tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78909826554146566962024-03-14T00:45:20.419-04:00A Bookish Sarahencouragement & bookish thingsSarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.comBlogger699125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-74819123164368935502022-04-20T15:32:00.006-04:002022-04-20T15:33:14.867-04:00What's in a Name? >> Regular + Places<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's a new week, friends---happy Wednesday! I cannot believe April is basically half over already. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Which means in a little over a month, we will be welcoming our THIRD halfling to our little family! But, you're probably not here for updates... ;D</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">So---</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">TODAY, I have a new Name post (at last)!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Enjoy.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7e/b5/b9/7eb5b9af0270c9235573b0c84401a556.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7e/b5/b9/7eb5b9af0270c9235573b0c84401a556.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>Dayo</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>M & F </b>| <i>Western African, Yoruba</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: large;">Means "joy arrives" in Yoruba.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b0/ea/a0/b0eaa0bfcb1ae2857ebac2ba3292d031.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="512" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b0/ea/a0/b0eaa0bfcb1ae2857ebac2ba3292d031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Freida</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>F </b>| <i>English, </i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Ancient Germanic</i></span></span><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">FREE-də<br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Variant of <i>Frieda</i>, which is ultimately derived from the Germanic name, <i>Frida</i>---originally a short form of other feminine names containing the Germanic element <i>frid</i>, meaning "peace." This is also the Scandinavian equivalent, from the Old Norse cognate <i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fr</span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">í<span style="color: #202124;">ð</span></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>a</i>, of the same meaning</span>. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">A famous bearer of this name was the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>M </b>| <i>English</i></span></div><div><b>TEH-RAWN (Classical Greek), THEHR-en (English)</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Derived from Greek <i>therao</i>, meaning "to hunt."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "american typewriter" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: 40pt;">PLACE NAMES</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Abilene<br /></i></span></div>
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<b>F</b> | <i>English (rare)</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b>AB-i-leen, ab-i-LEE-nee</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;">From a place name briefly mentioned in the New Testament. Could possibly come from Hebrew <i>'avel</i>, meaning "meadow, grassy area." </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1b/da/f9/1bdaf9428c7cf9ebcb13197a7d5c9cf6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1b/da/f9/1bdaf9428c7cf9ebcb13197a7d5c9cf6.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Raleigh<br /></i></span><br />
<b>M & F</b> | <i>English</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b>RAW-lee, RAH-lee</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;">From an English surname, derived from a place name, meaning either "red clearing" or "roe deer clearing" in Old English. A North Carolina city bears this name, so named after the English courtier, poet, and explorer Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618).</span></div>
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<br /><br /><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/29/52/1e/29521e71766b03a3dd1256a5fbe5b0bc.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/29/52/1e/29521e71766b03a3dd1256a5fbe5b0bc.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Casiphia<br /></i></span><br /><b>F</b> | <i>Biblical, English (rare, Archaic)</i></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>kas-i-FEE-ə, ke-SIF-ee-ə</b></span><b> (Biblical English)</b></div></div><div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="font-size: large;">From a place name mentioned only by the Old Testament prophet Ezra, which was said to be a corruption of Caspian. Could possibly mean "place of the treasury," from Hebrew <i>keceph </i>meaning "silver, money."</span></div></div></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Names & meanings via <a href="http://behindthename.com/">behindthename.com</a>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Photos via Pinterest.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What do ya think of these, me dearies?</b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Do let me know. And have a happy week! :]</b></span></div>
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</style>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-84057470861928906582022-03-18T15:57:00.005-04:002022-03-18T16:01:57.292-04:00REVIEW >> In Search of a Prince<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Hullo, friends!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">I've a new review for you today. And this one has ALL the feel of a <i>Princess Diaries</i> story. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Set in AFRICA.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Yes!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Read on! ---></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1623264905l/58302844.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="519" height="800" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1623264905l/58302844.jpg" width="519" /></a></div>In Search of a Prince</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Toni Shiloh</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Bethany House Publishers </b><b>| </b>February 1st, 2022</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Christian Fiction, Clean Romance</i></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/58302844" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha's Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops the mother of all bombshells--Brielle is a princess in the kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, King Tiwa Jimoh Adebayo, is failing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Distraught by her mother's betrayal, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before assuming the throne or the crown will be passed to another. Uncertain who to choose from the council's list of bachelors, she struggles with the decision along with the weight of her new role in a new country. With her world totally shaken, she must take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">As mentioned above, this had so much of the <i>Princess Diaries</i> vibe---which I've always LOVED---but with a twist as to the setting (an island off the coast of Africa) and the MC's difference in age (25 years as opposed to Mia's high school age).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Brielle is a sweetheart, and it showed in her compassion for people in general. She's an 8th grade civics teacher, until her mother bombs her with the history of her heritage & the father she never knew. And life spirals into two different worlds from there on out. At her mother's news, she reacts in anger & hurt, basically shunning her mom for keeping such a life-altering secret. To a degree, I can understand the anger (and, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #8e7cc3; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><b>SPOILER</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">, they do make up & find forgiveness for one another), but admire the patience, grace, & space that her mother gives her---granted the secret should never have existed to begin with, but we discover her mother had some deep-rooted issues of her own to work through. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Anyway, the characters are sweet, lovable, & flawed, but oh so relatable. And through every joy & trial Brielle faces, she learns to rely FULLY on her faith in God to see her through. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A young man is known to have drowned in a boating accident 25 years ago.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">An elderly man slowly succumbs to terminal cancer: his body continually weakens as the days & weeks pass; he's prone to unstoppable coughing fits, has to have an oxygen tank, and endures at least one body seizure.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A tour at a museum shares the history of slavery over the native people of Ȯlȯrȯ by the French; there's talk of the "oppression of Blacks" in various countries, and the "fact [her] father was African made [her] feel even closer to the plight."</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Someone makes a remark about the misogynistic & chauvinistic politics.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Vandalism in a couple different rooms at the palace---a closet is rifled through & contents strewn about; a bed is slashed with what we assume would be some kind of knife. Borderline threats are typewritten & delivered anonymously. At one point, a couple royals are placed in separate "safe rooms" while a threat is investigated.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><< NOTE:</span></b> This is most DEFINITELY a Christian fiction novel. And some <i>might</i> complain that the side of faith was a bit too much. To me, it was well written, I believe, and exactly how a child of God should respond to the journey of life---a.k.a. constant prayer & seeking God in EVERYTHING. <b><span style="font-size: large;">>></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bri prays constantly & silently to God for strength & courage; verses often come to mind bringing peace & comfort to her anxiety. Much talk of faith and acknowledgement of God as Lord. Her friend Iris prays openly for her on her behalf. Meals are blessed in pray before taking part. There's mention of a Muslim population for the small kingdom, and that the Royal Council of previously three, was expanded to include one for representation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In praying for guidance & direction, Bri takes an evening to herself. She dozes on her room's balcony & experiences a dream: in it, she meets Who can only be her Lord, Who seems an apparitions, or Spirit; and in reference to Samuel's response in the Old Testament, she answers, "Lord, here I am." It seems the dream was a clear sign to her of the decision she needed to make.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ȯlȯrȯ is referred to as a Christian nation. We're told there's a Catholic church on the island also, as well as a small Muslim population & two mosques.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A woman questions why there are no Bibles at the church, and is told many of the people cannot afford them. She sets out to change that.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One man states quite matter-of-factly that he does not believe in love. Bri questions aloud to a friend (not to the man's face) the issue of his faith & allegiance to God and country, because God IS love.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Psalm 8 is referenced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Medicine & sedatives are administered to an elderly man suffering through cancer. It's mentioned that the treatments he received previously were no longer effective, and therefore not needed.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Brielle is OBVIOUSLY attracted to Tomori, and blushes often in his presence. There's no flirting, except perhaps in one scene, but it is minimal. Her friend questions if she has a crush on him, and teases her. Her mother later joins in on that.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A potential husband fails to show for a date, and she is instead greeted with the screams of his multiple, unruly children (from multiple women)... </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">As mentioned previously, there's definite attraction. Bri feels all kinds of butterflies, constantly blushes in his presence, has heated cheeks, tingles at any touch, etc. etc. At one point, her face heats when she imagines him in a tux.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: normal;">There's a tender kiss the night before the wedding. A wedding ceremony takes place. They agree to sleep in the same bed, but are awkward in a cute kind of way, neither wishing to force the other---but basically neither ready for the "next" step in a marriage (so, no consummation of the union... until later [but that's not really a spoiler *wink*]). The more intimate, passionate kisses come later on, and they </span><i>do</i> consent to officially complete the union, BUT no details or graphics of any kind are mentioned. And to be fair, they <i>are</i> married.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Some of the royal family are known as being illegitimate.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">In conclusion, I enjoyed this book. I loved Brielle's grandfather, as he reminded me of my own to whom I was really close to (and who went Home to Jesus three years ago). <3 The characters were great, the story was easy to follow, and there was a plot twist! (though maybe not fully unexpected if you look at the hints along the way)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's certainly fun to imagine oneself as a REAL-life princess, but Brielle's story puts the reality of such a duty into perspective---the responsibilities, the headache-inducing politics, and the love-hate of a people for those in authority. But amidst the trials, she still manages to keep her faith strong, to give her best in loving her new country & the people in it, and find joy in the little things.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you are looking for an easy read and a clean romance, this might just be for you. :]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>4 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8h3-MmmFc0OmFtzZenOeYoGPm9CWTB1jy8e695jN8SAUqUDTD-pt7vTsfbnI7iYWOfMAkgdCD-qIonXH5_O9bXj1yNgK8jjDBO44c2nQEeiCjdS3Oh9jJvCf0vJ54icKRDQqgxnSYT-fudFbiwMC0q2rUeY4CTEbCS46CDqD4qYyGxf1JCUSf8ENk=s523" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="523" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8h3-MmmFc0OmFtzZenOeYoGPm9CWTB1jy8e695jN8SAUqUDTD-pt7vTsfbnI7iYWOfMAkgdCD-qIonXH5_O9bXj1yNgK8jjDBO44c2nQEeiCjdS3Oh9jJvCf0vJ54icKRDQqgxnSYT-fudFbiwMC0q2rUeY4CTEbCS46CDqD4qYyGxf1JCUSf8ENk=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-20377201871664737422022-03-16T22:28:00.004-04:002022-03-16T22:29:44.092-04:00What's in a Name? // Nicknames + Surnames<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UeWGtem6rTg/XSOfyJWGJzI/AAAAAAAACyI/FBTR4NPSMmkbkQKM8Jjo0Nh570b5ro6WACLcBGAs/s1600/1%2B-%2Bname%2Bposts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UeWGtem6rTg/XSOfyJWGJzI/AAAAAAAACyI/FBTR4NPSMmkbkQKM8Jjo0Nh570b5ro6WACLcBGAs/s1600/1%2B-%2Bname%2Bposts.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><font size="6">Happy Wednesday, lovelies!</font></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="5">How fares your week thus far? </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="5"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="5">At last, I have another Name post! These were quite fun to research.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font size="6"><b>Enjoy.</b></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyKkFSDODPI/Xqxl4ERu1FI/AAAAAAAAAEg/39hg3hm_ce8V15jWfyeNReQJZjlCtVhMACK4BGAsYHg/succs%2Bdivider.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="706" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyKkFSDODPI/Xqxl4ERu1FI/AAAAAAAAAEg/39hg3hm_ce8V15jWfyeNReQJZjlCtVhMACK4BGAsYHg/s320/succs%2Bdivider.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<font size="6"><div style="text-align: left;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7f/06/50/7f065037dac21d9398900343eaa26112.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7f/06/50/7f065037dac21d9398900343eaa26112.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Monty</i></div><i><div style="text-align: left;">Montreal</div></i></font><div style="text-align: left;"><b>M </b>| <i>English (rare), African American</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">MAHN-tray-ahl, mon-TRAYL</span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><font size="5"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the name of a Canadian city, whose name is a variant of "Mount Royal."</span></div><font size="6"><div style="text-align: left;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/55/6c/0c/556c0ce57a3570bf4b36c216d40f7a04.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="235" height="303" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/55/6c/0c/556c0ce57a3570bf4b36c216d40f7a04.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>Netta</i></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Janetta</i></div></span></font><div style="text-align: left;"><b>F </b>| <span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>English (rare)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">jə-NEHT-ə</span></div>
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</span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Elaborated form of <i>Janet</i>, which is a Medieval diminutive of <i>Jane</i>---ultimately derived from <i>John</i>, meaning "Yahweh is gracious."</span></div><font size="6"><div style="text-align: left;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/9f/20/48/9f2048cadec52c360dbdb039596b5462.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="563" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/9f/20/48/9f2048cadec52c360dbdb039596b5462.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>Deo</i></div></font><i><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amadeus</span></div></i><div style="text-align: left;"><b>M </b>| <i>Late Roman</i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">ahm-ə-DAY-əs <b>(English)</b>, ahm-ə-DEE-əs <b>(English)</b></div><div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Means "love of God," derived from Latin <i>amare</i> "to love" and <i>Deus</i> "God." </span><span style="font-size: medium;">A famous bearer of this name was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart, but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), a German novelist, assumed this name as a middle name in honor of Mozart.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><i><div style="font-size: xx-large; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b9/a9/74/b9a97422013f30ac3a113e8e287a8b53.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="563" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b9/a9/74/b9a97422013f30ac3a113e8e287a8b53.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>Thea</div></i><i style="font-size: xx-large;"><div style="text-align: left;">Alethea</div></i><div style="text-align: left;"><b>F </b>| <span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>English</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">al-</span>ə<span style="background-color: white;">-THEE-</span>ə<span style="background-color: white;">, </span>ə<span style="background-color: white;">-LEE-thee-</span>ə</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Derived from the Greek <i>aletheia</i>, meaning "truth." This name was coined in the 16th century.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="6"><b>SURNAMES</b></font></div><div align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="6"><b><br /></b></font></div><div align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="6"><b><br /></b></font></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: right;">de la Noy</div></i></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">Unknown. But possibly from the given name </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Noy</i><span style="font-size: large;">, which means "beauty" in Hebrew. </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">De la</i><span style="font-size: large;"> could be translated from either </span><b><span style="font-size: medium;">a)</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> Romanian, meaning "from", or </span><b><span style="font-size: medium;">b)</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> French or Spanish meaning "of the". </span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Dergregorian</i></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unknown origin. Could possibly mean "imaginative," "wealth," and "adventurer." Similar surnames include: De Gregorio, Di Gregorio, Derderian, Gregorian, Grigorian, or De Gregory. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm not sure where I came upon this surname, but I jotted it down ages ago for it's uniqueness.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Morrow</i></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: right;">Irish (Anglicizd), Scottish</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shortened, Anglicized form of Gaelic <i>Mac Murchadha</i>. <i>McMorrow</i> is the Anglicized form <i>Mac Murchadha</i>, a patronymic from the personal name <i>Murchadh</i>, meaning "sea warrior."<i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i>Woodhouse</i></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">English</span></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div></span><font size="5" style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: right;">Meaning unknown (except for the obvious "wood house", haha). However, you might recognize it from Jane Austen's novel, <i>Emma</i>, as the surname of the main character for whom the book is titled.</div></font></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div></span><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><font size="1">Photos via Pinterest.</font></div><div style="text-align: right;"><font size="1">Names & meanings via <a href="behindthename.com" target="_blank">behindthename.com</a></font></div><div style="text-align: right;"><font size="1">and <a href="surname.behindthename.com" target="_blank">surname.behindthename.com</a>.</font></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><font size="6">TALK TO ME!</font></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font size="6">Which of these do you like best?</font></span></div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">Personally, I like them all, but Deo & Thea may be my favorites of the nicknames. And that Dergregorian! xDDD I keep thinking, "how in the world would I use that??" Such a unique surname---I love it!</div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">A huge thanks to <a href="https://wordslikeawaterfall.com/" target="_blank">Julie</a> for all her great name suggestions!!! I'll be sharing more from her store of names, and even take her up on some new theme ideas. So, keep an eye out for future posts! I'll post them as consistently as I'm able. ;D</div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><b>That's all for today, dear beans!</b></div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><b>TTFN. <3</b></div></b></span></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-21028567218354743962022-03-04T21:13:00.001-05:002022-03-04T21:22:09.728-05:00REVIEW >> The Windward King<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Happy day, y'all!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Regrettably, I've missed my Name post for this week, but I'll do my best to get the next one up in a couple weeks. For today, I've a rather short, long overdue review. And it's one I would certainly recommend!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Read on!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632359061l/58953856._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="475" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632359061l/58953856._SY475_.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>The Windward King</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">K.T. Ivanrest</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Ink Drake Press </b><b>| </b>October 29th, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Fantasy, YA Fiction</i></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58953856-the-windward-king" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">He can change how he looks—but not who he is.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">All his life, Shara has struggled to keep up with the rest of his shapeshifter clan. A poor shifter with little talent and even less confidence, he excels only at inadequacy.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">When his determination to prove himself results in the brutal injury of a clanmate, Shara flees his home in shame. Taking refuge in the human capital city, he resolves to become as inconsequential as possible—until the prince regent is abducted days before his coronation and Shara is forced to take his place.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Thrust into a world of controlling advisors, scheming pirates, and calculating dignitaries, Shara fumbles through his royal duties. His next mistake could spell disaster for the entire kingdom, but he may also be the only person capable of seeing beyond old prejudices to the truth of the prince’s disappearance.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">But if he’s going to stop a war, find the prince, and return to his life of invisibility, he’ll have to rely on the one person he knows for sure he can’t trust—himself.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: bold;">Spoilers!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I didn't know much of this lovely little novel, but upon receiving it as a Christmas gift, I promptly devoured it in a few days' time. It had such a refreshing feel to the writing, the characters, & the story itself---I wholly enjoyed it!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Shara is the sweetest little cinnamon roll. He lacks all kinds of self-confidence & is bullied for his deficiency of skill when it comes to shifting, though he manages to hold his own in serious situations. But he runs away in shame when an innocent mistake causes severe injury to a peer. Life gives him another chance in a new world & he learns to fit in by running away. And the rest you'll have to discover for yourself. *sly grin* I will only add that his character arc was BEAUTIFUL, and the storyworld complex, but simple enough to understand. In short, I loved this story!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Quite mild, if I recall correctly. It's been a few months since I've read this (and just now getting to the review, haha)...</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A clanmate is seriously wounded by a monster-like creature called a neeka---bloody wounds and impaled by a tree limb. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A house fire nearly claims a man's life. A man is found stabbed in the side---blood covers his clothing.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">A character prays in a chapel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Alvithi people (the shapeshifting race) pray to the Eagle. The Barathi humans pray to the Guide. (Both can be likened to the One God, I believe.) One man has a small shrine to the Guide in his home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None, other than the more original, slang words like, "hills," and "burrs."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some drink a nearly black-colored wine, known as "Sailor's Blood."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A character's health is questionable due to some kind of immune or muscular disease---I don't recall it ever being said <i>what</i> he had exactly, but he suffered from fatigue, would be bed-ridden (unwillingly, but couldn't be helped), & used a cane as a last resort (pride thing). </div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">None to speak of, really. </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">The phrase "half-breed whore" is used in reference to a character with illegitimate ties. </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Shara, disguised as the king, finds himself attracted to one of the noble ladies. They chat quite easily, but nothing really comes of it. At least in this story... </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this story from an unfamiliar author. I enjoyed the story, the world-building, and the CHARACTERS. Shara was wonderful---I mean, COME ONNNN. Shapeshifting!! I LOVED it. And he grew so much in character & personality. And KORITH. Absolutely EVERYONE needs a mentor-friend like him!!! Also, those are just the two main characters! Seriously, I would highly recommend this clean, thrilling fantasy to all my fellow bookdragons. Go on. Add to your TBRs!! ;D You know you want to.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>5 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9-pn39K92pzGDFOQa9uYp8nlOnFGarjyV4-LIkDJyiEF-568MrNcAM39qW50VB8TT8r-KjHE1b18Cnt6jOWKbnnaTsnp7tYKMHCd11tOHjEmLqMs3tNSIZgzwflUWPdIGGrW-iD99e4jENEnUQQAeUbNX5qW4Drl3DWTkzsZqdNQfG0swDIEMxmX8=s528" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="528" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9-pn39K92pzGDFOQa9uYp8nlOnFGarjyV4-LIkDJyiEF-568MrNcAM39qW50VB8TT8r-KjHE1b18Cnt6jOWKbnnaTsnp7tYKMHCd11tOHjEmLqMs3tNSIZgzwflUWPdIGGrW-iD99e4jENEnUQQAeUbNX5qW4Drl3DWTkzsZqdNQfG0swDIEMxmX8=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 15+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-87743288727622572472022-02-24T23:15:00.000-05:002022-02-24T23:15:11.008-05:00!!New Book Alert!! BOOK TOUR & REVIEW >> Then Comes a Drifter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnBwFtmyToTwqLDdQNVoRGG1hW0kVgkMVbYXAw8SsCgPl_rT9uwWf64ln9aAfJYmljroLRRhS9_UT5FAs4qIjYLFDwE-V0oxx5p72K2Fv0S20ZjkLN9EPhM8SNwFM2cPPOtK_ZFRdrv12RtzUF1uzsaUGh9Gl0WfFO91Wv3O_IWxd4SJ0qWh8FWZZ9=s1024" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnBwFtmyToTwqLDdQNVoRGG1hW0kVgkMVbYXAw8SsCgPl_rT9uwWf64ln9aAfJYmljroLRRhS9_UT5FAs4qIjYLFDwE-V0oxx5p72K2Fv0S20ZjkLN9EPhM8SNwFM2cPPOtK_ZFRdrv12RtzUF1uzsaUGh9Gl0WfFO91Wv3O_IWxd4SJ0qWh8FWZZ9=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>WHAAAT?? TWO new books releasing in the same week???</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">YESSSSS. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And I had the opportunity to read them both!! *fangirl squeals* If you missed it, Elizabeth D. Marie's newest novel arrived on the iconic date of 2/22/22, and you can find my book launch post <a href="https://sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com/2022/02/new-book-alert-release-day.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> and/or my full content review <a href="https://sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com/2022/02/review-these-mortal-wings.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. :]</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>But TODAY---</b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>today I have another great read for you:</b> what I would classify as a dystopian/urban fantasy full of motorbikes, high-stake challenges, gun-totin' gangs, & trickles of fast-fading magic. Oh, and a dash of found family. </span><span style="font-size: large;">(Which I LOVE!)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>So, HAPPY RELEASE DAY to <i>Then Comes a Drifter</i>, by C.M. Banschbach!!!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQty3bZ3pCG2lx3_WUYIv5YGHOzHCSOJcwOuUZnaLa8nBjSIQTy4iodzP7TZgOjrwUs5HlmNGr2_bUGicjubr-6Wf4REfxOXt4x_H5gpZUtXdu5DLSd83bsmVsJ2zSK5C6kjWC08FWGCkxWYg1TLwqe6GGU04TgJnPzbBqvtvbWmJNBDpRBtzCYhsN=s2550" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQty3bZ3pCG2lx3_WUYIv5YGHOzHCSOJcwOuUZnaLa8nBjSIQTy4iodzP7TZgOjrwUs5HlmNGr2_bUGicjubr-6Wf4REfxOXt4x_H5gpZUtXdu5DLSd83bsmVsJ2zSK5C6kjWC08FWGCkxWYg1TLwqe6GGU04TgJnPzbBqvtvbWmJNBDpRBtzCYhsN=w414-h640" width="414" /></a></div>THEN COMES A DRIFTER</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>The Drifter Duology, Book 1</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">C.M. Banschbach</span></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Uncommon Universes Press </b><b>| </b>February 24th, 2022</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Urban Fantasy, Dystopian Fiction, YA Fiction</i></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57002479" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Laramie was born to ride the desert wilds. And she won’t let anything stop her, even a fearsome warlord who wants her captive–or dead.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">A genius mechanic–and a rare descendant of the once-magical Itan–Laramie drifts from dusty town to dusty town in search of the family that was taken from her.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">But her rambling desert journey becomes a game of survival when Laramie crosses a ruthless warlord’s territory. Taken prisoner by one of the warlord’s biker gangs, she befriends a quiet, dangerous man named Gered. After surviving hellish circumstances Gered is tired of fighting for a better life.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Laramie will always fight. And she’ll stop at nothing to win their freedom.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Enjoy this pulse-pounding motorcycle adventure in a post-apocalyptic western setting with found family and being brave in brutal circumstances.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to the publisher for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">First of all, this book was a WILD RIDE. I could hardly put it down! The story, the world-building, the characters, the backgrounds---loved it all! I was kept on my toes the whole way through. I will add, however, due to some mature content in regards to language & violence, I would recommend caution in young readers. More details below.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All told, despite the unexpected foulness of language, I SO enjoyed this novel. And while this is the first book of a duology, I felt satisfied in the resolution of the ending, AND still more than ready for the next book!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In order to have the best chance of surviving capture, a girl challenges a burly gang leader to a fist fight. It's very brief, and she holds her own enough to impress him... Some punches & breath-snatching blows.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Ring fights amongst gang members---basically for entertainment. Bare-knuckle fights in the arena. A serious challenge to take a leadership position leaves a man unconscious with a broken wrist. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man is shot in the head---cold blood. A shootout takes place in the streets of a town; men are shot in the head & chest; a man is ambushed & takes a bullet in the chest (he's wearing an armored vest), and is then attacked & punched in the head. A bomb explodes, killing at least three people.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Two thugs attack a girl in an alley because she beat them [fairly] in the motor races the night before. (They lost money in the bets & decide to ambush her as an easy target.) They pistol-whip her, but she manages to get some punches of her own in & knock out at least one guy before she herself blacks out; bruisings, swollen eyes, & blood.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In another shootout in a different town, people fall to flying bullets & some are executed in cold blood for the little uprising.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Gunfight during a motorcycle race: bullets knick arms; a cycle crash leaves a man badly scraped. An injured man is beaten & kicked by multiple people---barely left alive, and strung up by his wrists as punishment for his rebellion. We're told those who try to run from the gangs' "membership" are shot by sniper's bullet.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">A character mutters a prayer to a "Jaan" for luck---we later learn that Jaan, or John, is a being known as one of the four "messengers of God, who took the form of an eagle; John's Path, a cosmic phenomenon, appears like a comet, or cluster of stars, streaking across the sky. Matteo/Maatu is the winged patron of the Itan people.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A phrase is referenced several times: "How shall I fear that which I'm protected by Heaven's wings?"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A worn prayer book is found in a girl's bag & tossed aside in a raid of her possessions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The phrase "shift off" is used numerous times---especially seeing as the majority of the characters use or are associated with motorbikes. "Pissed" [someone off] is used at least once, as well as "a--," "a--holes," "d---," and "hell." Other slang such as "for dust's sake" (it's a desert setting); and uses of "that dusting this, or that dusting ____," among phrases like "dusting hells," "Jaan's Wings!", or simply "dust" itself is in place of more foul words & phrases. There are three uses of the word, "b----," and one use of "whore."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Multiple uses of the middle finger in a variety of different scenes/scenarios.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">//</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We observe a room full of alcohol at the gang's headquarters. A character is known for always having multiple beers, and teased about it. People get drunk & stumble into others or things. Some gambling & bets are taken in regards to challenges & races. Smoking, as well---mention of a guy probably finding something stronger than a cigarette. Bars in different towns sell alcohol & whiskey. Some gang members smoke joints of a drug. A man recalls a memory of being drugged at the age of 16 in order to receive (involuntarily) a tattoo without resistance on his part.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A gang warlord is known for his "love of whiskey & women." A young woman is warned that if she wishes to "stay out of his bed," she should prover herself a challenge. It's implied that at least one female gang member was once an unwilling companion of the warlord.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A guy jokes with his friend: "what if I'm feeling cuddly?" (to which his friend flips him off). </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">It's implied that many girls who are captured by the gang are taken advantage of by the warlord. A bully makes a lewd remark about wanting company at night. A rather sensual-looking woman shows off all of her curves. A few sexual implications & innuendos suggested. But nothing is ever described or graphic in any way. And absolutely no spicy scenes.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Two members of the gang share a secret relationship but are forbidden such as part of the warlord's rules. They are extremely careful in snatching precious moments together.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A bar in town sports flirtatious waitresses in short skirts & low necklines. At a local bar, a rider sidles up to Gioia & runs a hand down her back, but immediately encounters a punch to the throat and the threat of her blade.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A man forces himself on a girl---kissing her smack on the mouth; but to everyone's (and the reader's!) utter surprise, she kisses him back (all the while fighting revulsion at her actions, but seeing a means to survival), and promptly challenges him to a race.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Loved it. I. Need. The. SEQUEL!! We're not left with a cliffhanger, so to speak, but there's obviously PLENTY of room for another book, and I needs it!!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The whole story---the plot, the TWISTS, the <i>world-building</i>---I enjoyed it all. It was rather refreshing to be in a desert setting where the world has the tribal vibes of the Native American cultures (maybe even some African cultures), mixed in with the more modern, western feel of motorcycles, mechanickin', and endless desert roads. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I could have done without the unnecessary language & numerous uses of the middle finger---hence my reason for only a 4-star rating instead of the full five, but this would still be a book I'd heartily recommend. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>4 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizsJyxtQFvW6SBf0JHLygD7h-R12NgAQWYJtqQEwhq9U6gybLdPdcl_Wbu0EaJ3HJM9SRprLMx1R0lJQP1Ok0oyw-UfVAC90IHtnTd2b951JlDIvWfb0LKMXVhD5IEdeIM-RnX7i-XTGlLWaK-xb478YzQpHaZmH98ZsGPtAUwmk5NVQglTdz1Pxah=s523" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="523" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizsJyxtQFvW6SBf0JHLygD7h-R12NgAQWYJtqQEwhq9U6gybLdPdcl_Wbu0EaJ3HJM9SRprLMx1R0lJQP1Ok0oyw-UfVAC90IHtnTd2b951JlDIvWfb0LKMXVhD5IEdeIM-RnX7i-XTGlLWaK-xb478YzQpHaZmH98ZsGPtAUwmk5NVQglTdz1Pxah=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 18+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span><br style="font-size: xx-large;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCnKNqjTXgICVAaMmLE4WwFEPAT2P1ucRHD3mC9BuiuuKHz2WK1MagLQMmRsvBEzv7S7mgR3coR3ORYRE2lkBS_ihMjVzIntoD9NnRlxQ7WxXkq0myFAIn2kvE4jX7jB1F86BNgNEprRpYdmS34R_KM-9yVbpH9Sk6H5z6vTAIDZRmo_z8szSWAAOA=s2252" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="2056" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCnKNqjTXgICVAaMmLE4WwFEPAT2P1ucRHD3mC9BuiuuKHz2WK1MagLQMmRsvBEzv7S7mgR3coR3ORYRE2lkBS_ihMjVzIntoD9NnRlxQ7WxXkq0myFAIn2kvE4jX7jB1F86BNgNEprRpYdmS34R_KM-9yVbpH9Sk6H5z6vTAIDZRmo_z8szSWAAOA=s320" width="292" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>C.M. Banschbach</b> is a native Texan and would make an excellent hobbit if she wasn’t so tall. She’s an overall dork, pizza addict, and fangirl. When not writing fantasy stories packed full of adventure and snark, she works as a pediatric Physical Therapist where she happily embraces the fact that she never actually has to grow up.</span></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">She writes clean YA/MG fantasy-adventure as Claire M. Banschbach.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-size: large;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<p class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Instagram: </b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cmbanschbach/" target="_blank">@</a><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cmbanschbach/" target="_blank">cmbanschbach</a> </span></span><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">(</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">https://www.instagram.com/cmbanschbach/)</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Facebook: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cmbanschbach" target="_blank">@cmbanschbach</a> </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">(</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">https://www.facebook.com/cmbanschbach)</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="s2"><b>Website: </b></span><span class="s3">https://clairembanschbach.com/</span></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="s2"><b>Pinterest: </b></span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/clairebanschbach" target="_blank">@clairebanschbach</a> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">(https://www.pinterest.com/clairebanschbach)</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Email Newsletter Freebie: </b>https://tateauthor.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=5db0817cde53281a40e5ff6a3&id=8d79f331f1</span></p></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-65536356178108362242022-02-22T09:00:00.001-05:002022-02-22T09:00:00.193-05:00!!New Book Alert!! >> Release Day<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixSRubjUGZixjyOTb24JQGbLhGXmkNmzUy2O6R6-dvpF8E_qpYL5b7HYzwqeXgV3l0T2p8POK5Sj-Ev_RS1PvOFEdMbzFYc0pDAUyRGU-QYKYJe3PnQAm6uz5WkvSczm7UNiKxfgs7Hm_ef6h_QR6KmxiTB6t7NTXXx2oTsiI4OVzUlAgsqUflhgAm=s1125" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixSRubjUGZixjyOTb24JQGbLhGXmkNmzUy2O6R6-dvpF8E_qpYL5b7HYzwqeXgV3l0T2p8POK5Sj-Ev_RS1PvOFEdMbzFYc0pDAUyRGU-QYKYJe3PnQAm6uz5WkvSczm7UNiKxfgs7Hm_ef6h_QR6KmxiTB6t7NTXXx2oTsiI4OVzUlAgsqUflhgAm=s16000" /></a><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy, Happy Release Day to <i>Adverse Devices: These Mortal Wings</i>,<br /></span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4820882.Elizabeth_D_Marie" target="_blank">Elizabeth D. Marie</a>!!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">I love, love, LOVE Elizabeth's fantasy series, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/182292-crown-of-stars" target="_blank">Crown of Stars</a></i>---a SEVEN book series of faerietale retellings, starting with a story inspired by <i>Beauty & the Beast</i>. [YESSSSS] You've never read retellings like these, y'all! They are filled with an epic, fantastical storyworld, AMAZING characters, clean romance, and ACTION-PACKED adventures with a darker, grim side of things. I was seriously terrified during certain scenes... But each book is OH SO GOOOOOOOD.</p><p style="text-align: center;">That said, knowing how much I loved those books, when I heard she was releasing a new trilogy in an entirely different genre, I HAD TO READ IT. And so, here I am, happily a part of the launch team!!</p><p style="text-align: center;">You can find my review link below. :] But for now, read on and just go ahead & add to your TBR list. ;D</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Help me welcome the release & congratulate Elizabeth!!</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > < < < < <</p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKAd1Bhc5MeTLOmyRSYfuqirXOk6rlvKm_1OnI0ejiLNLLv-RLJja0RzMeJ6cTYF-9Kry0EkbvsPTlSU8W0VT2nfCAoZFJS49AtmmEarGROTEuKoDgwGLF_2of6ThnOOTyV5BpvWBDk29xewbRGDWgNjajyL3ykx47MXBgFsxoZqerJogXtU3zR_Sf=s2566" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2566" data-original-width="1655" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKAd1Bhc5MeTLOmyRSYfuqirXOk6rlvKm_1OnI0ejiLNLLv-RLJja0RzMeJ6cTYF-9Kry0EkbvsPTlSU8W0VT2nfCAoZFJS49AtmmEarGROTEuKoDgwGLF_2of6ThnOOTyV5BpvWBDk29xewbRGDWgNjajyL3ykx47MXBgFsxoZqerJogXtU3zR_Sf=w413-h640" width="413" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>\\ BOOK BLURB //</b></span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">IT'S A WAR WHERE GODS AND MORTALS CLASH…</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Lebab, man walks in the shadow of the White Tower, taking for themselves many wives and sacrificing their children to the gods who rule the great city. Society sees only one purpose for women: to increase the honor and prestige of their husbands by bearing sons. Without a male relation to take charge of them, they are left destitute and cast-out into the poor sectors.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elishah relies on her brother to provide for her; he has always protected her and encouraged her to pursue her dreams of dancing.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until a devastating explosion leaves her alone in the world.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But she never should have survived.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One man steps forward in the aftermath, to tell her she has a rare and powerful gift...</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Wings fight to protect mankind from an ancient evil that has been spreading its poisoned roots throughout the city since the beginning of time––from a world that lives unseen beneath the surface.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And the legendary gods of Babel are rising once again.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yehoshua knows his fellow Wings cannot win this battle alone. Elishah could be the key to a long-forsaken genetic code. With her help, they could defeat Babel once and for all.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b170f; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If he can convince her of the ability flowing through her veins…</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;"><b>You can find my full content review <a href="https://sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com/2022/02/review-these-mortal-wings.html" target="_blank">here</a>, y'all!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > < < < < <</p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1568580067p8/4820882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1568580067p8/4820882.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>ELIZABETH D. MARIE</b> is the author of several fiction works, including her epic fairytale retellings <br />series <i>Crown of Stars.</i> She has been writing and imagining worlds since she was a child - where stories like <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i> helped shape her imagination and draw her closer to the Master Storyteller and Creator.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her heart is to provide clean, epic fiction for teens and adults.<i> </i>She believes in the power of stories and the truths they are meant to remind us of: that there is an unseen battle taking place, and we are a part of that battle. We are meant to shine a light into the ever present darkness and hold fast in faith for the return of the Great Lion, when all things will be mended and made right again.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elizabeth makes her home in Northern Indiana, enjoying her wooded-country surroundings and time spent with family and friends - writing under the supervision of her bengal-mix, Captain Cal (who spends more time snoring than supervising).</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When she is not writing, Elizabeth can be found reading from her never-ending TBR stack, eating ice cream, drawing, binge watching classics like <i>The Dick Van Dyke Show,</i> and caring for her home - whatever she can manage while dealing with the aftermath of being diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2019. She loves connecting with her readers and talking about all things books, movies, fairytales (Beauty and the Beast is her favorite!), and the Bible.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As always, she would like to remind readers to KEEP THE LANTERNS BURNING AGAINST THE NIGHT; HOLD THE DARKNESS AT BAY.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Goodreads:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.goodreads.com/elizabethdmarie&source=gmail&ust=1645560582738000&usg=AOvVaw2-IO9cUSUTiJ-NVfAuMRqc" href="https://www.goodreads.com/elizabethdmarie" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/<wbr></wbr>elizabethdmarie</a><br /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Twitter:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/ElizabethDMarie&source=gmail&ust=1645560582738000&usg=AOvVaw30_rWCndWH55O6Qb1iNHAt" href="https://twitter.com/ElizabethDMarie" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>ElizabethDMarie</a><br /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Bookbub:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bookbub.com/profile/elizabeth-d-marie&source=gmail&ust=1645560582738000&usg=AOvVaw2RtM8oWixklU25pVAXts_Z" href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/elizabeth-d-marie" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">https://www.bookbub.com/<wbr></wbr>profile/elizabeth-d-marie</a><br /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Facebook:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/groups/authorelizabethdmarie&source=gmail&ust=1645560582738000&usg=AOvVaw3N7fGQQwo8nLDmJkDAGzod" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/authorelizabethdmarie" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>groups/authorelizabethdmarie</a><br /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Instagram:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/elizabethdmarie/&source=gmail&ust=1645560582738000&usg=AOvVaw33QLUcuuqJX2pccBFCxPA5" href="https://www.instagram.com/elizabethdmarie/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/<wbr></wbr>elizabethdmarie/</a><br /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Amazon:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B073XWQ4PN&source=gmail&ust=1645560582738000&usg=AOvVaw3cH1WuxMDS4r7VT4LSrZXP" href="https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B073XWQ4PN" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/~/e/<wbr></wbr>B073XWQ4PN</a><br /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Blog:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://elizabethdmarie.blogspot.com&source=gmail&ust=1645560582738000&usg=AOvVaw0gH76563zmbOdPQX2h2pEc" href="https://elizabethdmarie.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">https://elizabethdmarie.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > < < < < <</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Intrigued??</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Come on, you can confess it. *wink wink* Seriously though, I enjoyed this novel & hope you do as well should you happen to pick it up at some point. :] We need more of these clean Urban Fantasies, in my humble opinion.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Anyway, Happy Release Day! And God be with you, my friends!</b></span></p>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-59749724610059061022022-02-19T15:55:00.006-05:002022-02-19T15:59:14.222-05:00Review >> A Dragon By Any Other Name<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Happy Fri---er, Saturday!!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In all honesty, I had this post drafted & NEARLY ready yesterday to publish, but Life happened and so here we are, haha. ^ - ^</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Also, I have a treat for you today! This is a novel from one of my favorite, perhaps lesser-known, authors that released during Summer last year. I received it as a [requested] gift & promptly devoured it whole. If you are familiar with <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7460109.S_D_Grimm" target="_blank">S.D. Grimm</a> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">(perfect name for an author, I must add!!)</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">, then you have probably heard of her <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/222387-children-of-the-blood-moon" target="_blank">CHILDREN OF THE BLOOD MOON</a></i> series---a high-stakes, epic, adventure fantasy. Needless to say, I would highly recommend. :]</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And THIS BOOK.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>SOOOOO GOOD.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1625002591l/58456038._SX318_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="318" height="459" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1625002591l/58456038._SX318_.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>A Dragon By Any Other Name</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">S.D. Grimm</span></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Fayette Press </b><b>| </b>July 6th, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Clean Fiction, Faerietale Retellings, Modern Fantasy</i></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57002479" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">This time, beauty is the beast. And she wants prince charming dead.</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">At eighteen, Keira is a formidable dragon hunter bent on finding her parents’ killer—a forest dragon she once helped escape her mother’s laboratory. Biggest mistake of her life. Now, Keira pours her thirst for revenge into her mother’s life-long mission: figuring out what a forest dragon’s poison is . . . so she can destroy the murderers for good.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">But Keira’s plan begins to unravel when she takes on a life debt to a forest dragon in order to save her brother. Trapped behind enemy lines, Keira’s assumptions about dragons are turned upside down, and she must confront the possibility that everything she knows about dragons is wrong. As she gets closer to discovering the forest dragon’s poison, she must decide if the price of this knowledge is worth the sacrifice.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">In this not-quite fairy tale, what the “princess” needs most is a change of heart. But will it change in time for her to save those she’s already sentenced to death—even if the cost is her own freedom?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to Bethany House for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"></span><blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">"Humans and dragons? They don’t mix very well.” </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">“Because you monsters are always trying to kill us?” I crossed my arms. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">“Because we don’t take the time to understand one another.”</span></blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At present, this is the only novel set in this particular storyworld---which completely saddens me, because I WANT MOOOORRRRE. It had the feel of an Urban Fantasy, with more modern/advanced tech, powered vehicles, colleges, and the like---and YET, there were DRAGONS, dagger fights, and so much more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I enjoyed the characters immensely. Keira's character arc was handled beautifully well. At first, she seemed more of the macho type than I normally relate to---but only briefly---because throughout the story she comes to see a new perspective & a different side of things, as the actions & fruit of her "enemies" come to be seen in a wholly different light.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I love her brother---their relationship was so sweet. And the </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I NEVER get tired of <i>Beauty & the Beast</i> retellings. And the entirely new & fresh take on my beloved faerietale in this novel, was <b><i>amazing</i></b>. My opinion, of course, as you must read for yourself to voice your own. ;D But I could hardly put this book down!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Knife-throwing; dragon battles; usually some kind of cutting, slashing, fire-(or some other such substance) breathing going on. A young man fires a crossbow, hitting a dragon between the eyes. A young woman throws a knife at a small target on a dragon's neck. We see a small town in ashes, presumably after a dragon attack.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Two partners work together in fighting a dragon with knives & crossbow, injuring it enough to capture it. A woman's arms is burned; a young man's leg is badly injured by burns. Dragons can be killed by knife to a particular spot on the head---they then turn to ash. Characters double over from excruciating pain. Someone pushes a knife against a man's side, drawing blood. A dragon latches onto another's throat, killing it.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man treats an injured animal for a gunshot wound, pulling out a bullet & stitching it up.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I read this a little while back, so I don't recall any spiritual content...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A hungry, homeless woman thanks a young man by saying, "bless you."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None, other than mild slang such as, "get the heck outta Dodge," "holy crap," "butt crack of dawn," and "what the heck."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Don't recall anything regarding alcohol or drugs. But a creature is kept in a laboratory of sorts, and it may be implied they were experimenting on it.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">In a class, Keira notices a cute guy & maybe ogles his biceps a minute too long; he obviously notices & enjoys making her squirm.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">There's growing attraction in a kind of slow burn (pun intended---because DRAGONS xD), enemies-to-lovers type thing. At least one tender & passionate kiss happens, but, of course, nothing further. They also dance a waltz together quite intimately. (All told, I loved how their relationship grew. Very sweet!)</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">As mentioned above, it was SO DIFFICULT to put this book down. Such a great page-turner! And it certainly left me wanting more of the story-world. I loved the characters, the story was FRESH, there were DRAGONS, and the romance was sweet. And to top it all, it's a<i> Beauty & the Beast</i> retelling!! AND a clean read!! Also, PLOT TWIST. Others more discerning may pick up on it, but I believe I was just so engrossed in the tale, it was a surprise. :]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bottom line: READ THIS BOOK!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>5 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9-pn39K92pzGDFOQa9uYp8nlOnFGarjyV4-LIkDJyiEF-568MrNcAM39qW50VB8TT8r-KjHE1b18Cnt6jOWKbnnaTsnp7tYKMHCd11tOHjEmLqMs3tNSIZgzwflUWPdIGGrW-iD99e4jENEnUQQAeUbNX5qW4Drl3DWTkzsZqdNQfG0swDIEMxmX8=s528" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="528" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9-pn39K92pzGDFOQa9uYp8nlOnFGarjyV4-LIkDJyiEF-568MrNcAM39qW50VB8TT8r-KjHE1b18Cnt6jOWKbnnaTsnp7tYKMHCd11tOHjEmLqMs3tNSIZgzwflUWPdIGGrW-iD99e4jENEnUQQAeUbNX5qW4Drl3DWTkzsZqdNQfG0swDIEMxmX8=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-46839681921132063582022-02-16T15:19:00.005-05:002022-02-16T15:21:56.451-05:00Name Reveal! No. 3<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEietMUL74vCCyotsjd43J8rCu0twDH2zANwveVBurqOx9baSKhqEM06c7N80czJ9b6SwMkPmYsoMz_I8os58813KkkuNfVsE4wAi8fSkN63o4Y4D9eX0DsN1J_2Q7o-o4SMAt_zYDPT9RLFRYmnEbRZTb_tCPYAY4zABXEuEjnkE1GuYTCaSSqaXMs8=s6720" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEietMUL74vCCyotsjd43J8rCu0twDH2zANwveVBurqOx9baSKhqEM06c7N80czJ9b6SwMkPmYsoMz_I8os58813KkkuNfVsE4wAi8fSkN63o4Y4D9eX0DsN1J_2Q7o-o4SMAt_zYDPT9RLFRYmnEbRZTb_tCPYAY4zABXEuEjnkE1GuYTCaSSqaXMs8=s16000" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@rpnickson" target="_blank">Roberto Nickson</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Wednesday!</b></div></span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">According to my recycled blogging schedule, today would normally be when I share a <a href="https://sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com/search/label/Names?max-results=11" target="_blank">Name</a> post! And that is what I shall do, except in a slightly different way... :]</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For those who do not know, my little family is growing! AGAIN! God surprised us with a 3rd pregnancy (I seriously believe He has a sense of humor); and we were---to say the least---<i>surprised</i>. xD Perhaps <i>shocked</i> would better suit our thinking, haha. Our little girl, Heidi, turns one year old on the 27th of this month (I can hardly believe THAT!!), and not too long afterward, we will welcome halfling no. 3! They are going to be so close together! Which means, we will have THREE halflings under the age of four... </span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Honestly, I had everything laid out beautifully to where our family would grow with at least 2-3 years in between kiddos, but I SERIOUSLY believe God looked at my mental calendar and said, <b>"NOPE, ya gotta trust Me. Hahahaha!"</b> And so, here we are!</p><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">But I ramble.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">As I said, this is rather like a Name post, except it's revealing the name of our soon-to-come (late May 2022) little <b>BOY</b>!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirbZDzhRPnbv6rsd3ndvWEYzCRcvn66ZytzifKZQx3EgHPXNOdmNLqiLw0QAvud54dtu7JLf2EL3G0YcteE7GKH2Apmgnki5kgNj4W0xnbxF2fpXd15SYtJ2rgxr-LU6Xdmynz4otpTWTHWRv-gPaqjrPnG8FVejy7f5Gi2LkLi4tRBeKTcIAwe1u8=s1800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirbZDzhRPnbv6rsd3ndvWEYzCRcvn66ZytzifKZQx3EgHPXNOdmNLqiLw0QAvud54dtu7JLf2EL3G0YcteE7GKH2Apmgnki5kgNj4W0xnbxF2fpXd15SYtJ2rgxr-LU6Xdmynz4otpTWTHWRv-gPaqjrPnG8FVejy7f5Gi2LkLi4tRBeKTcIAwe1u8=s16000" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Meet <i>Aidan</i></span><br /></b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;">---little brother to Gabriel & Heidi.</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll share the name meaning & origins below. It's not a family name or anything, just one we both liked---similar to our choices of 'Gabriel' & 'Heidi.' :]</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As for the middle name, we chose a distant relation on my side in keeping with the family theme:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Leander.</i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">It comes from a great-great uncle I never met---I just loved the name & the fact it's in the family! And I've said it before, but I LOVE mixing & matching name combos. While my hubby was a little more hesitant, I thought the sound of <i>Aidan Leander</i> had a nice, unique ring to it. *^ - ^* (Also, I think it's growing on him and he's coming around to my way of thinking... ;D)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Meanings below!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>AIDAN</i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>M </b> | <i>Irish, English (modern)</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>AY-d<span style="text-align: start; white-space: nowrap;">ə</span>n </b><i>(English)</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Anglicized version of <i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aodh<span style="text-align: left;">á</span>n</span></i>, which is ultimately derived from Old Irish <i>Aodh</i>, meaning "little fire." There are many different variations of spellings, one such: <i>Aiden</i>, being the Americanized version.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">LEANDER</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>M</b> | <i>Greek Mythology</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: nowrap;"><b>lee-AN-d</b><b>ə</b><b>r</b> <i>(English)</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Latinized form of the Greek name <i>Leandros</i>, which is derived from <i>leon</i>, meaning "lion," and <i>aner</i>, meaning "man."</span> In Greek legend, this was the given name of the lover of Hero, who swam across the Hellespont every night to meet her, but on one occasion was drowned when a storm arose. As is typical in tragic Greek mythology, when Hero saw his dead body, she threw herself into the waters and also perished.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">So, there ya have it. :]</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What is your honest opinion? Would you use these names as characters in your WIPs?? I've thrown around some nickname ideas for the two, but what would YOU shorten them to? I'd truly love to hear!!</b></span></p><style type="text/css">
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</style>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-65808212348791518162022-02-04T16:21:00.002-05:002022-02-04T16:21:25.477-05:00Review >> These Mortal Wings<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Happy, happy Friday!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I dunno about you, but Fridays basically say "weekend is here!" to me. :D Aaaand I get to share another book review, and in so doing feel rather accomplished for the afternoon. Haha.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">And boy, do I have an awesome doozy for you today! </span></p><p style="text-align: center;">If you are not familiar with this particular author, I would encourage you to check out her <i><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/182292-crown-of-stars" target="_blank">Crown of Stars</a></b></i> series---they are fantasy, faerietale retellings & they are AMAZING. One of my all-time favorite series! The world-building, the characters, and the stories are so engaging & I can almost guarantee you'll be sucked in from the start.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SERIOUSLY.</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>You need to read them!</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Needless to say, when I heard she had a new series releasing, I definitely wanted in! And while this is a completely different genre from what I was accustomed to reading from <a href="https://elizabethdmarie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth</a>, it did not disappoint, and I'm left needing MORE.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNtW2ljGXTU3YuLcnFzWKyJ9xXQIUHZjmJfwt_ObZCEiUmpJwLPcbSDngQwz_N1cloLl7UUz3qbVFl52qxZFBY33voIMBs1BZL1aBgClGOuI3FYb6tVcgNYX_nDC72LaMmZsi_A5LPqJLM8bMHGjdPidpSx6ZrhTLO9MQNuQE-uCfLahfsSjZQyQyI=s1125" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNtW2ljGXTU3YuLcnFzWKyJ9xXQIUHZjmJfwt_ObZCEiUmpJwLPcbSDngQwz_N1cloLl7UUz3qbVFl52qxZFBY33voIMBs1BZL1aBgClGOuI3FYb6tVcgNYX_nDC72LaMmZsi_A5LPqJLM8bMHGjdPidpSx6ZrhTLO9MQNuQE-uCfLahfsSjZQyQyI=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Read on for my review!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>And be on the lookout for the release:</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>February 22, 2022</b></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640241409l/58862677._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="475" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640241409l/58862677._SY475_.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>THESE MORTAL WINGS</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>Adverse Devices #1</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Elizabeth D. Marie</span></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">expected publication </b><b>| </b>February 22, 2022</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Sci-Fi (kinda), Urban Fantasy</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58862677-these-mortal-wings" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">IT’S A WAR WHERE GODS AND MORTALS CLASH…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">In Lebab, man walks in the shadow of the White Tower, taking for themselves many wives and sacrificing their children to the gods who rule the great city. Society sees only one purpose for women: to increase the honor and prestige of their husbands by bearing sons. Without a male relation to take charge of them, they are left destitute and cast-out into the poor sectors.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Elishah relies on her brother to provide for her; he has always protected her and encouraged her to pursue her dreams of dancing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Until a devastating explosion leaves her alone in the world.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">One man steps forward in the aftermath, to tell her she has a rare and powerful gift…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">The Wings fight to protect mankind from an ancient evil that has been spreading its poisoned roots throughout the city since the beginning of time—from a world that lives unseen beneath the surface.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">And the legendary gods of Babel are rising once again.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Yehoshua knows his fellow Wings cannot win this battle alone. Elishah could be the key to a long-forsaken genetic code. With her help, they could defeat Babel once and for all.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">If he can convince her of the ability flowing through her veins….</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to the author for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A whole new take on the ancient Biblical history of the Tower of Babel & how far Man falls. There's an Urban Fantasy feel to the story, almost dystopian, with a rich sense of culture---albeit a sadly deceived & paganistic culture.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I believe as the series progresses, the characters will be more fleshed out & grow in their particular arcs, but with Elishah, I kept getting the sense that she was far younger & not as mature as her 30+ years would make her. However, I gave mental grace having been given an ARC copy not yet finalized---and enjoyed the novel all the same. I absolutely LOVED sweet cinnamon roll Yehoshua. And that is all I will say about him for now. ;D</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Beginning pages enter the aftermath of a warzone: debris & destruction everywhere, shrapnel, and injuries. A woman holds the body of a bloodied child; a man clutches a mangled leg; another holds a hand across his left eye. A man is impaled in the chest by a piece of shrapnel---we see his face before an explosion decimates the place.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">We learn that a man & his team were unjustly executed by bullets to the head, & families basically exiled to the slums of the city.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A woman is attacked inside her apartment---someone grabs her & puts a hand to her mouth in order to silence any sounds. An officer rushes in to the rescue---glass is broken, a gun is fired, followed by a hand-to-hand combat between officer & assailant. A man's nose is broken, spurting blood. A man falls five stories to the sidewalk below... </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">There's a report of an apparent suicide: a man had fallen from the second story of a building & been impaled by the iron fence...</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">There is a fight between a Hunter & two Wings---swords clash, hand-to-hand combat; a man takes a cut to the neck. A character uses their abilities, lashing out in anger at a group of baddies, unintentionally injuring their own partner (small cuts to the face). A man turns an officer's gun onto the guy's fellow men---while their protective vests take the brunt, there's a lot of blood & many are terribly injured. Another nose is broken & blood gushes.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">In this pagan culture, people look to the gods, to whom they've been indoctrinated to from birth to death. They pray to them & give sacrifices... Women are seen as property & treated as such, often abused. Daughters are given as sacrifices in the White Tower. Young girls hope to attend the prestigious Dance Theater, many desperately praying to be chosen as a wife to a god or half-god (having no other hope for a brighter future).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The elite group of officers, known as Wings, fight a more supernatural side of evil that normal citizens are ignorant of (or choose to ignore). Every now & then, Elishah sees visions & images in reflections that seem to depict the true form of the world around them---that the gods actually dwell in an underworld with a blood-red sun & monsters like demons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many pray & offer sacrifices to the sun-god. Some men are overtaken by acts of aggression, their eyes turning completely black---almost as if they are possessed by a demon. A man fights another---swords clash, and he takes a wound to the shoulder before he's tossed over the side of a building.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None. Characters "curse" & the like, but no words are ever used.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A male nurse attempts to give a wounded patient some form of drug in a syringe, but is stopped by another party. The people of the city are required yearly vaccinations. And pregnant women receive some kind of vaccination every month during pregnancy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">[SPOILER!]</span></b> We learn the story of Elishah's birth & how her twin brother was stillborn before her surprise arrival (not realizing there were twins). Her parents believed the vaccinations were the cause.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mention of beer & kegs of wine. At a wake, alcohol & other spirits are served to those who attend. A man's teeth are yellowed from too much alcohol consumption. Another man's breath smells briefly of alcohol. Elishah's brother owned & worked at a local bar, but never drank.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Drugs are prevalent among those considered displaced. A woman reeks of cigarettes & alcohol. We learn Elishah's mother took to the drugs as an escape & how Elishah watched them change her over time. </div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Yehoshua & Elishah embrace many times, tenderly, but not in a romantic way---more in a protective/comforting way. There's attraction between them, obviously, but no kisses or the like.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A woman is referred to as the 5th wife of a man. A man boldly allows his eyes to take in a girl's figure. Men come to a woman's apartment to seek her as a wife---almost like interviews. One is waaaaay too touchy & tells her he requires a "guarantee" before agreeing to marriage (and that if she bore a son, she would be well taken care of). She tells him she can give no guarantee & tries to avoid his touch.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, this was a wild, fantastical ride. And WARNING ended on a literal cliff hanger. I read the ending sentences & basically thought: "Wait, that's it? It's OVER??" xDDD Haha, you'll definitely be left wanting more!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other than the more mature implications of the pagan culture & the rather bloody content of violence, this is a clean, action-packed work of fiction, & one I enjoyed! Also, the author makes a note in the beginning that this story began in 2019, before all the hype of a certain virus & vaxxing... Quite relevant in our times today, unfortunately. The story itself, doesn't go hugely into detail or blow up the topic in any way, but it is clearly a key component of the plot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, if you're looking for a more Urban Fantasy with a bit of violence, clean romance (if any), and an elite squad of winged men, look no further! I think you'll enjoy this one. ;D</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>5 OUT OF 5 STARS</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAA3RlG0HlORGywh3jIifnMqZBaF39GqYjfTXrqMOGmTNyZ-S38L7quaYdH8RiVvpbKWykbhhRK_C_yYAVLyFGnfSK9M4Pg0EP1m_1RDlkyhiK5M00fnk8deV8_lXtU_LTwUhiplSS5tX9bv7jLVbfmgA5AHBeAlbYi-9-E1_K6Ak1bSYKF4F8Fat-=s528" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="528" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAA3RlG0HlORGywh3jIifnMqZBaF39GqYjfTXrqMOGmTNyZ-S38L7quaYdH8RiVvpbKWykbhhRK_C_yYAVLyFGnfSK9M4Pg0EP1m_1RDlkyhiK5M00fnk8deV8_lXtU_LTwUhiplSS5tX9bv7jLVbfmgA5AHBeAlbYi-9-E1_K6Ak1bSYKF4F8Fat-=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-56493610011171227822022-02-03T20:09:00.005-05:002022-02-04T14:28:42.616-05:00What's in a Name? >> 1st Monday Edition (Except on a Thursday)<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PFP4DXy-wps/XjYumLOgyMI/AAAAAAAADCk/kfv4JcDnkL4PlnPLTN5pGQZZHAcysTsfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/gaelle-marcel-zi7cG2d6Mrk-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PFP4DXy-wps/XjYumLOgyMI/AAAAAAAADCk/kfv4JcDnkL4PlnPLTN5pGQZZHAcysTsfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/gaelle-marcel-zi7cG2d6Mrk-unsplash.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's a new week & the beginning of a new month, friends!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="5">Can you believe it's February 2022??</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="5"><b><br /></b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="5">And lookit what's up on the blog today!</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="6"><b>A NEW NAME POST!!!</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="5">*applause*</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="5"><b><br /></b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="5">Thank you, thank you. We'll see how long I can manage this, haha. Unfortunately, I was unable to add the photos for some bizarre reason. Hopefully, I can fix that for the next go, but at least I've got some names for you! Also, I'm attempting to stick to my formatting from <strike>one</strike> two [whaaa---] years ago. It seemed to work well, so here goes!<br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Enjoy. :]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "american typewriter", monospace;"><span style="font-size: 40pt;">REGULAR</span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><i><font size="6"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Lenox</font></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>M </b>| <i>English (rare)</i></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>LEHN-əks<br /></b></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">From a surname that was a variant of <i>Lennox</i>, which is derived from a Scottish surname and the name of a district in Scotland. The district, called <i>Leamhnachd</i> in Gaelic, possibly means "place of elms."</span></span></div><div><i><font size="6"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Mabena</font></i><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>F </b>| <span style="font-family: inherit;"><i> Cornish, English (British)</i></span></span></div><div><b>ma-BEH-na</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Variant of <i>Mabyn</i>, which is possibly derived from Old Cornish <i>mab</i>, meaning "son."</span></div><div><i><font size="6"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sutter</font></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>M </b>| <i>English</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Transferred use of the occupational surname Sutter, for a shoemaker or cobbler (rarely a tailor). It hails from Middle English <i>suter</i>, <i>souter</i>; Middle High German <i>suter</i>, <i><span style="font-family: inherit;">sut</span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">æ</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">re</span></i>---from Latin <i>sutor</i>, an agent derivative of <i>suere</i> "to sew").</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "american typewriter", monospace;"><span style="font-size: 40pt;">PLACE NAMES</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><font size="6">Thessaly</font></i></span><i><font size="6"></font></i></div>
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<b>F</b> | <i>English</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font size="4">From the name of the traditional geographic & modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. This name is borne by Thessaly Lerner---American stage, film, & voice actress.</font></span></div>
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<br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><font size="6">Aomori</font></i></span><br />
<b>M & F</b> | <i>Japanese</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b>A-O-MO-RYEE</b></div></div><div style="text-align: right;">
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;">From Japanese elements meaning "green, blue" and "forest." This is the name of a city in Japan, as well as the prefecture in which the city is located.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><font size="6">Navarre</font></i></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b>F</b> | <i>French</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b>nu-VAWR, na-VARR</b></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the name of the historic Royaume de Navarre, a kingdo in the West Pyrenees mountains which is divided today between Spain & France. Derived from either the Basque <i>nabar</i>, meaning "brownish" or "multicolor", or from Basque <i>naba</i>, meaning "valley" or "plain"; and <i>herri</i>, meaning "land" or "people."</span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Names & meanings via <a href="http://behindthename.com/">behindthename.com</a></b></span><b style="font-size: small;">.</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></b></div>
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<font face="Serenity"><font style="font-size: 60pt;">Talk to
me!</font></font></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Oooh. I rather love this group of names. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> Not sure if they would ever make it into a story or something of mine, but who knows. :] </span></b><b style="font-size: xx-large;">Do you have a favorite(s) of this group?? </b><b><span style="font-size: large;">I'd have to say of these, Thessaly is my personal fave. Such a pretty sound to it!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for reading, friend!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Have a lovely start to the weekend!</span></b></div>
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</style></div></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-52126531629169541722022-01-28T15:26:00.003-05:002022-01-28T15:29:13.779-05:00Review >> Shadows of Swanford Abbey<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Happy Friday, y'all!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I don't know about you, but this week has been so. Very. LONG. My whole little family came down with the flu in the snap of one horribly long night, and we're just slowly recovering still. My poor hubby is the worst off right now, but I thank my God the kiddos had only minor cases of illness so far. Prayers are certainly coveted if you happen to think of us!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">But today I bring you a new review of a new [December] release!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Read on!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hoping for a lovely weekend, friends!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630950438l/57070964.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="640" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630950438l/57070964.jpg" width="414" /></a></div>Shadows of Swanford Abbey</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Julie Klassen</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Bethany House Publishers </b><b>| </b>December 7th, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Historical Fiction, Clean Romance</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57070964" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In pursuit of an author who could help get her brother published, Rebecca Lane stays at Swanford Abbey, a grand hotel rumored to be haunted. It is there she encounters Sir Frederick---the man who broke her heart. When a mysterious death occurs, Rebecca is one of the suspects, and Frederick is torn between his feelings for her and his search for the truth.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to Bethany House, for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">MASHUP: Think Jane Austen period drama meets Agatha Christie's murder mystery and <i>BLAM!</i> you've got this book. Because such aforementioned things are my favorites, I was entirely taken in from the beginning & found it so very difficult to put it down. It felt like a Jane Austen novel, in a sense, but also read like Ms Christie's mysteries, and I ENJOYED IT SO MUCH. The mystery itself certainly had me guessing---but let's be real: that is so not hard to do when it comes to me (and probably why I love mysteries so much... xDDD)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, I loved Rebecca's sweet character and felt I could relate to her as the older sister with some family burdens---much like Lizzie in regards to her "silly" younger sisters (and let's not forget her mother...). As does everyone, she had some regrets in life, but somehow manages to press onward & do what she needed to do, no matter how difficult. It was clear she loved her younger brother dearly, would do quite anything for him, but was also ready to set things right, regardless how she might come through. And in the process, her relationships began to thrive as well as those of others around her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Frederick was your typical, handsome, chivalrous gentleman, but certainly more reserved than his extroverted brother. As the lord & magistrate of the surrounding area, he took his duties seriously, and regardless any gossip about his late wife, he was highly respected & a man of his word. And also, he & Rebecca shared years of previous friendship. :] You don't read too often of that in such novels, methinks. Their relationship had turned a bit awkward, but the friendship still remained.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Memories play out of a girl & her younger brother climbing a tree with the boy falling & laying "deadly still".</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A couple characters hear a scream followed by a crash and rush to the scene to find two bodies---one merely fainted & the other injured by a bloody wound to the head. A girl injures her ankle after a daring climb on a balcony---blood trickles from the wound onto some carpet.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Flashbacks of a noble lady falling down stairs & breaking her neck---instantly dead.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man was murdered in his sleep---he's found with a deep wound to the head.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Rebecca prays desperately before setting out to meet someone discreetly. She later speaks of how God doesn't promise that life would be fair.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Someone says, "thank the Lord" and another time "thank God" is mentioned in relief.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once an abbey, the hotel is said to be haunted by the old abbess. And on several different occasions, we see a figure dressed in flowing black robes & the head garments of a nun roaming the floors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A woman sees another in the chapel who appears to be crying, she leaves the lady quietly without disturbing her. Riddled with guilt & shame for lying to protect a loved one, a woman goes to Sunday chapel---knowing full well she had sinned against God & her own conscience.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A passage in Hebrews is referenced, as well as some of the Psalms. At one point, we see a painting of Christ on the cross with the "good thief" beside Him, arm uplifted in praise.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Phrases like "devilish angry," "what the devil?", and "the devil!" are uttered by a couple characters in exclamation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A rather depressed character turns to opiates & alcohol when his life doesn't go the way he hoped it should (albeit he was wronged by other parties in regards to his career), but it led to his consumption of drugs, followed by late nights & later mornings, rumpled dress state, and mental issues.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A doctor is rudely referred to as being "mad" because he runs a respectable asylum for people with long-term mental problems. (SIDE NOTE: While this story doesn't deal deeply with such mental issues as depression & addiction, it does so tactfully & handles the topic extremely well.)</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A gentleman's club in the basement of a hotel is looked on disapprovingly, but no explanation as to why.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A chambermaid enters a man's room to deliver his breakfast tray & a manuscript. The man is busy in his writings but eventually looks up at her & makes a lewd remarks that she could certainly do something for him in return for reading the package. She hastens out of the room as quickly as possible.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">In a separate instance, a young lady is awakened in the night by a man at her door, apparently drunk & asking her to let him in so he could see who she was. Thankfully, another more respectable man interferes & sends the drunken man on his way.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">There's a NEAR kiss between two characters who are undoubtedly attracted to one another, but is timely interrupted.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">{SPOILER}</span></b> It's discovered that a woman's younger sister was brutally raped by a horrid man, and later died in childbirth.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, this was a totally enjoyable read for me. It kept me on my toes, I loved the story & the characters; and despite some more mature themes, it was an lovely, clean, slow-burn romance. (I'm a sucker for the friendship-to-lovers trope ;D)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So. If you enjoy period dramas with a mashup of murder mysteries & a healthy dose of clean romance, I would highly recommend this book!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>5 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYKXvRWqEPb3HG6bHCOQ9Pzb2C23HMj1OGQiCK3HAw732pTw41H-ICFZDbIBo5teieNv8zK8i6YENnd_tblJQhXIQ9XVxKoByOpc3Se2geKpZ8dnXLlpU4KR9jIhteFut59CsL1TY9rqCoKKeKhP2JC4cKKkLDKwFuYWq5pSNvhIB-Hl75ZQB7kERS=s528" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="528" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYKXvRWqEPb3HG6bHCOQ9Pzb2C23HMj1OGQiCK3HAw732pTw41H-ICFZDbIBo5teieNv8zK8i6YENnd_tblJQhXIQ9XVxKoByOpc3Se2geKpZ8dnXLlpU4KR9jIhteFut59CsL1TY9rqCoKKeKhP2JC4cKKkLDKwFuYWq5pSNvhIB-Hl75ZQB7kERS=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-5721018460650606742022-01-21T09:00:00.001-05:002022-01-21T09:00:00.215-05:00Review >> Enok & the Womb of Gods<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Happy, happy Friday, my friends!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I've come with another book review today---slowly but surely checking off the novels on my review list. It's quite extensive at present. HEH.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">This books following is quite a bit different from the genres I normally read. But read on to find why!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-size: xx-large; font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1604364141l/54643699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="640" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1604364141l/54643699.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>ENOK & THE WOMB OF GODS</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Andre SkoroBogaty</span></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Lost World Tributes </b><b>| </b>November 1, 2020</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Hard Fantasy</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57002479" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">A fantasy Bildungsroman in an antediluvian setting inspired by the primordial elements of the Mosaic book 'Genesis' and the apocryphal 'Book of Enoch.'</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">'Enok and the Womb of Gods' explores the backstory of the serpents of Eden, what might have become of them, and how, perhaps, they were merely pawns in a game grander and more sinister than they could ever have foreseen.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">—————————————————</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">BE TRANSPORTED TO THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD — AN EPOCH OF GODS AND GIANTS, SERPENTS, AND MORTALS, EACH STRUGGLING FOR SUPREMACY.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">On a remote island enclave of the serpents, a lonely young slave, Enok, is torn between loyalties when a shipwreck strands other humans. In the violent clash of races, Enok stands wrongly sentenced for murder. His only hope is to escape with the castaways, a ruthless amazon, the only human he has ever really known, and her mysterious companions, a towering youth of impossible strength, and a shifty crippled serpent.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">But in whom should he trust? The besieged sect that enslaved him, or the homicidal kindred who overturned his world? However, the greatest puzzle is that of his origin, and the truth lies vaulted in an ancient monument with otherworldly powers and a mind of its own.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">As conflicts rage over the future of this world, a lonesome widow weaves this tale of bygone days, and a gathering audience in the higher realms begins to suspect that the key to all their futures is buried in this tale of the past.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">PREPARE YOURSELF FOR AN IMAGINATIVE RETELLING OF THE VERY BEGINNING THAT WILL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE VERY FIRST OF DAYS — AND BEYOND.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to the author for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's been a long time since I last delved into Hard, Epic Fantasy. The writing styles are always so different from how we speak now, that it's sometimes quite difficult to comprehend---though I enjoy the quality of speech from those eras like the Victorian Age & so on. That said, if you don't much enjoy the age-old classics such as Epic Fantasy of <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> and <i>The Silmarillion</i>, <i>Ben-Hur</i>, or even the writings in <i>Pride & Prejudice</i> and <i>North & South</i>, then this novel may not be for you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the first third of this novel felt kinda slow & took me some doing to keep moving forward, trying to understand the storyworld & its workings, it eventually picked up & I was totally immersed. If I were to describe this book in one word, it would be thus: EPIC. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I never truly felt emotionally involved in the characters & their plights, but it was still shocking when fate knocked, and our protagonist simply had to keep moving. I enjoyed Enok's character & background, and could see how his circumstances drove him to strive for <i>more,</i> and to uncover the mysteries of his past & the people he may have been taken from. His allies were of the more obvious in the few friends he had, as well as some he never knew, but discovered hidden loyalties.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">What's a Fantasy, especially an Epic/Hard Fantasy, without some violence & heart-thudding action?? </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Enok works on the carcass of a creature, working to tan the hide for future uses; more carcasses are seen elsewhere, and a hidden cave boasts evidence of something having lived there a while---creature carcasses litter the space among remains of a meal at the fire pit, etc. Enok bends over, losing his breakfast at the repulsive sight and smells.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Two Zmee, humanoid, intelligent, dragonlike creatures, are brutally murdered before Enok's eyes; a youngling struggles in the throes of death, but is finished off by a speak blow to the heart, to Enok's utter horror. A crippled Zmee is found bound & fettered in the cave (mentioned above), signs of torture evident in its mangled limbs and fingerless hand. A feverish "barbarian" lays on the bed covered in poultices.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Enok is clubbed on the head & knocked unconscious; later awakens in a cell. A fight breaks out at an inquest; many are slain when a prisoner breaks his bonds and turns their own weapons upon them, impaling Zmee on tridents, other weapons, and debris. One serpent is thrown into a cart with a sickening crunch. A couple others are set upon by an agitated lizard-bird (as large as a horse). A giant falls prostrate with a great bleeding gash on his back and a dark in his skull...</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A Zmee is overcome & devoured by something called The Fear---apparently a swarm of innumerable-thousands of insects. We hear screams until they are silenced... Poison darts are part of the weaponry.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A creature is badly injured when a sky balloon collides with his tree---ribs are crushed & one arm hangs limply; later falls to his death into the toxic swamp far below. Other beings fall from sky-balloons, crash through tree limbs, escape freezing waterfalls, get knocked out, etc. etc.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Upon seeing a prisoner's nakedness (in his attending to her wounds, etc), she tells him he's dishonored her & that the Twain Goddess demands he fight her to the death. But she admits he saved her life, and she repays the debt by reprieve until they are free of any prison. A prisoner wonders where they are: "one of the hells?" and concludes "Traitor's Hell, then."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One character cries out that "to die with your blood afire is to free your soul for the afterworld"l she later says in response to a question about a giant man, that he "is a god, or rather a godling. As a Son of Gods, he always was."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To touch the dead (body, blood, etc.), in the culture of the Zmee, is considered defilement, rendering the Zmee unclean until after three days of ablutions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many aphorisms are referenced that sound much like our Proverbs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A race of giants are implied to be like the Nephillim. Before executing an escape plan, Naama paints herself in pigment colors in some kind of ritual to her goddess; calls Enok an unbeliever, "yet." Mention of titles & phrases such as, "The El," the "First Cause," and "Methodics."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Great dung of a.." is left unfinished. Other mentions of exclamations like "to h--- with you, then!", "great goddess!", "o favored of the gods!", "Holy Ssla!", and "blood of the gods!"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Enok is given drugs for medicinal purposes. Someone treats a prisoners wounds with medicinal poultices. A special carry tube of the Zmee contains things similar to first aid supplies.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">The mating/animalistic breeding rituals of the Zmee are explained briefly. Mention of how Zmee adult females achieve estrus every six years, and how a particular female character is "so ready for mating, she'd be entwining with anything before long." Also, noted that there was only one "bull" on the continent of Zoar.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A prisoner inquires if Enok had seen her naked, to which he replies a hesitant yes---hesitant because of her serious tone. No descriptions, nor anything graphic. Imprisoned together, Naama & Enok plan an escape. Exhausted, she falls asleep, but not before offering to him to "come to bed" to which he balks & reddens---completely at a loss as to how his kind behaves. (Recall that he has lived as the only human slave to dragonlike creatures all his life.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A Zmee fertility pilgramage is mentioned a few times, where every six years of their adult life, the females trek to a place essentially to breed.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">It's learned one male Zmee is not quite whole (if you catch the meaning), having been tortured "in the worst way a male could be."</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Because Enok has never before seen a female more of his race, he wonders at the natural attractions a time or two.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, while it is NOT an easy read, I was certainly drawn in & taken for a ride in this epic adventure. The characters were so very intriguing, the storyworld was amazing! and the cultures complex. And learned that there's to be a sequel! It's not really one I might re-read over & over again, but if I get my hands on the second book, I'm definitely reading it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you enjoy these Hard Fantasies, with murder, politics, & high-flying adventure, this novel might be right up your alley. And if you pick it up, let me know! I'd love to hear your opinion. :]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>4 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizsJyxtQFvW6SBf0JHLygD7h-R12NgAQWYJtqQEwhq9U6gybLdPdcl_Wbu0EaJ3HJM9SRprLMx1R0lJQP1Ok0oyw-UfVAC90IHtnTd2b951JlDIvWfb0LKMXVhD5IEdeIM-RnX7i-XTGlLWaK-xb478YzQpHaZmH98ZsGPtAUwmk5NVQglTdz1Pxah=s523" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="523" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizsJyxtQFvW6SBf0JHLygD7h-R12NgAQWYJtqQEwhq9U6gybLdPdcl_Wbu0EaJ3HJM9SRprLMx1R0lJQP1Ok0oyw-UfVAC90IHtnTd2b951JlDIvWfb0LKMXVhD5IEdeIM-RnX7i-XTGlLWaK-xb478YzQpHaZmH98ZsGPtAUwmk5NVQglTdz1Pxah=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 18+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-31530405750869216832022-01-19T15:16:00.002-05:002022-01-19T15:16:34.048-05:00Be Encouraged // Make Time<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrPt_mPXFxDS0KvRs3LZXqCjNoFe7-UMdMCKQhfxHLlZErHmRQhg8FqvYvWgRD6LGGvYV40cRw4BMS_9lAsGu0psUE3Xb42MTohSflOmUSOz2g7uYkms0Y0Qf11Rtc1hvQCAOCZs9mnXkSxHgA8CRThZa81tNKTscW2tJs7SQrNzSHIptaw4wQzAhM=s2000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrPt_mPXFxDS0KvRs3LZXqCjNoFe7-UMdMCKQhfxHLlZErHmRQhg8FqvYvWgRD6LGGvYV40cRw4BMS_9lAsGu0psUE3Xb42MTohSflOmUSOz2g7uYkms0Y0Qf11Rtc1hvQCAOCZs9mnXkSxHgA8CRThZa81tNKTscW2tJs7SQrNzSHIptaw4wQzAhM=s16000" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's a brand new year [ALREADY??], and to most that means new resolutions & re-evaluations of goals and priorities.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Unfortunately, a high percentage of New Year Resolutions tend to fizzle out by the second week of January. <b>Why?</b> <span style="font-size: large;"> Because it's HARD to form new, worthwhile habits,</span> but oh so easy to keep the bad ones.</p><p style="text-align: center;">While I am absolutely no expert in forming & keeping good habits, I must remind myself <i>daily</i> of these things following:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">> Time is a gift.</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">One will ALWAYS do what they desire to do. Always.</p><p style="text-align: center;">For example, as I sit typing these thoughts while the halflings are sleeping, I realize I should probably take a small nap myself & regather my energy for the rest of the day. But that's not what I <i>want</i> to do (even though I feel pretty exhausted right now). So here I sit writing until the words fade from my brainhole, and then I may afterward pick up my latest book & read till the last possible moment before naptime ends. . .</p><p style="text-align: center;">People <i>always</i> do what they desire. The MAKE the time---be it good or bad.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Perhaps it's time to re-evaluate. </b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Honestly, that mountain of laundry can wait while you play Legos with your three year old for 15 minutes. No, the kitchen won't clean itself (to our utter dissatisfaction), but taking an evening family walk is <i>so much more</i> worthwhile than an immaculate kitchen & clean dishes before bed. Yes, frustration comes so easily when the ten month old is teething & beyond grumpy and you have other responsibilities screaming at you to finish, when all she wants is for you to snuggle her for 10 minutes because she NEEDS that time of soothing.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Before having children, I never realized just how much time is a gift. And that it's meant to be spent wisely! Yes, all of those responsibilities are important & are things you WILL accomplish eventually because you enjoy a clean, organized home where your family & others can come visit & relax. But SERIOUSLY, what is 10 or 15 minutes, especially when spent fully present with those you love??</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>> Focus on what truly matters.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">I have my priorities. I wrote them out at the start of this year, 2022. They are not resolutions. They may differ slightly from last year's, but they are so very important to me all the same. I won't go into details, because they are mine & you have your own, but my top two will probably ring true for most mamas I know.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1)</b> My quiet time with my Lord.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2)</b> My husband & my children.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Sadly, the first has not been followed daily as it should. And this is---beyond the importance of my hubby & kiddos---THE highest priority of my life. Because if I have everything right with my Lord, and I'm in His holy presence EVERY DAY, then everything else will fall into place. It's as simple as that. I've experienced it! I am so much more at peace with myself & others when I have spent time with God.</p><p style="text-align: center;">To reach that goal, I must MAKE TIME. And for me that means, getting to bed at a decent hour & rising early in the morning. No late night reading sessions (no matter how good the book is!). And limiting screen time before hittin' the hay. . . Pinterest is awesome, y'all, but IT'S A SOUL SUCKER!!! You know it's true. (Of any form of social media!)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">> Be FULLY PRESENT.</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">In EVERYTHING.</p><p style="text-align: center;">This means setting down the cell phone---if that means DIYing a "phone jail" for the family at dinnertime, so be it---and giving your full attention to the adorable jabbering of a toddler, even if you don't understand the cute nonsense he's speaking. Or giving up a chore (that <i>does</i> need accomplishing) to play a quick game with a sibling---believe me, the chore will still be there. Or perhaps dragging the family out for a much needed walk down the road or to the park---no screens, no earbuds---for the life-giving fresh air & exertion of energy. Or maybe visiting a grandparent for a couple hours one evening---believe me, you will make. Their. DAY.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Simply put, wherever you are, give the place <b><i>and the people</i></b> (most importantly) your full focus. Be fully there. <b>You won't regret it.</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu2i-89q17cEfHhRDxFWE1iAAQXG5zKFePfiQMft8jqwhGIE402OIHH-jnjCZAdlipMyfKA8lgb-arRYChmejk-S0RcfOtBOWpMRZ4L7-gdnD88ZFd_AEE60vN4V3ubNdr0tLZLu4iRmE32gAbPrMhTrZN1KKeqEwapnSZLkpKf9fTzUaDxioi86Un=s2000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu2i-89q17cEfHhRDxFWE1iAAQXG5zKFePfiQMft8jqwhGIE402OIHH-jnjCZAdlipMyfKA8lgb-arRYChmejk-S0RcfOtBOWpMRZ4L7-gdnD88ZFd_AEE60vN4V3ubNdr0tLZLu4iRmE32gAbPrMhTrZN1KKeqEwapnSZLkpKf9fTzUaDxioi86Un=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Be encouraged!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">You are so loved & so valued. Your Time is a precious gift, and one of THE most cherishable things you could give to someone. Don't take it for granted.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><3</span></p>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-6613231646961528532022-01-14T11:18:00.004-05:002022-01-19T16:17:56.884-05:00Review >> A Great Divide<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>I am SOOOOO far behind in my book reviews, y'all.<br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;">But I now have internet once again, so I hope to remedy this in the course of the coming weeks. :]</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>That said, I'm BACK!!!<br /></b>And I believe I say this every time, but oh, how I've missed blogging! It's been beyond too long since I've been able to catch up on reading my favorite blogs as well, and I do hope I can work it into my days to change that.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And with that, Happy New Year!!</b> I literally <b>CANNOT</b> believe we are basically halfway through January already. And to think that at the end of next month, my baby girl will be turning one year!<br />*cue hysterical screaming*</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and we're expecting no. 3 at the end of June.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">O_O</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ha! Yep! Believe me, it was a surprise to us as well.<br />xDDD</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">But enough chit-chat. I'm here to bring a looooong overdue book (and hope that Bethany House will forgive my outrageous delay in publishing it...).</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Have a marvelous weekend, dearies!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><b><span><div style="display: inline !important;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1614215608l/56973115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="800" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1614215608l/56973115.jpg" width="518" /></a></div>A GREAT DIVIDE</span></div></span></b></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Secrets of the Canyon #1</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Kimberly Woodhouse</span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Bethany House Publishers </b><b>| October 5th, 2021</b></div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56973115-a-deep-divide?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=GFz4zNKRCq&rank=2" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">After being kidnapped as a child, heiress Emma Grace McMurray has seen firsthand the devastation that greed causes in the world, and she wants nothing to do with it--including her father's offering her hand in a business deal. She sneaks away to be a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Grand Canyon Hotel, planning to stay hidden even if it means always looking over her shoulder.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Ray Watkins arrives at the hotel wanting to impress his father by finding success on his own. Then maybe he can take on more of the family business and do something good with the profits.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Ray immediately admires Emma Grace, and though a friendship forms, she's afraid he's just like every other wealthy man she's known. Then art and jewels go missing from El Tovar and the nearby Hopi House, a mystery that pulls them in and stirs up their worst fears. When shocking revelations come to light, they'll have to question all they thought to be true.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to Bethany House, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I enjoyed this novel! Having been to the Grand Canyon myself, though it was MANY moons ago so that I hardly remember it, I was so very intrigued by the premise that I knew this book would be right up my alley. And I had no idea there was an actual <a href="https://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/el-tovar-hotel/" target="_blank">hotel</a> located right on the Canyon's edge! (And it's still in operation!! That would definitely be on my unofficial bucket list, y'all.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anywho, I loved the characters. Emma Grace is a sweetheart, whose circumstances made her quite resourceful and a hard worker with excellent work ethic. Born into a family of fortune, she leaves it all & sets out on her own, despite danger & mystery. But in the end, all is resolved in the choice she has to make (and it's a good choice, in my opinion ;]). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ray is such a gentleman! And despite the greed & vast fortune of the family business, his heart is compassionate and his dreams are to further the needs of those less fortunate. Quite an honorable young man. And put both he & Emma Grace together, and you've just got this adorable cinnamon roll goodness of a slow-burn romance. Love!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">An 8-year-old girl is kidnapped and held for a total of eighteen days. Nothing untoward happens to her, and she is well cared for, but in all of this, she learns much of her family and how her father's business works. Later, the girl, now a young woman, often relives the kidnapping in nightmares---about an unknown man chasing after her.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man is found murdered and the killer unknown. The mystery remains unsolved for many years.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A woman is hit over the head & knocked out while hiking alone (ALWAYS a bad idea, but of course she goes anyway). She suffers nasty headaches because of that, but is otherwise alright.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Scripture is referenced often. God is praised as a great artist & the Creator of the magnificent Canyon. A character is loaned a book by a friend of Spurgeon's <i>The Treasury of David</i>, vol. 3. She prays that God would show Himself to her---hear her & help her understand; prays to God many times throughout and seeks HIm for answers, peace, & relief from her fears. She grew up hearing preachers yell and scare their congregations with fire & brimstone, and was told to do enough good works in order to attain heaven.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another couple characters are quite confident in their faith & help to spur Emma Grace in her own.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mark 5:36 is referenced, along with a summary of the story of Jairus & his sick daughter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The hotel's dining room serves its guests a variety of beverages. And if I recall correctly, a questionable group of young men get into a drunken brawl over something and end up in jail.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Because it's been so long since I read this one, and I've read multiple other novels preceding it, I honestly cannot recall much in this department. There's definitely a romance between Ray & Emma Grace---attraction, butterflies, etc. I'm sure they kiss at least once, and probably an embrace or two. But other than that, extremely mild in this category. I do know their romance is adorably sweet. <3</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, I enjoyed this story & would highly recommend to other historical fiction lovers. Especially if you are looking for a good, clean novel with a bit of action, mystery, and sweet romance. The mystery itself totally had me guessing right up until the reveal! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While I loved the story, the characters, & the historical aspects, it's probably not one I will go back to re-read over & over (hence my rating of 4/5 stars). Still, it would be one I'd recommend to others, and if the sequels came my way, I'd definitely jump for them. :]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>4 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizsJyxtQFvW6SBf0JHLygD7h-R12NgAQWYJtqQEwhq9U6gybLdPdcl_Wbu0EaJ3HJM9SRprLMx1R0lJQP1Ok0oyw-UfVAC90IHtnTd2b951JlDIvWfb0LKMXVhD5IEdeIM-RnX7i-XTGlLWaK-xb478YzQpHaZmH98ZsGPtAUwmk5NVQglTdz1Pxah=s523" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="523" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizsJyxtQFvW6SBf0JHLygD7h-R12NgAQWYJtqQEwhq9U6gybLdPdcl_Wbu0EaJ3HJM9SRprLMx1R0lJQP1Ok0oyw-UfVAC90IHtnTd2b951JlDIvWfb0LKMXVhD5IEdeIM-RnX7i-XTGlLWaK-xb478YzQpHaZmH98ZsGPtAUwmk5NVQglTdz1Pxah=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-2148752142667497072021-11-08T21:39:00.004-05:002021-11-08T21:39:51.936-05:00Review >> The Lines Between Us<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-size: xx-large; font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1614215761l/57002479.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="510" height="800" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1614215761l/57002479.jpg" width="510" /></a></div>THE LINES BETWEEN US</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Amy Lynn Green</span></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Bethany House </b><b>| </b>August 31, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Historical Fiction, Clean</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57002479" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Since the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gordon Hooper and his buddy Jack Armitage have done “work of national importance” in the West as conscientious objectors: volunteering as smokejumpers, parachuting into and fighting raging wildfires. But the number of winter blazes they’re called to in early 1945 seems suspiciously high, and when an accident leaves Jack badly injured, Gordon realizes the facts don’t add up.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">A member of the Women’s Army Corps, Dorie Armitage has long been ashamed of her brother’s pacificism, but she's shocked by news of his accident. Determined to find out why he was harmed, she arrives at the national forest under the guise of conducting an army report...and finds herself forced to work with Gordon. He believes it’s wrong to lie; she’s willing to do whatever it takes so justice will be done.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">As they search for clues, Gordon and Dorie must wrestle with their convictions about war and peace and decide what to do with the shocking secrets they discover.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to Bethany House, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was quite a different kind of book compared to the usual Christian fiction, clean romance novels I typically read from this publisher. First of all, it's not really a romance---there was some initial attraction between our two main characters (whose perspectives we read in turn), but it is real & relatable in regards to relationships and how some simply don't work out. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dorie seems quite the wild kinda rebel who loves challenges. And Gordon & Jack (her brother) were men who stood by their convictions, but also worked to understand others. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />All told, this was a great, clean story, with an intriguing bit of historical mystery. I enjoyed it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man is badly burned to unconsciousness---not expected to survive. <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>[SPOILER!]</b></span> He later dies.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man punches another two or three times in a temper. A bomb takes the life of a man; at least two other stories are told of men lost to fires. There's also a recollection of a woman murdering her abusive husband by turning on the car engine inside the garage while he was passed out drunk. A diary entry records two slaves being dragged out from their hiding spot & beaten nearly to death---it is assumed they were returned to their owners.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">A young man applies for exemption from the draft to war, on his convictions of pacifism. He tries to explain his convictions in regards to the war & what he has read from the New Testament and Jesus' teachings. A man prays for a severely injured friend. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 Corinthians is referenced; characters attend a church service where the majority of the congregation including pastor looks down on the CO men (what the group of pacifist men are called) for their beliefs. A young woman bows at the church altar & seemingly whispers a prayer. Gordon stays behind in a pew after the service is over. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Characters pray often over many different things.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Don't recall any.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">As mentioned before, there was some form of attraction between Dorie & Gordon as they exchanged letters for a period of time. But once she learned of his (& her brother's beliefs) after the war broke out, she dropped the relationship, feeling strongly that a man should be willing to stand & fight for his country. (So she signed on for the Womens Army Corps.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">No sensuality in any way, nor kissing or anything of the like. A young man rather likes his chief's daughter, but isn't exactly bold enough to make any kind of move yet...</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, this was a good, clean novel, filled with historical facts & mystery. I quite enjoyed it, although it wouldn't be one I would pick up to re-read often (if at all). And that's simply my opinion. :] The historical aspect was fascinating, as well as the facts about smoke-jumpers & all that they do/did during this particular era.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you're looking for an easy read and enjoy historical fiction with a tad bit of mystery, I would certainly recommend this one!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>4 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizsJyxtQFvW6SBf0JHLygD7h-R12NgAQWYJtqQEwhq9U6gybLdPdcl_Wbu0EaJ3HJM9SRprLMx1R0lJQP1Ok0oyw-UfVAC90IHtnTd2b951JlDIvWfb0LKMXVhD5IEdeIM-RnX7i-XTGlLWaK-xb478YzQpHaZmH98ZsGPtAUwmk5NVQglTdz1Pxah=s523" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="523" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizsJyxtQFvW6SBf0JHLygD7h-R12NgAQWYJtqQEwhq9U6gybLdPdcl_Wbu0EaJ3HJM9SRprLMx1R0lJQP1Ok0oyw-UfVAC90IHtnTd2b951JlDIvWfb0LKMXVhD5IEdeIM-RnX7i-XTGlLWaK-xb478YzQpHaZmH98ZsGPtAUwmk5NVQglTdz1Pxah=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-50239728111568962012021-10-15T14:48:00.001-04:002021-10-15T14:50:01.555-04:00Review >> The Origin: A1 Mission Agency<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: -webkit-xxx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><b><span><div style="display: inline;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629872754l/58851866._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="475" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629872754l/58851866._SY475_.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>THE ORIGIN</span></div></span></b></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><b><span><div style="display: inline;"><b><span><div style="display: inline;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The A1 Mission Agency</span></div></span></b></div></span></b></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><b><span><div style="display: inline;"><b><span><div style="display: inline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Timothy Beavin</span></div></span></b></div></span></b></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">independently published </b><b>| </b>July 29th, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Children's Fiction</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55654557-the-barrister-and-the-letter-of-marque?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=EeSoH0YY75&rank=1" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Toby and Scott join forces with their cousin Scooter Denham to take down the notorious Phoenix Gang. Will these three boys be able to defeat a large group of thugs while being crazy outnumbered? Find out in this first book of Timothy Beavin’s Christian-based series… The A1 Mission Agency!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to the author, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Written for preteens, the series follows the activities of three young boys & their founding of the A1 Mission Agency. It all begins with the unexpected arrival of their cousin, Scooter---to whom Toby & Scott are extremely apprehensive in regards to his current juvie record and history of bad character. However, upon arrival, Scooter surprises them both with his jovial attitude & basically overall complete turn-around of character (with the exception of some HEAVY use of your common "cool guy" slang).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A particular bully turns out to be the son of the local pastor. A gang of boys goes after Toby, Scott, & Scooter; one gets in a good punch before he's flattened by a dog-pile of the gang & kidnapped; pepper spray may have been used at least once. A sparring match happens between two boys---punches thrown; one boy is beaten pretty badly & then kicked in the face while helpless. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The gang vandalizes a carnival.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Proverbs 22:6 is referenced, along with John 3:16 and Philippians 4:6-7. One character states he follows Jesus now---and it certainly seems to be true, considering his actions & behavior. Another thinks to himself how he's been a "Christian" since he was five (presently he's 15). Two characters pray rather passionately on behalf of another.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lots of rather harmless slang used, including "homeslice," "sick," "heck yeah," and "barmy."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">None.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Overall, it was a cute, super easy read---only 46 pages. While it's certainly geared for those around the ages of 8/9ish to 12 or so, there are some themes that may seem both too mature and/or too childish.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I will say one thing in regards to the strong Christian theme: One character reminisces on that he was saved at the age of five, implying that he raised his hand after saying "the prayer"---this could give young readers the wrong idea of salvation in that one needs only to <i>pray</i> in order to be saved, when in truth, one must simply <i>believe</i>. I'm not saying that the character <i>wasn't</i> saved, only that his thinking can influence and/or certainly relate to others. He saw the good 'fruit' of his transformed cousin, and I believe it was a point in this short story that he was perhaps just "going through the motions" as a generational Christian compared to his radically changed cousin, who would've previously been considered a troubled kid/rebel. All that said, it is probably <i>that</i> particular theme that would seem a bit over the heads of young readers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To conclude, it's a clean & easy read for the targeted group. :]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>3 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-33KXO6yERfA/YAtC3bydOdI/AAAAAAAABng/hwjxY6kF6pMzYe8zCkHRo8w7gOUj0g4lACPcBGAYYCw/s523/rating%2Bstars%2B3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="523" height="91" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-33KXO6yERfA/YAtC3bydOdI/AAAAAAAABng/hwjxY6kF6pMzYe8zCkHRo8w7gOUj0g4lACPcBGAYYCw/s320/rating%2Bstars%2B3.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 8+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-62948597720104944932021-09-20T15:45:00.002-04:002021-09-20T15:45:16.855-04:00Review >> The Barrister & the Letter of Marque<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: -webkit-xxx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><b><span><div style="display: inline !important;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603406759l/55654557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="224" height="400" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603406759l/55654557.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>THE BARRISTER & THE LETTER OF MARQUE</span></div></span></b></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><b><span><div style="display: inline !important;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">a novel</span></div></span></b></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><b><span><div style="display: inline !important;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Todd M. Johnson</span></div></span></b></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Bethany House Publishers </b><b>| </b>August 3rd, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Historical Fiction, Clean Romance-ish</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55654557-the-barrister-and-the-letter-of-marque?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=EeSoH0YY75&rank=1" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">As a barrister in 1818 London, William Snopes has witnessed firsthand the danger of only the wealthy having their voices heard, and he's a strong advocate who defends the poorer classes against the powerful. That changes the day a struggling heiress, Lady Madeleine Jameson, arrives at his door.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">In a last-ditch effort to save her faltering estate, Lady Jameson invested in a merchant brig, the Padget. The ship was granted a rare privilege by the king's regent: a Letter of Marque authorizing the captain to seize the cargo of French traders operating illegally in the Indian Sea. Yet when the Padget returns to London, her crew is met by soldiers ready to take possession of their goods and arrest the captain for piracy. And the Letter--the sole proof his actions were legal--has mysteriously vanished.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Moved by the lady's distress, intrigued by the Letter, and goaded by an opposing solicitor, Snopes takes the case. But as he delves deeper into the mystery, he learns that the forces arrayed against Lady Jameson, and now himself, are even more perilous than he'd imagined.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to Bethany House, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For some reason, one doesn't often read very many Christian fiction novels written by the hand of men. . . Don't ask me why, but when I read the blurb of this one, I knew I had to try it out---regardless who wrote it. And wow! I have nothing against lady authors, but I could certainly tell a difference in the writing when I picked up this beauty. The storytelling was so rich & engaging, the characters wonderfully fleshed out, and the plot complex. I enjoyed this so much!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A father slaps his hand across his teen son's face---drawing blood. Soldiers fire upon a captain & his ship, without warning, and a young cabin boy is shot in the chest---pronounced fatal shortly after. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A walk through a prison reveals the barbaric conditions: whole families imprisoned (implied due to debts); both men & women are scantily clad---starving & freezing in the cold, etc. etc. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A young woman is cruelly murdered in order to tie up loose ends---we observe her body, where her neck lies at an odd angle. (A young boy catches a glimpse of her still body almost directly after she's killed, and flees.)</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A woman's horse is shot & killed right before her eyes, as a warning. The creature's body is later drug away and burned. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A mob waits at the entrance to a barrister's apartment, but he sees in advance & reroutes.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Christian fiction! ;D A character discusses some spiritual matters with an anglican priest, who's always pressuring him some way or another. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"God bless you," "good Lord," and "thank heavens" are used a time or two. A character asks for prayer. Scripture is referenced at least once.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Damnable" is used in reference to something. As is "damnation." At least one use of "h--- to pay", along with some slang words such as, "garn," "prig," and "gutter snipe."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beer is downed or sipped; mention of a prosecutor who likes to indulge in pubs; a priest comes later & takes his own mug of beer; gin is used to describe a small, drunken mob's anger---as in "gin-fueled."</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">It's discerned that a young girl of 16 was raped by an older man, who thanks to his wealth & status eluded any form of justice. </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A questionable man talks rather lewdly to a young woman multiple times---calling her "darlin'". </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: normal;">There's some form of a slow-burn attraction between William & Madeleine, but I don't recall any smooches or physical contact (i.e. an embrace or handholding, etc.), if any. <b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">SPOILER!</span></b> This isn't really a romance novel, though it does imply they </span><i>maaaay</i> continue their relationship after the events of the novel has concluded... </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, I so enjoyed this novel & would HIGHLY recommend it to all who enjoy historical fiction with a TEENY tiny smattering of romance. I loved the story, I loved the characters, and could DEFINITELY see myself re-reading this sometime in the future (when I'm not overrun with ALL THE BOOKS---honestly, though, what a fantabulous problem to have! xDDD)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, yes, add this to your TBR, me lovelies! You won't regret a thing. :]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>5 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALReDlhZCAY/XqrfPfsWXhI/AAAAAAAAADk/yi3_YUUbdvwxCvHdICDtFQowBvDAE1QCgCPcBGAYYCw/s528/rating%2Bstars%2B%25283%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="528" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALReDlhZCAY/XqrfPfsWXhI/AAAAAAAAADk/yi3_YUUbdvwxCvHdICDtFQowBvDAE1QCgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/rating%2Bstars%2B%25283%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-33812568900119341072021-07-25T21:27:00.002-04:002021-07-25T21:27:41.166-04:00Book Review >> The Nature of a Lady<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-size: xx-large; font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1607146610l/56166147._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1607146610l/56166147._SY475_.jpg" /></a></div>THE NATURE OF A LADY</div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Secrets of the Isles #1</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Roseanna M. White</span></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Bethany House </b><b>| </b>May 2th, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Historical Fiction, Clean Romance</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56166147-the-nature-of-a-lady?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=BCnWzFxkv4&rank=1" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">1906</i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Lady Elizabeth "Libby" Sinclair, with her love of microscopes and nature, isn't favored in society. She flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles into the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage's former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Oliver Tremayne--gentleman and clergyman--is determined to discover what happened to his sister, and he's happy to accept the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth's summer cottage . . . especially when he realizes it's the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology. But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can't quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">As Libby and Oliver work together, they find ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to Bethany House, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I LOVED the setting of this novel---the era, the places, the culture---all of it! And I really enjoyed the characters. They felt well fleshed out, real, and relatable. And GUYS, it's a historical fiction, yes! but there's a mystery of pirate treasure!! But overall, it was the islands & how visually descriptive the author was in showing the beauty of this setting I've never heard of beforehand that drew me & kept me hooked. I TOTALLY wanna visit the Scillies now. XD</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A woman is assaulted as a warning on her solitary walk to a party down the way---but no harm comes to her. The man grabs her from behind & covers her mouth to keep her from screaming before proceeding to share his threats.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Several people are actually conked on the head---an older man, an elderly woman, and a young woman are all knocked out at one point or another.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A young boy was said to have been killed in a tragic drowning when he was out on his own, but some people are not convinced it was an accident. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">At least one person is shot by a gun. Some scuffles here and there. Nothing too bloody or gory.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Christian fiction! One of the main characters is a vicar on one of the islands, and he often travels to visit his parishioners, studies for his sermons, and preaches in the chapel. He seems exceptionally wise beyond his years, but still relies on the wisdom of others, especially his grandmother who seems to have a special connection to the spiritual side of things. She often appears to know what's going on before it even happens.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Scriptures are referenced. Prayers are prayed. Thoughts & hearts are drawn to the God who made them. With her intelligent, scientifically-minded brain, Libby struggles to give her all in believing there is a God & that He does the miraculous. She tends to rely on the facts before her instead, but eventually comes around. :] She reflects on God & who He has made her to be. There's mention of how she doesn't see creatures "in need of a guide to form every claw and beak and feathers and dictate to them how they must work. But sees creatures capable of adaptation---creatures that evolved to fit whatever environment they were in"... (Some things seemed kinda questionable in regards to evolution vs. creation, but nothing too serious.) Someone encourages her that "Science and Faith do not need to be at odds."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None. Some uses of "blast it" and "blast & drat."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rum is mentioned at least once. Champagne is served at a party; one girl appears to have had one too many, and you can tell it in her eyes & open speech. A man has a pipe.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Both Libby & Oliver are attracted by each other---not simply for appearances, of course, but for each other's character, as well. At least one kiss, I think...</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Mention of how talk of "mating" & reproduction (in a scientific sense) is highly frowned upon as spoken of by a woman, but that men could do so freely in regards to talk of breeding horses and dogs, etc. but that ladies were never to speak of such matters. (Libby comes from a learning fascination point of view.)</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">This was SUCH a sweet, clean, mystery, romance novel that I absolutely LOVED. And for all the reasons listed above, with the lure of the Scillies at the top. :D If you are looking for an easy read filled with action & adventure, some slow-burn romance, pirate-y mysteries, and a beautiful island culture/setting, THIS IS FOR YOU. :DDD</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>5 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALReDlhZCAY/XqrfPfsWXhI/AAAAAAAAADk/yi3_YUUbdvwxCvHdICDtFQowBvDAE1QCgCPcBGAYYCw/s528/rating%2Bstars%2B%25283%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="528" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALReDlhZCAY/XqrfPfsWXhI/AAAAAAAAADk/yi3_YUUbdvwxCvHdICDtFQowBvDAE1QCgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/rating%2Bstars%2B%25283%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 14+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-56630796679675167422021-05-11T16:29:00.002-04:002021-05-11T16:29:37.248-04:00Book Review >> Abort<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hullo, lovelies!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm back with another review. :] How consistent I am. *NOT* xD</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">And this one hails from the Sci-Fi genre, y'all.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Have you read any beauties from there recently?? Do share!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615602053l/57391862._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615602053l/57391862._SY475_.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">ABORT</span></i></b></div></span></i></b></div><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">C. D. Hulen</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">C.D. Hulen </b><b>| </b>May 25th, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Sci-Fi</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57391862-abort?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=BCfiSGP1o2&rank=1" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">It’s easy to tell when someone is dead, but what makes them alive? Is it the memories they keep, or the pain they feel, or the love they share? For Cecilio, the first colony of Proxima B, the answer could bring prosperity or crack the very foundations of society.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">After a five-year leave of absence, Commander Mason Wyatt is sent to an antique starship with the chance to earn back his rank and bury his past. All he must do is uphold the answer: life is what Cecilio says it is. But as the starship nears Proxima B, Mason’s past boils to the surface and Cecilio’s answer begins to unravel.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to the author, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible <span style="color: #cc0000;">Spoilers!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Admittedly, the Science Fiction genre is not one I normally read, but certainly one I'm growing more & more fond of. :] The entire premise of this one---kinda typical in the sense that humans have left Earth to colonize other planets & stars---is wonderfully intriguing. And there's always SO MUCH creativity & incredible imagining one can do in such a genre.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While rather short in length (around 130 pages), I thought this novel was well written & engaging. I was hooked from the first chapter & could not put it down (though I definitely had to with a toddler & 2-month-old around xD).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, I believe it had potential to be a little more fleshed out in regards to the story world & characters. The story progressed at a fast pace, fast forwarding through days as the characters are stuck aboard the ancient starship with not much else to do except recall their memories & repair damages. That said, I really enjoyed how the scenes played out in regards to the backstory. Very well done, in my humble opinion. It helped make the scenes progress & served to keep the reader(s)---a.k.a. ME---interested.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Space wreckage collides with a ship endangering the 4-man team sent on mission there. One man's helmet is punctured by a piece of metal, gashing his face; a woman's suit is pierced in the shoulder by shrapnel allowing oxygen to escape & fractals of ice begin clinging to her face as the atmosphere collapses her lungs---she wouldn't survive without treatment. (<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>SPOILER!</b></span> She survives, but is permanently disabled & carries portable oxygen.)</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Under pressure in the heat of danger, Mason makes a difficult decision, resulting in forsaking the lives of 300 people, including one of his own team. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A character opens hibernation chambers that have sustained some kind of damage---he does so in order to use for survival & replacement parts. But in doing so, it kills the "cargo" inside... (succumbing them to the vacuum & ice of space.)</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Footage of what seems to be a house church is raided by gunmen, claiming they are "anti-government religious extremists." People are shot, a young woman is bashed in the head by a soldier & dragged away while holding onto a crying little girl.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man is shot in the leg. There's a brief tussle between two men. Another man blows up an extraction team's starship meant to come to their rescue---killing all four people. Another tussle between same men; bloodied faces. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">SPOILER!</span></b> ----> Obviously not thinking straight---torn between keeping to the mission or doing the 'right thing'---Mason pulls a young girl from a hibernation chamber & drags her away as she's clinging to him fearfully (which wouldn't be possible having been in a cryo-sleep for 50 years & considering it took months for the other character to finally awaken from it), eventually the atmosphere kills her & she dies in his arms... It seems this whole scene was meant to be his turning point, but I just felt it was an unnecessary death & could've been handled differently...? Or perhaps it's because I'm a mother & the death of children are much too difficult to handle, but it felt unnecessary or too misplaced or <i>something</i>.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">SPOILER!</span></b> ----> The old starship is on an auto course for Proxima B---the colony where Mason is from---and his mission is to take the power source & see that it doesn't arrive at its destination. The cargo is 60 million people in hibernation, but because of "logistics", so to speak, the elite of the colony make the executive decision to get rid of it & take the power source for the good of the colony (and not have to deal with relocating 60-mil people & what it would do to their economy & such and such). Eventually, Mason makes the decision to disobey orders & in his attempt to see the "cargo" safe, ejects their chambers into the atmosphere of Proxima B, hoping that some survive. Many explode right away, but he does catch a glimpse of others who make it to the surface before the starship is shot down <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>SPOILER!!!</b></span> (with him in it). </div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a clean, Christian fiction novel where the main character has a gradual path to redemption---and one that is far different than what he had planned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A neighbor tells Mason that they are praying for him---he brushes it aside at the time. A girl reminisces about Earth, saying that they gave up God "for a lie and follow every whim and wish." At one point, we hear a small portion of <i>Amazing Grace</i> play on an old record player. June believes she's there on that old ship for a reason---that God put her there. She prays for their meal as they sit down to enjoy the simple fare they put together for Christmas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mason is told his orders from Cecilio are wrong and when he questions why, he's told because God says so.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mason's reasoning has been corrupted by what he believes he desires for his life & by those who command him---so much so that he's willing to overlook questionable orders.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A character finds a bottle of corn & rye whiskey; he puts it away for future use. At an extremely low point, he pulls it out for a swig or two. Beer is mentioned; whiskey & liquor in a local bar; celebratory wine.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Not much to speak of... Mason has flashbacks of returning memories of him & his <span style="font-family: inherit;">fiancée</span>. It's implied (though never really confirmed) that she is pregnant---out of wedlock, mind you---and loses the baby in a tragic accident that leaves her disabled (she couldn't have been far along as it's observed her abdomen is still quite flat).</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, this was an excellent & well written, clean, sci-fi novel, and one I would recommend for an easy read. As you may know, it's SO DIFFICULT finding clean Sci-Fi stories anywhere. However, I will say that there is certainly potential in regards to the characters & the storyworld. I felt that everything was quite surface deep & could have been explored far more---though I do understand that the entire story takes place on a starship... in space... haha. ;D Still, the characters felt a little flat to me, the happenings not quite clear & understandable, and the come-to-Jesus moments very obvious & almost preachy. But that is just my opinion---please read for yourself!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also, there were some questionable things that didn't really make sense to me. In one particular circumstance, a character blows up an entire extraction team as they near the old starship, before the 4-man team can board & finish the mission that Mason was sent to do (and that he ended up stalling because of moral issues). The character kills the incoming team in cold blood, all after he & the girl he saved have been berating Mason throughout nearly the entire book about doing the right thing & saving the 60-mil people---that they are not "cargo", but true, living human beings. His actions kinda counteracted the reasoning he was trying for MONTHS to argue with Mason... And as I mentioned before, the death of the child was unnecessary, albeit used as Mason's turning point. Possibly could have been achieved in a different manner. *shrugs*</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All that said, it was still an enjoyable read, and one I could hardly put down---I had to know what happened NEXT. I would definitely recommend! Not sure if I would classify this in my re-read shelves, but I will certainly keep an eye out for more C.D. Hulen books. :]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>4 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dszJPyfE9dM/XrTAgU-S1SI/AAAAAAAAAKY/FWE8SzZ9fNUMHyPO6DuyJAZ3devpz_XkQCPcBGAYYCw/s523/rating%2Bstars%2B4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="523" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dszJPyfE9dM/XrTAgU-S1SI/AAAAAAAAAKY/FWE8SzZ9fNUMHyPO6DuyJAZ3devpz_XkQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/rating%2Bstars%2B4.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 14+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-129821534585723482021-04-24T16:57:00.001-04:002021-04-24T16:57:12.668-04:00Book Review >> Shadows of the White City<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Happy weekend, y'all!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I'm back!!!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However briefly it may be. ;D And with a long overdue book review---BUUUUUT also to say that our little girl FINALLY arrived on February 27th!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And she is beautiful. <3 She's now seven weeks old & has the SWEETEST smile. And her baby coos are heart-melting! She's such a <i>liefje</i> (LEEF-ye)---Dutch for "sweetheart." And Gabriel is an adorable big brother! He's quite affectionate towards her & even shares his precious blankie with her! <333 Certainly melts this mama's heart.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's been a challenging few weeks, but we're managing to get into some kind of rhythm. I gotta say, y'all, <b>newborn life is HARD.</b> But oh what a blessing it is to be charged with raising littles. Challenging, difficult, emotional, mentally & physically exhausting---YES. But so, so WORTH IT.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Anywho.</p><p style="text-align: center;">On to the review! Hopefully soon, I can share an update of my little family (with photos, of course). Having moved, we are extremely limited in our internet service (honestly not a bad thing), so I have no idea when it may happen, but stay posted! And I'll still have book reviews coming as well. :]</p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593125915l/53868119.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="640" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593125915l/53868119.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><p></p><span><div style="font-size: xx-large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><i>SHADOWS OF THE WHITE CITY</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>The Windy City Saga #2</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jocelyn Green</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Bethany House Publishers </b><b>| </b>February 2nd, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53868119-shadows-of-the-white-city?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=V2aKRlZS7q&rank=1" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she was destined never to have--a family of her own. But taking in Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski to raise and love quells those fears--until seventeen-year-old Rose goes missing at the World's Fair, and Sylvie's world unravels.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Brushed off by the authorities, Sylvie turns to her boarder, Kristof Bartok, for help. He is Rose's violin instructor and the concertmaster for the Columbian Exposition Orchestra, and his language skills are vital to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant communities where their search leads.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">From the glittering architecture of the fair to the dark houses of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods, they're taken on a search that points to Rose's long-lost family. Is Sylvie willing to let the girl go? And as Kristof and Sylvie grow closer, can she reconcile her craving for control with her yearning to belong?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to Bethany House, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible Spoilers!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Please note: </i> This is the sequel of the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/263552-the-windy-city-saga" target="_blank">Windy City Saga</a>. That said, I did not read the first novel of the series, nor do I believe it to be required as this novel fills you in on the happenings of the first rather well. That said, I'm sure it is recommended in order to know the characters a little better (especially that of the secondary characters in this one---Sylvie's sister Meg, for instance, & more of their background), but definitely not necessary in my opinion. :] I did not feel at a loss or confused in any way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sylvie was a real, relatable character. She had her flaws, was rather overprotective & assertive of her adopted teenage daughter. Rose was a sweet girl, but I found myself a little irritated at her & sympathizing with Sylvie in regards to the things she would say to Sylvie & her attitude. Understandable in regards to the story, but still, I felt for Sylvie, despite her overbearing behavior. All turned out well in the end, though. ;D</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Thugs of a powerful man threaten two brothers; one brother owes money & the man threatens to destroy the violin (the brothers' livelihood) to get them to comply. The thugs rough them up a little & punch one brother in the nose.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A girl is found to have a bruise on her wrist---it's discussed how that came to be & wondered at the how.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a Christian novel & therefore has the characters praying on behalf of others & often muttering silent prayers. Scripture is referenced a time or two. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Sylvie suggests where a prostitute might find help in getting out of such circumstances, but is immediately told that the "church-goers" would not accept her & others like her because they were sinners and not good enough for the likes of them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">//</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cannot recall any at the moment. (I completed this book quite a while ago...HEH.)</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">There's sweet attraction between Kristoff & Sylvie, but very much a slow-burn romance. He gives her all the space she needs & respects her above all else, but still makes his intentions known to her & allows her the choice to choose him or not. Being such an independent woman in her early 40s, he hopes for the best.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">A 17-year-old girl goes missing (of her own choice, at first)---her adopted mother (Sylvie) is worried sick with worry & all the worst-case scenarios, doing everything in her power to attempt to find her---going so far as to question local brothels. A woman in a brothel explains how a girl of such stature couldn't possibly be in one of the houses, and reveals her skimpy clothing & low neckline to Sylvie & her friend. </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Rose admits to kissing a young man. (That same young man is accused of stalking her obsessively & has quite a controlling character.)</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Sylvie & Kristoff share at least one tender kiss.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, this was quite a good story. Albeit, probably not one I would read over & over again. I adored Kristoff & his upright character---how he stood firm on his beliefs & faith especially on the hard decisions. And I quite admired Sylvie. She found she was holding on too tightly to some things & had to learn to let go in order for bigger blessings. Plus, she owned a bookshop. *YESSS* ;D</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh & there's some PLOT TWISTS! So, if you enjoy hearty, clean story about faith & family, you'll enjoy this novel. :]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>4 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dszJPyfE9dM/XrTAgU-S1SI/AAAAAAAAAKY/FWE8SzZ9fNUMHyPO6DuyJAZ3devpz_XkQCPcBGAYYCw/s523/rating%2Bstars%2B4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="523" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dszJPyfE9dM/XrTAgU-S1SI/AAAAAAAAAKY/FWE8SzZ9fNUMHyPO6DuyJAZ3devpz_XkQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/rating%2Bstars%2B4.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 14-16+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-65939675981636150752021-01-23T15:47:00.005-05:002021-01-23T15:53:21.068-05:00Book Review >> Ghost<p style="text-align: center;"><span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy happy weekend, y'all!</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">How was your week? Regardless continued virus mandates & a complete change in our governmental leadership, God is still---and always will be---in control.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">Life goes on.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">And in "going on," I've another book review for you!</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">YES. I know! Two in one week! Haha, I did say I was trying to get this little blog up an' runnin' again... An update is waaay overdue.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">But for now, tell me:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;">Does this supernatural thriller call to you??</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603551126l/55778422._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603551126l/55778422._SY475_.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><span><div style="font-size: xx-large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><i>GHOST</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Justice Chronicles #1<br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Michael Jack Webb</span></div></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Michael Jack Webb Books </b><b>| </b>October 23, 2020</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Supernatural Thriller, Sci-fi</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/55778422" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Best-selling, award-winning author and master storyteller Michael Jack Webb weaves a Supernatural Serial Killer tale like none you’ve ever read.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Enter a world where nothing is what it appears to be, and every clue leads an extraordinary young woman deep into the heart of darkness and beyond. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Kate Justice, FBI’s youngest Profiler, is assigned to find a serial killer with supernatural abilities.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">The killer is elusive, cunning, and seemingly invincible.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Kate races against time to discover who or what is behind the gruesome murders and prevent another brutal killing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">She soon fears she’s in over her head as stunning revelations about her mysterious ancestry surface. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Hunter becomes the prey as the Ghost in the Darkness killer plays a vicious cat and mouse game, drawing Kate into a deadly confrontation.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Uncovering the truth will challenge her beliefs about the world around her and her understanding of what is real, what is a myth, and what is something in between.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Book 1 of The Justice Chronicles will leave you breathless, wanting more...</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to the author, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible Spoilers!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I am honest, I had no idea what to expect from this story. But I was drawn in from the start, after the first chapter, and I definitely <i>had</i> to read it after that. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Let me emphasize:</b> This is a <i>supernatural</i> thriller novel, complete with demonic, ghostly figures & creepy happenings with no logical explanations. I will expound in the Spiritual Content section. :] That said, I kind of expected the supernatural side of things to be logically explained somehow, but similar to books like <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11836562-angel-eyes?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=3foM1kag9e&rank=1" target="_blank">Angel Eyes</a>,</i> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35064610-huntress?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=aun08Q96aL&rank=1" target="_blank">Huntress: Life After</a></i>, & SEVERAL novels by Frank Peretti (and Ted Dekker!), this one was a given. It took me a while to accept that, unfortunately, and I'm not sure why... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, the entire premise was extremely intriguing, but to me the characters fell rather flat & more like encyclopedias with overloads of information in nearly <i>every</i> dialogue. Because of this, it was difficult to keep up with the story. For example, everywhere the characters traveled, one or the other would spout off a fountain of information about the town or building or people, etc. etc., when a sentence or two would have sufficed. This was quite consistent throughout the entire book... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">BUT, the author certainly did his research! And for that, I have <i>great</i> respect & admiration, <i>but</i> a HUGE part of said research was certainly not necessary to be included in the dialogue & narration, in my humble opinion. It took away from the plot & was quite distracting. (Honestly, it could have been included in an appendix at the end of the book for those interested in the histories of legends, myths, places, & people, etc.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">HOWEVER,</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Do not let these opinions of mine cause you to bypass this book. Overall, it was a fantastic, albeit violent (see below) ride with some interesting (& scary) supernatural twists that leave PLENTY of room for the next novel. :]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A woman watches another whose body is on a gurney in the hospital---it takes her a moment to realize that's <i>her</i> body & she's watching as if detached from the scene in another ethereal dimension, floating above as everything plays out before her. She's later sucked into another dimension & soon realizes it's the torment of Hell: tortured souls cry out in a cacophony of pain & anguish.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A serial killer is known for killing at least seven young boys---by cutting their chests & torsos and basically letting them bleed out.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In a flashback, a young woman is bound to a chair & blindfolded; her shirt has been ripped off revealing her bra & blood everywhere; we later learn she was rushed to the hospital for multiple wounds, including one from a gunshot.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">An older couple disappears mysteriously, leaving behind only two small puddles of blood.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Reference to the 1996 film, </span><i>The Ghost in the Darkness</i>---about two man-eating lions terrorizing a village.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man & woman are attacked by three ginormous coyotes... They kill two with their guns, but the giant male disappeared after fatal shots---no body, no blood, just the bodies of the two slightly smaller creatures.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A woman is badly scratched by the claws of a spirit during a ghost hunting "session." The same woman is later demonically possessed & attempts to strangle Kate. Giant wolves manifest before the ghost hunters team---Chris shoots two who immediately vanish; another bites a man's leg pulling him to the floor; Kate witnesses an evil spirit viciously killing the lead ghost hunter with a giant claw---repeatedly slashing & gashing the man's chest before cutting his throat & vanishing. She blacks out shortly thereafter.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">We learn that the young woman on the hospital gurney was actually pronounced clinically dead, but then resurrected four hours later.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On a late evening hike in search of clues, a couple encounter a ghostly apparition that growls feverishly at them & charges, right after their flashlights & phones mysteriously die with weird purple micro-lightning sparks (described as similar to the energy produced by a Tesla coil). They each shoot a single round from their guns & it simply disappears.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We're told a baby girl was left on the steps of a Catholic church nearly thirty years ago. Someone reveals that the priest at the time claimed to have been visited by an angel; he later disappears without a trace, giving the impression he was some kind of angel also perhaps...? Inquiries were made & discovered that no one in all the world had heard of the man.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other unexplainable, supernatural instances occur: Driving during a brief unexpected snowstorm, two characters hit black ice in their SUV & nearly go over a mountainside when they merely blink & find themselves five miles down the road, parked at a lookout. Because of that bizarre happening, a character explains a similar experience that happened to him in his high school years after learning the truth of a tragedy: He runs off in anger & grief and discovers he had run for five hours, winding up on a mountain where an Indian chief meets hims. The chief beckons him to observe a scene where the young man watches a violent & gory ritual unfold where a young girl is mutilated & eventually killed (quite descriptive) in a sacrificial way. The Indian gestures for the young man to join them, but he refuses feeling as if he would enter a darkness were he to follow. Next thing he knows he's back in his mother's yard & only half an hour's time has passed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">O_o</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lots of Navajo, Ute, & American Indian lore, legends, & myths mentioned (in LOTS of detail---another overload of info here...). Many involve spirits of some kind---good and evil---and the [full] backgrounds of each.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Much discussion of demonic possession. Mention of the account of jesus casting out the demon(s) known as Legion from a single man.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More mention of specific cultures & their priests, goddesses, & practices. (Something else I believed to be totally unnecessary, imo...)---> One in particular was of a Sumerian goddess whose priests were known as <i>gala</i> & who took female names, engaging in homosexual acts with other men... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Visit with an old Ute medicine man who claimed he was born in 1880 (making him 140 years old...). When Kate & Chris arrive at his secluded cabin, he greets her by name & says she's late---that "the Spirit" told him she'd be coming. He speaks of "the Great White Father"---a title he uses in reference to the One God. The old Ute speaks a prayer before they eat. At one point, he says the Utes pray to the Earth, but he learned to pray "to the One who created the Earth."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a different scene, they call in a Ghost Hunter---someone Chris had used previously when considering purchase of a house where he had learned murders had been committed. We're told that the Hunter recorded several voices of past victims at the time. They call in the same guy & his team to check out another house. One member of the team is described as having strong psychic abilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A woman previously demonically possessed is reported to be catatonic & in a mental hospital, incapable of any kind of interaction...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A man is hospitalized for unknown reasons, though he's in a coma that the doctors can't explain---other than that he has extremely unusual brain activity. Kate is told by a mysterious priest that Chris "will be okay."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None. Except when quoted by a character in reference to a Shakespeare play: "damn'd." Also, at least one use of the slang, "heck."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A young woman goes to soak in a tub to relax (at her mother's suggestion) before dinner, and her mum offers to bring a glass of wine---to which the young woman requests Merlot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There's also mention of Argentine Chardonnay, French Viognier, & Colterris Coral White Cabernet Sauvignon wines.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At one point, Kate expresses hope that the casino they're staying at has something stronger than wine.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">None. Except nearly three quarters of the way in, we learn that Kate has come to care for Chris. To me, this seemed completely random & left me wondering, "Okay... When & HOW did that happen??" There was no context I could recall, other than that they spent nearly every single day together for two weeks straight working to break the serial killer case. Again, to me, it simply felt like: okay, great! they work very well together, and then HULLO! Kate thinks she loves him. In my opinion, she could care for him, of course, but the more romantic thoughts should have been voiced in the next book at least. HEH.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A suspect the team interviews is described as a female, but also with very male fashion: i.e. short haircut & clothing.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;">OTHER MISC. NOTES</b></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Mention of an archaeological discovery by Argentine paleontologists in 2012 that was dated as "5-12 million years" old. </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I did not mean this review to be such a critiquing thing... As I mentioned at the start, <b>DO NOT</b> take my word for it! <b>The thorough reviews I share are meant to be taken with a grain of salt, and to shed light on content you would wish to be aware of.</b> SO--->That said, if you happen to pick up this book, <i>read it for yourself!</i> and form your own opinions. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For me, there were just a few too many things that distracted me from the story to the point I found myself not enjoying the mystery nearly as much as I wished to. For those reasons, I give the rating you see below. However, I truly believe the story & the series in general has great potential! And should the sequel make it my way, I miiiiiight be tempted to pick it up. :]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font></span><br /><b>3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XTVhOkIBXiM/YAtDpMqb8sI/AAAAAAAABnk/6tHJmKrzCcgZQIBKJnW0BernZRWQlO52gCLcBGAsYHQ/s522/rating%2Bstars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="522" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XTVhOkIBXiM/YAtDpMqb8sI/AAAAAAAABnk/6tHJmKrzCcgZQIBKJnW0BernZRWQlO52gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/rating%2Bstars.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-70392825457257622422021-01-20T08:00:00.006-05:002021-01-20T08:00:03.832-05:00Book Review >> A Cowboy For Keeps<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Happy Wednesday!<br /></b>This review was meant to go up last Friday, but here it is today instead! ;D</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>So, tell me honestly:<br /></b><b><i>What do you think of the Western genre??</i></b></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593125954l/53910961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="640" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593125954l/53910961.jpg" width="414" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>A Cowboy for Keeps</i></b></div></i></b></span><p></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Colorado Cowboys #1</i></span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jody Hedlund</span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Bethany House Publishers </b><b>| </b>January 5th, 2021</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/53910961" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Greta Nilsson's trip west to save her ailing little sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He'll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt's ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family. And the mayor, who has promised to try to help Greta, has just the candidate in mind for Wyatt to marry.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to Bethany House Publishers, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible Spoilers!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> It's been quite a while since I enjoyed a good western---one of my favorite genres, actually---and this one did not disappoint. Before this novel, the first in a brand new series, I hadn't read anything from Jody Hedlund, though I have had a couple of her books in my wishlist for a couple years. Now, I want to read more from her!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the story, & the settings. The Colorado landscape was beautifully described, the story engaging, and the characters completely & wholly relatable. I enjoyed the blooming romance, as well as the personalities of both Wyatt & Greta. And everyone, especially the main characters were well fleshed out, flawed, compassionate, broken, & simply fully <i>human</i>. As with most stories, especially romances, so. Many. THINGS can/could be solved in a pinch were they to simply COMMUNICATE. But it played well in the story, and was well-paced, in my humble opinion.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> On the final leg of their journey West, Greta & her little sister's coach is waylaid by robbers. No one is injured in any way, but the men hold the stagecoach & its passengers at gunpoint and with much verbal threats.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">It's soon learned that Greta's intended is proclaimed dead---his body found in a mountain pass & no communication otherwise.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Brawley, an overgrown bully, consistently threatens & harasses Wyatt in regards to his cattle & land (which he rightfully owns). When Greta accompanies Wyatt in order to pick berries while he hunts, she's nearly accosted by Brawley & his men---nothing happens as Wyatt returns right away.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">At one point <b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">[SPOILER]</span></b>, Brawley & his thugs kill every single one of Wyatt's cattle, leaving them where they fell in the brush & pasture. To make the most of the initial loss, Wyatt, Judd, & Greta work nonstop to process the meat to sell before it spoils. They return home in shifts covered in blood & exhausted. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man forcibly grabs a woman, claiming she wasn't really anyone's wife & thereby available for the taking. Later, he holds her at gunpoint---the barrel to her throat.</div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">We learn a woman died in childbirth. Her husband was known as an abuser.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Christian fiction WESTERN. :] Characters show belief in God by their actions, prayers, & memory of Scripture. A reverend is called to officiate weddings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some alcoholic beverages served and/or mentioned at the local hotel & saloon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Greta's entire decision to move West was to find a cure for her little sister's illness, known as consumption. We learn she's tried just about everything, and finds hope that the climate of Colorado would serve to help where other methods failed.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">There's is obvious attraction between Greta & Wyatt, nearly from the beginning of their relationship. They agree to a marriage of convenience, though neither was fully prepared for such (Wyatt especially). However, gentleman that he is, Wyatt allows them both a "trial period" of three months where they begin merely in a friendship---choosing not to consummate their marriage until the trial period is up & Greta decides whether or not to stay. </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Wyatt is extremely kind & considerate. I LOVED how their friendship grew & how they came to care deeply for one another. They do kiss on multiple occasions---some rather passionately, but it does not go beyond that. </div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Greta notes how amazingly handsome Wyatt is, quite often staring at him & his physique. At one time, she nearly interrupt his "bath" in the river early one morning (he's stil in his long johns, but shirtless), and she can hardly keep from ogling. Her reactions/thoughts during such instances are rather cute. xD</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In one instance, it's falsely assumed that Greta is pregnant.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book & would happily read the next of the series! I loved the author's voice & pacing, and immediately fell in love with the characters myself. Greta especially! Despite her own exhaustion & despair in her life's circumstances, she is NEVER idle & is always looking for ways to care for her sister---first & foremost---and to do all she can to hep Wyatt succeed. She was beautifully feminine, gentle, & meek---and yet, SO STRONG. (Totally preferred over the muscly, macho women, who believe/say they need NO ONE.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Highly recommend, y'all! A great, clean, western romance. :]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-36446804375613753652021-01-08T17:07:00.006-05:002021-01-19T15:30:44.335-05:00Book Review >> The Dress Shop on King Street<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hullo, friends!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">I hope y'all had an absolutely marvelous Christmas holiday---and also, Happy New Year! We actually enjoyed a beautiful White Christmas Eve & Day this year, for the first time in ten years. So lovely! </p><p style="text-align: center;">I have a few little updates to share, but this post is for a book review, so I'll plan to do so another day. :]</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile, Happy 2021!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">I hope your weekend is a lovely one!<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Now, on to my first completed book of the year. . .</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">> > > > > < < < < <</span></p><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1583190968l/51272603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="517" height="640" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1583190968l/51272603.jpg" width="414" /></a></i></b></div><b><i><br />The Dress Shop on King Street</i></b><p></p><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ashley Clark</span></p><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Bethany House Publishers </b><b>| </b>December 1st, 2020</div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian </i><i>Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51272603-the-dress-shop-on-king-street?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=C05lwFEVJ8&rank=1" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Harper Albright has pinned all her hopes on a future in fashion design. But when it comes crashing down around her, she returns home to Fairhope, Alabama, and to Millie, the woman who first taught her to sew. As she rethinks her own future, secrets long hidden about Millie's past are brought to light.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">In 1946, Millie Middleton boarded a train and left Charleston to keep half of her heritage hidden. She carried with her two heirloom buttons and the dream of owning a dress store. She never expected to meet a charming train jumper who changed her life forever . . . and led her yet again to a heartbreaking choice about which heritage would define her future.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Now, together, Harper and Millie return to Charleston and the man who may hold the answers they seek . . . and a chance at the dress shop they've both dreamed of. But it's not until all appears lost that they see the unexpected ways to mend what frayed between the seams.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="1">I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to Bethany House Publishers, in exchange for my honest review.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">WARNING: Possible Spoilers!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>THE BASICS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As was the <a href="https://sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com/2020/09/book-review-haunting-at-bonaventure.html" target="_blank">previously reviewed [fiction] novel</a> I shared on this here blog, <i>The Dress Shop on King Street</i> was set from the perspectives of two different women living in two very different times. One experiences the injustice & fear of racial segregation & hate during the 1940s & beyond and the near impossibility of striving to accomplish her dreams; and the other lives in our present day era while struggling to follow her own dreams in a world that seems to oppose her at every turn.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, this is a sweet novel whose message speaks about how our dreams may be quite different from that which our Lord has in store for us. And we must be willing to step back & listen to what He's trying to say. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>VIOLENCE</b></font></span></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> Touches deeply on racial segregation & all the events that take place because of the hate. A story is told of a black mother whose daughter was sold at the age of nine---the two never met again in their lifetimes, but their descendants remember their stories.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">We learn a girl's Italian father was brutally killed while defending her against some neighborhood boys---her mother was black, making her biracial. Because of this, she lives in constant fear, hiding her half-heritage.</div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A few historical events are mentioned mentioning violence in regards to racial opposition. A church is bombed, killing some young girls. </div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Not really violence, but a pregnant woman goes into labor early, experiencing much pain & loss of blood. (She recovers!) <span style="color: #c27ba0; font-size: large;"><b>[SPOILER]</b></span> Turns out, she gives birth to twin girls. And apparently, in that day & age of racial differences, they could only keep one girl for fear harm would come to both should they be raised together (one was born with lighter complexion & the other quite a bit darker). . . This threatens to tear her heart apart. She lives in fear & regret for soooo many years due to their decision. </div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A man succumbs to an illness called mesothelioma, leaving behind his wife & daughter. </div><div style="color: black; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>SPIRITUAL CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a Christian novel! God is mentioned often, and several characters pray to Him for wisdom & guidance throughout the story. And they learn that God's ways are not always our own.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None. Though it's mentioned some racial slurs are used but never described or written out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">None that I recall. . .</div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>ROMANTIC CONTENT</b></font></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A couple characters in the 1940s stick together for the sake of convenience. It's assumed they are a couple of poor, married youngsters looking for work. When they both acquire jobs at a boarding house, the owner gives them a room to share. The young man respects her space & they sleep with a barrier of pillows in between them. (Nothing happens immorally, I promise!) Eventually, they marry, but still respect each other's boundaries---aaaaand don't consummate their marriage until five years later. . .</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Two other modern day characters find attraction to each other slowly growing. They strike up a great friendship that gradually blooms. I found the relationship quite sweet.</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="6"><b>CONCLUSION</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">To conclude, I enjoyed the story, though it will probably not be one I'll ever re-read. I suppose this could be because of all the racial junk going on in our world today & the fact I'm just tired of all that. This book doesn't really rub it all in your face, but instead gives a great perspective on all the tidbits of history & how things were decades & decades ago. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I liked the characters. Each were fully human in their flaws & fully relatable. And I believe they were well written to the point there was no confusion with all the year hopping. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All told, a sweet story with a historical, vintage feel & a message of faith & trust in the only One who has true control over our dreams. Once these characters realized that, their dreams were fulfilled to the fullest potential, even if it wasn't exactly how they first imagined.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <<br /></font><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="523" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dszJPyfE9dM/XrTAgU-S1SI/AAAAAAAAAKI/wISW9f2VKNoRjqkTd58Au2pWVkkiI1wsQCK4BGAsYHg/s320/rating%2Bstars%2B4.png" width="320" /><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ages: 16+</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><font face="inherit" size="5">> > > > > < < < < <</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Read any good books this year yet??</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">;D</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>
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</style></div>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-89810240491430104882020-11-09T15:48:00.003-05:002021-01-19T15:32:46.040-05:00Name Reveal!<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZK71Fbur0Us/X6mh1PgqwYI/AAAAAAAABls/1sn2VlrnzQoQC_C62j0BEwX4zcVgwJoNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/kristin-brown-MJymGVEazyY-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZK71Fbur0Us/X6mh1PgqwYI/AAAAAAAABls/1sn2VlrnzQoQC_C62j0BEwX4zcVgwJoNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/kristin-brown-MJymGVEazyY-unsplash.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kristinbrownphotography?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Kristin Brown</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Happy November!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't know about you, but as I sit & type up this little post, I have the windows open in my house, my little boy is napping soundly, the sun is shining, & it's a GORGEOUS near-80-degree November day outside. *^ - ^*</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Because this IS November, and I have been attempting (however poorly) to participate in NaNoWriMo, there probably won't be as much activity on this little blog. HEH. However, I do have some tentative plans to work on a Name post for next week, as well as an encouragement post & possibly a writerly one... </p><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you for faithfully checking in, dear ones. Every time I log on, it always feels so good to simply write & blog, no matter the rambles that come from my little brain. ;D</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">But that's not why I popped on, is it??</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NOPE.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is rather like a Name post, except it's revealing the name of our soon-to-come (Feb. 2021) little girl!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">They do say a picture is worth a thousand words, so...</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TyN5D1pNEL4/X6mjzsKhtmI/AAAAAAAABl4/CyIE43LI0BIt0c_LGBwV8SQLPF06-1DQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1512/IMG_1269.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1512" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TyN5D1pNEL4/X6mjzsKhtmI/AAAAAAAABl4/CyIE43LI0BIt0c_LGBwV8SQLPF06-1DQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/IMG_1269.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Yes!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We've decided to name our baby girl, little sister to Gabriel, Heidi.</b> I'll share the name meaning & origins below. It's not a family name or anything, just a lovely, classic name (still a little uncommon, too) that both Evan & I liked. Likewise, 'Gabriel' was also a name we loved, with no family connections, but we paired it with my hubby Evan's middle name 'James'. <3 </span> (You can find Gabe's name reveal <a href="https://sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com/2018/04/happy-monday-names-reveal.html" target="_blank">here</a>. :])</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As for Heidi's middle name, we chose my own to keep the family theme:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Elizabeth</b>. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*^ - ^*</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">I love mixing & matching name combos! It's a fun little exercise while writing & creating characters, but definitely pays off when you're searching for baby names too. xD</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>HEIDI</i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>F </b> | <i>German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, English</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>HIE-dee</b> <i>(German, English)</i>, <b>HAY-dee </b><i>(Finnish)</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: center;">The German diminutive of <i>Adelheid</i>, which is the German & Dutch form of <i>Adelaide</i>, meaning "noble type." <i>Heidi</i> was the given name of of the title character in Johanna Spyri's children's novel of the same name (1880). This name gained popularity in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, featuring Shirley Temple.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">ELIZABETH</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>F</b> | <i>English, Biblical</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: nowrap;"><b>i-LIZ-ə-bəth</b> <i>(English)</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: center;">From the <i>Elisabet</i>, the Greek form of the Hebrew name <i>Elisheva</i>, meaning "my God is an oath," derived from the roots <i>el</i> referring to "God" and <i>shava</i> meaning "oath." The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of Aaron, brother of Moses; while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>So, there ya have it. :]</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tell me, when you hear the name "Heidi," what comes to your mind? It was definitely the classic novel/movie first off in mine, but I love it regardless what it might be known for. Also, my husband's paternal family came from the Netherlands only four generations ago, so we thought it only fitting to have a Dutch-like name. ;D</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Well, I must sign off now. Have a lovely week! And if you're partaking of NaNo---DON'T stress yourself out! It's not worth it. All's you can do is write, write, WRITE. And that's something I'm definitely trying to do myself. :]</b></span></p>Sarah Cnossenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01063218703948224204noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890982655414656696.post-7251967337040666492020-10-16T16:32:00.000-04:002020-10-16T16:32:28.571-04:00Book Review // God Speaks Your Love Language<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1534664761l/38141078._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1534664761l/38141078._SY475_.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">God Speaks Your Love Language:</span></b></span></div></span></i></div></b></span><i style="font-size: xx-large;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>How to Experience & Express God's Love </b></span></span></div></span></i></div></span></i></div></i><i><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gary Chapman</span></div></span></i></div></span></i></div></span></i></div></i></div></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Northfield Publishing </b><b>| </b>September 4th, 2018 <span style="font-size: x-small;">(first published 2009)</span></div></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Christian Living, Non-fiction</i></span></div>
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<font size="6"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38141078-god-speaks-your-love-language" target="_blank"><b>{GoodReads}</b><br /></a></font></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Feel God’s love more personally.</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Do you realize that the God of the universe speaks your love language, and your expressions of love for Him are shaped by your love language? Learn how you can give and receive God’s love through the five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Gary Chapman writes, “As we respond to the love of God and begin to identify the variety of languages He uses to speak to us, we soon learn to speak those languages ourselves. Whatever love language you prefer, may you find ever deeper satisfaction in using that language in your relationship with God and with other people.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">The book includes a brand new chapter on “Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone” which will teach you the joys of speaking a love language you’re not used to with God. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">No matter what love language you prefer, you will become more deeply connected with God and watch this bond transform all of your relationships.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Contains personal reflection questions and a study guide for groups.</i></span></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></i></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < <</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, so good! Before reading this book, it had never occurred to me that God spoke our individual love languages. And He does! How cool is that? Knowing we can meet Him as we are & that He'll be there is a BEAUTIFUL thing.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you haven't read the book that began it all, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23878688-the-5-love-languages?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=C0bjz4Md6R&rank=1" target="_blank"><b>The 5 Love Languages</b></a></i>, then you may not fully understand this one right away. But no worries! It's <b>not required </b>to read the original beforehand (although I would HIGHLY encourage you to find every one of these books!). This one gives a great intro & a couple chapters on understanding your own Love Language.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As to the "series" of these books, there's one for EVERYONE: <i>i.e.</i> Singles, Married Couples, Teens, Parenting, etc. And every one that I've read thus far is simply amazing. And makes so much sense.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A quick summary:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Every individual has their own love language that speaks directly to them. In essence, when that particular love language(s) is directed at them, that is how they feel loved & cherished.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Love Languages:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Words of Affirmation</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Acts of Service</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Receiving Gifts</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Quality Time</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Physical Touch</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I won't go into detail for each one, but if you're curious & would like to know yours, take the quiz!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5lovelanguages.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> or here ---> <b><a href="https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/" target="_blank">Discover Your Love Language</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the purpose of this review, I will now proceed to the featured book. :]</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We begin at the Intro where our attention turns to the Divine Lover---God Himself, because that's where Love begins. We're created in His image! So, of course, God knows our Love Languages & speaks them fluently. The chapters following focus on each love language individually & give wonderful examples and stories---including biblical examples!---of how God spoke to numerous people in their own Love Language.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Words of Affirmation</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"The God of the Bible is characterized as the God who speaks. His words are designed to build a relationship with people. The Scriptures consistently declare God's words of encouragement..."</i> (p. 40)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Every word of God affirms the <b>worth</b> of each human being. Along with that, Jesus's words of affirmation brought life & hope to all who were willing to listen. A famous person of our world history to whom God spoke in Words of Affirmation would be Martin Luther, the great Reformer. He sought God, spoke to God, & served God with every fiber of his being. Some more biblical examples would be God speaking to His people through the prophets Isaiah & Jeremiah (to name a couple).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Quality Time</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">In a spiritual aspect, this would mean spending time alone with God in studying the Scriptures. Your quiet time with Him is SO IMPORTANT (regardless whether or not this is your Love Language, we should be in the Word daily! Otherwise, how will be stand strong amidst this dark world?).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the Old Testament, the scriptures describe how God spent quality time with Adam & Eve as they talked & walked together in the Garden. Abraham was called the "friend of God," and often spoke personally with Him. And through the prophet Isaiah, God spoke of His love for Israel & promised that His presence would be with them always. (Isaiah 43:1-2)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A great historical figure who could be known as having this particular Love Language & who dedicated his life to God on his knees in prayer, would be George Mueller, known specifically for his ministry to orphans.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"When someone's primary love language is quality time, uninterrupted times of communion with God are not difficult but joyous, not burden causing but burden lifting. As Mueller said, 'The first great & primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about is not how much I might serve the Lord, how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished.' "</i> (p. 58)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Gifts</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Giving of your time, your service, & yourself follows in imitating the example of Christ & the Trinity, the ultimate Giver. From the beginning to end all throughout the Scriptures, God reveals Himself as a giver of gifts. John 3:16 is a perfect example of that. <i>"Throughout human history, God has revealed Himself as one who loves those who will acknowledge Him. He, in turn, expresses His love by giving gifts. Sometimes those gifts are material things that can be touched & tasted, such as food, clothing, & shelter. Other times His gifts are in the realm of the spiritual---eternal life, forgiveness of sins, peace of mind, & purpose of life." </i> (p.70)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A historical example of a man whose Language was Gifts was 20th-century industrialist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._G._LeTourneau" target="_blank">R.G. LeTourneau</a>, an engineer & businessman whose earth-moving machines were called "the secret weapons" of World War II. Having made the decision to make God his partner in his hugely successful business, he became known for his generosity, giving away 90 percent of all he made. And all because he was once challenged by his pastor who said, "God needs businessmen as well as preachers & missionaries." When asked in 1942, after his company's net earnings topped the two-million-dollar mark for the first time, if he was happier now than before his success, he responded, "More grateful, perhaps, because God has let us help Him do some of the things we wanted to do then. But happier? We had been in the service of the Lord then, and we are in the service of the Lord now, and there is nothing in that kind of happiness that two million net earnings can add to, or buy."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Acts of Service</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The greatest example of this particular Love Language would be the Life sacrificed on Calvary all those centuries ago. God expressed his love for all people by sending His only Son, who in turn expressed His love by the ultimate act of service: His death for our sins. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Who doesn't know the story of God's deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt? That act of love is so important that the Jewish community have celebrated it at Passover for more than 3,500 years. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jesus is known as the Servant King, whose acts of service included preparing "a place" for His followers; washing their feet in place of a lowly servant; performing miracles as the Great Physician; and so much more.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ever heard of a young woman named Agnes Bohaxhiu? You might know her better as Mother Teresa. :] From her early teen years, she dedicated her life to Christ & served countless people through her selflessness. In her words she says, "I invite all those who appreciate out work to look around them & be willing to love those who have no love & to offer them their services. Are we not, by definition, messengers of love?" Later, she stated, "Let us not be satisfied just by giving money. Money is not everything. The poor need the work of our hands, the love of our hearts. Love, an abundant love, is the expression of our Christian religion."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Physical Touch</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">God is a physical God. You can see the evidence of it in all creation! All throughout the Bible, we find records of this Love Language in action. Jacob wrestled with God (Genesis 32:25, 30); Moses encountered Him in a way that affected him physically---his face was radiantly bright after visiting with the Lord (Exodus 34:29, 33); and the life of Jesus shows that He frequently used physical touch as a love language (all throughout the New Testament!). Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, was another example of God's physical touch in bringing about his dramatic conversion. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Conclusion</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I could probably give many more examples of God's fluency in every Love Language, but for the sake of time (& space), I shall conclude here. ;D</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">All told, this was a fantastic piece of non-fiction, and sheds a beautiful new light on who God is & how He loves. <3</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>I was provided a complimentary copy thanks to Moody Publishers Newsroom in exchange for my honest review.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div></div></span></div>
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