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At Love's Command (Hanger's Horsemen, #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Have you ever read a book by Karen Witemeyer? If not, you are missing out on some of the best fiction books out there. At Love’s Command is the first book in a new 3 (or 4) book series and wowzah what a fun start to the series it book was. Even if you do not like westerns, I can guarantee that you will like this one. Karen Witmeyer has a similar writing style to that of Mary Connealy, and Ronie Kendig.

I think I smiled within the first few pages of At Love’s Command as Karen Witemeyer brought forth her character's fun wit and charm. I loved their believable personalities and their willingness to be strong in their beliefs. Matthew is now one of my favorite male characters ever. He showed humility, leadership, love, and most of all a deep trust in turning to God with any problem that came his way. Dr. Josephine was also a most likable character, I loved her “10-dollar words”, and the verbal sparring she sis with Matthew and others from The Horsemen gang. She was also a strong independent woman, but she was humble and showed wisdom when she knew others had better knowledge of the situation than she did. I will say it again, I LOVED this combination of characters.

The storyline pulled me in right from the very beginning, as I said, I was smiling from some of the interactions within the first few pages. It was so believable, combined with the bits of history thrown in, interwoven with some good action, and the theme of turning to God in every situation made this book so enjoyable for me. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series. <br/>I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing storyline (that I am so looking forward to reading more of), and for the characters continually pointing back to God as their source of strength and wisdom. I HIGHLY recommend this book.

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.

https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/06/26/at-loves-command-bethany-house
  
A Gift to Cherish (Road to Refuge #2)
A Gift to Cherish (Road to Refuge #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Love the colors used in this cover! They really caught my eye. I do want to let you know that this book is the second book in a series. It can be read as a stand-alone though, as the characters from the previous book are just mentioned in passing.
  I read Victoria Bylin’s first book back when it released and loved her edgy writing style. Victoria Bylin tells real-life stories and she does not shy away from the facts. The main characters in this book were easy to follow and get invested in. I loved their teasing (Flirting) back and forth, it was very sweet. Daisy shows remarkable strength in picking herself up after all that has happened to her and she keeps a very positive outlook on life. Plus, she is brave and ends up learning to trust God fully with the changes that life unexpectedly brings. Rafe is also a character of great strength, and someone I’d like to meet in person. Rafe has a good sense of humor and is honest with himself and others about his struggles. The optima of a tough cookie, Rafe may be tough on the outside but inside he is sweet.
The storyline kind of has a dual timeline in it, vague flashbacks to a different era that was quite interesting. The flashbacks I think, taught some valuable life lessons and were very enhancing to the overall story. Victoria Bylin worked in quite a few realities of life into this book, things like physical abuse, alcohol recovery, loneliness, and dealing with life when things do not go your way. Through it, all Victoria Bylin brought everything back how God is always there for us always no matter what situation we may find ourselves in. I truly appreciated how Victoria Bylin shared the gospel in this book.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the vivid portrayal of everyday life, the great characters, and the theme of God overcoming all. I recommend picking this book up!
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
  
Crystal Witness
Crystal Witness
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What is the best way to get lost in a book you may ask? Well, Kathy Tyers certainly will help you find the answer to that question in Crystal Witness. From what I can find, Crystal Witness is a standalone book and not part of a series.

The Setting/Storyline

The best way I know how to describe the experience of this book is by likening it to a dream that you do not want to wake up from. Kathy Tyers managed to make me feel as if I were immersed in a very different world, from her detailed descriptions of everyday life to the way people looked and dressed. It was fascinating. I liked how she gave just enough background at the beginning to get you curious, without feeling lost, and make you very involved in the outcome of the character's lives and that of the world they live in. One of the best total immersions I have read in a long time. At some points in the story, I did feel a little lost as I was not quite sure how the beginning of the story connected, but it did make sense by the end.

The Characters

Kathy Tyers brought to life some great characters. I enjoyed Ming’s artistic talent and how Kathy Tyers described the 3D and calligraphy aspects of it. Ming’s reactions to waking up after 20-year imprisonment were very realistic (not that I know what it would really be like), and I enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell; I think Ming showed a very intelligent and sweet nature. Tieg her male counterpart was a cross between a bad boy spy and an emotional musician, he was a well brought to life character that I could envision in my mind while reading. Both Ming and Tieg learned different aspects of trust and doing what is right no matter the cost. The secondary characters were great additions to round out the rest of the story and I sincerely enjoyed their interactions with the main characters, each one displayed growth throughout the story and by the end, I was wishing they had their own stories too! (Hint, hint
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017) in Movies

Jan 6, 2021 (Updated Jan 6, 2021)  
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017)
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017)
2017 | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Contains spoilers, click to show
Well here we have it - a messy and underwhelming finale, to a messy and underwhelming franchise.

Where to begin with this - even though it was silly and impractical, the previous film in the series ends on a cliffhanger (?), setting up a big ass battle between an army of undead, and a line up of heroes mainly made up of characters from the games (stood on top of the white house of course because Paul W.S. Anderson). This film opens in the aftermath, meaning that we don't even see the ensuing battle, but all these characters are un-ceremoniously killed off screen between movies. Alice is alive though....yaaay.

You know what comes next by now, an opening Milla Jovovich speech about who she is, edgy soldier characters saying edgy shit all the damn time (with added Ruby Rose for a little extra edginess), wire frame blue print segments of whatever facility they're in this time. Anderson mercifully cuts out all the gratuitous slow motion for his final bow, but unfortunately replaces it with seizure inducing quick edits. Like, it's fucking ludicrous how many edits there are whenever a fight starts and it just sucks. It's unexciting and difficult to sit through at times.
Then there's the ret-conning. Jesus Christ, Iain Glen is back for no reason other than the fact he became more of a household name thanks to Game of Thrones, plot be damned. Wesker is a villain again and the Red Queen is now a good guy, the origins of the T-Virus is different, and Milla Jovovich is actually an old woman (complete with Jackass quality aesthetics). These movies stopped making sense a while back but they just went full ham on this one. You know when you're on your last day of work before leaving a job and you just don't really give a fuck about your final shift? Yeah it's that, but a multi million dollar film.

I'm extremely happy that Resident Evil is finally being rebooted, into hopefully something that resembles the source material a bit more, and is actually scary. And good. Maybe. This franchise has given me trust issues.
  
Pretty Little Wife
Pretty Little Wife
Darby Kane | 2021
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Slow to start, but ultimately an intriguing and unique thriller

Lila Ridgefield's husband is missing. A beloved high school teacher, his boss, colleagues, and brother cannot believe that Aaron Payne would just disappear. He's certainly not the type to simply not show up for work one day. As for his wife, Lila is known more for her cold and quiet demeanor (and, let's be honest, her beauty). She's also pretty confused, because the last time she saw Aaron, she was rather convinced she was looking at his dead body. So where's his car she left behind--and the body? Investigator Ginny Davis is called to look into Aaron's disappearance. At first it seems unrelated to that of a missing local student. But the more Ginny digs, the more she starts to wonder. And the more Lila digs, the more she fears her husband is still alive.

"Despite all her careful planning, he was gone. She had to find Aaron before he found her."

Well, this was quite a book. The beginning was a bit slow for me--it took too long to get to the exciting part, and it was repetitive. It felt like bits and pieces were rehashed over and over. I wanted to shake Lila and tell her to get on with it!

But, once everything gets moving, this is quite an exciting thriller. The last fourth of the story especially is incredibly electrifying and, for the most part, keeps you guessing. (I had a decent idea about whodunnit, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment at all.) I loved the concept of a mystery where the woman kills her husband, yet the main story is, surprise: he disappears anyway. The dynamic between cunning Lila, whom you're never sure you can trust, and Ginny, who is a straightforward and honest investigator, is excellent. I enjoy a book with strong female protagonists and these two are excellent.

Overall, even though this dragged for a bit, it's certainly worth a read. For one thing, it's different, which is so refreshing in the thriller genre. It's also dark, intriguing, and surprising. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 here.

I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.