Book Reviews

Book Review: Unholy by Kathryn Amurra

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Unholy is the third and final book in the “Heart’s True Desire” series by Kathryn Amurra. The books in this series are all very unique, and the one thing that ties them together is a very unusual necklace.

Unholy is a Vampire Romance. However, the vampire is the most unique vampire character I have ever encountered, and the story is the most unique Vampire Romance story I have ever read. The main character is Beth D’Angelo, who is a college student. She is striving to get her thermodynamics experiment to work so that she can graduate. She is working with another college student, and she has a boyfriend. Beth has strong beliefs she lives by.

Between Beth’s frustrations with her experiment and the issues between her and her boyfriend, Beth is quite stressed. Then, one evening as she’s driving, she is certain that she has hit someone with her car, adding to her stress levels.

When she meets, Thomas, a very attractive man, who takes an interest in her, she finds herself drawn to him. Thomas, who is actually a centuries old vampire, finds Beth’s sweet nature a challenge to corrupt her. However, it isn’t long before Thomas finds that Beth has something that he craves more than blood.

What happens between Beth and Thomas, and Beth and her boyfriend, makes for a very interesting twist in Unholy. It’s been years since I have even considered reading a vampire story, but I found that once I started reading Unholy, I couldn’t put it down. The uniqueness of several characters and the story line held my attention.

Ms. Amurra created deep, interesting characters that she developed so well from the beginning of the book and throughout the story. Even the vampire was realistic. Ms. Amurra produced such a unique story line that I was intrigued and captivated until the very end.

I will say that there is some profanity in this book, but it is spread throughout and not overwhelming. There are two scenes that may be problematic for sensitive readers. However, there are no scenes that include a lot of graphic violence, blood, and gore.

I highly recommend this book to adult readers who crave unique stories, as well as those who enjoy vampire stories. I will also say that, after reading Unholy by Kathryn Amurra, I believe Thomas will forever be my favorite vampire.

Although I have read most of Kathryn Amurra’s books, after reading Unholy, I have truly become a dedicated fan and cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.

Unholy is truly worthy of 5 stars.

Book Review: A Break in the Weather by Roy Wood

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Back Cover Book Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old Alley Price just wants her autistic classmate, Ben Sanders, to shut up because he won’t stop babbling about a blizzard that’s being predicted. But when the Great Blizzard of 1978 slams into Ohio, and Alley finds herself stranded in a garage with her would-be rapist, she turns to Ben for help in the middle of the night. The events that unfold change her attitude toward people with disabilities and reheat her relationship with Jesus.

My Thoughts:

As a Book Reviewer, I received a copy of A Break in the Weather. However, I was not required to write a positive review or any review. These are my honest opinions of the book.

A Break in the Weather is Roy Wood’s debut novel. It is YA. The story starts with tension between Alley Price and her mom’s boyfriend, and that tension and the situation continue to build until a snow blizzard. During the blizzard, the situation between Alley and her mom’s boyfriend escalates until Alley runs out in the blizzard, afraid for her safety.

Alley becomes a hero of the story through all the events that take place during the blizzard, but as she is stuck in a garage and not sure how to survive the blizzard, she reaches out to a boy she knows from school, who has Autism. She knows he’s very smart when it comes to science related things, so she calls him on the phone in the middle of the night, despite the fact that she ordinarily finds him quite annoying, and he quickly becomes a hero in the story as well.

Also, as Alley faces all of the events during the blizzard, she begins to think about Jesus. She hasn’t given him much time or attention in years, despite the fact that her best friend is a Christian, and Alley’s grandmother talked to her about Jesus a lot, until her grandmother passed away.

I found this story suspenseful and exciting, but the suspense and excitement slows down in the middle as the author focuses on events at school. However, just because the suspense and excitement slows down, this story, in no way, gets boring. Mr. Wood did a great job of developing his characters and expressing their very different personalities and how they react and respond to one another. Mr. Wood also did a great job in portraying how the characters learned to make good decisions, accept one another, work together, help one another, and encourage one another.

In the last third of the story, the tension and suspense build again, but not quite to the level they did in the first third, but readers who crave tension and suspense won’t be disappointed.

I really enjoyed this story and its characters. I also liked how Mr. Wood ended with an epilogue that gives the reader a glimpse into the Alley’s future as an adult.

Although this story includes a very awkward uncomfortable relationship that leads to revealing a character as a child predator and there is some violence, this is a clean story — no explicit sexual scenes and no profanity. Also, the child predator story line is brought to a satisfactory conclusion without being extremely traumatic or difficult to read.

There were just two places in the book, where I found a couple of scenes to be a bit confusing, but, they didn’t keep me from disliking the story or finishing the book.

I recommend A Break in the Weather by Roy Wood to readers ages 16 and up, who enjoy well-written, exciting YA stories that include a positive message or two.

I give A Break in the Weather by Roy Wood 5 stars.

Book Review: You Can Hide by Melissa Roos

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You Can Hide is Melissa Roos debut novel. She has written several novels since this one, and though they are all stand alone stories, I like to at least read an author’s first book before reading later ones. Ms. Roos books are Mystery/Romance stories.

Back Cover Blurb:

Jayde Walker is left for dead. Somehow she survives, and is the only witness to the murder of her best friend, Carrie. Fighting amnesia, she tries to get on with her life with the killer still on the loose. Then one night she remembers. The truth terrifies her and breaks her heart. She has to run. She has to hide. Leave behind everything. And everyone.

She runs with no clear direction in mind. Halfway across the country, lost in the Midwest, she makes a wrong turn, down a dead end road. She ends up in a ditch, unable to remember how or why she got there. The only thing she knows is she needs to disappear. The tall, lush green cornstalks of the vast fields call to her. Without hesitation Jayde steps in and disappears.

She’s lost, but found. Who can save her? Her fiance she left behind? The detective she trusted, or the farmer that found her? Who can she trust with her life? And her heart?

NOTE: I have made some punctuation corrections in the Back Cover Blurb. However, I have left the writing as written, even though as an editor, I see things I would suggest be corrected.

My Thoughts on the Book:

I like the characters in You Can Hide. Miss Roos did a great job creating and developing her characters. The plot is filled with tension and suspense. It’s one of those stories that made me want to keep turning the pages, but not because I wanted to find out who the murderer was. I was more interesed in finding out how the romance in the story was going to turn out because I really liked the relationship between Jayde and the farmer who found her, and I was fairly certain I knew who the murderer was.

For me, I felt like the murderer was revealed near the beginning of the story. There was one point in the story that I thought it might be someone else, but as I looked back to the beginning of the book, there wasn’t any other character identified that it could have been. However, the way that the murderer sought after Jayde and all the tension that caused and built to the climax definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be reading any more books written by Melissa Roos because I wasn’t expecting a lot of profanity in this book, and when it first started appearing, it was mild and the words were few and far between. However, when I reached page 175 and found the Lord’s name taken in vain, I was shocked and taken aback. Then on page 176 the “f” word was used. There were only a few mild words up until that point, and even after those two pages, there weren’t too many profane words. However, in the last fourth of the books, the profanity became something that regularly came out of the characters’ mouths.

To me, that’s very sad. I don’t think those words are necessary to make a book realistic nor do I think they add anything to the story.

The other thing I found that distracted me from the story were the things that should have been taken care of in the editing process prior to publishing the book. I know that most professional editors charge a lot of money that most authors cannot afford, but there are some that will edit for a reasonable price. Even participating in a good critique group can help help with a lot of the errors I saw throughout this book.

I can only give this book 3 stars, and I’m not going to post it anywhere but here, (which will also post on my Facebook page), because I know book reviews are important to an author, but they don’t help it they can’t give lots of praise and at least 4 stars.

Book Review: The Beauty of Crows by Claire Sanders

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I just have to say, “I LOVE this cover!

I have been a Claire Sanders fan ever since I read her “The Masons of Brightfield” sweet romance series in 2021. So, I was thrilled to find out that she released a new book, The Beauty of Crows. I was thrilled to receive a copy and asked to write a review, so this is my honest review.

I was intrigued by the title, The Beauty of Crows, because I’ve never thought of crows as beautiful birds. The title was the thing that attracted my attention and made me want to read this book.

I have to say I was very surprised. The Beauty of Crows includes quite a bit more tension than The Masons of Brightfield series. This tension kept me turning pages until past my bedtime every night.

In The Beauty of Crows, Ms. Sanders has created extremely interesting characters who have struggles that many readers have either experienced for themselves, or know someone close to them who has. Her character, Rachel, was raised by a strict father who is the pastor of a church like many churches years ago—churches where pastors preached “hellfire and brimstone”. Her father has kept Rachel on the straight and narrow and she thought her life was fine and she was content.

Alden Fairchild is a rebellious young man, who has grown tired of his father’s attempts to keep him on the straight and narrow because his father criticized him and always found him lacking. So, Alden quickly resorts to a life of seeking after his fleshly desires and pleasures, and there’s nothing he likes better than causing raised eyebrows among people who walk the straight and narrow. Alden’s actions eventually cause him to be blamed for a crime and he has to face the possibility of losing his life.

Rachel’s convictions lead her to committing perjury in an attempt to save the life of someone she really doesn’t like.

Alden’s actions and Rachel’s convictions cause them to cross paths and change both their lives forever.

The Beauty of Crows is a wonderful story with at least two great messages. It is a clean fiction novel with engaging characters and a tense, page-turning plot.

If you like your romance stories on the tense side causing you to wonder about the outcome until near the end of the book, I highly recommend The Beauty of Crows. If you’ve never read a Claire Sanders novel, I highly recommend you start with this one. You won’t be disappointed.

I give The Beauty of Crows 5 stars.

Book Review: The Complete Virtues and Valor Series by Hallee Bridgeman

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This book is quite thick. It includes eight novellas that are connected by a single story. It also includes historical information about each of the people the main character of each novella is based on. There is also a Translation Key in the back of the book for some of the French and German words, as well as photos and information of vehicles mentioned in the stories from that time period. There are also Discussion Questions at the end of each novella and at the end of the book. You will also find an “Inspired by Real Events” section that gives more real historical information. Therefore, this book would definitely appeal to History Buffs, especially World War II History Buffs.

My Thoughts on the Virtures and Valor Series:

As I’ve said, this story is written as eight novellas. Each novella is based on a different character, and each character is based on a real life person from the WWII time period. I really enjoyed reading about each character and learning about their part in what was happening during the war. Ms. Bridgeman chose to base seven of the eight novellas on real life women and the eighth book on a real life man.

I struggled with the actual “story” in which these characters took part. Since Ms. Bridgeman chose to write the story as novellas and each novella was based on a different character, I didn’t feel like the story flowed well. The characters were well developed, but the story was lacking the build-up, tension, and suspense it might have had as one story. Instead, several scenes were simply repeated from the perspective of different characters. Therefore, I didn’t really enjoy the story and found it getting a bit old by the end of the eighth novella.

However, I very much enjoyed everything about the individual characters, and as someone who loves History, I appreciate all of the hard work and research Ms. Bridgeman obviously put into this series to fill it with actual historical people and events.

With all of that being said, I would highly recommend this book to those who LOVE History and learning about true historical people and events. In my opinion books such as this are of great value because so much “true” history is being distorted or hidden from the general public, which, in my opinion, is gross negligence because I believe it is of the utmost importance to know true history, for that is the only way to prevent repeating the horrors of the past.

The Dorothea & Browen Trilogy Book Reviews

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I love stories with dragons, so when I was at a Bookfest last October, I couldn’t pass by this trilogy. It’s taken me a while to get to it, but it certainly didn’t take me long to read these books. I think I had them all read in ten to twelve days. Now I want to share with you what I liked, and what I didn’t. This Dorothea and Browen Trilogy was written by J. K. Weyant.

Dragon’s Pick — Book One

This story grabbed my attention from the start as Dorothea’s family prepared to go to town to see the Dragon eggs. The village of Villa Ovo would care for the eggs until they hatched and the dragon would choose its rider. This story is about dragons and their riders and their training. The story is exciting and fast paced.

There were only two things I didn’t like about this book: 1) there was some profanity in it. I felt it was unnecessary, and it didn’t do anything to add to the story. Some of it wasn’t even used in proper context. Fortunately, the profanity was kept to a minimum. 2) As an editor, I’m very aware of grammar and spelling, and unfortunately there were a lot of grammatical errors in this book, and there were also words that should have been in sentences that weren’t. Fortunately, I was invested enough in the characters and the story line that the errors didn’t distract me as much as they ordinarily would.

Dorothea is the first female dragon rider in a long time because most of the dragons hatched were female, and female dragons chose male riders. Only male dragons chose female riders, and it had been many years since a male dragon had hatched. But Dorothea, age almost eighteen, left her village with three boys, all in their teens, and their dragons.

The things that happen to these four characters during their training held my interest throughout the book. The competition between the riders and their relationships created tension and action that kept me turning pages at a fast pace.

Dragon’s Loss — Book Two

In this book, it’s time for the riders’ graduation ceremony, but there have been some things going on that have Thea and one of the boys suspicious of the head of Castle Draco. The graduation ceremony turns into a disaster.

This book is full of adventure, danger, and tension. War may be coming and Thea must win over the dragon-hating Mutes of Kings Guard and convince The Golden Edge to form an alliance with the Dragon Riders and Mutes, the rebel army who helped Thea and her group of riders escape from Castle Draco.

Unfortunately, this book had the same editorial issues as the first book, though it has less profanity. The thing I liked least in this book is the fact that it includes sex outside of marriage. The scene is not overly explicit, but it is definitely clear that the characters engage in sex.

This book is full of tension and action, danger and fighting. There was enough suspense to keep me turning pages, and this book ends with a cliff hanger that made me glad I already had the next book, even though I didn’t pick it up until the next day.

Dragon’s Fall — Book Three

This book, again, held my attention and kept me turning pages. Just like the first two books in the series, it included lots of action, tension, danger, and fighting. In the beginning, there is an unexpected reunion.

Things I disliked about this book: 1) just like the first two books, this one had the same editorial issues; 2) even after being betrothed, a couple still participates in sexual activity before their wedding; 3) I felt like Thea was very self-centered in the first part of this book; 4) though this book is deemed a “trilogy” and this is book three, something is hinted at very near the end that is not fully disclosed or revealed by the end of the book that leaves the reader dissatisfied. I wonder why the author chose to do this in a book meant to be the end of a series. This was a disappointment to this reader. It’s been three years since this trilogy has been published. Therefore, I have to reiterate, why would the author hint at something she doesn’t intend to fully expose or resolve?

All in all, this book had me engaged from start to finish, just like the first two books. I also was happy with the growth and change in the characters. I would recommend these books to people eighteen and older who like stories with dragons and lots of action and suspense.

I would not recommend these books to those younger than eighteen because there is a lot of adult content. Things dealt with in these books are: violence and killing, torture, the effects of torture — both physical and psychological, though the psychological healing really isn’t exhibited, and as already mentioned, sex outside of marriage, and pregnancy outside of marriage.

New Release!

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A new book by Kathryn Amurra is available to purchase today! You can find it on Amazon in paperback and ebook, and I’m sure it’s available other places as well. It is the second book in her “Heart’s True Desire” series. You won’t want to miss this book!

I received a free Advanced Reader Copy to write a review. Here is my honest review:

Timeless by Kathryn Amurra is the second book in her “Heart’s True Desire” series. It is a unique story. The male main character, William Abbott, has lived a very long life. He believes his unusually long life is a curse because of something that happened in his past.

The female main character, Erin Dovetree, has no interest in a romantic relationship, until she meets the landlord of the building her grandmother lives in, William Abbot. Not only is Will extremely good-looking, but Erin notices a sadness about him. She finds him mysterious and intriguing.

The story switches back and forth between a past century and the modern day. Ms. Amurra does an excellent job of moving the reader seamlessly back and forth between the two time frames in a way that flows well and is never jolting.

Both William and Erin have their struggles, and this reader couldn’t stop turning pages in hopes that both characters would find love and true happiness. Along their journeys, there were times this reader smiled, laughed out loud, and gasped. Timeless by Kathryn Amurra kept me up past my bedtime more than one night.

One of my favorite things about Timeless is that Ms. Amurra kept at least one of her characters consistent to the very end, which I found quite pleasing and fulfilling, making the end that much more satisfying. Timeless is one of those books I was sad to see end, but I’m sure I will re-read it multiple times over future years, which is something I rarely do. Timeless isn’t just a good romance story. In my opinion, it is a wonderful love story. The kind I don’t find often in today’s world. Both the story and the characters will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Thank you, Kathryn Amurra for Timeless, for wonderful, engaging lovable characters, and a story that resonates with the reader long after the last page. Thank you for a book that includes some important life lessons, and a book that will remain on my Top 10 Favorites list for all time

Book Review: Silk by E. B. Roshan

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Silk is the first graphic novel by E.B. Roshan. It follows a brother and sister into the jungle of a fantasy world, where the girl protects spider like creatures who spin a fine silk. However, her brother works for a group of men who believe the spiders are a danger to the people living in the city. As he is torn between his family’s beliefs and his job, a disagreement ensues and the boy is endangered. Will his sister be able to save him?

Although I am not a fan of graphic novels, I found this one to be unique. I like that it is educational in both a scientific and moral sense. The artwork is unique and is black and white. It fits well with the fantasy, jungle, and city setting the story takes place in.

This story is easy to read, and I believe children of middle grades will enjoy it.

Book Review: The Lonely Mortician by D. M. Tregaskis

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I never have time to read an entire book in one sitting, and usually that doesn’t bother me. However, when I started reading The Lonely Mortician by D. M. Tregaskis, I did not want to put it down, and every time I had to, I couldn’t wait until I could pick it up again. I love Closed Door Romance stories in any genre and I read a LOT of them, but I can honestly say that I have never read one like The Lonely Mortician before.

D. M. Tregaskis wrote a story with a very complex story line and a lot of complications for the main female character, but I never once felt like it was bogged down or confusing. From Cinn’s job as a mortician, to someone haunting the house, to the dating game to raise funds for a community library, I was fully engaged in the story.

I found Cinn to be completely relatable and fully understood her confusion in regard to the men she dated for the dating game show. I felt her pain in the loss of people she loved, and not just in death. I also enjoyed watching Cinn’s change from the beginning of the story to the end. It was very realistic.

When two men, from the dating show, expressed serious interest in Cinn, I thought I knew which one I wanted her to choose. However, as the story progressed, that choice appeared much harder and not as crystal clear. D. M. Tregaskis also included some unique elements as well as some unexpected twists, which added depth and more than one positive message to the book.

This was the first book by D. M. Tregaskis I have read, but it will not be the last! I highly recommend The Lonely Mortician by D. M. Tregaskis to anyone from young adults to adults of all ages who enjoy fun, unique romance stories, and I can’t wait to get my next D. M. Tregaskis book.

Book Review: The Exceptionals by Clara Howell

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Clara Howell, a high school student in my area, has written and published her first novel. At age 13, while she struggled to find fantasy books that met her advanced reading level and were appropriate for a young teen, she decided to write her own. According to Amazon, The Exceptionals is a 337 page fantasy novel that was published on January 11, 2024.

This book came from an idea Clara had in eighth grade. Clara’s high school English teacher, Scott Hertzog, encouraged her to participate in an independent study. Clara and Mr. Hertzog worked together, and by November 2023, Clara had completed her final draft. She, then, decided to try her hand at graphic arts and created her book cover.

A friend of mine suggested I read The Exceptionals by Clara Howell, so I did.

Back Cover Blurb:

“Sometimes We’re More Like Our Enemies Than We Think”

All her life, Aila Vinn has been taught to fear the Exceptionals. She’s been told that they are dangerous, containing otherworldly powers that make them a threat to the country of Rosan. Marked by a brown X on their left hand, Exceptionals are to be reported on sight. Eight years ago, Aila reported her best friend and watched as the Exceptional Police dragged him away to his death.

On her sixteenth birthday, Aila wakes up to find an X on her own hand, irreparably changing the course of her life.

In another part of Rosan, Storm Dawson is a thief who lives with his nine brothers. Dirt-poor and faced with a life of hard work and little food, Storm dreams of a world beyond the simple streets of Ferrol. He gets more than he asked for when he finds himself marked as an Exceptional and is torn away from the only life he knows.

Both Aila and Storm are reported to the Exceptional Police and supposedly taken to their deaths. But when they wake up the next morning, they begin to realize that the Exceptionals are not what they seem. Secrets are revealed, dangers are faced, and at the heart of the struggle sits a deception that threatens to uproot the entire empire.

In the midst of it all, both teens must face a difficult question: How far are they willing to go to get what they want?

My Review:

The Exceptionals is an exciting, suspenseful novel with a couple unexpected twists. The characters are well developed and keep the reader’s attention. You will find yourself cheering one of the main characters on throughout the book, while wondering, at times, how the other’s decisions will affect the lives of several characters.

This novel is well written and will have the reader on the edge of their seats several times throughout the story. It definitely keeps the reader turning pages.

The characters think for themselves, seek answers to their questions, and make decisions based on what they know and learn, and on their personal convictions.

It is clean fiction. It is a good vs. evil story, and though, there is no clear Christian message, the story does include Christian values such as: kindness, friendship, love and care for a family, and courage.

I greatly enjoyed the story and recommend it. I hope to see more novels by Clara Howell.