Monday, December 21, 2015

Finding Mercy with The Mercy Tree By Nicole Donavon



I will be doing a series review for The Kingdom Critters series and this is my first time doing this so everyone please bear with me.  First, I will be reviewing The Mercy Tree and on Christmas night I will be posting the review for the next book in the series called To Catch A Seeing Star. I was happy to do this one because I was able to read these books to my nine year old daughter.  
The setting is as sweet as the story itself.  It starts in the fictional land of animals which includes Chimara, deserts and castles.  It is magical and compelling.  Like I said before, it is definitely sweet. 
The characters within this book are just as wonderful as the settings.  I love the main character, Archer and understand what he’s going through.  His father and mother are darling and there is even a bad guy that makes you wince.  What is different about this story is Archer is a hedgehog as are his parents.  The rest of the characters are animals too. Children will love both the setting and the characters.
I am going to do something that I haven’t done before.  I am going to include the summary from amazon so that you can read that because I always fear giving too much away and with the summary I won't.  
“I can’t be a witness for some critter that never existed.” 

That statement sends Archer, a tiny hedgehog with an even tinier faith, on a journey for truth. What he doesn’t realize is that sometimes when you set out to prove something false you end up proving it’s true. 

Soon he finds himself traveling all over Chamira and meeting some interesting critters along the way. From the critters in Nod who have it all and won’t part with any of it; to those on Unfit Peak who are thankful for the little they have that doesn’t even fill their bellies. 

Throughout this adventure Archer will learn that the White Lamb is always there for His critters. That even when Archer wanted nothing to do with Him, He would not leave him to wander in the darkness alone. 

If you have found yourself questioning your faith, come and join Archer on a journey that won’t only change his life, but yours as well. 

As you can see this is spiritual tale and it does exactly what it’s supposed to.  It sends the reader on a journey with this little animal who has very real human feelings.  I didn’t find myself bored and my daughter enjoyed it immensely.  I do recommend this book for children and early teens. It is a Christian story so there is obvious Christian undertones so please take that into consideration before buying. 
My rating: 5 stars
Book cover rating 5 stars

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Falling for the God of Mischief…My Review of Mischief’s Mate by Nicolette Scarletti


I am back again and this time, I have read Mischief’s Mate by Nicolette Scarletti.  It is the gripping tale of Loki and Chantelle and is a delightful twist on the tales of Gods, Goddesses and magical realms.
                So, I will start with the setting.  The setting is in a few places that range from Asgard to Washington State.  I know that’s a big difference but with magical fantasies such as these, it’s good to have a range of places.  I loved the fact that there was modern mixed with a time of old.  It gave a good atmosphere for the story. 
                The characters were all vibrant.  I loved Chantelle.  She was strong but had a heart that was easy to relate to.  Loki made me fall in love with him.  He was all alpha male…She is mine but then, I saw his sweet side and melted completely into a puddle at his feet.  The supporting character are wonderful.  I love Emma, Frigga, Bells and all the rest.  Nicolette Scarletti does really well at creating interesting and realistic characters.  On the same subject, I hate her villain.  Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do.  So, she did a wonderful job on all of it.
                Now, for the plot.  It is hot.  I love the chemistry between Loki and Chantelle.  There is a good dose of want in the story and love but the electricity between Loki and Chantelle is heartwarming.  I loved every minute of it.  The backstory is heartbreaking and makes Loki all the more appealing.  Whether he would like anyone admitting it, you saw his vulnerability in it.
                So, do I recommend this book?  Run...Power-type…Whatever you have to do to get this book.  It is wonderful.  Do I recommend it for children?  No because some of the scenes are too hot for them to touch.  Everyone else should get it. 
My rating: 5 ++++++++++

My book cover rating: 5  

Monday, December 14, 2015

Feeling Invincible with Cecily Anne Paterson's Invincible (Book 2) The Invisible Series



I am happy to be reviewing again and this time it is by the talented author Cecily Anne Paterson and her book Invincible which is the sequel to one of my favorite books Invisible of The Invisible Series.  So, I was really excited to get this book and if you haven't read my review of Invisible, please do.  
We start with the same setting as before with a teenage girl who lives in Australia.  She is fairly new at her school because her mother moved them around a lot because of a tragedy in their lives but thankfully, they have decided to stay after the events of the last book.  The setting still works really well for this book.  So, I'm glad that Mrs. Paterson didn't have Jazmine move again.  So, we are able to start this book where the other left off.  
The characters are still wonderful.  I love Jazmine and I love her friends.  The author has a wonderful way of making her characters real with real problems.  Unfortunately, I was a little confused when it came to Liam.  You get to know him in the book before and the changes he goes through within a matter of weeks don't make sense because you do not expect his actions in the second book.  It seems kind of forced. I wish there had been some clues to his personality in the first book.  For example, with Gabby you saw her actions coming but for Liam it was a surprise.  For someone who didn't read the book before this one, you wouldn't notice but I did so I noticed.  It's the only real complaint I have characterwise.  
Now, the plot was a little sticky but it goes back to the surprising actions of Liam and it was because I had to switch from seeing him as one person to seeing him as another very quickly.  However, once I was able to see him that way, the plot was easier to take in.  The other parts of the plot were perfection.  I loved it.  There was real emotion within them and I was able to experience everything with those characters.  I do like the message behind the plot.  I just wish there had been more signs pointing to what was about to happen.  I think it would have helped the message also.
This book is still enjoyable.  I still loved it.  I will be recommending it especially to young girls.  The messages in it are important to any teenage girl.  I recommend this book to anyone who likes clean books with a healthy dose of sentiment.  I also recommend it to anyone who likes books with dramatic flare.  

My rating: 4 stars
Book Cover Rating: 5