Storm Rising (The Book of the Wars: Book 1) by Ronie Kendig
Lilian's Rating: 4 out of 5 bookmarks

Ronie Kendig really kicks off this series off with an absolutely brilliant start! Storm Rising is one of the most intricate suspense novels I've ever read (note: ever read, and you could definitely say I've read a lot of books haha), and I'm sure looking forward to reading more in this series as well as more of her writing!

When I first heard about this book, I wasn't sure if it would interest me that much because I had never read anything like that before and the whole Book of the Wars and storms thing sort of turned me off to it at first, though I'm not sure why. But I'm glad I took the opportunity to check it out because I really loved it (and the cover is stunning)!

Let's start off with the characters. I'm not sure I've ever read about a character as unique as Iskra. Right from the start, she amazed me with her intelligence and lethal ability as an assassin, but what intrigued me as well was how Ms. Kendig expounded on Iskra's little quirks which pulled me in and showed me her other lovable characteristics. And Leif! I personally love the name Leif, so I started off loving him. As the plot became more intricate, Leif's character was also deepened and slowly I began to relate more to him. I want to talk about Hristoff, Iskra's boss, too though—his behavior absolutely sickened me! See the spoiler note below if you wish to know more detail.

Ronie Kendig

In either the first or second chapter Ms. Kendig started to introduce so many characters (mainly members of Leif or Iskra's teams) and I didn't think I would be able to really enjoy the book because I thought I would have a hard time remembering all of them, but surprisingly it wasn't at all too difficult! It was definitely one of the more difficult things to do as part of the reading but I was very impressed with how Ms. Kendig made it easy for me as the reader to remember who everyone was!

The writing style flowed very well and I found it very enjoyable to read! Ms. Kendig definitely has a talent for writing, and I'm eager to catch a glimpse of more of her series. I do think that a little more faith aspect could have been introduced because I personally got the impression from Storm Rising that God isn't very personal and that He isn't very involved in our lives, which definitely isn't true.

Overall, Storm Rising marks my first book from Ronie Kendig and I couldn't be more excited to devour more of her books! I was very impressed with the intricacy in the suspense aspect of it and I would strongly recommend it to readers over 16. I definitely wouldn't be comfortable recommending it to even mature teens under 16 due to the behavior of one character mentioned above.


Note: Book 2 of the series, Kings Falling, is slated for a March 2020 release.

Spoiler note: To view, highlight the following section with your cursor. [Iskra is often mentioned as having been raped multiple times in the past by Hristoff, and having a daughter because of this. Iskra and her daughter are held captive by Hristoff and essentially slaves of him, and Iskra goes on a mission to trade the prize for her freedom. While she's on her mission, Iskra's daughter is abused by Hristoff, which is mentioned in very slight detail.]




Lilian S. has been a hardcore bookworm since the tender age of 7 and a book reviewer for a couple of years. She is currently a student and in her spare time enjoys singing, graphic designing, and interacting with other Christ-minded readers. A couple of her favorite genres in both books and movies are: Christian contemporary, fantasy, and dystopian. She occasionally enjoys science and historical fiction and likes a good suspense novel as well. Lilian is also an athlete (Ultimate Frisbee, anyone?), a blogger at Green Tea With Books, and founder at reviewer site Stellae Books.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

The Gryphon Heist by James R. Hannibal
Victoria's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

Wow! This book really packed a punch! I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys spy, action and thriller books! I found it highly enjoyable and it may even be a book that I would re-read in the near future.

Synopsis:

Talia Inger is a rookie CIA case officer assigned not to the Moscow desk as she had hoped but to the forgotten backwaters of Eastern Europe--a department only known as "Other." When she is tasked with helping a young, charming Moldovan executive secure his designs for a revolutionary defense technology, she figures she'll be back in DC within a few days. But that's before she knows where the designs are stored--and who's after them. With her shady civilian partner, Adam Tyler, Talia takes a deep dive into a world where only criminal minds and unlikely strategies will keep the Gryphon, a high-altitude data vault, hovering in the mesosphere.
Even Tyler is more than he seems, and Talia begins to wonder: Is he helping her? Or using her access to CIA resources to pull off an epic heist for his own dark purposes?

The pacing was awesome, moving quickly, with short chapters that kept me turning the pages, ready for the next cliffhanger and the next...and the next. With action-packed scenes, unique and exciting characters and interwoven mysteries, this book is a must-read for you action lovers.

With the number of characters, the author did a really good job of giving them unique characteristics and mannerisms that helped to keep them apart. It could have easily gotten muddy and confusing, but they were all separate. The accents and different nationalities helped, as well as furthered the plot along as they traveled to all the different countries to recruit the team.

James R. Hannibal

The copy on the back cover mentions Oceans 11 and Mission Impossible-esque storylines and they were right. The Gryphon Heist offers that same high-stakes feel infused with humor, matters of the heart, and past mysteries that come back to haunt the main characters.

I really appreciated the spiritual storyline that the author included and my only critique on the whole book would be the depth of character and morals. While the main character and her struggles, background and subsequent bitterness and motivation were easily understood, I felt that they lacked a bit of depth that more time and focus could have fixed. We were so busy flying all over creation that we didn’t get a chance to fully get deep into the heart of Talia, our protagonist.

That was my only critique however and I thoroughly enjoyed this unique book! I can’t wait for the second one to come out and I only hope I enjoy it half as well, though, after this book, my expectations are high.

Book 2: Chasing the White Lion is scheduled to release in March of 2020.




Victoria Lynn is a “Jane of all trades” who seeks to master them. She runs several small businesses and is an indie author with a passion for literature and the written word. She lives in the glorious state of many lakes, Michigan, with her parents and eight siblings. She devours books and likes to say that if she could get paid for every book she has read, she would be a millionaire. Some of her favorite things to do include writing fiction, learning new things, acting, creating something with her hands and playing the piano or singing. She also is one of the founders of Ichthus Family Productions and seeks to honor the Lord in all that she does.



Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

A Distance Too Grand by Regina Scott
Lilian's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

Well, I was very impressed by this one! A Distance Too Grand, which is book 1 of the American Wonders Collection, is a charming historical romance tale with a twist of a wild frontier sort of lifestyle in it and also a gorgeous cover thrown in as well! I thoroughly enjoyed my first book from Regina Scott and will be looking forward to more!

Synopsis:

Meg Pero has been assisting her photographer father since she was big enough to carry his equipment, so when he dies she is determined to take over his profession--starting with fulfilling the contract he signed to serve on an Army survey of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in 1871. What she doesn't realize is that the leader of the expedition is none other than the man she once refused to marry.
Captain Ben Coleridge would like nothing more than to leave without the woman who broke his heart, but he refuses to wait even one more day to get started. This survey is a screen for another, more personal mission, one he cannot share with any member of his team.
As dangers arise from all sides, including within the survey party, Meg and Ben must work together to stay alive, fulfill their duties, and, just maybe, rekindle a love that neither had completely left behind.

Let's start off with the writing style. I absolutely loved Regina's writing style. It flows well with the thoughts and personality of the main female character, Meg—almost like it was written by the main character, though the book was written in the third person—and it really showed off her spunkiness, which is definitely a unique trait of hers and it was fun catching subtle glimpses of it throughout the whole book! Regina really unveils her characters' thoughts and attributes through her writing style, not only with Meg but other as well, including the main male character, Ben.

Regina Scott

I love Ben and Meg so much for different reasons. Meg for her determination, grit, and persistence to live and thrive, and Ben for his solid work ethic, his determination to succeed, and his thoroughness and attention to detail. I also enjoyed how patient and persistent he is in his attempts to win Meg...for the second time, which was a fun twist that I haven't ever seen before in a book! Regina really kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat while I tried to figure out how Ben would win Meg over. I also really, really love and admire how Meg and Ben both pursue their own passions that aren't typical or expected for them in that society; Meg with her photography and Ben with his passion for exploring and being a frontiersman.

In general, I would highly recommend A Distance Too Grand for lovers of very subtle romance as well as epic historical/frontier lifestyle novels. (And come on, a whole novel set in the Grand Canyon!!) I believe this book would be worth a try for pretty much anyone because of the values of faith and determination it conveys, and I'm extremely glad I had the opportunity to read it.




Lilian S. has been a hardcore bookworm since the tender age of 7 and a book reviewer for a couple of years. She is currently a student and in her spare time enjoys singing, graphic designing, and interacting with other Christ-minded readers. A couple of her favorite genres in both books and movies are: Christian contemporary, fantasy, and dystopian. She occasionally enjoys science and historical fiction and likes a good suspense novel as well. Lilian is also an athlete (Ultimate Frisbee, anyone?), a blogger at Green Tea With Books, and founder at reviewer site Stellae Books.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

Over the Line by Kelly Irvin
Sarah Grace's Rating: 3 out of 5 bookmarks

Kelly Irvin is the author of numerous Amish fiction books, but Over the Line marks her fourth foray into the romantic suspense genre. Released June 11, 2019, by Thomas Nelson, this book is a wild ride into the border town of Loredo, Texas. Irvin uses her experience as a reporter on the Texas-Mexico border as the inspiration for her suspense fiction.

Gabriella Benoit finds herself drawn into a dangerous scenario involving cartels, gun smuggling, corrupt law enforcement officers, and a kidnapped ATF agent who also happens to be her brother. And her ex-boyfriend, homicide detective Eli Cavazos, is not going to let her face the danger alone. As Gabriella and Eli travel to Loredo to find her brother, Gabby's sister, two children, and a friend find themselves sucked into the danger. I loved the family element Irvin includes with these two sisters; the relationship was very sweet and realistic, and Gabby's interactions with her niece and nephew were adorable as well. Deacon Alder is a friend of Gabby's, and with her sister, Natalie, in danger, he couldn't help but get involved. I loved watching Deacon and Natalie's relationship evolve over the course of the book. I honestly wouldn't have minded if Deacon and Natalie were the main characters.

Kelly Irvin Courtesy of kellyirvin.com

On that note, I have to admit I struggled greatly with understanding and liking our main characters throughout 80% of the book. Understandably so, Gabby carries a heavy load of bitterness toward Eli for past grievances. I could understand her angst, but when it saturated every single moment between the two characters--coupled with the awkward physical attraction--it just became too much and I grew frustrated with the both of them. Eli apparently has a past that haunts him, but no matter how much he tries to convince Gabby he loves her, he absolutely refuses to discuss his past or really anything personal at all. A relationship can't be built on that kind of silence, and I don't blame Gabby for trying to avoid Eli. But in the few years since they broke up, Eli practically stalks Gabby; regularly following her home, sitting in his car outside her restaurant, etc. As a side character told Eli: "If you weren't a cop, you would be considered a stalker." Eli also frequently treats Gabby like a child, telling her what she can and can't do, stealing her car keys to stop her from leaving town without him, and more. His actions and domineering attitude were more harassment than "love," although Eli claims he only wants to protect her. Sorry, that's inexcusable, and if I were Gabby, I'd be running the other way as fast as possible.

Granted, these are flawed characters, as we all are. But if I completely despise the main character...I think it might have been taken too far. Characters are everything to me in a story, so if I don't even like or am not able to relate to them, the book is not going to be a favorite of mine.

Story-wise, this one is a wild ride! Drama, suspense, mystery, and action combine throughout the book and kept me on the edge of my seat! I had no inkling of the conclusion until the end. The ending did surprise me in that the characters' arcs were wrapped up differently than I expected--but in a good way. Forgiveness and redemption are the main themes the author uses very realistically to wrap up the story. I enjoyed Irvin's vibrant writing style that describes the scene in a unique and colorful manner. One other issue I struggled with: throughout the book, there is minor swearing, abbreviations for crude language or swear words, and other rather crude phrases. These were all completely unnecessary in the context and only drew me out of the story.

All in all, if you are looking for a suspense-y read with lots of drama, give this one a shot!




Sarah Grace is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called “Life”, she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a woodstove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things, and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. When not reading, spending time with her ever-growing family, or buried in a textbook, she can be found painting, playing the piano, producing music and audio dramas, web designing, fangirling with her sisters and friends, or discussing technology with her brothers. Sarah Grace inhabits the State of Great Lakes and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

The String (Deadly Games, #1) by Caleb Breakey
JD's Rating: 4.5 out of 5 bookmarks

The String is an impressive fiction debut. The plot is intricate, the characters are well-rounded, and it is a total thrill ride. A non-stop adrenaline rush from the first page to the very last!

Synopsis:

A sociopath is running a deadly social experiment on a university campus. Markus Haas is the first to refuse to play the game. What unravels is a sequence of impossible decisions and a race against time to stop the sociopath before others pay the ultimate price.
Welcome to the string. Let's go over the ground rules.
Rule #1: Participation is mandatory.
Rule #2: If any one person refuses to play, the threats to all players will come to pass.
Since this is my game, allow me to introduce myself. I am the conductor. Just as musicians in a symphony must follow the conductor's direction, the selected students and staff of Trenton University must submit to my commands . . . or risk massive chaos and deadly consequences. Even that pesky university cop, Markus Haas, who thinks he'll find a way out of the impossible dilemma in which I've trapped him. Oh, the surprises I have for him.
Ready to play?

Whew! My goodness. I had to collect my thoughts for a moment after finishing this book! It's been quite some time since I've read such a nail-biting, edge-of-the-seat, "un-put-downable" thriller like this one. Fair warning: This is not for everyone as it's very violent. It's quite the bloodbath; frankly, I lost track of the body count. But that's sort of to be expected when you're dealing with a thriller centered around a psychopathic murderer.

Caleb Breakey

The plot is detailed, complex, and compelling. It is unveiled bit by bit and moves along at a good clip that keeps you turning pages. Our protagonist, Markus, is a well-developed and interesting character, as is his best friend Cody. They are both fully committed to taking down the antagonist, who calls themself The Conductor. Speaking of which, this villain is a truly chilling and creepy one. Almost to the point of supervillain status; very reminiscent of The Joker in many ways. The Conductor is a sinister marionette who uses blackmail, threats of violence and other tactics to force victims to do some pretty reprehensible things. And I found it interesting that Breakey does a sort of partial reveal of the villain early on rather than leaving them entirely behind the scenes until the end. I don't want to say much more so I don't spoil anything, but I just found it a nice touch that differentiates The String from other similar novels.

The book is clean, in that it contains no swearing or sexual content. Though there is one scene that depicts a fairly intimate embrace between two unmarried characters that some readers may be uncomfortable with. One of our major characters is a Christian but if you are expecting overt Christian themes, you won't find them here. This book is a thriller, first and foremost, and the mentions of faith are sparse and only there when they naturally fit into the characters' individual personalities.

I was completely engrossed in the story and thoroughly enjoyed this first effort from Caleb Breakey. Though the book does conclude at a natural stopping point, it's obvious that he left several threads dangling (see what I did there?) to continue the series. And you can bet that I'll be checking out Book 2 of the Deadly Games series when it comes out. Recommended for ages 18 and up due to the explicit descriptions of violence and some of the themes explored.




J.D. Sutter is the producer and host of the Bookworm Banquet podcast and editor of the blog. He is the founder of Porchlight Family Media, a network of quality audio programming and review websites based in Phoenix, AZ.









Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

The Girl Behind the Red Rope by Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker
JD's Rating: 3.5 out of 5 bookmarks

If you've been around Bookworm Banquet for any length of time, you know that I am a big fan of Ted Dekker's books. His Martyr's Song, Blessed, and Circle series have long been favorites for me. So any time I hear of a new Ted Dekker novel, I get excited. He teamed up with his daughter Rachelle, also an accomplished author, for this book. Though I've not yet read any of Rachelle's novels, after reading the synopsis and seeing the cover for The Girl Behind the Red Rope I was really looking forward to reading it.

I want to make one thing clear at the outset; this is a current-day story set in a secluded area in the hills of Tennessee. I didn't realize this when I began reading and initially thought that it was some sort of dystopian/post-apocalyptic thriller or near-future suspense tale. It is neither of those genres though it is suspenseful. And it becomes clear in the latter half of the book that it is a contemporary setting, but it's not quite as obvious in the early chapters.

Our lead character, Grace, is a wonderful one to accompany through this suspense-filled and intriguing tale. I use the word "accompany" intentionally here as the story is written in the first-person perspective from Grace's point of view and the reader is often given a look into her thoughts. She is the unwitting catalyst to everything that begins to unfold in the tiny, out-of-the-way community that serves as our story backdrop. The action does not kick off immediately but once it starts it continues to slowly build all the way to the climactic end.

As is typical of most of Ted Dekker's books, there is a lot of symbolism and allegory woven into the plot, setting, and characters of this story. I do not want to spoil anything for you because I think that part of the appeal of the story is to uncover for yourself what the various elements represent.

Rachelle & Ted Dekker

Another common trait of a Ted Dekker novel is the overall lesson or moral that you walk away with at the end. The Girl Behind the Red Rope has this trait as well, though it becomes more and more overt as the story progresses and, in my view, it was much too heavy-handed. Subtlety goes a long way and in the case of this book, it just came across as too preachy. I don't need quite so much explanation of the allegory. In fiction that has an underlying message, I prefer books to let the reader explore the ideas and draw their own conclusions rather than having them all laid out.

And while we're on the subject of moral themes, I will say that I do take some issue with some of the theology that seems to be espoused in this book, as I did with the two volumes of the Beyond the Circle series. It's not completely clear what the specific doctrinal positions are that the authors are espousing but it was enough for me to have some qualms about endorsing it. But I don't read fiction to inform or reinforce my beliefs and perspectives on Scripture so I had no trouble overlooking those aspects of the book.

There were a few moments that contain some graphic content that some might get a bit uncomfortable with, but I didn't think it was too egregious. There are multiple deaths, one particularly evil character that makes some seductive moves on another, and the "beings" which are elements in the overall allegorical tale could be a little disturbing and dark for some. As Ted Dekker has said in the past regarding his books, they often begin very dark but the light eventually shines through and overcomes the darkness. Such is the case with this book.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed The Girl Behind the Red Rope. It was an interesting and compelling plotline for the most part with an engaging lead character. Apart from the slight annoyance with the over-explanation of the morals and themes, it's a solid suspense read and it kept me guessing to the end. Diehard Dekker fans will enjoy it as well as readers of suspense/thrillers seeking to not-so-subtly illustrate a point. I recommend it for ages 18 and up.




J.D. Sutter is the producer and host of the Bookworm Banquet podcast and editor of the blog. He is the founder of Porchlight Family Media, a network of quality audio programming and review websites based in Phoenix, AZ.









Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

Protecting Tanner Hollow by Lynette Eason
Sarah Grace's Rating: 4 out of 5 bookmarks

A few years ago, Lynette Eason self-published a trio of novellas set in the fictional small town of Tanner Hollow. Recently, the rights were purchased by Revell and the books have now been republished into a collection and a fourth novella featuring tie-ins to Eason's Blue Justice series has been added.

Book Summary:

Four nail-biting novellas in one!
Lethal Homecoming
Nolan Tanner never got over Kallie Ainsworth's sudden, unexplained departure. Now when he comes to her rescue after an attempt on her life, all the old feelings come rushing back.
Lethal Conspiracy
When professional fundraiser Lillian Maloney sees her father's campaign manager commit murder, she goes on the run from the men he hires to kill her. A close call brings firefighter Jason Tanner to the rescue, but the killer is closing in . . .
Lethal Secrets
Someone wants Honor McBride dead. When Eli Murphy helps her change a flat tire and discovers the danger Honor is in, he longs to help--but Eli has secrets of his own that could get them all killed.
Lethal Agenda
When Detective Derek St. John rescues a woman he's met only once before--and has never been able to forget--he finds himself falling for her. But he'll have to keep Claire Montgomery alive if they're to have a future together.

Lethal Homecoming

This novella is the first and the shortest. So short, there is barely enough time for the story to happen. I had that feeling the first time I read it when it was self-published, and I had hoped that some editing would have fleshed out the story a little better for its republication. Unfortunately, it still seems largely unedited. Nolan and Kallie are intriguing characters, but due to the length of the story, the reader never gets a chance to connect with them. Similarly, the plot felt very rushed. There were a few action scenes, then you snap your fingers, and the story is over. In that respect, this novella was a bit disappointing, and my least favorite.

Lethal Conspiracy

Thankfully, the pacing issues seem to have resolved after that first novella. While still short—these are novellas, after all—the story and characters were fleshed out more thoroughly, making for a more enjoyable read. I enjoyed seeing Nolan's brother, Jason, as the lead in this story. It was also a nice deviation from the norm in having a firefighter for the hero versus a law enforcement officer. Lillian is a tough character who has been through a lot and is hesitant to accept help. But I enjoyed seeing her and Jason's relationship progress through the story.

I do have one complaint with this story though, and that's with the inaccuracies portrayed in the opening scene. This situation is one of my biggest pet peeves, so it really stuck out to me, but an editor or the author could have done a bit of research on the protocol for this situation and corrected these issues. Jason responds to a house fire, and an unresponsive woman is found in her car in the garage as they work to put out the fire. Jason immediately pulls her out, suspects carbon monoxide poisoning (a fair conclusion) and starts mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Now, in giving first aid to someone who is not breathing, mouth-to-mouth is NOT the first step. Chest compressions are always the first step. Also, as a first responder, they would have PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as a face mask/shield on hand (which it is clear Jason didn't use) for doing mouth-to-mouth.

Aside from those minor issues, this novella was a major step up from the first one, and I greatly enjoyed it!

Lethal Secrets

The plot in this third novella is the most complex yet, and I was kept guessing throughout. Honor's five children each had such character and made the story more enjoyable. Eli fell a bit flat to me, but generally, I did enjoy these characters. The small-town aspect of the series really shines in this book as the entire town rallies around Honor to help her family. Eason also touches lightly on some difficult topics, which also adds some depth to the story. Overall, this one wasn't my favorite but was still an enjoyable read.

Lethal Agenda

And now onto the final novella and my favorite. This one features Detective Derek St. John, one of the three brothers in Eason's Blue Justice series. I was very disappointed that Derek didn't get his own full-length novel like the rest of his siblings did, but this novella worked well in this collection and shared his story perhaps just as effectively as a novel would. Claire Montgomery is a crime scene investigator and Derek's counterpart for this story. (Fun fact: Claire appears in Lethal Conspiracy as well.) Our detective is just in town for a little R&R, but after an attempt is made on Claire's life, he gets pulled in to help an old friend out. Derek and Claire had a lot of chemistry and were great characters together and individually. The backstory of how they initially met made a lot of sense and made the romance so much more plausible. The story keeps you on your toes throughout with a good dose of mystery and, of course, Eason's trademark action-packed scenes.

All in all, this collection of action-packed romantic suspense stories was an enjoyable, quick read that I recommend to new and old Lynette Eason readers!




Sarah Grace is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called “Life”, she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a woodstove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things, and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. When not reading, spending time with her ever-growing family, or buried in a textbook, she can be found painting, playing the piano, producing music and audio dramas, web designing, fangirling with her sisters and friends, or discussing technology with her brothers. Sarah Grace inhabits the State of Great Lakes and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock
Sarah Grace's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

Terri Blackstock has been writing Christian fiction and suspense novels for a number of years and has had over 30 titles published. Smoke Screen is her most recent release and my first Blackstock book. And it won't be my last!

Blackstock writes like the veteran she is. Her writing style is polished, yet simple and engaging. I found myself very easily drawn into the story within a page or two. The plot and pacing are flawless; while not especially action-packed, there's never a moment that drags. The complexity of the multiple storylines kept me on my toes without ever becoming confusing. Throughout the course of the book, the author tackles some very difficult topics such as divorce, a custody battle, alcoholism, murder, and more. And she does so with much grace, grit, and honesty.

Smokejumper Nate Beckett returns to his small Colorado hometown after an injury sidelines him from his job. Years ago, his father was convicted—perhaps falsely—of murder, and upon his release from prison and Nate's subsequent return to town, rumors about the family run rife. Nate just wants to heal physically, and maybe find some restoration in his family. Brenna Hertzog is fighting a vicious custody battle against her ex-husband—and his influential father—and finds herself turning to alcohol to cope. The reunion between these characters couldn't have come at a worse time in their lives, but they are able to find healing as their relationship blossoms once more. The faith themes Blackstock weaves throughout the story were very beautiful and well done, and I loved seeing how the characters pointed each other back to God in the end. The romance between the characters was void of the extreme physical attraction that I find so tiresome in most romances, which was a breath of fresh air!

In summary, I think Terri Blackstock may have a new bestseller with Smoke Screen! Due to the aforementioned themes, I would recommend this book to older teens and adults. If you love a good contemporary fiction/suspense, you're not going to want to miss this one.




Sarah Grace is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called “Life”, she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a woodstove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things, and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. When not reading, spending time with her ever-growing family, or buried in a textbook, she can be found painting, playing the piano, producing music and audio dramas, web designing, fangirling with her sisters and friends, or discussing technology with her brothers. Sarah Grace inhabits the State of Great Lakes and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble

The Horse of My Dreams: True Stories of the Horses We Love edited by Callie Smith Grant
Stephanie's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

The Horse of My Dreams, edited by Callie Smith Grant, is a collection of over 30 short stories written by many different writers. It is similar in style to the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

Spoiler note: This book isn't REALLY about horses. I know, I know, it's called The Horse of My Dreams and, in truth, every story does have an equine player. Still, this collection is more about the people whose lives intersected with horses than about the horses themselves. This book is about hope, dreams, realizing ambitions, and working toward a goal.

Book Summary:

Where do we turn when work is draining, a friend lets us down, or we can't take any more news stories or political controversies? We turn to animals. We watch and share heartwarming videos of animals and the people who love them. For over a decade, Callie Smith Grant has been helping people celebrate our animal friends with her delightful collections of stories, and she's back with more true stories for horse lovers.
With contributions from both well-known and up-and-coming writers, this heartwarming collection is the perfect way for animal lovers to decompress and remember God's good gift to us in the majestic, calming, inspiring, and even silly horses he created. Horse owners, horse lovers, and horse dreamers will adore these uplifting true stories.

Each contributor to this book had either an encounter with a horse, or a few years with a horse, or a lifetime with horses that indelibly marked his or her character and ideals, no matter how long or short the time was. Somehow, working with these large, intelligent, and unpredictable animals brought out the best in the human heart and imparted confidence to the soul.

After reading these stories, I experienced a burning desire to go get a horse! I know it's not feasible in the middle of the Phoenix Metro area, but beware, the urge will come to you as well!

Whether you love horses, or feel ambivalent towards them, this book is for you. Anyone could glean encouragement from these stories and will walk away moved to become more than they have been.

I can recommend this book to those even as young as eight or ten years old. The stories are short, the message is deep, and the impression is lasting.





Stephanie Garrett is a busy homeschooling mom of three who somehow always finds time to read. She has been a voracious reader since childhood and even won a bicycle in elementary school for having read the most books! She enjoys learning and growing and never turns down an opportunity to try something new. Her first love is the Lord and service to Him, second is family, and third...is reading. She believes that anyone who learns to read with comprehension can go anywhere and do anything! She also enjoys music, theatre, sewing, and mathematics.



Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

Always Look Twice (Uncommon Justice Book #2) by Elizabeth Goddard
Lilian's Rating: 3.5 out of 5 bookmarks

Always Look Twice is a very interesting suspense romance novel with some very twisty plot turns that I never saw coming! I've had the privilege of reading one of Goddard's books before (the first in this series, Uncommon Justice, actually) and I found myself really enjoying it so I had high expectations for this book. I didn't completely love this one because I don't think I'm the right audience for it -- I've never been a huge fan of suspense novels and thrillers, and I think people who love those genres would definitely love this book. So it's definitely a me thing; not something wrong with this book.

Today we're bringing you a review of the latest novel from award-winning and bestselling author, Steven James, called Synapse. This is a near-future thriller that explores the question of where the boundaries should be when dealing with Artificial Intelligence. We kick things off with a chat about literacy in prisons and also in this episode is Nicole's Fact about A Study in “Medicine” and JD's Tip is about a “journalistic” approach to reading.


Download Episode 31

The Appetizer

A Novel Approach to Reducing Prison Sentences


On the Blog
Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker - JD
Stitches in Time by Suzanne Woods Fisher - Lilian
The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler - Stephanie

Light From Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker
JD's Rating: 4.5 out of 5 bookmarks

I am quickly becoming a huge Shawn Smucker fan. Having just discovered his writing this year, and reading his first two novels just months ago, I'm still having a difficult time trying to categorize his books. I called The Day the Angels Fell a "psychological fantasy thriller with religious undertones" which sort of works there, but Light From Distant Stars is something else entirely. I finished it days ago and I am still mulling over the story in search of the words with which to write this review. Is that a bad thing? I don't think so. When a book leaves me pondering the implications of the plot or the ideas presented in it, I think that is a wonderful thing.

Synopsis

When Cohen Marah steps over the body of his dead father on a cold spring morning, he steps into a labyrinth of memory. In the week that follows, he must confront his traumatic past, a violent present, and the most frightening question of all, did he kill his father?

Light From Distant Stars is a story of people. That may sound trite or ridiculously obvious, but what I mean is these are everyday, average people. People just like you and me who have had joys and hardships, triumphs and trials, disappointments and encouragement, yet still cling to a thread of hope (no matter how thin it may be) that tomorrow will be a brighter day.

This story is one filled with raw emotion. Our cast of characters each go through different ones, but the reader runs the full gamut of all of them right alongside the character. It's a rollercoaster ride of emotions as Cohen and his family face brokenness, fear, hurt, and betrayal. This is a tale of death and life, love and hate, fear and faith, despair and hope. It is a very human story. One which I believe everyone can relate to in some regard and to some degree. That's in part because of the extremely vivid characters that were so true to life. I could see myself in them.

Shawn Smucker Photo by: John Sanderson of Sanderson Images

It's also due to the exceptionally good writing. Every time I thought I had figured out where something was going Smucker turned things upside down. His writing is like a darker and more literary version of Charles Martin with a bit of Frank Peretti thrown in. Again, I find it difficult to describe but it's entrancing and darkly beautiful. 

There are some heavy topics and issues covered in this story such as, alcoholism, allusions to child abuse, and marital infidelity. But in the end, though not everything is all peachy and warm and fuzzy (because real life isn't either), there are some beautiful moments of hope, renewal, and redemption. One scene in particular near the end brought me to tears and I'm not ashamed to say it. There was also one line that just grabbed me, that while very simple, is also poignant and profound, and I feel it sums up what I gleaned from this book. That line is this: "There is a mender."

I'm going to be thinking on this book for a long time. It's one of my favorites that I've read all year and I highly recommend it.




J.D. Sutter is the producer and host of the Bookworm Banquet podcast and editor of the blog. He is the founder of Porchlight Family Media, a network of quality audio programming and review websites based in Phoenix, AZ.








Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

The Roll of the Drums by Jan Drexler
Stephanie's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

The Roll of the Drums, book two of The Amish of Weaver's Creek Series is even better than book one. This book has quite a few more ins and outs that keep your attention and move the story along at an exciting pace.

In this book, we mainly follow the life of Ruby Weaver, an older, unmarried daughter in the Weaver family. Her path crosses with that of a family fleeing the devastation of the Civil War, and nothing will ever be the same for her again! Though she is older and unmarried, an unusual state for an Amish young lady, she has never felt the need to be married and is very independent and confident. However, she finds that a good man who loves you for who you are can complete your life without eclipsing it. This was a fun read.

I did think one part was rather redundant, and even evocative of the first book of the series: the main character, Ruby, and her counterpart, Gideon, AND the preacher and his wife all have some sort of "secret" or hidden sin in their lives, as did the heroine in book one! I would have preferred a little more imagination in the method of building suspense, but it wasn't so bad as to make the book unenjoyable.

There is some war violence in this novel, though not enough to cause squeamishness, and there is an allusion to a relationship before marriage that might not make sense to the young reader. Still, I think those as young as 12 would be able to easily join in Ruby's life story and appreciate how it unfolds.

For ease of reading, pace of the plot, and exciting twists and turns, I give this book 5 out of 5 bookmarks.





Stephanie Garrett is a busy homeschooling mom of three who somehow always finds time to read. She has been a voracious reader since childhood and even won a bicycle in elementary school for having read the most books! She enjoys learning and growing and never turns down an opportunity to try something new. Her first love is the Lord and service to Him, second is family, and third...is reading. She believes that anyone who learns to read with comprehension can go anywhere and do anything! She also enjoys music, theatre, sewing, and mathematics.



Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

Stitches in Time (The Deacon's Family Book #2) by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Lilian's Rating: 3 out of 5 bookmarks

Stitches in Time definitely shows off Suzanne Woods Fisher's unique writing style! Authors each have different writing styles but Fisher's is one unlike any I've seen. And although I definitely wasn't the biggest fan of this book, I did enjoy the beautiful writing and vibrant characters.

Starting off with the cover... I don't get it? It's definitely a lovely cover but to me, it doesn't seem to fit with the aesthetic set with Mending Fences (The Deacon's Family #1). Another thing that puzzles me... it shows snow. Now I might have just missed it but I don't recall any mentions of snow/winter at all, so that's sort of weird, haha. I do like it though, and it definitely stands out on the shelf with its complementary, but muted, color scheme.

I absolutely loved how different and unique most of the characters were. Mollie and Sam were definitely a fun couple to get to meet, though Luke stole the spotlight for me -- I love how he's such a sweet, but clueless, kid and how he has such good intentions in his heart. I love how we saw a lot of growth in him in Stitches in Time even though he wasn't the main character. However, I did not enjoy how petty and selfish Izzy was for the majority of the book -- it really bothered me how she and Luke couldn't figure out how to communicate well and they didn't end up realistically resolving that problem, either. But overall I just didn't like her in this book because of how closeminded and selfish she was, whereas Luke tried his hardest to communicate well to Izzy and help and love her.

Characters aside, the plot was also an intriguing albeit predictable one! I pretty much knew what was going to happen, so although it was a bit anticlimactic in that sense I still very much enjoyed it.

In general, a good book! I definitely don't regret reading it and would strongly recommend this series (Mending Fences is one of the best books I've ever read on the power of forgiveness, personally). Even though Izzy was such a huge disappointment for me I loved seeing Luke, Sam, and Mollie grow and new characters being introduced.




Lilian S. has been a hardcore bookworm since the tender age of 7 and a book reviewer for a couple of years. She is currently a student and in her spare time enjoys singing, graphic designing, and interacting with other Christ-minded readers. A couple of her favorite genres in both books and movies are: Christian contemporary, fantasy, and dystopian. She occasionally enjoys science and historical fiction and likes a good suspense novel as well. Lilian is also an athlete (Ultimate Frisbee, anyone?), a blogger at Green Tea With Books, and founder at reviewer site Stellae Books.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.