Book Trilogy Review: Giants in the Land

The Way of Things
The Way of Things by Clark Rich Burbidge
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I liked this book pretty well! In this story, the friendly giants who have always helped the townspeople suddenly disappear, and only one man has the courage to journey into the wilds to locate the giants and find out why they left. The main character, Thomas, grabbed my attention right away, and I liked seeing him deal with each crisis as it comes up in the story, gathering courage and wisdom as he journeys along. He’s a good character!

The writing is blatantly preachy, but still inspiring. I liked how the spiritual message is gradually unfolded, but I wish Continue reading

Book Review: The Wide Road

The Wide Road by Kim Balogh
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I was disappointed in this book. I was excited to read a Pilgrim’s Progress type of story told from the sinner’s POV, but there are so many problems with the writing that the story doesn’t come through. It desperately needs an editor. I only read the first 20 pages, and I just couldn’t continue.

The writing is extremely verbose and redundant. There are multiple problems with sentence structure, punctuation, and even word usage. For example, the word “self-perseverance” is used, when I’m pretty sure the author meant “self-preservation”. The word “nowhere” is written as two separate words “no where”. There’s a sentence that talks about the “faucets” on jewels instead of the “facets”, and another says how beautiful the “pedals” on flowers are. I even saw the words “their selves” instead of “themselves.”

I like the idea of retelling Pilgrim’s Progress from another viewpoint, but this book needs some help before it is reader-ready.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a free and honest review. The opinions here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

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Would You Rather Book Tag

Do you think these questions are fair? What kind of mean person decided to put us through the torture of answering these difficult questions?! Gah! I can’t decide!!
Bekah@Awesome Book Nut: https://www.youtube.com/user/AwesomeBookNut

–The Questions–
Would you rather…
1. Read only trilogies or stand-alones?
2. Read only female or male authors?
3. Shop at Barnes & Noble or Amazon?
4. All books become movies or t.v. shows?
5. Read 5 pages per day or 5 books per week?
6. Be a professional reviewer or author?
7. Only read your top 20 favorite books over and over or always read new ones that you haven’t read before?
8. Be a librarian or book seller?
9. Only read your favorite genre, or every genre except your favorite?
10. Only read physical books or eBooks?

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Epic Reads Book Tag

Leave a comment and tell me, what is your most epic read?
Literally Tara: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwOnxhpyKK-0Bz8n9faoeXg
–The Questions–
1. If you could invite one author and one of their fictional characters to tea, who would you invite and what would you serve them?
2. What book do you wish the author would write a prequel for?
3. Which 2 characters (NOT from the same book) do you think would make a great couple?
4. If you ran into your favorite author on the subway and only could say one sentence to them, who is it and what would it be?
5. What book made you a reader and why?
6. Incendio! Your bookshelf just caught on fire. Show us what book you would save.
7. Which dystopian world would you want to live in if you had to chose one? Why?
8. What is your most epic read of all time? Continue reading

Coffee Book Tag

I don’t even like coffee! I prefer hot tea instead. Don’t hate me. haha!
Little Prairie Library: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCokJv7u_sHqZUrFQYetlyDA

Books for MKs is a charity organization that donates books to missionary kids on the foreign mission field all over the world.

Donate now at http://www.gofundme.com/booksformks to help these children get reading material!

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Book Show/Conference

Join me as I meet with authors and publishers at a Christian Book Show in Orlando, Florida! I got a ton of books at the International Christian Retail Show, and met some really amazing people.
Book haul video coming soon!

Review: Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival
Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival by Dene Low
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You would think Petronella’s sixteenth birthday would be cause for celebration. After all, fashionable friends are arriving at her country estate near London, teas are being served, and her coming out party promises to be a resplendent affair. Everything is falling nicely into place, until, suddenly—it isn’t. For Petronella discovers that her guardian, Uncle Augustus T. Percival, has developed a most unVictorian compulsion: He must eat bugs. Worse still, because he is her guardian, Uncle Augustus is to attend her soiree and his current state will most definitely be an embarrassment.
During the festivities, when Petronella would much rather be sharing pleasantries with handsome Lord James Sinclair (swoon), important guests are disappearing, kidnapping notes are appearing, many of the clues are insects, and Uncle Augustus is surreptitiously devouring evidence. It’s more than one sixteen-year-old girl should have to deal with. But, truth be told, there is far more yet to come . . . -GoodReads

 

I love it! I read this book all in one sitting, and was perfectly delighted with every chapter. The absurd plot and witty banter are just perfection! There are so many imaginative details in this book that all come together for a truly interesting plot. The writing is so dignified and humorous; it’s like this sugary froth of words. Continue reading

Review: Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden by Angelica Shirley Carpenter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved finding out more about this author’s life! What an interesting character she had! I love that she had such an independent spirit in a time when women didn’t enjoy much freedom. “I do what I want” seems to have been her motto.
She wrote about 60 novels and over a hundred short stories, but most of them are out of print these days. I love her books, and I’m always searching for those obscure out-of-print editions. Continue reading

Book Review: Called to Write, Chosen to Publish

Called to Write, Chosen to Publish
Called to Write, Chosen to Publish by Rachael K. Hartman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is inspirational and helpful to any writer! The author gives encouragement from their own personal experiences with writing and from Scripture. Each chapter starts with a Scripture verse that has to do with writing in some way, and at the back of the book there is an index of Bible verses that are paraphrased to apply to writing and publishing.

Several chapters focus on writing as a healing exercise and a way to work through your own grief and move past painful experiences. Other chapters talk about worshiping and glorifying God through writing. There’s even a chapter about writing music, which I was happy to see since I’m a pianist!

The author made me think about aspects of writing that I had not truly considered before; like writing with truthfulness even if I’m writing fiction, and writing with grace. I need to learn to trust myself and my writing instincts, and not be such a perfectionist.

This little book really inspired me to write more, to write for God, and to write with abandon and freedom!

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