The Glass Castle

The best part of any novel in my opinion is one that can hold your interest and keep the plot line concealed so well you can't figure it out until you're in the final stretch and Trisha White Priebe and Jerry B. Jenkins do just that in their series, Thirteen with the first novel The Glass Castle. The cover is what initially drew me into this one as well as the success of Jerry B. Jenkins, (Left Behind). This is one I will definitely be following all the way to the conclusion. This is written for young adults and teens, but anyone who loves a bit of fantasy and medieval history will want to pick this up as well.

The greatest fear for any child is to be separated from your family and yet that is just what happens to both Avery and Henry who are abducted while exploring the woods outside their family home. All Avery knows is when she wakes up, she is kept caged in a box, making preparations to move her to another location, with only an old woman to answer a few of the questions she has. Avery knows she simply has to buy her time before making any plans for escape. Plus the threat from the old woman that if she attempts to escape, she will never see Henry again.

She arrives to a golden castle which her mother used to spin tales of during her time with them but suddenly vanished one day. "Every fairy tale has its dragon." is what she used to remind Avery and it seems this might be very true. She is set free in the midst of other young teens just about her age, locked away within the very walls of the castle. She is given a brief tour with a stern reminder never to open or look out the windows and when the bell sounds, they must retreat to their safe rooms, a sign adults are coming.

It appears that the teens work for the king and soon to be queen without their knowledge only that the staff do their bidding when asked. They never appear and remain hidden at all times. Those that are discovered are sent away to the Forbidden City, a place where no one ever returns and one that keeps the children to the set of standards imposed on them. But why can't Avery seem to find her brother, and where is he being kept. All she knows is that her one ally is a girl named Kate who takes a true liking to her and helps her to keep from getting into trouble. All they know is that the king is dying and must produce an heir from the future queen so that the kingdom will remain within her control and rumors circulate that the kings first born might still be alive, but then again it is only a rumor or is it?

I received The Glass Castle by Trisha White Priebe and Jerry B. Jenkins compliments of Net Galley and Barbour Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside for a free eBook copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. This is going to be such a grand series when it is finished because as I stated earlier you don't know what is going on until almost the conclusion of this one and I can see where the Christian theme will come into play in a wonderful light. Readers get a bit of a sneak peek at the conclusion of this one of the sequel The Ruby Moon which will release in the fall of 2016 so readers don't have long to wait to see what happens next. Those fans of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien will absolutely love this coming of age medieval fairy tale and in my opinion this one garners a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Glass Castle, Trisha White Priebe, Jerry B. Jenkins or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Glass Castle by Trisha White Priebe and Jerry B. Jenkins

You can find Jerry B. Jenkins on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

Tall, Dark and Determined

Wanted:

3 men, ages 24-35.
Must be God-fearing, healthy, hardworking single men with minimum of 3 years logging experience. Object: Marriage and joint ownership of sawmill.
Reply to Hope Falls, Colorado, postmaster by May 17

Braden Lyman convinced 4 women to invest in a Colorado mining town, Hope Falls. When the mining town suffers a tragic mine collapse, leaving Braden himself a victim now bedridden, the town itself is on the verge of collapse. The women who were in Charleston at the time, rush back to Hope Falls after learning Braden has miraculously survived, it's only to hear him denounce them as fools. Lacy, Braden's sister convinces the women that despite the mine collapse, she has an idea that could help the town recover. She proposes turning the mining town into a sawmill by buying up the surrounding land, but they need to hire men - and they need investors - or husbands and that is where the idea for the ad came into play. Little did the women imagine that these men would show up in person to apply not only for the job but for potential husbands as well.

Chase Dunstan, has tracked one of his former brother in laws, Robert Kane, to a jail cell to learn about his own brothers death in a mine collapse that left his sister, Laura now a widow using what little money there was as a settlement to start a new life. He has to know the answers to the reasons behind the collapse, the way it was handled afterward, what current plans pushed Braden to stay in Hope Falls and what did any of this have to do with the incredible ad. He believes that there is more to this collapse than what he knows and sets out to investigate in Hope Falls, when the ad arrives in the paper looking for experienced logging men/husbands. Might just be the perfect way to get to know the owners of the town and look for clues to what might have happened to his brother in law.

When he arrives in Hope Falls, Chase sees men being forced on to the train against their wishes to go. He also sees a man, Granger, who he used to work for three years back working as a guide through prospective timberland higher in the Rockies. Having Granger here in Hope Falls, the claim they're trying to build a sawmill gains credibility. Grangers know lumber like no other family in North America. But why were the men calling him Creed? These men were the rough customers who insulted ladies and brawled in the streets, and now caught fighting were being ordered to leave town on the next train out of Hope Falls.



What exactly was really going on in the town of Hope Falls and just what did the ladies behind the ad have to do with it all? You'll have to pick up a copy of Kelly Eileen Hake's novel, Tall, Dark and Determined to find out. This is the second book in the Husbands for Hire series and draws an interesting parallel on the mail order brides idea. This book does have a confusing start, but once you iron out the details of who is whom, you're off on a really great adventure. At times, it seems the story is a bit faced paced and I found myself going back to re-read parts of it again to clarify what I had missed. I would have preferred to see this one slow down a bit because the premise behind it all was a great reason to draw my initial interests in.

I received this novel compliments of Barbour Publishing and Net Galley for my honest review. Being a huge fan of the western romance genre I was hoping for a bit more than I got. However, I am determined not to give up on this series just yet. I rate this one a 3 out of 5 stars and look forward to picking up the first book in this series, to see if I may have missed something that would have aided me in understanding the story of these characters more.

For more information on Tall, Dark and Determined, Kelly Eileen Hake or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Tall, Dark and Determined by Kelly Eileen Hake