HENRY AND SOPHIE

Ooh, I loved this book!  The chemistry between Henry and Sophie flows well.  It never felt forced, nor did it ring with insta-love.  There’s enough adventure and action to keep the story moving.  At times, its more an adventure novel than a romance.  The world building is superb.

FINDING LADY ENDERLY

I received a copy of FINDING LADY ENDERLY by Joanna Davidson Politano from Revell in exchange for an honest review.

I planned to just read a few chapters, but ended up reading into the night.  I’d expected a Christian historical romance, but this is so much more than that.  There was plenty of mystery to keep me guessing, yet it never felt frustrating.  There was excitement in every chapter.  I loved that the main character started out as a rag peddler.  I’d never read a book about a rag peddler before!

This book brings to life London of the 1800s.  If you’re looking for an adventure, look no further. 

MY DAD IS A MAD SCIENTIST by Matthew S. Cox

Matt Cox is a master when it comes to writing an intriguing middle grade book.  He has the voice down.  He has the feelings of attitudes.  I really liked that the main character (Kelly) is interested in her parents.  A lot of middle grade books have the character outright hating his or her parents, or disregarding them altogether. 

This is a fresh, original take on superheroes, perfect to go along with the superhero movies that are so popular right now. 

This is the first book, so that’s exciting.  We get more Ubergirl! 

BARN TOWN AND THE TWO-EYED HURRICANE by Eve Culley

(The cute illustrations are done by Anna Grey.  They’re colorful and great for catching a child’s attention.)

This is such a cute book.  Its perfect for little kids who are learning to love books, and it will be enjoyed by adults during read-aloud times as well.  I’m planning to share this with my son when he’s older.  He loves country settings, and I know other children who do too.  Five stars. 

THE MASTER KEY by T. K. Toppin

This book has everything about Josie that I loved in the first installment.  She was still quirky and lovable, but with flaws that enhanced her personality. 

I loved the role the great-niece played in the story.  Overall, if you like past versus present tales, this is one for you.  Its unique to keep you guessing, but contains everything you love in a good story.

THE LANCASTER RULE by T. K. Toppin

This book starts off with a bang and doesn’t let go!  I didn’t set aside enough time to read this and ended up staying up until 2am to finish as much as I could read. 

Josie is spunky, a real heroine to root for, flaws and all.  She knows what she wants and works to get it.  She reminded me a lot of the heroines in the Lords of the Underworld series.  5 stars!  I’m excited to have the second installment and can’t wait to start it.

EVERGREEN by Matthew S. Cox

This is one of the best post-apocalyptic stories that I’ve read.  The story puts you right in the middle of the action.  There’s no slow build-up of excitement.  The characters are unique and engaging.  All around a great story.  I don’t want to give any spoilers, but you’re going to fall in love with Harper. 

This appeals to young adults and adults who are looking for some strongly written post-apocalyptic fiction. 

THE WOMEN WHO MET JESUS

I received a copy of THE WOMEN WHO MET JESUS: NEW TESTATMENT STORIES OF LIVES TRANSFORMED BY THE SAVIOR by Dorothy Valcarcel from Revell in exchange for an honest review. 

My mom and I recently started studying the women of the Bible.  We started with Ruth and each new woman is an enlightening experience.  This book discusses twenty different women who met Jesus.  The book goes on to explain how meeting Jesus changed their lives. 

The stories are inspirational and delve into parts of the Bible that aren’t always discussed.  The times might be different, but the women struggled with aspects that even today many women struggle with.

If you’re looking for a new way to look at life or if you’re looking to better enhance your knowledge of the Bible, this is an excellent book. 

Clockwork Detective

This book is steampunk at its finest.  I’m a huge fan of steampunk and have noticed a trend lately, where books labeled “steampunk” seem mass-produced or feel contrived.  This book was pure steampunk-y goodness.

The characters are engaging and realistic.  The dialogue flows without jerky, awkward moments.  The plot is fast paced, while still offering enough breathable moments. 

My favorite thing about this book was how to puts you fully into a new world.  A magical, wonderful new world that isn’t without its dark side.

https://www.amazon.com/Clockwork-Detective-Constable-Aqualinne-Book-ebook/dp/B07Q5VH2MQ

ANGELICA THE BARBARIAN by Grant Eagar

Looking for a great fantasy book? Perhaps you’re craving a daily dose of witches or some princesses?  Wanting some historical fiction?  This book will fulfill your needs. 

I found Angelica to be a perfect mix of quirky and brave.  She felt realistic, and reminded me of many people I know in real life. 

More than Angelica, I loved the imagination.  The story never pauses. It keeps you on this fast, fun ride.  There were plenty of laugh out loud moments paired with edge of your seat action.

Gunsmoke and Dragonfire

This book had me riveted.  I’m a huge fan of anthologies, because you can read a little at a time.  The stories have a beginning, middle, and an end.  These stories all packed quite an unusual punch.

Not one story in here reminded me of anything else I’ve ever read.  They were all so unique, tying fantasy in with gunslingers and magic, and some outer space, and legends…I could keep going. 

The artwork on the cover is gorgeous and pulls the collection together.

When Life Doesn’t Match Your Dreams

I received a copy of WHEN LIFE DOESN’T MATCH YOUR DREAMS: HOPE FOR TODAY FROM 12 WOMEN OF THE BIBLE by Jill Eileen Smith from Revell in exchange for an honest review.  I really liked this book, in particular the women that it touched upon.  Over the last few years, my mother and I have been studying women of the Bible, so it was great to see these women talked about. 

Each part starts with “If I were…”  You jump right into the woman’s head.  I LOVED it.  What a great storytelling tool.  These openings really put you into her mind.  You feel what she felt.  You see what she saw.  Excellent writing.

This read more like historical fiction, another aspect I loved.  It was easy to get through and the parts are short.  They’re perfect for reading on your lunch break or right before bed.  This book comes highly recommended!

Psychonaut Release Day Blog Buzz

Psychonaut is the second book in Carmilla Voiez’s Starblood series. It’s a relaunch of the novel by American indie Vamptasy Publishing. The series contains four books and follows the lives of a group of friends: Star, Satori, Freya. Donna, Raven and Ivan, who are young Goths living in Bristol, England.

In the first book, Starblood, Star breaks up with her lover, Satori, but he is unwilling to let her go. Satori is an adept Chaos magician and decides to cast a spell to keep Star by his side, but because of competing forces Lilith, mother of demons, uses this moment to come to Earth and enter their lives. The result is a tangled web of murder, madness and betrayal.

The first book can be found at Amazon and other retailers – http://smarturl.it/Starblood

Psychonaut takes us beyond the urban lives of these ill-fated Goths and into other worlds full of demons, gods, magic and monsters.

Psychonaut is available from March 12 and can be found at – http://smarturl.it/PsychonautVoiez

Satori is caught between two worlds. There is something he needs in one, but the other keeps drawing him back. However, he is in love and he isn’t going to let a little thing like death get in his way. To reach his goal, he must face unimaginable horrors, not least of which is his true self.
Star’s tortured and broken body awaits Satori, but does she really need him to save her? His rival, a rage-filled young woman, grows more powerful and becomes as twisted as the ribbons in her hair while the demon, Lilith, draws each of them inexorably towards her. Who will survive the coming battle?

Full of sex and magic, “Psychonaut” is an exploration into the human psyche and the second book in Voiez’s “Starblood” trilogy.

"Carmilla Voiez is more of a singer than a writer. She tells her compelling story in a hypnotic, distinctive voice that brings her eerie world vividly to life." Graham Masterton

“Psychonaut is a book of mad impulses, inner vision, sadism, escape and belief. You feel uncomfortable reading it, like Alex strapped to the chair in Clockwork Orange being taught to feel sick at atrocity. Rather than leave us crippled by response, though, Psychonaut bears you through the hurt towards the only paradise we can be assured of...a love past fault.” Jef Withonef, Houston Press.

Excerpt -

‘What do you need me to do?’ Freya asks.

‘I need someone to guide me through the planes. I thought Ivan would help me, but I think you probably know more about it than he does,’ Satori answers.

‘I doubt it.’

‘You’ve been up there though.’

Freya nods. ‘Yes.’

Satori blushes. ‘It was my first trip today. That’s where I was when you rang the doorbell. I’ve found where to start. But I have no clue where to go from here.’

‘What’s it like?’ she asks.

‘Huh?’

‘Your sacred space, at least that’s what Ivan calls it. What’s yours like?’

‘Oh, um …’

‘Haha, you’re embarrassed. What, does it have some huge tower like you’re compensating for something … oh shit, it does doesn’t it?’

Satori shuffles in his seat. ‘No. What have you got in yours then?’

‘A tree,’ Freya says.

‘And …’

‘Just a tree.’

‘What kind of tree?’ Satori asks.

‘A weeping willow,’ she answers.

‘How Gothic.’

‘Indeed, tower boy.’

‘I … okay yes I have a tower.’ He laughs. ‘But I’m not compensating. I like … towers. So your willow tree …’

‘Yes.’

‘Is it as beautiful as your hair?’

‘What the fuck, Satori? Where did that come from?’

‘Sorry. I’m just saying …’

‘And I’m just saying, forget it. There’s no way that’s ever gonna happen. The people you seduce have a habit of ending up dead.’

Satori looks away. His mouth moves as if he’s about to speak, but thinks better of it.

Freya watches the colour rise in his cheeks and feels embarrassed for him, embarrassed and awkward because she rejected him. Maybe he was simply being friendly, paying me a compliment? Did I misunderstand? Something clicks inside her and the awkwardness grows into nervousness, which morphs into anger. Why would he say that? Is sex all he wants from women? Perhaps he looks at me and all he can see is a pretty thing for him to pet? Am I not his equal? Of course I am. What then? Confused, she shakes her head and decides to change the subject. ‘So are we going to try to find your way tonight?’

‘Have you got somewhere else to be?’ he asks.

‘No, I’m good.’

‘All right then,’ Satori says, refilling the glasses. ‘But I haven’t left my … tower yet. Where should we meet?’

‘I haven’t left my Gothic tree. Shall we follow our paths and think of each other? Maybe our feet will lead us there.’

‘It’s a better plan than any I’ve come up with,’ Satori says.

‘Where?’

‘Mum will be home soon. Is … my bedroom okay?’

‘Well, I don’t actually need to be here, do I?’ Freya asks.

‘I thought it might help,’ he says.

‘It probably won’t. Not with the mood you’re in tonight,’ she answers.

Satori sighs. ‘I guess so. Ten o’clock then. That gives you an hour to get home and get ready. Will Ivan pick you up or shall I walk you home?’

‘How many fucking times? I don’t need your protection.’

…

Psychonaut is a story of redemption. In it the main characters learn their flaws and find ways to rise above them. Star, Satori, Lilith and Donna are all changed in profound and positive ways during the narrative. In this way Psychonaut is an uplifting book, especially after the desperate pain and suffering of Starblood.

Starblood was written during a difficult period of my life. I had given birth to my second daughter and was struggling to bond with her while keeping some sense of my own identity at the same time. In addition the business I had been running (with my then husband) for over a decade was failing, and my marriage was on the rocks.

Star’s struggle to discover who she is, when all the layers of what others want her to be are stripped away, was very much my struggle. I was in a state of depression and suicidal. I honestly believe that writing the Starblood Trilogy helped me answer the questions that haunted me at the time and saved my life (although not my marriage).

I was shocked and surprised by the overwhelming positive reception the first three Starblood books received. It is a frequently painful read and more than a little “out there”, that it resonated with others amazes me. What I have realised over the years is that my story is far more common than people would like to admit.

Since writing Starblood I have read work by people like Thomas Ligotti, which has taught me that part of the appeal of Starblood is that many of us never feel as though we fit comfortably in this world. We all flounder about at times trying to find a way to fit in without compromising what makes us who we are. I realise that my instinctive feeling that the world is both cruel and insane is far from uniquely mine.

On the flip side the message, I hope, that people get from the stories is one of self acceptance. So what if we don’t fit in? We are still important. We have value. Our dreams mean something, and as Lilith says in the first book, “There is no shame in love, only completion.” I hope people can see that Lilith is not only talking about romantic love at this point, but also love and acceptance of self and the multi-faceted, unique and marvellous people we have in our lives.

The Starblood Series books 1 and 2 are also available as graphic novels with art by Anna Prashkovich.

Graphic Novel 1 – Starblood – http://smarturl.it/sgnebook

Graphic Novel 2 – Psychonaut – http://smarturl.it/Psychonaut

MADE FOR THE JOURNEY

I received a copy of MADE FOR THE JOURNEY: ONE MISSIONARY’S FIRST YEAR IN THE JUNGLES OF ECUADOR by Elisabeth Elliot.  The foreword is by Kay Warren.  The copy is from Revell in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book fascinating.  Missionaries have always interested me.  I’m awed by their character, their strengths, how they open their hearts to the world.  This autobiography is told with knowledge, wit, and heart.  The world she describes is brought to life.  I loved all of the descriptions.  You really felt like you were there.  The descriptions were my favorite part of the book.

I imagined myself walking into a coffee shop and seeing the author sitting alone at a table, smiling out the window.  I sit beside her and we strike up a conversation.  I imagined this book to be that conversation.  Her tone in the chapters is always light, never preachy or dry. 

She has earned my respect by her deeds and her writing. 

THE SPIRITS OF SIX MINSTREL RUN by Matthew S. Cox

I love ghost stories and this one left me wishing I had more minutes in my lunch break so I could read just one more chapter.  It has everything a good ghost story needs: creepy new house, suspicious neighbors, quiet town, and a ghost that might be more than she seems.  The murder itself is brutal and left me cringing.  I found myself constantly rooting for the main character.  Even the ghost is at times endearing.  The scientific facts behind the ghost hunting instances are spot-on and help to enhance the story.

The only thing that really bothered me was the husband.  I know why he acted the way he did, but he still rubbed me the wrong way, and by the end, I wanted to tell the main character that she deserved better.  Others will probably feel differently about him. 

Overall, a must read for ghost story fans.  I also thought it was cool that this took place close to my hometown. 

The Eldritch Heart

I loved the slow build-up of romance.  The author didn’t throw it in your face.  Rather, you realized it and watched it bloom along with the characters.

This isn’t just an LGBTQ romance.  There is suspense, drama, and amazing world-building.  It is more a fantasy adventure than a romance.

This author has done it again with another amazing story.

Love Where You Live

I received a copy of LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE: HOW TO LIVE SENT IN THE PLACE YOU CALL HOME by Shauna Pilgreen from Revell in exchange for an honest review.  It includes a foreword by Randy Frazee.

In many ways, this is a traditional religious self-help book.  It includes quotations from the Bible and explains relations between real life and Jesus.  In other ways, it isn’t.  This book isn’t dry or tedious.  I found myself looking forward to reading another chapter and discussing what I read with my family.

This book came to me at a time when I needed to hear its message.  We’re a three-person family struggling to make due with one pay check thanks to uncontrollable circumstances.  We’re all questioning if this is where we want to be.

The book helped open my eyes.  Being where I am now is okay.  There’s a reason for it.  I find myself going about my day with fresh energy.  

Many Genres One Craft

I’ve read quite a few “how to write” books, especially in my earlier days as a novice writer.  This one is, by far, one of the best.  I enjoyed how it is laid out more as “lessons” than a rambling “how to.”  I read one “lesson” per day, and it felt like I was back in college. (I loved creative writing classes, by the way.  This wasn’t a chore at all!)

The lessons are written by well-known authors.  In particular, Maria V. Snyder jumped out at me.  Each lesson is well-written and thought-rpoviking.  It feels as if the writers are talking to you personally. 

My favorite section involved characters and dialogue.  It worked out well for an area I was struggling with while writing my current manuscript.