Book Review: "Broken Angels" by Gemma Liviero

Photo credit: Netgalley

    Broken Angels (Lake Union Publishing), by Gemma Liviero, follows the lives of three individuals during WWII.  Both Jewish and Aryan the three characters all face the harsh realities of such an ugly period in history.  The alternating points of view gave fresh air to the story when often times, as stories told about this period of time, became hard to read.  These three viewpoints also brought to light parts of the war I'd never read of before, and I am an avid reader of WWII stories.  It shows how war changes people; even those who seem to have a higher status too become broken.

     All three characters (even the German one) are easy to get attached too.  The story is both heartbreaking and redemptive.  I absolutely recommend it; especially if you are drawn to stories of the war.

Broken Angels  was published April 2016.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All thoughts are my own

I received a review copy

Book review: "Jilted" by Varina Denman

Although I have still to read Jaded (It's next on the list), I didn't hesitate to jump on the book tour for Jilted: A Novel (Mended Hearts Series) (David C Cook), by Varina Denman.  I had become so attached to the characters upon reading the second part of the trilogy and was excited for more.

This last instalment follows Lynda, a middle aged mother who suffers depression due to not only her childhood traumas but those caused by her small town life as well.  Lynda's boyfriend convinces their small town that she cheated on her husband and that her baby was his; resulting in the proverbial scarlet letter, her husband leaving herself and their child, and a swift kick to the curb from her church congregation and closest friends.  With no one to lean on Lynda runs from her faith and into herself.  Depression is a topic that is very taboo within the church, and it is so refreshing when someone speaks out about it.  The beauty of story is that it becomes real.  There is always some part of a story that you can see yourself in; personifying the topic. 

We all are human.  We all have flaws, and struggles, and pain.  Our circumstances shape us and shape how we react to these struggles.  Fact of the matter is we are all human yet not the same.  We are detrimental to one another when we push our own circumstances on one another and judge.  That's what happens with depression.  Church, I beg of you to stop telling the depressed they aren't enough.  They don't pray enough, they don't read their bible enough, ect.  Let's practice grace with one another.  Lynda would have been so much better off had she been shown grace much earlier.  Wouldn't we all?

Read this, let it breath some life into you.  If deep topics don't interest you, know that this is a good, light, summer read and there is a pretty killer tornado scene that as I was reading I had to keep checking the windows to make sure the sunshine was still out.

I have received this review from RadiantLit in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Book Review: "The Tears of Dark Water" by Corban Addison

Original review posted: http://godsdanceralwayz.blogspot.com/... I've been putting off writing up a review on The Tears of Dark Water (Thomas Nelson), by Corban Addison, and I couldn't really tell you why because it was a very good book. I expected it to be; I have yet to read a book published by Thomas Nelson that I do not like. This was the first novel I've ever read about a pirate hijacking. A man whose family is falling apart decides to follow a sailing dream as a last stitch effort to save h  I've been putting off writing up a review on The Tears of Dark Water (Thomas Nelson), by Corban Addison, and I couldn't really tell you why because it was a very good book. I expected it to be; I have yet to read a book published by Thomas Nelson that I do not like. This was the first novel I've ever read about a pirate hijacking. A man whose family is falling apart decides to follow a sailing dream as a last stitch effort to save his son and hopefully his marriage. Off the coast of Somalia their boat is hijacked by pirates. The brilliance in this novel is not taking a common headline and molding a story from a few words. The brilliance is in including every side of the story. Addison let's you into each family members' story, the FBI, the attorney, but most interestingly the pirate. The pirate's story is what pulls everything together and makes it interesting; makes sense out of the madness. It isn't as suspenseful as one might think. It's a story about hope, forgiveness, and reconciliation. It's a story about the nitty gritty dirty little details of life. Addison is a great story teller and I can't wait to read more. I'm so honored to have been asked to review this novel. The Tears of Dark Water was published on October 13, 2015. I received this ARC from Thomas Nelson/Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Book Review: "The Progeny" by Tosca Lee

I DEVOURED Tosca Lee's newest novel The Progeny: A Novel (Descendants of the House of Bathory)  (Howard Books) in just about 2 days!  This novel is fast paced and completely riveting. 

Emily pays to have her mind erased to forget her past and ends up in the run of her life to save herself.  With her memory gone she does not know who to trust.  She however does find out that she is a descendent of the worlds most notorious female serial killer, and because of her blood she is now being hunted.  The action does not stop as she traverses the world to unravel the secret she has hidden from even herself.  The information she held had to be of major importance if she was willing to erase everything she knew from her memory for it.

I have not read a book that has sparked my imagination like this one has in quite some time.  Tosca Lee is a brilliant storyteller.  I found myself googling Elizabeth Bathory just to try to find out how much of the story was truly imagined.  Lee does a phenomenal job at blurring those lines.  I CANNOT recommend this book enough!  RUN to your local bookstore in May and pick it up; better yet just preorder it now!

The Progeny: A Novel (Descendants of the House of Bathory) will be released May 24, 2016.

A copy of this book was provided to me for review by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book review "A.D. 33" by Ted Dekker

     If you haven't read Ted Dekker's A.D. 33: A Novel (Center Street), his follow up to last years A.D. 30, it is the perfect time to devour it.  What a perspective to gain right before Easter!  
     In A.D. 33: A Novel we still follow Maviah and other characters introduced in the last novel.  Maviah has been restored as queen, has adopted a son, and is successfully leading a people when everything goes wrong.  Follow Maviah as she journeys to save her people, her son, and herself.  Maviah knows that after experiencing the presence of Jesus that she can't do this without him.  She searches for him and is present during intimate historical moments like when Jesus was arrested and at the foot of the cross.  The love Maviah develops for Jesus is what I would imagine would happen if just any one of us could look into his eyes for just a moment.  She is a woman overcome and wildly in love with her creator.  If only we didn't forget who we are so often, we would feel the power of that love all the time.  She learns to put 100% trust in Jesus during the most trying time of her life, after an intense battle with herself to take up the fight on her own.
     This novel is thought provoking, imaginative, and so close to the truth it's scary.  Your heart will fall and soar, and fall and soar along with Maviah's.  I definitely recommend this series to every reader.

A.D. 33: A Novel was released October 6, 2015.  What experience has taught you to better trust Jesus?

A digital review copy was provided for me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts are my own.

http://godsdanceralwayz.blogspot.com/2015/02/review-ad-30-by-ted-dekker.html

Book review: "An Endless Christmas" by Cynthia Ruchti

Christmas books are not my thing.  So when I got Cynthia Ruchti's newest novella, An Endless Christmas: A Novella (Worthy Publishing), I was a bit confused as to why I had agreed to be part of this blog tour.  As the stories' Binder family let's go of Christmas traditions each year to just live and enjoy each moment, I'm glad I let go of mine of not reading Christmas stories.

Only grandchild of a large family, Micah Binder, invites his girlfriend to his family's week long Christmas festivities in northern Minnesota.  As if staying with your boyfriend's family for a holiday week, in a tiny technology free cottage in freezing cold Minnesota for the first time wasn't stressful enough, Katie gets proposed to immediately upon walking in the door.  She tells Micah NO, in front of his entire family.  The novella follows Micah and Katie's journey as she toughs out Christmas week and becomes acquainted with his family.  Seemingly perfect, the story just brushes over the little facts pointing out the Binders' flaws but never really telling you what they are.  The story runs similar to this, a little rough around the edges, lacking in some basic plot building, but magical when all is said and done.  It is cheesy in all the right ways.  As I was reading I was picturing a made for TV Christmas movie and wanting a family holiday of my own like that I was reading.  So much seems to go wrong throughout the week, but the way the family bands together and accepts one another's differences (and they are wide) is beautiful.  I found myself thinking about their story long after I closed the book.  If there were a follow up novel or novella I would definitely read it.  I guarantee you, you will find part of yourself somewhere in these pages, and I hope when all is said and done...you yourself will celebrate an endless Christmas.

And shout out to the author who lives in a pretty cool state! ;)

An Endless Christmas: A Novella will be released TOMORROW October 13, 2015.  I strongly encourage you to grab yourself a copy of this quick read!

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?  I've always loved putting out the nativity set!

Note: This novella was provided to me for review as party of a First Look Blog Tour by Worthy Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Book Review: "Justified" by Varina Denman

Choosing to review Justified: A Novel (Mended Hearts Series Book 2) (David C. Cook), by Varina Denman was a risk I was willing to take having not read the first installment of her Mended Hearts series.  The past and future installments have skirted there way to the top of my to read list.  In no way did I feel the story was slighted from having not (yet) read Jaded.

Fawn Blaylock's life is experiencing a season of upheaval due to her untimely pregnancy.  Unwed and ostracized by her small town, local church, and well-to-do family she has to learn not only how to fend for herself, care for her future child, but also who she is outside of the titles implemented upon her by her small town society.  Fawn learns to hope in her future, in grace, in love and romance, and in faith.  As past choices, not only her own but those of her parents, haunt her she is shaped not only by the consequences of those choices but by what those choices teach her.  Denman has brilliantly woven together honest characters.  Your heart will fall and soar as you follow Fawn's journey.  As she finds her faith you may find some new truth revealed in your own.

I definitely recommend this read.  It's a light and quick but the story has enough depth to keep you interested and on the edge of your seat.  I think I may be becoming a fan of Denman, I felt pretty attached to these character quit a few days after finishing reading and didn't want to let them go!  Purchase your copy on Amazon

Justified: A Novel (Mended Hearts Series Book 2) was released June 1, 2015.  What's the most recent truth you've learned from a novel?

Note: I received this book as part of the Justified  blog tour from Radiant Lit.  I received no compensation for this review and only received a copy of the book for review purposes.

Review copy provided by the publisher for Radiant Lit Blog Tours.