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Siren's Surrender (Dark Tides #2)
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Never embracing her mermaid heritage, Gwen Lonike lives in the human world as the owner of a Maine...
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated Shadow Healer (Blood Shadows #3) in Books
Aug 22, 2023
I don't want it to end!
Independent reviewer for Book Sirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is third book in the Blood Shadows trilogy and it CANNOT be read as a stand alone. You need to know what happened before, what James has done, and how he came to be in the mess of his making. And you know, cos I SAID SO!! Both books one and 2 were 5 star reads, and this one did not disappoint!
James knows what has happened before is entirely his fault. He trusted Gordon and look what happened. He lost the woman he loved, his friends, and his Shadows. Riley loved James, but she never actually voiced the words. Finding him again was bittersweet, though, given what he did and what has to happen now. They need to trust each other, but can they forgive?
Quoting from my review for book one, Shadow Guardian: James would be good, as the third in the Triad but that would mean he comes out of this mess. And if he does, he will be deeply damaged in many ways. Oh, he's gonna break my heart, I know he is! (Assuming he gets a book! *looks pleadingly at Ms Roberts!
And he did! James broke my heart, big time! But Riley as well. They had so much before, but neither had actually said what they felt, or where they wanted it to go, then Gordon came along and wrecked everything. Both of them suffered, deeply, in very different ways. It takes time for them to even speak to each other, but they need to reconnect to actually get one over on Gordon.
Gordon, the power tripping head of the council, makes his plans far more clearer here and it's not just the Norms of this world that will suffer if he gets his way. The Shadow Weavers will suffer, badly, if he gets his feet under the table and gets his way. One suffers here, and it wasn't easy to read, being Shadow stripped.
I think it does have a higher level of violence than the other books, but it really was needed. What Gordon did to James, and the others meant Gordon needed to be stopped at all costs. And it DOES cost, deeply, but it really was needed.
While heavy on the emotional side for James and Riley, I found it a little less explicit than the other books. The emotions are rife for Elizabeth and David too.
AND! The bad guy gets a say! Oh I love it when we hear from the bad guy! Now, I can't actually recall if we did before, cos I don't mention it, and ya;ll know how much I love getting the bad guy so I will always mention it, and we get Gordon in all his world dominating glory and I freaking loved it!
Writing this, even though it was an amazing third instalment, is making me sad. because it is the FINAL part of the trilogy and don't wanna leave them!
I can't wait to see what Roberts comes up with next. I'm really loving her mind and how she gets things across.
5 full and shiny stars, casting wonderfulyl coloured Shadows around!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is third book in the Blood Shadows trilogy and it CANNOT be read as a stand alone. You need to know what happened before, what James has done, and how he came to be in the mess of his making. And you know, cos I SAID SO!! Both books one and 2 were 5 star reads, and this one did not disappoint!
James knows what has happened before is entirely his fault. He trusted Gordon and look what happened. He lost the woman he loved, his friends, and his Shadows. Riley loved James, but she never actually voiced the words. Finding him again was bittersweet, though, given what he did and what has to happen now. They need to trust each other, but can they forgive?
Quoting from my review for book one, Shadow Guardian: James would be good, as the third in the Triad but that would mean he comes out of this mess. And if he does, he will be deeply damaged in many ways. Oh, he's gonna break my heart, I know he is! (Assuming he gets a book! *looks pleadingly at Ms Roberts!
And he did! James broke my heart, big time! But Riley as well. They had so much before, but neither had actually said what they felt, or where they wanted it to go, then Gordon came along and wrecked everything. Both of them suffered, deeply, in very different ways. It takes time for them to even speak to each other, but they need to reconnect to actually get one over on Gordon.
Gordon, the power tripping head of the council, makes his plans far more clearer here and it's not just the Norms of this world that will suffer if he gets his way. The Shadow Weavers will suffer, badly, if he gets his feet under the table and gets his way. One suffers here, and it wasn't easy to read, being Shadow stripped.
I think it does have a higher level of violence than the other books, but it really was needed. What Gordon did to James, and the others meant Gordon needed to be stopped at all costs. And it DOES cost, deeply, but it really was needed.
While heavy on the emotional side for James and Riley, I found it a little less explicit than the other books. The emotions are rife for Elizabeth and David too.
AND! The bad guy gets a say! Oh I love it when we hear from the bad guy! Now, I can't actually recall if we did before, cos I don't mention it, and ya;ll know how much I love getting the bad guy so I will always mention it, and we get Gordon in all his world dominating glory and I freaking loved it!
Writing this, even though it was an amazing third instalment, is making me sad. because it is the FINAL part of the trilogy and don't wanna leave them!
I can't wait to see what Roberts comes up with next. I'm really loving her mind and how she gets things across.
5 full and shiny stars, casting wonderfulyl coloured Shadows around!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Pacific Rim (2013) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Director Guillermo Del Toro has introduced an interesting new twist to the “giant monster run amok” genre with his latest film “Pacific Rim”. The movie details how extraterrestrial life has appeared upon the earth via a rift in the ocean floor. These gigantic alien life are known as Kaijus after the Japanese word for gigantic creature and have unleashed utter devastation upon the coastal cities of the world. Since the first attack took six days to repel, the leaders of the world devised a new plan of defense which involves the building of gigantic mechanized robots or Jaegers, after the German word for hunter. It is learned that the initial results were very promising however as time went along, the alien threat continued to evolve and adapt and were soon becoming a challenge for the mech defenses.
Enter into the mix Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam), a young Jaeger pilot who, with his brother, pilots the Gypsy Danger mech. It is learned that two pilots are needed to control the mechs as the neural demands were too much for one individual alone. Through a process known as “drifting” the pilots are linked to one another’s minds which allows them each to control one half of the machine in combat situations. Needless to say it is vital that the two pilots are compatible as the connection allows them to see into each other’s minds and memories so therefore having somebody of a compatible nature is key to success.
Six years into the war tragedy strikes leaving Raleigh dissolution and alone. In the ensuing seven years he is working on a last gasp project to build gigantic walls around coastal cities in an effort to stop the alien menace and protect cities. Things have not been going well and due to increasing losses the command has canceled the Jaeger program and ordered the few remaining next to Hong Kong to provide a measure of defense will wall is completed.
This does not sit well with Defense Marshall Pentecost (Idris Elba), who believes that the mechs offer humanity’s best defense against the enemy and as such he seeks down Raleigh and return Sam reluctantly to the program. It is learned that there are only four mechs left and a desperate plan to deliver a nuclear payload through the rift directly to the enemy is put in place. Of course complications arise specifically in the form that Raleigh needs to find a new copilot and by far and away the best candidate for him Rinko (Mako Mori) is being blocked from taking part in the mission by the Defense Marshall. This combined with tension between their rival pilot and Raleigh certainly has him rethinking his place in the mission.
As if this was not complicated enough, base scientist Newton (Charlie Day), is convinced that there is a much bigger threat coming and that their current course of action is not going to be enough to save the day.What follows is an FX heavy spectacle of action as humanity makes a last-ditch stand against the alien apocalypse in spectacular style.
The movie, while entertaining, does strain credibility to a serious extreme even by adventure film standards. We’re supposed to believe that enormous amounts of money have been spent to develop and maintain the defense program when the weaponry aboard the mechs as well as conventional weaponry such as Tomahawk missiles and such could be mounted aboard ships and coastal batteries and deployed with similar success at a significantly reduced cost. We are told that the initial attack took six days to repel using jets and tanks but from my point of view heavy assault gunships, rail guns, cruise missiles, as well as the plasma weaponry shown in the film would certainly do the job from any floating or fixed coastal location.
Even though the 3-D in the movie was converted it was done very well and there were some very good moments of immersion especially during the very well done combat sequences. My biggest issue was that the middle of the film tended to drag as we had a lot of interpersonal dramas play out but they lacked attention and character development that they needed to be fully effective. Despite the extremely solid cast, many of the characters were very thinly developed as the emphasis on the movie was clearly on putting giant robots against giant creatures and unleashing as much carnage and mayhem as possible.
In this regard the film worked however the times in between do not work so well and there is a surprising lack of chemistry amongst many of the leads which undermines the sense of urgency, desperation, and sacrifice which is key to the story.
Charlie Day provides some good comic relief in his role and Hunnam and Elba do a good job with the limited characters that they are given.
While it is not a bad film by any stretch the imagination, it could have been so much more because as it stands now it is basically in the vein of the Toho Godzilla movies just with a bigger budget and better effects.
http://sknr.net/2013/07/11/pacific-rim/
Enter into the mix Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam), a young Jaeger pilot who, with his brother, pilots the Gypsy Danger mech. It is learned that two pilots are needed to control the mechs as the neural demands were too much for one individual alone. Through a process known as “drifting” the pilots are linked to one another’s minds which allows them each to control one half of the machine in combat situations. Needless to say it is vital that the two pilots are compatible as the connection allows them to see into each other’s minds and memories so therefore having somebody of a compatible nature is key to success.
Six years into the war tragedy strikes leaving Raleigh dissolution and alone. In the ensuing seven years he is working on a last gasp project to build gigantic walls around coastal cities in an effort to stop the alien menace and protect cities. Things have not been going well and due to increasing losses the command has canceled the Jaeger program and ordered the few remaining next to Hong Kong to provide a measure of defense will wall is completed.
This does not sit well with Defense Marshall Pentecost (Idris Elba), who believes that the mechs offer humanity’s best defense against the enemy and as such he seeks down Raleigh and return Sam reluctantly to the program. It is learned that there are only four mechs left and a desperate plan to deliver a nuclear payload through the rift directly to the enemy is put in place. Of course complications arise specifically in the form that Raleigh needs to find a new copilot and by far and away the best candidate for him Rinko (Mako Mori) is being blocked from taking part in the mission by the Defense Marshall. This combined with tension between their rival pilot and Raleigh certainly has him rethinking his place in the mission.
As if this was not complicated enough, base scientist Newton (Charlie Day), is convinced that there is a much bigger threat coming and that their current course of action is not going to be enough to save the day.What follows is an FX heavy spectacle of action as humanity makes a last-ditch stand against the alien apocalypse in spectacular style.
The movie, while entertaining, does strain credibility to a serious extreme even by adventure film standards. We’re supposed to believe that enormous amounts of money have been spent to develop and maintain the defense program when the weaponry aboard the mechs as well as conventional weaponry such as Tomahawk missiles and such could be mounted aboard ships and coastal batteries and deployed with similar success at a significantly reduced cost. We are told that the initial attack took six days to repel using jets and tanks but from my point of view heavy assault gunships, rail guns, cruise missiles, as well as the plasma weaponry shown in the film would certainly do the job from any floating or fixed coastal location.
Even though the 3-D in the movie was converted it was done very well and there were some very good moments of immersion especially during the very well done combat sequences. My biggest issue was that the middle of the film tended to drag as we had a lot of interpersonal dramas play out but they lacked attention and character development that they needed to be fully effective. Despite the extremely solid cast, many of the characters were very thinly developed as the emphasis on the movie was clearly on putting giant robots against giant creatures and unleashing as much carnage and mayhem as possible.
In this regard the film worked however the times in between do not work so well and there is a surprising lack of chemistry amongst many of the leads which undermines the sense of urgency, desperation, and sacrifice which is key to the story.
Charlie Day provides some good comic relief in his role and Hunnam and Elba do a good job with the limited characters that they are given.
While it is not a bad film by any stretch the imagination, it could have been so much more because as it stands now it is basically in the vein of the Toho Godzilla movies just with a bigger budget and better effects.
http://sknr.net/2013/07/11/pacific-rim/
Paul Kellett (118 KP) rated The City of Kings in Tabletop Games
May 1, 2019
Great artwork (2 more)
Tons of content
Great for solo play
A bit fiddly (1 more)
Some scenarios are incredibly hard
A new take on the adventure game
The City of Kings is a tactical fantasy adventure, with procedurally generated monsters and some neat Euro mechanics. Frank West, the designer, has come up with a game that is massive in scope while being really simple to play and offering tons of replayability.
Set in an as yet unknown land, you take control of a hero (or, as this will be a solo focused review, a minimum of 2 heroes) to try and free the lands of the evil armies of Vesh Darkhand. The main story plays out over 7 stories, each with 4 chapters and 2 optional endings (Heroic & Legendary). There are also a bunch of stand-alone missions not tied to the main story.
The game is nothing less than stunning. The components are all top quality and the artwork is luscious. If you spring for the Deluxe version, you also get shaped wooden components for the resources as well as storage trays and some really useful plastic overlays to keep your character's stat cubes in place.
The game plays really smoothly. The rulebook is well laid out and gives the main rules in easily referenced sections. There is also a separate glossary which lists all the different creature abilities, location types, quest types and special tokens. This keeps the rulebook free of clutter and lets you learn about the different things as you play, giving the game a sense of mystery as you will be finding new things for many games to come. It's also really easy to open up and look up a skill.
The character sheets look intimidating but are wonderfully functional and quite intuitive as you start playing. Each character starts off the same, but as you kill monsters, complete quests and progress through the chapters, you will gain experience which lets you upgrade one of the several stats on your character sheet. This lets you customise your character and will make each play subtly different. You could go for attack and become the party's "tank" or you could focus on boosting your workers and be the one responsible for gathering the resources needed to buy better weapons or armour.
Each character also has a skill tree where you can gain different abilities unique to that character. With 12 different abilities and the restriction of only being able to pick up to 3 each game, it will take a good many games to try out the different combinations.
You get to perform 4 actions each turn and as well as being able to move your character across the map, you also start with a little worker that you can send out to the various resource locations on the map (when you have explored and found them) to gather the resources needed to purchase better equipment.
All (or most) of the map tiles will be face down at the start of the game, so you will be moving out of the city and exploring as you go, but when you flip over a monster spawn tile, you get to the meat of the game.
Unlike every other fantasy game, this is not your usual hack and slash, stand there and kill everything affair. This is more like a game of chess, you will need to be cunning and tactical to be able to survive and win.
You won't be facing the standard fantasy monsters, rather you will draw an enemy tile which will give you a description of the mob (yes, you are fighting groups at a time) you have encountered and then you will draw a stat card. These are numbered so after a couple of games you will know the basic stats of the next monster and be ready for it.
This sounds like it would become terribly repetitive, but each time you spawn a monster, you also have to assign abilities to it. these abilities are drawn from one (or more) of 3 bags containing Easy, Medium and Hard abilities so while you may know that the monster will do 4 damage and have 16 health, you won't know if it will spit poison at you, pull you into it's clutches or make you flee in terror. Or any number of other nasty things.
Line of sight, movement and combat is only done orthogonally, so as long as you are not in a straight line of the creature's range, you can leave him alone while you go about completing quests to either complete a chapter or to get the skills and equipment needed to defeat the beast.
On the whole it works very well. As is the nature of random token draws, you occasionally come across something that is just way too much to deal with and you will struggle to beat it, but that's all part of the fun.
I keep mentioning quests and equipment. There are two massive decks of cards, one you draw from when you interact with the quest location on the map. This will give you a quest that could be killing a monster, gathering a specific amount of a certain resource or, if you have the Deluxe upgrade, a dexterity quest. These are cool, you have to stack the wooden shapes in a tower without them falling :) and if you succeed you will gain XP and sometimes equipment.
The equipment deck is not quite a big as the quest deck, but still contains a load of cool tems which will be set out ready for you to purchase from the town or any discovered shop. To buy these you will need to have your worker running about the map harvesting the various resources scattered about the land and once you have enough, you can equip your heroes with mighty weapons and armour.
Be warned though, you can't just amble about the land at your leisure as each chapter has a strict time limit and if you have failed to complete your objectives by the time the clock strikes midnight after however many days you have been given, then the city will lose hope and you will fail. This makes for a very challenging experience where you need to work as a team and harmonise your skills to get the most efficient party.
Playing solo, you have to control a minimum of 2 characters, but it is not a complex task unlike a lot of other fantasy games. You don't have stacks of cards to shuffle through or tons of abilities or special rules to remember, just two character sheets with all the information easily seen and remembered. Depending on whether you play a single mission or a full story, the game will take between 1 and 2.5-3 hours and will offer a challenging tactical experience and a great narrative adventure that will be different every time.
This is such a good game and plays brilliantly as every player count (1-4) with different enemy stat bars to balance the threat against the number of players. Back on Kickstarter for a second printing along with some new expansion content, this should be on every gamers' shelf if you are a fan of great story driven fantasy games.
Set in an as yet unknown land, you take control of a hero (or, as this will be a solo focused review, a minimum of 2 heroes) to try and free the lands of the evil armies of Vesh Darkhand. The main story plays out over 7 stories, each with 4 chapters and 2 optional endings (Heroic & Legendary). There are also a bunch of stand-alone missions not tied to the main story.
The game is nothing less than stunning. The components are all top quality and the artwork is luscious. If you spring for the Deluxe version, you also get shaped wooden components for the resources as well as storage trays and some really useful plastic overlays to keep your character's stat cubes in place.
The game plays really smoothly. The rulebook is well laid out and gives the main rules in easily referenced sections. There is also a separate glossary which lists all the different creature abilities, location types, quest types and special tokens. This keeps the rulebook free of clutter and lets you learn about the different things as you play, giving the game a sense of mystery as you will be finding new things for many games to come. It's also really easy to open up and look up a skill.
The character sheets look intimidating but are wonderfully functional and quite intuitive as you start playing. Each character starts off the same, but as you kill monsters, complete quests and progress through the chapters, you will gain experience which lets you upgrade one of the several stats on your character sheet. This lets you customise your character and will make each play subtly different. You could go for attack and become the party's "tank" or you could focus on boosting your workers and be the one responsible for gathering the resources needed to buy better weapons or armour.
Each character also has a skill tree where you can gain different abilities unique to that character. With 12 different abilities and the restriction of only being able to pick up to 3 each game, it will take a good many games to try out the different combinations.
You get to perform 4 actions each turn and as well as being able to move your character across the map, you also start with a little worker that you can send out to the various resource locations on the map (when you have explored and found them) to gather the resources needed to purchase better equipment.
All (or most) of the map tiles will be face down at the start of the game, so you will be moving out of the city and exploring as you go, but when you flip over a monster spawn tile, you get to the meat of the game.
Unlike every other fantasy game, this is not your usual hack and slash, stand there and kill everything affair. This is more like a game of chess, you will need to be cunning and tactical to be able to survive and win.
You won't be facing the standard fantasy monsters, rather you will draw an enemy tile which will give you a description of the mob (yes, you are fighting groups at a time) you have encountered and then you will draw a stat card. These are numbered so after a couple of games you will know the basic stats of the next monster and be ready for it.
This sounds like it would become terribly repetitive, but each time you spawn a monster, you also have to assign abilities to it. these abilities are drawn from one (or more) of 3 bags containing Easy, Medium and Hard abilities so while you may know that the monster will do 4 damage and have 16 health, you won't know if it will spit poison at you, pull you into it's clutches or make you flee in terror. Or any number of other nasty things.
Line of sight, movement and combat is only done orthogonally, so as long as you are not in a straight line of the creature's range, you can leave him alone while you go about completing quests to either complete a chapter or to get the skills and equipment needed to defeat the beast.
On the whole it works very well. As is the nature of random token draws, you occasionally come across something that is just way too much to deal with and you will struggle to beat it, but that's all part of the fun.
I keep mentioning quests and equipment. There are two massive decks of cards, one you draw from when you interact with the quest location on the map. This will give you a quest that could be killing a monster, gathering a specific amount of a certain resource or, if you have the Deluxe upgrade, a dexterity quest. These are cool, you have to stack the wooden shapes in a tower without them falling :) and if you succeed you will gain XP and sometimes equipment.
The equipment deck is not quite a big as the quest deck, but still contains a load of cool tems which will be set out ready for you to purchase from the town or any discovered shop. To buy these you will need to have your worker running about the map harvesting the various resources scattered about the land and once you have enough, you can equip your heroes with mighty weapons and armour.
Be warned though, you can't just amble about the land at your leisure as each chapter has a strict time limit and if you have failed to complete your objectives by the time the clock strikes midnight after however many days you have been given, then the city will lose hope and you will fail. This makes for a very challenging experience where you need to work as a team and harmonise your skills to get the most efficient party.
Playing solo, you have to control a minimum of 2 characters, but it is not a complex task unlike a lot of other fantasy games. You don't have stacks of cards to shuffle through or tons of abilities or special rules to remember, just two character sheets with all the information easily seen and remembered. Depending on whether you play a single mission or a full story, the game will take between 1 and 2.5-3 hours and will offer a challenging tactical experience and a great narrative adventure that will be different every time.
This is such a good game and plays brilliantly as every player count (1-4) with different enemy stat bars to balance the threat against the number of players. Back on Kickstarter for a second printing along with some new expansion content, this should be on every gamers' shelf if you are a fan of great story driven fantasy games.
Amanda (96 KP) rated More Than We Can Tell (Letters to the Lost # 2) in Books
Mar 14, 2019
One of the things I don’t pay attention to when I read a book is if it is in a series. Most of the time I’ll catch it, but in this case, I didn’t know it was part of the LETTERS TO THE LOST verse. I didn’t catch it till the book REFERENCED a scene from that book. I adored LETTERS TO THE LOST. This book DID reference, but it is a stand alone story, so if you want to read it, you DO NOT have to read LETTERS TO THE LOST – although I HIGHLY recommend it.
Each chapter is told in separate POV’s
Rev Fletcher – He lives with his foster parents and is closed off due to physical torment from his highly religious nut father.
Emma Blue – Known as Azure M in her online game – She created this game and has made it public for other users to play, one user in particular is harassing her. Her parents are a different story. Her mother is a bit controlling while her father is more of a friend who designs video games.
This book, for starters, totally DID NOT use one of my least favorite tropes and have non existent parents in a world where it’s teenagers telling this story. Kudos for giving parents roles of being parents – with the exception of Emma’s father. He doesn’t really play the role of father, and it kind of makes it known in the story, which is fine with me.
Emma keeps this new game she created to herself mostly because her mother has tried to get her away from games, going as far as turning off the internet. See, if I were trying to do that, I would have taken the router/modem with me as well, not just unplugged it. That’s just me. She finds comfort in not only an online friend she made called, ETHAN, but also when she meets REV outside a church.
Rev has his own baggage. His father gave up his parental rights, and now, he’s emailing Rev and basically stirring up old resentment, but also feelings of wanting to please his father. I feel bad for Rev and I can’t even get frustrated with him when he completely shuts down even though his best friend tries to get him to talk and help him.
Emma was being stubborn, although most times I can understand with her mother, but when things escalate between her and ETHAN (and I mean they ESCALATED!) I wanted to just shake her for being so…stupid.
It is NEVER OKAY to not at least be supportive of your friend’s interest, even if you don’t find it all that interesting – just saying.
Despite a few annoyances, some from Emma and her mother, but also Rev on some occasions, I actually enjoyed this book. I liked how this story unraveled and how that while it’s told from another verse, it’s still a book by itself. I’m left with more questions than answers. I like how the author didn’t use one of my least favorite tropes even though she could have. I wind up really liking Emma’s mother and she has put up with A LOT – so it was nice seeing how Emma actually TRIES to let her mother into her life, even if there are still baby steps to be made.
Rev realizes that his father, despite being this man who tortured, he is just a man.
It was an enjoyable read with a couple of twists that maybe I should have seen coming, but I didn’t. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, however. You really get a sense of where Rev lives and his adoptive parents.
I won’t give away anymore than LETTERS TO THE LOST is worth the read. If anything, just so you can get all excited like I did when it’s referenced in this book.
Each chapter is told in separate POV’s
Rev Fletcher – He lives with his foster parents and is closed off due to physical torment from his highly religious nut father.
Emma Blue – Known as Azure M in her online game – She created this game and has made it public for other users to play, one user in particular is harassing her. Her parents are a different story. Her mother is a bit controlling while her father is more of a friend who designs video games.
This book, for starters, totally DID NOT use one of my least favorite tropes and have non existent parents in a world where it’s teenagers telling this story. Kudos for giving parents roles of being parents – with the exception of Emma’s father. He doesn’t really play the role of father, and it kind of makes it known in the story, which is fine with me.
Emma keeps this new game she created to herself mostly because her mother has tried to get her away from games, going as far as turning off the internet. See, if I were trying to do that, I would have taken the router/modem with me as well, not just unplugged it. That’s just me. She finds comfort in not only an online friend she made called, ETHAN, but also when she meets REV outside a church.
Rev has his own baggage. His father gave up his parental rights, and now, he’s emailing Rev and basically stirring up old resentment, but also feelings of wanting to please his father. I feel bad for Rev and I can’t even get frustrated with him when he completely shuts down even though his best friend tries to get him to talk and help him.
Emma was being stubborn, although most times I can understand with her mother, but when things escalate between her and ETHAN (and I mean they ESCALATED!) I wanted to just shake her for being so…stupid.
It is NEVER OKAY to not at least be supportive of your friend’s interest, even if you don’t find it all that interesting – just saying.
Despite a few annoyances, some from Emma and her mother, but also Rev on some occasions, I actually enjoyed this book. I liked how this story unraveled and how that while it’s told from another verse, it’s still a book by itself. I’m left with more questions than answers. I like how the author didn’t use one of my least favorite tropes even though she could have. I wind up really liking Emma’s mother and she has put up with A LOT – so it was nice seeing how Emma actually TRIES to let her mother into her life, even if there are still baby steps to be made.
Rev realizes that his father, despite being this man who tortured, he is just a man.
It was an enjoyable read with a couple of twists that maybe I should have seen coming, but I didn’t. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, however. You really get a sense of where Rev lives and his adoptive parents.
I won’t give away anymore than LETTERS TO THE LOST is worth the read. If anything, just so you can get all excited like I did when it’s referenced in this book.
Sign Off, a murder mystery by Patricia McLinn, is a marvelous book about a woman named Elizabeth who works for a news station when a little girl asks her to look into a murder case that has been unsolved. At first Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she could solve it, but as she looks at the news from the case, she finds herself curious about all parties involved and begins asking questions. Along the way, she start to find herself after having had a rough past that left her in a small town, as well as finding someone who might be interested in her. With her small team of colleagues, they all work to try to solve the case and find out what really happened.
At first, I was worried the book would leave out details about the main character that could help fill in her background, but upon reading further I was pleasantly surprised with hoe they would tie in the information that was left out in the beginning, using the case to help introduce the said information. I enjoy the suspense and the way the book was written so that you were trying to solve the murder mystery alongside Elizabeth and Mike. The details McLinn used to describe different scenes and things in the book was chilling to think about. Even though it would be accurate in the way she was suing them, it still makes me shiver at the thought of such descriptions used.
I enjoyed the different characters and their personalities which made you want to suspect someone over another person and even take notes mentally in hopes to figure it out before the murderer was revealed. Though, your thoughts may be wrong. I also enjoyed the underlying tone of romance in the brewing. It made it so that it was realistic and made it able to give reasons for Mike to want to spend time with Elizabeth other than helping solve the case. I would have loved to see that develop more, but was pleasantly surprised with everything that was said about such a development between the characters and seeing them be mature about it.
Though they were mature about most things, it was clear not everything earned such merit. While the characters seemed to be able to handle themselves, you couldn’t help but wonder why in some instances where they so brave and in others seemed slightly cowardly or lost for words. There were also a few things that had confused me on the approach the characters took to certain problems but wasn’t like confused in the way that left you unhappy, but more like “why would they do that instead of this”? While I believe even though the characters made some slight error in my own opinion of what should be done, I found that these small errors made the story feel more well-rounded, unlike some story-lines that can make their characters seem like a god in their area of expertise. I quite enjoyed the reality feel for this murder mystery.
Sign Off was a real page turned that kept me wanting more, and even though it is book one of the Caught Dead in Wyoming series, I will have to say I was pleasantly surprised that it could easily stand alone. I will be looking forward to the rest of the series, as there are currently seven books in total. Patricia McLinn has given us a fabulous product that can satisfy just about any need you may have. It you want action, mystery, suspense, and a tad bit of romance mixed in with some comedy, this is a book for you. I would rate this book 4 star out of 4 stars. It was just a truly amazing tale that kept me wanting more.
At first, I was worried the book would leave out details about the main character that could help fill in her background, but upon reading further I was pleasantly surprised with hoe they would tie in the information that was left out in the beginning, using the case to help introduce the said information. I enjoy the suspense and the way the book was written so that you were trying to solve the murder mystery alongside Elizabeth and Mike. The details McLinn used to describe different scenes and things in the book was chilling to think about. Even though it would be accurate in the way she was suing them, it still makes me shiver at the thought of such descriptions used.
I enjoyed the different characters and their personalities which made you want to suspect someone over another person and even take notes mentally in hopes to figure it out before the murderer was revealed. Though, your thoughts may be wrong. I also enjoyed the underlying tone of romance in the brewing. It made it so that it was realistic and made it able to give reasons for Mike to want to spend time with Elizabeth other than helping solve the case. I would have loved to see that develop more, but was pleasantly surprised with everything that was said about such a development between the characters and seeing them be mature about it.
Though they were mature about most things, it was clear not everything earned such merit. While the characters seemed to be able to handle themselves, you couldn’t help but wonder why in some instances where they so brave and in others seemed slightly cowardly or lost for words. There were also a few things that had confused me on the approach the characters took to certain problems but wasn’t like confused in the way that left you unhappy, but more like “why would they do that instead of this”? While I believe even though the characters made some slight error in my own opinion of what should be done, I found that these small errors made the story feel more well-rounded, unlike some story-lines that can make their characters seem like a god in their area of expertise. I quite enjoyed the reality feel for this murder mystery.
Sign Off was a real page turned that kept me wanting more, and even though it is book one of the Caught Dead in Wyoming series, I will have to say I was pleasantly surprised that it could easily stand alone. I will be looking forward to the rest of the series, as there are currently seven books in total. Patricia McLinn has given us a fabulous product that can satisfy just about any need you may have. It you want action, mystery, suspense, and a tad bit of romance mixed in with some comedy, this is a book for you. I would rate this book 4 star out of 4 stars. It was just a truly amazing tale that kept me wanting more.
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated Forged Futures (Tribal Spirits #4) in Books
May 30, 2019
my fav of the four!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book four in the Tribal Spirits series, and I would STRONGLY recommend you read books one through three first. There is an ongoing story arc that rears its ugly head again, and you need to know the devastation this has caused before now.
Lana’s husband was killed by the Landsliders last year, and she is existing. She isn’t surviving, or living, just existing. When those Landsliders come after Lana, Lucas, of the East Coast Tribe, is back in town to find out why. To get the shaman who has been at the right hand of the man who betrayed The Tribe. Having to stay in Lana’s house though, wasn’t in the plan but the tiger within Lucas demands he stay, to keep her safe. When they realise the Landsliders are looking for a device that Lana’s dead husband stole from them, the Red River and Silver Springs packs prepare for all-out war on the Landsliders. But what about after? Lucas will leave and Lana will be left alone again. Won’t they?
Like I said, book 4 in the series, and I think, maybe my favourite of the four so far. Can’t tell you why, though, but that’s my feeling and ya’ll know I’m ALL about the book feelings!
Lana is just about getting by. As a cat, she needs that physical connection and since her husband’s death, she gets it only from her friend, Ally. Which, while lovely, it doesn’t quite help, you know? Lana’s attraction to Lucas was as unexpected as it was unwanted. Lana feels guilty for cheating on her husband, even though he is gone. Once Gavin’s friends are made to see how much she needs this with Lucas, she jumps all in.
As Tribe, Lucas moves around, having only his family home as a base. Staying with Lana makes him see what he has been missing. Coming home to someone who gets him, on a deep level that no one, not even his Tribe mates, do. Lana SEES Lucas, she really does.
But what I particularly loved about this one, what made it stand out, was there was none of that MINE thing that usually comes with shifter mates. There was attraction, and feelings and emotions, yes, and these grew over time, but that immediate MINE moment? Nothing, not until they were fully mated, and it was a kind of “OH!” moment for Lana and Lucas and I really loved that. While they were taking comfort in each other, the mating bonds formed and neither realised til that moment. Loved that!
There are many secrets that come out here, and poor Lana bears the brunt of them.
Sierra and Dax; Jer and Raven play a huge part here, but Finn and Navi are only mentioned.
With one half of the head of the Landsliders now disposed of, lets hope in the next book they can get rid of them entirely. And I believe that Drew, the Landslider who turned against them, gets his story next. The bad boy does turn good here, fighting for the packs and there are some mahoosive clues (unless I’m totally dense and misread them totally wrong!) as to who might be Drew’s mate. I hope I did not read them wrong, cos the cat in question clearly has feelings for Drew and vice versa, and they are no clearer then when they are “stuck” So, please let it be her!
5 full and shiny stars.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book four in the Tribal Spirits series, and I would STRONGLY recommend you read books one through three first. There is an ongoing story arc that rears its ugly head again, and you need to know the devastation this has caused before now.
Lana’s husband was killed by the Landsliders last year, and she is existing. She isn’t surviving, or living, just existing. When those Landsliders come after Lana, Lucas, of the East Coast Tribe, is back in town to find out why. To get the shaman who has been at the right hand of the man who betrayed The Tribe. Having to stay in Lana’s house though, wasn’t in the plan but the tiger within Lucas demands he stay, to keep her safe. When they realise the Landsliders are looking for a device that Lana’s dead husband stole from them, the Red River and Silver Springs packs prepare for all-out war on the Landsliders. But what about after? Lucas will leave and Lana will be left alone again. Won’t they?
Like I said, book 4 in the series, and I think, maybe my favourite of the four so far. Can’t tell you why, though, but that’s my feeling and ya’ll know I’m ALL about the book feelings!
Lana is just about getting by. As a cat, she needs that physical connection and since her husband’s death, she gets it only from her friend, Ally. Which, while lovely, it doesn’t quite help, you know? Lana’s attraction to Lucas was as unexpected as it was unwanted. Lana feels guilty for cheating on her husband, even though he is gone. Once Gavin’s friends are made to see how much she needs this with Lucas, she jumps all in.
As Tribe, Lucas moves around, having only his family home as a base. Staying with Lana makes him see what he has been missing. Coming home to someone who gets him, on a deep level that no one, not even his Tribe mates, do. Lana SEES Lucas, she really does.
But what I particularly loved about this one, what made it stand out, was there was none of that MINE thing that usually comes with shifter mates. There was attraction, and feelings and emotions, yes, and these grew over time, but that immediate MINE moment? Nothing, not until they were fully mated, and it was a kind of “OH!” moment for Lana and Lucas and I really loved that. While they were taking comfort in each other, the mating bonds formed and neither realised til that moment. Loved that!
There are many secrets that come out here, and poor Lana bears the brunt of them.
Sierra and Dax; Jer and Raven play a huge part here, but Finn and Navi are only mentioned.
With one half of the head of the Landsliders now disposed of, lets hope in the next book they can get rid of them entirely. And I believe that Drew, the Landslider who turned against them, gets his story next. The bad boy does turn good here, fighting for the packs and there are some mahoosive clues (unless I’m totally dense and misread them totally wrong!) as to who might be Drew’s mate. I hope I did not read them wrong, cos the cat in question clearly has feelings for Drew and vice versa, and they are no clearer then when they are “stuck” So, please let it be her!
5 full and shiny stars.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated The Garden (Lavender Shores #2) in Books
Feb 28, 2018
excellent narration!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted both the ebook and audio file of this book.
This is book two in the series, but can be read as a stand alone. Andrew and Joel from book one take part here, and I loved that, but you don't need their story to follow this one.
Gilbert is in town for Andrew and Joel's engagement party. He fins solace in Walden, the man who catches his eye at the gym. But it will only ever be sex for Gilbert, right? He doesn't do relationships. Neither does Walden, but it creeps up on them both and neither wants to walk, or commit. But they both have a dark past. Can they overcome that??
I said in my review for book one, The Palisade, that I was looking forward to Gilbert's story, and I was not disappointed.
His past, the one he ran from town for, smacks him in the face every time he comes back to town. And he hates being in Lavender Shores for that reason. But he won't let Andrew, his best friend, down. Meeting Walden, and then discovering his profession, and then Gilbert STILL not being able to walk away, is a shock to his system. Walden's past has a darker undertone and one that could well have been a deal breaker but Gilbert is like...and??
I loved how both men fought hard against their feelings! Loved that they battled with their innermost desires and insecurities. Loved that they were able to overcome it all.
Again written in the first person, from both men. Because I KNEW this going in, I was aware and able to set my mind in the right place, cos lord knows, I say it often enough that i don't like first person books!! But because I KNEW that, I really did enjoy it. And you do get a better sense of the person in the first. Not sure I would have got it all from a third person book. huh. Check me out! Might actually be getting over it!
I've filed this on the Over 18 shelf, because there are some darker undertones, and some might find them difficult to read. Nothing is described in great detail, but you are told about them.
I have book three, The Veranda, to read shortly. That is Donovan's book, Gilbert's therapist. I loved their interaction here. I look forward to getting into Donovan's mind!
Creeping up to 4 stars
Audio Review
Kirt Graves continues to narrate this series. And he is growing on me!
He manages to get across things that I miss when reading, the depth of his emotions is powerful and comes across amazingly well. I do find, more and more, I'm enjoying LISTENING to first person books, and that can only be because of the outstanding narration of those books.
Graves voices for Gilbert and Walden are just what I heard in my head (do you do that? hear people talking in your head when you are reading?? ) when I read this book. When Joel and Andrew pop up, the voices are consistent from The Palisade. I had no trouble keeping up with multi person conversations.
When Walden tells Gilbert what he did, Graves manages to pull out all the stops and I cried at that bit! I knew it was coming, of course, but I wasn't prepared for it, actually hearing it in Walden's voice.
I cannot wait to see what Graves does with Donovan and Spencer (book3) but I'm especially keen to get my hands on Lamont and Tyler's story (book4)
4 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
4.5 stars overall
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book two in the series, but can be read as a stand alone. Andrew and Joel from book one take part here, and I loved that, but you don't need their story to follow this one.
Gilbert is in town for Andrew and Joel's engagement party. He fins solace in Walden, the man who catches his eye at the gym. But it will only ever be sex for Gilbert, right? He doesn't do relationships. Neither does Walden, but it creeps up on them both and neither wants to walk, or commit. But they both have a dark past. Can they overcome that??
I said in my review for book one, The Palisade, that I was looking forward to Gilbert's story, and I was not disappointed.
His past, the one he ran from town for, smacks him in the face every time he comes back to town. And he hates being in Lavender Shores for that reason. But he won't let Andrew, his best friend, down. Meeting Walden, and then discovering his profession, and then Gilbert STILL not being able to walk away, is a shock to his system. Walden's past has a darker undertone and one that could well have been a deal breaker but Gilbert is like...and??
I loved how both men fought hard against their feelings! Loved that they battled with their innermost desires and insecurities. Loved that they were able to overcome it all.
Again written in the first person, from both men. Because I KNEW this going in, I was aware and able to set my mind in the right place, cos lord knows, I say it often enough that i don't like first person books!! But because I KNEW that, I really did enjoy it. And you do get a better sense of the person in the first. Not sure I would have got it all from a third person book. huh. Check me out! Might actually be getting over it!
I've filed this on the Over 18 shelf, because there are some darker undertones, and some might find them difficult to read. Nothing is described in great detail, but you are told about them.
I have book three, The Veranda, to read shortly. That is Donovan's book, Gilbert's therapist. I loved their interaction here. I look forward to getting into Donovan's mind!
Creeping up to 4 stars
Audio Review
Kirt Graves continues to narrate this series. And he is growing on me!
He manages to get across things that I miss when reading, the depth of his emotions is powerful and comes across amazingly well. I do find, more and more, I'm enjoying LISTENING to first person books, and that can only be because of the outstanding narration of those books.
Graves voices for Gilbert and Walden are just what I heard in my head (do you do that? hear people talking in your head when you are reading?? ) when I read this book. When Joel and Andrew pop up, the voices are consistent from The Palisade. I had no trouble keeping up with multi person conversations.
When Walden tells Gilbert what he did, Graves manages to pull out all the stops and I cried at that bit! I knew it was coming, of course, but I wasn't prepared for it, actually hearing it in Walden's voice.
I cannot wait to see what Graves does with Donovan and Spencer (book3) but I'm especially keen to get my hands on Lamont and Tyler's story (book4)
4 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
4.5 stars overall
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Hazel (1853 KP) rated A Piece Of The World in Books
May 30, 2018
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Until reading Christina Baker Kline’s note at the end of the book, it is impossible to guess that it is based on real people, although, admittedly, it is a little strange to name the main character after oneself. In fact, A Piece of the World is written around a single painting in the Museum of Modern Art, New York: Christina’s World (1948) by Andrew Wyeth, a man who appears and paints this work in the story.
Baker Cline researched thoroughly into the background story of the painting. Christina Olson, the main character of this book, was a real person who posed for Wyeth as he painted this striking picture. Although the overall story is a work of fiction, the dates and key characters are biographically accurate. Beginning in 1939, the narrative weaves too and fro, from Christina’s present day to her childhood and back again. Christina is an ageing woman who can barely walk and lives in a dilapidated cottage with her brother on a hill in the village of Cushing, Maine. Having lived in this state for so long, it is a welcome surprise to be visited by the young Andrew Wyeth who falls in love with the cottage and regularly comes to work on his canvases in their upper rooms. Through their peaceful relationship and flashbacks to her past, Christina’s character development is investigated and knitted together to explain why she has become this recluse on a hill.
Christina had problems from a very young age. After almost dying from a fever, she developed an undiagnosed degenerative disease that slowly ate away at the nerves in her arms and legs. Today, neurologists believe this to be Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease but there were no doctors able to provide this diagnosis at the time. Christina suffered aches and pains growing up and could barely walk in a straight line. Her determination to keep going is admirable and makes her a strong female protagonist.
One day in her early twenties, Christina meets a boy who pays her the kind of attention that she has never received before. Believing his promises that they will be together forever, she dares to dream of having a normal life. The reader, however, knows that the future Christina is alone with only her brother for company, making it heartbreaking to read of their developing romance knowing that it is not going to last.
There is no “happy-ever-after” to this story, nor is there a sad ending. It is an account of a woman who had been dealt a raw deal in life but continued getting on despite it. The end result, the painting Christina’s World, shows Christina as she sees herself. She may not be able to walk but she is still a woman; she made the most of her childhood, she never complained. This painting is her “letter to the World that never wrote to [Her].”
A Piece of the World is a powerful novel about purpose and determination. Christina may not have had a typical, successful life or become famous but she had her daily achievements: crawling through a field for an hour to visit a friend, cooking dinners despite not being able to stand up, carrying on after the end of a romantic relationship …
Written as gracefully as the brushstrokes of a painting with elements of Emily Dickinson thrown in here and there, A Piece of the World is a beautiful piece of work. It is something that can be enjoyed as you are mentally drawn into the storyline, leaving you wondering what happens to Christina and her brother after the completion of the painting. It is a novel the author can be proud of.
Until reading Christina Baker Kline’s note at the end of the book, it is impossible to guess that it is based on real people, although, admittedly, it is a little strange to name the main character after oneself. In fact, A Piece of the World is written around a single painting in the Museum of Modern Art, New York: Christina’s World (1948) by Andrew Wyeth, a man who appears and paints this work in the story.
Baker Cline researched thoroughly into the background story of the painting. Christina Olson, the main character of this book, was a real person who posed for Wyeth as he painted this striking picture. Although the overall story is a work of fiction, the dates and key characters are biographically accurate. Beginning in 1939, the narrative weaves too and fro, from Christina’s present day to her childhood and back again. Christina is an ageing woman who can barely walk and lives in a dilapidated cottage with her brother on a hill in the village of Cushing, Maine. Having lived in this state for so long, it is a welcome surprise to be visited by the young Andrew Wyeth who falls in love with the cottage and regularly comes to work on his canvases in their upper rooms. Through their peaceful relationship and flashbacks to her past, Christina’s character development is investigated and knitted together to explain why she has become this recluse on a hill.
Christina had problems from a very young age. After almost dying from a fever, she developed an undiagnosed degenerative disease that slowly ate away at the nerves in her arms and legs. Today, neurologists believe this to be Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease but there were no doctors able to provide this diagnosis at the time. Christina suffered aches and pains growing up and could barely walk in a straight line. Her determination to keep going is admirable and makes her a strong female protagonist.
One day in her early twenties, Christina meets a boy who pays her the kind of attention that she has never received before. Believing his promises that they will be together forever, she dares to dream of having a normal life. The reader, however, knows that the future Christina is alone with only her brother for company, making it heartbreaking to read of their developing romance knowing that it is not going to last.
There is no “happy-ever-after” to this story, nor is there a sad ending. It is an account of a woman who had been dealt a raw deal in life but continued getting on despite it. The end result, the painting Christina’s World, shows Christina as she sees herself. She may not be able to walk but she is still a woman; she made the most of her childhood, she never complained. This painting is her “letter to the World that never wrote to [Her].”
A Piece of the World is a powerful novel about purpose and determination. Christina may not have had a typical, successful life or become famous but she had her daily achievements: crawling through a field for an hour to visit a friend, cooking dinners despite not being able to stand up, carrying on after the end of a romantic relationship …
Written as gracefully as the brushstrokes of a painting with elements of Emily Dickinson thrown in here and there, A Piece of the World is a beautiful piece of work. It is something that can be enjoyed as you are mentally drawn into the storyline, leaving you wondering what happens to Christina and her brother after the completion of the painting. It is a novel the author can be proud of.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Anchor in the Storm (Waves of Freedom, #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Nothing can stand in Lillian Avery's way. But after the pain of the past, will she ever be able to open her heart to love again?
"When I decide to do something, I do it."
Anchor in the Storm
Page 209
About the Book
When Lillian Avery accepts a job as a pharmacist in Boston, she does not know the danger she will soon be facing. Lillian has worked hard to be independent so she does not have to rely on anything or anyone. Putting her trust in her own strength. Arch Vandenberg, a junior officer in the US Navy, a high-society man, is trying to keep from being the man he used to be, while attempting to secure his Naval career. Used to closing off her heart for self protection, will Arch be able to earn Lillian's trust? Lillian has noticed unusual prescriptions passing through the drugstore where she works. Could they be linked to the groggy, drunk-like, sailors aboard Arch's ship? Will they be able to find the connection before it's too late? How far can they push the limits before they are caught? Lillian and Arch both learn that they must lean on God. And come to their own understanding that He provides strength in their weaknesses.
"His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay."
My Hope is Built
Edward Mote & William Bradbury
My Thoughts
Sarah Sundin has done it again! Anchor in the Storm has hit my top reads list of 2016 without question! From the gorgeous cover to the heartfelt acknowledgements(Oh! And a sneak peek at the third book), this book had me spellbound! I could not get this book out of my head (still can't)! Every plot twist every clue burrowed deep into my mind and took root. Thus, leading to multiple nights of reading long past the time I should have been asleep. I also LOVE long books, because it allows me more time with the characters that I have grown to love. At 393 pages this is one of the longer books in my collection, but it is worth every page. Please keep in mind that this is a WWII setting, and there are a few grisly details, but not an overwhelming amount. It is heartbreaking to learn about the methods in which PTSD was dealt with during this time. I am thankful that the medical field has progressed in this area. After getting acquainted with Arch and Lillian in Through Waters Deep, I was excited to read their story. And Sarah Sundin blew my expectations out of the water. I love how Sarah incorporates faith and scripture. Very encouraging and applicable to our lives. Even though my life does not mirror Lillian or Arch's fears and struggles, the truth that we need to lean on God to be our anchor in the storm rings true. And that God can create something beautiful in spite of horrible circumstances. Lillian's determination was very encouraging. She let nothing stop her (which is even more significant when you meet her). They have both been hurt in the past which makes it extremely difficult to open up to each other and others. But when that moment finally comes, it is beautiful! While the main characters in this book are different than in the first, I would not recommend reading these out of order. First of all, you would be cheating yourself out of an absolutely brilliant book in Through Waters Deep. Secondly, there are characters that reappear within the pages of this book, and in order to better understand them, you need to read the books in order.
My Rating
★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul.
I received a free copy of Anchor in the Storm from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
"When I decide to do something, I do it."
Anchor in the Storm
Page 209
About the Book
When Lillian Avery accepts a job as a pharmacist in Boston, she does not know the danger she will soon be facing. Lillian has worked hard to be independent so she does not have to rely on anything or anyone. Putting her trust in her own strength. Arch Vandenberg, a junior officer in the US Navy, a high-society man, is trying to keep from being the man he used to be, while attempting to secure his Naval career. Used to closing off her heart for self protection, will Arch be able to earn Lillian's trust? Lillian has noticed unusual prescriptions passing through the drugstore where she works. Could they be linked to the groggy, drunk-like, sailors aboard Arch's ship? Will they be able to find the connection before it's too late? How far can they push the limits before they are caught? Lillian and Arch both learn that they must lean on God. And come to their own understanding that He provides strength in their weaknesses.
"His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay."
My Hope is Built
Edward Mote & William Bradbury
My Thoughts
Sarah Sundin has done it again! Anchor in the Storm has hit my top reads list of 2016 without question! From the gorgeous cover to the heartfelt acknowledgements(Oh! And a sneak peek at the third book), this book had me spellbound! I could not get this book out of my head (still can't)! Every plot twist every clue burrowed deep into my mind and took root. Thus, leading to multiple nights of reading long past the time I should have been asleep. I also LOVE long books, because it allows me more time with the characters that I have grown to love. At 393 pages this is one of the longer books in my collection, but it is worth every page. Please keep in mind that this is a WWII setting, and there are a few grisly details, but not an overwhelming amount. It is heartbreaking to learn about the methods in which PTSD was dealt with during this time. I am thankful that the medical field has progressed in this area. After getting acquainted with Arch and Lillian in Through Waters Deep, I was excited to read their story. And Sarah Sundin blew my expectations out of the water. I love how Sarah incorporates faith and scripture. Very encouraging and applicable to our lives. Even though my life does not mirror Lillian or Arch's fears and struggles, the truth that we need to lean on God to be our anchor in the storm rings true. And that God can create something beautiful in spite of horrible circumstances. Lillian's determination was very encouraging. She let nothing stop her (which is even more significant when you meet her). They have both been hurt in the past which makes it extremely difficult to open up to each other and others. But when that moment finally comes, it is beautiful! While the main characters in this book are different than in the first, I would not recommend reading these out of order. First of all, you would be cheating yourself out of an absolutely brilliant book in Through Waters Deep. Secondly, there are characters that reappear within the pages of this book, and in order to better understand them, you need to read the books in order.
My Rating
★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul.
I received a free copy of Anchor in the Storm from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.