that has seemingly lost importance to one or the other of the members be proven otherwise?  This is the task that Andrew has been given and he has 3 days to prove his wife he truly loves her.   How many times do we wish we could go back and do something over again?  We don't get do-overs, but there is no reason we can't change and go forward by putting others first.

This is a lovely book that would make a perfect gift for anyone married or not.  We need to see each day spent with a loved one as a gift and one we may never have again.  Make each moment count and see what is truly important.

I received a copy of this book through the BookLook blogger program in exchange for my honest review.


Book Description

This Christmas will change Andrew Farmer’s life forever.
Andrew can’t remember the last time he spent Christmas away from work. The end of the year is crunch time for literary agents. But when your career is your life, your life starts to suffer . . . beginning with your marriage.
When a heart-wrenching accident in a Christmas Eve snowstorm jars this high-powered agent from his obsession with success, a Christmas miracle will give him a second chance at love, life, and gratitude, but only if he can put aside his own ambition and learn to appreciate each moment.
Sometimes it takes a tragedy to change a man’s life—and to teach him to treat every day as if it were his last.
About the Author
Robert Tate Miller began his writing career with homespun essays of small town life that were published by Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1980s and wrote successful family-oriented telefilms for NBC, ABC Family, and the Hallmark Channel. Robert lives in Northridge, CA, with his wife Gina and stepdaughter Chloe June.

With Every Breath ~ Review

With Every Breath
By Elizabeth Camden

Kate Livingston is competitive and her greatest competition was against Trevor McDonough.  And Kate hates losing and losing to Trevor again is not an option.  So when Trevor offers her a job that is a challenge Kate can't say no.

But this may be the hardest job she's ever had to do - analyzing data from tuberculosis patients. Analyzing the numbers is the easy part, it is watching people die that is hard.  And Kate can't keep herself detached by seeing people only as a number even if Trevor seemingly can.

But Trevor has secrets from his past that he has kept hidden away.  And Kate is determined to discover what he has to hide.  But shortly after Kate begins working for Trevor his research is threatened when someone begins a campaign of terror, using the press to stir up public panic and outcry.

But why someone would try to stop the research into finding a cure for tuberculosis is the question Trevor and Kate are determined to answer before their research is derailed permanently.  While Kate works to improve Trevor's people skills and help him gain allies to help him in his fight, Trevor looks into his past looking for clues as to who could hate him enough to take their hate public.

As Trevor and Kate forge ahead in this fight both must learn to work past fears and hurts to embrace the future that they have each been offered.  But is that future together or will their competitive nature drive them to seek separate futures?

With Ever Breath takes place over several years but the main story is set in 1891 Washington, D.C. This is look into medical research in the late 1800's and the inherent difficulties involved with research at this time.  But just like today peoples fears can threaten and stymie the efforts of researchers.  Fears are not necessarily baseless, but they can oftentimes be a threat to finding a cure or treatment.

Fans of historical fiction will find this a story worthy of their time and those who have read Elizabeth Camden's previous works won't be disappointed in this her latest work.

I was provided a copy of this book through the Bethany House blogger program in exchange for my honest review.

About
In the shadow of the nation's capital, Kate Livingston's respectable life as a government worker is disrupted by an encounter with the insufferable Trevor McDonough, the one man she'd hoped never to see again. A Harvard-trained physician, Trevor never showed the tiniest flicker of interest in Kate, and business is the only reason he has sought her out now. 

Despite her misgivings, Kate agrees to Trevor's risky proposal to join him in his work to find a cure for tuberculosis. As Kate begins to unlock the mysteries of Trevor's past, his hidden depths fascinate her. However, a shadowy enemy lies in wait and Trevor's closely guarded secrets are darker than she ever suspected.

As revelations from the past threaten to destroy their careers, their dreams, and even their lives, Trevor and Kate find themselves in a painfully impossible situation. With everything to lose, they must find the strength to trust that hope and love can prevail over all.

10.01.2014

CSFF September Blog Tour ~ Rebels Day 3

Welcome to Day 3 of the CSFF September Blog Tour
featuring Rebels by Jill Williamson.
REBELS
The Safe Lands 3
By Jill Williamson

When Captives ended Mason and Omar were about to be liberated and no one knew what liberation meant short of death. Shaylinn and Ciddah had been rescued from General Otley and Lawten Renzor.

And Mason and Omar are about to be liberated.  Liberation is not what anyone expected.  Good news Mason and Omar are not dead. Bad news they are separated from their family and friends.  And they have to do hard labor in dangerous conditions.  By helping Ciddah Mason made an enemy of Renzor, who is determined that Mason will continue to pay for his error.  Omar is still Omar and even in his liberated state he can still find trouble.  But liberation has a few surprises in store in the form of the formerly liberated.  

Meanwhile those Outsiders who have manage to align themselves with the Naturals (aka Kindred) have hidden themselves beneath the city.  But differences of opinion are sure to arise among this vast and varied group of individuals who feel strongly about their beliefs. 

Can the lies that the Safe Lands has been perpetuating for years be revealed?  Or have the lies been so firmly embedded into the Safe Lands way of life that they will never believe the truth?

But help comes in an unexpected form.  And this could be the catalyst to change the future and allow the Safe Lands to open their gates.

I still don't like Levi - he just sort of grates on one's nerves.  He's of the opinion that he is right and everyone else needs to fall in with his thinking.  Fortunately he meets someone among the Kindred who could very well give him a run in the superior attitude he has.

Omar still draws my sympathy, though he is in definite need of an intervention (which just may happen).  Mason is still my favorite brother.

I think as far as characters go Shaylinn grew the most throughout the series.  I will miss them all and hope that at some point in the future we may revisit this land as they recreate what they once had.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Blink in conjunction with this CSFF blog tour in exchange for my participation and my honest review.

Want to read Rebels yourself?  Pick up a copy today 


9.30.2014

The Remaining ~ Review

The Remaining
Novelization by Travis Thrasher

The Remaining is a story that you don't want to read right before bed.  If you do be prepared to stay up through the night because this is the type of book that will keep you up.

One year ago Lauren started having visions, visions that ended in pain and hurting.  And the pain was being felt by her best friends.  And on the day of Dan and Skylar's wedding Lauren's nightmares come true...

Tragedy strikes shortly after the marriage vows are exchanged. And on a day that should be filled with celebrations of new beginnings, everything is forever altered and those left to make sense of everything are baffled.  Carnage and chaos are making their presence known and the survivors have a choice to make.  A choice that will either end everything or be a new beginning.

Sometimes the path to true freedom is the one that comes with facing the nightmare.

The Remaining is a novelization of a movie of the same name.  This is an intense and dramatic Rapture story that is told through a variety of voices.  The gathering of friends and family for a wedding is the focal point of the book until the Rapture occurs.  This isn't your typical clothes left behind story which just from the cover of the book should be fairly obvious.  I mean look at the cover it is pretty creepy looking.

Fans of Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti should find this book to be highly appealing.

I was provided with a copy of this book by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
The Remaining is a novelization of the apocalyptic movie from Sony Affirm. Just after a young couple says their vows, the earth shakes, and some people die suddenly and are taken away. The rest of their wedding party and friends are left to wrestle with what happened and with their faith. Characters struggle with secret love, dreams, hopes, and beliefs as they continue to evaluate their faith. This book and movie are both action-packed thrillers that will encourage audiences to think about their beliefs.