Book Review: Shadow Hand by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Back Cover: This is a story about blood.
And love.
And the many things that lie between.

By her father's wish, Lady Daylily is betrothed to the Prince of Southlands. Not the prince she loves, handsome and dispossessed Lionheart, but his cousin, the awkward and foolish Prince Foxbrush. As her wedding day dawns, Daylily flees into the dangerous Wilderlands, her only desire to vanish from living memory.

But Foxbrush, determined to rescue his betrothed, pursues Daylily into a new world of magic and peril, a world where vicious Faerie beasts hold sway, a world invaded by a lethal parasite.

A world that is hauntingly familiar.

My Review: I have enjoyed each addition to Stengl's Tales of Goldstone Wood series. These books take the reader on epic adventures where good and evil collide. Without fail, these tales leave me turning the pages, eager to discover where the twisted plots will lead. Shadow Hand is no exception. This story mixes history with the present world in an unexpected way. While I enjoyed the story, I can only give this book four out of five stars because I never connected with the sniveling Foxbrush. His hero status was a bit too fantastic for complete enjoyment. Still, I was satisfied with the ending of this epic tale, and can't wait to read what Stengl has in store for us with her next book.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to readers of fantasy, but would highly suggest that you read the other books in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series first.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Book Review: Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Back Cover: Who Will Dare to Face the Dragonwitch? 

Submissive to her father's will, Lady Leta of Aiven travels far to meet the future King of the North Country and a prospective husband she neither knows nor loves.

But within the walls of his castle, all is not right. Vicious night terrors plague Lord Alistair. Whispers rise from the family crypt. The reclusive castle Chronicler, Leta's tutor and friend, possesses a secret so dangerous it could cost his life and topple the entire nation.

And far away in a hidden kingdom, a flame burns atop the Citadel of the Living Fire. Acolytes and priestesses serve their goddess to the limits of their lives and deaths. No one is safe while the Dragonwitch searches for the sword that slew her twice...and for the hero who can wield it.

My Review: I love the Tales of Goldstone Wood and the way each novel gives us a deeper look into the worlds that Anne Elisabeth Stengl has created. I really like how the same character show up over and over again, but new things are learned about them each time. These stories are epic in their scope, and Dragonwitch is no different. I found it fascinating learning more about the story of the dragonwitch, who we met in a previous story (Starflower). Those these books are classified as young adult, I thoroughly enjoy each one. I can't wait to see what Stengl has for us in the next story.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book and the rest of the Tales of Goldstone Wood series to readers of young adult fantasy.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Book Review: Every Hill and Mountain by Deborah Heal

About the Book: Those who have read Time and Again and Unclaimed Legacy know that Abby Thomas is a college student on a summer service project with 11-year-old Merri. And they know that the summer is not going the way Abby had expected—but in a good way. For one thing, she meets a very nice guy named John Roberts. And for another, she discovers a strange computer program called Beautiful House that lets her fast-forward and rewind life. Not her own, of course, but those of the people who lived in Merri’s old house. And the Old Dears’ old house, and…well, any old house.

And since Beautiful House worked so well for the Old Dears’ genealogy project, Abby’s college roommate Kate hopes it will help her find out more about her ancestor. Ned Greenfield was born at a place called Hickory Hill in the tiny town of Equality, set in the hills of southern Illinois and the breath-taking Shawnee National Forest.

Abby and John reluctantly agree to help her, but only on the condition that she and her fiancé Ryan promise to keep the program a secret, because if it fell into the wrong hands…well, no one wants Big Brother looking over his shoulder.

The mayor, police chief, and townspeople of Equality are hospitable and helpful—until the topic of Hickory Hill comes up. Eventually Abby and her friends find Hickory Hill on their own—both the mansion and the lonely hill it sits upon. Built in 1834, Hickory Hill stands sentinel over Half Moon Salt Mine where the original owner John Granger accumulated his blood-tainted fortune.

They meet Miss Granger, Hickory Hill’s current eccentric owner and eventually get the chance to time-surf there. Their shocking discovery on the third floor is almost too much to bear. What they learn sends them racing to the opposite end of the state to find the missing link in Kate’s family tree. And there they are reminded that God is in the business of redemption—that one day he’ll make all things new.

My Review: To be honest, this was my least favorite book in the Time and Again series. After hearing about Abby's roommate Kate in the past two books, I expected more from her than what I was given. Kate's boyfriend is a jerk, and completely flat as a character. I tried to find some redeeming quality in him, but there wasn't anything there to even like. I couldn't understand what Kate saw in him, but she obviously saw something or she wouldn't have gotten engaged to him or given him such a precious gift. All of this added together to make me disappointed in Kate. This disappointment limited my enjoyment of the story. I give Every Hill and Mountain 3.5 stars as a result.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to young adults who want a very clean, conservative story full of imagination, romance, and adventure in a historical context.

Book Review: Unclaimed Legacy by Deborah Heal

About the Book: “I call it time-surfing,” Abby said. “It’s like being there,except no one can see or hear us.”

“Whatever you call it,” John said, “that was crazy—what we just did.
Beyond realistic. I mean, I was in that guy’s head
and knew everything he was thinking.”

Abby’s weird computer program is working again. And it comes in handy when they agree to help the Old Dears next door with their family tree. Except Abby and John learn more about one of the ladies’ ancestors than they ever wanted to know. Convicted in 1871 of murder and arson, Reuben Buchanan is a blight on the family’s reputation. But was he really guilty? Abby and John get inside the mind of a murderer to find out. But while they’re rummaging around in the Old Dears’ family history, they discover the truth of God’s promise to bless a thousand generations …
… and a legacy waiting to be reclaimed.

My Review: The weird time-travel program is at it again, but this time Abby and Merrideth get Johns help to solve a genealogical question for two delightful twins. I fell in love with The Old Dears, and was interested to see how their story would play out. With the help of John's laptop, they are able to take the program into different houses, and learn many different stories. Heal deals with some heavy issues from the past, while the main characters stay safe in the present. Well, as safe as they can. I was a little concerned with the justification of the breaking and entering that John and Abby are a part of. You'll have to read the book to understand what I mean. As soon as I finished this book, I immediately opened Every Hill and Mountain because I had to read what was going to happen in the next episode.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to young adults who want a very clean, conservative story full of imagination, romance, and adventure in a historical context.

Book Review: Time and Again by Deborah Heal

About the Book: Abby thinks tutoring an “an economically disadvantaged adolescent” as her college service project for the summer will be a snap.

Merrideth, her sullen 11-year-old student, thinks “No thanks, I don’t need a babysitter.”

John thinks Abby’s kidding when she tells him she can fast-forward and rewind life. Not her own, of course, but that of the girl who lived in Merrideth’s house 160 years ago.

It’s difficult for Abby to break through Merrideth’s emotional wall. The girl has been closed down ever since her parents’ divorce, especially since she was forced to move to the dilapidated old house that her mom inherited. But when her dad sends her a top-of-the-line computer to make up for it, Abby and Merrideth discover a crazy program that invites them to “Take a Virtual Tour” of houses around the world— including Merrideth’s. It’s a tour all right… a tour of the past when the house was new and a girl named Charlotte Miles lived there.

It’s like being there, only better. They know Charlotte’s thoughts and feelings. They experience her joys and frustrations as she courageously takes on a huge challenge, risking her life for others while her father is off fighting in the Civil War.

Watching from a distance, Abby and Merrideth gain a new perspective on their own lives, their faith strengthened as time and again they see God’s loving hand in Charlotte’s life

My Review: If you are looking for a clean young adult time-travel novel, this may be the book for you. Deborah Heal gives us the story of a college age girl who is tutoring a disadvantaged youth over the summer break, but their history lessons take on a whole new twist when they discover a program that lets them experience the past first hand.

The whole concept of seeing the past in person fascinates me. I have always wondered what it would have been like for the generations that came before me. I wanted to walk in their shoes, even if it was for a day. If I had a computer program like this, I would have spent my whole time following around the people in the program, so I can understand where the characters in this book are coming from. One thing I appreciate about Heal's book is, although it is self-published, it has been edited well. I could lose myself in the story because the writing was clean and without error. Thank you! I can't express how much that helped my enjoyment, as I've read other self-published works that were full of grammatical errors that caused me to put the book down without finishing, and I hate not finishing a book.

Time and Again is a great start to Heals series of young adult books, which continue the story like the next episode in a television drama. Don't forget to tune in for Unclaimed Legacy and Every Hill and Mountain.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to young adults who want a very clean, conservative story full of imagination and adventure in a historical context.

Book Review: Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Back Cover: The Black Dogs Are on the Hunt, But Who Is Their Prey?

When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps fairest Lady Gleamdren, the Bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission... and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.

But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?

My Review: I've really enjoyed the previous three books in the Tales of Goldstone series, and so I was anticipating the arrival of this addition to the tale. One thing that I liked about the previous three books is how the tales intertwined with the others in the series. Starflower does not do that. This story stands apart from the others and takes place long before the others begin. Some of the characters are the same, but this book gives the reader a look at a back story that was just hinted at in previous books. While I enjoyed getting more history of Goldstone, I was not pulled in as far by this story. That being said, I am still looking forward to the next installment in the series.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to those who have read the rest of the Tales of Goldstone Wood.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Book Review: Moonblood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Excerpt: "She is innocent; I swear upon my hand."

"But, my son," said the Eldest quietly, "does your word count for anything now?"

Lionheart stared. Of all the blows in his life, that one struck the deepest.

The Eldest shook his head and continued to speak in a low voice that only Lionheart and Rose Red could hear. "You have lost their trust. Don't think I have not seen. And where does that leave me, Lionheart? I am not long for this world, and when I die, I must pass on rule of my kingdom to one who will not be able to lead. For who will follow you no? Does any man in all of Southlands trust you, who abandoned them in their suffering, who did not return until the danger was past?"

Tears of rage filled Lionheart's eyes, burning more than dragon fire. "It wasn't like that, Father! You know it wasn't!"

"What I know or don't know matters little," said Hawkeye. "What the people, your subjects, believe is what matters now." He shook his head and stood once more, stepping around Rose Red and pacing to the end of the dais. He raised his hands, commanding the attention of all assembled in that yard. "I hereby give to my son, your prince, the duty of passing sentence upon the accused."

Angry mutters filled the yard, and Lionheart, as he looked out upon the crowd, saw the fury on each face. They did not think he would do as they wished. They did not believe he could pass the sentence they required. And what would be his fate if he did not give them their will? The Council of Barons and their cold vote. The loss of his inheritance. Moonblood, pg 66.

Back Cover: Moonblood Draws Near, and Soon the Dragons Will Wake

Desperate to regain the trust of his kingdom, Prince Lionheart reluctantly banishes his faithful servant and only friend, Rose Red. Now she is lost in the hidden realm of Arpiar, held captive by her evil goblin father, King Vahe.

Vowing to redeem himself, Lionheart plunges into the mysterious Goldstone Wood, seeking Rose Red. In strange other worlds, Lionheart must face a lyrical yet lethal tiger, a fallen unicorn, and a goblin horde on his quest to rescue the girl he betrayed.

With the Night of Moonblood fast approaching when King Vahe seeks to wake the Dragon's sleeping children, Lionheart must discover whether or not his heart contains courage before it's too late for Rose Red... and all those he loves.

My Review: Moonblood a perfect continuation of the Tales of Goldstone Wood series. Full of dragons, goblins, unicorns, and a prince's epic quest to save his only true friend from the clutches of her evil father. This story is an exciting and satisfying read. The more I read in this series, the more I want to know. I can't wait to see what the next tale will be about. I would suggest reading the first two books in the series before diving into Moonblood.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to readers of fantasy.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

To read my reviews of the first two books of this series click here.

Book Review: Taken by Brock Eastman

Excerpt: "It was great how Oliver handled the escape and all, but I don't think we can rescue our parents. We need an adult. What happens if we get caught?"

"I don't know, but we should listen to Oliver," Tiffany answered to Mason's surprise, and even a little to her own. She'd been offended by Oliver's assertive behavior, but she knew the two of the needed to remain unified for the twins' sake. "If these men can just break into someone's home and take them without any worry that they'll be caught, they must be working for someone very powerful. We don't know what capabilities the Übel might have or who they are in contact with," Tiffany explained. "Besides, Oliver's learned a lot at the Academy. Let's give him a chance."

Mason nodded slowly. "If you say so, sis." Taken, pg 61.

Back Cover: Suit up! Jump into hyper flight with the four Wikk kids! Forced into a high-stakes hunt for their missing parents by the sinister Captain Vedrik, the siblings' only hope is their parents' Archeos e-journal. Can Tiffany decipher the clues within it? As time runs out, it's all up to Oliver and his Federation training to fly the Phoenix and protect his crew. But twins Mason and Austin endanger the mission when they unexpectedly meet...the blue boy!

The Quest for Truth series follows the four Wikk kids in their desperate race to find the mysterious planet Ursprung and stop the Übel renegades from misusing its long-lost secrets. Ancient cities, treacherous villains, high-tech gadgets, the Phoenix - encounter all these and more on this futuristic, interplanetary adventure.

My Review: This book is very hard to put down! Each chapter is filled with danger, adventure and excitement. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next, and if the kids were going to get out of the situations that they were in. Taken is an exciting start to the Quest for Truth series. I'm excited to read the rest of the books in this series as they come out. I just have to find out how the whole thing is going to end.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to young adults who enjoy futuristic novels.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.)

Book Review: Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Excerpt: The weather was pleasant here, a little cool due to the altitude, but fresh and invigorating . . . the right air for an adventurous heart.

On regular days, the mountainside gardens of Hill House were interesting enough to occupy the boy. But now that he knew there was more to this monster talk than a mere nursemaid's warnings, the gardens were suddenly too small and cramped. No monster would come within the bounds of Hill House's gardens. Leo would have to venture out after it himself.

But first he must be properly armed. veiled rose, pg 15.

Back Cover: A Monster Prowls the Mountains of Southlands

Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely.

Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Headstrong young Leo startles everyone by befriending Rose Red, and together they begin searching for the monster rumored to be stalking these lands.

But the hunt, which began as a game, holds greater risk than either imagines. Soon both are forced to test their trust in each other as a far more terrifying scourge puts their entire land at risk.

My Review: When I read Heartless, the first book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series, I knew I was going to have to read next book when it came out. Veiled Rose was worth the wait! I love the fairy-tale aspect of these books. The adventure, danger and magic drew me in. I had to keep turning the pages. I couldn't put the book down till I found out what was going to happen to the characters that I had come to like so much. I am eagerly awaiting the release of Moonblood, the next book in the series.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to teens and adults who enjoy fantasy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.


Click Here to read my review of Heartless, the first book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series.

Book Review: The First Escape (The Dopple Ganger Chronicles) by G.P. Taylor

Excerpt: Known to everyone who worked at Isambard Dunstan's School for Wayward Children as them, they were known to each other as Sadie and Saskia Dopple. Each was the likeness of the other in almost every way. They had identical ears, identical noses, identical lips, and even identical moles upon their chins. The only thing that set them apart was that Sadie had a yellow right eye and a blue left and Saskia a blue right eye and a yellow left. Apart from their eyes, the only difference between them was that Sadie thought before she acted or spoke. She was the quieter of the two - and in many ways the most dangerous. Together, they were like two wild cats that had taken human form, sent by an avenging angel to wreck havoc on humanity. The First Escape, pg 8-9.

Back Cover: At Isambard Dunstan's School for Wayward Children, life is trouble for fourteen-year-old identical twins Sadie and Saskia Dopple and their friend, former thief Erik Morrissey Ganger. But what starts out as a perfectly normal day of food fights, rioting classmates, and (yawn) threats of expulsion goes suddenly and horribly wrong when a mysterious, wealthy woman appears at the school and adopts Saskia... without her sister.

On her own in a mansion full of dark secrets, Saskia stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens her very life. Meanwhile, desperate to find Saskia, Sadie and Erik escape from the orphanage with a gang of enemies in hot pursuit. Faced with perils beyond their imaginations, the trip must decide who to trust - and what to believe - if they are to survive long enough to find each other again.

My Review: I was curious to read The First Escape because the book was for reluctant readers. I wanted to experience the new "illustra novel" approach to reading a book. The book is part plain text, part picture book, and part graphic novel. It was interesting to experience as an adult, and I can plainly see how this type of publication would help a child who doesn't enjoy reading to finish a long story. This book is full of action and adventure, death and doom. I'm sure that it would easily keep the attention of a reluctant reader from start to finish. While this book is published by a Christian publishing company, there isn't too much of a spiritual nature to the book, just a slight hinting of a higher purpose from a mysterious person... perhaps an angel? It makes me wonder if the following books in the series have more of a spiritual bent to them.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this action packed book for young people who don't really like to read, but enjoy a good adventure.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.)

Book Review: YHWH: The Flood The Fish & The Giant by G.P. Taylor and Paula K. Parker

Excerpt: Then with a trembling hand, Abraham leaned over and kissed Isaac's brow.

'I love you, my son,' he said softly.

The young man looked into his father's eyes. 'I love you too, Father,' he answered. His stomach tightened as his father raised the knife high over his head. The old man paused and, tensing the muscles in his arm, took a deep breath. 'Not my will but Yours...' Abraham whispered. 
YHWH: The Flood The Fish & The Giant, pg 67.

Back Cover: From the depths of time come stories that have been told and retold for thousands of years. Now we again have the chance to delve into those ancient mysteries. The Flood The Fish & The Giant will take you in to a long-forgotten world. Twenty exciting stories come together to speak of our history on the planet. Told in a fresh and exciting way, this book will open your eyes to the wonders of the universe and the force that has changed the history of mankind.

My Review: The Flood The Fish & The Giant was written with the Harry Potter generation in mind. Basically, this is a book with twenty stories from the Old Testament, retold in an imaginative way. New characters have been added, and old character have been given names. The stories don't contradict anything that is written in the Bible, but they don't really add that much to the experience. I'm not sure that reading this book will draw people to the true Biblical accounts. I guess I'm a skeptic as far as that is concerned.

Though the writing is good, it's not stellar. There were many times where I thought that I had heard the story told better at other times. I was hoping for more from this book than what it delivered.

My Rating: 

My Recommendation: I would recommend this book to young people who would enjoy a different kind of look at some classic Old Testament stories.

Book has been provided courtesy of Authentic Media and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available now at your favourite bookseller.

Book Review: Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

"For two hundred years they had not been seen.

They first appeared as deeper shadows among the shadows of the Wood, all staring eyes and sniffing noses, as wary as children dipping a toe in deep water, fearful to take a dive.

Then one stepped forth, and he, with a smile, beckoned to the others. A huge creature with eyes as wide and white as the moon and skin like craggy rocks followed with a strange grace of movement; behind him walked another who was black as a shadow but whose eyes shone like the sky. After these came others. Out of the Wood they streamed in parade - carrying with them the scent of dusk, the sound of dawn - and they arranged themselves upon the lawn outside the walls of the city of Sondhold, in the shadow of Goldstone Hill." Heartless, pg 18-19.

First off... I just love this cover! Okay... on to the review.

Princess Una of Parumvir has finally come of age and is eagerly waiting for suitors to come pay their respects. What Una doesn't expect is the fabled Twelve-year Market or Prince Aethelbald from the legendary country of Fartheshore. These are things of nursery rhymes and old stories. Still, they are real, and right before Una's eyes. The prince is not as romantic or handsome as Una would like, and despite his kindness and concern, she refuses to marry him. Will she ever accept his love? Will she listen to his warning about the coming evil dragon? Will she give her heart to another? Can death really bring life?

Anne Elisabeth Stengl casts an amazing spell her debut novel. I enjoy reading Young Adult Fiction, and this book did not disappoint. The fantasy and fairytale aspects of the story drew me in and kept me reading. I can't wait to read the rest of the Goldstone Wood series. These are going to be great!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Book Review: A Summer Secret by Kathleen Fuller

"First the mysterious button, then a bent page in her journal...now her juice boxes were missing. What was going on?

Standing up, she glanced around the barn. For the first time the cavernous space had lost its comforting appeal. She shuddered. Someone was watching her. She could feel it.

'Who's there?' she called out, walking the length of the dirt floor. 'I know someone's here.'

She heard a rustling sound outside. Rushing out the door, she ran around the back of the barn, expecting to find the spy. But nobody was there. Great. Now her imagination was running wild. She needed to get home before she lost her mind completely. She took a step backward.

Someone grabbed her arm." A Summer Secret, pg 33.

Mary Beth Mullet only wanted a place to call her own - a quiet place away from her three rambunctious brothers. The old condemned barn was the perfect spot for her to sit, dream, write and draw. No one knew her special place, at least that was what she thought until she found the button. Now, it seems that someone else knows about her secret place, an Mary Beth is determined to solve the mystery. With the help of her twin brother Johnny, she works to unravel the web of mystery.

I really enjoyed reading Kathleen Fuller's book. I liked the personality that she gave the characters. Too often in Amish fiction, the characters seem a little flat, and not easy to identify with. Mary Beth is not like that. I think that young girls will be able to identify with her struggles and desires. I also think that the book teaches a great lesson about helping others in the right way. This was a great book and I look forward to reading the next mystery.

This book is a great piece of juvenile fiction. I would highly recommend adding it to your daughter's library.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson for the purpose of review.)

Book Review: Asking for Trouble & Through Thick and Thin by Sandra Byrd

"What should I do, God? I try to be an honest person. You know that. But I'm lonely, and the newspaper is one place I think I can fit in. It's not going to hurt anyone if I just make it sound like I've had a little more experience than I have. I know I can do the work. Then maybe I'll make some friends, have a normal lunch table to sit at. And You know my dream is to be a journalist. Could You just make this teensy little thing happen?" Asking for Trouble, pg 17.

15-year-old Savvy Smith just moved from Seattle to a small town near London, England. She has to find a new set of friends and make a name for herself. When she learns there is an opening on the Newspaper staff, she thinks that this is her chance to find a place to fit in. But there's one problem, she doesn't have the experience needed for the job. Caught between her desire for a by line and her desire to please God, Savvy has to make the hardest decision of her young life. Will it be the right one?

I very much enjoyed the first book in the London Confidential series by Sandra Byrd. I liked the way that Sandra developed the character of Savvy. I could identify with the girl, though I'm past those years myself and was never that fashion conscious. I can still remember what it was like to be on the outside looking in. I remember how it felt to be left out, just because I was different. I think that Sandra did a wonderful job addressing these issues and showing how to overcome them, while still living for the Lord.

I would recommend this book to any teenage girl.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.)

"My assignment was clear. I had to find a way into that photo shoot. And then get Jack to allow me to write a feature article for the Wexburg Academy Times." Through Thick & Thin, pg 23.

Savvy Smith wants her own by line, and she might have just found the perfect way to get it. A fashion designer is scheduled to do a shoot at one of the local historic homes, which just happens to be owned by the parents of one of the aristocats at school. With the help of her new friend, Penny, Savvy gets an invitation to the shoot. But problems are on the horizon, and Savvy has to make a tough choice between her family, friends and the fame that she dreams of.

Book 2 of the London Confidential series follows the story of Savvy Smith as she strives to make friends in her new home near London, England. Sandra Byrd did a wonderful job continuing this story. I appreciate that Savvy is perfect. She makes mistakes with real consequences, and I could find myself, even as an adult, learning from her. Well done!

I would recommend this book to any teenage girl, especially one who loves fashion.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.)

Book Review: Anything But Normal by Melody Carlson

"If Carrie Anne didn't still have such a ridiculous crush on Dylan, Sophie would talk to her about this whole thing. But as it was, Sophie didn't dare mention a thing. She couldn't imagine how Carrie Anne would react. In fact, she didn't want to know. Maybe it was a relief that Dylan was dumping her after all - make that he'd already dumped her but just hadn't bothered to send her the memo. Oh, why had she come up here today?" Anything But Normal, pg. 21.

Sophie Ramsay should be having the time of her life. She is a senior in high school. She has finally received the coveted position of Chief Editor for the school paper. A great guy has a huge crush on her. She has a gaggle of good Christian girlfriends at her side. But Sophie isn't feeling at the top of the world. She's holding a secret that is about to destroy life as she knows it. Sophie throws herself into her journalism, but her op/ed piece stirs up a hornets nest of controversy, and causes Sophie to get near people she has always looked down upon. Will she ever survive this? Will one wrong choice ruin her life forever?

Melody Carlson does a great job talking about some very sensitive issues for teenage girls. She doesn't condone sin in the book, but she shows how mercy and grace can be used in a correct way. Forgiveness is the way of Christ. We've all been through situations where we've made a wrong choice. Melody's characters are no different. I liked the way that Carlson took us through the inner turmoil that Sophie faced, not only while she held her secret close to heart, but also once her Christian friends got wind of it. Sometimes, I think that Christians have a harder time forgiving one of their own. This book deals with that concept as well. I believe this book will open the eyes of Christian teen girls.

Available now at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book for the purpose of review.)

Book Review: The Long Way Home by Andrew Klavan

"The man with the knife was a stranger. I never saw him before he tried to kill me.

I was in the Whitney Library when it happened, about seven miles from my hometown of Spring Hill. I'd been there for about forty-five minutes. I had come with a plan - a plan to clear my name, to get free, to get home to my family and out of danger. Now I had to leave. It wasn't safe for me to stay in any one place for very long." The Long Way Home, pg 3.

Seventeen year old Charlie West is on a dangerous quest to piece together the missing year of his life. He has been convicted of murder, sentenced and imprisoned. But he escaped. He is now a fugitive on the run, trying to find the answers that will prove his innocence. With the police and a terrorist group both hot on his trail, Charlie makes his way home to Spring Hill. With the help of his high school friends, he learns things about the past, but will it be enough? Will he figure out who framed him for his friend's murder? Will he get out alive? How many times can he escape the law?

Andrew Klavan writes an action packed book that fits well for a male teenage audience. The Long Way Home is the second book in THE HIGHLANDERS series. Written as a first person narrative, we get to see inside the struggles that Charlie faces looking for the truth about the year that he can’t remember. He learns much from his friends, who are determined to support him no matter what the danger.

I would recommend this book for a teenage boys who enjoy a non-stop action packed adventure. It will keep them on turning the pages.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.)