Jett (Descended Book 1)

"The light was no match for him. He could become one with any shadow or light, keeping his presence secret for as long as he wished, causing a man to believe his mind was playing trick. Or he could be the last thing that man saw before he met his Maker. There were prices to be paid for his rare gifts - consequences - but none dissuaded him from his mission." (Prologue).

I must warn you that not all Christian fiction is the same. There are some that might argue that some of those fiction novels might not exactly be all that you hoped for and then again, there are those who persevere to find that at the end of the novel that found something worth waiting for. Jett by Dana Pratola is the first novel in the Descended series and I have to take caution not to give too much away in this review. I can say that those who love Christian speculative or supernatural spiritual warfare might just want to pick up this series. I know after getting through the first one, I am definitely hungry for more. I would say that there moments in the novel that might be uncomfortable for some due to the nature of the content dealing with what Dana refers to as "real people with real struggles, temptations and desires. Her characters often have difficult choices to make – and don’t always make the right ones. This isn’t your mother’s Christian fiction."

In Jett, we met Jett Cestone, a reclusive and highly wealthy and successful businessman who deals with cyber technology as is quite prosperous at it. Yet it provides a cover for him to do his real work, which in this case is removing children from the hands of human sex traffickers with his supernatural abilities he believes he has been cursed with on one hand, but allows him to be successful at his rescues on the other.

He is quite captivated by a young local artist Haven Silano and contacts her to commission her to paint a mural for his grandmother whom has acquired one of her previous paintings as a gift to her. The problem lies in that she must complete the work in his grandmother's bedroom suite and that means moving in to complete the Tuscan piece. She is provided with all the monetary provisions to accomplish the task and is more that well compensated financially to do it. The issue isn't that she isn't talented enough to do it, it is that she lacks the self confidence in her own artistic ability thanks to her father's continued insistence that she is wasting her time doing so.  It will be unlike any job she has every committed to and one that will have her desiring to meet with her benefactor face to face, but it is a condition of her employment that he remains unanimous and hidden. They will only communicate through a speaker system in his home that allows them to converse as if they are actually in the same room with one another, or are they really?

I received Jett by Dana Pratola to review at my own leisure and the opinions expressed here are my own. There is some sexual elements in this novel pertaining to the relationship that develops between Jett and Haven, that might be uncomfortable to some readers but as in real life, exist and is genuine as long as you follow the story line through to the end, you might see where the author truly intended this novel to go. As a mom of young teen girls, I would advise having them wait til they are at least 18 or older to read it. Fans of novels along the lines of Twilight might even find something truly inspirational about reading this one to the very end and if you're like me, will be hooked and have to read the rest in the series. I have been reminded by the author that even though they are part of a series, each is a stand alone and I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Jett, Dana Pratola or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Jett (Descended Book 1) by Dana Pratola

You can find Dana Pratola on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

You can find this novel in paperback and eBook formats from Amazon. 

Restoring Love

Sometimes the best renovation projects aren't the ones you watch on your Home Improvement channels. They are the ones you get to see in person involving life changing moments for those who need it the most. In the novel Restoring Love by Jennifer Slattery, there are 3 different sets of circumstances in which we get to see the power of God's restoration at work in the lives of the people we meet all in one neighborhood.

Angela is trying to find a way to start over again after living with her daughter Ainsley and her husband. Seems like family serves a useful purpose when you need help the most. Now it is time to begin as a new creation in Christ. She moves into a rental home owned by a missionary family away on a trip and with a handful of items of her own, Angela tries to resolve her past so she can find her future. Now all she needs to do is keep her job as a Teacher's Assistant and hope for a full-time teaching position to open up. But with her wardrobe, it is not likely. She is a 50-year-old divorcee dressing like an 18-year-old and soon rumors begin to fly from other teachers about her appearance. When Angela consults with her daughter, she has to kindly tell her that she might want to dress more modestly in hopes of not attracting the wrong kind of attention like she has in the past.

Bianca is struggling to keep her head above water while raising 3 kids while she deals with her husband who refuses to give up his criminal lifestyle. If she can't figure something out, she may lose everything she has including her kids if the police show up. While trying to work as a nursing care assistant, she relies on her teenage daughter C.J. to care for her younger brothers both who are failing at school. C.J. spends all her free time with a boyfriend who is only using her and clearly doesn't care what her mother thinks. For C.J. it is an possible escape route out of the family she doesn't want to be with, especially her mother's husband Reid who runs around with gangs and thugs.

Mitch is a partner in a renovation business with Dennis and they have flipped a couple of houses including the one Bianca is currently living in. Now with their new project to work on, a home right next door to Angela, he finds himself drawn in ways he can't explain to try to help her out on any projects she needs done around the house, but Angela has been burned in the past and is trying to keep any relationships with men at bay. Dennis and Mitch seems at odds in running their business when Bianca winds up more than 2 months behind in her rent and Mitch refuses to evict her. If things don't change, they might have to go their own separate ways. It seems Mitch is at a crossroads on what to do and what God has called him to do.

I received Restoring Love by Jennifer Slattery compliments of New Hope Publishers and Net Galley. I really love the interactions these three have in one another's lives as they attempt to reconcile their own past failings under the grace and mercy of God's restoring love. It shows how far they have to work at letting go of their pasts in order to find the future that awaits them if they are willing. This is such a great Christmas story because it conveys the very reason that Jesus was born to offer new hope, new beginnings and a new life to those who are willing to take it. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Restoring Love, Jennifer Slattery or where you can preorder a copy of this book which is due out in January 2017, please click on the links below:

Restoring Love by Jennifer Slattery

You can find Jennifer Slattery on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Restoring Love, please visit New Hope Publisher's website.

Deadly Decision

"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divinations or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritualist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord..." Deuteronomy 18:10-12a

The Bible pretty much spells out that most of the stuff we are seeing in the world today whether on TV, movies or even played out in real life, has eternal consequences when we walk blindly about into them, allow them to permeate our thoughts and actions and often times, associate with someone who does, under the premise that that are wearing a "Christian" label. But like lambs to the slaughter we can all be misled.

"Let me tell you right off, I don't believe in ghosts. I never have and never will. Not good ones, anyway. But some things are  hard to explain. If you have ever considered getting involved in the occult, you need to hear my story. It may change your mind. ~ Bill Iver."

Deadly Decision by Regina Smeltzer is a novel dealing with the supernatural and what happens when one man's faith in what he sees and what he knows will be called into question. Both the believer and non believer struggle to overcome things they don't understand but seem to be happening where only Bill Iver can see them and no one else can explain. When Bill arrives to help his daughter Trina and her husband Ted out in renovating a dilapidated old home into a future bed and breakfast, he knew there was more to the home than what he could see. He just never imagined that upon visiting the homes attic, he would see two young boys, one of whom is wearing a chain around his neck and fastened to a beam in the attic. Believing these are real children, when he approaches them his hand passes right through them and they vanish. Not imagine trying to tell your daughter and her husband what you just witnessed.

Bill knows as a Christian, there are no such thing as ghosts only demons masquerading as ghosts, but then learns that one of the boys has been reported missing by the owner of the home. Has Bill just been given insight into the unseen world and has Jimmy crossed over to the other side and is now dead? Bill begins to wonder just how he can process what is happening in the house and of course, Trina and Ted are a bit apprehensive to Bill's visions of ghosts but then when strange things begin to happen inside the home, it might be possible there is more in the home than what one can see.

I received Deadly Decision by Regina Smeltzer compliments of Pelican Book Groups and Net Galley. This is definitely a suspense thriller and found myself wondering why I chose to read this the one night I was home alone. Yet it is so nice knowing that this genre is still available to educate and also entertain those of us that like a little bit of spookiness this time of the year without all the evil and gore that go along with it. I love how Regina orchestrated the story line and loved how she used situations that almost everyone might utilize to figure out what is going on in the home. To uncover what it is, you will have to pick this one up to read, but trust me, this one worked out brilliantly. Just the right amount of suspense to keep me engaged and wanting to know how it would all turn out. For me, this one rated a 4 out of 5 in my opinion.

For more information about Deadly Decision, Regina Smeltzer or where you can pick up a copy of this novel, please click on the links below:

Deadly Decision by Regina Smeltzer

You can find Regina Smeltzer on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

You can read more reviews on Deadly Decision, by visiting Pelican Book Group's website. 

A Royal Christmas Wedding

As a little girl, I have always been fascinated by fairy tales and happily ever after endings, where the prince finds his princess and love prevails. We can look to England for some of that contemporary royal wedding and romance and see that some fairy tales are not just in books. Perhaps that is why I have absolutely adored Rachel Hauck's Royal Wedding series of novels. It takes those romance feelings of fairy tales long ago and brings them to life in a "Ah moment" whenever you finish one. I could not wait for this one to release and readers will be able to pick this one up in mid-October.

A Royal Christmas Wedding picks up where How to Catch a Prince left off, and now goes to show that just because you might want it to happen, some happily ever afters must wait. Combining a bit of royal wedding history from the early 1800's, the Pembrook chapel bell has not rang out since the death of Prince Michael who fell to his untimely death after ringing the Pembrook Chapel bell announcing his intentions to marry the woman his loved. To this date, the bell has remained silent along with all the traditions that went along with it. Now it has been 182 years since a Prince climbed the 182 steps of the Chapel to ring the bell and all of London is abuzz with the news that Prince Colin Tattersall will do just that and ring the bell for Lady Jordan who he has been seeing recently.

However on the eve of the Harvest Celebration, what the world doesn't realize is that the Prince has been coming to the chapel for quite some time with his friends to toast in the New Year, not ring the bell. But if he could do it, it would be for the one woman who claimed his heart 4 years ago and not Lady Jordan. That is his prayer to God, that the bell would ring for her. However when it does, by some odd reason, Colin believes it to be a prank ushered in by Guy Smoot, his longtime friend and now the entire world believes Colin has rang it for Lady Jordan instead.

Avery Truitt has arrived with her mother in Brighton to be with her sister this Christmas now that there is news she might be giving birth to the soon-to-be-heir. All she knows is the man who broke her heart 4 years ago, will be present during all the celebrations that will take place over the next month and she is bound to run into him. Despite what she feels, her heart has never gotten over Colin and he will always be the one for her. She just needs to keep her emotions and feelings in check during the next few weeks. All that is in the past and she needs to focus on her future and that is not with Colin, no matter how wonderful he may be. He stood her up 4 years ago for prom and she isn't about to just let him waltz back on in.

I received A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck compliments of Zondervan Publishing and Net Galley. This is truly an adult version of all those fairy tales we read as little girls and gives us hope that love will always prevail despite the odds against it. Who wouldn't want to fall in love with a handsome prince during Christmas? Sign me up for sure. This is one for die-hard royal romance fans who love following their hearts instead of their heads when it comes to romance. The only down side is that this marks the end of the Royal Wedding series, with this being book 4. If you haven't read them, please do so in order so you can gain a true understanding of all the relationships you'll encounter in this one, including Susanna and Nathaniel's own royal romance. For me, this is a wonderful 5 out of 5 stars and only hope at some point in the future, we might get a chance to see how their lives have progressed down the road. There is also discussion questions included that book clubs will love.

For more information about A Royal Christmas Wedding, Rachel Hauck or where you can pre-order a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck

You can find Rachel Hauck on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Royal Christmas Wedding, please visit Zondervan Publishing's website. 

The Reluctant Duchess

"One more day to feel like herself, Rowena's right hand went to where the gold band encircled her left ring finger. Perhaps there wasn't a herself left to feel like anymore. Perhaps, whomever, she had once been, she had given it up when she married the Duke of Nottingham.

Or perhaps Malcolm had stolen it from her." (excerpt).

Rowena Kinnaird is trying to come to terms with where her lot in life has found her. At the abusive hands of her father who simply wanted to give her strength and fortitude to face any challenge that may come her way, or under the tyrant Malcolm Kinnaird who would do anything to ensure an heir to the family clan even if it meant taking that opportunity by force against Rowena's wishes. Now it is all she can do not to cower whenever anyone came near. Even though she attempted to explain to her father, that Malcolm had forced himself upon her at the risk of her giving birth to a son to ensure she retains the rights of the families estate by having a son.

Yet somewhere in the midst of all of this evil, God had a plan and a purpose. One to give Rowena a future and a hope, when Brice Nottingham arrived to come to her rescue one evening. Not knowing the circumstances of what has happened, he offers to marry Rowena as a means of getting her away from the horrible men in her life but also in being obedient to the words he hears from God. God is the one who put Rowena in his life and asked him to care for her. While he may remain obedient to the call the Lord places on his life to do this, it will take an act of God to help him find a way to show her that he will protect her and never harm her. In time, he hopes they can grow to get to know one another and hopefully fall in love. Something he is willing to bet more than his life on.

I received The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White compliments of Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside for a free eBook copy in exchange for my personal and honest evaluation. This is the second book in the Ladies of the Manor Series, with one more coming soon. This is a delightful tale of the similar story from the Bible about a man, Hosea, who is commanded by God to take a wife despite what has happened to her and love her despite how she and those around her see herself. I loved watching Rowena deal with all the horrors from her past and watch her bloom under the love of Brice. No matter how Brice feels, he responds in obedience from God and never questions whether it is the right thing to do or not. I love that part of his character which showcases the true meaning of love, to do so without any conditions. I can't wait to read the first novel in the series, The Lost Heiress, as well as pick the sequel up when it debuts. For me, this one really hits home for romance fans looking for that historical Scottish flair and thus the reason for the 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Reluctant Duchess, Roseanna M.White or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White

You can find Roseanna M. White on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Reluctant Duchess, please visit Bethany House Publisher's website. 

Vernon House

It is so hard at times to know a good book from a great book simply based on the cover, but I am immediately drawn to pick this one up because I am a huge fan of creepy suspenseful books. In fact before I became a Christian, I was drawn to that genre. Doesn't this one look amazing? It's a powerful story tucked into a small amount of time, but trust me, by the time you get to the end, you will be sad that it is over. To me, a sign of an exceptional novel, compelling storyline and fantastic writing. Sandra Russel Farris, you have me sold on this one.

Vernon House is part historical and past ghost story. Fans of Stephen King, James Rupart, Ted Dekker and Greg Mitchell with LOVE this short story. Jennifer Hayes is what you would call a restoration specialist and bonafide house flipper. She's been buying homes, fixing them up and selling them for a tidy profit, but in the case of Vernon House, a Queen Anne Victorian, this is a definite keeper. Despite the rumors that the house is believed to be haunted, she doesn't believe in ghosts and hopes to eventually live here once the renovations are complete. Undeterred by the noises she can't explain she uncovers a set of stairs to the attic that have been boarded up behind an old closet.

As she ventures upstairs, she finds what one would expect to find in an old attic, boxes and trunks of stuff belonging to the former owners of the home, Herbert and Rosalyn Vernon. When she opens an old domed hinged travel trunk, she finds an old wedding dress wrapped in tissue paper along with a letter. It is addressed to Mrs. Vernon and provides details that the person she wanted taken care of will no longer pose a problem and is expecting the promised payment along with vague initials R. M. It is a definite mystery to solve and soon becomes very apparent as Jennifer uncovers the murder plot of the former owner Herbert Vernon that some spirits want to ensure that secret stays dead and buried. But there are no such things as ghosts, or are there?

I received Vernon House by Sandra Farris compliments of the author herself without any monetary compensation for a favorable review. The opinions contained here are strictly my own unless otherwise noted. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and read it in just under an hour. The suspense is amazing in such a short story and really drives the momentum of the story to its cliff hanger ending of sorts, leaving the option open to continue to saga, which this reader hopes she will do in the very near future. The characters are definitely believable and my favorite hands down is Herbert Vernon. I can't wait to read many more like this in the future if Sandra Farris is expecting to expand her literary genres and easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars. This book is currently available as an eBook for your favorite electronic reader at this time.

For more information about Vernon House, Sandra Farris or where you can pick up a copy of this eBook today, please click on the links below:

Vernon House by Sandra Farris

You can find Sandra Farris on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

You can pick up this eBook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. 

Thursday Night Club

Looking for an exceptional Christmas novel that surpasses your expectations of being more than just a story you read but one that might just change your life? You might want to snuggle up to Steven Manchester's latest novella, Thursday Night Club: A Tale of Christmas Spirit. At just around 152 pages, this one can only be found at this time as an eBook, but is one you certainly don't want to miss.

The Thursday Night Club is a group of five college students who get together every Thursday Night for dinner, games and just being with one another. It has evolved over time to a betting challenge between the guys, Randy, Kevin and Jesse to see who could out prank the others for a simple wager of .25 each. The winner would take all! Something you could see a group of college guys doing.

Only when the challenge takes an unexpected turn with the sudden loss of Jesse, the group can't seem to find a way to deal with the grief that they are experiencing and that fact that Thursday nights will never be the same without him. Jesse it turns out found better uses for his time than arranging pranks on his friends, he found that simple acts of random kindness went a whole lot further than people believe, even outlasting their own life.

The group of four friends decide to honor Jesse's memory and each of them antes up for the standard bet of .25 each in an effort to see who could do the most charitable act without being recognized for their efforts. The winner would be selected by one of their college teacher's who would be the only one privy to what they were up to. Randy, Kevin, Izzy and Ava all spend the next few weeks coming up with charitable ways to honor Jesse's memory. What they don't realize in all of their efforts is that there will be no real loser, even though someone would eventually win the $1 pot they all contributed to. In fact, they're changed so much that each of them decides to keep the efforts going, not just for the bet, but for the sake of leaving a real legacy behind that will outlast their own lives.

I received Thusday Night Club by Steven Manchester compliments of the author and The Story Plant Publishers for my honest review. Besides receiving a downloaded copy of the book, I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. This is one you really want to pick up to add to your digital library and one that I could see being incorporated into your own version of a Thursday Night Club much like the characters in Steven's novella did. This one is heart-warming, charming and gives you so much more than a short and sweet story, it is the real meaning behind the Christmas spirit, to love one another in ways that people could never repay, but in hopes that they will pay it forward in their own way. For me, this one easily garners a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Thursday Night Club, Steven Manchester or where you can pick up a copy of this eBook today, please click on the links below:

Thursday Night Club by Steven Manchester

You can find Steven Manchester on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

You can download a copy of this book on Amazon by clicking here. 

The Mirror

If you're a fan of science fiction dealing with time travel woven together with a touch of romance, history and a bit of mystery, you might just want to pick up John Heldt's Northwest Passage Time Travel Series. I've been so privileged to be a part of this journey being invited to review his latest in the series, The Mirror. This is actually book 5 in the series, and follows the journey of Katie and Ginny Smith, twins who live in the year 2020 and find themselves at the Cedar River Country Fair. Having seen most of the exhibits, rides and fair offerings, they opt to check out one final thing before heading home, a throw back to the original fair's exhibits from the 60's which include fire eaters, fortune tellers and even a vintage House of Mirrors.

They take the chance to spend some time with Marta the Magnificent who offers a look into your future for $10 using your choice of the ball, the cards, the palms of the leaves. The girls chose the ball since it seems the most legit and when Marta tells them that they will soon go on an adventure like no other, a strange, mysterious journey much closer to home. She warns them that there will be handsome young men in their future and that these men will be no ordinary acquaintances and will change their lives. She strongly cautions them that they will be gone a long time and they will only have one chance to return. If they are not careful, they may never see home again.

Marta is so panicked by what she sees for both of the twins she refunds their money when the girls begin to get worried with her prediction. Her last words of advice for the twins, "Just take the money and go. Leave the fairgrounds now and go home. I'm advising you as a mother and a person who cares about your safety. Leave immediately. Don't do anything else tonight. Just go straight home and stay there. I beg you."

But like all great stories the girls don't follow Marta's advice and make a final stop before heading home at the House of Mirrors where they step through a mirror and find themselves in 1964. Remembering Marta's warning, they know they can get back but are unsure just how. They know they will only have one shot at it, but they also know that their parents were also given the rare opportunity as well to travel back in time. They just aren't sure how long they will be in 1964 and how they will find their way back. They only know that their parents did it before following the same path to get home, but there are no mirrors around. The fair has now been boarded up and they can only hope to find out when it will be reopened and try to find the same mirror they walked through the first time to get back home. For now the journey will take them in unexpected places and allow them to see family members that have been dead for quite some time. Is there a bigger plan in store for them or will they alter history forever?

I received The Mirror by John A. Heldt compliments of the author for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for my review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own unless otherwise noted. This novel is proceeded by The Mine and The Show if you want to follow the story from the beginning to see the parallel time travel adventures from their parents and grandparents. It is interesting to see how teens from a technology advanced period of history have to deal with going back to the 60's and try to fit in. Dating is much different in some aspects than it was where they came from and women dressed much more sophisticated then they do wearing dresses instead of jeans and the girls seem to be rushed to find romance and love before their time runs out. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 in my opinion based on the fact that the girls are a bit promiscuous with their relationships and not too concerned with the consequences of their actions with the boys they encounter and for the majority of my reader base who might find this a cause for concern. I would have liked to seen them spend more time falling in love than simply sleeping with them. All in all, the novel is a wonderful blend of so many elements that the author executed so well and I love how it all worked out in the end.

For more information about The Mirror, John A. Heldt or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Mirror by John A. Heldt

You can also find John A. Heldt on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels. 

The End Came With A Kiss

When you hear the words "Zombie Apocalypse" what comes to mind? I'm sure you think undead people rising up from the grave, unable to be killed and eating the flesh of other humans. I thought the very same thing when author John Michael Hileman asked me to review his latest novel The End Came With a Kiss. I wondered how he would be able to pull off something like this from a Christian perspective and how would he keep me entertained enough to sit through another zombie novel.

All I can say is he was correct in saying this is not your typical zombie apocalypse and I was forewarned to not start this unless I wanted to be committed to not being able to do anything else until I reached the end. Congratulations John! You did just that in a way I could have never imagined since I have heard just about every zombie possibility except for this one. WOW! Never saw that one coming. They say beauty is skin deep but in this case it goes much deeper.

Ben Carter is only a handful of humans left. Everyone else has succumbed to the plague that had turned humans into a term he refers to as "loopers." A looper is someone who is no longer alive but looks perfect in every single way. No rotten flesh or bloodied limbs hanging by a thread. These are the people he worked with, lived next door to and loved. Now they are trapped in mindless activities known as looping, doing the same things over and over again as though they are programmed like robots, simply going through the motions without conscience thought. People in his office building are stuck wandering the halls, mindlessly clicking on computer keyboards as though life continued around them without interruption but it has. If something steps into their pattern or loop, if they become frustrated, they become angry and frustrated taking things out in super human strength capacity.

Ben is one of those responsible for the zombies that are now seemingly alive and roaming around town stuck in their endless loops. He never considered his hand in the fate that was dealt to him when his own wife, Katherine, became a looper and one he can't bear to let go of. He has vowed and promised that he would do all he could to find a cure before she became lost in the minds of those around her. All he knows is that one kiss is fatal and would doom him to a life much like the one she and everyone else around her is living. But will he be able to find a cure in time now that he has discovered a fatal flaw in the future of the loopers?

I received The End Came With A Kiss by John Michael Hileman compliments of the author for my honest review. He has officially won me over from my skeptical opinions of what I imagined this one to be. I have to say, I love his take on this one so much better than anything I have read or watched about zombies. Thank you for writing this one the way you did and it does have me questioning just how much science gets in the way with the finding a cure for aging and for death. One can never tell if something like this could be something in our foreseeable future, but I would hope not. For now, it remains locked away in the words of this amazing science fiction novel and one I can whole heartily endorse with a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own.
For more information about The End Came With a Kiss, John Michael Hileman, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The End Came With A Kiss by John Michael Hileman

You can find John Michael Hileman on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

The Fire

What would you do if you found yourself with the unique ability to travel back through time? Would you take a risk and do it? That is just where Kevin Johnson finds himself after joining his family to go through his grandparents house in Wallace, Idaho. Kevin just recently graduated from college with two majors in Earth Science and Physics. Now while attempting to kill a spider in his room, he spills an ice tea and discovers the tell-tale marks of a hidden storage space beneath the wooden floor. What he uncovers is a stash of diamonds, double-eagle gold coins, and more along with his great great grandfather's leather journal. In it he discovers that the rock shed in the back yard can be accessed through a solstice sun or a full moon and when using the gold coins to spell out the year you want to travel back to, the shed becomes a time travel portal.

Since following his great great grandfather, Asa Johnson's journal he discovers that Asa himself has been time traveling quite a bit and thus the need for money that can be spent in 1910 as well as 2013. Kevin decides to take his own journey back to 1910 as life in the current year hasn't brought him much in the way of love and believes an adventure is just the thing to get his mind off things, especially being left alone in the house while his family takes a weekend side trip. What Kevin uncovers is that while he is in 1910, his place in the current year of 2013 is just as he left it. As though he hadn't been gone at all. So he takes another journey and this time finds there is quite a bit to uncover in the town his great great grandfather was a part of. Now if he can only convince others there, that he truly belongs in the year 1910. However Kevin knows that on August 20, 1910, a great fire will come to the town and virtually wipe out most of the town as well as left 85 people dead due to multiple fires caused by months of drought and high winds.

What he doesn't expect to find is not only a love of becoming a teacher in the high school, but also in falling head over heels in love with not one lovely young lady, but two. There is quite a difference in the standards of courting women in the 1910's from the fast paced romance of 2013 and all Kevin knows is that as much as he wants to go back to the present time, his heart won't let him go. Will he be able to convince Sarah Thompson, the woman he first laid eyes on when he arrived in town that he really is who he claims to be, a time traveler from the future?

I received The Fire from John A. Heldt compliments of the author himself and I've been delighted to read John's previous novels in the Northwest Passage Series, with this one being Book 4 in the series. Each one of them feels so historically rich in detail I can not only vividly picture the events and people but also feel like I am truly there. This is such a great series for readers who enjoy a novel on time travel and historical fiction with some amazing romance thrown in for good measure. I'd rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. This was a well-researched novel that showcases the 1910 Great Fire which you can read about through the many references he includes in this novel.

For more information about The Fire, John A. Heldt or where you can pick up a copy of this exceptional novel today, please click on the links below:

The Fire by John A. Heldt

You can also find John A. Heldt on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

Rapture's Rain

As a Christian reader, I've come to love the entire Left Behind series, and any fiction book that tells a similar story. If you have read the books of the Bible from Daniel to Thessalonians to Revelation, the story is pretty clear what awaits the world in the last days.

I was thrilled when I received an invitation to take advantage of a Free Book deal through Amazon to review Rapture's Rain on my Kindle. In fact once I read the synopsis I couldn't wait to finish up another book I was reading so I could jump right into this one. I've been reading Bible Prophecy for well over 25 years now and it's something I remain passionate about. This is such a journey but with an unexpected twist. First of all I caution Bible advocates to remain subjective in reading this fictional based novel and to realize that what I believe author Chris Pennington does, is simply ignite a spark that will draw readers to investigate on their own just what is fictional and what is real from picking up the Bible after reading this one. It does contain some profanity and for that reason I can't not based on my own personal criteria for reviewing books give this one a 5 out of 5 stars. I will however give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. Had the profanity been removed, hands down it would have garnered that perfect rating.

The novel involves Jason Stover, a dedicated family man to his wife Kristina and his young daughter Nikki who live in a lakeside home in the community of Lake Royale in North Carolina. While sitting in his office writing, he watches his wife and daughter play a game of hide and seek among the laundry hanging on the line. He and his wife didn't actually include a lot of religion in their lives early on. They both said they believed in God and Jesus, but like so many others, that was the extent of it. In reality they were just checking the boxes. Go to church - check, pray before meals - check, give to an occasional charity - check. Neither had ever read a Bible verse, they didn't understand the concept of the Holy Spirit, and they didn't really understand the full meaning of why Jesus died for man's sins. But when Nikki was born, things began to change and Kristina took to meeting with the church's community group and Jason remained supportive but uninvolved initially.

Yet soon he began to grow curious with what the group really was about and found himself enjoying the time he spent with them and bounded with one of the groups members who was a lot like himself Mike Branson. He couldn't argue that Kristina seemed more at ease and happier because of this time spent with the group so he continued to support her. Yet this afternoon while watching his wife and daughter playing hide and seek outside, he noticed that the hair on his arms stood still and a chill ran down his spine. Next his knees grew weak and he had a hard time balancing and his head was beginning to spin like a top. Believing he might be having a seizure or a stroke, he attempt to locate his wife and daughter. Struggling to locate them just thirty yards from the house, he can only cry out, but they seem to simply have vanished into thin air leaving Jason all alone.

What happens soon afterwards compels Jason to believe along with his friend Mike that they have been left behind while all the believers have been raptured just as the Bible had predicted. Together they try and figure out just what has happened and how they will survive until the end of the Tribulation period. What follows is what Rapture's Rain is all about and one that will literally keep you on the edge of your seat watching how Chris Pennington has chosen to interpret the end of days in his novel.

I received Rapture's Rain by Chris Pennington compliments of the author offering this novel for Free right now until Thursday, August 29th on Amazon. So if you have a Kindle, you definitely want to check out this action packed, edge of your seat suspense thriller and hopefully it will draw you to a deeper exploration of the Bible to see just what it predicts will happen in the end of days.

For more information about Rapture's Rain, Chris Pennington or where you can pick up a copy of this book today available on both paperback and eBook formats, please click on the links below:

Rapture's Rain by Chris Pennington

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Chris Pennington (May 7, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615814999
• ISBN-13: 978-0615814995
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches

The Maze - The Lost Labyrinth

"From the sound of it, a maze was being constructed, and he knew what that meant: someone stood at a moral crossroads, about the make a life-changing decision. The Piper had to act quickly.

Bricks were laid using grief as a mortar. Walls were cemented in place with sorrow. Lights were forsaken in favor of darkness. Crude agonizing designs were etched into the floors, and the history of one man's sin was scrawled in painstaking detail on every inch of the dreadful place."

In the novel, The Maze - The Lost Labyrinth, Jason Brannon takes an interesting spin on the consequences of our moral life-changing decisions and shows us what happens when we are literally on the verge of life and death. In this fantastic and wonderful written novel, we follow Jamie Burroughs, a successful businessman, husband and father who is about to stand at the threshold of a life altering choice. When his wife, Amy, confronts him about a recent bank withdrawl, she questions Jamie's intent. Is he planning on using the money as a cash payment on a hotel room to have an affair and destroy their marriage like their friends did? Jamie understands how following the clues from someone else's choice can make his wife question his choices even though that is not what he intends to do EVER. He reassures her that his vows to her are rock solid and that introduces us to the Piper, who begins to play his tempting tune to entice Jamie along another road. One that manifests during a business lunch in which his ex-girlfriend, Karen is there waitress.

Soon Jamie finds himself drawn to her in a way he cannot explain much like the rats did for the Piped Piper of Hamlin. In this interesting look at what happens in the course of our lives suddenly is transformed when Jamie literally hovers on the brink of death after attempting to follow his quest to know "What if."

Jamie finds himself literally in a maze designed by all the choices and decisions he has made over his life. It was designed by The Architect and will test his ability to view his life in a completely different way. The choice he has made not necessarily with his actions, but also his thoughts and words. He will be challenged by the race against the Minotaur who feeds on the sins present in his life. 

 "Think of this maze as one big example of cause and effect. Everything you do has a consequence here. Getting here was a consequence of intent. This place is a manifestation of your entire life. Your deeds are sewn into the fabric of this maze. Your sins are the mortar that holds these walls in place.

This game is just like everything else in your life. You're blessed more than most people, and you can't see all the good things in front of you. All you see are the problems, the trials, the tribulations, the darkness. All you see is what you don't have."

This is such a fabulous novel that speaks to the heart and soul of the reader. It makes you take a hard line approach at your own life and question things you have done. It really takes you into the deepest, darkest places of your own life and teaches us all what it really means to repent and accept Christ as our Savior. Nothing else will save us in the end. I found myself with pages of notes from this novel that I intend to apply as a measuring stick in my own life. No one is perfect and this novel takes you into the seemingly innocent things we do every single day and the consequences it has on our soul.

I'd rate The Maze, The Lost Labyrinth by Jason Brannon a 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to digging a bit deeper into his literary works to find even more surprises tucked inside. I received this novel as a self purchase and received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. For those of you that wonder just how innocent your lives are, I'd encourage you to check this one and and re-evaluate what you find inside.

For more information about The Maze - The Lost Labyrinth, Jason Brannon or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Maze - The Lost Labyrinth by Jason Brannon

Blowing on Dandelions

"Katherine Galloway's soft exhale sent the dandelion fluff dancing on the warm current of air, but it didn't bring the anticipated relief. Gripping the stem, she sat in the grassy field with her eyes closed and waited. Why didn't it come? It had always appeared years ago when she needed it. How long had it been since her mind had drifted away to a place where nothing could hurt her? Fifteen years? Twenty?

She shook her head, and an errant curl tickled her cheek.

More. Many more. But always her memory returned to those times when the dandelion fluff had carried her away to a place where mothers were loving and kind, and little girls didn't need to be afraid of cutting words or sharp voices.

Had she ever known a time like that, other than in her dreams? Katherine had thought she did, but now she knew: it was all an illusion, like the sunbeams glinting off the bits of white that were settling to the ground. Seeds - that's all they were. Seeds that brought unwanted weeds when they matured. Just like her life.

Unwanted. Unwelcome. Unsung."

Katherine Galloway is attempting to hold onto that belief that God's got something great in store for her. After losing her husband of only two years in a mining accident in Baker City, Katherine now runs the boarding house along with her two young girls Lucy and Amanda. She cringes as she looks back at the broken relationship between herself and her mother and begins counting down the days she will leave after this latest visit. It seems like nothing Katherine does will ever been good enough or acceptable enough for her aging mother, Frances Connors only to be compared to her sister June. Frances had been living with June until an early death left her alone and in need of someone else to care for her and that is just what she has in mind when she shows up on Katherine's doorstep. Yup, Frances is now planning on staying with Katherine permanently.

In the Love Blossoms in Oregon Series, Blowing in Dandelions by Miralee Ferrell is the first novel in this charming series. In this novel Katherine Galloway must find a way to locate the gumption she needs to deal with her arrogant and downright blunt mother, Frances. Of course, Frances is the ever doting grandmother to Lucy and Amanda when her health issues are giving her problems, but she truly believes unless she intervenes in all areas of Katherine's life, the poor woman will never make it. With Katherine raised in a time where children are to be seen and not heard, she believes the Bible's promise to honor your parents at all times. It is that fallacy that keeps Katherine in chains when it comes to dealing with her overbearing mother.

She soon finds herself at the possibility of once again falling in love with the local livery owner, Micah Jacobs who she literally runs into on the streets of Baker City. Only Micah's just moved here from Seattle in hopes of finding a way to care for his younger son, Zachary after his wife Emma passed away. He is not looking for love and vows to do all he can to stay away from Katherine Galloway. But when tragedy strikes it seems God's about to show them both that once again, ALL things work together for those that love the Lord even if they are simply too stubborn to see it.

I received Blowing on Dandelions by Miralee Ferrell as a self purchase and received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. This is the story of reconciliation between Katherine and her mother Frances and the hope that comes when prayer is answered. There is NOTHING God can't fix in His own timing even people as stubborn as Frances. It truly makes me wonder what people would say about me, if they didn't know if I was able to hear them. Would they say that I was kind and my words one to build up or that perhaps I might need some help in that department. I hope it would be the first. This novel is perfect for anyone who struggles with any family member who tries their patience and offers a glimpse of hope in what may be hoped for and possibly obtained with prayer and patience. I'd rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. There is even an except of Wishing on Buttercups, the second book in this series due out later this year.

For more information about Blowing on Dandelions, Miralee Ferrell, or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the link below:

Blowing on Dandelions by Miralee Ferrell

You can also find Miralee Ferrell on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

The Last Hunt

I found it truly a treasure when I can find a Christian writer whose book moves me so much it keeps me up long after I've read it. In some ways, that could be a good thing, in others when you are too afraid to turn off the lights, that could be a bad thing, in a good way. Mike Dellosso is one such talented author I have stumbled upon in my search to find great Christian authors who can write a really scary book with a powerful punch in the end. Mike's books never fail me.

In the short story The Last Hunt which I found interestingly enough through a Facebook post, Mike had on his page about a fan made video of the book. Short and sweet, it was enough to gain my curiosity and had me immediately purchasing this one for my Kindle. At just 34 pages, a warning to the reader: Do Not Read This At Night!!! It will keep you up wondering what every strange sound is in the darkness. That's the point I think Mike is trying to make. He writes his books along those very lines.  The details he provides puts you right in the front seat to face everything that the characters themselves do and make you want to keep coming back for more!

The Last Hunt is about an nondescript and isolated hunting cabin located deep in the Darlington Woods, accessible by four wheel vehicle only and even then, you are necessarily guaranteed to make it due to the rough and treacherous woods. Perhaps that is why the Bishop family kept this cabin in the woods. It was a place they could be completely set apart from the day to day routine of normal life and just get away, back to nature. His father, Uncle, Grandfather and friend Andy were among the men that routinely made this trip to spend the weekend hunting deer. Over the years, it became something of a tradition. Only this time, this trip would be different. Life changing in fact.

"If I only knew then what I know now, what that night would hold, I'd have done everything and anything I could get us out of that valley."

 I received no monetary compensation to review The Last Hunt or to provide a favorable review. The opinions expressed are my own thoughts on what I thought of this book. Hands down for me, Mike has done it again. After reading this one, I found myself almost unable to close my bedroom blinds once it got dark because I feared what might be waiting just outside my window just out of my eyesight. It truly made me question the noises I heard during the gusty evening I chose to read this one. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and Highly Recommend this one to ANYONE looking for a bit of something more to their average suspense thrillers.I can only imagine the stories Mike would tell late at night around the campfire!

For more information about The Last Hunt, Mike Dellosso or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Last Hunt by Mike Dellosso

You can also follow Mike Dellosso on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

Sandustee

If you're a fan of movies like National Treasure and the DaVinci Code then you will LOVE, Sandustee by author Bob Aramov. It centers around solving a major puzzle which the world has been seeking to solve, the location of the Nazarene's Code. It is purported to be a document in existence that has been rumored for centuries. Jesus allegedly authored the Nazarene's Code for a short time before his arrest and crucifixion. It reportedly contains the key to using the powerful forces of heaven and earth to change lives - and it reveals hidden secrets to controlling the world.

It seems that the Legend of 13 began with Jesus and the twelve disciples and the number 13 has had a significant impact on world events and for some strange reason that number holds the key to this puzzle. Look at the groups or individuals who had thirteen affiliated with them. There were the European Union, United Kingdom, and most recently, Osama Bin Laden. All have thirteen letters in their names. Play with it and you'll be amazed with key historical links to the number thirteen.

Now Emerson Moore, an investigative reporter for the Washington Post begins hunting for clues to find the elusive Nazarene's Code before it falls into the wrong hands. That is if in fact the scroll actually exists. It seems like the trail of bodies soon begin to add up as more and more people gain closer to finding it. Could it be possible that something like this really exists and if so, think of the implications for the country that is able to harness its powers.

This action-packed novel is filled with murder, cross and double-cross, scuba action, a touch of Knights Templar, Masonic symbolism, and political intrigue in D.C. and the world intelligence community.It pits country against country as some of the most intelligent minds work together to see who can find it first. I received Sandustee by Bob Adamov compliments of Media Connect, a division of Finn-Partners and Packard Island Publishing for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. This is the seventh novel in the Emerson Moore series and his writing style has been compared to that of Tom Clancy. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and for those that love solving mysteries like Indiana Jones, than you will definitely LOVE this one.

For more information about Sandustee, Bob Adamov, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Sandustee by Bob Adamov

Saving Grace

"There's no such thing as old-fashioned values. There are just values. Right has always been right and wrong has always been wrong. Old-fashioned really has nothing to do with it. People have just lost sight of what's truly important." ~ Garrett Anderson.

Just when you think all the romance books out there have lost their true appeal and sense of "Ah!" when it comes to the storyline, think again. J.M. Hill has managed to create what I would consider a remarkable blend of romance coupled with a great deal of action and suspense while managing to keep it clean. I've lost my interest in so many books either due to profanity, content or subject matter, but I feel blessed when I was asked by J.M. Hill personally to read this one. I wanted to give this one a true standing ovation. I think we might be kindred spirits of the sorts based on the premise behind this novel.

We are immediately introduced to a vague scene in the opening of the book of a man who appears to have been murdered and then tossed into the story of meeting Grace Burke, and her cousin, Kate who live at the end of a lonely street. While the house across the street has remained dilapidated over the years and unlived in, Grace and Kate are more than curious when moving vans and soon vehicles appear as they peer out their blinds to check out the new neighbors like Lucy and Ethel from I Love Lucy. I can complete relate to this myself. When the new neighbors are three brothers who they soon find out are single and incredibly good looking, Kate offers to make the first move of being neighborly.

When an oversized, but good natured man by the name of Garrett opens the front door, we meet the first of the Anderson brothers, who are in their own family construction business. Kate becomes immediately interested in Miles. Their younger brother, Michael, is often referred to as the "stunning one!" and one that Grace finds herself a bit tongue tied just trying to talk to. The five of them find common ground being neighbors as well as interested in football and a great meal. As Kate and Grace get to know each of them a bit more, they soon are befriended by the brothers with Garrett taking an active role as big brother to Kate and Grace. Over time the relationship grows between Kate and Miles, but the real story develops between Grace and Michael who find themselves attracted to one another but afraid to make the first move.

You find yourself falling in love with each of the brothers as you move through the story. First with the need to watch over and protect the girls with Garrett, Miles is your quiet silent type and Michael is struggling with the need to keep his business relationship with a client from getting too personal and fighting his attraction to Grace as he becomes her running partner. Like all great romance stories, it begins with an attraction, then friendship and soon a bit of conflict to force the two together, but all done in such an amazing way, you simply won't be able to put this one down until the end.

The best part of this book besides its characters that J.M. Hill has breathed life into is there will be another one! That made me super excited and now can't wait to read that one. There's even a bit of suspense thrown in to keep the reader engaged. I love how Kate and Grace have an incredible relationship despite their own family tragedy that kept them together and how they form such a loving bond not only with the Anderson brothers but also their parents. There's such an simply humility to Grace's character and that's perhaps why you can find yourself relating to her as you read this wonderful heartwarming book! If you're looking for a fantastic romance without all the unnecessary stuff thrown in to make a book sell, then trust me, grab this one! It's for hopeful romantics everywhere that hope to be rescued by a handsome man in the end. I personally rate this one a hands down 5 out of 5 stars and hope to be included in the sequel to this one!

I received Saving Grace by J.M. Hill compliments of the author for my honest review and have not be compensated in any other way to provide a favorable review. She is now on my favorite author watch list for upcoming books! For more information about Saving Grace, J.M. Hill, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Saving Grace by J.M. Hill

You can also find J.M. Hill on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

The Journey

I've always enjoyed thinking about what life would be like if I could go back in time. Would I change anything? Would I do anything differently?

Well imagine what would happen if you found yourself suddenly walking back into your life thirty-one years ago, only you are the same. You haven't grown younger and all your memories are still intact. What would you do then?

That's just the premise behind The Journey by John Heldt. Finding herself quite literally at a crossroads in her life, Michelle Preston Richardson is still grieving the sudden death of her husband, Scott who died tragically in a hiking accident on Mount Rainer. Now faced with the opportunity to attend her thirty year high school reunion, she decides to go and reconnect with old friends. While investigating an old home that has remained vacant and in desperate need of repairs and renovations, she wander upstairs and finds a door that appears to be locked. However when she pulls on it hard enough, it opens revealing a staircase that leads down into the first floor. Manned with only a flashlight, she takes a risk and enters. Only when she reaches the bottom she becomes spooked and rushes upstairs only to find the door slams shut just before she reaches the top step. As she bangs on the door, yelling and screaming, the door finally gives way. Did her friends play a horrible practical joke on her?

When she calls out to them, she finds they have gone. As Michelle walks slowly back to town, she realizes she has stepped into an episode of the Twilight Zone. Everything in the small town has returned to 1979 even though she hasn't changed a bit. Even the old barber shop that was owned by her father is still there. What's even more surprising is her father who has been dead for the last twenty two years is still alive and cutting hair again! Michelle wanders back up to the old home again and tries in vain for a week to get back to her current time frame, but seems hopelessly stuck in her past once again. She realizes she must find work and a place to stay while she figures things out and how to get back.

In the novel, The Journey by John Heldt, the reader is taken back in time much like the movie, Peggy Sue Got Married. Only in that situation, Peggy got to go back and relive her high school years til she found her way back to the present. In this case, Michelle remains the same age of forty-eight when she left. She has the opportunity to influence her friends and even a younger version of herself and wonders just what the consequences would be if she changes a few things from her past. What would that do if she ever found her way back to the present time?

I received The Journey by John Heldt compliments of the author for my honest review. This is such an incredible series of ebooks, The Northwest Passage time-travel series and I was honored when John asked me to review this second book for him. After reading The Mine, his first, I knew immediately I was hooked. I want to remind you that the Journey is NOT a sequel to The Mine but they do in fact deal with similar themes. I've been a huge fan of time travel and series like the Outer Limits and Twilight Zone and LOVED this novel. It made me think of what I would do if I found myself in a similar situation. I know I wouldn't want to change too much because it may adversely affect what would happen if I ever found my way out again. But if it could impact the lives of my friends in a positive way, I definitely would make some changes. For those of you that love a great Science Fiction novel, then this is definitely a MUST READ for you! I personally rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and John amazes me each time to see just where he is going to go in his future books. Well done, John, you definitely surprised and kept me intrigued. I can't wait for the next one, The Show which is the sequel to The Mine! Trust me, you'll definitely want both of these ebooks!

For more information about The Journey, John Heldt or where to pick up a copy of this ebook today, please click on the links below:

The Journey by John Heldt

You can also stay up to date with all of John's incredible books by joining his Facebook page.

• File Size: 347 KB
• Print Length: 242 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: John A. Heldt (November 3, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00A1ID5X0

The Reunion

Sometimes life isn't about us. It's about the difference we make in the lives of people around us. Aaron Miller is one such person. Thinking he has little to offer the world as a retired Vietnam veteran, he spends his time working as a maintenance man for a little trailer park in Florida. Reflecting back on his life offers him the justification for the life he currently finds himself in. After serving in Vietnam and saving the lives of three men in his squadron, he was injured and thus found a way out of the way. Disabled in both body and spirit, Aaron tried to find his way back to his wife and children. When his PTSD symptoms and addictions to pain medications caused a division in his house, his wife told him that they would be better off without him.

So Aaron left, and spent the next few years eking out a living on the streets. When he finally found the strength to get clean, he tried to make his way back home for a second chance. His wife told him that his kids no longer asked about the whereabouts of their dad and it's for the best to give them a second chance at a better life with her new husband and now father to their kids. Heartbroken, Aaron found solace living in the storage shed while trying to save money to purchase a small trailer in the park he helped to maintain, but that seems to be a dream far out of his reach.

In the Reunion by Dan Walsh, restoration seems to be the theme. Aaron's old habits die hard and soon he finds himself helping people out around him who seem to be filled with no hope. Aaron becomes more than a hero to them. While he keeps his own past buried, he works to offer hope to those who need it the most. Dan Walsh is instrumental at getting this powerful message across in this wonderful inspirational book about looking at the lives of the men and women who serve in our military. It gives us insight into the details we may never fail to inquire about but a story that each needs to share if only given the chance. I think he does a wonderful job at conveying that just because they finish their tour of duty, these wounded men and women still have a much needed purpose in life. This is a book to be treasured and shared. Be warned however, this may require more than a boxful of tissues by the time you reach the end. A well deserved 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Reunion, Dan Walsh and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Reunion by Dan Walsh

You can also find Dan Walsh on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest books!!!

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Revell; Original edition (September 1, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0800721217

ISBN-13: 978-0800721213

Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches 

The Mine

It was just an average day in the life for Joel Smith, the day he and his buddy stopped at the Canary Diner for a quick bite to eat before heading back home. They took a road trip in hopes of unwinding a bit before finals week began and their real lives would begin. When a traffic snarl delays them, Joel decides to take the road less traveled when he spots a sign for a gold mine up off a dirt road. Seeing opportunity knocking, Joel manages to convince his friend Aaron to give it a chance rather than wait for the construction traffic to clear.

They locate an abandoned, boarded up gold mine at the end of the road. Joel is the willing adventurer while Adam simply realizes that the trip home is only going to take longer by waiting to tackle this mini adventure with him and wants to get back on the road. Giving Joel just 15 minutes to explore the mine, Adam waits for him outside. Joel seizes the chance, being a geologist at heart, he can't wait to see what the mine has hidden. When he spots a phosphorus enriched room deep in the darkened mine, he finds it's guarded by a poisonous rattler. While attempting to flee, he drops his flashlight and smacks his head on a low hanging beam. When he wakes up and finds his way back out to the top, he realizes it's been over 30 minutes and knows Aaron will be more than upset.

He soon realizes that Adam has taken the SUV and left him behind. As Joel begins the long walk back to the highway, he soon realizes that things around him have changed and he doesn't seem to be heading in the right direction. He realizes that the houses and cabins that were lining the road, are no longer there. It's as if they hadn't been built there at all. When he finds the highway again, all signs of construction have vanished as well. It isn't until Joel hitches a ride back in a restored Buick from the 40's, he realizes that it isn't restored, he is back in 1941 in Montana and things are about to get really interesting for Joel!

In the novel, The Mine by John A. Heldt, Joel Smith suddenly finds himself trapped back in time just before the United States is entering the war. Realizing that credit cards haven't been invented yet and all his money is dated from the 80's he can't very well use it when most would consider it counterfeit. Now Joel has to find a way to exist until he can figure out how to get back to the year 2000. Along the way, he heads back to his hometown in Seattle and soon finds himself at the good fortune of saving a young man, Tom Carter, who he realizes is dating his grandmother, when she was a young girl in 1941.

I received The Mine compliments of John A. Heldt's request for my honest opinion and really was drawn into this wonderful story. It's a blend of Back to the Future meets the Twilight Zone and I found myself wondering just how and if Joel Smith would find himself back home or if he will want to once he finds the love of his life. But if he remains, he could quite potentially change time forever and cause himself to possibly not to exist at all. The reader will be delighted in this entertaining science fiction twist. There is some profanity, and some of Joel's choices about women, dating more than one at the same time, even though one of them is engaged, are cause for concern, knowing my reader base.  For that reason I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars. For those of you that love the 1940's as much as I do, John's eloquent characters that he has created made this a trip back in time a memorable one. I could relate to Grace's character who finds herself falling in love with two men, one who is on the brink of serving while the war looms in the near future, an officer named Paul, who promises her security and a solid future, and then there is Joel, who is whisking her off her feet, while making most of his money with staging bets on sporting statistics he knows will pay off, and promising her a fun time that is completely unexpected. You will love this unique twist on historical romantic science fiction! This book is available as an eBook only from your favorite retailer for now.

For more information about The Mine, John A. Heldt and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Mine by John A. Heldt

You can also find John on Facebook by clicking here.https://www.facebook.com/johnaheldt?ref=ts

The Difference

What happens when you mix The DaVinci Code along with Underworld? You get Alessandro Tesio's ebook novel, The Difference. I think this author had a great premise but what I feel happened is that it was written in another language and the English translation of the book got a bit confusing. The way the words fall together in the context of how the story flows gets lost by the order of the words. It's almost like this was written in Italian and someone just attempted to translate is directly without reading it through to make sure it made sense and the story flowed. For me, attempting to read it required a bit of rethinking what I read to place the words in what I thought might have been the author's intention and that makes it difficult to read without losing your place in the story.

The book opens with a group of military men sent in to find out what happened to a missing squad of men. All the clues point to the fact that these men disappeared with only their own gunfire left behind which means their enemy took them quickly. Not an easy task considering these men were highly trained military experts searching beneath a castle in underground tunnels. When they encounter a monster sized lycanthrope (werewolf) and attempt to shot it, they soon realize that ordinary bullets are affecting it in the slightest and are only making it mad. As they attempt to retreat, they launch virtually everything they have with them in hopes of making it out alive. But then they hear more of them coming in the tunnels. Using grenade launchers, most of the men make it out alive just as a helicopter appears, but the men that arrive are not theirs.

These two men and one women cloaked all in black are able to stop the one remaining lycanthrope from making it out of the tunnels and while chanting in Latin, the creature suddenly vanishes in smoke, leaving no trace behind. When they arrive back to camp, the men insist on knowing the identity of the mystery team and learn that their history goes back to the Christian Crusades, back to the time of Emperor Constantine. They belong to an ancient order of men, The Council of the Hidden Truths designed to protect a secret that has been hidden in nine different scrolls that now lay buried all over the world. All but one remains to be found.

Along with a military team and department that investigates any phenomenon defined as diabolical, with sightings of strange creatures in more areas around the globe. A specific analysis complete with statistics was made regarding sightings of beings with vampiric and monstrous features. Even though the Pentagons finds in unbelievable, they have accepted this reality and have prepared special squads to search for supposed threats. Now they need to work together with the Assembly of Hidden Truths, who seem to be the only people that can adequately train his men to be able to fight these influences in the world. Can they put aside their differences, and help one another?



I received this eBook novel compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review and like I said holds a great premise in the genre now known as Speculative Fiction, that falls under Christian Horror/Suspense Thrillers. I think if this could be revised and looked through with a great editor, it would really appeal to a large market share of Christian Speculative readers who love a little vampire, werewolves and demons along with some great action adventure with using faith in God to help them in the conquest for success. For this reason I rate this one a 3 out of 5 stars.

For more information on The Difference, Alessandro Tesio and where to pick up a copy of this eBook for your electronic reader, please click on the links below:

The Difference by Alessandro Tesio

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