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.
Thursday evening, October 2, 2025, I participated in an Author Reception at my friend, Becky’s, beautiful artisan shop, Pebbles & Lace. This is me at the table I shared with my friend and fellow author, C.S. Wachter, ready to start greeting readers.
Here are some of the wonderful authors who participated. The cute little dog is the character in her mommy’s books, and she even co-signs the books her mommy sells. Her name is Charlamay. We had such a great turnout that I didn’t have enough time to meet and talk to all of the authors. I think I spoke to the majority of shoppers, though.
I have known this dear young lady since she was a young child. It was such a blessing to have her, her mom, and several of her siblings come out. I enjoyed seeing them. It was a blessing to have this young lady so excited and happy to purchase my book! She said she had waited a whole year to get it, and she had. She saw me just a month or two before I published it. She was the first to purchase my book at this event.
The young lady in the blue dress standing next to me came out for this event to promote her Literary Magazine the evening before its release! I was very intrigued because there aren’t very many literary magazines around anymore, since so many things are on the internet. Her magazine is called “The Drowsy Dragon”. It’s a small magazine of short stories by this young lady and a few other people. I was excited to purchase one and take it along home to read.
This author reception was definitely the most fun and most successful event I have attended as an author so far. Thank you to all of you who came out to support us authors! And thank you, Becky, for hosting this wonderful event!
I wish all of the author attendees blessings, and I hope to see you all again.
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.
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.
Today it is my honor and pleasure to share my interview with author, Kathryn Amurra. Kathryn is an award winning author. She has four previously published novels, one in progress, and one that just came out on March 12th. See my post about her new release here.
Q: You won the Georgia Romance Authors’ 2020 Maggie Award for Excellence in the Unpublished Historical Romance category. I’m guessing the book that won that accolade has since been published. Will you please share which book that is? Also, please share what it felt like or meant to you to win that award.
A: The book that won the award was the second book I published in my Ancient Rome historical romance series Soothsayer’s Path, and that book is called Admonition. It is about a young widow named Sabina who believes she caused her husband’s untimely death with her careless words, so she takes a vow of silence, letting everyone around her think she has been cursed. The hero, Lucius, seems to understand her, even with her self-imposed silence, but when he becomes the target of a political plot, Sabina must decide whether breaking her silence will save his life or merely seal his fate. It was a dream come true to win the Maggie for that book. It happened during Covid, so there was no awards ceremony, and I didn’t even know I’d won until someone from the Georgia Romance Writers emailed me to congratulate me!
Q: According to your Amazon Bio, you have a day job as an intellectual property attorney. Could you tell us what an intellectual property attorney is? Then, please tell us when you knew you wanted to be an author and why?
A: Intellectual property includes patents (protection for new inventions such as new products, methods of making things, etc.); trademarks (source identifiers, which could be words like AMAZON, designs like the Golden Arches, colors like UPS’s brown color—really anything that conveys a brand); and copyrights (like the rights you have in a book you wrote!). After high school I received a degree in mechanical engineering, worked as an engineer for a few years (where I met my husband), then quit job and went to law school with my husband. When I graduated from law school, I began working as a patent attorney and gradually moved into other areas of intellectual property law. But I’ve always loved to write and have been writing stories since grade school. It has always been my passion. I was just never courageous enough to pursue it formally until about ten years ago.
Kelly: Wow! You’ve done some amazing things. I, for one, am so glad you found your courage to pursue your passion for writing.
Q: Soothsayer, your first published novel and first book in the “Soothsayers Path Series, was published May 2, 2020. How long was the process of writing to published?
A: I started writing Soothsayer in May of 2017, so it took me a full three years to get that one ready to publish! I entered Soothsayer into several writing contests to get critiques and feedback on it, which were very helpful, but the turning point for me was when I won a critique from best-selling romance author Haywood Smith on the first 50 pages of Soothsayer. She gave me extremely good advice, and then after I revised the book she was kind enough to read the first 100 pages and give me even more advice. I learned a lot from her, and her feedback really improved my writing.
Kelly: Yes, as a writer, I, too, know how important it is to have another writer or an editor who can help you along the writing journey.
Q: According to your Amazon Bio, there is another book in the “Soothsayers Path Series” in the works. Any idea how long your fans will have to wait for this book, and will it be the final book in this series?
A: I started writing the fourth book in the Soothsayer’s Path series soon after publishing Birthright (Book 3), but then I got a wild idea to re-write the first two books I’d written and shelved (which would become Amulet and Timeless), so I put Book 4 on hold. Although it’s still on hold because I’m currently working on a Young Adult Romance based on all the crazy stories my 17-year-old comes home with, I have a very clear idea of Book 4 (called Guardian) and I’m hoping to pick it back up by the end of this year. I’ll be self-publishing that one, so let’s say it’ll be out by September of 2026, maybe?
Kelly: Oh, how exciting! A YA Romance. Yes, the creative mind of a writer can sometimes cause us to take an unexpected turn to write something we hadn’t planned on in the middle of something else. Also, sometimes things in life cause us to take a break from writing, releasing a book later than we first planned. I hope our readers understand that and will keep watching for these upcoming books. I know I will!
Q: On April 3, 2024, the first book in your latest series, “Heart’s True Desire” was published. It is titled, Amulet. According to Amazon, your first three books don’t have a publisher listed, but Amulet is listed as being published by The Wild Rose Press, Inc. So tell us, did you begin as an indie published author? If so, what made you to decide to switch to traditional publishing?
A: I tried to publish through a publisher with the Soothsayer’s Path series, but my submissions were rejected by agents and publishers because, I was told, Ancient Rome doesn’t sell. So, I decided to publish those on my own because I’d gotten enough feedback, from people not related to me, that the stories were of publishable quality. When I re-wrote the books that became Amulet and Timeless, I decided to try the publisher route again, and this time I was offered a contract from The Wild Rose Press. Having a publisher is nice because you don’t have to deal with formatting the books and there is someone to help with editing. For me, having a publisher—a third party judge of what readers will buy—offer me a contract was also a validation. It meant that I had something that someone in the business thought was worth publishing. But the publisher gets a cut of the profits, as they well should, so I end up making much less per book on the ones with The Wild Rose Press than those I’ve published on my own. With my work-in-progress, the YA, I would like to see if I can get an agent and get a bigger publishing company to buy that book. We’ll see. It’s just nice to have something to work toward, especially since I love the work!
Q: Your latest series, “Heart’s True Desire”, is a duology, is that right?
The first book, already released, Amulet, and the soon to be released, Timeless.
I hope you don’t mind my sharing this, but in our communication in regard to me reading and reviewing an ARC of Timeless, you mentioned that this was actually the first book you had written some time ago, when you decided you wanted to write a publishable book. So, would you please tell us why it ended up being published after four other books you wrote?
A: Heart’s True Desire is actually a trilogy, and the next book, called Unholy, will also be published by The Wild Rose Press, probably in early 2026. Unholy will involve the amulet from the first book and is a vampire story that takes place on a college campus. It does not have your typical vampire-human romance ending, but hopefully readers will enjoy it.
Because Timeless was the first book I wrote, it wasn’t very well written. I learned that after submitting the book to agents and editors unsuccessfully. So, I set the manuscript aside and wrote Amulet. Amulet was better (I had learned a few things in that time), but it still had a lot of problems. My storytelling skills really improved with the next book I wrote, Soothsayer, and after getting a lot of feedback and encouragement, I self-published that one. I then wrote and published the next two books in the series, Admonition and Birthright, and I had started writing the fourth (Guardian) when I had the idea to go back and rewrite my first two books Timeless and Amulet, so I set Guardian aside. After more feedback on those re-written books, I went back and re-wrote Timeless (again), adding the story of the ring to relate it to the amulet in Amulet so that the two books could be part of a series. Because Amulet had the more thorough story of the magical amulet and ring’s origin, I thought it made more sense to have Amulet be Book 1 of the series.
Q: After all this, is Timeless nearer and dearer to your heart than your previously published books, or has one of the other books taken that place? Also, of all your published books and Timeless, which is your favorite character from your books and why?
A: There are things I love about all my books, but the book that is closest to my heart really is Timeless. Timeless has a lot of me in it—I began writing it a few years after my mother passed away, so Erin’s grief in the story is mine, too. As for favorite characters, there is something about the hero in Admonition, Lucius, that I absolutely adore. He is confident, almost cocky, but sensitive and sweet at the same time. He is exactly what Sabina needs, and he knows it, but he gives her the space to discover it for herself (for the most part). And he is willing to die for her honor, which, to me, is absolutely swoon worthy.
Kelly: I’m sorry for your loss. Yes, we often put a lot of ourselves in at least one of our books, and sometimes writing a story is therapeutic and helps us heal.
Q: Do readers need to read Amulet before reading Timeless? Also, is there anything else you’d like to share about Timeless before this interview ends?
A: There is a prologue in Timeless that explains the history of the ring and the amulet, so readers will have no problem picking up Timeless without having read Amulet. But if they want a little more about the history of the magical stones, they might want to go back and read Amulet, too!
Q: Thank you so much for your time and for answering these questions, Kathryn. I hope this interview will get a lot of notice and send more readers to your books. Before, we wrap it all up, what else would you like readers to know about you or your books? And, where can readers find you?
A: Thanks so much for talking with me, Kelly, and for all your great questions. It’s a pleasure to have this opportunity to share my story (and the story of my stories) with you! I hope your readers will enjoy my books and will visit my website at https://www.kathrynamurra.com. I have a newsletter that comes out once a month where I share my thoughts on various topics (both romantic and philosophical) and provide updates on what I’m reading and writing. Anyone can subscribe by using the contact form on my website or emailing me directly at kathrynamurra@gmail.com.
My books can be purchased through the links on my website or at the following locations:
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.
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 falsehoodsabout 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.
Bentonsport: A New Chapter is the second book of Lisa Schnedler’s duology. The first book is Bentonsport: A Christmas Story, which I read and reviewed for Clean Fiction Magazine. After reading the first book, I had to read this one to find out how things worked out or didn’t work out for Thomas Barton and Sarah Peterson.
Both books are time travel novels. In Bentonsport: A New Chapter, Sarah has gone 150 years back in time to join Thomas Barton in his world. Sarah is also from Bentonsport, but in a very different time period. This book is a fun read as Sarah, who is used to many of the modern conveniences that you and I live with in today’s world, must now do without such things as electric stoves and ovens, electricity in the house, cell phones, and many other things. In addition, she has to dress differently and live a different lifestyle than she is used to. She also has to be careful what she says to avoid appearing crazy.
This novel is a delightful read as Sarah struggles and, eventually, accepts her new world. Readers will also be delighted with some surprises in the story. You will also fall in love with some of the characters. This book will also make you laugh out loud on occasion.
An easy to read, clean fiction story, with a bit of the Christian religion mixed in, as well as adventure and fun is all to be had in Bentonsport: A New Chapter. I highly recommend this book, but strongly suggest you read Bentonsport: A Christmas Story first to fully understand and follow this sequel. However, I will mention that the first novel is a bit more serious, and sometimes intense and suspenseful. It seems to set things up for this book, but both are definitely worth the read!
I give Bentonsport: A New Chapter by Lisa Schnedler a 5 star rating.
Today’s theme from The Broke and the Bookish is a Holiday Gift Guide Freebie, which means you create a list of ten books that would be great gifts for Dads, YA lovers, etc. So my TTT is Top Ten Books to buy for your Middle Grade Reader, and every one of these books is Book 1 of a series.
Kate O’Connell and her mother are left to struggle in 1906 Minneapolis after her father dies in a construction accident. Praying for a new husband for her mother, when God actually answers her prayers in the affirmative, Kate dreads what will happen next. Becoming part of a Swedish family in Wisconsin, Kate begins to get into conflicts with her step-brother Anders. When she notices some strange things happening around the farm, will she and Anders learn to work together to solve the mystery?
2.
Join cousins Beth and Patrick as they travel back in time to Greenland circa 1000 to find a Viking sunstone! While visiting Whit’s Soda Shoppe, the cousins find a mysterious, old letter in Imagination Station asking for Viking sunstone; if the sunstone isn’t found then someone named Albert will be imprisoned. Beth and Patrick race through time, meet the Vikings Erik the Red and Leif Eriksson, and locate the sunstone.but when they return to the Soda Shoppe another note is waiting for them requesting a silver goblet.
3.
The Sugar Creek Gang series chronicles the faith-building adventures of a group of fun-loving, courageous Christian boys. These classic stories have been inspiring children to grow in their faith for more than five decades. Children continue to grow up relating to members of the gang as they struggle with the application of their Christian faith to the adventure of life.
The Sugar Creek Gang discovers a “disguise” hidden in a sycamore hollow. Does it belong to the bank robber hiding in the swamp? A mysterious map hidden near the tree proves to be even more exciting then the disguise. Before the adventure ends, the gang encounters the robber, helps Bill Collins welcome a new baby sister, and saves the victim of a black widow spider bite. Join Bill and the rest of the Sugar Creek Gang as they learn the lesson of “sowing” and “reaping.”
4.
In one harrowing day, Viking raiders capture Bree and her brother Devon and take them from their home in Ireland. After the young Viking prince Mikkel sets Devon free on the Irish coast far from home, Bree and Devin embark on separate journeys to courage. Readers will be captivated by the unfolding drama as Bree sails to Norway on the Viking ship and Devin travels the dangerous road home.
5.
Max, a Scottish terrier, takes his usual morning trot down to the loch where he hears a mysterious Voice humming in the reeds saying, “Come to Me…follow the fire cloud.” He embarks on an unknown journey from Scotland, meeting other animals along the way including Liz, a brilliant, petite black cat from France. Max and Liz become the brave leaders for their group, and eventually, for the entire ark. The mysterious journey, filled with danger, humor, trials, and triumphs, leads them across Europe to the Middle East. The moment of arrival for these animals is spectacular as the ark is miraculously transformed into the animals’ natural habitats.
Throughout the previous one hundred years, Noah and family have endured ridicule from villagers while building the ark. Now this family must painfully witness the loss of lives and total destruction of the earth through the mighty flood.
After the journey to the ark, the voyage in the ark begins. Liz finds ways to keep the animals occupied, including daily exercise led by the flamingos and a talent night where the animals entertain each other with their natural abilities. But a sinister plot develops Someone is out to kill Noah and his family. Liz follows clues that lead her to discover a stowaway who has deceived them all. Max and Liz foil the plot, but at a high price. The end climaxes with unexpected twists and turns, taking the reader from despair to hope.
6.
The Prophet, the Shepherd, and the Star launches the Epic Order of the Seven series, picking up where The Amazing Tales of Max and Liz left off. The Maker has been building a team of animal friends for thousands of years to be his envoys for pivotal points of history.
With this new, critical mission, the team will finally be completed by Messiah and known forevermore as the Order of the Seven. A talking, musical scroll, a pigeon-flying-and-camel-driving mouse, a writing cat, a courageous lamb, and two lion-fighting dogs provide non-stop action in this adventure that brings the Christmas story to life as never before. You will be astounded at the accuracy and perfection of the prophecies and God’s unfolding plan to bring Jesus into the world.
The seven hundred–year mission begins long before the Nativity, as animal friends Max, Liz, Al, Kate, and Nigel work with Isaiah, who prophesies about the coming Messiah. The team intervenes with the Assyrians that threaten to take Jerusalem and prove Isaiah’s prophecies false. They go with faithful Daniel and friends into the Babylonian captivity for the heart-pounding thrills of the fiery furnace and the lions’ den. They meet Gabriel as he appears to Daniel, and hide a secret scroll of prophecy for the wise men to someday discover as they study the Star. The book climaxes with the unfolding Christmas story as the animals once again see Gabriel with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds.
Experience the hardships of Mary and Joseph as they obediently accept their calling to parent Messiah. Joyfully watch God provide for their every need through a lovable Jewish rabbi who dares to believe them and an unlikely Roman soldier who protects them. The shepherds and the wise men never know their steps are guided by these small animals that lead them to baby Jesus. Relentless in his pursuit is the evil lion, who seeks to devour them and stop the unfolding events leading to Messiah’s birth.
7.
My name is Michael Vey, and the story I’m about to tell you is strange. Very strange. It’s my story.
To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is an ordinary fourteen-year-old. In fact, the only thing that seems to set him apart is the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome. But Michael is anything but ordinary. Michael has special powers. Electric powers.
Michael thinks he’s unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor also has special powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up this way, but their investigation brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric children – and through them the world. Michael will have to rely on his wits, powers, and friends if he’s to survive.
8.
A dangerous new order threatens the mission of the Knights of Arrethtrae. Only loyalty to the King can bring victory!
As the Knights of the Prince await His triumphant return, they are steadfast in their mission to take His story into the kingdom and recruit as many as are willing. But when a new and dangerous threat is revealed, their mission is jeopardized.
Sir Kendrick and his young charge, the impetuous Sir Duncan, are sent on a mission to discover the identity and origin of a secretive new order known as the Conquistero Knights. They travel to the city of Bel Lione where Lord Ra has been enticing young people in the kingdom to join his festivals, after which many choose not to return home. Their families keep quiet for fear of repercussion.
When Sir Duncan disappears while trying to discover the truth of Lord Ra’s castle, Sir Kendrick attempts to find and enlist the help of a mysterious warrior. Time is short for he must save Duncan and call upon the knights of Chessington to join in the battle against the evil Lord Ra.
Journey to Arrethtrae, where these knights of noble heart live and die in loyal service to the King and the Prince. These knights are mighty, for they serve a mighty King. They are…the Knights of Arrethtrae!
9.
What ancient mysteries lurk behind the amazing stories in the Dragons in Our Midst series? Reading this prequel, you’ll journey back in time to learn how dragons survived the flood and about the ancient evil force that led to their demise in the days of King Arthur. Discover the mysteries that led to the bestselling fantasy adventure that began with Raising Dragons. With heart-stopping fantasy action and clear spiritual insights, Eye of the Oracle will captivate young and old alike, and it will challenge every reader to search deep within for answers to the mysteries in their own hearts.
10.
Raising Dragons is a contemporary fantasy novel that inspires young people to dig deep within to find their God-given strengths and use them to overcome any obstacle. It is both a hair-raising, modern-day adventure and a glimpse into another world-a world of knights, dragons, and fair maidens.
A boy learns of his dragon past; a girl has known of hers for years. They combine their faith, courage, and love to overcome evil, a slayer who seeks to bring an end to dragon heritage, forever.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday theme as established by The Broke and the Bookish is probably one of the easiest ones I’ve ever done because my TBR list is forever growing. The theme is Ten Books I’ve Added to my TBR List Lately.
![The Ark, the Reed, and the Fire Cloud (The Amazing Tales of Max & Liz Book 1) by [Cote, Jenny]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51XVv8W-9CL.jpg)
![The Prophet, the Shepherd, and the Star (Epic Order of the Seven) by [Cote, Jenny L.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51q41KCEWKL.jpg)
![Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione (The Knights of Arrethtrae) by [Black, Chuck]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51T7VMTumsL.jpg)
![Raising Dragons (Dragons in our Midst Book 1) by [Davis, Bryan]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51GUjrIqrbL.jpg)
![The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared by [Ozma, Alice]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Zkrt2ufVL.jpg)
![I Capture the Castle by [Smith, Dodie]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51eGWHd%2BsCL.jpg)
![The Doomsday Book by [Willis, Connie]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51USP91evlL.jpg)
![The Goldfinch: A Novel (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction) by [Tartt, Donna]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41S2y8O6oXL.jpg)
![Faceless by [Sheinmel, Alyssa]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51jIm0h-bGL.jpg)
![Room: A Novel by [Donoghue, Emma]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51lsFID%2BQPL.jpg)
![Eleanor & Park by [Rowell, Rainbow]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/416UFMhfZ8L.jpg)
![The Red Harlequin Box Set (Books 1-4) by [Ricci, Roberto]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41tgaNVTSEL.jpg)
Kelly F Barr 