Here are my recent books read. I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews. If I don’t like a book, I won’t finish it. It doesn’t feel right leaving a review in that case, but I have been known to email the author:) Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!
by C.S. Boyack
“Serang” is a companion book to “Voyage of the Lanternfish,” but it isn’t necessary to have read it to enjoy this story. I was very excited to explore Serang’s history, and this book didn’t disappoint. Her mother abandons her at a temple as a young girl, but I like Serang is given a choice about that later. When the new Emperor removes her way of life, everything changes again. This journey into adulthood and her relationship with a monk were the heart of this story. The fights were exciting, and the moments of learning were thought-provoking. The detail in the scenery brought me into her world as they battled, searched for water in the desert, or slept in a cave. There were times I was worried for Serang and other times enjoyed her accomplishments. A fantastic fantasy coming-of-age tale that I highly recommend.
The Hanged Man: A Digby Rolf Mystery
I went into reading “The Hanged Man,” thinking this would be a paranormal mystery. When the killer was revealed a third of the way through, it left me pondering — where can this go next? It became a journey of the Prison Pastor, Digby Rolf trying to prove the innocence of John Moorland set in England in the 1950s. Digby is an untrained investigator and appears to be very lucky in his survival or the paranormal part of the story. His relationship with his landlord’s niece, Summer, was nicely mixed into the story. This was told through many POVs, and a few times I found myself lost in that. But I liked knowing what everyone was thinking and doing. Digby’s past still haunted him, which added to his depth, but the story only touched on that part. There were a few gruesome scenes mixed in that made complete sense given the situations. This was an interesting story that took a twist I didn’t expect at the end. I enjoyed this book and was engaged until the last page.
“Terra’s Call” is a YA science fiction book that can easily be read by younger readers and adults. The story is told through four POVs or the teenagers who had extra gifts and unusual eyes. I loved their community and the relationship between the teen’s three families. The combination of Cherokee, Aliens and the Bible was the right blend for me. Showing a world’s weather out of balance with Jewel, Sky, Pax, and Storm figuring out how they were supposed to save the world had me all in. Jewel was my favorite of the four, and I adored her abilities. There were a few times I lost track of whose POV I was in since the four teen’s personalities were similar, but that didn’t matter as my interest held. Ms. Perrin takes questions we all ponder and creates a world in which we get some answers. There was a cliff-hanger ending, but I was satisfied with what had been resolved. I will definitely be reading the second book to see what happens next, especially after the teaser at the end!
The Istanbul Conspiracy (Code Raven #7)
By Lynda Filler
“The Istanbul Conspiracy” is the first Code Raven book I’ve read in the series. So, I jumped right in without the benefit of knowing the past stories and relationships. Luckily, Ms. Filler included a brief bio at the beginning, which helped. The story starts with the wedding of Yunus and Sudi that goes wrong and it pulls you right into the action. Then help comes, Raven Group, to figure out what’s going on in Istanbul. There were a few surprises and lots of action, but my favorite part was being immersed into the city with all the details. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but my favorite was Luke and Samaar and her daughter, Alice. Politics and history are a fascinating part of the story and you can tell the author has done her research with that. I am definitely curious to see what happens next in this political thriller series and will be reading the next book.
Life’s Rich Tapestry: Woven in Words
by Sally Cronin
This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Cronin, but it won’t be the last. It’s a wonderful collection of poetry and short stories. In the first part of the book, there were many different types of poetry and subjects, but my favorites had to be nature and the faeries sections. The Haikus of the different seasons really stood out to me. I’m always amazed at how much can be said in flash fiction, but the short stories were my favorite part. From animals to human enhancement in the future, there was a lot of variety. The animal stories tugged at my emotions and were the highlight of the book for me. I highly recommend “Life’s Rich Tapestry,” especially if you love poetry and short stories with heart.
Allergic to Life: My Battle for Survival, Courage, and Hope
“Allergic to Life” describes the author’s journey through illness over several years. I grasped Ms. Treat’s frustration as she searched for answers. I understood her fight to survive through her eyes, and I felt like I was at each doctor’s appointment. The added poetry and pictures brought it more to life, a woman whose life had changed so drastically. Reading this brought back some memories with my health struggles and the anxiety I felt, but what I went through was nothing compared to her fight with mold allergies. This book shows a woman who never gave up trying to get better. She had the support system and determination to get healthy. While being surrounded by some wonderful understanding doctors, she had to deal with those who thought this was just in her head or didn’t understand. I loved how Ms. Treat documented everything carefully and stood up for herself. I know that is hard to do from experience and admired her strength. I highly recommend this book.
Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn
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