Review of Inspirations by Douglas Pershing

I was lucky enough to be given a copy of Inspirations by Douglas Pershing, in exchange for a honest review. I am so thankful to have been given this opportunity because I enjoyed reading it so very much. I’m still wavering between 4 & 5 stars.

Seventeen year old Zachary was bornex yesterday.  Instead of the normal teenager that he seems to be, Zachary is actually a powerful deceiver in Lucifer’s arm (yes, that Lucifer). He’s been given the task of corrupting Emma Louise Green, the daughter of widowed former pastor of a small town church. All Zachary knows, at first, is that no other has been able to accomplish this task in part due to the fact that she’s under the protection of two very powerful archangels. Fortunately, since he looks just as human as Emma, he’s completely invisible to the angels. There are a number of things that he truly enjoys about having a human body and being above ground like eating and his little family of others who are on similar missions. There is a hard fast rule that forbids Zachary from having sex with any human, but since he finds them all to be repulsive, that shouldn’t be a problem, right?  What he wasn’t expecting was that in his human form, this rule isn’t as easy as he thought. All he has to do is convince Emma to consider other points of view so that her personal demons can take hold of her mind and then he can live out a human life before getting the rewards he’s promised; being in command of untold legions of Lucifer’s armies. If he fails, he will be facing an eternity of suffering.   The problem is that he is falling in love with his charge.

I seriously enjoyed this book and am hoping that it’s the first of a series. All of the characters were really well written and I enjoyed watching them evolve and learn from their experiences and as they discover the drawbacks to following Lucifer. Pershing did an excellent job writing each character in a way that you could truly see the situations through the eyes of each one. I found myself empathizing with them and couldn’t put it down as I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.

 

Review of “The Stuff of Stars” by David Litwack

The moment I finished reading ” The Children of Darkness”, I began nagging David Litwack as to when I would be able to read the sequel. And, he was kind enough to gift me with a copy of “The Stuff of Stars” in exchange for an honest review (and, possibly, to get me to stop asking when it was going to come out…LOL). Honestly, I thought I had posted my review before this and am deeply apologetic that it has taken this long. Now, down to the important things!!
This book was so well written and the Orah and Nathaniel were still the same as when I fell in love with them in the first book, even as they had grown wiser and learned from their journey. They have journeyed across the ocean to seeking the living descendants of the Keepers, in the hopes that they have knowledge that can help their home. They encounter two very different groups of people, one who is almost worshipful of all things technological and one who scorns technology completely. Orah and Nathaniel find themselves caught in the middle of the feud between these very different peoples. On both sides, the people were so well written and planned out. There were some very interesting concepts introduced about the dangers of going too far in either direction and the importance of obtaining balance in life. Questions were both raised and answered. And, I can not wait to read what happens next as Orah and Nathaniel make their journey back across the ocean and begin teaching what they have learned.

Here I am, Lord. Please give me the words…

Lately, I’ve been really feeling like God has been leading me to write, more than book reviews and the like. I’ll be honest and admit that I’ve been dragging my feet on this, wondering why He would ever choose me to do so. I know that I’m not really known for my wisdom. The more I’ve put it off, the more I keep being reminded of Hebrews chapter 4, when God sent Moses to speak to Pharoah about releasing the Isrealites from their slavery.  Moses responded like this: “Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.””. And God answers him, “The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” I am in no way saying that I am like Moses, but the same God who could give him the ability to speak to Pharoah is the same God who still calls us to His purposes today. I’ve always been taught that God doesn’t call the “qualified”, He qualifies the called. In other words, anything God wants us to do, He will equip us to be able to do.  So, here I am, trusting God to equip me and send me the words that He wants me to write.  Another thing that has had me dragging my feet, is the worry that actions from my past might make me less than useful by God. But, the truth is, all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That’s the reason that Jesus died for our sins; we are born with a sinful nature and incapable of finding righteousness on our own.   According to Isaiah 64:6, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”  But, once we repent and accept God’s forgiveness and Jesus as our Savior, ““Come now, let us settle the matter,”says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”  While there are still going to be consequences for our actions in this life, it’s not God that reminds us of our pasts. He has removed us from our sins, as far as the east is to the west (Psalm 103:12) and it is as if He has thrown them to the depths of the sea itself (Micah 7:19). If anyone is reminding us of our pasts, they are not doing so out of Christian love. In fact, our pasts should teach us to have compassion on those who are in the thick of spiritual battle so that maybe, we can help them walk a better path than we did. Perhaps, it is because of our pasts that we can be used in the lives of people dealing with certain situations. All in all, I’m going to trust in God to give me the words that He wants me to say/write and to help me overcome the past. If I can manage to write like I don’t have ADD and stay on topic longer than my attention span would normally allow me to, there’s no one but God who could have accomplished this.

Review of Idols, Book 2 of the Icons saga by Margaret Stohl

This second installation in the Icons series by Margaret Stohl was even better than the first book. Questions were both raised and answered and I was completely entranced from the moment that I purchased and downloaded it to my kindle. I could hardly put it down long enough to sleep and picked it back up for every break at work. Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas; the four icon children, the only humans who are immune to the powers of the Icons, or as far as they knew. In her dreams, Dol suddenly makes contact with a fifth icon child as they flee to a hidden outpost to hide from the Icons and try to figure a way to defeat them. This dream contact sends them on a journey across the world to look for this little “sister.” As they travel, the icon children also struggle with whether or not they are able to trust the merk, Fortis, as he does always seem to know more about what’s going on than he wants to let on. But, seeing as he is the closest thing to a father figure any of them have left, what choice do they have but to trust him?
I honestly enjoyed every second of reading Idols and can’t wait until the sequel comes out. Margaret Stohl has an incredible talent. She has written beautiful and complex characters, in the human victims of the idols, the icon children and those who are closest to them, and in the Icons themselves. Each of the main characters grew and matured as their journey continued. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
http://amzn.to/1YBudWQ

Sahara Foley’s The Secret of Excalibur

After a freak accident, Arthur Merlin began to develop “super powers” like pyrokinesis, telekinesis, telepathy, and teleportation, among others. Of course, the government tries to control him and his newfound powers. But how can you control the man who can teleport anywhere he wants to go at a blink of a hat? Arthur finds himself inexplicably drawn to London so he goes to the Institute of of Psychic Research. Though, he still feels himself being pulled, called to keep traveling. With the help of Ruth, one of the Institute’s researchers he makes his way to Lake George, which is where the sightings of Excalibur and The Lady of the Lake have taken place. Ruth, Arthur, and the rest of the Institute begin to uncover the secrets of the lake and, believe me, no one would have expected what they found!! Now, it’s up to Ruth and Arthur to save the world from Excalibur.
Honestly, I enjoyed reading Sahara Foley’s take on the legend of Excalibur. I’ve always been interested in the legends concerning King Arthur. The story flowed well and I loved the adventures they experienced. I loved all of the characters, especially Dobie, Ruth, and Arthur. I also did not see the ending coming so I was genuinely and happily shocked.
http://amzn.to/1lLfDuj

Hookah, Book 4 of Cameron Jace’s “Insanity” series

In book 4 of Cameron Jace’s fourth installment of his Insanity series, Alice and the Pillar are off to save the world from yet another of the Wonderland Monsters. They have three days to find a cure for the “incurable” plague that has been unleashed. They have to figure out who cooked the plague up and find a way to stop it. Also, was that Lewis Carrol who is the enemy this time?
I have been enjoying the Insanity series so much. And this book was no exception. More questions were answered about the coming Wonderland Wars and the reasons behind it. More information was given on Lewis Carrol’s history and that of some more of the Wonderlanders who are stuck in the real world. People are beginning to realize that the Wonderland Wars are inevitable and beginning to choose sides. I absolutely cannot wait until book 5 comes out!!!
http://amzn.to/1XraAwH

Review of Don’t Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon

Fifteen years ago, twelve year old Lisa, tells her younger brother, Sam that she’s going to go live with the King of the faeries and be his Queen. She is going to use a book that she found in the woods, a book she thought was written as a gift fro the King of the faeries, Teilo. Lisa hasn’t been seen or heard from ever since. Now, Sam and his girlfriend, Phoebe get a phone call from a girl claiming to be Lisa, who guides them to where she hid The Book of Fairies in their attic. This prompts them to get in touch with Sam’s cousin, Evie, to see if the three of them can figure out just what happened to Lisa. They end up finding a girl, who seems the right age who claims to be Lisa. But, nothing is as it seems. The deeper they get into the mystery surrounding Lisa and her disappearance, the more Sam is forced to question his no-nonsense, only believing in what you can see and prove mindset, while Phoebe finds herself having to confront the fears that have plagued her her entire life.
Jennifer McMahon did an amazing job in this psychological thriller. She managed to keep me up late because I didn’t want to stop reading until I found out what had happened to Lisa and how Lisa, Sam, Evie, & Phoebe were going to get out of danger. When I did sleep, this novel definitely affected my dreams. I had some real doozies while reading this one. She did a great job bouncing back and forth between present day and fifteen years ago when Lisa disappeared. All of the characters were well written and there were several people involved in Lisa’s disappearance that I hadn’t expected to be. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of McMahon’s work.
http://amzn.to/1N0hOow

My Review of “Circus”, book 3 of Cameron Jace’s Insanity Series

Alice and the Pillar are off to try to stop another one of the Wonderland Monsters as he terrorizes London. And this time,a rabbit with a ticking bomb inside it has been let loose in London and the trail leads them to the Maddest Show on Earth! At this circus, more of Alice’s secrets will be revealed, and you’ll find out more about why the Wonderland “monsters” are so determined to wage war against the humans and to make their way back to Wonderland. Their methods are questionable but as their backstories reveal what the people of the “real” world have put the Wonderlanders through, I found myself empathizing with the monsters and their vendetta. More of the Wonderlanders who are managing to fit in with human society are revealed.
Honestly, Cameron has done it again with Circus. Often, in some of the “longer” series, I find myself struggling to make it through one or two of the “middle books”. But, this has not been the case with Cameron’s Insanity series. Each one has had me spellbound, wanting to find out what’s going to happen next. At the end of each book, I find myself excitedly waiting to read the next. The characters are very well written. They are well rounded and have depth. There are no “pure” villains or heroes. Every single one has flaws and strengths. I have found myself empathizing with every single villain, and at times, wondering if the “good guys” were really that good. I like that they’re not cut and dry, obvious which team they are on.
http://amzn.to/1RoRVO9

Review of Julie Kagawa’s The Forever Song

Allie Sekemoto has struggled with what kind of monster she will be since the moment Kanin turned her into a vampire. Will she retain as much of her humanity as possible or will she give in to her inner demon and be the monster that her blood brother, Jackal, has become. With the apparent death of the one she loved, the one who believed that she wasn’t a monster, Zeke, the answer is easy. She’s going to give in and be a monster. She will embrace her cold vampire side and, with the help of her blood-brother, Jackal, and her sire, Kanin, she will hunt down Sarren. She has every intention of stopping Sarren from unleashing his virus that will destroy the world and of avenging Zeke’s death. She will not give up until she has sent Sarren to his final death. His trail is leading them directly to Eden, that last safe, vampire-free zone, and they must get there in time to stop him. Little do they know that Sarren has one more heartbreaking surprise left for Allie.
In this final installment of The Blood of Eden series, Allie must finally decide once and for all what kind of monster she wants to be, and just how far she is willing to go and what she’s willing to sacrifice to save the world. Even if she’s successful at stopping Sarren, is it worth it if she will have to spend her forever alone,without the family that she has gained since her death as a human?
I have to admit that I have LOVED this series!! It was well written and I kept finding myself wanting to find out what happened next. I had to begin reading book 3 as soon as I finished book 2. I loved Kanin, and his search for redemption, Allie, with her quest to retain as much of her humanity as possible, and Zeke, with his compassionate, responsible nature. Sarren is the ultimate villain, he was one of those you love to hate kinda deals by speaking in rhymes, and his sheer viciousness. But, out of all of them, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jackal! He comes off as such an a-hole, seems to only look out for himself, but he’s there, helping, even when it looks like he’s abandoning everyone. He made me laugh so many times. Honestly, I hope they make movies based on this series, partly because I would love to see someone play the part of Jackal. He’s such an amazing, dynamic character.
http://amzn.to/1VN3H65

My review of Amanda Linsmeier’s Debut Novel, Ditch Flowers

**I received a copy of Ditch Flowers in exchange for a review from www.novelreviewers.com.**
Julia James has always wanted to be a mother more than anything, so when she finds herself expecting her first child, she and her husband, Greg, are truly excited. When she miscarries,it’s understandable that they’re both devastated. That it comes so soon after the unexpected death of Greg’s father, makes it even harder for them both to deal with. Greg and Julia decide to move from Louisiana back to Greg’s hometown in Wisconsin to be there for his mother and so that Greg can take over the family wine business. Because Julia’s Grandma CeCe always told her that trouble comes in threes, she is anxiously waiting for the other shoe to drop. When she meets little Jacob at her new daycare job, she’s mystified at how much he looks like Greg. His hair and eye color are identical to those of her husband and he even has Greg’s dimples and freckles. She finds herself drawn to the sweet little boy and to his mother, becoming fast friends with her as she tries to investigate to see if there is any connection between her husband and this sweet little boy and his mother. Have the multiple miscarriages and her inability to carry a pregnancy to full term clouded Julia’s judgement? Is she just being paranoid or has her husband been unfaithful? Was another woman able to give Greg the child that they both so desperately want? And if he was unfaithful, what will Julia do? Should she give him another chance or end their marriage?
I really enjoyed reading Ditch Flowers and thought all of the characters were well written. I admired the inner strength and courage that Julia discovered in herself as she experienced the tragedies and setbacks. I even liked Greg,despite being prepared not to from the start. For the most part he was very supportive and a good husband, which surprised me. I enjoyed that every single character, even the minor ones seemed real. I found myself relating with what they were going through and feeling. I hope to read more of Linsmeier’s work.
http://amzn.to/1OmKest