Tag: Amanda Dykes

The Top 7 Books I Read in 2020

BonnieReadsAndWrites14 Comments

Here are my favorite books of this year. Everyone else is doing a Top 5 or a Top 10. I’m doing a Top 7, mostly because I couldn’t narrow it down to five. Although I have them numbered, those numbers could change on any given day and I just couldn’t leave any of them out. These are all books I read in 2020. Since I’ve been doing reviews for the Historical Novel Society, I’ve found some great historical fiction. I also found an Indie book that I really loved. Below is a list of my favorites with their Amazon links and Amazon book descriptions. Three of them were read for the February issue of Historical Novels Review, so I can’t post my reviews for them until they are published in the magazine. Look for my reviews of those three books in February.

7. Set the Stars Alight

This is riveting dual timeline historical fiction. My Review

6. Doing Time

Jodi Taylor is probably my favorite author. She writes the Chronicles of St. Mary’s, a popular time travel series, and Doing Time is the first in a new spinoff series, The Time Police. My Review

5. The Milk Wagon

This is a great book from an Indie author who wrote a fantastic 80’s thriller, mostly revolving around a group of high school boys. This book has not gotten the attention it deserves and is a hidden gem, in my opinion. My review

4. The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop

I can’t post my review for this title until it is published in Historical Novels Review magazine. For a book description on Amazon, click on the cover.

3. The Edge of Belonging

This is a moving story about adoption and family.

My Review

2. Things We Didn’t Say

I cannot post my review until February, but I will say this is an epistolary historical novel, done solely in letters and written communication. You can check out a description on Amazon by clicking on the cover.

  1. No Ordinary Thing

Again I cannot post my review until February, but this is a Middle Grade Time Travel Fantasy revolving around a snow globe! Click on the cover for the Amazon link and description.

Set The Stars Alight

BonnieReadsAndWrites2 Comments

Set the Stars Alight is a beautiful, intricately woven story of friendship. In London in 2000, Lucy and Dash meet as children and grow up together, listening to the spellbinding stories of Lucy’s father, a watchmaker. Some of the stories are make believe, and some are based in truth. Lucy has long researched one of the tales, about the lost ship Jubilee, and she is determined to find out if this fable is real. Many years later, Dash joins her in her search for the legendary vessel.

In 1805, Frederick Hanford and Elias Flint, bitter enemies, bond over shared circumstances. Frederick, the son of a cruel and calculating admiral, comes to see Elias, a shepherd, as his only true family. Mistakes, betrayal, and sacrifice put Frederick’s life and reputation in peril. Will he gain redemption?

This captivating and inspirational book is about the kind of friendship that time and distance, and even betrayal, can never destroy. The past and present are beautifully spun together in a story of love, secrets, and sacrifice. The magical writing of Amanda Dykes will keep you as spellbound as were Lucy and Dash, sitting at the watchmaker’s knee.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House via the Historical Novels Review Magazine. This is an Editor’s Choice review in the magazine. My opinions are my own.

Link to the book on Amazon

Link to Amanda Dykes’ Amazon page

Link to My Review on Goodreads (Like and Follow if you are so inclined)

Link to The Historical Novel Society

Link to my reviews on The Historical Novel Society website