A friend asked me for cozy fantasy reads, and this was the first to come to mind.
This is not an epic adventure fantasy with high stakes and a large caA friend asked me for cozy fantasy reads, and this was the first to come to mind.
This is not an epic adventure fantasy with high stakes and a large cast of charcters. It is a quiet, simple, cozy story of three siblings in a winter wasteland. Most of it is day-to-day life...caring for the livestock, making stew, walking in the forest. But (without too many spoilers hopefully) there were also blizzards and illness and the hardships of living alone in a barren winter wasteland. It felt a lot like The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder but in a fantasy setting.
And the characters? My goodness, how I loved the characters! There were really only five in-scene characters (Oaneka, Alvea, Yore, Goran, and Pevi), but I loved each and every one of them. I really appreciated having a redhead character who didn't fit the redhead stereotypes and had more personality than just the color of her hair. And don't even get me started on Goran and the hounds! If for no other reason, I would reread this book for Goran alone. He definitely stands out as one of my favorite fictional men - warm and caring under a rugged, seclusive exterior.
Being a winter-lover myself, I found it a little hard to relate with Oaneka's dislike for winter. (Although I did find it understandable even if I didn't relate). But that just had me rooting even harder for her to find the beauty in winter.
It is written in first person pov, present tense, which I personally loved. I know it isn't the most popular pov/tense, but for me at least, it really helped me to connect with Oaneka (the POV character) even more. It felt like I was there with her, experiencing everything the way she did, with description so vivid it made me feel the chill of winter even in a major summer heatwave.
Is this a winter read? Well, it definitely can be. But if you're like me and enjoy winter, Frost Light can be read and enjoyed any time of the year. (I read it during a major heat wave in the middle of June and still loved it.)...more
Wow! Where do I even begin? Once I Knew by Victoria Lynn was an epic journey from beginning to end.
The writing style was unique with an old fashion twWow! Where do I even begin? Once I Knew by Victoria Lynn was an epic journey from beginning to end.
The writing style was unique with an old fashion twist to it. The description was beautiful, although there were times I wanted to skip over it to get on to the action. I was thoroughly invested in the story, refusing to put it down and reading late into the night.
Obed was my favorite character, and I was surprised with how much I related to him. His fiery passion, his boldness and courage all spoke to me. And yet with that all, his deep need for God. I just relate to him so much.
It was harder for me to relate to Violet at my current stage of life, but she still reminded me of my younger self. Weighed down with responsibilities, afraid, but through it all leaning on God’s strength and finding courage in Him. My teenage self would have related to her so much. And I truly loved her character growth.
I also loved each of the side characters, but namely Everard, Fendrel, Marcus, Granny, and Malcolm. They all felt very real and human and as developed as the MCs. And I personally would LOVE to read more of the side characters.
The plot was intense at times and lulled at others, but every scene was integral to the story. The POV changed several times in some of the scenes, but I personally liked seeing the thoughts of the different characters during the same scene. Nothing felt jarringly unrealistic. I loved the deep Christian themes. This book left a powerfully positive impact on my life and is a read I will not be forgetting any time soon.
I also loved the hardcover edition and having “The Vault” and the extra scenes right at my fingertips as soon as I finished the story. I was also so happy that illustrations were included in the hardcover copy! There aren’t enough YA books with illustrations, imho!
I don’t feel like there is anything that I would particularly critique. There was some blood and violence as well as mentions of immoral lifestyles and threatened r*ape, but it was vague enough to be kept PG13.
I personally feel like 16+ would be the best recommended age, but it could probably be 13+ with parental guidance.
Merged review:
Wow! Where do I even begin? Once I Knew by Victoria Lynn was an epic journey from beginning to end.
The writing style was unique with an old fashion twist to it. The description was beautiful, although there were times I wanted to skip over it to get on to the action. I was thoroughly invested in the story, refusing to put it down and reading late into the night.
Obed was my favorite character, and I was surprised with how much I related to him. His fiery passion, his boldness and courage all spoke to me. And yet with that all, his deep need for God. I just relate to him so much.
It was harder for me to relate to Violet at my current stage of life, but she still reminded me of my younger self. Weighed down with responsibilities, afraid, but through it all leaning on God’s strength and finding courage in Him. My teenage self would have related to her so much. And I truly loved her character growth.
I also loved each of the side characters, but namely Everard, Fendrel, Marcus, Granny, and Malcolm. They all felt very real and human and as developed as the MCs. And I personally would LOVE to read more of the side characters.
The plot was intense at times and lulled at others, but every scene was integral to the story. The POV changed several times in some of the scenes, but I personally liked seeing the thoughts of the different characters during the same scene. Nothing felt jarringly unrealistic. I loved the deep Christian themes. This book left a powerfully positive impact on my life and is a read I will not be forgetting any time soon.
I also loved the hardcover edition and having “The Vault” and the extra scenes right at my fingertips as soon as I finished the story. I was also so happy that illustrations were included in the hardcover copy! There aren’t enough YA books with illustrations, imho!
I don’t feel like there is anything that I would particularly critique. There was some blood and violence as well as mentions of immoral lifestyles and threatened r*ape, but it was vague enough to be kept PG13.
I personally feel like 16+ would be the best recommended age, but it could probably be 13+ with parental guidance....more
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!!! I honestly don't even know where to begin with this review. Haha!
I loved all of the character growth so much! Again, I kind oTHIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!!! I honestly don't even know where to begin with this review. Haha!
I loved all of the character growth so much! Again, I kind of wanted to shake some sense into some of the characters once or twice, but I feel like that just made them more realistic. There was plenty tension and conflict as well as realistic human reactions to it. Not all of the decisions made were the best. There were plenty of mistakes and plenty of misunderstandings. But there were also heartfelt apologies and feelings of guilt and regret. There was love and forgiveness despite the pain of mistrust and betrayal. (Okay, no more or I'm going to share spoilers.) I honestly can't wait to read the next book!!
It is literally so hard to name a favorite character because I am completely invested in all of them. (Although I might note that, while I am invested in Luke's character growth, I didn't get a great first impression of him.) I LOVED Vanessa in this book, and Millie, as always, is definitely a favorite. I think I might relate to Hope the most, but I'm also loving Bridget's character growth.
Some of the romance stuff might have made me blush a time or two, but I actually really liked reading about characters navigating love and romance in a God-honoring, Christian way instead of rushing into it headfirst without thought or prayer. Honestly a breath of fresh air compared to other YA romance stories I've read, and I am all here for it!! (And no spoilers, but I definitely have some very strong opinions on who I ship with who. LOL!!)
I feel like these books are defying all the odds in my personal reading tastes, because I don't usually like romance or contemporary stories very much. But these are both and I love them so much!!
To quote from a favorite cartoon character - "I laughed. I cried. It moved me, Bob."
I highly recommend these books even if they don't sound like they'll fit your usual reading tastes. There is a lot going on - from fun adventures with 8-year-old Millie, to tense National Security issues, to the literally sweetest (and realest) romance, and lots of big family interactions....more
Oh my goodness! This book was so amazing! It started out as a slow-paced, cozy read, and I was expecting for it to stay that way for the rest of the bOh my goodness! This book was so amazing! It started out as a slow-paced, cozy read, and I was expecting for it to stay that way for the rest of the book. But WOW was I surprised! Intensity levels skyrocketed and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!! I was doing a buddy read, so I didn't want to read too far ahead of the other readers but that was impossible. I stayed up way too late to finish this and enjoyed every moment of it.
I especially loved all of the wise advice and Christian themes throughout the story. It really touched my heart in a way that I didn't know it needed touched, and yeah, I might have cried in my bed a couple times because of that.
The big family aspect was amazing and very well-written. I loved getting to meet each of the Royal siblings. Also the character intros at the beginning were super fun. I will say there were a few characters that I wanted to shake some sense into at one point or another, but I guess that's a sign that I was really invested in the character arcs and loved the characters even if they didn't always make the wisest decisions. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series to see how the arcs continue!
Also Tarsurella is the loveliest setting EVER, and I want to go there right now!!!
And I usually add a part where I talk about things that I didn't like about a book, but um... I can't really think of any...??? So yes, this was an amazing book and I highly recommend reading it!!...more
This book was so captivating! The plot was absolutely amazing! There was one plot twist right after another which definitely kept me guessing the entiThis book was so captivating! The plot was absolutely amazing! There was one plot twist right after another which definitely kept me guessing the entire time. The historical accuracy is applaudable. The dialog was amazing (and often funny too). While I did like Owen and Sally fairly well, I think I liked Harry, Rose, and Doyle even more so. (I seem to have a thing for side characters. Haha.) I also enjoyed the strong Christian theme of trusting in God.
My main problem with this book is that it promotes the “once saved, always saved” theory which I do not believe is Biblical. There were also some mentions of outhouses, gunshot wounds and blood (not detailed), and mentions of cussing (no actual cuss words used in the book). The romance was minimal, but there was still a little. There was some touching and hugging throughout the story, and hand holding in one scene.
Since this is book 2 in a series (and I haven’t read book 1 yet), I think there was some character background that I was missing. However, To the Uttermost can be read as a standalone.
Overall, the book was very enjoyable and suspenseful with a good lesson woven throughout. I recommend it for readers 13+ who enjoy historical Western stories. Also to anyone who likes a good, intense read.
3.5 Stars, but rounding up because of Goodreads star rating system.
If you would like to read my full review, you can find it on my blog…
*I received an eBook copy of To the Uttermost in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts are my own.*...more
This was a such a sweet story! There were a number of plot twists I was seriously not expecting. The writing style was very good, and I enjoyed readinThis was a such a sweet story! There were a number of plot twists I was seriously not expecting. The writing style was very good, and I enjoyed reading a retelling from Cinderella's point of view. I also appreciated there being no magic or fairies in this story.
My main complaint was that the romantic aspect was a little too physical. A girl and guy hug/hold hands a lot, and a guy kisses his fiancé on the cheek. Overall, I found this story really sweet. It was a lovely retelling. I just wasn't a fan of the physical aspect of the romance....more
This book was very enjoyable. It’s not often that I read a book of short stories, but I truly enjoyed this one.
Most of the stories had a very obvious This book was very enjoyable. It’s not often that I read a book of short stories, but I truly enjoyed this one.
Most of the stories had a very obvious Christmasy feeling to them, but there were a couple that didn’t feel quite so Christmasy. In general, all of the stories were very short – only 2-4 pages each. While most of the stories were able to conclude satisfactorily within those few pages, there were a number of stories that I wish had gone on at least a bit longer. I guess I just wanted to learn more about the characters. ...more
First off, I have to admit that I don’t often read books in this genre. I had also read the synopsis and wasn’t sure if I would like Martin HospitalitFirst off, I have to admit that I don’t often read books in this genre. I had also read the synopsis and wasn’t sure if I would like Martin Hospitality or not. When I won it in a giveaway, however, I decided to give it a read.
The storyline was very unique. It slowed down quite a bit in the middle, but overall, I thought it was good. As for the characters, there were times they kind of drove me crazy. I really didn’t like Mr. Martin to begin with, but I eventually came around to liking him. And I must say, I did like the large family aspect, though it was a bit different than any other big family I’ve read about.
There were definitely some things that made me feel uncomfortable – mostly concerning a girl wanting to run away with an immoral young man. As for other content, there was: pregnancy out of wedlock, mention of drugs and drinking, domestic abuse and violence, etc. There were also some scenes with a guy and girl alone that made me feel a bit uncomfortable.
Because of the content, I would recommend it to at least 18+ though it depends a lot on the reader....more
A fun read, though not at all what I was expecting. (But, tbh, I was expecting something like the original Cinderella story, but from a different poinA fun read, though not at all what I was expecting. (But, tbh, I was expecting something like the original Cinderella story, but from a different point of view.) I don't remember having read a fairytale retelling before, so I have no idea how this ranks on the list of retellings.
I guess I'll start with the things I didn't like so much. First off, I wasn't a fan of Burndee's attitude. (I mean maybe it's just that I'm a human, and he didn't really like humans.) And Ella was maybe a bit too naïve for my personal tastes. Also there's lot of magic, which I was expecting, but I'm not a fan of magic stuff. It was okay, though. (Nothing dark.)
I did actually enjoy the characters quite a lot, for the most part. Despite Ella being so naïve (or maybe because of), she is very nice to everyone (almost to the extent of being overly nice). Colin was pretty hilarious. I love the scenes with him and Burndee. (Okay, now I feel like rereading the book! XP) The plot had a way of doing exactly what I didn't expect, so for most of the book I was either saying "WhAt??" or wanting to shake some sense into one character or another. By the end, though, I was beginning to expect the unexpected.
All in all, I'd probably give this book 3.5 stars, rounding it down to 3 stars. It was enjoyable, I'll probably read it again sometime. (And I may even enjoy it more the second time around.) But I didn't think it was particularly outstandingly amazing....more
This story was so fun! It was a quick read, but I truly enjoyed it. And I loved reading a story with a MC that's almost as introverted as I am! The leThis story was so fun! It was a quick read, but I truly enjoyed it. And I loved reading a story with a MC that's almost as introverted as I am! The letters were fun (almost makes me wish I had a pen-pal), and I enjoyed the pennames. I kind of wish I could have read the Agent Tangent story, though......more
First off I just want to say that I am not really a romance reader, but after winning this book in a giveaway, I thought I would give it a read.
In my First off I just want to say that I am not really a romance reader, but after winning this book in a giveaway, I thought I would give it a read.
In my opinion, the character development was good. I was really surprised by the way Hawthorne was acting in the first chapter, though, but since I knew from the synopsis that it was kind of a redemption story, I thought I would stick it out and read it.
This book did not match my courtship standards at all. There were several detailed kisses, a lot of physical contact, and a fair amount of boy/girl alone time. I felt really uncomfortable more than once. This is my main complaint. There was also some drinking, which I wasn't crazy about. At first I thought it was going to make drinking look bad, but that wasn't entirely the way it was. If it hadn't been for these thing, I would have given the book a considerably higher rating.
What I did like: The setting was really neat. The Bloom family farm was really cool in my opinion. I kinda love everything about family farms, but the wedding venue and bed & breakfast renovation made it even neater. I loved that aspect of the book!
Also, Hawthorne's development was well done. After the initial shock of how much he really needed to change his ways, I found myself rooting for him. And let's just say there was an unexpected twist at the end, that really helped to strengthen the plot.
And I loved 'meeting' the whole Bloom family! They were all fun and unique. (And the girls had pretty amazing names, just saying!)
Since this is a book I, personally, had trouble enjoying, I feel that I can only give it 2 stars. But I think that more mature readers may enjoy this. I would suggest it to 21+ or married readers....more
This was such a sweet Christmas story! I loved the characters and the writing style. The storyline was rather predictable,5 Twinkling Christmas Stars!
This was such a sweet Christmas story! I loved the characters and the writing style. The storyline was rather predictable, I guess. But that didn't bother me at all, because it was just an adorable Christmas-y short story.
(Note: I plan on leaving a longer review soon, but I still wanted to share this short review just to say that I really loved the story!)...more
Sci-fi isn't normally my thing, but I wanted to read this story because 1) Perry is an amazing author! 2) It's free on Kindle.
Overall, I didn't like tSci-fi isn't normally my thing, but I wanted to read this story because 1) Perry is an amazing author! 2) It's free on Kindle.
Overall, I didn't like this story quite as much as the author's other books, but I still enjoyed the read. I think it was written more as a prequel/backstory to the other books in the series. The ending was enjoyable (though I did feel that it ended just a bit too soon - I would have like to have known more of the story.) Pioneer Horizon held my interest, and I look forward to reading the other stories in the Mydlands series....more