Rise of the Mystics

GIVEAWAY

DEKKER, TED
RISE OF THE MYSTICS

Some say the great mystery of how one can live in two worlds at once died with Thomas Hunter many years ago. Still others that the gateway to that greater reality was and is only the stuff of dreams. They are all wrong.

Rachelle Matthews, who grew up in the small town of Eden, Utah, discovered just how wrong when she dreamed and awoke in another world. There she learned that she was the 49th Mystic, the prophesied one, tasked with finding five ancient seals before powerful enemies destroy her. If Rachelle succeeds in her quest, peace will reign. If she fails, the world will forever be locked in darkness.

In The 49th Mystic, Rachelle found the first three of those five seals through great peril and mind-altering adventure. But two seals remain hidden, and the fate of both worlds hangs in the balance.

As Rachelle sits deep in a dungeon, Vlad Smith is just getting started. Thomas Hunter's world is about to be turned inside out. The Mystics say that there is no defense against the Fifth Seal -- but finding it will cost Rachelle everything. So begins the final volume of high stakes in one girl's quest to find an ancient path that will save humanity. The clock is tickingl the end rushes forward.

Ready? Set? Dream.

My Review:

That wheezing you hear is me trying to catch my breath after finishing the sequel to The 49th Mystic! And this is definitely the case where you need to read that book first. Dekker does give a great catch-up to refresh a reader's mind but The Rise of the Mystics is way too intense and involved to pick up as a standalone read.

Once again I'm gobsmacked over this author's ability to create such depth and meaning in a work of fiction. This is a truly inspired piece of work. The kind of faith driven speculative thriller that makes you think. And wrestle. And stretch. Not to be read lightly -- or quickly -- or you'll miss experiencing the full spiritual journey.

"Do not resist. Enter that fear with love, which casts it out. Work out your salvation from the storm through that fear. It's the only way to finally see fear for what it is, a shadow." (p 138)

Rachelle is back, facing the greatest battle of her life -- and most of it happens inwardly -- the war of wills, a conflict between heart and mind. Learning what it means to live love without judgement. And that includes self-doubt and condemnation. There are times I had to pull back and just sit in the story as I made connections between Rachelle's journey and my own.

"I was now condemning myself by calling myself a failure. Did it never stop? It was no wonder there were so few water walkers in the world." (p 253)

Dekker writes about the masks we hide behind and the power they have to block out the Light. Honestly, there are layers and layers of mind blowing concepts that have the ability to lead a reader deeper into her faith. At least, that is my experience with this novel.

The Rise of the Mystic challenges and entertains -- a heart-stopping, soul-stirring thrill of a read!

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Rise of the Mystics, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If  you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday October 7 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Fault Lines

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LOCKE, THOMAS
FAULT LINES

What if reality is only the edge of possibility?

There isn't much that can throw Charlie Hazard off balance. But the mystery woman with the striking eyes and the intense request to follow her -- now -- is about to shake his world. Knowing little more than her name, Charlie leaves his post as a guard at the Satellite Beach community center for what he thinks is just another risk-containment job. But Gabriella, an experimental psychologist, has far more in store for him than protection duty -- if the two of them survive the test.

Reese Clawson relishes her work at the Combine and all the perks and power that come with it -- including the ability to manipulate perceptions. But the Combine never anticipated this mind-shifting technology. If Gabriella's experiments succeed, the Combine would be destroyed. And Reese will never allow that to happen.

MY REVIEW:

Charlie Hazard is Jason Bourne on steroids. A serious action hero right down to his awesomely appropriate name. Love his cryptic occupation too -- "risk containment." Multiply what that conjures up by 1000 and you pretty much have an idea of what Fault Lines reads like -- a complex plot with plenty of action including exquisitely choreographed fight scenes. But all that is peppered with surprising pockets of humour too, usually courtesy of Irma and Julio, Charlie's civilian recruits. In fact, there are a host of engaging secondary characters that contribute to the page-turnability of this enthralling read.

Labeled as a 'techno-thriller', be prepared for some detailed 'techno-babble' -- most of which went over my head. I'd recommend not fretting over trying to understand everything right from the start, rather embrace the essence of the story and things will become clearer as the tale progresses. Also Fault Lines is the prequel to previously published, Trial Run (2015) and Flash Point (2016) and I can't help but feel that readers familiar with those stories might get a better grasp of the 'sciency' stuff in this prequel.

The only thing I found lacking was the absence of an inspirational thread and there was such potential for one. It doesn't ruin the story, but I read Christian Fiction (the publisher is Revell) for a reason and I appreciate when a faith thread, no matter how light, is woven into a plot.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read copy of Fault Lines

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of Fault Lines leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to your comment remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday August 27 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Recruits

GIVEAWAY

LOCKE, THOMAS
RECRUITS

It's a world they've seen only in their dreams -- until now.

Twins Sean and Dillon Kirrel have dreamed about a world beyond their own since they were children, but it has always been a fantasy. Not long before their eighteenth birthday, however, the arrival of a mysterious new neighbor and the revelations he shares bring that far-off world within reach.

When Sean and Dillon learn they share a unique gift -- the ability to transfer instantly between worlds -- they are offered an opportunity to prove themselves as recruits to the planetary Assembly. But unlocking their abilities awakens an enemy beyond anything they ever imagined, thrusting them into an interplanetary conflict that could consume the entire human race.

My Review:

I'm cautious when it comes to reading speculative fiction because I either love it or hate it. Never anything in between. I'm not sure that I can articulate what connects me with this type of story but I could rattle off a list of what I hate. Luckily I don't have to do that in this review because I loved Recruits. Enough to devour it one sitting! And it kind of reminds me of my all time favourite YA author, Madeleine L'Engle (think A Wrinkle in Time).

A complex plot with plenty of action makes this a real page-turner. Sean and Dillon are typical teens going through the motions of attending classes two weeks before graduation. What they don't realize is that they are on the cusp of something so grand and fantastical that even their collective imaginations can't prepare them for what's to come. Love the dynamics between these two. Their twin connection is strong, but they both have unique strengths and talents that set them apart as well. And they really stretch and grow through the course of the novel.

There's a great cast of secondary characters that really flesh out the story and help the twins shine, including a couple of love interests which came as a surprise. And while a lot of the story takes place on Earth there's some intriguing planet hopping for an extra reader thrill. Locke's imagination knows no bounds and he successfully delivers a compelling tale of good versus evil and all the nuances in between.

Book provided by Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Recruits please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday April 2 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck! 

The Choosing

GIVEAWAY

DEKKER, RACHELLE
THE CHOOSING

“Not to be Chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making.”

Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.

But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within.

Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.

My Review:

A Dystopian tale fueled by hope.

Dekker had me transfixed in the very first scene of this debut novel. Her imagination knows no bounds when it comes to creating a futuristic and all too troubled earth. And the whole concept of young women having to wait to be chosen had me fuming. Especially since if they weren't they became outcasts -- even from their own families. A troubling tale that parallels our current world in subtle ways.

Loved the depth of the spiritual message -- that we have already been chosen by the One who created us. Carrington's struggle to grasp that concept is heartbreakingly real. So foreign in a world that forces religious legalism that restricts individual freedom. She's on an impossible (and often reluctant) quest to find answers to the doubts that threaten her very existence.

A line up of strong secondary characters enrich the tale -- including a forbidden love interest for Carrington.

Powerful and raw and utterly compelling. And this is just the beginning...Book Two comes out early 2016.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Choosing please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 26 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Hunger Games

COLLINS, SUZANNE

THE HUNGER GAMES

Could you survive on your own in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before -- and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

VERY GRIPPING SCI-FI READ. A SOCIAL COMMENTARY ON WAR AND VIOLENCE AND OUR DETACHED ABSORPTION OF REALITY TV. THE ACTION SCENES ARE TAUT AND INTENSE, BUT NOT OVERLY GRAPHIC. KATNISS IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST HEROINES IN YA FICTION THAT I'VE EVER READ. DEFINITELY DESTINED TO BE A CLASSIC.