ATLANTIS by Carol Roberts

When Alanthea, high-priestess of Atlantis, connects to a woman in her dreams, she becomes haunted by a mystery. Compelled to trace the other woman's life she finds coded poems that hold clues to the predicament of her people. Now she has to venture ever farther into forbidden territory to link past and present, and understand the real danger threatening Atlantis.

Arakon always thought of himself as an orphan, a loner without any real belonging. But after a strange encounter his life changes, and he is drawn into events beyond his control. 

They move parallel in their search for answers until their destinies converge, and the weave unravels. Yet what they finally uncover lies deep at the heart of collective evolution, and what has been set in motion cannot be undone.

“And that is all I can tell you.”

The big, leather-bound book closed with an air of finality, as if to never again disturb the dust particles that resettled on the ancient, worn cover. Derwan’s voice, harsh and abrupt, carried all the weight of his rank and age, and, bending slightly forward, his whole position radiated an intense dislike of the situation.

The silence between the two dimly illuminated figures lengthened, permeating the ancient Hall of Priests and weaving intricate patterns of potential words and meanings through the thick stone columns and heavy torch holders. Not all the candles were still burning; some had melted into wax pools whilst others were about to extinguish, flickering wildly and releasing puffs of smoke into the blackness above. Then the stillness became heavy, and Derwan started to feel strained.

Nobody but the woman opposite him held the right or rank to ask for such a lengthy audience, nobody had ever dared to give him, the high priest, the position to wait patiently for a dismissal, and it was unheard of that anybody had ever dared to go back in time and request insight into the Book of Justice.

Bio: Carol Roberts is a free lance writer with particular interest in cultural myth. Originally from Vienna, she has spent all of her adult life in the Far North of New Zealand. Her work took her to several different countries, where she indulged her fascination with stories, particularly those dealing with the creation of man.  'Atlantis' is her first full length novel; speculating on concepts of the human condition, the meaning of individual and collective destiny, and the choices within that. 

Check this out: https://www.smore.com/fpnxr-atlantis-by-carol-roberts

May the Faith Be With You

I received a copy of MAY THE FAITH BE WITH YOU HOLY BIBLE from ZonderKids in exchange for an honest review. 

There are many Bibles out there.  There are many spins on the Bible.  By spin, I mean that it is slightly different from the others offered out there.  This one is unique by appealing to middle graders.  (At first I thought this would have a Star Wars spin, but it does not.  Be warned if you want to get this for a Star Wars fan just because of the cover.)

The book is written with easy-to-understand vocabulary.  Colorful pages are added throughout to maintain a child’s interest.  I did like this version, and I think it is great for kids to take with them to church.  They will feel empowered and eager to read.

THE TROUBLE WITH FROGS by Leah Sanders

This book…when I think of one word, I think of funny.  It was just what I needed to read after a long day of work (think 10 hours straight).  More often than not, I was laughing out loud. 

This is a romantic comedy that is clean.  I was more than happy, and comfortable, to give my mom a recommendation to read it.  If you are looking for a comical, sweet story, check this out.  It would make an awesome holiday gift.

Caller 107

I have very mixed feelings on this book, so I will be rating it with 3 stars.  I’m torn about that rating, but 3 is right in the middle, so that’s where I’m landing.  I’m going to break the story down and rate each one separately.

5 stars for emotion.  The emotion is raw.  It is so palpable; it really makes this story stand out from the rest.

5 stars for the divorce theme.  Matt Cox wrote about the divorce with such power.  I think this would resonate well with any child going through divorce.  From my teaching days, I saw students going through divorce and you could tell they were suffering.  I think this book would really help them to see they aren’t alone and might make them think twice about falling in with the wrong group of people.

1 star for the language.  I am looking at this book from a junior high/high school standpoint.  I get that teens do use the f-word a lot.  I’ve seen it many times in young adult books.  However, the frequent use of the f-word prevents this novel from being used in classrooms.  It prevents teachers from giving the books to students who might benefit from reading the divorce standpoint.  (Looking at this as an adult book, then 5 stars for realistic language.)

3 stars for age range.  Natalie is 13, so that places the book more towards a younger YA audience.  The book, however, deals with rape, drugs, and swearing.  All of these topics are true for teens, but parents might balk at them.  Basically I thought Natalie should be older, maybe 16 or 17, to make the book more geared toward upper YA. 

2 stars for the mom.  I didn’t find any redeeming qualities in her.  I get that she was supposed to be a horrible person, but I would have liked to see a little bit of her shine.  At the end, I wished Natalie’s dad got full custody so she would never have to see her mom again.

1 star for setting.  I really couldn’t picture much of the setting.  The story was fast-paced and I didn’t get a sense of descriptions other than Natalie’s emotions.  The best description in the book was when she got shot.

3 stars for originality.  Matt Cox writes strong characters and the divorce theme is powerful.  However, I have read many similar books where someone dies and gets the chance to “go back” to the world of the living to “complete” something.  It is a classic theme that works.  It makes us think about our lives.  What sets this one apart from the others is the divorce aspect. 

5 stars for the artwork.  Wow.  Just wow.

So, overall, check out this book if you were a child of divorce, if you know a child going through divorce, or if you are going through one.  It will really make you rethink how children are treated when parents aren’t civil.

In the Middle of the Mess

I received a copy of IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MESS: STRENGTH FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL, BROKEN LIFE by Sheila Walsh from Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.  This was my first book by Sheila Walsh, and her found her writing style easy to read and trustworthy.  Each page feels as though she is speaking from the heart.  I liked that she didn’t seem afraid to hold anything back.  Everything felt pure.  Honest.

The chapters are short, which make this book perfect for reading in between chores or on your lunch break.  It gives you plenty of fodder to think about throughout your day.  If you know of anyone struggling, this book would make a perfect holiday gift.

Out of the Ordinary

I received a copy of OUT OF THE ORDINARY by Jen Turano from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.  This is part of the “Apart from the Crowd” series.  I hadn’t read the first book and didn’t feel that I needed to in order to enjoy this one.

This is another top-notch historical romance from Bethany House.  I always know that I can expect a Christian message, a sweet romance, and strong characters.  I wasn’t disappointed.  My favorite part about this book is the humor.  There were many times I actually laughed out loud and people around me asked what was so funny.

My only complaint is really that this book didn’t feel unique.  It was just another historical romance with a Christian theme.  It was good, and if you like this type of book, than I can easily recommend it.  It just didn’t have anything that made it stand out from the rest, if that makes sense.  I guess I thought about that because of the title.  It did feel a bit ordinary.  

Vanishing Point

I received a copy of VANISHING POINT by Lisa Harper from Revell in exchange for an honest review.  This is part of the Nikki Boyd series.

I found this book to be incredibly interesting.  Usually books about cases are quick.  The mystery is solved within a few hours and a couple falls in love.  Instead, this book takes place over years.  You get to realize the ins and outs of law enforcement cases.  This would be an excellent book for someone thinking about going into law enforcement to read.

Other than that, this is a fast-paced and heart-pumping adventure.  It is truly gripping and you will want to read it in one sitting.