DragonSpell Review

"After 14 years as a slave girl in the village of River Away, Kale is free, because of a dragon's egg. Since she found it, the village elders have decided that she must present herself and the egg to the great wizards of the walled city of Vendela, where she expects to become a servant of Paladin, the earthly representative of Wulder, supreme being of Amara. Her journey is interrupted first by attacking ogres, then by a detour into a cave that hides seven more dragon eggs, and finally by a daring escape aided by dragon-riding rescuers who become Kale's guides, tutors, and closest cohorts on her travels. Two of her precious eggs hatch on the way and become her constant companions–first green Gymn, who heals, and then purple Metta, who sings. To them, Kale is much more than just a slave girl–she is the last of the great Allerion dragon-keepers. This is classic quest fantasy with echoes of J. R. R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (Houghton) and of Christopher Paolini's Eragon (Knopf, 2003). As in C. S. Lewis's "Narnia" books (HarperCollins), Christian allegories and messages are clearly presented and easily found, but it is equally possible to read this as Kale's story as it happened in Amara, a world completely separate from our own. It would be a shame to limit readership by relegating this clever and inventive story to the genre of Christian fiction. There is plenty of room for sequels, and readers will want to know much more about Kale and the remainder of her quest.–Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA"

This book is indeed targeted for younger readers but I have thoroughly enjoyed it and passed it onto my daughter as soon as I was done. She has finished it by now too, and from what she has told me, she loved it just as much as I enjoyed it and she even asked me to buy the sequel for her! This is a pretty popular young adult book but I figured I could try it too and see if it could pull even me in, and it surpassed my expectations! The story of Kale and her quest was enthralling while the details really let my imagination run wild. Great read, for a variety of ages!

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by WaterBrook Multnomah for review.

Thunder Dog Review

"A blind man and his guide dog show the power of trust and courage in the midst of devastating terror.
It was 12:30 a.m. on 9/11 and Roselle whimpered at Michael's bedside. A thunderstorm was headed east, and she could sense the distant rumbles while her owners slept. As a trained guide dog, when she was "on the clock" nothing could faze her. But that morning, without her harness, she was free to be scared, and she nudged Michael's hand with her wet nose as it draped over the bedside toward the floor. She needed him to wake up.
With a busy day of meetings and an important presentation ahead, Michael slumped out of bed, headed to his home office, and started chipping away at his daunting workload. Roselle, shivering, took her normal spot at his feet and rode out the storm while he typed. By all indications it was going to be a normal day. A busy day, but normal nonetheless. Until they went into the office.
In Thunder Dog, follow Michael and his guide dog, Roselle, as their lives are changed forever by two explosions and 1,463 stairs. When the first plane struck Tower One, an enormous boom, frightening sounds, and muffled voices swept through Michael's office while shards of glass and burning scraps of paper fell outside the windows.
But in this harrowing story of trust and courage, discover how blindness and a bond between dog and man saved lives and brought hope during one of America's darkest days."

This story about Michael and Roselle and amazing and almost unbelievable, but as a pet lover myself, I loved this book and how Michael's trust for his guide dog was strengthened through her saving him during 9/11. This is a great book, even if it were to be fiction, but the fact that it really happened just makes it 100 times better.
Michael's bond to his dog and what they shared throughout this whole experience never ceased to amaze me, and the whole book was just an intense read because I kept wondering what was going to happen and whether I should place 100% of my faith in Roselle!
Again, it's a very enjoyable book and you should read this, especially if you love your pets or if someone you know has a guide dog! Suggest this to your friends with guide dogs too!

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson for review.  

The Final Hour Review

"The Homelanders are attacking-and it's Charlie's last chance to stop them.

Charlie West was an ordinary high school kid who went to bed one night and woke up in the clutches of terrorists and wanted by the police for murder. He also woke up with no memory of the events of the last year.

His memory is returning now and has brought the terrible realization that he knows when the terrorists are going to strike next.

Whatever it takes, Charlie knows he can't give in or give up until they're stopped . . . even when the final hour is ticking away."

I've actually only read the last two books of this series by Andrew Klavan, and since this is kind of the "series finale", I'd have to say that I really liked this series! This one was the better one of the last two because it was more intense and had more action and pulled me even more into the story, as soon as I began reading the first chapter.

I especially liked all the descriptions of the jail that Charlie was in at the beginning of the book, it seemed really realistic with all the details and such and was interesting! Overall, a great ending to the series so a definitely need-to-read for those who have followed the series! But if you're new, you're better off starting with the first books because you will most likely be lost during this one!

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson for review.  

Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me Review

"When I first discovered the grainy picture in my mother's desk-me as a towheaded two year old sitting in what I remember was a salmon-orange-stained lifeboat-I was overwhelmed by the feeling that the boy in the boat was not waving and laughing at the person snapping the photo as much as he was frantically trying to get the attention of the man I am today. The boy was beckoning me to join him on a voyage through the harrowing straits of memory. He was gambling that if we survived the passage, we might discover an ocean where the past would become the wind at our back rather than a driving gale to the nose of our boat. This book is the record of that voyage."  

"At the age of sixteen, Ian Morgan Cron was told by his mother that his father, a motion picture executive, also worked for the CIA in Europe. This astonishing revelation, coupled with his father's dark struggles with alcoholism, upended the world of a boy struggling to become a man. Decades later, as he faces his own personal demons, Ian realizes the only way to find peace is to voyage back through a childhood marked by extremes--privilege and hardship, violence and tenderness, truth and deceit--that he's spent years trying to forget. In this surprisingly funny and forgiving memoir, Ian reminds us that no matter how different the pieces may be, in the end we are all cut from the same cloth, stitched by faith into an exquisite quilt of grace. "

Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: A Memoir. . . of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron was an incredible book about the author's experience as a little boy growing up with an alcoholic father who also happened to be employed by the CIA. The "plot" of this story sounded so much like a good, dramatic movie to me at first and that's why I really liked this book!

The book details Ian's own struggles while growing up and forgiving his father and it is really well written and I loved the whole memoir! Ian has had a lot of faith in Christ and I would expect a lot of faithful content in this book since it is from Thomas Nelson, but the memoir itself was simply greatly inspiring to me and made me realize how lucky I have been, growing up in my family.

A very nice book overall, certainly an interesting and unique book to read!

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson for review.  

Departures Review

This book includes 2 main characters:
"In "Now Boarding at Gate 10," it's the summer after Christy Miller's high school graduation, and she's still hurting from Todd's recent departure. Her plans for a relaxing summer are interrupted when she and her family fly to Wisconsin for her grandparents' fiftieth wedding anniversary. But her time in the Midwest turns out to be more than she'd bargained for when someone from her past shows a romantic interest in her. Will her summer vacation change the course of her future forever?
"In The Event of a Water Landing" finds fifteen-year-old Sierra Jensen on a fast-paced vacation to Montana with her friend Janna. But her trip turns sour when Janna seems to have time only for guys. Sierra is concerned about Janna's all-consuming interest in having a boyfriend. Why can't Sierra find friends to just hang out with? Will all her relationships revolve around guys? Sierra must discover the key to a faith that will keep her happy, even when others constantly disappoint her."

The author developed the characters beautifully and I really enjoyed both stories of the teenagers! It was a fantastic book and I liked the details that were included in the book. I would recommend to anyone looking for a light, fun, summer/spring read!

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by WaterBrook Multnomah for review.

Unsinkable Review

"The stirring narrative of Unsinkable tells sixteen-year-old Abby Sunderland's remarkable true story of attempting to become the youngest person ever to sail solo around the world.
More people have flown into outer space than have sailed solo around the globe. It is a challenge so immense that many have died trying, and all have been pushed beyond every physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual limit. In Unsinkable, readers follow Abby Sunderland into those depths. This biography delivers a gripping and evocative firsthand account that starts prior to her departure, travels through her daring (and sometimes near-death) encounters on the open sea, to her dramatic rescue in the remotest corner of the Indian Ocean, and the media explosion that happened upon her safe return to dry land.
Along the way, readers discover what it means to boldly face any challenge, to strive after something great, and to plumb the depths of faith, fear, and desperation only to emerge changed, renewed, and emboldened. In this day and age, when the most productive thing a teenager may do is play videogames, Abby's ambition and tenacity is a real-life parable of what can happen when we choose to exceed our own limits, embrace faith, and strive after what all the naysayers say is impossible."

You might've already seen stories about Abby Sunderland on the news, just as I have a couple of months before I received this book. I thought that this book was extremely inspirational and what Abby has done was not something that I could've ever expected someone at her age to do - especially not alone. I really loved it because it was very informational and also sent the message to its readers that you should follow your dream no matter what, because you could definitely accomplish things if you have the will power to do it and believe in yourself. It's a powerful, powerful book, and I recommend it for everyone who's searching for an inspirational book to give you some directions in your life...

This book is written in 3 different voices - Abby herself, the narrator, and the rescuers. It definitely makes a plain biography of Abby more interesting this way and I have really enjoyed this book!

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson for review.  

A Blog Contest @ Valentine Kisses!

ValentineKisses.com is holding a contest on their beauty blog, which is amazing, and they are giving away TONS of fabulous prizes so you should go check it out! The link is:
http://xoxovalentinekissesxoxo.blogspot.com/2011/01/february-giveaway-win-46-items-includes.html

Good luck :)