Book Review: Courageous by Randy Alcorn (Based on the Screenplay by the Kendrick Brothers)

Title: Courageous

Author: Randy Alcorn, based off the screenplay of Alex Kendrick and Stephan Kendrick

Publish Date: August 1, 2011

Genre: Christian Fiction

Why I Read this Book: I have wanted to read this book since I saw the movie a few years ago. I read the audiobook version of this book that I found at my local library.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book (from Goodreads):  

From the creators of "Fireproof" comes an inspiring new story about everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, and their partners willingly stand up to the worst the world can offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood. While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark. They know that God desires to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, but their children are beginning to drift farther and farther away from them. Will they be able to find a way to serve and protect those who are most dear to them? When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God . . . and to their children?

Review

Adam Mitchell and his law enforcement partners constantly face the challenge of being Godly fathers. They seek to find a way to protect those that are closest to themselves. Courageous is all about striving to be all that God wants us to be.

I watched the movie Courageous a few years ago and fell in love with the way the screenplay writers mixed comedy with a very serious topic: fatherhood and being what God wants you to be. At the end of the Audiobook version, there is an interview with the author of the book, Randy Alcorn. In the interview he discussed how he struggled to create a full length novel out of only a few hours of screenplay. I believe one of the most amazing aspects of this book is the additional content that Alcorn provides. There are many additional or lengthened scenes that stay true to the original feel of the movie. He adds much more laughter, many more heartfelt moments and keeps the overall message just as hard hitting.

I would recommend this book to anyone who needs encouragement, laughter, or a good crying session.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 5/5

Update Post: Internship and Moving

 Hello everybody! I apologize for not posting in a while. Hopefully I will get back to a regular reviewing schedule soon!

At the beginning of July, I started a paid internship doing research for my Master's degree. I had to move to an adjoining state for this internship and had to live with my parents for about a month before I could find my own place. During that time, I was working 8 hours a day and commuting anywhere between 3 and 5 hours a day, depending on traffic. Luckily, I have now moved into a lovely 2 bedroom apartment with my husband and things are settling down a bit.

I hope to post reviews again soon. I have read/listened to several audiobooks during my commute times and I cannot wait to share my ideas on those wonderful books with you! Here are some of the reviews that you can look forward to:

• Courageous by Randy Alcorn
• A March Bride (A Year of Weddings, Novella 4) by Rachel Hauck
• A June Bride (A Year of Weddings, Novella 7) by Marybeth Whalen 
• A July Bride by Beth Wiseman
• The Summer Before Boys by Nora Raleigh Baskin
• Finally (Willow Falls, Book 2) by Wendy Mass

Release Day Book Review: The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: The Fixer

Series: The Fixer (Book 1)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publish Date: July 7, 2015

Genre: Young Adult Thriller

Why I Read this Book: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review of this novel.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book (from Goodreads):  

When sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick is sent to live with her older sister, Ivy, she has no idea that the infamous Ivy Kendrick is Washington D.C.'s #1 “fixer,” known for making politicians' scandals go away for a price. No sooner does Tess enroll at Hardwicke Academy than she unwittingly follows in her sister's footsteps and becomes D.C.'s premier high school fixer, solving problems for elite teens.

Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life. . . . until their worlds come crashing together and Tess finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy with one of her classmates and a client of Ivy's. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or politics, and the price for this fix might be more than Tess is willing to pay.

Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for more in this exciting new series.

Review

Full of action and suspense, Jennifer Lynn Barnes latest thriller, The Fixer, does not cease to amaze. I had previously read another novel by Barnes (The Naturals) and I loved it! (You can find my review here. So naturally (pun intended), as soon as I saw Barnes' latest novel on Netgalley I decided to pick it up.

In The Fixer, Tess Kendrick moves in with her sister and some big changes happen in her life. She goes from a teen in a small town skipping classes to take care of her grandfather with Alzheimer's disease to being invited to dinner by the first lady.

This action packed thriller had many twists and turns. The dynamics between the characters was what really got me hooked. I enjoyed the character development and the high-action plot. I loved every minute of The Fixer and would recommend this book to anyone looking for action and suspense.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Book Review: Escape from Sudan by Amanda DiCianni

Title: Escape from Sudan

Author: Amanda DiCianni

Publish Date: April 24, 2014

Genre: Christian Middle-Grade

Why I Read this Book: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review of this novel.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book (from Goodreads):  

Action. Adventure. Suspense. Escape from Sudan introduces school-aged readers to Elijah Bwoko, a teenage boy trying to re-unite with his family in the war torn land of South Sudan. Follow Elijah through eleven action-packed chapters along his journey to rescue his sisters from slavery, navigate a refugee camp in Uganda, and eventually make it to safety in America. Escape from Sudan gives children insight into another culture and will broaden their horizons about life in the Dark Continent. Content is suitable for ages 8 and up.

Review

Escape from Sudan was a great book to read right before the United States' Independence Day (July 4th). Escape from Sudan reminded me of one of the amazing aspects of the United States: Freedom. During a war in Uganda, Elijah seeks to find refuge in the United States with a host family. He seeks the freedom that many Americans, including myself, often take advantage of.

Escape from Sudan was full of action! I believe that it would be a great topic starter for many middle school children about real world issues including slavery and war. I felt that the book was written very appropriately for the target age group.

I would recommend this book to readers of all ages that are looking for a fiction book with real world issues.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 4/5

Book Review: Half-Hearts by Kealohilani Wallace

Title: Half-Hearts

Series: Half-Hearts (Book 1)

Author: Kealohilani Wallace

Publish Date: January 15, 2014

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Why I Read this Book: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review of this novel.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book (from Goodreads):  

With billions of people on the planet, how can anyone ever find their other half? And what if everything depended on it?

The magical world of Alamea is in imminent danger of falling under the control of Vranah, “The Great Evil,” as he sweeps swiftly and mercilessly across their entire planet. And, with every death on Alamea, the equivalent of that person dies on Earth, Alamea’s parallel planet. The only hope lies in an ancient Alamean prophecy— the prophecy of the Half-Hearts. According to this prophecy, if any two of the twenty-four Alamean Half-Hearts can find each other, fall in love, and marry in a place that is magically prepared for such a union, that union would tip the balance of power so that Vranah may be able to be defeated. Then and only then will Alamea be saved and Earth be free of its terrible twin destiny.

Unfortunately, only Vranah knows the identities of the Half-Hearts. On the rare occasions that two Half-Hearts manage to even find each other, Vranah casts spells of distrust, jealousy, deceit, infidelity, abuse, and any other selfish traits he can throw at them, in order to break them apart and neutralize the threat. When love proves too strong to be distracted by such tactics, he simply kills them.

Lani Johnson is a twenty-one-year-old college senior from California. Yanked out of her world and its relative safety, she is swept into Vranah’s final war for Alamea. As she discovers that everyone has extraordinary gifts, and as she works to develop her own, she has no idea what is at stake or what could be the key to saving both Alamea and Earth— or whether it is all simply an elaborate dream world that her broken heart constructed, in order to distract her from her own reality.

Half-Hearts is a journey of thrilling twists and surprising turns, with many perils along the way. And from within what should be the safety of close friendship and true love, arises a shocking ending that no one will see coming.

Review

Half-Heart is a book that leaves you wanting more. At first, it was hard to get into the book as the character development and the world building were a bit lacking. As the story progressed, the writing was dramatically better and the book was difficult to put down.

One example of how the writing was a bit lacking in the beginning was the fact that the author seemed to tell things instead of showing them. For instance, one character broke her leg. Instead of saying something to the effect of "there was a crack as she tripped and she feared the worst", the author stated "she broke her leg as she fell" (not verbatim). If the author had hinted at the emotions of the characters instead of bluntly stating them, I feel the novel would be a 5/5 star novel.

The plot of this novel was very unique and well executed (see the description above for more information about the plot). Even though the heart of this novel was an epic type journey (which I usually do not enjoy, i.e. The Lord of the Rings), I felt like this novel was more than an epic journey; it is full of romantic plots, adventure, fighting, and character growth.

I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a great fantasy and is willing to read a huge book (at almost 600 pages).

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 3.75/5

Read-O-Rama Readathon TBR

The Read-O-Rama is from Sunday, June 28th to Saturday, July 4 (woohoo Independence Day in the USA). 

There are 7 challenges for the readathon:

1. Read 7 Books (not sure if I can do this one)
2. Read a Middle Grade book
3. Read a fantasy novel
4. Read a re-read
5. Read a book with blue on the cover
6. Read an e-book or audiobook
7. Read a book with RAMA in the title and/or author name (in any order)

Here are some of the books that I might read throughout the week:

• Mason Wilson and the Dead Bird Debacle by M.P. Jones (currently on page 60/272)
• Read a Middle Grade Book
• Read a book with blue on the cover
• The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian (currently on page 41/201)
• Read a book with RAMA in the title and/or author name
• God Everyday: 365 Life Application Devotions by Mike Lutz (currently on page 6/690)
• Read a book with blue on the cover
• Escape from Sudan by Amanda DiCianni
• Read an e-book
• Because You Will Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas
• Read an e-book
• Taken by Dee Henderson
• Read an e-book

Are you participating in this read-a-thon? What is your TBR? What are some of your favorite summer reads? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Summer Challenges and Readathons Participation Announcement and Summer TBR

In this post, I wanted to discuss what I will be reading this summer and challenges and readathons that I will be participating in. I will update this list as I find more challenges and readathons to be a part of and as I read more books. 

Paperback Summer Challenge
Paperback Summer is a challenge that is hosted by Reviewed the Book and Suze & Friends. The goal is simple: read as many paperbacks as you can during the months of June, July, and August. There are giveaways associated with this challenge. During the course of the challenge, participants use #paperbacksummer. To join and find out more information about this challenge, please visit this webpage.

I wanted to discuss some of the paperbacks that I currently own and hope to read this summer. Also, I am including books that I am currently reading or have finished in June.

Read-O-Rama
Read-O-Rama is a readathon from June 28th to July 4th. There are 7 challenges:

1. Read 7 Books
2. Read a Middle Grade Novel
3. Read a fantasy book
4. Read a book with blue on the cover
5. Re-read a book
6. Read a book with R-A-M-A in the title and/or authors name (in any order)
7. Read an e-book

I probably will not finish many of these challenges, but I hope to give it a shot :)

More information can be found at @readorama on Twitter. 

Summer TBR

Finished Books

• Shaken by Kariss Lynch
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• Shadowed by Kariss Lynch
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• Half-Hearts by Kealohilani Wallace
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• Are You There God? It's Me Margaret? by Judy Blume
• Judy Blume Read Along (see this post for more info)

Currently Reading

• Almost Perfect by Diane Daniels Manning
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• A Place of Voices by Lauren Lynch
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• Mason Wilson and the Dead Bird Debacle by M.P. Jones
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• Read-O-Rama (Read a MG Novel)
• Nest by Esther Ehrlich
• Black Bottle Man by Craig Russell
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• Jesus Is ___ by Judah Smith
• The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• Read-O-Rama (Read a book with RAMA in the title and/or author name)
• God Everyday: 365 Life Application Devotions by Mike Lutz
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• Read-O-Rama (read a book with blue on the cover)

To Be Read

• Love's Abundant Harvest by Beth Shriver
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• The Matchmaker by Sarah Price
• Paperback Summer Challenge
• Escape from Sudan by Amanda DiCianni
• Read-O-Rama (Read an e-book)
• Because You Will Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas
• Read-O-Rama (Read an e-book)
• Taken by Dee Henderson
• Read-O-Rama (Read an e-book)

Summer Biannual Bibliothon and #CrushYourTBR Readathons Challenges and TBR

There are two readathons that I am planning on participating in this week: The Summer Biannual Bibliothon (Sunday, June 21st to Saturday, June 27th) and the #crushyourtbr readathon (All day Friday, June 26th).

The Summer Biannual Bibliothon is hosted by Kelly, Brittni, Emma, Selena, Sierra, Kassie, and Red (links are to their YouTube channels). There is also a YouTube account for this readathon (Biannual Bibliothon) and they can be found on twitter (@BBibliothon).


#crushyourtbr is hosted by Jacquelyn and Raeleen (twitter accounts are linked).  This readathon is usually a 3 day readathon, but it is going to be a 24 hour readathon this go around. More information can be found at either of the twitter pages above or at the official twitter account for the readathon (@CrushYourTBR).

The Summer Biannual Bibliothon has seven challenges, which will be my TBR for the week. Here are the challenges and my associated books:

• The Group Book
• Paper Towns by John Green (if I can get it from my library)
• A re-read a book from your childhood
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
• A Companion/Novella/Prequel
• The Falconer by Rachel Cotterhill
• A genre you've read the least this year - Adult Christian Thriller
• Taken by Dee Henderson
• A book that you Did Not Finish (DNF)
• Do What Jesus Did by Robby Dawkins
• A book set in a foreign country (must take place on earth, not in space, or another world, etc.)
• Escape from Sudan by Amanda DiCianni
• A book about an issue you're passionate about- Christian Martyrs
• Jesus Freaks by dc Talk (if I can get it from my library)

Obviously, I will probably not be able to read all of these books throughout the week, but I hope to get through at least 2 of them. I have a busy schedule next week in terms of doing research for my thesis and packing for a big move, so we will see what I can do.

Are you participating in these readathons? If so, what are you planning on reading? Have you read any of the books in my TBR? If so, what did you think of them? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet me (@blog_gal).

#BlumeAlong: A Judy Blume Read Along

There is an awesome Judy Blume Read Along that is hosted by Entomology of a Bookworm that is happening right now and ends July 17th. The two books that are going to be read during this Read Along are Are You Here God? It's Me Margaret. (June 15-26) and Summer Sisters (June 26-July 17th). For this Read Along, we will be using the hashtag #BlumeAlong on twitter and anywhere else that uses hashtags (such as Instagram). More information on the Read Along can be found here.

I plan on participating in this Read Along. I have the first book on my shelf already and I hae been meaning to read it. I think I have read some of Judy Blume's books as a child but for the life of me I cannot remember which ones I have read.

Are you planning on participating in this Read Along? What are your favorite Judy Blume books? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet me (@blog_gal).

Book Spotlight and Trailer Reveal: The Six

I received an egalley of The Six by Mark Alpert from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and I am so excited to be reading and reviewing it soon. Until I am able to read and review it, I wanted to do a book spotlight and show you the awesome new trailer for the book! Here it is!

The Six

By Mark Alpert

Sourcebooks Fire

July 7, 2015

Advance Praise for Mark Alpert

“Adam is an unusual hero—and he faces a frightening question: Computers can’t kill—CAN they? I’m still shaken by the answer. Will the near-future really be this terrifying?” —R.L. Stine, bestselling author of the Goosebumps and Fear Street series

“An exciting action story chock-full of characters you’ll love. The Six is full of big ideas, big questions, real science, and things that will make you think and wonder and lie awake late at night.” —Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author of the Gone series

“The Six are introduced as terminally-ill teens, but there’s plenty of high-speed action in which they engage. Their physical disabilities and limitations through disease are forgotten as the teens’ hearts, minds, and personalities shine through...questions of principle, power, and possibility keep this look at our modern, hardwired existence fresh and fascinating.” STARRED Booklist

“Alpert's exploration of neuromorphic electronics raises interesting questions about ethics, technology, and human nature…a haunting ending scene will leave readers pondering the line between progress and loss. A thought-provoking clash between humanity and machinery.”- Kirkus Reviews

“A well-researched, hardcore science-fiction joyride, great for fans of first-person shooter video games like Halo and Destiny. Highly recommended” –School Library Journal

“Do not just read The Six; make your friends read it too.” –VOYA Magazine

Goodreads Link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23354348-the-six?from_search=true&search_version=service_impr

Avatar meets The Terminator in this thrilling cyber-tech adventure…

Book Info:

Adam’s muscular dystrophy has taken his motility, his friends, and in a few short years, it will take his life. He takes solace in playing video games he’s programmed to reflect the life that he used to have. Virtual reality is the one realm where he can be the hero, and it’s where he chooses to spend his time, until an entity called Sigma tries to kill him.

A dangerously advanced artificial intelligence program created by Adam’s computer-genius father, Sigma has escaped its cyber prison and is threatening global destruction and domination. But Adam’s father has a plan. He will stop Sigma by using the technology he developed to digitally preserve the mind of his dying son.

Adam’s consciousness is uploaded into the body of a weaponized robot, along with a group of five other gifted teens who are terminally ill. Together, they must learn how to manipulate their new mechanical forms and prepare for combat before Sigma destroys humanity. Adam can finally play the hero for real, but will his new body be worth the sacrifice of his human existence?

This innovative and thought-provoking young adult debut, from the critically acclaimed author of adult thrillers Final Theory and The Omega Theory, questions what it means to be human and whether we are destined to be defined by our physical bodies or our intellect.  

Amazon | Apple| B&N | BAM | !ndigo |  IndieBound | Kindle |  Nook

Mark Alpert:

Mark Alpert is a former editor at Scientific American, and the author of several adult thrillers. He’s been praised by Douglas Preston as the “heir to Michael Crichton.” Visit Mark online at markalpert.com.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Excerpt from The Six:

Shannon rears back in her seat as if she’s been slapped. “And where are you going to store the copies of our brains?” Her voice is furious. “In a supercomputer? A big electronic prison?”

Dad doesn’t take offense. He answers her calmly. “The scanning process converts human intelligence to a digital form, allowing it to run on any neuromorphic computer that has enough memory and processing power. But in the initial stage right after the transfer, we believe it’s important to connect the intelligence to a machine that can move around and sense the outside world. A human intelligence is accustomed to controlling a body, so if we want to preserve its sanity, we’d better give it something to control. Here, let me show you.”

He puts the vial of nanoprobes back in his pocket and pulls out something else, a small remote--control device. He points it at the doorway beside the stage, and a moment later I hear a loud clanking. The noise startles the soldiers standing by the doorway. They step backward, flattening themselves against the wall. Then a seven--foot--tall robot emerges from the doorway and brushes past them.

The robot strides across the stage. It has two arms and two legs, but otherwise it isn’t very humanlike. It has no head or neck. Its torso is shaped like a giant bullet, with the rounded end on top. Its legs angle downward from the base of its torso and rest on oval steel--plate footpads that clang against the floor.

The machine marches briskly past the podium and stops in front of my dad, who presses a button on his remote control. This command extends the robot’s arms, which telescope to a full length of six feet. They look like multi--jointed tentacles. The machine’s hands, though, resemble human hands, with dexterous mechanical fingers and thumbs.

Dad presses another button, and the robot’s rounded top starts to turn like a turret. “The cameras and acoustic sensors are up here,” Dad says, pointing at the top end. “But the neuromorphic electronics are deep inside the torso, encased in armor plating. These robots were originally designed for the war in Afghanistan, so they’re pretty sturdy.” He raps his knuckles against the torso. “All in all, it’s an excellent platform for a newly transferred intelligence, but really it’s just the beginning. The whole point of the Pioneer Project is to bridge the gap between man and machine, and that means the human intelligences must explore their new environment. The Pioneers will have to learn how to use their new capabilities, and that includes transferring their intelligences from one machine to another.”

His voice grows louder again, full of enthusiasm. “Once the Pioneers have mastered these tasks, our hope is that they’ll be able to establish a connection with Sigma. If all goes well, they’ll start communicating with the AI before it launches any of the Russian missiles. And then the toughest challenge will begin. At the same time that the humans are learning how to be machines, they’ll have to teach Sigma how to be human.”

Rafflecopter Giveaway Link for Sourcebooks Fire Sci-Fi Book Pack including a copy of The Six by Mark Alpert (Runs June 11-June 23rd) US and Canada only:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#Rainbowthon Daily Progress

The #rainbowthon is this week (June 15-21) and I cannot wait to join. It is hosted by The Carpe Librum Book Club (@CarpethisLibrum on Twitter). I probably will not read that much this week, but I will be reading so let's see how much I can get done.

In this post, I will have a running thread in which I discuss my daily progress during the readathon. My TBR pile for this readathon can be found here.

Monday

I read from page 288 to page 330 from Half-Hearts for a total of 42 pages. 

Today's Page Count: 42
Total Page Count: 42

Tuesday

I read from page 330 to 414 from Half Hearts for a total of 84 pages today.

Today's Page Count: 84
Total Page Count: 126

Wednesday

So far today, I have read 2 pages from God Every Day 365 which is a Christian daily devotional. I am loving this devotional so far. As this is a yearly devotional, I do not believe that I will be able to finish this during this readathon, so I think I may change my TBR from what I listed in my #Rainbowthon TBR post. 

I think I will change my blue book to Are Your There God? It's Me Margaret. This book is part of the #BlumeAlong readathon that I discussed in today's post. I also posted a picture on instagram about this book:

I am starting this beauty for the blue book for the #rainbowthon #blumealong

A photo posted by Jessica Bradley Barnes (@blog_gal) on Jun 17, 2015 at 8:10am PDT

I read 26 pages of Are You There God? It's Me Margaret today.

I also read from page 414 to 424 from Half-Hearts for a total of 10 pages from that book. I am really loving this book; I just did not have much time to read yesterday. I love the world that this book is set in. The characters are finally being developed and I am loving all of them.

Today's Page Count: 38
Total Page Count: 164

Thursday (in progress)

I am 95% complete with Half-Hearts; I read 126 pages today of it and it is absolutely amazing. The intensity of the book is so high right now. I imagine I will be completing this book very soon!

I also read a good majority of Are You There God? It's Me Margaret today. I have read a total of 94 pages of the book so far (68 pages today). This book is engaging, but it is not one of my favorites. I enjoy the writing style, but the content is not something that I can relate to at my current age. I am 22 and the main character is 11 (almost 12). This period in my life is so far gone that I cannot even imagine what I was like at that age. I am sure many younger kids would be able to relate to this book better than I currently can.

Today's Page Count: 194
Total Page Count: 358

Friday

I finished Half-Hearts today by reading 32 pages. I loved this book and gave it a 4/5 star rating. A full review will be coming soon on my blog.

I also read 25 pages of Are You There God? It's Me Margaret.

Today's Page Count: 57
Total Page Count: 415

Saturday in progress

I have finished Are You There God? It's Me Margaret by reading 30 pages. I am not sure what I will pick up next.

Today's Page Count: 30
Total Page Count: 445

Sunday

OVERALL PROGRESS

Total Page Count: 445
Books Started Before the Readathon: 2
Books Started During the Readathon: 1
Books Completed: 2

#Rainbowthon TBR

The #rainbowthon is this week (June 15-21) and I cannot wait to join. It is hosted by The Carpe Librum Book Club (@CarpethisLibrum on Twitter). I probably will not read that much this week, but I will be reading so let's see how much I can get done.

Here is my TBR for the readathon:

#rainbowreadathon TBR

A photo posted by Jessica Bradley Barnes (@blog_gal) on Jun 15, 2015 at 12:04pm PDT

• Half Hearts by Keolohilani Wallace (currently on page 228/582)
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
• Love's Abundant Harvest by Beth Shriver
• Alliance by Mark Frost
• God Every Day 365 by Mike Lutz
• Almost Perfect by Diane Daniels Manning (currently on page 50/311)

Book Review: Shadowed by Kariss Lynch

Title: Shadowed

Series: Heart of a Warrior (Book 2)

Author: Kariss Lynch

Publish Date: March 3, 2015

Genre: Adult Christian Romance

Why I Read this Book: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review of this novel.

 

 

 

 

 

About the First Book in the Series (from Goodreads):  

When her world is shaken, will her foundation survive?
Idealistic and sheltered with a passion to change the world, Kaylan Richards leaves her comfortable life in Alabama to serve in poverty-stricken Haiti. Despite her inexperience and the opposition of a voodoo priest, Kaylan develops a love for the country and the Haitian people. But something deadly is about to strike.

It is the worst earthquake the country has ever seen, and in its aftermath bodies, buildings, and broken lives litter the streets. People she cares about are dead, and Kaylan is caught in the middle of the destruction, questioning a God who said He was good.

Navy SEAL Nick Carmichael never planned to find a girl he loved more than his country. Now she is a world away, trapped in a deadly situation nothing could have prepared her for. Can Nick’s love help Kaylan heal and show her the God who never abandoned her, or will tragedy shake even the most rooted faith?

Review

This suspenseful Christian Romance series is one that you do not want to miss. I do not want to say much about the plot of this book because it is the second in the series and I don't want to spoil the first book. 

One of my favorite parts of this series is the reminder of God's love and His presence in our lives even in difficult times. Additionally, I love the fast-paced nature of the novels and the action that is present in every chapter.

Although the series is written in third person, each chapter focuses on one of the two main characters: Kaylan or her boyfriend Nick. The first book, Shaken, was mainly in Kaylan's perspective and Shadowed is mainly in Nick's perspective. Nick is a SEAL and although I appreciate that he serves our country in this series I am finding it more difficult to connect to the story line in this novel. This is why I could not give this book a perfect 5/5 stars.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a Christian Romance novel filled with action and suspense.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 13+ for intense action

Overall Rating: 4.5/5