tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58406792025104010102024-02-21T09:15:29.951-08:00KJ Roxton Reviews BooksKJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-45440727793154013442021-05-10T17:31:00.000-07:002021-05-10T17:31:03.782-07:00She crushed me utterly -- Kiera Cass' The One (Selection Series)<p>I'd give .75 stars if I could. </p><p>[Spoiler and in-depth review below] I loved book 1 and 2. I hate this book. She writes around the action. She kills for characters I love. And left me crushed and preferring every other book I've hated more than this. How can a series that's so good be so heartbreaking. I want entertainment not heartbreak. I have enough death and loss in real life. There was one or two moments in the book that were fun. The epilogue was pretty and a feeling of "finally!", plus interesting with her tense shift. But I hate this book and feel utterly betrayed by the author. I may finish the series, though if bk 4 keeps going down hill then I won't bother with 5 but I no longer plan to find everything by her and read it, which was my plan before this book. I don't even have the words for how let down I am. She had everything going to make this my new favorite series and dethrone someone I have loved since I started reading and she liked it all in this book with these four characters, even though she finally killed the one I wanted dead.</p><p><br /></p><p>***** Final thought: I would not be so let down and furious if I didn't Kiera Cass wasn't amazing. Were she merely mediocre, I might have praised this work but as she is so much more than mediocre this is an insult to the characters and the world she created and I am heartbroken. </p><p><br /></p><p>Spoilers and in-depth review:</p><p><br /></p><p>Okay, so it took a while to fall in love with book one but I was working out on the elliptical and still have thirty minutes left so I forced myself. Slowly I started to fall in love with it and then I couldn't put it down. My work outs became hour long affairs, or more. I pride myself on getting to the "will they live or die" highest climactic moment of any book and putting it away to increase the anticipation. Book One broke my iron reserve and I went through it so quickly, I broke my other reading rule. I paid full price for book 2. Book 2 slowed down and wasn't anything close to the fireworks of book 1 but I still loved it enough to keep working out and reading so long each day, sometimes twice, and to buy book 3 again at full price.</p><p><br /></p><p>Book three started slow for me but I decided to give it time and a chance. Seriously, it felt like that scene from a Knight's Tale with Chaucer trudging through the dirt and mud... I digress. But at some point it still peaked my interest. I loved the addition of the northern rebels and finally getting more of them. I truly enjoyed August and Georgia. King Clarkson suddenly became a melo-dramatic villain that I absolutely hated but I trudged on. Sometimes Maxon was so stupid that I wanted to close the book on him and ride off with Aspen. In fact, even though Maxon is my choice for America I think Aspen is the best character in this entire series, with her father as the second best and Celeste (who I detested originally) taking a surprising third. America and Maxon tie for fourth. </p><p>The scene where Aspen sneaks them out for the meeting was grand, the attack and her getting shot and nearly lost, magnificently entertaining. But the death of Micah was the first chink in the armor of this author. She was quickly becoming my favorite and about to dethrone a favorite author who has reigned for 20 plus years. </p><p>The scene where America brings the Italian Princess and Georgia to tea was a terrific coup, but then I'm let down that more wasn't made of that and that the storyline wasn't explored and developed more deeply between all of them and with the rebels.</p><p>Killing her father sunk the book for me. I would never read it again but I planned to continue reading and to read other books--that is no longer the case.</p><p>Kota never grew and they never really used him for anything but the one blow up. That was a let down all the way around, I would have loved to see him grow or try to manipulate her standing for his own good more. </p><p>I saw Lucy coming a mile away. I fully approve. </p><p>The end comes hard and fast in an ugly way. It's like she ran out of paper and couldn't write small enough to get it all in. I'm okay with the Deus Ex Machina of killing off King Clarkson and had, in fact, been expecting it. Maxon's reaction was far too strong, his lack of being able to listen far too unrealistic. Anger and hurt yes, but with such a choice before him... no.</p><p>And here is the crux of the matter. She creates Aspen as this wonderful, heroic character that knows the palace well enough to navigate secret meetings safely among other things. And yes he clearly knew something was wrong but in this scene she wanted the surprise and to write off characters so badly that she was untrue and unfair to Aspen. True, he knew something was up, but I don't believe for one second he would have been tricked into believing those southern rebels were palace guards, not with how American saw them. It was so obvious. And they certainly would not have been able to get out of position and behind Celeste to shoot her head off before Aspen alerted or shot himself. I believe the first shot would have been his. Less of the known characters would have died; in fact, he would have had his own brought in back up because he would have known there was a problem and brought the men he trusted in. It was no remotely realistic for me.</p><p><br /></p><p>That said, after everything went to crap, she was true to Aspen and allowed him to be the hero we all knew him to be. Even with Micah and the father's death, I would have still been an avid fan if the Queen wasn't killed (I also believe guards would have been to her at once and she would have been more concerned with her son than her husband--so her whole death did not ring true) and if I hadn't been made to finally love Celeste and then lost her. This is a young adult story not a drama or tragedy but I believe the author merely lacked the finesse to finish some of the truly great lines she had going and to delve deeply. This was a sad waste and a horrible insult to the rest of her series. Instead of merely trying to resolve it all in a few pages she should have resolved a few points and written a book four in this current time period so that she could truly unpack the wonderful lines she had with the rebels and the Italians and develop them--the father's involvement with being a rebel most importantly. I am so heartily disappointed I wish I could morally ask for a refund. But even more so I am disappointed because I thought I had found a new author to love and follow; however, I have merely been teased with what could have been greatness. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>**** Please note, if you like unneeded and unearned death or are at least unbothered by it, you should still read this. I just have enough loss in my day to day life that I don't need an author who will make me love a character and kill without foreshadow or need.</p><p><br /></p>KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-69823865350655505242019-08-26T20:21:00.001-07:002019-08-26T20:21:34.305-07:00Not Alone is on its own in the high levels of enjoyment it provides<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">This book is able to remain light and entertaining enough to carry me through a dark valley of my own while caring so many truths from God and still leaving room for Him to speak. That's the Christian half of my review. The story half is this: she has created characters that read so true I sometimes forgot they were only characters. She handled the action in a subtle way so as not to disturb me but also with enough page space, ink, and grit that she wasn't afraid of it. I will be buying a hard copy ( despite a few typos -- I have to be honest and acknowledge them but I can't complain because I enjoyed the book too well) and can't wait to read the others though what I really want is more Becca and Jared. I read this page turner in 2.5 days when I usually read slowly making a month a quick read. Also love the San Bernadino and sequoias reference.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/NOT%20ALONE:%20The%20Detectives%20of%20Hazel%20Hill%20-%20Book%20One%20(Christian%20Romantic%20Suspense%20Series)%20https://www.amazon.com/dp/1724117319/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GfkzDbQ0C9HWN" target="_blank">NOT ALONE: The Detectives of Hazel Hill - Book One (Christian Romantic Suspense Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1724117319/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GfkzDbQ0C9HWN</a></span>KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-20601255341783919692018-07-03T13:06:00.000-07:002018-07-03T13:06:34.331-07:00Waiting on the Apocalypse or the TV<div>
Just as everyone seems to have their own usually strong (and sometimes luke warm) opinions on end times and the actual apocalypse, this book's plot comes out in wonderfully the same way. There are many opinions readers can form while experiencing this story, but it's not until the end is revealed that readers can be sure who is right and who is wrong. Yes, this can be said on mysteries and other books, but there was something quite enjoyable about being in this book right beside Walter questioning and discovering points as he does. Readers go down the rabbit holes, wondering who is trustworthy and what is what it seems, start to wonder if it's paranoia, and then get to see what's really going on.</div>
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Apocalypse TV is a novel that goes through one character's start of self-discovery, from a death in the family, into, and through the reality tv show. This character questions things that he may never have thought about enough prior to question and he grows, oh how he grows. Whether readers are looking for a book to read for sheer pleasure, or for a book club or classroom discussion, Apocalypse TV will hit this mark. There are multiple characters so that readers can connect on many layers, but also only one real main character and readers become involved in his mind so effortlessly that it is easy to feel what he feels and to think about the events how he does, even making the reader's own natural thoughts just become ways readers root for him to consider. Every reader might handle this situation differently, yet there is an artwork and beauty to Allbaugh's writing that allows every reader to understand at least why his protagonist reacts the way he does. </div>
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Follow the link below to get a copy and take a read. You will walk away with a new way to look at reality shows specifically and your fellow humans in general. </div>
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<a href="http://www.thomasallbaugh.com/apocalypse-tv/" target="_blank">Apocalypse TV a novel by Thomas Allbaugh</a></div>
KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-83892521710544362882018-03-15T11:07:00.000-07:002018-03-15T11:07:05.143-07:00Die Like an Old Warrior Never like a Melted Flake of Snow "Once we have taken our last breaths, our stories in history have been written" (McManus 20). In Erwin Raphael McManus' The Last Arrow: Save Nothing for the Next Life, more than theological or even spiritual advice is given. McManus uses this book to teach us how to live and, yes, how to die. I was especially tickled that he referenced the ancient Samurai (and a quote that was used to illustrate the people of Star Trek's Klingon Culture-- yes, I'm a trekker) "Today is a good day to die". For the Klingon's the phrase is shortened to "Today is a good day" but the "to die" is implied in their culture. Growing up as a Trekker, I often thought that the Klingon's were just brutal and violent so, in their minds, the day one dies would have to be a good day. However, with McManus' explanation and the added depth of the Samurai culture, I have decided that this phrase, both phrases really, says something so much greater than an acknowledgement of death or any tip of the hand to brutal violence. It says more than even the honor I might guess at with the Samurai connection. A person fully believing that it is a good day for him/her to die means that they believe their life is complete. They have left nothing undone, they have saved nothing for later; in short, everything they had and possibly even more, has been used up for the purpose of their life and there is nothing left that they could do. <br />
Perhaps reading this in the wake of my G-pa's death is a bad idea, perhaps it's brilliant. But one thing I do know, reading it through my grief has allowed it to touch me in raw spaces I would have normally had the strength to keep walls up around. My G-pa was the type of man I believe McManus is talking about. He loved his Savior, his wife, and his family (including the dogs) with such a passion that I am only familiar with its strength and feel because I was lucky enough to be one of those he loved. He was disciplined his whole life, having a time for exercise (even the day of his heart attack), for politics, definitely time for spending quiet time for God, and then he had the rest of his day. The rest of his day he fixed things that needed fixing, he cultivated his orchard, wrote his pirate books, watched the classic movies of the golden age (teaching me a true love of them as well--serious, check out Quo Vadis), was a child at heart playing with us younger ones, and, I truly believe, enjoyed being ornery. He was far from perfect as that ornery streak shows, but G-pa lived his all every day and when the final day came, while none of us were ready to see this strong man go, he had no regrets. Oh his brother had regrets he apologized for that day, he stole blue suede shoes from his older brother, but G-pa he was ready to go to his Savior, Jesus Christ. And as he died, he spoke with each of us, comforting and holding me, pinning my cousin-in-law on his faith and where he was at with it, and having so many other interactions that I wish we'd had constantly with him but we were too busy trying not to use up everything, trying to save part of ourselves for the next day or the next interaction and this time, this time there was nothing left to save it for with my G-pa because this was the end of our earthly time with him. But I have to say, to use McManus' words and draw my example of McManus' text being seen in real life to a close: <br />
"May you die with your quivers empty.<br />
May you die with your hearts full.<br />
I watched my G-Pa do this, and from reading this book The Last Arrow, I feel I have even more tools to live and die the same way. KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-7057089762904129652017-10-03T11:13:00.002-07:002017-10-03T11:13:35.508-07:00It's Dark Here, How Can We Light it Up? What is the one thing sure to dissipate and dissolve darkness? Light. What is God? What are we supposed to be as the body of Christ in this world? What does the enemy not want in the world? Light can be an answer for all of these questions. In Samuel Rodriguez' 30 day devotional called Be Light, this subject is discussed in depth. <br />
"Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it" (Pratchett qtd. in Rodriguez 15). This is true. Rodriguez goes in to detail on darkness and how prevalent it is in the world. He even takes the reader through what it would have been like in ancient times after the sun went down. Modern readers, it seems, take light for granted, but that wasn't always the case.<br />
Without giving much away, this devotional takes the reader on a month of travel within the Word, the book itself, and within his or her own soul. There is soul searching that will be brought up. There are places where the reader will reach realizations they never considered and there are places where the reader will think of things he or she is shocked not to have considered before. Another reader, Kate Boudoin, responded to one of the later entries in the blog Other Than Expected on Word press and the point Boudoin made was one that hits readers hard and lingers for days after. It is Rodriguez' section on two things being unable to reside in the same place at the same time. Fear cannot co-exist with faith, one's past cannot co-exist with one's future, and the dark cannot co-exist with the light, so let Christ's light shine through you and Be Light.KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-63608562720933729002017-07-18T23:24:00.001-07:002017-07-18T23:25:49.491-07:00Loosened Threads Distort the Pattern "Answers don't come easily" Though this was mentioned in the protagonist's thoughts during this last book to The Amish of Summer Grove series, "Gathering the Threads" it is still perhaps the most viable lesson, thought, and truth from this series and in life. I am a person who takes her time reading. I don't devour books, I savor them, often reading up to the big climax that makes the reader wonder what will happen and if the protagonist will live or die (they'll live or I'll be done with the book) and then putting it away to sleep on the anticipation and thus draw it out just that much longer. I could not do that with this book. I tried. I simply could not do it. There was something so compelling about this book, nay the entire series. I am quite sure that if I were suddenly given a chance to live a day, weekend, week, or even a month in the Amish way of life I would welcome the opportunity. Cindy Woodsmall has a rare gift for bringing to life a culture I know nothing about and creating a desire to see and experience it. <br />
In this book, I have to admit that there was much pain. Where the other books in the series brought on questions (questions I'm still mulling over even while I can't put them into words) this book gave pain. What's truly interesting is that I knew from the beginning where at least some of this pain would come from. I called it because of my experience with reading Amish Vines and Vineyards by Woodsmall. In that series I was (at the time) disappointed in the direction the characters' relationships took, but in this one I approved so I did not expect the pain. Somehow Woodsmall reached into my life, through the characters and their actions, drew out what has been killing me this season (as though she'd stalked me personally) and put it on to the page. I remembered little details I hadn't thought of before and wept for all that was lost right there beside Ari and still I read on. There is pain but she works the reader through the pain and for the first time in my life I can say it was cathartic. My only concern with this series is that it ended a way I didn't see coming and I'm not sure I believe was the characters choices more than they were writer imposed. Woodsmall ended two of the characters I really enjoyed together and I know they needed that but the way that it happened just didn't quite ring true to them. Not entirely, there's something that nags at me and I can't quite get it. I believe it may go with the sacrifice and which sacrifices were made.<br />
Still, I loved this series. It is my favorite of her series thus far, though I admit I haven't read them all. I'm hoping to rectify that so I can say without a doubt that this is my favorite series. The growth the characters all underwent was amazingly well written and beautifully crafted. It is my fervent wish that everyone I know would read this series and then come sit down with me so we could discuss it. There is that much fodder for discussion. Thank you Woodsmall for sharing your gift and the world of your characters. Now, if you could only figure out how to not leave the reader out as the world of the characters matches on you would solve perhaps the world's oldest "small" problem. Please keep writing!<br />
The painful part of life is knowing when the threads that form our pattern are loosened what we should do with them. Must they be clipped, or is there a way to tighten and gather the threads?<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gathering-Threads-Novel-Amish-Summer/dp/1601427034/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500445431&sr=8-1&keywords=gathering+the+threads+cindy+woodsmall">https://www.amazon.com/Gathering-Threads-Novel-Amish-Summer/dp/1601427034/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500445431&sr=8-1&keywords=gathering+the+threads+cindy+woodsmall</a>KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-91988473255551051942017-07-15T21:49:00.000-07:002017-07-15T21:49:18.168-07:00Get what you want... that's where the questions crop up "Periodically all inhabitants of Earth groaned under some type of lack, and people who were worth their salt learned to cope without taking it out on others or using drugs"(Woodsmall). In book two of The Amish of Summer Grove, Fraying at the Edge, there are so many themes covered, but the biggest one of those is the idea of dealing with frustrating and sometimes horrifying events in life with grace so that those around us do not have to pay in pain along side us. <br />
There are parts of Fraying at the Edge that are difficult and some that are painful. Life is not always what we expect. And people often make it so much worse by presenting arguments supposedly for our best interests but actually just to make us think and once we begin thinking we can't stop.<br />
Arianna and Skyler are wonderfully crafted characters. They draw us in--just as the side characters do--but more than that, it feels like we're interacting with friends and not characters. All of them change and soften and grow more complex with this book. In particular, Nicholas (who I thought I didn't like) became complex, human, and actually likable. The first book was a fast read but this one was even faster. Cindy Woodsmall is quite a brilliant writer and I look forward to the third and final book of this series. This book has gone places that I've never seen another book go, Amish or otherwise, and it has caused so much deep thought about my own life and the lives of those I love that it almost hurts to think of the razor's edge Ariana left us on.<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fraying-Edge-Novel-Amish-Summer/dp/1601427018/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500180393&sr=8-1&keywords=Fraying+at+the+edge+Cindy+Woodsmall">https://www.amazon.com/Fraying-Edge-Novel-Amish-Summer/dp/1601427018/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500180393&sr=8-1&keywords=Fraying+at+the+edge+Cindy+Woodsmall</a>KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-37631375460793354852017-07-13T00:09:00.001-07:002017-07-13T00:09:49.835-07:00Bound or UnBound by the Ties That Bind Is it blood or love that actually makes us family? This is a question that is really at the core of this first book in the series The Amish of Summer Grove by Cindy Woodsmall. In Ties That Bind, the reader is introduced to a loving mother in a disastrous position for giving birth. Then the story skips twenty years and the protagonist is revealed to be a baby born during that day as a fire ravaged an Amish birthing center. On the surface this book, and likely the series, deals with the differences, both expected and unexpected, between the Amish culture and American culture, but on a deeper level it tackles questions of identity, love, what makes a family, and how actions by one family member have far rippling affects on all of the other family members. It is a well crafted book but a difficult read for its emotional pain. And yet, it is something that compels the reader to jump from the end of this book directly into book two. It also raises one huge question: how can I be Amish for a week? <br />
Aside from expected characteristics of books set in the Amish genre, this book contrasts so many pieces of the ordnung with American life, of differences between people, and even the idea of taking loved ones for granted while setting up the characters to not only see life on the other side of this cultural gap but to experience it and see how they can grow from and through the experience. It shakes ideas of black and white answers and challenges the reader to consider what can be answered so simply and what should be answered more softly in shades of gray or even the brilliant colors of the rainbow. After all, the rainbow was a promise from God. Would He use such a colorful representation of His promise if He didn't want use to consider many possibilities and complexities in any decision being made? Maybe. And then again, maybe not. But do take a read and share your thoughts below.<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ties-That-Bind-Novel-Summer/dp/1601426992/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499929742&sr=8-1&keywords=Ties+that+Bind+cindy+woodsmall">https://www.amazon.com/Ties-That-Bind-Novel-Summer/dp/1601426992/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499929742&sr=8-1&keywords=Ties+that+Bind+cindy+woodsmall</a>KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-41639008284571289322017-05-05T08:33:00.000-07:002017-05-05T08:33:03.238-07:00Spending Time with The Women of Easter While many people are familiar with certain aspects of the Crucifixion and even that the word excruciating was created in an attempt to explain the pain of the execution, many may not be aware that the family and friends of the one crucified may be targeted to be tortured or executed as well just for being there. This is something Liz Curtis Higgs claims in the book <em>The Women of Easter</em> and this light makes it all the more impressive for those who gathered near the cross and stayed with Jesus in those last hours and even minutes. John is known to be there and Mary the mother of Christ, but Higgs' book delves deeply into the women that were there as well as the time leading up to Good Friday. Higgs starts with Mary of Bethany and Jesus bringing Lazarus back to life and continues all the way through the resurrection with all the doubts, questions, blindness, and resultant joy. <br />
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On the whole this book was vastly deep, entertaining, and it drew the reader in in unexpected ways. Looking at Easter and everything leading up to it through the eyes of these women revealed new angles to consider and helps the reader to connect emotionally in a new way. However, toward the end, while discussing the importance of God using women (considered so unimportant at that time) to announce the resurrection, Higgs gains a tone that hadn't been apparent until that point. "Can a woman spread the good news? Oh yes she can!" (187). While this is important to know the point that Higgs makes of it throughout this last chapter is almost to the point of insulting. In Biblical times this may not have been an accepted fact, but to think that this needs to be said (and more than once) with such fervency as if she is saying something new and unthought of seems to put women back a hundred years or more. <br />
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With the one questionable point where Higgs seems to almost put the negative idea back into women's head, the book is otherwise stellar. And perhaps, the benefit of the doubt should be given on that one point. Maybe Higgs is simply speaking to those who take Paul's words about women teaching and speaking out of the context of the time and place. Anyone looking to study women in the Bible or go deeper into the emotional context of Easter should consider reading this book. KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-3414147765493606972016-12-22T13:50:00.001-08:002016-12-22T13:50:01.087-08:00Whovians and Golfers Unite<br />
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Interested in enjoying The Doctor off the screen? Well, here's a book for you. <em>Doctor Who: The Drosten's Curse</em> by A.L. Kennedy. My friends will tell you that my Doctor is Chris and whovians who aren't my friends will point out that I'm not a true fan as I haven't seen much of Dr. Who, but I've been in a play about the Doctor, I've dressed up at Disneyland as Amy (I left Rory at home), and I have plans to secretly frighten my friends with Weeping Angel statues on RC cars dropped in their gardens. That aside, I may not know all of the ins and outs like a whovian would but I enjoyed this book greatly. It had the quirky feel of the Doctor and it had many twists. Some twists I saw coming and some surprised me, but in all it was just a very good story. I highly recommend it. KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-57023697831255511362015-08-11T17:49:00.001-07:002015-08-11T17:49:16.560-07:00Bright Thoughts on Tales of the Bright Realm M.W. Sonier's Tales of the Bright Realm: The Peril of Astriel is a refreshingly light adventure book that deals with heavy subjects in beautiful way. The narration reads so that the young can understand it but the young at heart will be swept away with it as well. From a good King and Prince to an evil warlord this book has everything a reader needs to spend an enjoyable evening in another world. There is beauty and wonder, there is danger and suspense. There is a father-son relationship that is healthy and to be sought after and loyalty as used to be found of old but is sadly lacking in this day and age. It is a strong book and a deceptively simple one. The sequel can not come quickly enough. It should be read in schools!<br />
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KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-30743822016569258092015-08-04T11:42:00.001-07:002015-08-04T11:42:19.703-07:00The Pharaoh's Treasure Mesu Andrews' The Pharaoh's Daughter was an unexpected treasure. Starting off with a text peppered with so many foreign terms from Egypt was daunting but the further the story progressed the less the terms stopped the flow and the more hard it was to put the book down. Each chapter began with a piece of scripture that set the tone for the coming chapter. This story was full of pain and torment, and yet there was something so rich and endearing about the characters that no matter how sad the plot was there was still hope. Starting from Judges 13:18 "Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding." to the continuous theme of names and their meaning, The Pharaoh's Daughter deals strongly with identity and where one finds their meaning and worth. The plot is full of turns that propel the reader on and on until a huge twist that was completely unseen changes everything and leads to a brilliant ending that brought tears. Having a free reviewer's copy from Waterbrook Press allowed this treasure to be unearthed and greatly enjoyed.KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-71443674668511825602015-05-26T20:55:00.001-07:002015-05-26T20:55:49.622-07:00Dried Out Bones The song <i>Dry Bones</i> by Gungor can't help but play on repeat while finishing this latest masterpiece by Katie Ganshert. <i>The Art of Losing Yourself</i> is a novel that is both painful and enriching. I am not normally a person to read books that will bring me to tears. I don't need catharsis as so many people claim to need. When I read, I read for enjoyment and to escape from the world of reality and into something lighter, better, uplifting, and exciting. Ganshert took me through raw emotions and situations like I never wanted to feel and like I have always feared feeling. The very interesting thing that she did was that each chapter, and sometimes within chapters, she gave a heading of one of the two sisters' names and told the story from their POV. This helps readers to become greater connected with the characters and their emotions. From a young girl who has never had hope or care to a woman who can no longer feel hope or care, this tale travels loss and a just plain sad reality (or several of them) that so many people are forced to walk. What is truly amazing about Ganshert is that, as in other novels, <i>The Art of Losing Yourself</i> is not a novel where she skirts the dark parts of life and shows characters following God; no, she shows these darkest moments in characters' lives and allows readers to see (even if it takes looking backward on it) God walking through those times with them. I was able to read this book thanks to receiving a reviewers' copy from WaterBrook and Monmouth Press. <br />
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It is impossible to recommend this book enough: it has slow moments, and moments you have to struggle to get through because of the nature of those moments--you will cry but in the end it will leave you thinking, searching, praying, and waiting, not because you are expecting a sequel but because you see God beginning to work in the characters' lives, beginning to pull them out, and it makes you wonder, just maybe if He is beginning to work in yours too and you have yet to notice it. KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-45652603052780731462015-05-12T14:02:00.000-07:002015-05-12T14:02:07.151-07:00A Season to Close the Seasons "Through the years, love and faith would do far more than just see them through the good times and bad. It would rise to meet every challenge with joy and hope" these words echo a lesson that permeates the entire series of Cindy Woodsmall's <i>Amish Vines and Orchards</i> series. Though the series went through twists and turns that were sometimes well done and sometimes felt entirely too author imposed, it ended well. It still ended in a way other than hoped for and I, for one, wish I had stopped at book one. The first book was amazing; however, after reading book two and just getting through book three, book four--<i>Seasons of Tomorrow</i>-- was very well crafted. Having similar points of view shifts to <i>Breaking Dawn</i>, this books changed who was seeing the story unfold in a masterful way so as to take the reader along the trials, the joys, and the questions with the characters in a wonderful manner. Jacob returned to more of the character denied to him in book two and completely taken from him in book three, and was a very enjoyable part of this book. Woodsmall took the reader through some horribly dark times in such a way as to let the reader morn with the characters for their lives, but also for their own personal life, and then brought them into the joy in such a way as to give the reader hope that even in their own dark hours God does have a greater joy in store for them. Steady on.KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-69331635531281090762015-04-30T16:01:00.003-07:002015-04-30T16:06:13.437-07:00More than the Fallen are Rising The second in Chuck Black's War of the Realms trilogy, <i>Rise of the Fallen</i>, was nothing short of page turning, encompassing, and amazing. Book one, <i>Cloak of Light</i>, set the stage and was good in its own way, but where it left questions and sadness (plot wise) <i>Rise of the Fallen</i> brought fulfillment and excitement. Black painted beautiful scenes of Heaven pre-Earth creation and the lives of angels, thrilling images and emotional pictures of how it might have been to have lived in Heaven during the fall. And the feelings that Black built into the angels at the betrayal of one of their own joining the Fallen was palpable. This spiritual world is built on scripture and a lot of supposition but Black was able to bring to is a feeling of realness and vividness that made it come to live. After receiving a free reviewer's copy of this from Monmouth publishing, there are two things that must be said: this is a book for all ages and is the best yet of the War of the Realms series. Go ahead, pick it up and become engrossed in the two realms.KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-14200659781862639772015-02-24T13:38:00.001-08:002015-02-24T13:38:11.074-08:00A Table with a View<em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.0000057220459px;">A Table by the Window</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.0000057220459px;"> by Hillary Manton Lodge is a book that was supplied for review by Monmouth Publishing. Lodge has a wonderful way of melding together the plot and old family recipes with the welding bead of strong characters. Using two different, strong cultures that are known for their food and hospitality, Lodge created a main character (with a parent from each culture) and wove the reader beautifully into the history of a family, the restaurant business, siblings, and most importantly the main character. On top of all of this, the main entree of this story is online dating and the way that God can use overlooked mistakes, such as a power outage, to bring two people together who need to be together. Like a good recipe brings good ingredients together Lodge brought all of her plot lines, characters, and settings together to create a compelling story that left the reader waiting for a second book. The first book did end a little too openly, surprising the reader, but--upon reflection--it was also a good ending place. And the icing on the cake to this was the included recipes; that was a particular favorite. Well done Hillary Manton Lodge. Hopefully the sequel comes out soon!</span>KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-45274868520013946852014-11-25T22:13:00.001-08:002014-11-25T22:13:23.363-08:00The Little White Horse rides away with my heartAfter watching the movie, <i>The Secret of Moonacre Valley</i>, it seemed like the next logical choice to read the book that it was loosely based upon. <i>The Little White Horse</i> was at first a shock in the sheer difference from story line and characters; however, the characters were deep and well thought out, the plot intricate and attention catching. Robin was perhaps my favorite character and in particular there was some great scenes with him and Maria. There were messages that were taught gently throughout and it seems like it would be a good read for either children, young adults, or adults looking to be entertained. KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-69167232221584505102014-02-12T10:31:00.001-08:002014-02-12T10:31:33.603-08:00Cloak of the Light reveals a brilliant story After reading a reviewers copy of Cloak of the Light by Chuck Black, given for free by Multnomah publishers, it is easy to see that Black has an amazing talent at creating both a story and characters that are so real as to fully draw the reader into their world. The world and the hidden dimensional world especially is so compelling that it is sometimes hard to pull out of the story and return to normal reality. It is easy to expect to see beings from this other dimension around every corner. That being said, the book is painful to get into because the main character, Drew Carter, goes through so much loss in his young life before the reader gets to the meat of the story. All of the loss comes together to help make Drew who he is but that doesn't make it any easier to see Drew experience it. The side characters are created in such an absolutely brilliant way that they strengthen both Drew and the plot, ever adding more and ever taking the story deeper. Everyone seems to be organic to the plot and nothing seemed to be author imposed. This was indeed a wonderful read. If the rest of the series is as good as this first book it is sure to become a new favorite, which is saying a lot as that would put it on a level with Wheel of Time and League of Jewelled Men--two other favorite stories. The emotional ride this book provides and the powerful feelings it causes to well up in the reader are on par most award winning books out there. Well done Chuck Black. Looking forward to the rest of the series!KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-77350216440124107232014-01-21T11:40:00.002-08:002014-01-21T11:46:19.789-08:00The Dawn of a Returned love for this author In Cindy Woodsmall's <i>The Dawn of Christmas</i>, she returned to her brilliance from the first book in her Vines and Vineyard series. This was yet another book of Woodsmall's that couldn't be put down. Her turn of phrase and beautiful creation of characters aside, Woodsmall writes dialog with such skill that it feels as though the characters are actually speaking instead of their lines being read. Cindy Woodsmall has such a way with creating believable characters that have been damaged in life and are scarred in varied ways that it truly is a joy to read. Also, she is quite skilled at letting God's light shine through both the plot and her characters in such a way that it is realistic. In <i>The Dawn of Christmas,</i>Woodsmall takes a woman, Sadie, who has been betrayed and broken, and brings her together with a man, Levi, who has lost all trust in women and uses them to help each other heal. Their romance is a lovely surprise to them and in no small means a miracle for those who love them. Levi feels like a man everyone should be so lucky to know; he has his faults but he's such a good, loving man that he's amazing. And Sadie, is a perplex woman full of so much love to share but afraid to do so and chance being broken again. Woodsmall's writing takes readers who were not previously Amish fiction fans and creates fans. Thanks, to the opportunity to read the eidtion for free from Waterbrook Press, <i>The Dawn of Christmas</i> has rekindled this reader's love for Cindy Woodsmall's writing and hope in love. It is a real gem and a worthy read. Buy it. Enjoy it. Cheers!KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-28974342739932136432014-01-21T11:30:00.002-08:002014-01-21T11:30:39.519-08:00Halfling Halfway does it The novel, Halfling, by Heather Burch had an intriguing cover. The story line was compelling and two of the main guy characters were amazing. This novel dealt with the hardly spoken of Genesis 6 Nephilim: off-spring of fallen angels and human women. It's the first in a series and is so well done that characters Mace and Raven seemed to be real life young men and were actually in the running to become an all time new favorite character, threatening to displace Matrim Cauthon, Treve DiVillars, and even Lord John Roxton from their tied position of favorite literary character. However, in the last eighty pages the protagonist, Nikki, makes an incredibly stupid and unbelievable move that causes her dog to be killed. That is when this reader lost interest but still finished the book in fairness. It continued to get worse from there and no real answers were supplied at the end. The characters, especially the male characters, are brilliantly created, but the story left much to be desired and Nikki's unbelievable stupid decision felt entirely too author imposed. This in mind, this reader will not be likely to continue with the series, which is sad because the book had the makings of a favorite.KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-90312859185572166342013-12-19T11:14:00.000-08:002013-12-19T11:14:03.871-08:00This one hurt Perhaps it is the curse of having such a wonderful first book in a series that leads to the second book being a bit of a let down and to the third being completely the opposite of what was looked for, but for whatever reason, Cindy Woodsmall's third book in her Amish Vines and Orchards series, For Every Season, was completely painful. After reading the first book in literally one sitting, it seemed odd to have to work a little harder on the second book, and completely shocking that the third book was such a struggle. The writing is still stellar; however, the characters that were so wonderful in the first book seem to be becoming watered down or losing who they were. Jacob and Samuel, for instance, seem to completely switch personalities (this began in the second book but blossomed into full swing in this third book). The fear is to be judging this book too harshly as Woodsmall is a wonderfully skilled writer, but the disappointment in what she's done with Jacob and Rhoda is acute. The basic storyline still moves along nicely with the right mixture of the reader being able to guess the direction it moves in while the details are still little gems to be discovered. The side characters are developing in fun ways, which shouldn't be a surprise considering how well she developed Jacob, Rhoda, and Samuel in the first book; however, even given the opportunity to review the fourth book from waterbrook multnomah publishing it is uncertain if the free read would be worth the effort to get through the next book. Readers who are not such a fan of Jacob in particular should still read this book, but those who love Jacob should likely stick with book one. His character is changed the most, and it is not believable exactly how he changed. Apologies to Woodsmall for such a regard for her third book, but it became just too difficult to enjoy.KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-50548804810296656452013-09-23T19:03:00.003-07:002013-09-23T19:03:37.943-07:00The Winnowing Season winnows more than just plants Just as Book One in Cindy Woodsmall's Amish Vines and Orchards series was a real page turner and a book easy to fall in love with so was Book Two <i>The Winnowing Season</i> a well written book that was hard to put down. The reader can look forward to reading about the same step off the page characters he or she already fell in love with in the first book<i> A Season for Tending</i> and to the continued saga of them as they work to make up for what was lost in the end of that last book, but unlike the first book there are more strains from within the relationships that make for a more painful read.<div>
Cindy Woodsmall's skill in setting a scene, plot, relationship, and letting her characters take on life is still there so this is a good book. However, this book is similar to the heart-breaking Book Two of other series. She sets up the reader for book three while bringing the pain in her characters up from a low simmer to a full blown raging boil. Mysteries are set up to, hopefully, be explained and resolved in the next book and there are many opportunities for the reader to yell his or her advice at the characters as they choose their actions and each deal with their personal dilemmas, demons, and prejudices in the ways that they choose.</div>
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What appeals perhaps the most besides the realness of the characters is the family love. The family love is there for siblings and sibling-in-laws of course, but what is also wonderful is that the characters find they do not have to be related by blood or law to come to carry and nurture that same familial love. Truly a good, if sometimes painful, read. Hats off to Cindy Woodsmall. And now it is time to wait with abated breath for the delivery of the third installment of Amish Vines and Orchards. Drive quickly, postman, or in honor of these characters: Ride swiftly postman.</div>
KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-87740853983477662452013-09-10T15:39:00.002-07:002013-09-10T15:39:40.662-07:00A Season for Tending more than tends to be a must read "God used the oddest situations to line people up and gt them involved in each other's lives" (Woodsmall 297). The journey the characters in Cindy Woodsmall's book <i>A Season for Tending Amish Vines and Orchards, Book 1</i> is sometimes as gnarled as an old abandon apple tree left to face the elements and storms and survive the best it can. And the journey is sometimes as beautiful as that same apple tree cared for and fed so that it's full of the rich, abundance of a bountiful harvest. What is truly magnetic in this book is Woodsmall's way of writing these two realities so that they can be seen as the two sides of the coin of life. <br />
The life flowing out of Woodsmall's pen, it is an Amish book and so it would be poorly done to reference computer, is not just apple trees, ways of life of Amish and non-Amish people, and events, but the characters. Yes, most writers create characters that are alive, it does seem to work easier to have a story about living characters, but Woodsmall seems to have the truly amazing gift of taking these "living" characters and allowing them their own lives. This is a must read for anyone looking for characters that, more than being just ink on a page, spring from that page and have a life of their own.<br />
The story has its ups and downs as any good book, and the motion of the plot definitely drive it on. For a reader who never reads even the smallest novel in less than a week, this was an exceedingly quick read--just over twenty four hours. At times, it was easy to mentally screech <i>the protagonist is going to be with the wrong guy!</i> And then at the same time it is easy to either laugh aloud or cry from the beauty of a moment. Though the events were in an Amish community and it was confusing at first to place book in a specific time period it eventually came out, and in spite of that, or perhaps because of that it felt easy to see where the plot seemed merely a mirror held up to the reader's own life; a mirror that allows one to get a much clearer view. God is intrinsically a part of this piece, but more so than merely because it involves Amish people. No, God is part of this book because He is part of the characters' lives. It is all so natural and unforced. Even the ending line, talking about not getting in the way of what God wanted to accomplish felt so natural because the character had become so real that it made perfect sense for him to think that. Perhaps the one real complaint was that the book ended... it seemed it ended too soon, but instead of being a flaw as it sometimes tends to be, it is instead a fire lit under this reader to find and read the next book in the series.<br />
Therefore, for readers with passions for orchards, gardens, horticulture, family, comedy, exploring the relationship between siblings, encouragement, reader about God loving characters, romance, or just straight strong characters this book should move to the front of the queue for books to purchase, read, and fall in love with. KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-10147682101855740662012-12-11T11:50:00.001-08:002012-12-11T11:51:32.058-08:00Quiet a lot to contemplate in Be Still My Soul Joanne Bischof's Be Still My Soul seems at first a drama or an unlikely romance, but it deals with something far greater than that: a romance with God and finding a home not in a place but with a loved one. In the story, Bischof draws the reader first into Lonnie Sawyer's life and paints a grim picture of what she has endured and what she will continue to endure with her distant hope coming from her loving aunt, then Bischof draws the reader with Lonnie into a new and unexpected life with Gideon O'Riley. Though Lonnie is the protagonist of this tale, it is very much about her giving him the opportunity to grow from an attractive boy into a loving man. The question seen throughout the piece is whether or not Gideon will take that opportunity and grow up. <br />
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Throughout the tale, Gideon shows good points that point to a good heart but he also seems to cling to being self centered and self pleasing. He's angry that he's stuck with Lonnie and that it is really his fault they are both stuck, and that makes him more angry. The beginning and end of this tale, while painful, read extremely well; however, somewhere in the middle it slows and became difficult to push through. With the addition of a new character named Jebediah and his wife, the story picks up again and carries through despite emotional trauma. There are moments that are sad and might be too much for some women who have lost much in their life, but it is a beautiful tale and inspires the reader to lean on God as well, since Lonnie does it as she goes through so much.<br />
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After reading the Advance Reading Copy of this book Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bishcof, provided by Multnomah publishing, it is impossible not to recommend this book with the small qualification that a few chapters get slow in the middle, but it is well worth the read. So, read on, reader, let your soul be still, and enjoy.KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5840679202510401010.post-14132552770331394602012-09-02T21:58:00.002-07:002012-09-02T21:58:31.592-07:00Becoming enmeshed in Saunders Creek Tracey Bateman's novel <i>The Widow of Saunders Creek</i> explores both the depths of grief and of finding identity again without a lost one. In the novel, Corrie Saunders returns to the house she inherited from her husband in hopes of feeling closer to him. When it starts, he's been dead six months, killed taking on a suicide bomber, and Corrie feels more and more lost. By learning to live again, and through help from his cousin, Eli, and his aunt, Corrie rediscovers skills that used to bring her much joy and Eli describes her creative gift as: "I think God gave her a piece of His heart, and she put it on the wall" (Bateman 274).<br />
But the book does not only deal with rediscovering old joys and learning to live with grief; it also explores dimensions of the spiritual realm. Bateman set her story in the Ozarks in Missouri where Christianity and old ways and magic all about in a strange mixture. Many families there have older relatives who practice magic and speaking to the dead and the Saunders' family is no exception. When Corrie is placed between Eli, who is a pastor, and Eli and her husband's elderly aunt who says she speaks to the dead, it does not take a genius to guess where Corrie's grief stricken mind goes. What was really enjoyable about this book was the way that Bateman dealt with the spiritual world, easing the reader and Corrie both into it first little occurrences and building up to full on manifestations of physical movements. <br />
Bateman handles the explanation of what demons try to do, and how they can use grief to try to draw people in to their webs, well, and she also writes the demonic interactions in such a way that it's first subtle and then not, but always believable. She beautifully shows the differences between our loving God and these demons that pretend to be loved ones but are just masking their wickedness.<br />
Receiving a free reviewers copy from Water Brook Press was a great opportunity to read <i>The Widow of Saunders Creek</i>. It is to be hoped Tracey Batman has other great novels like <i>The Widow of Saunders Creek</i> coming out soon. KJ Roxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08187191555119046711noreply@blogger.com0