Midnight on the River Grey- Abigail Wilson

My Rating: 3 Stars

Description: Can one develop feelings for the man you swore to see hanged? That’s just what Rebecca fears she has done in this Gothic Regency romance. 

After her brother’s mysterious death, Rebecca Hunter vows to expose the man she believes responsible: Mr. Lewis Browning—known by the locals as the Midnight Devil and by Rebecca as her new guardian.

Summoned to his reclusive country estate to await her London season, Rebecca plans her own secret investigation among the darkened corridors of the mysterious Greybourne Hall. Yet Lewis Browning is not as she once imagined, and his motivation is horribly unclear. Recurrent nightmares and Rebecca’s restless feelings are further complicated by the shadow of her mother’s prior descent into madness and wondering if she, too, will follow the same heartbreaking path.

Even as midnight rides, strange injuries, and further murders lead back to Mr. Browning, Rebecca can’t ignore the subtle turn of her heart. Has she fallen for the man she swore would pay for her brother’s death? And moreover, can she trust him with her uncertain future?

My Thoughts:  I wasn't sure what to make of this story when I first started reading it. From the start, Rebecca seemed determined to blame Mr. Browning for her brother's murder despite there not being much reason to. It made Rebecca sort of flat in that she was determined to find guilt because of her own emotions on the matter of her brother's death.

As the story progressed, Rebecca's trust in Mr. Browning grows, and with that the story improves. The relationship between the two is a sweet one and Rebecca's motivation for discovering what had happened the night her brother died took on new shape in that the answers could improve Mr. Browning's standing in the community or else destroy him entirely. And I enjoyed the twist at the end, when Rebecca discovers what really happened. The true villain's identity is a well done reveal that sets up a good climax for the ending.

Throughout the narrative, I found that there were certain lines and phrase that read awkwardly. I believe that was done to imitate dialogue from the period and that for many readers, this may be more immersive. For myself, I found that it pulled me from the story, though less so nearing the end. As to my final opinion on the story, I found that I did enjoy it and would recommend it to those who love regency era works of fiction.

I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of the book through the FictionGuild.

Thirst- Jill Williamson

My Rating: 5 Stars

Description: A waterborne disease has sprung up in every corner of the globe, decimating the human race. Seventeen-year-old Eli McShane and his friends flee the chaos and violence in Phoenix and journey north toward the rumored location of a safe water source. They add several to their number, including a mysterious girl named Hannah, who, unknown to Eli, is being hunted by a dangerous man. Desperation brings out the worst in many of the travelers, infecting even those closest to Eli. When division comes, will he be able to hold his group together or will each fall victim to their own thirst for survival?

My Thoughts: What a great prequel. I had loved The Safe Lands trilogy, but admittedly never cared about what happened before that. However, once I saw that Jill was going to finish and publish Thirst, I decided to give it a try, and I am so glad that I did!

When the world as they know it starts to end, Eli and his friends are oblivious for two full weeks. By the time they realize what is happening, the fight for survival is already in full swing. I loved this concept and enjoyed seeing Eli react in the moment, while still unsure if he should believe what he's seeing.

Eli steps up pretty quickly and cobbles together a way to take care of everyone with him, even when those people argue at every turn. I related a lot with Eli's planning methods and his frustration at having to be the leader, especially when no one wanted to listen to him.

Despite my irritation with a certain character at the end, <spoiler> Jaylee needs to leave Eli alone! </spoiler>, I'm super excited for the next book and wish that it wasn't going end after just one more.

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

The Christmas Jar- Movie Review

MOVIE SYNOPSIS:  

Based on the New York Times best- selling novel by Jason F. Wright

Hope is an aspiring reporter who has had her fair share of tragedy in life. Abandoned at birth, she's grieving the recent death of her adopted mother when her apartment is burglarized of all her possessions. While reporting the burglary to the police, Hope discovers a jar full of money, labeled "Christmas Jar." Shocked and grateful for this act of kindness, Hope discovers that people all over her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, have been receiving Christmas Jars for years during times of need. The jars are always anonymous and always contain different amounts. In this heartwarming Christmas classic, Hope goes undercover to discover the secret behind the Christmas jars, putting into motion a series of events that will change her life, and her community, forever.

MOVIE REVIEW: 

I had never heard of the book this movie is based on, so I was not sure what to expect going in to it. I 
was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the story and the production. It wasn't too cheesy, the 
relationships felt authentic, and there was nice holiday cheer. There were a few scenes that I had felt
were a little over the top, with characters falling and wearing ridiculous outfits. However, this was a
sweet Christmas movie, one that is perfect compromise for those who like Hallmark movies and those
who don't.

I have provided an honest review after receiving a copy of the movie.

LINKS TO PURCHASE DVD: Deseret Books or Amazon

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY: 

Rafflecopter Giveaway- $50 Amazon Gift Card 

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MOVIE TRAILER LINK: 

 Movie trailer link

Christmas in Winter Hill- Melody Carlson

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Description: Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager . . . well, manages.

As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn't always feel welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders, "Where's the snow?" Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista's Christmas spirit before the big day?

Bestselling author Melody Carlson invites you to spend this holiday season in a town you'll never forget--and never want to leave.

My Thoughts: Sometimes you are just in the mood for a short, sweet Christmas story. Christmas in Winter Hill is that sort of story, closely resembling a Hallmark movie. Though it doesn't have as much romance, there is still a cute couple of dates between Krista and the story's eligible bachelor.

Initially, the story does take a little while to get into. There are a couple chapters of set up in which Krista goes from meeting to meeting, discussing budgets and job requirements. The book is relatively short, so it is close to the midpoint when the plot begins to pick up. That is when Krista starts to see the good bits of Christmas and learns to live one day at a time rather than dreading the future.

While I can't say that this will be a reread for next year, it was a cute one for this season. I enjoyed Emily's excitement over the Christmas House and related to Krista's decision to pull away before getting hurt. I would recommend this for those who enjoy Christmas stories and would like a Hallmark like read.

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

The Dating Charade- Tour and Review

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Dating Charade
By Melissa Ferguson
Contemporary Romance, Christian
Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 336 Pages
December 3rd 2019 by Thomas Nelson

Just when you think you've met your match . . . the charade begins.

Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband and children altogether.

But fate has other plans, and Cassie's online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett's memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game.

No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps each they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong?

Melissa Ferguson's hilarious and warmhearted debut reminds us that love can come in very small package and that sometimes our best-laid plans aren't nearly as rewarding and fun as the surprises that come our way.

(Affiliate links included.)

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My Review

I loved this! Getting to see these characters interact, both adults and children, made this a great read. Cassie and Jett are two amazing people who really step up to the plate when it comes to taking care of the three children they have each suddenly found in their care. Taking care of children is never easy, and these two were thrust into that with three kids!

I am torn about who was my favorite. Jett's scenes were hilarious, with the toddlers running amuck in his house, while Cassie's scenes had so much heart and delved into the dynamics of foster families. I was cheering for both of them and glad that they were able to brave parenthood.

One thing I will say is that this is touted as a romance, and while the relationship between the two leads is the driving conflict of the story, it did take a backseat to the relationships they had with the children in their care. Jett and Cassie only ever get to go on a handful of dates throughout, and most of those are abandoned part way through due to something going on at home. It is still an awesome story, but probably less romance than many readers would be expecting.

I have provided an honest review after having received an ARC through Prism Book Tours and the publisher.

About the Author

Melissa Ferguson is an adjunct professor for Bible and religion at King University. She lives in the charming town of Bristol, Tennessee, with her husband, twin toddlers, and baby girl. She used to have hobbies like running and backpacking the Appalachian Trail outside her door. Now her hobbies include admiring the Appalachian Trail out her minivan window while singing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" en route to the library.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Tour Schedule

To Best the Boys- Mary Weber

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Description: The task is simple: don a disguise. Survive the Labyrinth. Best the boys.

In a thrilling new fantasy from the bestselling author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, one girl makes a stand against society and enters a world made exclusively for boys.

Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port have received a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. The poorer residents look to see if their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.

In the province of Caldon, where women train in wifely duties and men pursue collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.

With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone is ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the deadly maze.

Welcome to the Labyrinth.

My Thoughts: This is definitely my favorite book of Weber's so far. The mix of science and magic is just what I love in this sort of story and I could have read a book that just focused on Rhen curing diseases while running away from ghouls and sirens. These mythical beings brought the story to life in a way that would have been sorely missed had the world building leaned in more of a steampunk direction.

Yet the main purpose of the story was for Rhen to beat the boys in the labyrinth rather than find a cure. While the competition is mentioned from the beginning, it doesn't come into play until around the halfway point and then ends with nearly a quarter of the story left. And since this aspect of the story was so important, I would have liked for it to take up more of the actual plot.

The story is fun, even with Rhen experiencing realistic hostility to her interests in science. I liked the variety of friends she was able to have and that most of them were males who treated her as an equal. While Rhen's goal was to "best the boys", it was never to prove herself as better, only equal and deserving of the same opportunities. And she wasn't the only one competing for that.

Overall, I do think there are portions of the story that could have been stronger. The Labyrinth could have been more of the story, as could the history of relationships between most of the characters. However, most of the interactions between characters within the story were strong and I appreciated Rhen's goals and motivations. I loved the story world's atmosphere and wouldn't mind another story where Rhen goes to university and then returns to be with Lute and help the people she grew up with.

I have provided an honest review after receiving a copy of the book through the Fiction Guild.

The End of the Magi Tour and Giveaway

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The End of the Magi
By Patrick W. Carr
Christian Historical Fiction
Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 384 Pages
November 5th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

Centuries before the magi arrived in Bethlehem,
a prophecy sets a young magus on his path . . .

Following his vision of the coming Messiah, the prophet Daniel calls forth a select group of men who will count down the calendar until the arrival of Israel's promised king. Centuries later, as the day draws near, Myrad, a young magi acolyte, flees for his life when his adoptive father and others are slain by a ruthless Parthian queen.

Equipped with very little, in haste Myrad escapes the city and, searching for a way to hide from the soldiers scouring the trade routes, tries to join the caravan of the merchant Walagash. The merchant senses that Myrad is keeping secrets, but when the young man proves himself a valuable asset, an epic journey filled with peril, near captures, and dangerous battles begins.

With every day that passes, the calendar creeps closer to the coming Messiah. And over everything shines the dream of a star that Myrad can't forget, and the promise that the world will never be the same.

Praise for the Book

"Carr retells the story of the Magi in this bustling biblical adventure . . . . Myrad's divine vision of the star and his arduous trek battling his own physical problems to pay homage to the Messiah capture the majesty of biblical narratives and will appeal to Christians well versed in scripture."--Publishers Weekly

"Patrick Carr brings us a captivating tale in The End of the Magi. Based on the Holy Bible, he weaves a fictional tale of the adventures of a group of magi from the east looking for the Messiah. Myrad is a strong main character even though he doesn't see himself as strong. He has great character traits and these help him find triumph over tragedy. . . . The End of the Magi is a great holiday read and gives us much to think about in our journey to know God better."--Fresh Fiction

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Christianbook | Publisher

My Review

I've been a fan of Patrick's writing for a number of years now, and so was surprised when I discovered he had written a Biblical Fiction novel when all of his past published works have been fantasy. However, I read and love Biblical Fiction just as much. As with his other works, Patrick was able to pull me into Myrad's story. I enjoyed following along on his adventures and wondered how it would all tie into the story of the Magi visiting Christ in the end.

What surprised me was the path the story took. Whereas I had expected the narrative to be far more focused on following the star, the journey Myrad takes is far more complicated and he has other motivations beyond single-mindedly following a prophecy. At times, this meant that the story seemed to wander in other directions, though it did all lead Myrad to the right place in the end.

For those who love Biblical Fiction, I will say that this does not read as many others in the genre. The narrative focuses more on the adventures Myrad has on his way to Christ than it does on his personal transformation. For that reason, it might appeal to different readers. However, it is still an engaging story that is perfect for this Christmas season.

I have provided an honest review after receiving a copy of the book through the author and Prism Tours.


About the Author


Patrick W. Carr is the author of the acclaimed fantasy series The Staff and the Sword. A Cast of Stones won the 2014 Carol Award for Speculative Fiction and the 2014 Clive Staples Award. A Cast of Stones and The Hero's Lot were both finalists for 2014 Christy Awards. He teaches high school math and makes his home in Nashville, Tennessee, with his incredible wife, Mary, and their four sons.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

- One winner will receive a print copy of The End of the Magi and a $20 B&N gift card

- Four winners will each receive a print copy of The End of the Magi

- US only

- Ends November 29, 2019

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Resistance Audiobook Tour and Giveaway

After five years since publication, the first book of Jaye L. Knight's fantasy series, Ilyon Chronicles, is now available on audiobook! Enjoy this epic adventure through the voice of narrator Lance Rasmussen. Find out more and listen to the sample below. And don't forget to enter the giveaway! You can see the other tour posts here.

About the Book

"Don’t you know? Animals like you have no soul."

Could God ever love a half-blood all of society looks upon with such fear and disdain? Jace once believed so, but when a tragic loss shatters the only peace he’s ever known, his faith crumbles as the nagging doubts he’s tried to put behind him descend on his grieving heart. With them come the haunting memories of the bloodstained past he longs to forget, but can never escape.

Taken from home at a young age and raised to serve the emperor, Kyrin Altair lives every day under a dangerous pretense of loyalty. After her unique observation skills and perfect memory place her into direct service to the emperor, Kyrin finds herself in further jeopardy as it becomes increasingly difficult to hide her belief in Elôm, the one true God.

Following the emperor’s declaration to enforce the worship of false gods under the penalty of death, many lives are endangered. But there are those willing to risk everything to take a stand and offer aid to the persecuted. With their lives traveling paths they never could have imagined, Jace and Kyrin must fight to overcome their own fears and conflicts with society as they become part of the resistance.

Available now on Audible and iTunes!

Haven’t discovered the world of Ilyon yet? Find out more at the official Ilyon Chronicles website!

Book Sale!

Now is the perfect time to get into the series! Starting Friday, November 29th, all books from Ilyon Chronicles will be discounted. You can even get the prequel novella for free! So be sure to check them out 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, Instagram, and Etsy.

About the Narrator

Lance Rasmussen is an audiobook narrator and actor based in Denver, CO. A graduate with a BFA in Acting from Utah State University, and an MFA in Acting from Louisiana State University, he now narrates and produces audiobooks from his home studio while working at various regional theaters across the country. More information can be found at www.lanceras.com. Follow him on Instagram at @LCRasmus. 

Giveaway

Share in the excitement of the release and enter to win one of 3 copies of the Resistance audiobook! Winners will receive a free download code to use on Audible. Open internationally!

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The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck- Bethany Turner

My Rating: 3 Stars

Description: Becoming a Christian is the best and worst thing that has ever happened to Sarah Hollenbeck. Best because, well, that's obvious. Worst because, up to this point, she's made her very comfortable living as a well-known, bestselling author of steamy romance novels that would leave the members of her new church blushing. Now Sarah is trying to reconcile her past with the future she's chosen. She's still under contract with her publisher and on the hook with her enormous fan base for the kind of book she's not sure she can write anymore. She's beginning to think that the church might frown on her tithing on royalties from a "scandalous" book. And the fact that she's falling in love with her pastor doesn't make things any easier.

With a powerful voice, penetrating insight, and plenty of wit, Bethany Turner explodes onto the scene with a debut that isn't afraid to deal with the thorny realities of living the Christian life.

My Thoughts: As with the last book of Bethany's which I read, this book tackles the issue of sexual tension between a couple before marriage. However, this one starts with a woman who wrote adult romance (with sex) before becoming a Christian as a means of fulfillment and attention. And afterward, she had to find a way to live out her Christian principles when most everyone judged her for either her past or her present.

That first part, before her conversion, plays out rather rapidly with most of it being a direct address from Sarah to the audience. She starts with her divorce, runs down how she got into writing romances, the life she had doing that, and then quickly ties the backstory up with her conversion. The narrative slows down quickly after this point, letting the reader in on her relationship with Ben, her friendship with Piper, and the tumult of convincing her agent (and her audience) to let her write clean romance.

However, it was that first portion of that book which made it difficult for me to dive in. I didn't like the summary of years of her life or the suddenness in which she decided become a Christian after getting in a fight with her Christian friend about the kind of books she wrote.

I like that Bethany portrays real life situations that Christians can find themselves in. She doesn't shy away from topics that we wouldn't have seen years ago, and I know that there are many authors who have gone through just the kind of experience which she described. I just wish the story had been told a little differently.

I have provided an honest review after receiving a copy of the book through JustRead's Blind Book Tour.

A Christian's Carol- Wayne Thomas Batson.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: Ebenezer Krow is a relentless man who charges through life, holding himself and everyone else to the letter of the law. Krow’s nephew, his employees, his business associates—even mankind in general—all feel the castigating burn of Krow’s glare. One night, on Christmas Eve, Krow is visited by his long-dead business partner, Marley Chastain. The ghost warns Krow that three spirits, one of them a devil, will assail him throughout the night. But will the harrowing experience be enough to tear the scab from his sin-scarred soul? Or will the lessons of Christmas and Krow himself be lost forever?

In this faithful but modern retelling of Dickens’ classic tale, Batson offers readers a thought-provoking “ghost of an idea” to haunt our homes and churches pleasantly for many years to come.

My Thoughts: Listening to this was a delight. I've never read the original A Christmas Carol, but I have seen numerous adaptations. The voice actor chosen for this fit the story perfectly, and I was hooked into the narrative the moment I heard him imitate Marley Chastain's voice.

The story beats of this novel follow closely to those of the original, though with a modern twist and a few obvious differences. Those differences make this story far more of a challenge for modern readers. One plot point in particular gave me pause, though at the end I'll say that I agreed with the outcome, at least so far as it played out in this story.

If you love A Christmas Carol, and are looking for a version of it with a few twists, I do recommend this. I especially recommend listening to it. The author's prose is spot on and the narrator really brings it to life, both combining to give the haunted Christimasy tone of the story.

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

The Girl Behind the Red Rope- Ted and Rachelle Dekker

My Rating: 2.5 Stars

Description:  Ten years ago, Grace saw something that would forever change the course of history. When evil in its purest form is unleashed on the world, she and others from their religious community are already hidden deep in the hills of Tennessee, abiding by every rule that will keep them safe, pure--and alive. As long as they stay there, behind the red perimeter.

Her older brother's questions and the arrival of the first outsiders she's seen in a decade set in motion events that will question everything Grace has built her life on. Enemies rise on all sides--but who is the real enemy? And what will it cost her to uncover the truth?

For the first time, bestselling authors Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker team up and deliver an intense, tightly focused ride through the most treacherous world of all.

My Thoughts: For me, its been a while since I have read one of Ted Dekker's books and the first time reading one by Rachelle. I've heard glowing reports of both authors' works and thought upon hearing that this was a mystery/suspense, that it would be just like Boneman's Daughter and The Bride Collector. Both of which had been some of my favorites of Ted's books. Instead, this had reminded me more of Forbidden or The Angel's Share (the latter of which is by a different author).

Both of those books I enjoyed, even though the allegorical styles were not my favorite compared to others. However, this one didn't capture my attention as well as those had. I hadn't felt drawn into the mystery, instead feeling like I had a pretty good grasp of everyone's roles and the story's outcome from the start.

The fear that is supposed to be prevalent in this book is more of an anxiety; a fear of messing up and doing the wrong thing, of being caught, of being judged and punished. And the story does a good job of showing that in this setting, and the red rope was a great picture of what the story was getting at. However, even though I also deal with anxiety issues, I didn't connect with this story or most of its characters.

Part of this could have been due to what felt like holes in the world building. The Fury are purposefully left vague, in my mind a little too vague so that I didn't see enough information to personally find them intimidating. And then there was the in-business general store for a small, completely cut off from the world community, as well as a long abandoned gas station with still running water. Those details, and others like them, might have had explanations, but the story world wasn't developed to a point that it did so.

This book had its strengths, but overall I felt that the weaknesses out weighed the rest. The novel is a fairly easy read, one that could still be enjoyed by the Dekkers' fans as well as those looking for stories like the two I named above. However, with the confusion I have seen over what genre this book truly falls into, it will not be for everyone.

I have provided an honest review after receiving a copy of the book from the authors and publisher.

Romanov- Nadine Brandes

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: The history books say I died.

They don’t know the half of it.

Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family’s only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them, and he’s hunted Romanov before.

Nastya’s only chances of saving herself and her family are to either release the spell and deal with the consequences, or enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya has only dabbled in magic, but it doesn’t frighten her half as much as her growing attraction to Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her.

That is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad . . . and he’s on the other.

My Thoughts: When I had looked at my shelves the other week, I had been in the mood for something fun and easy to read. Romanov stood out, and I quickly devoured it in a couple of late nights. Nadine's writing is smooth and gripping, bringing about an engrossing story.

Being familiar with the story of Anastasia, I was prepared for certain aspects of this story which I know have taken other readers by surprise. However, there were still a few twists for those who think they might already know how this story plays out. And that's always a nice surprise when it comes to historical retellings.

The main draw back to this novel was that there perhaps could have been more too it. Compared to many other books in the genre, this is rather short and that affected the story in some regard. I felt that there was much more I wanted to know about the magic system, as well as how this story ending would have affected this version of history beyond what occurs in this book.

However, rather than causing me to dislike this story, it just created a hope that maybe Nadine will decide to write a sequel. One that perhaps is from the perspective of another character who might have a story to tell and can build upon what this book started.

I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of this book through the Fiction Guild.

Uncommon Death- Spotlight and Giveaway

A princess who makes dangerous bargains with the afterlife. A man desperate to save his wife, no matter the cost. An uber driver for the undead.
 

Death, whether real or metaphorical, comes for us all. Yet it is not always the end. And in the depths of grieving can be the promise of hope and redemption.

The tales and poems in this anthology explore the depths of love, loss, and transformation. Whether in a reimagined folktale or a modern urban fantasy, A Kind of Death features a fine balance of tragedy and comedy, but always with a hint of wonder and hope.*

*As this anthology concerns matters of loss (all handled tastefully and without graphic depiction), certain stories might prove challenging for sensitive readers. Recommend reading with a hot beverage and/or a packet of tissues.

My Thoughts
I've only just started reading this anthology, but already I have been struck by the tone and the authors' analysis of death and lose. The read has come at an interesting moment in my life, both in fall which is one of the first images of this anthology, but in my first trip back to my childhood home on my own. In past years, after my family and I moved part way across the country, we had all come back to visit friends and family occasionally. However, this time I made the drive on my own, choosing for myself where I would go and what memories I wanted to relive.

I had not expected that through this trip I would begin to reflect on all of the themes of this book— the absence of loved ones who have passed from this life, love of family who I have come to see, loss of the life I would have had had I finished growing up here, and the wonderful things I have gained by leaving the good things of this place behind.

Though the losses in my life are far from recent, there are still echoes of them that will always remain. So far, this anthology expresses those ideas beautifully.

Uncommon Universes Press is a traditional publishing company featuring fresh science fiction and fantasy stories with wonder, adventure, and sacrifice. Check out the links below to learn more!

Website: https://uncommonuniverses.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncommonuniverses/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncommonuniversespress/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncommonunivers

Giveaway

A Hardback copy of A Kind of Death plus two art prints, bookmarks, and stickers. Ends Nov. 1st.
 

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