Book Review

Book Review: Unholy by Kathryn Amurra

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

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

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

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

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

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

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

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

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

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.

New Release!

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

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

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell

/ kellyfbarr / 6 Comments

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is the debut novel of Angela Bell, and what a debut it is!

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book, and once I did, I couldn’t wait to read it. While reading it, I found it increasingly difficult to put down. Unfortunately, I only have 2-3 hours each evening to spend reading. However, this past Sunday, I spent about 5 hours reading this book because I enjoyed it so much!

I have to say that Angela Bell is an outstanding author. This book is incredibly well written and is very unique. The characters grab your heart from the start. The troubles they face and the adventures they have keep you turning pages. A couple of the characters are quite quirky, which adds some unexpected twists and extra fun to the story. There are even some animal characters that have very interesting personalities and behaviors that add to the uniqueness and adventure. This novel includes adventure, history, steampunk, characters who face struggles that we can relate to, danger, suspense, and a sweet romance. Who could ask for more?

It’s also quite apparent that Ms. Bell not only enjoys using metaphors, but is a master at using metaphors. Her metaphors paint pictures in the reader’s mind and add to the fun of reading this book.

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is also a story about faith, and as I read, I found a need to grab a journal and write down my favorite wise and inspirational quotes from the book:

“What-ifs are not acquainted with what-is, and they spread horrid falsehoods about what-will-be, so why bother entertaining them? I’d sooner invite hope into my home — for even when her predictions miss the mark, she makes for pleasant company and eats far less food.”

“Oh Clara Marie. The Lord never promised that life would be safe. But He did promise to be with us always. Whatever the harrowing journey life may bring, rest assured, you shall never be left to face it alone.”

“Romance and adventure are the idealistic scribblings of Austen and Dumas. Like Elizabeth Bennet and Athos, they are not real. Nor do they exist off the page. To believe otherwise is to suffer disillusionment and heartbreak.”

Elizabeth Bennet’s happily-ever-after might be a work of fiction, but love is real enough. Sometimes it takes idealistic scribblings to remind us of that truth when the whole of our very real, very dark world makes it feel like a lie.”

“You are A maker. Not THE Maker.” Miss Stanton gave his hand a firm squeeze. “Just as Grand would never expect a clock to fix its own windings, God would never expect us to mend our own hearts.”

“Lift your face to the heavens, granddaughter mine! Recall the joyous wonder of dwelling and dreaming beneath a canopy of stars, embracing the peace found in total dependence on Him who spoke their radiance into being. That is my wish for you. That is my prayer.”

“Not all people are treated as palaces, admired by travelers and protected by armed guard. Some of us are treated as a cobbled road, trod upon and soon forgotten. That’s just the way of things.”

“Love is much like a flower, child. You can’t guarantee it’ll grow or endure a bitter winter to bloom again. All you can do is plant what you’re given, tend it faithfully, and rely on the God who cares for the lillies of the field as much as He cares for our hearts.”

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure has definitely won a spot on my Top Ten Favorite Books of All Time and I will never forget characters, Theodore, Clara, Mrs. S, Grand, and even Mr. Forrester, as well as Fred, Phileas, Honorine, and Todd.

I will be eagerly awaiting what Angela Bell has for her readers next.

Book Review: Inseparable “Shards of Sevia” series, Book 6

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

Inseparable (Shards of Sevia Book 6) by E. B. Roshan is now available. It is the final book in the “Shards of Sevia” series. Each of the books in the series can be read as stand-alones, but there are connections to characters and/or events in each book, so I suggest you read them in order.

The Shards of Sevia is a series of books about characters who live in a country ravaged by war. In the final installation, the characters, Radoslav and Dunya, were brought together by the war. Now, they are trying to live a peaceful existence, with their adoptive son, in a fishing village far from the conflict zone. Or are they? They may not be near the brunt of the fighting and violence of the war, but they still face conflicts – the main one being Dunya’s brother’s reaction and opinion of Dunya’s marriage to Radoslav. As they attempt to adjust to a new life, they soon receive news that requires them to travel to a town near the fighting. During their journey, more trouble comes.

Inseparable is filled with danger, trouble, and suspense. E. B. Roshan keeps the reader on the edge of their seat as they hope all will turn out well for Radoslav, Dunya, and their little boy. Roshan does a great job of portraying life in a war-torn area and portraying the troubles between two groups of people and the government.

As the dangers and problems ramp up, the reader continues turning pages, sometimes holding their breath and hoping for a happy ending. This story is intense and the ending bittersweet, making it very realistic and leaving the reader with the realization of what it’s like to live in a place where war, if not in your immediate vicinity, is all around you and has an effect on your life that could be detrimental in one way or another. But, Inseparable also touches on the internal struggles and emotions that, not only face people in a war zone, but that face people from anywhere in any stage of life. Dunya’s internal struggles are realistic, making her a very relatable character.

I have read all of the books in the “Shards of Sevia” series by E. B. Roshan and I highly recommend them to readers who enjoy realistic stories that include love stories. No, not romance, but love. There is a difference. I have enjoyed these books, but I have to say that the first book and this last book are my favorites. I also recommend these books to both men and women. I look forward to seeing what E. B. Roshan comes up with next.

Meez Carrie of Reading is My SuperPower Reviewed My Book!

/ kellyfbarr / 5 Comments

Book Review: Love By Pony Express by Kelly F. Barr

Posted July 27, 2024

Please be sure to visit Carrie’s website and read more of her reviews.

About the Book: LOVE BY PONY EXPRESS by Kelly F. Barr
SERIES: The Stars Into Horses #1
GENRE: Historical Western Romance (Christian)
PUBLISHER: Kelly F. Barr Publishing
RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2024
PAGES: 433

Johnny Reason notices a woman with a long red braid swaying in the middle of her back as she steps from the train before him in St. Joseph, Missouri, where his life as a Pony Express Rider will begin. But as he settles into his new life, Erin, a bold young woman seeking a husband, sets her sights on him. He soon wonders which is more dangerous–riding for the Pony Express or being pursued by Erin Byrne.

And why do thoughts of the young lady with the long red braid continue to invade his mind?

Since her mother’s death, Maggie Carter has struggled to get out from under her oldest sister’s thumb to live her own life. Sparks of romance stir within her from the first moment she sees the handsome Pony Express rider, Johnny, but her overbearing sister has determined that Maggie needs to find someone more fitting for her social standing.

Will Maggie win Johnny’s heart, or will her sister put an end to the relationship before it starts?

Carrie’s Thoughts

Even though it only lasted for 18 months, there’s something about the Pony Express that still captivates us over 150 years later. In Love By Pony Express, debut author Kelly F. Barr builds on this fascinating history with a mix of fact and fiction – and romance!

The hero of the story, Johnny Reason, may be a figment of Barr’s imagination but he’s based on various Pony Express riders, including the very first – the role that Johnny takes in this book. I enjoyed the fanfare surrounding the inaugural ride (some of it, like the mayor’s rather lofty speech, taken verbatim from historical accounts) and learning more about the expectations for the riders and the potential dangers they faced. From riding at night (where you can’t see potential harm/pitfalls to the horse or rider) to tribal attacks, dust storms, and blizzards, these Pony Express riders like Johnny were much braver, more daring – and a lot dustier (lol) – than I realized.

Historical representation notwithstanding, Johnny is a sweet character with a good heart, integrity, and a strong sense of morality. His background is tragic and heartbreaking but he’s allowed it to shape him into a stronger person and I enjoyed getting to know him on these pages. The main love interest in Love By Pony Express – Maggie – is equally likeable and kindhearted, despite her overbearing sister who (thankfully) is Maggie’s opposite. Johnny and Maggie’s relationship is gentle and warm, with attraction growing from its initial spark to something deeper through simple-but-meaningful time spent together.

Bottom Line: Love By Pony Express by Kelly F. Barr captures an intriguing time in ‘Old West’ history, giving readers a well-researched glimpse into the adventure of being a rider for this groundbreaking mail service. Johnny Reason and Maggie Carter are easy characters to like, and you will smile as their romance grows from a sweet courtship to gentle passion over the course of the book. I do admit to feeling disconnected from the story overall, I suspect because some scenes didn’t really advance the plot and therefore the pace meanders a bit. But I was engaged enough that I want to see where Barr takes the series and, in particular, if a certain saloon waitress gets her own story. Kelly Barr is an author to watch for sure, and I think fans of Tracie Peterson and Lauraine Snelling will enjoy this book too!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / liked it!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion

First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts an Anthology by The Insecure Writer’s Group

/ kellyfbarr / 8 Comments

My Review of the Anthology:

First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts

First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts is an anthology of love stories put together by The Insecure Writer’s Support Group and published by Dancing Lemur Press, LLC. As a Book Reviewer, I received a free copy of First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts, and this is my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor any review.

There are ten love stories by ten different writers in this anthology. The writers from this anthology range from this being their first published story to those who have one book published to some who have multiple books published. The contributing authors are: Linda Budzinski, Melissa Maygrove, Katie Klein, Templeton Moss, Sammi Spizziri, Sylvia Ney, Michael Di Gesu, Kim Elliott, Denise Covey, and S. E. White.

The stories range from a variety of genres. They also range from characters in their twenties to their fifties to post-retirement. Each of these stories is unique and each is extremely well written. Each drew me into the story from the start and held my attention throughout. Each story and several characters made a strong impression upon me, from the man with the inability to clearly recall his first love to the young orphan who married a man an entire town hated.

I highly recommend First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts to anyone who truly enjoys and craves good romance stories with a unique plot, endearing characters, or both. I don’t reread novels, no matter how much I love them, because I don’t have time, as I’m always reading new books because there are so many great new books to explore and, of course, in my case, to review. However, because these are short stories—I can read one in half an hour—I look forward to reading the stories in First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts again and again. And don’t ask me which of the ten stories I liked best, because I honestly couldn’t pick just one favorite from the bunch. I truly enjoyed them all because of their high writing quality and unique story lines.