Tag: #BookReview

Two mini reviews: Identity and The Tapestry of Grace

BonnieReadsAndWrites2 Comments

Below are mini-reviews of two very different books: Identity by Nora Roberts and The Tapestry of Grace by Kim Vogel Sawyer. Identity is a thriller and The Tapestry of Grace is Christian Historical Fiction. Click on the covers for buy links and book descriptions on Amazon. Mini-reviews are just a slightly condensed version of the reviews I usually provide.

IDENTITY AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

This is a very compelling thriller that was hard to put down. I connected with the characters immediately and the villain is oh, so very evil. I was kept enthralled throughout the whole book. The ups and downs of the main character were heartbreaking, but her resilience was inspiring. I loved the entire supporting cast.

The narrator of the audiobook, January LaVoy, did a fantastic job giving distinct personalities and voices to the characters she portrayed. I would seek out her work again.

This is a book for readers who enjoy strong women characters and I hope you pick it up.

I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

THE TAPESTRY OF GRACE BOOK REVIEW

This is a heartwarming Christian novel set in Alexandertol, Kansas, in 1895. Augusta Dyck, a widow and mother who is also the town’s teacher, becomes a part of a new Frauenverien, a group of women in the Mennonite church who band together to help provide for widows and orphans. Augusta immediately begins petitioning the group to help Konrad Rempel, a widower with twin boys. She can tell he needs someone to care for the boys while he is working as a blacksmith. Konrad, however, is reluctant to receive help. The group’s overbearing leader, Martina Krahn, suggests an apprenticeship for one of the twins with her husband, a wainwright. But she has ulterior motives, hoping a child will save her marriage and give her husband something that she cannot.

The town of Alexandertol is based on the German Mennonite communities that relocated to America after suffering religious persecution in Russia. The town’s cast of characters is well-written, and it is fun to follow their daily lives and see what life was like for them in 1895. There are many Christian messages in this book, including dealing with guilt, the rewards of helping others, having faith, and asking God for help. However, the greatest message is that God can take something bad and turn it into something wonderful. The reader is introduced to the history of the Frauenverien, which was an actual organization set up by German communities at that time to help those in need. With likable characters and a heartfelt message, this is a book that readers of Christian fiction will enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook via The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Blog Tour and Book Review: Wilson Indeed

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

*Book Review near the bottom of the page

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Book Blurb :- In The Market Square, the fantastical setting for all his dream activities, Wilson Armitage is able to take night classes on any subject and absorb a wealth of knowledge from just a few hours of sleep.  As though logging into a wifi of dreams to download information.  As his childhood passes, both wary of and reticent to acknowledge his extraordinary ability, Wilson attempts to lead a normal life and stay beneath the radar of family and friends.At the age of seventeen however, his cover is blown by Daisy Meadowcroft.  During a chance encounter in The Market Square, they agree to meet the next day and are propelled from a dream world into the reality of a coffee shop in the centre of Manchester.  Enthralled by their shared gift, they strike up a close friendship and encourage each other to seek a rational, scientific explanation for their unique talents.

Butterfly Assassins, the second book in the trilogy, is available on Amazon.

In a recent survey, 85% of people said yes to the question: “Do you believe there are things out there that science can’t explain?”

If you’re one of those 85%, you’ll love The WiFi of Dreams series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Walsh

For twenty years Steve Walsh honed his skills in prose as an advertising copywriter; the ‘ideas’ man in a Manchester based marketing agency that carried his name.

In the late 1990’s he stumbled into the world of the dotcom entrepreneur and his claim to fame is as the creator of the hotel booking service, laterooms.com and the first car insurance comparison site, easycover.com. So, the birth of Meerkats, a Welsh opera singer, and being confused.com might be considered as down to him, for which he apologizes. 

He now uses his vivid imagination and gentle Mancunian wit to write visionary fantasy novels with bold concepts. Wilson indeed, the first book in his trilogy The WiFi of Dreams takes the reader on a richly imagined, fact meets fiction adventure story to which we can relate and feel we can touch. A whimsical interrogation of the inexplicable and fundamental tenets of our lives – the role and meaning of dreams, the nature of the hereafter, hard and soft science, a love story – what more can you want? 

BOOK REVIEW

I was captivated by this imaginative novel that immediately throws you straight into the action on the first page. At first, this book seems to be going a certain direction, but suddenly you realize you are reading something extraordinary and going on an amazing adventure with the intriguing young Wilson. Going to school in his dreams, Wilson can speak several languages, restore classic vehicles, perform life-saving medical procedures, and more, and he is still a kid.

When he meets Daisy in the dream state and they decide to meet in the real world, that’s when the fun really begins, and when danger starts to lurk ever closer. From the dream world to the real world, Wilson’s abilities soon become known to the “powers that be.” When Wilson and Daisy investigate the disappearance of Vanessa, the mother of Wilson’s best friend, they truly begin to shake things up.

Wilson Indeed is a captivating mix of fantasy, science and mystery that will take you on a fascinating ride into the world of dreams. Through Wilson and Daisy, we can explore the possibilities of what can happen when the fantastical world we visit when we sleep crosses into real life. This is the first book in the Wifi of Dreams series. I highly recommend this to fans of Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery, and Science Fiction, as well as those who love genre mashups.

Thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours for a copy of this book. I also purchased one on Amazon. My opinions are voluntary and are my own.

This is a 5-star read for me. I will note, however, that the book needs a better cover. The cover should be as fantastical and imaginative as the story.

BUY LINKS

BUY WILSON INDEED (BOOK ONE)

BUY BUTTERFLY ASSASSINS (BOOK TWO)

#Book Review: The Demon of Yodok

BonnieReadsAndWrites13 Comments

This is a great combination of both dystopian and historical fiction, as it is really 1994 and the Kingdom of Choson is, of course, North Korea, and the Great General is their leader at the time, Kim Il Sung. This is not just about an evil Communist dictatorship, although much is exposed. It is about the great resentment Areum feels towards her parents and sister and the fact that she doesn’t feel a part of her own family. Her resentment is shocking at times and is so well described.

The descriptions of the horrible treatment of the citizens of the “Kingdom of Choson” and the way that evil actions are portrayed as good things is heartbreaking. Adria Carmichael paints a vivid picture of a society filled with fear, and leaders who look on those in their charge as less than nothing. Through it all runs the concept of Juche, a North Korean version of communism/totalitarianism as invented by Kim Il Sung. Carmichael takes us to a society that tells its people how great it is while they starve and murder them. Her idea to present North Korea as the setting of a dystopian novel is a good one, because it really is a dystopian society right here on Earth. The story is riveting from start to finish. This is a great debut novel from the very talented Adria Carmichael.

Link to Order Book 1: Juche: The Demon of Yodok

Link to Order Book 2: Juche: The Weeping Masses

Link to Pre-Order Book 3: Juche: The Storm of Storms

#Book Review: Man on the Isle of Jura

BonnieReadsAndWrites3 Comments

I reviewed Man on the Isle of Jura for the May edition of Historical Novels Review magazine, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society. As the final part of the process, reviewers are given a list of books (with descriptions) to choose from. This one jumped out at me because: √Time Travel, √Historical Fiction √Magical Realism. Those who have been following this blog know that historical fiction with a time travel sub-genre is my favorite thing to read. Throw in magical realism and I am definitely hooked. My review is below. There is also a link at the bottom of the page to an interview (Q&A) of me on Tom Maremaa’s website. Check it out! This time he was the one asking the questions. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Christopher Reed is with his family in an SUV in California when a devastating earthquake hits. His wife and daughter are killed and Christopher plunges into the Pacific Ocean. However, before he knows it, he is drowning in the Atlantic ocean on the Isle of Jura outside of Scotland, 1948. The village Christopher arrives in on the Isle of Jura is like many villages may have been in 1948–except some of its inhabitants are telepathic and some can see the future. Jack Wilson, who rescues Christopher from the ocean, can do both. Jack soon joins Christopher on an important mission to make sure a world-changing book (George Orwell’s 1984) is published, despite operatives from another timeline trying to erase it from existence. This is the second book in the “Of Gods, Royals, and Superman” series. It can be read as a standalone.

This interesting book combines historical fiction with time travel and magical realism in a most unique way. The extrasensory abilities of the villagers, time portals in 1948, and mythical creatures all make sense in this extraordinary novel that reminds us of the importance of great literary works and the magnitude of their impact on history. The characters are well developed and the action flows from one fantastical event to another. Fans of literature, time travel and magical realism will enjoy this historical nod to an important novel.

I received a free copy of this book via Historical Novels Review Magazine. My opinions are my own.

Kindle Unlimited subscribers can read the book for free on Amazon.

As always be sure and post a review if you decide to read this book. Reviews are so important to authors.

BUY MAN ON THE ISLE OF JURA

BUY OF GODS, ROYALS, AND SUPERMAN (BOOK 1)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Maremaa

Tom Maremaa is the author of twelve novels, most recently Man on the Isle of Jura and Reynkaviik. His novel METAL HEADS from Kunati Books was nominated by the American Library Association (ALA) as one of the Notable Books of 2009. He has also authored short fiction, plays, and works of non-fiction. A graduate of Dartmouth College, he studied languages, literature and philosophy at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and worked on his Ph.D in comparative literature at the University of California, Berkeley. He lives with his wife in Silicon Valley, California, and works as a software engineer in the Valley. He travels widely to learn about and understand as many cultures and languages as he can.

AN INTERVIEW OF ME ON TOM MAREMAA’S BLOG (Title is Gambler’s Luck)

MY AMAZON REVIEW (HELPFUL VOTES APPRECIATED)