Month: April 2018

April 12, 2018

Seekers (Mud, Rocks and Trees Book Two) Review

We all want to save the world. But who is willing to pay the price?

About Seekers (Mud, Rocks and Trees Book Two)

We all want to save the world. But who is willing to pay the price? Forced outside their village homes, the three chosen youth must find their way to Tzoladia along paths wrought with danger. All that was once safe has become perilous. Evil is on their trail.

Amanki arrives in a city of islands which seems like paradise. But death rises from the mud.

Moshoi weaves his way through caves and cliffs. But treachery lurks in the rocks.

Brina’s flight passes through a lush green forest. But lethal secrets fill these trees.

Will the star guide them to their destiny or lead them to their doom? Who will survive?

My Thoughts

Book two in this series is just as exciting and everything I hoped it would be!

In Seekers, Amanki, Moshoi and Brina, continue on their journey to Tzoladia to unite under the guidance of their elder. Simple task right? Fate will not make this a simple journey for them as they are constantly tested with situations that make question the ideas they have grown up with and their own morals. Each character brings with them their unique upbringing and skills with the modifications that happened naturally to their bodies (learn more here).

Amanki travels through what should feel like home to him with his web-footed people. What he finds is that the evil has touched them there too in the form of an evil priestess and royalty who serves themselves. He must do everything he can to protect and save the life of his friend and possibly the girl he has come to fall in love with? Brina finds herself caught in an extreme betrayal situation when they finally make it to the ship to learn that they have been sold. Moshoi, whose story I had a harder time to get into in book one, comes alive in this installment. His bravery and morals saves the lives of innocent people in neighbouring tribes.

Seekers is a well written novel with an exciting plot. I found the plot exploded in this book and I did not want to put it down out of fear of missing what was going to happen next. The ending left me craving for more – what will our characters do in the face of such betrayal and evil?. It is perfect for both young adults and adults a like.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

R.A. Denny started writing epic fantasy novels when, after watching the first Hobbit movie, she began excitedly spouting off information about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien’s writer’s group called the Inklings and how their greatest fantasy novels were created. One of her sons commented, “We could do that.” She laughed. Then, he turned it into a challenge.

Her unexpected journey had begun. For several years, she continued her day job as a criminal prosecutor and escaped by night to the world of the Tzoladian Empire. Then, she decided to just do what she loved.

She completed writing her six-book epic fantasy series: Mud, Rocks, and Trees. The series should be read in this order: Refugees, Seekers, Captives, Warriors, Visionaries, and then Deliverers.

R.A. enjoys ancient history, board games, and LEGO. That’s the nerd in her. She rides horses, raised flying squirrels and lives with two cats. That’s the animal lover in her. Oh, and did I mention that she loves a challenge? That’s the adventurer in her.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 11, 2018

A Witch’s Concern Audiobook Review

In A Witch’s Concern, Michelle finds that her problems are larger than one clan of witches, and is forced to choose between the people she holds dear and the way of life she loves.

About A Witch’s Concern

Michelle has been figuring out what her life is like now that the demon has been killed, and Sylvia and Varro are dead. Even the clans of witches trying to attract her to their way of life have backed off and given her a chance to grieve. Her relationship with Elron is stronger than ever, but there are things left unsaid.

On the way to her parents’ wedding, the delicate calm she’d been living in is broken. Witches are out for her blood, her family is caught in the crossfire, and friendships are threatened. Work doesn’t let up either, and she partners up with Elron to deal with magic gone wild. Michelle finds that her problems are larger than one clan of witches, and is forced to choose between the people she holds dear and the way of life she loves.

My Thoughts

I loved the first set of audiobooks in this series and this one doesn’t disappoint at all! This audiobook starts with a bang with Michelle’s kidnapping and stays intense throughout the whole novel.

Michelle is an independent, strong witch who feels no alliance to any clan and wants to keep it that way. Her Grandmother feels differently. I love that we were able to learn quite a bit more about her family history and the line of strong female witches in her family. Her Grandmother does not want to see this line end and goes to extreme measures to get Michelle to consent to her wishes, almost shocking at times!

I have always loved Michelle’s character throughout the first set of books and in this book she still remains my favourite. She has such a kind heart and just wants to do what is right and help others but she just can’t get a break. I loved that the focus of this book is her – no extra big case, just Michelle. Her character deserves it, she is just one of those individuals that gives of herself with no expectation of something in return. Her relationship with Elron is blossoming (yay!), they both deserve a loving relationship and not to mention some time to work on it.

The narration in this audiobook is excellent and adds to the drama and flair of the writing. I couldn’t stop listening as I just wanted to hear what was going to happen next with her. The plot is fantastic and keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is by far my favourite book in this amazing series. This series constantly leaves you guessing on who or what will show up and happen and leaves you wanting more.

You can purchase a copy of this audiobook on Audible.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

N.E. Conneely lives in northern Georgia with her dog and a mountain of books. They sweat through the summer and freeze through the winter, and life as they know it comes to an end when so much as a single snowflake falls out of the sky. For fun, N.E. plays with her dog, reads, knits, crochets, paints, and does tie-dyeing and origami. She makes a great pizza and is currently negotiating with her husband about raising sea monkeys and growing a vegetable garden.

About the Narrators

Jeff Hays has made a name for himself in the audio book world by creating immersive experiences out of his productions. His versatility and authenticity in voicing characters, expressive low-impact narration, and dedication to offering the highest quality audio possible has earned him a loyal following of listeners. Having been fascinated with sound since he can remember, Jeff takes his background of composing and producing music, and his continual consumption of the avalanche of fictional media we all experience in these modern times, and uses it to inform his style of story telling in the audiobook realm.

And now, having produced more than 80 audio books and perfecting his craft, using the namesake of his live streaming narration show, the Soundbooth Theater shingle has been hung. Soundbooth Theater is dedicated to applying Jeff’s production methods to new audio books with other budding narrator talent, and expanding his scope from audio books, to voicing and producing animation.

Laurie got into voiceover by studying with the legendary dialect expert Paul Meier and hosting the teen program for a nonprofit for the blind, Kansas Audio Reader. She speaks French fluently and, before diving into audiobooks, lived and performed for some time in France. She’s racking up some bizarre credits, playing a range of characters onscreen from Disney princesses to horror scream queens, and proving her audio versatility by narrating everything from cowboy romances to action-packed GameLit fantasy trolls. You can also catch her in a few VR video games. Her favorite is playing confident, power-hungry, whip-smart anti-heroines.

Like Jeff Hays, she hails from the Kansas City area but currently lives in Atlanta.

Audio Excerpt

The Giveaway!

A Witch’s Concern Giveaway: $50 PayPal Cash

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 9, 2018

Ralphie, Always Loved Spotlight

Ralphie, Always Loved is the story of the life, love, and adventures of a beloved family dog, and how he delighted and touched his family and everyone he met.

About Ralphie, Always Loved

This is the story of the life, love, and adventures of a beloved family dog, and how he delighted and touched his family and everyone he met.

Ralphie was born with a heart on his belly.
He loves food, his family, his friends, his neighbors.
He loves pretty much everything and everyone.
And they love him back.
And that’s how it is all through his life.
Read the book and fall in love with him too.

Rambunctious and hyperactive, Ralphie had already been returned to the animal shelter three times, but when Andrea and her husband adopted him and gave him a loving home where he was understood, accepted, and taught, he learned fast. As Ralphie’s human family grew, so did his capacity for love and the ways he could express it. He remained a loving and beloved family member who touched the hearts of the whole neighborhood until he was ready to say goodbye at the grand-old age of sixteen. Ralphie, Always Loved will remind you of all that is good, and reaffirm your belief in love’s power to uplift and transform.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound.

About the Author

Andrea has always been an avid reader and that jumpstarted her imagination at a very early age. In fact she escaped to the Land of Make Believe more often than her mother liked.

She is a former marketing professional who is a mom to kids both with and without fur. Andrea says that it helps to have one foot planted firmly in reality while the other is foot loose and fancy free in Imagination Land. She enjoys the best of both worlds.

In 2013, Andrea and her husband started About Something Good (ASG) as a vehicle to curate, inspire and share goodness in the world. In a world where negative images flood the media, and words like “hate” get tossed around so easily, Andrea felt she needed a space that encouraged and focused on the words like “love” and the beauty that is life. Andrea is committed to finding the good in everything, and believes: that a sense of belonging to someone’s heart is what makes us feel complete, that kindness goes a long way, and that keeping your mind and heart open can help when things happen that you don’t understand.

Andrea lives in New Jersey with her husband and children. You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Question and Answer with Andrea

Q: How did you come up with the character of Ralphie?

A: Ralphie is based on my real-life dog named Ralphie. He was a rescue dog, and we were his fourth and forever family. Ralphie was a character: full of life and love, and always up to something. He made us laugh and stressed us out by “exploring the neighborhood” on a regular basis. Thankfully we always found him and brought him home. He was always underfoot, demanding attention and treats and never giving up till he got some. Ralphie loved everyone he ever met. He was an amazing dog and was very, very loved.

Q: But he’s no longer with you?

A: Ralphie passed away in October 2016, from cancer. He was diagnosed at age sixteen and was unable to be treated in any of the traditional ways. He lived for three months after he was diagnosed, and those are some of my most treasured memories. I will always love my Ralphie.

Q: Why did you write a picture book?

A: Ralphie had a very animated face. It’s almost like you could tell what he was thinking by looking at him. When it came time to writing his story, it was easy for me to visualize it in picture form, and that is why a picture book made sense to me. Picture books also have a way of eliciting emotions from children and the parents who read the books to them. I think any parent who has loved and lost a dog would understand the story on a deeper level and be able to associate with the book.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for the story?

A: I always wrote little stories about Ralphie. When I had children, I told them those stories. As Ralphie got older, I felt the need to make his story official and enduring, so I decided to write an actual book. The beginning of the book was pure imagination, based on the real-life Ralphie’s actual markings. The rest of the book was based on what actually happened. The ending was shaped by the fact that Ralphie’s long life was coming to an end, and I wanted a chance for closure. Also, the way the book ends, the reader can assume that Ralphie is still with us or that he is back up with the angels, painting clouds.

Q: Would you consider yourself to be a dog person?

A: I am definitely a dog person. I have rarely if ever met a dog I didn’t like. Over the past twenty years I have been a dog mom, and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Q: Rescue or buy?

A: There is no real right answer; to each his own. However, I am a proponent of rescuing. There are so many dogs abandoned in shelters around the world, not to mention strays who could enrich any home. When you rescue, you save a life; you give hope and love a chance. I would always rescue. I hope everyone who is considering getting a new puppy would consider it too.

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 4, 2018

Red Sky Over America Book Review

In Red Sky Over America, William and America confront evil, but will it costs them everything?

About Red Sky Over America

William and America confront evil, but will it costs them everything?

In 1857, America, the daughter of a slave owner, is an abolitionist and a student at Oberlin College, a school known for its radical ideas. America goes home to Kentucky during school break to confront her father about freeing his slaves.

America’s classmate, William, goes to Kentucky to preach abolition to churches that condone slavery. America and William find themselves in the center of the approaching storm sweeping the nation and may not make it home to Ohio or live through the struggle.

My Thoughts

This novel takes place during a difficult time in America’s history, prior to the war to end slavery between the North and the South. Our main character is a young woman, America, who is the daughter of a slave owner. She goes away to Oberlin College which helps to foster her ideas of abolishing slavery and freedom for all people. From a young age, she has known that slavery is wrong but she has been afraid of hurting her Father and feared his anger.

Almost finished her studies, America decides to return home and confront her Father at last. She was not ready for the extreme response from her Father and those that she loves around her. She is shocked by her Father’s actions towards the slaves that she has always viewed as family and vows that she will not stop until slavery is abolished. He truly believes that what he is doing is for America’s future and well-being, keeping their family history alive never understanding that a future built on other’s suffering is not what America wants.

She embarks on a journey of helping slaves escape and her classmate (who also happens to be someone she is greatly attracted to for his convictions) William is tied into her future. William preaches at churches throughout Kentucky to abolish slavery – which in many places as we were to find out is almost a death sentence.

This is an excellent story of faith and hope during a time period that held very little. America was strong in her convictions but sometimes lacked the confidence and strength to follow through. As the case with many women during this time frame, she was stuck under the wings of her Father’s decisions. With William, she was free to make her own decisions and give her opinions – opinions that were much in line with his own. I loved every moment of this powerful book, I cried at times and other times my heart was full of hope. It is a beautiful story in a dark time.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures and writes Christian historical fiction set in America because there are so many adventures in American history. She is married to the love of her life, has two grown children, and lives in Akron, Ohio. Soldier’s Heart and A Christmas Promise are two of her historical novellas that have been published. She has received 2nd place in the NOCW contest, 3rd place TARA writer’s contest, and is a finalist in the Frasier Writing Contest. Tamera is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire For Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist. She has curriculum published and is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 4, 2018

Refugees (Mud, Rocks and Trees) Book One Review

One star. One impossible task. One chance to save the world they love.

About Refugees (Mud, Rocks and Trees) Book One

“An epic journey of a lifetime.” That’s what three young individuals from three different corners of the world have dreamed about. They were destined for greatness since the moment they were born. But what if they don’t want it? What if they’re not ready? What if their desires no longer align with the prophecy?

The problem is, they have no choice. The star has appeared. Their destiny has already begun to unfold.

It’s not the send-off that they’ve been dreaming of. Forced out. Banished. Raided. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Now they must discover who they really are while embarking on the most exciting journey of their lives. One star. One impossible task. One chance to save the world they love.

My Thoughts

Refugees (Mud, Rocks and Trees) was such an exciting read from start to finish!

I wasn’t quite to sure what to expect when I first picked up the book and started reading but I wasn’t pleasantly surprised. In this novel, we have three young individuals who are destined to save the world except none feel quite ready and they are not quite sure how. Each comes from a different past and culture, even their bodies are made differently. One is in the human form of a duck, another like a flying squirrel and another with the hard skin of an armadillo. What could they possibly have in common?

They have one man who becomes their guide and the star that set their destiny.

Each chapter is told from one of the young characters view-point as they struggle to leave their home to begin this new journey. All have risked banishment, being an outcast and one even is spared death. The novel is an exciting journey from start to finish, you never really know what is going to happen next and you feel connected to our main characters. I felt more connected to Amanki (the duck man) and Brina (the one that resembles the flying squirrel) and I am not quite sure why. Every time I came to their chapters, I just had to have more! I was emotionally invested in these two characters especially Brina.

This is an excellent novel for young adults (and adults who enjoy a great fantasy read!). I can not wait to read book two in this series as I was so sad when the book ended and where it ended.

You can purchase a copy of this boon on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

She completed writing her six-book epic fantasy series: Mud, Rocks, and Trees. The series should be read in this order: Refugees, Seekers, Captives, Warriors, Visionaries, and then Deliverers.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.