Going Back Cold- Kelley Rose Waller

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: After the unexpected stillbirth loss of her daughter, physicist Dr. Jane Whyse feels as empty and lifeless as the landscape that surrounds her on the remote Antarctic base where she and her husband work. As the geniuses of PROJECT SPLIT HORIZON pursue faster-than-light travel, Jane begins to secretly wonder if there is an opportunity to use the piezoelectronic technology she’s created to time travel. What if she could somehow undo the loss of her daughter? Jane's honest, ugly struggles to understand God’s sovereign plan for all of time and space in the midst of raw pain leave her questioning everything. The more success she finds in her scientific career—and the closer she may be to a chance to fix the worst day of her life, the more conflict she finds in her marriage and in her own heart. Can she seek healing from this devastating loss while she tries to play god? Jane must choose between faith in a God whose mercies are new every morning, or coldly turning away

My Thoughts: Going Back Cold is a what I think of as a more "serious" science fiction. The science is far more realistic than in most books that I read, with the story detailing many of the discoveries and inter-work relationships found among the members of the Split Horizons research team. While I did not find that it was exactly the kind of story that I prefer, I could think of a number of people whom I believe would have really enjoyed it.

So far as real world scenarios in which Christians find their faith a source of conflict in a scientific field, I felt that this book was mostly realistic. The Whyse's are able to believe in God while still pursuing science, but they also experience frequent questions about how they possibly can do so, as well as some hostility from other team members.

As the narrative also dips into the thoughts of many of the other original Split Horizons members, there are parts of the story which you wont find in traditionally published Christian fiction (such as swearing, certain innuendos, ect.). I felt that this was very well handled, making the environment realistic without overdoing it. I am very happy to recommend this book to those who love this style of science fiction and are looking for something with a Chrsitian worldview.

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

 *Book releases Oct. 1, below is an affiliate link for preorder*

Thirst Cover Reveal

Have you heard of Thirst? Jill Williamson's newest upcoming release is a prequel to The Safe Lands Trilogy and follows Eli McShane and his friends as their world falls apart.

Description: The end of the world is only the beginning. A waterborne disease has contaminated the world’s fresh water, 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 the mysterious Hannah, who 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?

Join some old friends from Glenrock and Jack's Peak in this thrilling first book of the Thirst Duology. Best-selling author Jill Williamson has brought back the breathtaking suspense of the The Safe Lands series in this chilling prequel that will leave readers panting for the next installment.


Preorder Link:  http://jillwilliamson.com/thirst/

Make sure to preorder your copy soon, as Jill will be giving goodies to the first 50 people who show proof of purchase! 

The Gryphon Heist- James R. Hannibal

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Description: Talia Inger is a rookie CIA case officer assigned not to the Moscow desk as she had hoped but to the forgotten backwaters of Eastern Europe--a department only known as "Other." When she is tasked with helping a young, charming Moldovan executive secure his designs for a revolutionary defense technology, she figures she'll be back in DC within a few days. But that's before she knows where the designs are stored--and who's after them. With her shady civilian partner, Adam Tyler, Talia takes a deep dive into a world where only criminal minds and unlikely strategies will keep the Gryphon, a high-altitude data vault, hovering in the mesosphere.

Even Tyler is more than he seems, and Talia begins to wonder: Is he helping her? Or using her access to CIA resources to pull off an epic heist for his own dark purposes?

In this Ocean's Eleven-meets-Mission Impossible thriller, former tactical deception officer and stealth pilot James R. Hannibal offers you a nonstop thrill ride through the most daring heist ever conceived.

My Thoughts: This is a fun heist novel. I don't often read these types of stories, but I thought I would try this author, especially to see how his background would be worked into the story. In the end, what I felt set this book apart from others in the genre wasn't the author's background, but his characters. The tag team he developed for this series really plays well and I am excited to see how these characters interact in future books.

Sadly, the weakest character seemed to be Talia, who read more as who the reader was meant to see themselves as. For much of the story, I wondered what she brought to the table, not just for the heist but also for the CIA. Hopefully her role will develop more as the series goes on. Still, Talia's inclusion in the story did allow for Tyler to be a more engaging character than he would have been otherwise.

If you enjoy heist stories and have a high level of suspension of disbelief, I think this is a great book to read. If only for Eddie, I would say give it a try, as this geek tries really hard to make his sci-fi references a part of most conversations. And despite how cliché that last part sounds, it actually made for a great character.

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

Evermore Book Tour and Giveaway

 

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Always 

(The Lost Princesses #0.5) 

By Jody Hedlund

Christian YA Historical Romance 

Paperback & ebook, 136 Pages 

August 13th 2019 by Northern Lights Press

A fierce elite guard. A loyal lady in waiting. They must work together to save three princesses from certain death.

On the verge of dying after giving birth to twins, the queen of Mercia pleads with Lady Felicia to save her infant daughters. With the castle overrun by King Ethelwulf’s invading army, Lady Felicia vows to do whatever she can to take the newborn princesses and their three-year old sister to safety, even though it means sacrificing everything she holds dear, possibly her own life.

Gravely wounded in battle and knowing all is lost to his enemy, the king of Mercia tasks Lance, one of his fiercest elite guards, to protect his family along with keys to an ancient treasure. As Lance makes plans to sneak the princesses out of the capital city, he doesn’t need or want Lady Felicia’s help.

With the dark enemy in pursuit, Lance and Felicia must put aside their differences to outrun King Ethelwulf and prevent him from killing the princesses. In a desperate attempt to hide the young girls, Lance and Felicia agree to a marriage of convenience, a decision that will change their lives—and hearts—forever.

My Review: I started the series reading this novella, then moved on to the Evermore. I think that this prequel could probably be skipped without loosing much, though there are a few tidbits which flesh out small portions of Evermore and potentially the other books as well.

The story in this was not as interesting to me as I would have liked. There were portions of it that felt like a fantasy, while the story overall didn't include that as an element. I've also never been a fan of stories where the conflict is in the characters themselves placing barriers to their being together.

However, I did like Felicia and her determination to work with what life has dealt to her. She doesn't once complain or wish for her old life back, but jumps into doing what she needs to in that moment. And that made her a strong heroine without her ever having had to lift a sword. For those who enjoy the rest of the series, this is a nice addition that gives a little bit more of the story world.

I have provided an honest review after having received an ecopy of the book through Prism Book Tours.

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Evermore 

(The Lost Princesses #1) 

By Jody Hedlund 

Christian YA Historical 

Paperback & ebook, 222 Pages 

August 27th 2019 by Northern Lights Press

An ancient key. A secret treasure. And a princess destined to use them both to fight evil and restore peace.

Raised by a noble family, Lady Adelaide has always known she’s an orphan. Little does she realize she’s one of the lost princesses and the true heir to Mercia’s throne…until a visitor arrives at her family estate, reveals her birthright as queen, and thrusts her into a quest for the throne whether she’s ready or not.

Unable to tolerate King Ethelwulf’s cruelty and lawlessness, Christopher Langley left Mercia years earlier, training a group of rebels in neighboring Norland. When he returns home after his mother’s death, he discovers that not only is Adelaide all grown up, but she’s also the rightful queen of Mercia.

When King Ethelwulf discovers Adelaide’s location, he’ll stop at nothing to capture her and the key she holds to the ancient treasure. Christopher is just as determined to protect Adelaide so she can lead the growing rebellion. When feelings ignite between the two old friends, forces threaten to destroy their love and rip them apart forever.


My Review: After having read Always, I found that I enjoyed this story much more than I had the novella. The moment I realized that Adelaide was able to fight on her own, though not perhaps as well as an Elite Guard, I knew that she was going to be an interesting character.

The relationship Adelaide has with Christopher is an adorable one, and the hesitance in their relationship a reasonable one due to her new found status as Queen. And while I would have preferred that there not have been any romantic interest on the part of Mitchell, I will say that Jody used this trope to the story's advantage.

For anyone looking to pick up this series, know that it is a sweet, fairy tale like romance. Yet there are also darker moments of torture and execution which occur off page. This gives more depth to Ethelwulf's cruelty, but may bother some readers.

I have provided an honest review after having received an ecopy from Prism Book Tours.

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Also FREE through KindleUnlimited

Other Books in the Series

 

Coming late September and October. Pre-order now! (Affiliate links included.)

About the Author

Jody Hedlund is a best-selling and award-winning author who loves fairy-tales and happily-ever-afters. She makes her home in Midland, MI with her husband and five teen-aged children. When she’s not writing another of her page-turning stories, you can usually find her sipping coffee, eating chocolate, and reading.

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Tour Schedule

 

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive the prequel and all three books in The Lost Princesses series (Always, Evermore, Foremost and Hereafter) in paperback or ebook (winner's choice, if winner is outside the US ebooks only) Ends September 25, 2019

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The Warrior Maiden- Melanie Dickerson

My Rating: 3 Stars

Description: Mulan isn’t afraid to pretend to be a son and assume her father’s soldier duties in war. But what happens when the handsome son of a duke discovers her secret?

Mulan is trying to resign herself to marrying the village butcher for the good of her family, but her adventurous spirit just can’t stand the thought. At the last minute, she pretends to be the son her father never had, assumes his duties as a soldier, and rides off to join the fight to protect the castle of her liege lord’s ally from the besieging Teutonic Knights.

Wolfgang and his brother Steffan leave Hagenheim with several other soldiers to help their father’s ally in Poland. When they arrive, Wolfgang is exasperated by the young soldier Mikolai who seems to either always be one step away from disaster... or showing Wolfgang up in embarrassing ways.

When Wolfgang discovers his former rival and reluctant friend Mikolai is actually a girl, he is determined to protect her. But battle is a dangerous place where anything can happen — and usually does.

When Mulan receives word that her mother has been accused of practicing witchcraft through her healing herbs and skills, Mulan’s only thought is of defending her. Will she be able to trust Wolfgang to help? Or will sacrificing her own life be the only way to save her mother?

My Thoughts: Mulan was always my favorite "Disney Princess" growing up. I related to her and wanted the freedom she found to choose who she would be. I can't say that I got quiet the same vibe from this story, though it did come close.

Melanie's Mulan wants more than to be married to a man who doesn't love her. While her stated goal is to see more of the world, in the end she seems to settle for meeting a man and learning to read. Not that reading doesn't let us travel the world from the comfort of our couch, but it still isn't quiet the same. Mulan does find a man to love her, but he also seems bent on ensuring she never fights again (whether she wants to or not) rather than encouraging her to be the best she can be. It left me wondering at the end what it was she would do with her time, if she is terrible at domestic duties but also isn't going to continue as a warrior.

For true fans of series, this should be another welcome addition, as the romance between her and Wolfgang is a sweet one once her secret comes out, with more put into their relationship than in past books. However, for myself, I found this to be pretty middle of the road for the series. I didn't love it, but it did offer some nostalgia for a story I do love. There are also a few elements I have begun to notice after reading so many in this series that get repeated in many of them (over the top villains, words that are repeated frequently within the same page, ect), but I think that could be easily overlooked by YA readers who want a simple, clean romance.

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

Afraid of All the Things- Scarlet Hiltibidal

My Rating: 5 Stars

Description: What does the gospel say about your fears? What does it say about the irrational ones, like sinkholes in the Target parking lot? How does it speak to the rational ones, like pet scan predictions? And does the gospel have a word for the fears you feel you'll have for life, like the possibility of losing the one you love most?

Growing up in the green room of SNL, being born to a fire-eater and adopted by a SWAT cop, having internal organs explode, and adopting a deaf girl from China, Scarlet Hiltibidal has been given some strange life experiences—and lived in fear through most of them.

But life changed for Scarlet when she learned to hold the gospel up to her fears. She realized that though she can't fix herself or protect herself, Jesus walked into this broken, sad, scary place to rescue, love, and cast out her—and your—fear.

Seeing life in light of the cross will help you avoid fear, overcome fear when you can’t avoid it, and live beyond fear when you don’t overcome it. You don't have to be afraid of all the things.

My Thoughts: When I requested this book for review, I was not expecting to have so much of myself reflected back at me. For most of my life, I have dealt with severe fears and anxieties which I had hidden from the people closest to me. The depth of these fears has diminished in resent years due to my own growth in knowledge of the gospel, yet it was not until reading this that I realized just how much had changed.

I used to live with so many of the fears mentioned in this book, and I thought many of the things Scarlet did as well. Reading this book has highlighted for me how much I have been redeemed from, as well as challenged me to continue to seek God through any other fears that might be stirred up.

While I was never able to articulate my anxieties as well as Scarlet has and my own testimony is different than hers, the source of our rescue was the same. This book walks through Scarlet's past fears and highlights verses which remind the reader of who God is, what he has done for us, and how we are to turn to him with everything we are afraid of. Even those that we have yet to recognize and which taint our interactions with both God and with others.

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