I started reading this book thinking it would be a good scary story about demon possession. Little did I know it was filled with explicit sexual language. I'm certainly no pride, but I was caught off gaurs by the obscenity of this book. I enjoyed reading about the effects on the priest, and overall liked the book. I just would have preferred less obscenity.

"Only You, Sierra" by Robin Gunn Jones is the first work of Christian fiction I have ever read, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was surprised to see how prevalent Sierra's faith was in the story. The entire story revolved around Sierra waiting for "God-things", or events caused by the creator that were meant to lead Sierra to something.

As a mother, I found this to be a great story. Sierra is a very polite, moral young lady who is not afraid to follow her heart. Her relationship with her parents is very open and adult, with both sides willing to listen to each other and compromise. Sierra definitely thinks about her actions and what effect they will or have had. More than once in the story, she admitted she was wrong and apologized. This character is one that every parent will wish they had.

The only part I was concerned about was Sierra's strong desire to have a boyfriend. For being a Christian novel, I was rather surprised that was the focus of the novel. However, I can recall my teen years and yes, my life revolved around boys. I really commend Jones on her ability to show something most teens worry about in a way that still puts the main focus on God.

One thing I did notice about the novel is that it was originally published in 1995, and it seems like Jones tried to do some minor updating. There are a few times when sentences about cell phones or emails look like they were added in at the last minute. This doesn't change anything about the story, but I found show more the lack of technology to be refreshing. So much of our lives today focuses on technology, it was nice to read about a family who likes to spend time together.

I would give this book 5 of 5 stars. Jones did a great job writing a story that focuses on real-world problems like dating and relocating that is also wholesome and entertaining. I would recommend this book to any Christian. show less

I want to start off completely honestly and say that I never thought I'd finish reading this book. It's not a terrible long book, but I am a reader who likes to get lost in the world of the story and this is one hell of a world. The "steampunk" fad always seemed interesting to me, but it wasn't even until I finished the book that I thought about whether or not this term applies. The thought of inflatable airships and a world where lights out is at sundown simply took my breath away.

This story begins with Taziri, but this is in no way Taziri's story. It took a while to get all of the characters straight, but soon you realize how intricately woven their lives really are. The synopsis leads you to believe Taziri is the main character, and personally she was the character I connected most with. As a mother with a young daughter, I could imagine the pain and worry associated with the fantastic journey she gets to go on.

There is only one aspect of the novel that truly bothered me, and that involved Dr. Medina's experimentation. While I understand that her actions were aimed to show the moral character of both her and Lady Sade, the basement of the prosthetics shop is somewhere that left me with nightmares. Once again, Lewis described it in great detail, but the feeling of being there is something I could have lived without.

Altogether I think that this was the best science fiction I've read in a long time. This is one story that really had my mind going as it pulled me right show more into it. If you enjoy fantasy, science fiction, or really any kind of adventure, grab a copy of The Burning Sky by Joseph Robert Lewis. show less

Mister Lewis you have done it again. The key players from the Burning Sky are back and having issues yet again. This time, the story is focused on Enzo and Qhora and based in their homeland of España. These are the most amazing stories, and I love them even more since I myself have a daughter named Cora! On to the third!

I couldn't put this book down.

I've come to appreciate the work of lesser known authors and I've learned that cover quality can really deceive you. This quick read was definitely interesting, but not so realistic. I liked the premise and Samantha's struggle with the sale of her beloved ballet studio, but I wasn't find of the way Logan was introduced.

Adventure. Fighting. Incredibly witty dialogue. All things I've come to expect from Joseph Robert Lewis. And he doesn't disappoint his fans in Raziel's Shadow. If you like adventure or fantasy, this is your book. It's the tale of Zerai, a prince whose kingdom has been destroyed by ghuls and demons. He is one of the only people left from his nation, and the last of the royal bloodline. His quest to find the Magi, priests who study directly under angels, and retire his nation will draw you in until the last word. 5 stars. Definitely check this one out.

“A young girl gets plunged into a seemingly magical world where she has to fight to save someone she loves from a horrible fate.” A one sentence summary of the most popular teen books recently. If you add vampires and make the victim her mother, you have the Twilight series. If you add runes and magical locations, you’re looking at the Mortal Instruments series. This summary can even apply to Forget Me Not, as long as you can focus on the word “seemingly.”

Nash’s novel is not about paranormal activities or beings. In fact, all of the “magic” in the story is actually rooted in science and is caused by very advanced technology. As a science-minded person, I was drawn in immediately when I discovered this. Being able to explain all of the strange events and abilities that are in her story is an advantage that Nash has above other young adult authors, and one that I believe many will enjoy. Forget Me Not is a sci-fi novel with a dash of modern James Bond that is written to enthrall readers.

I’ll admit that I loved this novel, from its cover to its very last word, but I wasn’t impressed with parts of the main character. While Anamae seemed interesting enough, it seemed that Nash was constantly trying to dumb her down. Although Mae can come up with genius plans and solve problems, she is unable to figure out the reason behind her friend Will’s sudden change in attitude. While she trains hard to become a fighter, she seems to always need saving when things show more get rough. If you are looking for a book with a strong female role model, this is surely not it.

The one thing I did love is that although the novel is over, readers will agree that the story is far from over. Nash did a great job with leaving us in anticipation of the next chapter of Anamae’s saga by answering some of our questions, introducing new questions, and generally just leaving us wanting more.

I’m giving Forget Me Not fours stars. It had a great plot and was very engaging. It was also very descriptive and helped me visualize exactly the world Nash created. But with such a weak main character, I don’t have the heart to give it any more. I would recommend this book to any fans of the series I mentioned before, as this will be a breath of fresh air and yet still leave you with a book similar to those you already loved. show less

There is a disturbance in the universe, and it’s up to a bounty hunter to stop it. During his adventure, he will travel the universe with his favorite artificial intelligence sidekick to find and stop the villain. Does that sound similar to the plot of everyone’s favorite science fiction flick, who also happens to feature the world’s most beloved wookie?
Now I’m sure there are plenty of die hard star Wars fans who are in outrage right now. I’ll apologize in advance, I realize that I’m associating the two very loosely. However, I imagine that Braxton A. Cosby will be thrilled to see that I am comparing his novel Protostar to the (original) Star Wars trilogy. In this case, we have Prince William as a bounty hunter who is sent from his planet to capture and destroy the Star-child before she harnesses her full powers and begins her harsh reign over the universe. The biggest difference comes that the “villain”, in this case, is a teenage girl living here on Earth in the present time. The story is very relatable.
I think my favorite part of the story was IMPI. Sure, it might be nothing more than an advanced form of artificial intelligence. However, the story wouldn’t be the same without it. I loved the humor and wit it injected into the story. And the way it dealt with William made me often forget it wasn’t a human. But it plays a very key role in the entire book, and likely the entire series. It worries me that this is only the beginning of a series. Mr. show more Cosby, take this as a plea from a new fan: please don’t kill it off, or put it on the back burner!
I can’t say there is much I didn’t like about this story, but if there was one thing that confused me it was the climax of the story. I felt like the “final battle” went by rather quickly, but I can’t complain because I’ve read plenty of other novels that do the same. In fact, this story didn’t end right where you thought it would end. In fact, this story had a cliffhanger of the worst kind that nearly left you with heartache knowing it was over, but not over.
This story involved a lot of different genres, and so I can’t give you a specific group that I would recommend this to. I think that there are a lot of different types of readers who would enjoy this book, and so I recommend it to all. It gets five stars for being completely amazing, though I’d rather give it one for leaving me wanting more! show less

Anna's engaged, which is great news to everyone except her best friend Robin, who has been pining for her for years. How will his attempts to sabotage effect his and Anna's friendship?

This was a quick read for me, but it was a fun one too. It reminded me of how horrible things could go in wedding planning. Oddly enough, right now I am helping plan a small destination wedding for my sister, so this book did hit home a bit. Luckily, my sister's future mother-in-law is nowhere near as crazy and domineering as Doug's mother is.

Mia Epsilon really did a great job with this novel. It was funny, quirky, and pulled at your heartstrings. There was plenty of romance, but the characters didn't just float through the story. I thought that the backstory of Anna and Robin was particularly great. The thought of a friend so great that they not only stayed with you all through college but actually got a teaching job at the same school, in the same hall as you? I wish Epsilon were writing my life story.

While it was a great book, I did have two small issues with Wedding Belle Blues. The first is that while the circumstances of Anna and Robin's meeting put a smile on my face, it's a bit hard to believe. The other problem I had is that the book was entirely too short. I would have loved it more if there were more to the story, more drama leading up to a bigger climax (though Epsilon definitely nailed the climax).

This was a great book, it really was. I enjoyed reading it and simply wished there show more had been more to read. I recommend this to anyone who likes "chick lit" or anyone looking for a quick summer read. I am excited to see what else Mia Epsilon has to offer, because I definitely enjoyed this one. Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book in order for me to provide you, my lovely readers, with my 100% honest views and opinions. show less

Joe is not a Joseph. In fact, Joe Knowe is not a male at all. Nor is she a Josephine, a Mary Jo, or a Joanna. What she is, is a special girl with a special talent that is both a blessing and a curse.

What first grabbed my attention about Joe is that like me, Joe has a stutter. Though hers is much more pronounced, it helped me related to her sis a character. It seems that characters with pronounced flaws are easier for me to relate to, as they seem much more real. It was nice to see an author understand the frustration of someone who stutters who has an important message, and be able to convey it to others who don't.

I'm a big fan of using multiple character viewpoints to tell a story, but I have very mixed feelings about how it was done in this book. With so many characters, it can be hard to distinguish the characters from one another or to figure out who is telling which chapter. Gordon does a great job with listing exactly who is narrating at the beginning of each chapter. It took a lot of confusion out of reading. However there were a few characters you didn't hear much from, and it was easy to forgot about their story lines. Overall, I think Gordon did a great job creating memorable characters, and establishing the importance of characters that you didn't know much about.

There were a few things that made Joe a bit tricky to read. First was trying to get through the stuttering. Like I said, I suffer from what I think of as a sometimes-stutter. And while it can be hard show more to speak at times, there is no stutter in my thoughts. While Gordon had to be able to depict Joe's stutter, it made her dialogue incredibly hard to read. Another thing that made it hard to read was where Gordon would interject the characters thoughts to complete a sentence, which would then be completed in another way on the next line. I found myself re-reading lines quite a few times, though every time the sentence took on a whole new meaning.

As my TBR pile begins to dwindle, I will definitely find myself reading the sequel to this book. I really enjoyed Joe. It had great characters, really got you involved in the story, and had a clear (and engaging) climax to it. I am giving Joe five stars, and I encourage my readers to check it out. You will not be disappointed. show less

More!

The story of Zobie and Bel is just beginning. These two added completely different, user shockingly similar. I can any wait to read the next part of the story to find out where their adventures take them.

Great read!

This is a really great sequel to the first Heavenscribe. Nolfi has done it again! Can't wait to read book 3!

Holly Black’s version of Faerie draws me in every time. It’s been a long time since I’ve read her books but this reminds me why I loved them so much. After the first big twist/huge unexpected thing happened, I couldn’t put the book down. It was kind of hard for me to keep some of the characters straight. The end of the book threw me for a loop. I can’t wait for the next one to see what happens.

I don’t think I could recommend this book enough. It was amazing. I’ve spent the last few days telling everyone I know about it. Tara Westover lived one crazy life. A lot of it left me completely speechless. She is so thorough in her descriptions that I easily got lost in her world. Amazing book.

Oh. My. Goodness. By far the best book I have read in 2018. It took me a little bit to get into it, but once the ride started it didn’t disappoint. Once I got to part 2, I pretty much devoured the book. Emma finally sorted out her life after a tragedy fifteen years prior, until an encounter with a familiar face rips open old wounds and adds new ones.

I don’t get it. This was on lists of the most horrifying, most gruesome, most horrible books published. I just finished it and I’m disappointed. I’ve read many other books more gruesome, and ones that actually made a lot more sense. Actually, I found the beginning hilarious with all the description of Katherine just popping up in places and being covered with a variety of tablecloths, blankets, and dish cloths.

Really disappointing. I had much higher hopes for this but the big reveal kind of fell flat.

Pretty good! It kept me engaged and trying to figure it all out until the last few pages.

Pretty good! It kept me engaged and trying to figure it all out until the last few pages.

interesting take on dragons!

Grabbed this book on sale and I’m sure glad I did. The story of Jenna is definitely just beginning. I feel like sometimes the author struggled to find ways to have the characters explain how the dragon world worked, and sometimes it came across as really forced. But overall it was a good story that kept me engaged and I will be adding the sequel to my TBR pile!

I’m a huge fan of American Horror Story, but I can’t actually watch it because *gore* but when I found out the newest season was based on this book, I was so excited to be able to read it. Usually I just read recaps and watch clips that I can handle.

This book kept me up at night, creeped out and also not wanting to put it down. It’s so good. It does a good job of representing how little people actually acknowledge the pains you go through when pregnant (just replace “take an aspirin” with “take a Tylenol”) or as a woman in general. 5/5 highly recommend.

I work in a library, so naturally I heard about this book. I also heard about it on Good Morning America. I like somewhat sexy books, so I thought Hey, I'll give it a try...

Big mistake.

To it's credit, it kept me wondering what would happen next. I admit I read all three books. This was probably where I should have stopped. If the BDSM wasn't bad enough, then having to read about Ana's dealings with a controlling man with stalkerish tendencies should have been. This book gave me the Uh-Oh Feeling in every possible way. I've dealt with controlling men in my life and through the whole book I hoped the Ana would get over Christian.

another work of art from a master of story-telling

With my busy schedule, it took me a long time to finally find time to read this. But when I did get to pick it up, I couldn't put it down. Once again, The wonderful Christine Nolfi takes us to the town of Liberty. Many things have changed from the first book, but one thing hasn't: Nolfi's ability to create characters you can't help but love.

I have to admit that this was probably the most emotionally taxing of all the Liberty books. From the highs of a June Christmas tree to the unexpected lows, there were more than a few times I had to re-read to make sure I hadn't missed something. I had went in thinking this would be Meade's tale, but was happy to see everyone had their fair share of the story.

I will warn you that your addiction to Liberty will not stop when you put this book down. Once you've been immersed in the story-telling of Christine Nolfi, there is no return.

Summer Promise is the story of Christy Miller, a 14-year-old girl from Wisconsin that is spending her summer with her aunt and uncle in California. She has trouble making friends in the beginning, but after her aunts gives her a complete makeover she gains the confidence to finally go out and socialize. Her new friends seem wonderful, but looks can be deceiving. Christy has a wild and eventful summer, during which she learns all about herself.

This is another book that, as a mom, I would encourage my daughter to read in her teens. Though Christy has to deal with some tough issues, including death and finding herself, she shows younger girls that it is okay to be upset. The main message I took from this book was that when you put your life in God's hands, he will help you deal with your problems.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It is a wonderfully wholesome and entertaining story. This book was hard to put down. Though the religious aspect was a bit overpowering at some parts, I couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen next. I'm still left wondering what is going to happen next, and encourage you to read the story and find out why.

Typically when I do a review, I give out both the good and the bad feedback. Sometimes there are characters that just make me cringe. Sometimes authors try to speed along the character development and end up with characters who are simply lacking. Sometimes they try to speed the plot along too much and just make the entire story unbelievable. This time, as I wrote out my pro and con list, I realized that as hard as I tried, I couldn't think of any cons.

Bateman has created the ultimate relatable character. Laney is a 17-year-old girl who recently graduated high school. Though she's gone through great changes in the recent year, she has always been a typical teenager. She was always carefree, enjoying her life and making her own choices (even if they weren't always the best.) Recently, she's started doubting her plans for the rest of her life and has decided to spend the summer with her father and best friends trying to figure out what comes next. I feel like I've just described my early adult life.

The refreshing thing about this book is that Bateman doesn't put Laney on a pedestal or try to hide her flaws. Laney and her friends make the same stupid choices we all did as teens, and just like us, they don't know when to ask for help. I think that this is the part that resonated most with me. It seems like every teen has a time in their life where they really should ask for help but just don't know who to ask or how. Bateman has managed to create a character that could easily show more be 90% of us.

I'm undecided about who to recommend this book to. I have worked with high schoolers for a few years, and though there is a lot to this story that would be appropriate for them, there are other parts that I would find questionable. As a teen reader, I think that I would have fallen in love with this book. As a parent, I would cringe if my daughter read this book. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to find a relatable character, but caution readers that there are adult themes addressed in this book. show less

A demon and an angel walk into a highschool. Sounds like the beginning if a corny joke. In fact, it's one of many strange events in The Book of Bart. The whole story revolves around a demon, Bart, who is working with an angel named Samantha and a Templar determined to kill him, but only after he helps complete the mission. Ryan Hill has written a winner with this one.

First things first: I hate the cover of this book. The image of Bart on the cover was borderline haunting and definitely bothersome. It even shows up at the beginning of every chapter. I'm typically one of those no-good scoundrels who judges books by the cover, but I'm definitely glad I have this book a try.

I like to think that the Book of Bart is written in the same style I tend to write. It's full of sarcasm with characters that tend to pick at each other. Hill manages to find the humor in every situation, which unfortunately means that poor Bart goes through an awful lot of nice suits through the story. I liked how he didn't focus in on the small details, which would make the book rather violent, but instead focused on the big picture. His style keeps the reader focused on the main plot and doesn't let them get tied up in those small details.

The only downside to this novel is that the plot takes so many twists and turns it gets a little confusing. There were a few times when I would have to re-read earlier pages in order to understand what is going on in the later pages. I feel like this is a story I show more would need to read twice to fully comprehend everything that was going on, but luckily I was able to make it to the end with some idea of what was going on.

The Book of Bart is being marketed as a young adult book, though I wouldn't suggest it be added to the high school library where I work. There is a lot talk of drinking and sex involved, as well as a chain-smoking demon main character. I highly encourage people who like stories that are out of the ordinary to read this story. If you are reading about a demon who was kicked out of heaven, you can pretty much assume that there will be some debauchery. This book was a great read, go check it out. show less

It’s the end of Beth’s world, or at least the end of life as she knows it. Life with her cheating husband ends as her daughter’s married life just begins… on the other side of the world. When her father, her last close family member, passes away, Beth hits rock bottom and doesn’t know which end is up. She decides to return to her family’s cabin at Stutter Creek, where her and her father spent plenty of time making lasting family memories. She hopes to heal while reminiscing about her summers spent at Stutter Creek, and maybe even running into Big John, a summer crush who got away. But when young women in the area start to going missing, will Beth’s relaxing dream turn into a nightmare?

Stutter Creek impressed me from the moment I began reading it. Within the first page, it had grabbed my full attention and would not let go. This story was definitely good at that. Author Ann Swann has mastered the art of engaging her readers. With the level of details she gives in the events that happen, there was no way I could put the book down.

One aspect of Stutter Creek that I was pleasantly surprised to find was the paranormal aspect. I can’t give much detail about it, but it flowed really well with the story. The only thing that I didn’t enjoy dealt with the way technology was involved in the story. I felt like it was a bit over the top, and honestly I was waiting for the “punch line” or a more believable explanation of what happened.

While I have seen Stutter show more Creek classified as a “romantic suspense” novel, I really would shy away from calling it “romantic” at all. In fact, the majority of the story contains no romance at all. As I read this, I was constantly comparing it to a novel by Dean Koontz I had read a while back. Both were very detailed about the crimes committed, both left the read wanting to know more of what happened, and both had a paranormal aspect to them. This book should be classified more as a thriller, suspense, or even horror novel. It was very enjoyable, but not romantic at all.

I loved how this book switched between narrators. It’s truly the only way to get to see entire picture of what was going on. But Swann didn’t just stop at switching between the protagonists and antagonist, but also to the point of view of various minor characters. This is like watching a movie on a cut-down full screen view versus being in the studio while it is filming: you get a 360° view of what is going on.

The author’s use of various points of view is not the only thing that helps bring you into the story. The main character, Beth, is easily relatable to anyone who has experience a significant loss, or even to someone who suffers from depression. I was easily able to understand her need to get out of her everyday life.

Stutter Creek was good. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a quick read, since you won’t be able to put it down when you pick it up. I recommend it to fans of Dean Koontz, as it reads similar to books of his that I have read. I would NOT recommend this if you are looking for a romance novel, as you will be very surprised. But for anyone who enjoys thrillers or horror stories, definitely give Stutter Creek a read. show less

Definitely an engaging read. Hope there is more to it!

Growing up, we never had a lot of money. We didn’t have cable, or a DVD player, before the year 2000. Big birthday presents included Walkman players, off-brand Duplo blocks, and used cassettes from the neighborhood video store. My tv times consisted of reruns of MASH and Brady Bunch; the only music I heard was the ever-present rock radio station that didn’t filter out curse words. I won’t say I didn’t have a good childhood, I just didn’t get the exposure to “childish” things that most children did. Which is what drew my to this book.

David Vahlberg’s “Robin Hood: Forester of Sherwood” was my first real exposure to Robin Hood. Of course I had heard a bit about the legendary hero: he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. I considered reading up on the legend before I started Vahlberg’s version, but decided that I’d rather go in with a completely non-objective view.

The story isn’t written as a novel, but rather in little vignettes. Each story is written to relate to the others, but could be read as a short story by itself. The first few are about how this merry band came together, then more about the adventures of Robin himself. This was not at all what I expected, but I loved it. With the book broken into short parts, it made it easier to read during just bits at a time. It was refreshing after reading so many novels.

The biggest thing you’ll notice about this story is that it is split into two parts: stories and poetry. After bad experiences show more in school with poetry, I was pretty hesitant about it at first. But after finishing the first part and reading the second, I quickly realized that they were simply repeating the stories but in poetry form. This made it easier for me to understand the poetry, but I felt like it should have been incorporated more into the stories rather than separated into a second part.

I id appreciate the style of Vahlberg’s writing. I felt like it was a cross between modern styles and classic style; like reading the No-Fear version of a Shakespeare play. Altogether it was a refreshing read. I would recommend this to those of you who might be growing tired or burnt out on reading. This short book is a change of pace that will get any reader back in the swing of things. show less