It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

What I read last week:
1) Rust by Corbin Bernson
2) The Good Neighbor by A.J. Banner
3) Bone Box by Jay Amberg
4) Auditory Viewpoint by Lillian R. Melendez
5) Love In The Time Of Murder by D.E. Haggerty
6) Empty Nest by Marty Wingate
7) Look Both Ways by Carol J. Perry
8) Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon
9)  Mrs. Covington's Sunday School Dropouts

What I listened to last week:
1) You Are The Love Of My Life by Susan Richards Shreve

What I'm currently reading:
1) Carpe Bead Em by Tonya Kappes
2) A Dickens Of A Murder by Joyce and Jim Lavene

What I'm currently listening to:
1)  A Potion To Die For by Heather Blake

What I plan to read this week:
1) Seeking The Star by Traci Borum
2) Taking Leaps and Finding Ghosts by Janet DeLee
3) After Alice by Gregory Maguire
4) In Sheep's Clothing by L.D. Beyer
5) The Stitching Hour by Amanda Lee
6) The Cat Of Christmas Past by Kathi Daley

What I plan to listen to this week:
1)  One Potion In The Grave by Heather Blake

The Prayer Box, by Lisa Wingate

Synopsis: When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola's rambling Victorian house.Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola's walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola's youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper--the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything for Tandi.

Thoughts: **I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own."

What a great book to read at the beginning of a new year. It touched my heart so many times, and made me more intent on leaving a written record of my thoughts and my life, for future generations.

The book tells two stories....the life of Iola Anne, and the life of Tandi Jo. It's not until the last pages where we see them fit together, in a story that brought tears to my eyes.

Aside from the two main characters, who are brought to life in an amazing way, there is a bevy of supporting characters. Each one has an important part to play in one story or the other, and their personalities also come through in the writing.

This is going to be one of those books I read over and over again! 

My rating: 5 stars

Hog Insane: A Denton and Alex Davies Mystery by Carole Brown

Synopsis: Award winning fiction author, Carole Brown, offers mystery readers a new suspense driven cozy series featuring Denton and Alex Davies. Brown's writing is full of turns and twists. Her ability to build suspense has been likened to the early works of James Patterson. 
With the Mountain Mist Campground at Pigeon Forge as their final destination, the Davies couple load up their RV and eagerly head for the Smokey Mountains. 
Newly retired, Denton hopes to use this trip to rekindle the dwindling flame of his marriage. In spite of her protests, he is sure his wife looks forward to the rest and relaxation as much as he does. 
They barely arrive at their destination when a risk-taking motorcyclist speeds past them, followed by a careening sports car. Reminding Denton of his nephew's fatal tangle ten years earlier. With the bike Denton taught him to ride. 
Things continue to go south the rest of the evening, culminating when Denton finds a body sprawled in the brush beside the path to their cabin. A man's booted feet are toe down, as if they'd dug into the ground. And with biker gloves on his hands, indication is Denton may have seen this man earlier in the day. 
Squatting beside him, Denton presses two fingers alongside the man's neck. No pulse. But Denton knew there wouldn't be. The bullet hole in the victim's head says it all. Denton has a job to do and a mystery to solve. 

Thoughts: **I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**

Although this book is very different from Carole Brown's first novel, The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman,it is equally well written. It is a light,easy read, and once I got into it, it was impossible to put down. The ending was like one of the mystery shows I used to watch on television, with all the suspects gathered in one place while Denton revealed the facts of the case, and the culprit. 

The main characters, a pair of retirees, are very well written and believable. The supporting characters are all interesting people that you can care about. The plot kept me guessing--and my only complaint was that, even with the reveal, it wasn't totally clear who the actual murderer had been. It was only one rather throw away sentence which provided that information.

All in all, not a bad first attempt at a cozy mystery, and I look forward to more adventures for Denton and Alex.

My rating: Four stars

Ghost House (The Ghost House Saga #1) by Alexandra Adornetto

Synopsis: After the loss of her mother, Chloe Kennedy starts seeing the ghosts that haunted her as a young girl again. Spending time at her grandmother's country estate in the south of England is her chance to get away from her grief and the spirits that haunt her. Until she meets a mysterious stranger…

Alexander Reade is 157 years dead, with secrets darker than the lake surrounding Grange Hall and a lifelike presence that draws Chloe more strongly than any ghost before. But the bond between them awakens the vengeful spirit of Alexander's past love, Isobel. And she will stop at nothing to destroy anyone who threatens to take him from her.

To stop Isobel, Chloe must push her developing abilities to their most dangerous limits, even if it means losing Alex forever… and giving the hungry dead a chance to claim her for their own.

Thoughts: This is one of the best YA books I've read this year. It has suspense, romance, and just plain creepiness. The idea of Chloe and Alex as a couple is a little hard to swallow, but the rest of the plot was very well done.  There is a remarkably scary scene in the guest house, and another on the lake. There are also scenes from the past, when Alex and Isobel were alive, which help to explain their back story.

My rating: Four stars

Making Marion: Where's Robin Hood When You Need Him? by Beth Moran

Synopsis: Marion Miller came to Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire to discover her father's mysterious past, but all she has to go on is a picture of her father dressed up, it would seem, as Robin Hood. It takes Marion all she's got to come out of her shell and get to grips with life on a busy campsite, where the chickens seem determined to thwart her and an unfortunate incident with a runaway bike throws her into the arms of the beautiful, but deeply unimpressed, Reuben. Marion's would-be boyfriend Jake, and Reuben's stunning fiancee Erica, conspire to leave little room for Marion to daydream about the twinkling eyes of her rescuer, nevertheless. Can Marion really find peace, and perhaps even love, among the pigs?

Thoughts: This was a great read! It has a little bit of everything: romance, mystery, comedy, and tragedy. I fell in love with Marion early on, as she is very introverted and has great difficulty talking to strangers, which is an affliction I can relate to very well. 

This was my first foray into British Christian fiction, but other than the obvious language differences between British English and American English, I found more similarities than anything else. There were a few instances of cursing, but they were true to the character involved, not just thrown in for shock value. And although sex did occur a few times, it was between an older married couple, and it was not described graphically, but was mostly hinted at, and in a comedic way.  

The most impressive part of the story from the Christian perspective was the forgiveness aspect. Marion had to finally find a way to forgive someone who had hurt her deeply throughout her life, all the while realizing that person was probably never going to apologize for their behavior.

**I received a copy of this book through Library Thing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.**

My rating: Four stars

Zombie-Kids by Julia Dweck

Synopsis: The Zombie-Kids have arrived in this original bestselling title ranked #1 among Amazon's Bestsellers in Children's Color Picture Books and hand selected by the editors at Amazon for the prestigious, "Kindle Daily Deal." Don't miss out on this hilarious bestselling adventure that put Zombie-Kids on the map to rave customer reviews. 

Did you know that zombies are people that have feelings, too? They like to be loved just like me and like you. Join the zombie-kids as they bowl, dance, skate, and go to the movies in their unique zombie-way. You'll have an eerily good time. 

And don't miss the sequel, Zombie Kids Go Green, also available on Kindle store
Thoughts: A great book for the Halloween season, or any other time of year. Aside from being about zombies, it also teaches tolerance and acceptance of those different from you, as in this verse:

Zombies are people 
  that have feelings too
They like to be loved
  just like me and like you.

As with Dweck's other books, the rhymes are very easy to read, and lots of fun. She works with fabulous illustrators, and this time is no exception. I plan to share this book with my grandson in the near future, and I'm sure he will enjoy it as much as I have.

My rating: Five stars

Jump by Julia Dweck

Synopsis: Jack’s little heart began to thump, 
As he prepared to take a jump. 
He swung around and then he flexed. 
His thousandth jump was coming next. 

Then tightening his coils, he sank, 
And listened to the music crank. 
He sprung out free, no longer trapped. 
His rusty spring broke loose and SNAPPED! 

What’s a Jack-in-the-box without his home? Poor Jack has never jumped out of anything before, but his worn out box. Can Barker, the neighborhood dog, prove to Jack that there are many more exciting jumps outside in the great, big world? Young readers will find lots of giggles in the rhyming text and wondrous jumps that Barker and Jack discover together. The full screen art by illustrator, Brian Allen, positively leaps off the page. The author, Julia Dweck, has done a wonderful job of weaving in the subtle message that it’s important to believe in yourself and to think outside of the box in order to realize life’s wondrous possibilities. This bouncy tale from Sleepy Sheep Productions will leave young readers jumping for joy! Leveled for young readers ages 4 – 8, but relevant to readers of all ages. 
Thoughts: **I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.**

A great story for teaching young children to think outside the box, literally and figuratively. Easy to read rhyming story with big bold illustrations on each page. Jack and Barker have great adventures in jumping which will leave kids smiling and laughing. I especially loved the words on the last page.

And so the two friends hopped away.
The moral is quite clear, I'd say.
To think outside the box, you must
First take a leap of faith and trust!
My rating: Five stars

Doctor Who: Silhouette, by Justin Richards

Synopsis: "Vastra and Strax and Jenny? Oh no, we don't need to bother them. Trust me." 

Marlowe Hapworth is found dead in his locked study, killed by an unknown assailant. This is a case for the Great Detective, Madame Vastra.

Rick Bellamy, bare-knuckle boxer, has the life drawn out of him by a figure dressed as an undertaker. This angers Strax the Sontaran. 

The Carnival of Curiosities, a collection of bizarre and fascinating sideshows and performers. This is where Jenny Flint looks for answers.

How are these things connected? And what does Orestes Milton, rich industrialist, have to do with it all? This is where the Doctor and Clara come in. The Doctor and his friends find themselves thrust into a world where nothing and no one are what they seem. Can they unravel the truth before the most dangerous weapon ever developed is unleashed on London

Thoughts: **I received a copy of this book from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest review**

As a lifetime fan of Doctor Who, I was a bit disappointed in this novel. The characters, especially Vastra and Jenny, were not written the same as they are portrayed in the television series. The plot was a good one, however,and I for one would like to see it as an episode in the series in the future. It would be interesting to see them write it to fit more with the characters as we already know them, instead of making Vastra and Jenny appear basically helpless, clueless females.

Blue Hydrangeas: An Alzheimer's Love Story, by Marianne Sciucco

Synopsis: What if the person who knew you best and loved you most forgot your face, and couldn't remember your name? A nursing facility is everyone's solution for what to do about Sara, but her husband, Jack, can't bear to live without her. He is committed to saving his marriage, his wife, and their life together from the devastation of Alzheimer’s disease. He and Sara retired years ago to the house of their dreams, and operated it as a Cape Cod bed and breakfast named Blue Hydrangeas. Jack has made an impossible promise: He and Sara will stay together in their beautiful home no matter what the disease brings. However, after nine years of selfless caregiving, complicated by her progressing Alzheimer’s and his own failing heart, he finally admits he can no longer care for her at home. With reluctance, he arranges to admit her to an assisted living facility. But, on the day of admission, Sara is having one of her few good days, and he is unable to follow through. Instead, he takes them on an impulsive journey to confront their past and reclaim their future. In the end, he realizes that staying together at any cost is what truly matters.

Thoughts: **I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

This is a beautiful, heart-breaking love story. It's the story of an older couple and their journey dealing with the wife's Alzeheimer's over a decade. There is humor, sadness, and so much love. It's so well written that you lose yourself in it and forget that it is a work of fiction. 

I would highly recommend this for anyone of my age group who has begun to have trouble relating to the romantic stories of twenty-somethings. This is what love looks like for those of us of "a certain age." 
My rating: Five stars

Watercolor Dreams by Sherry Kyle

Synopsis: He strolled into her painting . . . and into her heart.

It's 1910 and Anna Lewis is praying that God will help her become a premier watercolor artist of the lush beaches of Carmel, California. When a man strides down the beach and stops to face the ocean, Anna sketches him into her painting. Was it a mistake? Anna thinks so when he tells her he doesn't have spare change to purchase her work. Spare change indeed! But while she seeks God's leading for her art career, she'd better keep her day job as nursemaid to two rambunctious boys.

The minute Charles Jordan walks away, he regrets criticizing the woman's painting but as he told the artist, he's just been jilted at the altar.

How will a secret from Charles' past affect his chances of loving again? And how will Anna have the hope she needs when tragedy strikes and she must rely on the one man who crushed her spirit?

Thoughts: **I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

This was an enjoyable quick and easy read. It's a period piece, set in California in 1910, a time when women still didn't have the independence we can enjoy today--and that fact plays a big part in the story. 

Anna has six months to prove to her father that she can make a living with her watercolors, or she will be forced to return to San Francisco to marry his business partner. Charles has just been left at the altar by a woman who had fallen in love with his cousin. A series of unfortunate remarks and assumptions add a humorous touch to their story, as does the persistent matchmaking of Charles' Aunt Clara.

All of the characters were very well developed, and the story was well written overall.The message of love,understanding, and forgiveness was woven throughout.

Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys Christian fiction.

Rating: Four stars

Confessions Of A Teenage Rape Survivor by Holly Dae

Synopsis: Before she was raped, almost sixteen-year-old Allison Sommer knew exactly what she wanted and was in total control of her life. Get through high school, go to college to appease her dad, somehow stay fit, lithe, and athletic through all the stress and become a professional cheerleader. Normal teenage stuff. Simple. At least it was simple before she was raped.

Now Allison's whole life is out of her control. She can't trust in her own choices, can't rationalize anything anymore, so she just goes through the motions, hoping that eventually she'll go back to normal, can stop pretending. That doesn't happen, especially when she's forced to reveal what happened to her family and closest friends.

On the MTV commercials and reality shows that emphasize that she has nothing to be ashamed of and guide viewers to some website like don't-be-a-victim.comand a support hotline, no one warns her that the aftermath is more difficult than the rape itself, that her family's efforts to be supportive make her feel more alone and confused. 

And being raped has more devastating consequences than Allison ever imagined, forcing her to make one of the most difficult decisions she's ever had to make. It should be a no-brainer, everyone says, but being raped makes Allison question everything and everyone she thought she could trust.

Either way, Allison won't let anyone force her to do anything again, not like her rapists did, even if it makes her already difficult enough circumstance more difficult. Uncensored and unflinchingly honest, these are the confessions of a teenage rape survivor.

Thoughts: **I was given a copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review**

Easily my favorite book of this year so far! The emotions of the main character were so raw and believable, as were the reactions of all those around her---before they knew she had been raped and afterwards,as they all had their own opinions about the decisions she was making. 

At times I was so wrapped up in the emotion of the story, it was more like reading a memoir than a novel. I cried for the main character more than once, and just wanted to reach out and hug her SO many times---while at the same time wanting to smack a few of the other characters for their treatment of her.

I would highly recommend this to teens and parents alike.

Rating: Five stars

The New Elvis, by Wyborn Senna

Synopsis: On the night of August 19, 1974, Elvis realizes he wants to leave a little more of himself behind when it’s time to go, so he visits a fertility doctor named Johns and sets events in motion that have ramifications far beyond his own mortality. The perfect candidate is found to bear his offspring and a son is born, but as the young man grapples with the secrecy surrounding his paternity, it takes a special friend to help him discover the truth. Fraught with tension, poignancy and raw emotion, this work of fiction examines the friends’ disparate lives—one born into a life of privilege and the other despair—and ultimately unites them in truth, healing, and love.

Thoughts: **I received a copy of this book from Story Cartel in return for an honest review.**

There was a lot more to this story than I expected. Aside from the obvious paternity story,there was suspense, murder, trauma, and plenty of twists and turns.

The characters are all very well developed, and the story was very realistic. This is my second book by this author, and I look forward to more in the future.
Rating: Four stars

The Photograph, by Kristen Otte

Synopsis: On a quest for truth, one girl will find more than she bargained for...

Sixteen-year-old Rachel Brandt is excited about her six-month anniversary with her boyfriend, Brent, getting her driver’s license, and competing for a district championship in her first season on the varsity basketball team.

But when Rachel stumbles across a photograph of her parents, she can’t shake the feeling that she is meant to find her mother, whose identity is a secret her grandparents have closely guarded. All Rachel knows is that her mother disappeared around the time her father was killed in action in the Gulf War a few months after she was born.

Her discovery of the photograph sends Rachel on a search for her mother against her grandparents’ wishes and propels her life into a tailspin. She never imagines her search will reveal a series of lies that jeopardizes every important relationship in her life and ultimately lead Rachel to question her identity.

Thoughts: **I received a copy of this book from Story Cartel in return for an honest review.** 

My biggest problem with this book was all of the long,drawn out descriptions of Rachel's high school basketball games. I'm not a real fan of the game, and I found myself skipping over a lot of those pages by the time I got to the middle of the book.

The story of Rachel's journey to connect with her mother, however, was well worth reading. There were twists and turns all through it that left me stunned and surprised. The relationships with her friends are complex, yet fairly realistic.

Overall, an enjoyable read.

My rating: Three stars

Bury Me With Barbie, by Wyborn Senna

Synopsis: Caresse Redd is 37. She is divorced. She is a mom. She is tired. She is also in love with vintage Barbie dolls. In fact, in the course of answering personal ads and going on dates so she can write a story about her experiences for the newspaper she works at, she comes to the conclusion no man can stack up to her beloved hobby of Barbie collecting. What she doesn’t know is that the scoop of a lifetime looms on the horizon. A woman bent on revenge against adversaries on the Best Barbie Board—for slights including being accused of having a vintage doll gown with a repro rose and removing freckles from a Midge doll with nail polish remover—is prowling her way across the country from Oswego to Walnut Creek, taking not only the lives of those who have tormented her but their doll collections as well. It’s up to Caresse to help detectives connect the dots and figure out who the killer is before more lives are taken, but can she do it?

Thoughts: 

**I received a copy of this book from Story Cartel in exchange for an honest review.** I loved this book! The author obviously researched the world of Barbie and Barbie collectors, to be able to give such intricate details. I looked some of the outfits up with which I was unfamiliar, and they are described just as they were in the book. The mystery was a great one....even though we had some details about the killer from page one, her actual identity came as a complete surprise when it was revealed. Her fate was total karma, in my opinion. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller. My rating: Four stars

Before, During, After, by Richard Bausch

Synopsis: When Natasha, a talented young artist working as a congressional aide, meets Michael Faulk, an Episcopalian priest struggling with his faith, the stars seem to align. Although he is nearly two decades older, they discover in each other the happy yearning and exhilaration of lovers, and within months they are engaged. Shortly before their wedding, while Natasha is vacationing in Jamaica and Faulk is in New York attending the wedding of a family friend, the terrorist attacks of September 11 shatter the tranquility of the nation’s summer. Alone in a state of abject terror, cut off from America and convinced that Faulk is dead, Natasha makes an error in judgment that leads to a private trauma of her own on the Caribbean shore. A few days later, she and Faulk are reunited, but the horror of that day and Natasha’s inability to speak of it inexorably divide their relationship into “before” and “after.” They move to Memphis and begin their new life together, but their marriage quickly descends into repression, anxiety, and suspicion. 

Thoughts: This is a very different sort of love story. Michael and Natasha meet and become engaged prior to 9/11, and that day finds them separated---he in NYC, she in Jamaica. Because of something that happens on that day, there are secrets between them, which result in tension, frustration, and anger.

As much as I enjoyed this book, I had a few complaints about it. The phrases "babe," "my love," etc., were used too often for my taste. We know the main characters are in love, but we also know they have a certain amount of emotional distance between them, so the endearments seemed a little forced through much of the book.

The other issue is the amount of drinking....it seemed that everyone always had a drink in their hand, and the main characters spent a LOT of time drunk. 

I was slightly disappointed in the ending, as well...but I have hopes that it means there might be more to the story of Michael and Natasha in the future.

My rating: Four stars

The Angel of Losses, by Stephanie Feldman

Synopsis: When Eli Burke dies, he leaves behind a mysterious notebook full of stories about a magical figure named The White Rebbe, a miracle worker in league with the enigmatic Angel of Losses, protector of things gone astray, and guardian of the lost letter of the alphabet, which completes the secret name of God.

When his granddaughter, Marjorie, discovers Eli's notebook, everything she thought she knew about her grandfather--and her family--comes undone. To find the truth about Eli's origins and unlock the secrets he kept, she embarks on an odyssey that takes her deep into the past, from 18th century Europe to Nazi-occupied Lithuania, and back to the present, to New York City and her estranged sister Holly, whom she must save from the consequences of Eli's past.

Interweaving history, theology, and both real and imagined Jewish folktales, The Angel of Losses is a family story of what lasts, and of what we can-and cannot-escape.

Thoughts: This book did not appeal to me as much as the above synopsis. The folktales interwoven into the story were fascinating, but the story of the present day family was more than just a little too far out in left field for me.  I didn't care about any of the characters, with the exception of Holly's newborn son, Eli. The rest of them had so many annoying, irritating personality traits that I couldn't find any reason to get involved in their story.

My rating: Two stars

The Ghost in the Electric Blue Suit, by Graham Joyce

Synopsis: David, a college student, takes a summer job at a run-down family resort in a dying English resort town. This is against the wishes of his family…because it was at this resort where David's biological father disappeared fifteen years earlier. But something undeniable has called David there.

A deeper otherworldliness lies beneath the surface of what we see. The characters have a suspicious edge to them…David is haunted by eerie visions of a mysterious man carrying a rope, walking hand-in-hand with a small child…and the resort is under siege by a plague of ladybugs. Something different is happening in this town.

When David gets embroiled in a fiercely torrid love triangle, the stakes turn more and more menacing. And through it all, David feels as though he is getting closer to the secrets of his own past.

This is a darkly magic and sexy book that has a strong suspense line running through it. It's destined to continue to pull in a wider circle of readers for the exceptionally talented Graham Joyce.

Thoughts: So many of the characters in this story are completely dysfunctional, and I kept wanting to tell them off. At the same time, they were so well written that I actually CARED about what happened to them and how the story ended. 

David gets himself involved with two women at the resort, one of whom just happens to be married to a controlling, abusive jerk.  As if that weren't enough, he inadvertently attends a political meeting of fanatical bigots, which complicates his life even more.

The secrets from David's past turned out to be fairly predictable, and was probably the most disappointing part of the story.

Overall, the book was a fun read, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspense.

**I received a copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads, in return for an honest review.**

My rating:  Three stars 

The Tumble Inn, by William Loizeaux

**I received a copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review.**

Tired of their high school teaching jobs and discouraged by their failed attempts at conceiving a child, Mark and Fran Finley decide they need a change in their lives. Abruptly, they leave their friends and family in suburban New Jersey to begin anew as innkeepers on a secluded lake in the Adirondack Mountains. There they muddle through their first season at the inn, serving barely edible dinners to guests, stranding themselves in chest-deep snowdrifts, and somehow, miraculously, amid swarms of ravenous black flies, conceiving a child, a girl they name Nat. Years later, when Mark and Fran are nearing middle age and Nat is a troubled teenager, Mark's life is ripped apart, forever changed, and he must choose between returning to his old home in New Jersey or trying to rebuild what is left of his life and family in the place of his greatest joy and deepest sorrow.

I enjoyed the story the writer told, although not necessarily the way he told it. I would have preferred less description of the environment, and more stories about the family and their life. It seemed there were years which were completely skipped over, years where I am sure there could have been events to discuss.

Over all, a very realistic look at a family and the ups and downs of life.

Hotel Apocalypse, Volume IV, by Bennett Gavrish

  Synopsis: Hotel Apocalypse is an action-packed dystopian adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world. One corporation controls the last shelter on Earth, and those inside are subject to its laws and lies. With each episode, you'll uncover more of the tower's mysteries and get to know the group of heroes fighting for a brighter tomorrow. 

Thoughts: **I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.**

What a great ending to this series!  Leo and his "apprentice" are out of the tower, discovering more lies told by NexGen. They join a group of survivors who live in an underground bunker---one of whom is surprisingly familiar to Leo. They all work together to formulate a plan to take over the tower. One of my favorite characters doesn't survive the revolution, but the reason why made perfect sense. I hope this author will be writing more in the future.

My rating: Four stars

The Lyre and The Lambs, by Sydney Avey

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

This is a sequel to The Sheepwalker's Daughter, but it works well as a stand alone story,which I can say with certainty as I did not read the first book. 

It's the Sixties. Modernity and tradition clash as two newlywed couples set up house together. Dee and her daughter Valerie move with their husbands into a modern glass house Valerie built in a proudly rural Los Altos, California, neighborhood. When their young relatives start showing up and moving in, the neighbors get suspicious. Then a body is found in the backyard and the life they are trying to build comes undone.

This was a story which kept me interested from beginning to end. While the Christian aspects weren't really "in your face," it was nice to read about a family who lives their beliefs and values on a daily basis. 

The family dynamics were very realistically portrayed, as were the issues with the neighbors. I could empathize with Dee as she dealt with each new upheaval and tried to help each younger family member through his or her trials and tribulations. 

I hope to read more by Sydney Avey in the future.

My rating: Four stars