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A Leaf and Pebble

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for A Leaf and Pebble through Voracious Readers. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

A Leaf and Pebble is by Andrew Monroe, a fantasy author who is new to me. This is book one of Learner Trilogy series. What an interesting world he has introduced me to.  Not only are people naturally born able to use magic, but you can also have others who can learn how to use magic.  Nil and Volant are on the run!  Will they get help to survive? 

a leaf and pebble

The Basic Details for A Leaf and Pebble

Title: A Leaf and Pebble
Author: Andrew Monroe
Series: The Learner Trilogy (book one)
Publisher: Independ Publishing
Pages: 389
Intended Audience: young adult, adult
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy Adventure, 
Available formats: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio, Paperback
Received: PDF
Reviewed for: Voracious Readers

Author: 

Andrew Monroe is a lover of food (particularly desserts), coffee, books, and tabletop gaming.   Worker of various jobs in order to pay the bills… and his spare time is taken up by writing. 

The Book:

In a land of elemental magic (naturals) and Learner Skill (learners), a gripping tale of two friends who narrowly avoid death while attending the school under the mountain takes place. As both are forced to flee before finishing their studies, they must unravel and attempt to thwart a plot to plunge their homeland into war after ages of peace.  Can Nil and Volant uncover the mysterious group plotting to turn their five peaceful kingdoms in war-mongering enemies? 

So what do I think?

So, I like the story.  I want to know how the story ends, so Andrew needs to finish the next book in the series post-haste!

I received a PDF, and I really dislike reading books on kindle, particularly those not really formatted for kindle, but it did make for a good lunch-time read.   Just not as smooth a read as turning the pages of a book or as comfortable.  🙂 

Occasionally though, it felt like a page was missing. I’d be reading and then the story would jump, or I’d lose half a sentence, so that spoiled the progression of the story.  I’m sure that the final version (since this was published in 2019) has avoided those jumps. 

The characters:

Nil and Volant (the Leaf and the Pebble respectably) are likable individuals, though the propensity of Nil to find the nearest good-looking girl was an unnecessary distraction to the storyline. Very different in their personalities, yet mindful of each other as good friends are apt to be. 

The Storyline: 

A good protagonist needs an equally good antagonist.  The bad-guys are well connected, very much not nice guys, looking to benefit from a land in battle. Nil and Volant have their work cut out for them if they want to firstly, save their own lives, and secondly, prevent the reordering of their society.    

Action floods the pages with the young men narrowly avoiding death repeatedly, and running into and out of trouble every couple of days.   Folks to help them regularly pop into the picture, some to teach additional skills, some to provide respite, and others to put them into untenable positions with really only one way out.  They need to navigate all these situations while considering what is the right thing to do. 

Whose it written for?

Young adults I think will like this story.  It is written for a high energy crowd following the lives of two young men.  Not teens, but more young men, fellows not quite done with school, and just starting into their adult lives.  Young men who are bound to make mistakes, but old enough to realize when they need help, and young enough to be bold enough to move on when the adults are being too protective. 

All in all… Andrew Monroe is a new author to me and I’ll happily read the next in the series. It’s a fun, busy read.  It’s like a cozy mystery wrapped up in a world of fantasy, complex magic, and boys out to save their world!   🙂  Get your own copy of A Leaf and Pebble now!  🙂 

 

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater through Nuts about Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

Can evil be beaten?  Yes, prayer and understanding that it’s just trying to mess with your head, and your faith, evil can be beaten.  Ms. Wright is clear about that as she brings us into a haunting, somewhat spooky word of The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater. Not for the faint of heart despite the lack of gruesomeness, and was a book I read in short spurts as I like suspenseful books, but some are meant to be taken in short bits.  🙂 

the lost boys of barlowe theater by Jaime Jo Wright

The Basic Details

Title: The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater
Author: Jaime Jo Wright
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Pages: 384
Intended Audience: adult
Genre: Christian fiction, Christian Mystery Fiction, Mystery and Suspense, Romantic Suspense
Available formats: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio, Paperback
Received: Paperback
Reviewed for: Nuts About Books

The Author:

I thought I recognized the author!   Jaime Jo Wright also wrote The Souls of Lost Lake!  I remember that book as a somewhat compelling read.  And again, we have a book that jumps from the past to the present.  This makes it one that wouldn’t work for me as an audiobook and where I have to pay attention to the headings!   

Anyways, what can I tell you about Jaime Jo Wright?  She loves coffee, cats, and gothic horror! She is a multi-award-winning author, with numerous bestsellers under her belt.  Her writing style will keep you at the edge of your seat, while reminding you about God himself. 

The Novel:

Running in two timelines, with missing boys in both.  Two women trying to solve the mystery of the missing boys and wanting the evil of the theater to stop.  Good men help them, and some romantic interests are shown, but isn’t primary to the storyline.   Greta in 1915 and Kit in present times.

Two Mysteries, yet related

Barlowe Theater haunts the town Kippers Grove.  Two women, in separate timelines, are determined to help the boys lost and to keep it from happening again.  Will they succeed in this suspense filled mystery?

You’ll find cliff-hangers, and some giveaways as you move from the present back to the past.  You’ll have to deal with the supernatural and have to fight to see what is true.  Kinda like real life eh?  Will be fooled by the devil’s wiles or see the truth hiding behind?

The writing is clear and easy to read, the story compelling.  Each of the ladies have struggles they need to deal with such as poverty and adoption as they work to solve the mystery.  I’m not going to give the story away, but do know the mystery IS solved.  It’s important to know that when reading a suspenseful book. 

If this sort of read is your cup of tea, pick it up!  You’ll be on your edge of the seat throughout!

Lost and Found

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for Lost and Found through Nuts about Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

Do you like Amish literature?  Like seeing that sense of community and faith in God?  Suzanne Woods Fischer has put together a nice romantic novel that is more thought-provoking than it is focused on romance.  You will find themes of mental illness, forgiveness, following God’s leading, grief, and spiritual growth.  The undercurrent through it all is Micah and Trudy, with things to learn before they can really see each other.  If you love bird-watching you’ll have the added joy of reading through bird watching journal entries! 

Lost and Found by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Basic Details for Lost and Found

Title: Lost and Found
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Pages: 320
Intended Audience: adult
Genre: Christian fiction, Contemporary Christian fiction, mental health, Amish, Contemporary Christian Fiction, Amish Romance, Amish and Mennonite fiction,
Available formats: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio, Paperback
Received: Paperback
Reviewed for: Nuts About Books

The Author:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a prolific author, Lost and Found is just one in a long set of series about the Amish. She has written in several genres, such as historical fiction, contemporary, women’s romance, and children.  Ms. Fisher has written for years, starting with magazines, and then moving on to romance and non-fiction.  Mother, author, and person of faith, she spent some time living in Hong Kong but currently lives in California. 

The Story:

Trudy Yoder shares a passion for birding with Micah Weaver–and she has an even greater passion for Micah. Their friendship is finally turning romantic when Micah abruptly grows cold. Worse still, he wants to leave Stoney Ridge.

Micah Weaver thought he was over Trudy’s older sister. A year and a half ago, Shelley had broken his heart when she ran away from Stoney Ridge to pursue a singing career in Nashville…….

When the bishop asks for volunteers to scout out a possible church relocation in Tennessee, Micah is the first to raise his hand. Despite scant details, he’s confident he can find Shelley.

Lost and Found by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Looking Deeper

At first I thought this was going to be another sappy Christian romance but I WAS WRONG.  Is it a romance?  YES.  Is there some sappiness to it?   For sure!  (It wouldn’t be billed as a romance otherwise would it!?!!)  But this is more of a story of two young people needing to mature into themselves AND as they mature to being able to see what they must. 

Micah needed to see the truth of old love, his own competency, and how to stand for what is real and important.   Trudy needed to stand up for herself and not let family tragedy stop forward progress. As they learned these things, they became “better suited” to each other.

Their maturity and dealing with mental health issues were more important stories and I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that.  It makes the romance part of it seem more realistic to me.  🙂 

Since Micah and Trudy are avid bird-watchers I thought Ms. Fisher did an excellent job of adding in these bird-watching journal entries. It was kinda fun reading about the common loon, gray catbird, bobolink, and others. 

Though I enjoyed that the primary focus wasn’t on the romantic feelings betwixt Micah and Trudy I can’t really say that I enjoyed the read.  I enjoyed the bird journal entries, and overall the story was good, but the characters were “off”.  The old man who yelled all the time really threw me off and the laughter/joking about fainting goats.  It just sat wrong for me.  

BUT I loved the growth seen in both Micah and Trudy and learning about why an Amish community might up and leave.  Seeing the Amish community (in the form of Trudy) doing what she could to save the larger community around her.  Those elements were fantastic and I’m so glad Ms. Fisher focused on the bigger picture.  Simply wonderful that. 

The hat Diaries: the secret life of Ryan Rigbee

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for The hat Diaries: the secret life of Ryan Rigbee through Mouth: Digital & Public Relations. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

Oh, this book.  I really really wish it has been at the top of my review pile…but it wasn’t.  AND I do need to honour the order in which books arrive.  What a rollicking ride of hats and watching a young boy become something more.  Each hat adventure contains clues that he needs to put together to get some answers.  I’ll warn you straight up, the answers might not be what you expect!

The hat Diaries: the secret life of Ryan Rigbee

The Basic Details for The Hat Diaries

Title: The Hat Diaries: the secret life of Ryan Rigbee
Author:  Nadine Haruni
Publisher: Speaking Volumes
Series: The Hat Diaries
Pages: 252
Intended Audience: middle school, 6-18 years,
Genre: magical realism, coming of age, teen & young adult,
Available formats: Kindle, Paperback

The Author

Nadine Haruni is best known for her Freeda the Frog children series.  The Secret Life of Ryan Rigbee is her debut foray into the middle school realm. She is also a practicing attorney, Certified yoga instructor, and the proud mother of a blended family of five children. 

The Book

The Hat Diaries: the Secret Life of Ryan Rigbee is the first in a trilogy.  Ryan undertakes a magical adventure in the form of hats that bring him into a series of adventures. Through those adventures he develops more into the person he is meant to become.  A confident young man who sees his own potential.  Coming of age books are good to read eh? 

The hat Diaries: the secret life of Ryan Rigbee

What you’ll find

You will find text meant to appeal to middle school through young adult.  A very easy to read tome, filled with a variety of adventures, in different fields of employment. Magician, FireFighter, Policeman, Safari Guide and more.  A variety of occupations to delight the imagination of 13 year old boy.  A boy who, through the change of a hat, changes his life in the course of an evening. 

Each chapter starts off simply with an image fitting it.  In black and white.  Nothing fancy, just something to add a bit to the storyline. 

I will freely admit that I didn’t read every word.  I tend to skim read books when short on time and I really wanted to let you know about this read.   The imagination, and the pulling together of the story was delightful.  I LOVE feeding the imagination of children. 

Through Ryan’s imagination, and the help of those magical hats, Ryan learned more about his family.  Enough that he was able to as good questions of his mom, and figure some things out about his deceased father. 

If I were still homeschooling I’d be tempted to use this book to help in a story telling class.  What kind of story would YOUR imagination spin up with a baseball cap, mala beads, or _________.  All these things that Ryan has to work with, and then read what Ryan’s mind came up with. Wouldn’t that be an interesting class to teach? 

The Warsaw Sisters

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for The Warsaw Sisters through Nuts about Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

Good and evil are part of what it means to live life isn’t it?   In war we often see more of the nasty side of what people can be.  Amanda Barratt takes the time to show us the courage of two young women, living in Poland, during WW2.  Walk into the wartime lives on Helena and Antonina. Marvel at their determination and survival skills as they manage the Nazi occupation of Poland. 

The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barrat

The Basic Details for The Warsaw Sisters

Title: The Warsaw Sisters
Author: Amanda Barratt
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Pages: 384
Intended Audience: adult
Genre: Christian fiction, Contemporary Christian fiction, World War ll historical fiction, 20th century historical fiction, Christian historical fiction, 
Available formats: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio, Paperback

The Author

Amanda Barratt says on her website “I’m passionate about illuminating oft-forgotten facets of history”.  And in The Warsaw Sisters I saw snippets of history brought to life I didn’t previously know about. Ms. Barratt is a Christian author who has written several books.  She often writes about WW2 as she’s fascinated by the contrast between good and evil. 

The Warsaw Sisters 

Takes in the lives of Helena and Antonina.   Sisters in Poland trying to survive the Nazi invasion of WW2. Through them we get to see how some of the Polish fought back against the invasion.  How they fought for their people and for the Jewish who lived among them. The question we have is, will their fight against the evil of the Nazi regime drive them apart? 

My Thoughts

I very much appreciated that each time the voice changed, or a date changed, we were clearly informed by section headings.  The font was easy on the eyes and made reading comfortable.  The story, though delineated by days/voices, was indeed a story and not a recitation of facts. 

The fact that the speaker varies between the two sisters means, that for me at least, this novel would not work as an audiobook.  BUT others might be better able at discerning the difference while listening. 

The added historical notes at the close of The Warsaw Sisters are informative, showing how the story was derived from the research that Ms. Barratt did. Very interesting and helpful.

I’m not going to tell you that The Warsaw Sisters is a happy read.  There’s lots of sadness throughout.  We see Germans doing some very nasty things and we see Polish turning a blind eye to atrocities. War is a horrible thing, and wars that include genocide are particularly nasty.  It spans the time of 1939-1945.

But I’m also not going to tell there is no hope or joy.   Joy in helping those who most need it.  Courage of people choosing to fight instead of giving up like sheep.  Bravery in choosing to do hard things.  Intelligence in learning new and necessary skills.   Wonder at the birth of a child.  The hope of the city of Warsaw rebuilt.

So it’s just like Ms. Barratt says ” In times of some of the greatest evil and inhumanity our world has ever known, there emerged glimmers of courage, resilience, and sacrifice. The juxtaposition of those fragments of light against the darkness is extraordinarily powerful and inspires me as I write.”  She fulfilled her own mandate don’t you think?  That balance between good and bad clearly seen in the lives of these women and the army they fight against. 

On Moonberry Lake

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for On Moonberry Lake through Nuts about Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

Walk into a touch of mystery, the love of family, the burgeoning friendships, and the small town attitude of On Moonberry Lake.  A story for women about women, their uniqueness, and how quickly they can respond to emergencies, and a few good men at their side.   Holly Varni has written a heart-warming story that makes for a perfect weekend read. 

on moonberry lake

The Basic Details for On Moonberry Lake

Title: On Moonberry Lake
Author: Holly Varni
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Series: Moonberry Lake
Pages: 336
Intended Audience: adult
Genre: Christian fiction, family life fiction, Contemporary Christian fiction, Christian romance, small town fiction, contemporary romance
Available formats: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio, Paperback

Author Notes:

Growing up in Nebraska, but now living in California with her professor hubby, Holly Varni writes stories about Moonberry Lake. She wants to give readers characters they can connect with, admire, laugh at, and most of all love.  She raises up boys and works in hospice (where she gets to listen to life stories).

Book Notes: 

Cora Matthews’s life is a mess. A broken engagement and the unexpected death of her mother have left her wondering if things will ever return to normal. Whatever “normal” is.   Perhaps she can find the answers if she returns to the family home on Moonberry Lake. 

A host of eccentric neighbours, and the job of rebuilding the family lodge, give Cora the time she needs to let go of her past and build toward her future. 

on moonberry lake

My Thoughts

I loved the eccentricity and heart in Cora’s neighbours.   I found some of the small-townishness perhaps a bit overplayed, but interesting folks.   The other day at work I noted that we all have our own uniqueness’s and the best we can do is embrace them in ourselves and others.   So it is for the folks on Moonberry Lake.  Almost everyone has heart for their neighbours, makes mistakes, some have faith in God, and they all pull together when things are hard.   Is everything all roses?   Certainly not.  Conflict between people, hurt and misunderstanding, dangerous events, and what not.  They happen.  And sometimes in a story it feels a bit far-fetched.  Like are there SO many eccentric people living in this small-town?  Does a tornado have to happen to destroy all Cora and Widgy’s hard work?   

But the point of the story is to tell an engaging story with characters that draw you in and make you love them.  Even Mr. Wells with all his struggles was a character you just want to wrap your arms around and hold close.  It’s a fun weekend read.   Is there romance in it?  YES.  And the whole “instant connection” thing drove me crazy as always, but it ended up not being central to the whole story.  AND I LOVE THAT!  Don’t you too?   When a story has more depth than the romance between two people.

Go on, get On Moonberry Lake and enjoy a light christian romance with a feel-good vibe. 

Stored Up Treasure

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So I’m sitting here very early on a Monday morning pondering the word store.  It’s our Five minute Friday word of the week and I’ve been too tired to consider it all weekend.   I missed it last week and may at some point right a post for the word turn.  But today, today let’s ponder the word Store.   I got to thinking about a sermon yesterday and how within the pages of the bible there is stored up treasure.  Sometimes we need help to find that treasure you know?

Why am I up so early?  I have work today and a lad who stayed up most of the night.  Studying, preparing, doing the whole school thing, and realizing too late that his mom is a light sleeper. The bag under my eyes have grown rather large.  I asked him this morning to do some problem solving into how he can stay up if he needs to, and yet allow me to get the rest I need because this situation isn’t tenable. 

Stored Up Treasure

Stored up treasure

Yesterday’s sermon in church was on
2 Corinthians 4:1-6. Pastor spoke on how
God is the light and the
‘god of this age’ is a master manipulator
and closes off the eyes of the mind.

When he does so, people can’t see truth,
they can’t see the glory of God that
is in everything surrounding them, hence
they truly live in darkness.
a darkness built on deception.

And yet God
God is the light
the very glory we see about us
in the smallest of things, and
in the biggest of things.

So Paul when he preached to the people
wasn’t worried about if his message
would reach people.
He knew that God could reach into
the darkest of souls (after all,
God completely changed Paul’s life)
so he did what he was supposed to do.
He preached Christ and him crucified.
He preached God and his gloriousness.

A heart comforted

And so I sat there in silence
munching on my mix I bring to help me
keep focused.
and my mother’s heart was comforted.
I so want my boy to see the truth of
who God is. To worry constantly for his
eternal future no longer.
But God took Paul.
And man who sincerely thought he was right
a brilliant man (by my reckoning at least)
and completely turned him around.

So like Paul, I need to worry less.
Fussing will get me no where but resentful
of God for not hurrying things along.
I just need to do my part.
Read books to help him think.
Postulate questions that even if he shuts
me down might sit in his brain a bit.
and pray, to pray fervently, through scripture,
through the prayers of the faithful, and through
a mom’s observations into the life of her young man.

And perhaps, just perhaps if I do that.
My internal fretting will ease, and
perhaps my son might have that light of God start
to seep back into his life, just a bit more.

So when they talk about the
stored up treasure in the bible,
sometimes you just need a person of God
to remind you of the light that God is.
and that light, always, always dispels darkness
and deception can’t hide forever.
Deception doesn’t win.

bank banknotes bills business
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

And God would speak

2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.