Songkeeper- Gillian Bronte Adams

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: War ravages Leira and the Song has fallen silent.

Freed from the hold of a slave ship, Birdie, the young Songkeeper, and Ky, a street-wise thief, emerge to a world at war. Hordes of dark soldiers march across Leira, shadowed by whispers of plague and massacres, prompting Ky to return to his besieged home city in hopes of leading his fellow runners to safety.

Desperate to end the fighting, Birdie embarks on a dangerous mission into the heart of the Takhran's fortress. Legend speaks of a mythical spring buried within and the Songkeeper who will one day unleash it to achieve victory. Everyone believes Birdie is the one, but the elusive nature of the Song and rumors of other gifted individuals lead her to doubt her role. Unleashing the spring could defeat the Takhran once and for all, but can she truly be the Songkeeper when the Song no longer answers her call?

My Thoughts: Though this is the second book in the series, this is the first book of Gillian's that I have read. I found the story world very well developed and was able to pick up what had been happening without much issue. Though I didn't care much for the odd way Amos spoke, I was drawn in by the well developed characters, particularly Ky who was by far my favorite. So much so, that I could have read a book just about him.

One aspect I wish could have been drawn out a little longer was the time spent with the Saari. The lion riders had a culture I would have loved to have seen explored more in depth, particularly the relationship between Dah Inali and his sister.

What held me back from fully adoring this book is as other reviewers have mentioned: the ending. The gruesome violence is something that most readers have noted (it does get pretty disturbing), though my reason is a little bit different. Though Birdie comes out at the end with a personal victory which proves her strength of will, <spoiler> the main goal of the novel fails. Utterly. </spoiler> I'm not a fan of this way of ending novel. Particularly not after having gone through so much with the characters.

Because I never read the first in the series, I have no idea how that ended or how to predict the next novel. Since I believe that the next book is the last one, I really don't think it will end as disappointingly as this, though it may be just as gruesome. Still, I think the book over all deserves a high rating. Most of the book was really good and, so long as you begin the story with some foreknowledge, you can be prepared for the way it unfolds.

I have provided an honest review of this novel after having received a copy for review.

My Brother's Keeper- Rod Gragg - Non-Fiction

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Description:

Thirty captivating profiles of Christians who risked everything to rescue their Jewish neighbors from Nazi terror during the Holocaust.

MY BROTHER'S KEEPER unfolds powerful stories of Christians from across denominations who gave everything they had to save the Jewish people from the evils of the Holocaust. This unlikely group of believers, later honored by the nation of Israel as "The Righteous Among the Nations," includes ordinary teenage girls, pastors, priests, a German army officer, a former Italian fascist, an international spy, and even a princess.

In one gripping profile after another, these extraordinary historical accounts offer stories of steadfast believers who together helped thousands of Jewish individuals and families to safety. Many of these everyday heroes perished alongside the very people they were trying to protect. There is no doubt that all of their stories showcase the best of humanity--even in the face of unthinkable evil.

My Thoughts: I was really impressed with this one. Gragg's research is extensive, looking at not only the individuals who would later be named "The Righteous Among the Nations" but also the environment in which they lived and events that directly and indirectly affected their missions. While some of the information was knowledge that I already had, there was a lot that I was either unfamiliar with or else needed a reminder.

Another highlight of this book is that, for Christian readers, Gragg does not brush off the faith of these individuals he writes about. Instead he explains why so many felt it was their Christian duty to defend their Jewish brothers. Yet he manages to do this without preaching or quoting scripture other than what the subjects used themselves, so that it can be read by those who may not otherwise appreciate his mention of Christian principles.

Throughout, my only complaint was the lack of subject headings and breaks in the text. I understand that this is a personal preference, but I like to see beforehand what the next section will be about, and the only divider Gragg uses are bolded quotes taken from the succeeding paragraphs. While this allows for a more continuous text, it makes it difficult to come back later and find the section I was looking for.

I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of the book from the publisher.

The Action Storybook Bible Contest by David C Cook

DOES YOUR CHILD LOVE COMIC BOOKS? HOW ABOUT SUPER HEROES?

Now is your chance to have DC and Marvel illustrator Sergio Cariello make your child's dream come true!

Parents!

David C Cook is proud to introduce the newest book in the Action Bible collection: The Action Storybook Bible (coming October 2017). Pre-order The Action Storybook Bible from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or ChristianBook.com to reserve your copy today. Plus click the graphic below to enter to have a chance to win an illustration of your child as a super hero by Action Bible artist Sergio Cariello (who has also illustrated comics for DC and Marvel!).

The giveaway is open until September 11, 2017, 5:00pm MST. Your entry must be received by then to be eligible. Five winners will be chosen at random from eligible entrants.

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{THE ACTION STORYBOOK BIBLE}

Families see the Bible in motion and put their faith into action! The Action Storybook Bible invites families with young children to explore God's redemptive story together. An entry point into the world of The Action Bible, it tells of the amazing creation story, powerful kings who reigned over ancient Israel, God's miraculous gift of eternal life through Jesus, and more! God's promise for the world is displayed throughout every page. Discover your family's place in God's incredible story and together put your faith into action! Interactive features include:

• Fifteen key episodes from God's Word-each one loaded with several stories along with over 350 brand-new illustrations throughout.
• Short and easy readings-for children ages eight and under with rich, colorful images.
• Life, Faith, Action! features-conclude every episode and invite families to talk about how God moves in the stories, how to see God in life today, how to put faith into action, and how to easily talk to God with a suggested prayer.
• Hall of Fame visual index-the place to look up favorite Bible characters by discovering their icon connections and finding them in the stories.

Learn more and purchase a copy here.

Exiles- Blog Tour and Giveaway

Jaye L. Knight’s newest novel, Exiles, has been released! Exiles is the fourth book in the Christian fantasy series, Ilyon Chronicles. Read about it below and be sure to check out the other blog stops on the tour by visiting the official tour page. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

About the Book
Exiled after their defeat in Samara, the Resistance struggles to find allies in their quest to restore King Balen to his throne and put an end to the emperor’s tyranny. When the crete people refuse to lend their aid, Balen leads a group to Dorland to reason with them and win their support. However, enemies prove to be everywhere, and they find themselves in a fight to keep Dorland from becoming Daican’s latest conquest.

Back in Landale, the arrival of a new enemy forces Trask and Anne to tread more carefully than ever. Tensions are rising, and the enemy is determined to test Anne’s loyalty and root out the location of Trask and the Resistance once and for all.

Feeling trapped within the walls of Valcré, Prince Daniel must contend with an ever-eroding relationship with his father. As their clashes escalate, the situation becomes potentially life threatening when his loyalty is called into question. His sister seems bent on branding him a traitor and actively seeking to condemn him to the fate of those put to death in their father’s new arena. Daniel is certain his father would never execute his only son and heir, but with other forces at work, it might not be that simple.

One small misstep could prove fatal for all.


My Thoughts  
Every book in this series has been a "has-to-read" for me. I absolutely adore Jace and love the Roman undertones added to the setting. And the persecution of Believers challenges my own faith and forces me to question what my own response would be to these circumstances. And Exiles certainly was no different that the rest of the series.

The book did start out slow. While the first chapter was adorable, the lack of actual conflict in the first portion of the book made it easy to set down initially. Only my love for the characters and hope for the rest of the book kept me reading through multiple chapters were the characters either discussed what to do next or went on explorations of the neighboring kingdom's natural wonders. It was in this first part of the book that the side characters, Anne and Prince Daniel, stood out. Their scenes were genuinely interesting and filled with conflict, which made me love these characters all the more.

Eventually, Jace and Kyrin's portion of the story did pick up pace. And at that point, I had a difficult time putting it down in order to go to bed and ended up reading it in the carpool on the way to work. The action was fantastic, with a twist at the end that.... just blew me away. After that, I think it might be an understatement to say that I am extremely excited for the next novel in the series.

I have provided an honest review after having received an ecopy from the author.

Available now on Amazon!

Haven’t discovered the world of Ilyon yet? The first three Kindle books are on sale August 11^th - 14^th!

You can find them on Amazon.

About the Author
Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

You can connect with Jaye on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Etsy.






Share in the excitement of the release and enter to win a themed giveaway pack! Prizes include an autographed copy of Exiles, a pewter dragon necklace by treasurecast, and a sword letter opener! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To Wager Her Heart- Tamera Alexander

This book comes out tomorrow! Guys, this it so exciting!

My Rating: 4 Stars



Description: 

With fates bound by a shared tragedy, a reformed gambler from the Colorado Territory and a Southern Belle bent on breaking free from society's expectations must work together to achieve their dreams - provided the truth doesn't tear them apart first.

  

Seeking justice . . . 

   

Sylas Rutledge, the new owner of the Northeast Line Railroad, invests everything he has into this venture, partly for the sake of the challenge. But mostly to clear his father's name. One man holds the key to Sy's success--General William Giles Harding of Nashville's Belle Meade Plantation. But Harding is champagne and thoroughbreds, and Sy Rutledge is beer and bullocks. 

   

Sy needs someone to help him maneuver his way through Nashville's society, and when he meets Alexandra Jamison, he quickly decides he's found his tutor. Only, he soon discovers that the very train accident his father is blamed for causing is what killed Alexandra Jamison's fiancé--and has shattered her world. 

   

Struggling to restore honor . . . 

   

Spurning an arranged marriage by her father, Alexandra instead pursues her passion for teaching at Fisk University, the first freedmen's university in the United States. But family--and Nashville society--do not approve, and she soon finds herself cast out from both.

   

Through connections with the Harding family, Alexandra and Sy become unlikely allies. And despite her first impressions, Alexandra gradually finds herself coming to respect, and even care for this man. But how can she, when her heart is still spoken for? And when Sy's roguish qualities and adventuresome spirit smack more of recklessness than responsibility and honor? 

   

Sylas Rutledge will risk everything to win over the woman he loves. What he doesn't count on is having to wager her heart to do it.

My Thoughts: I love how much history Tamera manages to stick into her stories without making them read like a textbook. It is fantastic and is the main reason that I still love to read her books all these years after I first discovered her work. I have found that a sadly large number of Historical Romances today are more romance, with barely any "historical", where as Tamera balances the two to create a more filling love story.

Sy and Alexandra's relationship starts off heated to say the least, but time and forgiveness eventually brings them together. But far more interesting (at least to my history loving heart) was their interactions with the railroad and Fisk University. Though I live in Knoxville and have taken courses on Southern History, I had not heard of there being a freedmen's school in Nashville so soon after the war.

One thing that I wish had been addressed is some of the darker emotions that were held by many of the South's freedmen. All of these characters in the novel are extremely forgiving and resigned to suffer underneath the continued oppression they suffered even after emancipation. While this grace is heartwarming, it is also a little unrealistic. I would have liked for at least one character to lash out or at least to display some pent-up anger.

Still, this is a relatively minor complaint compared to all that Tamera did well. I am happy to recommend this book and eagerly await her next novel.

I have provided an honest review after having received an ARC from the author and publisher.