Author: Ridley Pearson

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Ridley Pearson brings the magic once again with the Kingdom Keepers going into the past to try and save the future.

Finn, Charlene, Maybeck, Willa, and Philby have traveled back in time and find themselves at Disneyland on Opening Day. As usual, though things don’t go exactly as planned.  They have come to retrieve Walt Disney’s infamous pen that once saved the parks as we know them.  They get to see the early days of the Tower of Terror, the origin of the Disney villains, the Overtakers, and magic that makes a series of events that propel both the Keepers and Disney into a darkness no one saw coming.  They get a chance to do what few now a-days have only dreamed of, see the home of Walt Disney and try and save the parks, something they are getting used to.  In the present time, the three Fairlies, Amanda, Jess, and Mattie, are doing everything they can to help their friends while dealing with problems of their own.  They have unmasked a long-buried secret that threatens everything they have all worked for.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Disney. There is something incredibly magical about everything Disney.  It doesn’t matter if you are a kid or adult, Disney is magic.  Ridley Pearson has brought that magic to readers once again with the continuation of the Kingdom Keepers. I have read all the Kingdom Keeper novels and have yet to get tired of these stories.  Pearson has woven an intricate set of characters together with an amazing adventure that readers can’t help but devour.  This is perfect for middle school kids and up to enjoy reading on their own or even for a fun family read.  The adventures these kids get to go on is one so many would love to be a part of and can be by reading the stories.  Each story is a continuation of the next and I wouldn’t advise trying to jump into the series part way through; instead, start at the beginning and follow the keepers on each journey.  I liked the addition of the new characters, Nick, and Emily to help the Keepers in their journey, it kind of makes the ordinary reader feel like they can be a part of the magic.

I can highly recommend this book and the entire series for all to enjoy.

Author: Ridley Pearson

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Just when the Keepers thought their lives could get back to normal, things start up again in the Magic Kingdom that require their special skills.

Finn knows no one believes him, but deep down he can’t get over the fact that things might not be over in the Kingdom. They all thought they defeated the Overtakers and were prepared to move on with their lives, but now things don’t seem so simple.  Clues keep popping up from Wayne, their mentor, that suggest there is one last puzzle for them to solve before they can move on and put everything behind them.  Together they must solve the puzzle of the past or be crushed under an evil that makes the Overtakers seem like gentle souls.

I was excited when I saw this book coming out. I thought the Keeper series was finished with book seven, which I enjoyed, but wasn’t my favorite.  I wasn’t sure which direction this story was going to head since the series seemed to be tied up neatly at the end of KK7.  Surprisingly there was a nice little twist that gave the start of this new series a nice direction to head, backwards.  It may sound strange but it worked well here.  The return worked nicely for me because it was set up differently.  In the original KK series, things seemed to drag at times, too much detail that could have been cut down.  Here the story was more concise and held my attention much better.  I also liked the way it went back and forth between Orlando and California working in the story of Finn and the Keepers with Amanda, Jess and their new group.

One of the nicest things about Pearson and his writing of these books is the history of Disney. The reader gets to find out about the history of the parks without actually having to read a history of the parks.  Here we get action, adventure, suspense, history all rolled into one.  Disney, whether it be movies, the parks, books, T.V. or anything else out there, is something that is ageless.  Young and old can enjoy together.  This is the type of book that can be read by a parent to a child and both will enjoy.  I think Pearson did a much better job with this story than the last few KK novels toning it down and making it more enjoyable.  It was a good length with just the right amount of everything included.  With this being the start of the new series I can’t wait to see what adventures he takes us on.

Author: Drema Hall Berkheimer

Publisher: Zondervan

Release Date: April 12, 2016

A great memoir that looks at life as a child in 1940s West Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains.

Everyone has a story and Drema is no different. Throughout Running on Red Dog Road, she recounts her childhood memories living with her grandparents in West Virginia.  Growing up in the 1940s is drastically different from today and Drema shares her activities of farming, watching her grandfather preach, playing with gypsies, and visiting the annual carnival.  She also recounts the trouble she got into with her older sister and the challenges and fascinations of living with her brother who lost his hearing after a bout with spinal meningitis.  With mischief, hilarious stories, and heartbreak, Drema’s story is a snapshot in time that no history book could ever truly capture!

I always forget how much I enjoy reading memoirs. I often stray from non-fiction, but I need to be on the lookout for more stories like these.  Everyone has a story about their life that they should share.  They will all be different and we can learn from them.  Not only are they a picture of history, but they also teach valuable life lessons that still apply to present day.  I wish that my grandparents had written down their memories before they passed away.  I would have loved to learn more about them and who they were outside of the memories that I have made with them.

I really enjoyed all the stories that Drema shared. I think one of the most memorable is when she and her sister were playing cow power in the car where you counted the number of cows on your side of the car and then if you passed a cemetery, you had to bury all of your cows and start over.  I was also amazed at how many sayings that I recognized even though I grew up 40 years later in West Texas.  It is amazing how some things have been around for a long time.

I recommend this book for anyone who loves history or memoirs!

A fun book for kids about the importance of mother’s day.

With Mother’s day quickly approaching, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear want to do something special for Mama Bear. She is the best mama in all of Bear Country and they want to show her how much she means to them.  As a family, they go throughout the day realizing that it’s not getting special presents or spending a lot of money that makes the day special for mom.  As long as they are together as a family, Mama Bear feels the love from those around her.

The newest title in the Berenstain Bears Living Lights, The Berenstain Bears Mother’s Day Blessings brings the bears together to show Mama Bear how much she means to them.  Throughout the book we get to see mothers doing all sorts of things: out with family, working at the hospital or at the farm.  This is a good conversation starter for young ones to ask about the different roles moms might have.  I am a stay at home mom and read this with my five year old and we talked about the different moms working and the ones that stayed home.  It’s hard to go wrong with a Berenstain Bears book.  There is a valuable lesson in each one and they are at a level that is easy enough for even the youngest reader to enjoy and take away a positive message.  There was a lot of focus on the different roles mothers pla:, stay at home mom, doctor, farmer, police officer, etc, but there was very little focus on the day and the appreciation for moms in general.  It’s good to show women in all sorts of roles and they can be appreciated for all that they do every single day.

I was provided this book by booklook bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Beverly’s debut novel takes you on a dark ride across America as a young teen discovers there is more to life than he has ever known.

Fifteen year old East has spent his whole life in an area of Los Angeles known as the boxes. He stands yard for one of his uncles several crack houses located in the boxes.  He is good at what he does, recruits a good team of lookouts, and has run a successful operation for the last couple of years.  Then one day, a neighborhood fire distracts the lookouts and the vice squad shows up to shut down the house.  Since East is in charge of the yard, it is his fault and he fears the worst.  After a discussion with his uncle, East agrees to take on a new task to travel across America to assassinate a federal judge that has the potential to lock his uncle away for several years.  A team of four is selected for the task including East and his estranged brother Ty.  Once the team has accomplished their mission, East must decide to return to the life he has always known or to continue to find something new in the American Midwest.

While perusing through new releases of authors, Dodgers showed up as a book that I might enjoy.  After reading the synopsis, I was intrigued and decided to give it a try.  The cover originally made me think that this was set in the past, but it is actually in present day which just goes to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover.

The entire story is told from the viewpoint of East. As a reader, I got to see some glimpse into how some drug rings are operated, which was definitely different from what I typically read.  What was most interesting was the apparent yearning East had for an actual father figure.  He didn’t ever know his own dad, but he got taken under his uncle’s wing at the age of nine and started learning the drug trade.  Later in the story when he got to Ohio, Perry became the father figure for him.  I got to see his transformation in work ethic and how the two people from opposite ends of the spectrum earned each other’s trust.  This is a problem that is huge across all parts of American and Beverly captured it without even calling it out.

For a debut novel, this was very well written and very enjoyable. It was written with a prose that keep me interested through the entire book.  Even though there is some violence, it is not very graphic.  There is some strong language, but that is to be expected in the dialogue that the characters would use based on their backgrounds.  Even so, I would still recommend this book to mature readers.  I will be looking forward to see what his sophomore novel will bring!

 

The Pug List takes a family’s tragedy and shows you it is possible to find happiness again.

After their home is set on fire by an arsonist in the middle of the night, Alison Hodgson and her family find themselves scared and not sure how to find normal again. Between the insurance battles, tearing down what is left of the house, trying to rebuild, parenting three kids, and post-traumatic stress, they decide to add adopting a dog to the mix.  Alison’s seven-year-old daughter, Eden, wants to adopt a pug more than anything and determines now is the perfect time and is relentless.  One day Alison finds Eden’s diary with an entry titled “The Pug List” and realizes that resistance is futile.  Now on a quest to find the perfect pug, they look at online sites and the search ensues in getting them back to a life as close to normal as possible.

As far as non-fiction goes, I usually try to avoid it for the most part. Most non-fiction books that I have read are not written in a way that grabs my attention and keeps me turning the page.  The nice thing about The Pug List is that for most of the book I forgot I was reading a non-fiction and just enjoyed the story.  Even though Alison and family endured several tragedies, they persevered and were able to find the good.  They found a way to smile again.  Most dog books usually have a sad ending that will leave you in tears.  I’m not saying there were not sad moments, there were, but they were written with heart and even a bit of humor.  Hodgson was able to write about her family and the tragedies they endured in a way that kept me turning the page and loving every word.  There was just enough story to make it interesting but not so much that it became boring, a very fine line for writers to find.  I’m happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed The Pug List and will easily recommend it.

Taylor’s sophomore novel brings back Michael Cassidy for another thrill ride through the Cuban revolution!

Five years have passed since Michael Cassidy escaped the KGB with his father. Expecting never to see Dylan again, he settled back into his role as a detective with NYPD.  No longer does anybody mess with him as they all believe he has a protector.  Even so, the top brass still give him the worst jobs in hopes that he will quit the force on his own.  On assignment to extradite a murderer back to Cuba, Cassidy is shocked when he is leaving the prison and sees Dylan among the political prisoners.  On a long shot, he finds a way to break her out of prison before she is executed.  But then they are caught up in the middle of Castro’s revolutionary movement of Cuba.  Can they get out?  Do they want to get out?  And what awaits them if they are caught?

I was very excited when I saw that David C. Taylor was releasing a second novel in the Michael Cassidy series. The way that he writes really portrays his experience with screenplays as he doesn’t leave a moment for you to take a breath from the action.  He rolls from one scene to the next leaving you wanting to find out what is going to happen.  The story in Night Work redeveloped the relationship between Cassidy and Dylan, albeit with a few setbacks that you will have to read about to find out.  After all, wouldn’t want to spoil all the jaw dropping moments.

Orso’s character really got more developed in this book. I got to see more of the type of person he is and what he would be willing to do to keep his family intact.  Even with all of the seemingly separate events that are occurring, Taylor manages to connect them all back to a central point.

I’m still a huge fan of Taylor’s and continue to look forward to his future novels. I still recommend this novel for mature readers.

In her newest romantic suspense series, Dani Pettrey sets up an excellent story with Cold Shot that has just the right amount of suspense, romance, and action to keep the pages turning.

Griffin McCray works as a park ranger at Gettysburg. It isn’t the life he thought he would have, but after a case went horribly wrong while he was a SWAT-team sniper he knew he needed a quieter life.  That’s what he had until one night while he was patrolling and came upon two men hunting for relics that uncovered skeletal remains.  He calls in forensic anthropologist Finley Scott to help determine how recent the body might be.  She has been working in the park and he knows she can help.  After several different obstacles are put in their way they finally id the body as that of a young lawyer that has been missing since spring.  She was killed by a sniper, which drags Griffin even further into the case and makes him have to call on old friends for help.  FBI agent Declan Gray, Griffin’s old friend, takes over the case.  Everyone will have to work together to solve a case that is so much more than what it may seem at first glance.

Dani Pettrey has a way of entwining just the right amount of romance and suspense to make for a great read.  I have to say that to date, Cold Shot might be my favorite of her novels.  The story starts strong and doesn’t slow down.  On a few of her previous novels I felt the romance took away from the suspense.  Here that wasn’t the case.  The tense moments were very high and the romance brought it down only a notch.  One thing Pettrey does very well is make realistic characters that are well defined and easy to relate to.  Some writers have a difficult time writing characters that I enjoy reading about, but I enjoyed these.  The main focus of this story was Griffin and Finley. I expect the next in the series will focus on one of the other main male characters and find him a female romantic lead.  That seems to be the formula Pettrey goes with and for her it works well.  This is a good clean Christian romantic suspense story and that is very enjoyable.  I would recommend to other readers.

Guest Reviewer – Jen Roman

Quakeress Faith Cathwell and her dear friend and freeborn black woman Honoree volunteer as nurses to Union soldiers on a battlefield near Vicksburg, Mississippi.  Being an Abolitionist doing a job “unsuitable” for a woman and being friends with a black woman on top of it all make Faith unpopular in camp.  She and Honoree want to help the Union soldiers as they fight for freedom everywhere, but they also have another reason for being there.  Honoree’s sister Shiloh was kidnaped and sold into slavery in New Orleans, and they are doing reconnaissance in hopes of finding her.  Among the people who do not take kindly to Faith is Captain Devlin “Dev” Knight of Baltimore.  He is from a border state and while he fights for the Union, he owns slaves at his plantation back home.  He and Faith clash on pretty much everything under the sun, but somehow, they both are happier in each other’s presence.

With a title of Quaker Brides, it’s pretty safe to say that Faith and Dev will end up together; how they get to that point takes up the majority of the book.  They have different outlooks on life and different ways of doing things.  Their backgrounds also account for their differences, as Faith is more geared towards individual liberties and treating everyone equally, while Dev grew up with a man servant.  Still, they do want the same things out of life; they just go about it very differently.  Throughout the story, we see Faith’s compassion for others influence Dev not just in his personal life, but also in his professional life.  He started out the war not expecting to live through it, but by the end he is ready to share the rest of his life with Faith.

I’ve read many a book about the Civil War and the various complexities it brings to the lives involved, so the theme of this book was not new to me.  However, I wasn’t disappointed, as each character was detailed with both good qualities and flaws.  Faith, Honoree, Dev, and even some of the doctors portrayed in the book are fully developed, and as I read, I could picture them in my mind.  They have their strengths and weaknesses, yet their personalities make them interesting and relatable.  I liked seeing them transform throughout the battles as they became more world-weary and ready to be done with the blood and fighting.  Honoree, always the strong personality, even softens a bit, both to her surprise and mine.  I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and storyline and look for the next book in this Quaker Brides series.

The book Faith does contain some descriptions of battle wounds, but otherwise, it does not contain violence.  There is no profanity, and the effort of each character to maintain propriety means that there is nothing sexual in the book, either.  I highly recommend this book to people who like to read about the Civil War, or anyone who enjoys a good romance.  High-school level readers and up should enjoy this book.

A current events political thriller that leaves you wondering if this could happen in the near future?

With mere weeks before the new president-elect for the United States takes office, he is assassinated at a speech in broad daylight in downtown Denver. FBI Special Agent Ken Patton takes the case and discovers that the hit has been made from a master assassin from over 500 yards in a high rise office building.  Some souvenirs left behind led him to investigate a well-known Christian charity known as the American Patriots, whose leaders is also very well known.  Suddenly, a radical environmental group claims responsibility for the attacks, which makes the national spotlight shift back to the current president to blame.  Can Ken unravel the mystery and find the assassin before more tragedy strikes?

The premise of this book is based on a right wing Christian organization hiring a professional assassin to remove a roadblock in the way of their current motives. This book plays out very well to what the media has been portraying about these organizations in recent events.  The author does indicate that this is all a work of fiction and all the characters and organizations are part of his imagination, but readers without willingness to do more research may take it at face value.

One of the characters has a past history of sexual abuse which frames her state of mind to rape men. It is a little bit of a different concept, but it plays out throughout the book.  She eventually meets a man that surprises her and she falls in love, which weakens her resolve.  However, throughout the book she begins to exhibit signs of mental illness and I wonder if the men in her life aren’t some type of conjured personality.  Not sure if there will be a sequel, but this could play out very interestingly.

Overall, the language is pretty strong and the text also contains some fairly graphic love scenes. I would recommend this book for mature audiences.