The Essence of Nathan Biddle

Author: J. William Lewis

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Release Date; June 1, 2021

To be trapped in the mind of a confuse

Kit Biddle has been struggling with several things over the last year and it seems that it’s all coming to a head. He attends a local academy that he has thrived at, but over the last few months his grades have started to drop. He was a star in athletics and could run faster than anyone, but he just doesn’t care about practicing or participating for that matter. His girlfriend (perfect in his own mind) feels that she can’t be committed to anyone and needs to play the field before she settles down. His best friend, usually always good to cheer him up, feels Kit is acting too depressed to deal with. The bulk of this depression may stem from an act that his uncle committed against his cousin Nathan claiming to be orders from God himself.

Being stuck with Kit as the protagonist made this book rather depressing to read. As the reader, you see what is going on around him, but he just can’t see it for himself and it got quite infuriating at times. Plus, being set in the late 1950s, did high school kids really read that much classical literature that would cause them to talk the way they did? Maybe at this academy they do, but it seemed like something out of a Shakespeare story that was within a Shakespeare story, if you know what I mean. I did enjoy once Kit started working through everything and seeing things more in the light, which was the point of the story. I also thought the reference to Don Quixote were very well timed.

There is some occasional language throughout plus two moderately detailed sex scenes in the book. I recommend this book for mature audiences.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

A Faith Unleashed

Author: Joshua J. Masters

Publisher: Bold Vision Books

Release Date: April 21, 2021

An absolutely precious and powerful book that will give readers all the feels and bring you closer to God with each new chapter.

Franklin is an abused and neglected little pup before coming to live in his forever home. He spent his youngest days in a puppy mill and was severely neglected which left him afraid of most everything life had to offer. His journey from brokenness to a life of joy and belonging is a lot like our own. Each chapter gives us a cute story of Franklin’s life and then connects it to a biblical application for our own lives. With the passing of each chapter, readers see the similarities of Franklin’s journey of being rescued and our own as we allow Christ to rescue us from our lives and give us new life in him.

I was amazed as I read each new chapter and saw the way Masters wove together how we ourselves are like a rescued pup when we allow Jesus to come into our lives and make things so much better than we ever knew possible. At the start of each chapter we get a cute little Franklin story and then see how that can apply to our lives, which made me look at things in an entirely new light. All the comparisons are down to earth, easy to relate to with nothing too crazy that the readers will have trouble believing. One of the nicest things about this book is I could hand it over to my pre-teen son and feel like he would get a closer connection to the Lord through the pages. It is a great book for new believers and especially animal lovers.

Denied

Author: Mary Keliikoa

Series: Kelly Pruett Mystery #2

Publisher: Self

Release Date: May 11, 2021

Crafty, clever, and totally unexpected!

PI Kelly Pruett is recovering from her last case after taking over her father’s PI business, when she is approached by a friend from the past. A very pregnant friend is looking into why she hasn’t heard from her father since she has been trying to contact him for over a month. They had a falling out a few months ago and now she wants to make amends before she has the baby so that he or she can know their grandfather. As Kelly dives into the case, she discovers a world of gambling, mafia, sickness, betrayal, and illegal dumping. Can Kelly unravel the case before someone silences her from uncovering the truth?

I haven’t read the first book in this series, but the second pulled me in quickly and did a good job of filling in some backstory. I’m sure there would have been more had I read the first, but I think this can be a standalone. Kelly is a very strong woman to be going through everything with her ex-husband, ex-best friend, and PI business. Her persistence and perseverance was fun to watch when she just couldn’t let things drop. I also like the supporting role of Detective Kuni and hope to see more of him in future stories. I also thought that tying in the experiences of living with a deaf daughter was a neat aspect. I plan to go back and get the first to tie it all together, but I’m also looking forward to the next installment.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Letter Keeper

Author: Charles Martin

Series: Murphy Shepherd #2

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: June 8, 2021

If the first book in the series didn’t draw you in, this one is a sure bet!

Murphy Shepherd always leaves the ninety-nine behind to search for the one. The one that no one else could find that’s being trafficked. And he’s made a lot of enemies along the way that would love nothing more than to silence the man who has destroyed their profits once and for all. Unfortunately, someone has found the ability to do just that and not only have they destroyed his beloved island, they have captured his new wife and teenage daughters. Murphy must race against time with the tables turned on him to find his family before they meet a fate worse than death.

So, if you loved the rough, tough persona of Murphy Shepherd created during in The Water Keeper then you are in for a treat in this new book. There is not as much action as the first book, but readers get to see the man behind the persona and really begin to understand who he is. From childhood to university to how he become involved in this line of work. In addition to all of this, readers get to know some of the supporting characters better including Bones and his daughter Ellie. One of the most surprising elements of the book was developing the story of Casey, who was found at the end of the first book. She develops into such a beautiful, yet fierce, character with some unexpected twist and turns along the way.

If you thought the first book mirror the move Taken, this was makes you think it will be like Taken 2, but it is much more than that. Grab a copy as soon as you can!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Searching for Normal

Author: C.J. Darlington

Series: Riverbend Friends #2

Publisher: Focus on the Family

Release Date: April 6, 2021

The second book in the Riverbend Friends series picks up where the first left off, but now readers get to focus on Shay and see her story. A great YA/Coming of age story that is perfect for young adult readers.

The second book in the Riverbend Friends series focuses on the life of Shay Mitchell. Her life changed forever six months ago when she came to live with her aunt and started a new school that brought about her being bullied. Living with her Aunt Laura above a bookstore is nice, but none of her new friends know the real reason she came to live with her aunt and what happened in her past that is causing her to be bullied. While living with her aunt, Shay learns the truth about her biological father and rushes at the chance to meet him. All she wants is a normal family life and to be happy without all the bad stuff hanging over her. But what she wishes for and how she thinks it will happen might be the farthest thing from a happy normal life.

With this second book in the Riverbend Friends series, I am falling in love with these four friends and the way these books are written to young adults, especially young girl readers. For me, this is the perfect series because it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, it shows these girls going through hard things and the way they lean on each other and find a deeper relationship with God through the problems they are facing. They go through hard things, but they realize that even through bad, good things come out of it, like the new friendships they find with each other. I think that is one of the most important things, especially now, finding a few good friends you can trust and rely on through the hard times makes getting through those hard times a little bit easier.

Shay and her story picked up where the first book left off but also gives readers some good back story as to what happened to her and makes the first book even better because I was able to reflect on why she reacted the way she did to some of what happened in that book. I liked this character and how she handled what happened to her, her aunt was one of my favorite characters with her taking Shay in and dealing with how she was treated by both family and school issues. I would recommend reading the first in the series with this one, it could be read after but in my opinion to get the most out of the series go in order. Young girls will be the target audience for this one and parents can enjoy the fact that it is a good story that is clean and no questionable content. I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Real, Not Perfect

Author: Stephanie Coleman

Series: Riverbend Friends #1

Publisher: Focus on the Family

Release Date: April 6, 2021

A great teen book about family, relationships, and the struggles young girls can face growing up and why it is important to have a close relationship with God.

Tessa’s life has always been pretty easy; she goes to swim practice, gets good grades and has two loving parents. All of that changes as she comes home one afternoon to find out her parents are getting a divorce and her best friend is moving away. To top things off, she is put in drama, the worst class ever. As Tessa tries to cope with her new family life, her mom gets more and more depressed, her best friend is posting about how great her new life is, and Tessa feels like everyone has a great life except her. Her goal is to convince herself and others that she is fine and nothing is wrong, but it only takes a little bit for her new friends to realize she is anything but fine and they help her discover that it is ok for things to not be perfect.

This was such a great fast read; I loved how real it was (no pun intended). It’s true though, being real and not perfect in this day and age of social media is so hard to do. Everyone tries to put their very best little snap shots up to post for all to see when that isn’t real life. Life is hard and messy and if we realize that and let others see the real life we are living, it will take away the stress and weight of trying to be perfect all the time. Tessa is going through what a lot of kids end up going through these days and to see her angry, hurt and letting her emotions get the best of her at times is what really made this book connect with me. This is the first book in the series about four friends that have different lives but find a way to connect with each other through their struggles and come closer because of it. While Tessa was the main character, readers get to see a small glimpse into the lives of the others that will shine in their own upcoming stories. The fact that Tessa didn’t get the perfect fairy tale ending was something I give props to the author for, very rarely does life give us that fairy tale ending and to see things play out there the way they did is going to be bringing me back for more. I am thankful that teens will have a realistic view of life when picking this one up. I recommend this to young teen girls that are looking for characters they can relate to and want to feel connected to a storyline that is more than just an escape.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Whom God’s Destroy

Author: Vincent B. Davis II

Series: Sertoris Scrolls #4

Publisher: Self Published

Release Date: May 1, 2021

Davis is back in his element with Quintus Sertoris again on the war path!

After his tenure as senator and following the disaster that befell the senate, Quintus Sertoris is now serving as a legate for Rome to Greece. While this should be a mission of peace, he quickly realizes that his new commander expects to return with a tribute of at least 5,000 deaths. Once the legion is in Greece, Quintus begins to realize that Roman citizens are disappearing, some being sold into slavery, which is illegal. As he investigates, he realizes that he is up against a villain known as Cerebus that is bent upon the full destruction of Rome. Sertoris must devise a way to put an end to the conspiracy while making new friends, and losing some, along the way.

I love this series, but after Bodies in the Tiber, I was ready to get back on the war path and leave the politics behind. Luckily, Davis does just that in his new Sertoris Scroll. Now under the command of Proconsul Titus Didius, he is dispatched to Greece as a legate. Unfortunately, this leaves readers without the Quintus/Arrea love story that many were hoping to get back on track, but it does allow for good banter with his old friend Apollonius once again. This book introduces new friendships and sees some old friendships start to dwindle. The drama with Sulla continues at a distance, mainly through letters of Rome’s impending civil war. Everything is being set up nicely for the Social War that Sertorius is greatly known for.

Highly recommended for lovers of ancient roman literature.

Primordial

Author: David L. Sobel, MD, JD

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: December 9, 2021

What do you get when a lawyer is tied up in a medical thriller? Primordial!

Jonas is a member of the legal team at a hospital in New York City and enjoys his quiet life. He’s good at his job and enjoys living with his dad, even if his dad does wish he would get involved with someone. When one of the hospital’s research analyst determines that someone has been killing patients and provides a list to Jonas of the next potential victims, he pays little mind to it. But then he finds that one of the patients who dies the next night was on the list! With only the help of two medical residents, Jonas begins to uncover something sinister that dates back to concentration camps in WWII.

This is one of those rare books that you don’t expect to keep on your shelves after you’ve read it, but you are so surprised by how good it was that you think about rereading it. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of this book and watching the characters relationships get intertwined with each other. It was a little bit cat and mouse mixed with some medical/legal thriller aspects that kept me turning the pages. And how about that ending? I wasn’t sure how the flashbacks were going to tie into the present-day story, but WOW! Can this thing have a sequel?

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Ninth Metal

Author: Benjamin Percy

Series: Comet Cycle #1

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Release Date: June 1, 2021

More like a modern day western that what I expected.

What some people viewed as the end of the world, others viewed as a golden opportunity. One night, a comet crashed into the small town of Northfall, Minnesota, forever changing the town and the people who lived within. What initially caused power outages, vehicle accidents, and debris raining from the sky turned into a huge cash crop when people realized that the metal fragments from the comet had huge potential as an energy source, which turns Northfall into a “gold rush” town of the 21^st century. Now, two giant corporations are fighting for overall control of the metal: the local Frontier family and the Texas based oil man with deep pockets. And in the center of it all, is a commune that sits atop the biggest metal reserve that will only sell to the person who can bring the dead back to life!

I went into this novel expecting a dystopian, speculative fiction type of read that was going to be more how we rebuild after we’ve been hit by a comet type of story. However, it was more of a 21^st century shoot from the hip western that made me think of some recent miniseries that have been airing in Montana and South Dakota. Even so, it was quite an interesting depiction that was enjoyable to read through and see what happened. I enjoyed the Frontier family drama that made me think of a ranching family up in Montana that controls the land against developers. It also had a little bit of government conspiracy thrown in for good measure as well as dishonest cops who are on the take. Overall, a little something for everybody. There is a lot of foul language throughout the book as well as some implied sexual activity, but nothing is graphic, but it does leave some to the imagination. I recommend this book for mature readers who enjoy this genre.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

A Lady in Attendance

Author: Rachel Fordham

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: June 1, 2021

Such a great historical fiction story that had me laughing as much as researching!

After serving a five-year sentence in the House of Refuge in Hudson, New York, Hazel is released with little hope of finding a decent job as she believes no one will trust her. She uses an alias to find employment and lands a job as a lady in attendance for a dentist, Dr. Gilbert Watt. As she begins to work with Dr. Watt, she begins to trust again and finds a friendship that may be able to heal her soul and mend any past transgressions.

There is nothing better when you read a historical fiction novel that makes you research the accuracy of the story. This holds so true for Rachel Fordham and this book. From the prologue set in the House of Refuge, which was actually the second prison for women in the United States, to the job duties of a lady in attendance for dentistry at the time. I learned so much through this book that I had to go back and reread parts just to make sure I fully understood what was going on. In addition to the historical accuracy, I couldn’t have loved seeing two characters thrown together more than Hazel and Gilbert. Their banter was priceless throughout the book. The humor was spot on and I even laughed out loud at a book I thought I wouldn’t even crack a smile in. Great job!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.