The hard part of springtime for me is the prep which goes
into the homeschool conferences I vend. Numbers and business detail absorb much
of my time, and not much writing gets done, including my blogging. However, the
good news is that I’m often piling through books during this time too, trying
to catch up on the latest releases. So here’s a glimpse of what I’ve been
consuming of late:
Beelzebed
Series: #1 in untitled series
Author: Bryan Davis
Genre: Rhyming children’s picture book
Synopsis: A young boy wrestles with his bed—literally—when it’s
time to sleep.
Review: The rhythm and rhyme of this story is a bit stiff and
even awkward at times, but the humor of a young child struggling with bedtime
will endear this story to many kids.
Girl in the Gatehouse
Series: Stand alone novel
Author: Julie Klassen
Genre: Adult historical romance (Regency)
Synopsis: Dogged by scandal, a hopeful novelist retreats to an old
gatehouse and catches the eye of the captain leasing the estate.
Review: Rich in historical detail, this vivid story provides
colorful characters and a delightful plot. Especially pleasing for those who
are Jane Austen fans.
The Tide of Unmaking
Series: The Berinfell Prophecies #3
Authors: Wayne Thomas Batson & Christopher Hopper
Genre: Teen fantasy / alternate reality
Synopsis: Seven eleven lords must an evil army before two worlds blink
out of existence.
Review: An open-ended conclusion to the trilogy, The Tide of
Unmaking, though not a favorite book of mine, will be mostly satisfying to
the reader. On other notes, it contains a slightly higher-than-normal amount of
violence, and the spiritual thread is somewhat forced.
Brentwood’s Ward
Series: Bow Street
Author: Michelle
Griep
Genre: Adult historical romantic
suspense
Synopsis: A member
of the early London
Review:
Larger-than-life characters mix with a plot full of intrigue and humor in this
novel. Great for the Austen romantic who doesn’t mind a pinch of mystery thrown
in.
Knox’s Irregulars
Series: Stand alone
Author: J. Wesley
Bush
Genre: Adult
Sci-fi (space opera?)
Synopsis: A sudden
invasion places a reluctant solider in charge of an underground militia.
Review: This is
definitely a military story targeted for adults with its very strong violence
content, which is more graphic than most Christian novels. However, the
violence fits the story with its high tension, rapid-firing plot, and this may
make it a good read for men who like the military thriller-styled book.
Season of Wonder
Series: Remnants #1
Author: Lisa T. Bergren
Genre: YA Dystopia
Synopsis: Supernaturally
gifted teens seek the rest of their prophesied group under the eyes of a government
who wants them dead.
Review: Not my favorite as far as dystopias go, but this novel
(which is very reminiscent of Bergren’s adult series, The Gifted) still offer
plenty with an intriguing mix of the supernatural and the dystopic.
Sabotaged
Series: Alaskan Courage
#5
Author: Dani Pettrey
Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense
Synopsis: A dog trainer
races to locate her kidnapped cousin before her uncle reaches the end of the
Iditerod.
Review: An entertaining
mix of romance and suspense with the fun interactions of a tight-knit family,
very similar to Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series.
Series: Stand alone
Author: Jane Yolen
Genre: Midgrade
fairytale
Synopsis: A boy full of questions is sent to an abbey plagued by unicorns
Review: A light but fun fairytale-styled story.
Storm Siren
Series: Storm Siren Trilogy #1
Author: Mary Weber
Genre: YA Fantasy
Synopsis: A teen gifted with the ability to control the weather is
trained for war.
Review: A
dark-edged fantasy dealing with some heavy topics. It has some strong writing
which draws deeply from the collective imagination of the sci-fi/fantasy world.
I hope to post of full review of this complex novel later in April.
Now your turn: With which books have you kicked off 2015?
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