A few different blogs I follow have shared reviews for books they’ve read. So I’ve decided to start reposting reviews for books I’ve read. I’m beginning with some that I reviewed before I began tracking them by year on Goodreads. I will not be sharing any of my own work in book review posts so as to focus on helping to promote other authors.
The Enchanted Dagger by Vonnie Winslow Crist
Genre(s): Fantasy, Young Adult
This was an amazing story; a must-read for all fantasy lovers. Vonnie Winslow Crist demonstrates yet again her vivid imagination and phenomenal gift for worldbuilding as she did in The Greener Forest. Here, the characters and magic kept me eager to turn the page, and I am eagerly awaiting the next book to find out what happens next. Well done, Mrs. Crist!
Beyond Blue by Austin S. Camacho
Genre(s): Mystery
This book tells the tale of a firm of private investigators who help cops in trouble with everything from family issues to criminal activities that threaten their lives and careers. When cops are in trouble, they can turn to these investigators, many of whom are former cops, that go “beyond” the blue uniform. As I read, I remained continuously eager to see these investigators survive and help their clients. There were some points that I felt could have been expanded on more, such as the threat of the drug plot, and some plots at the end felt a little rushed, such as the fate of an undercover client as well as a relationship between an investigator and her client that became very passionate. Still, the principles these characters stood by were profound, and they existed because of a debt owed to the police. This book is an excellent reminder of what cops are about and why they are here, and in a world with so much negative press and a loss of faith in the police, it is a comforting thought that there might be someone out there who would go out of their way and risk their lives for those who do the same for the American people.
The Last Government Girl by Ellen Herbert
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery
Overall I really liked this story. It was a wonderful concept, with a passionate romance and the ending left me thinking there may be a sequel on the way. But the reason I gave it four stars was because I thought it could have had more. I would have loved more scenes showing the government girls working. A couple of the subplots to me did not come to a satisfying conclusion, and the ending almost seemed too abrupt. Nevertheless, it was a good story and the writing was great too.
Up the Hill to Home by Jennifer Bort Yacovissi
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Up the Hill to Home is a fascinating story that sheds new light on how the lives of family generations and events are connected. It tells of the lives of many generations of one family and the house in which the shared. Anyone who is interested in genealogy or family history should read his book, as it will inspire you to discover what your ancestors experienced. These are fascinating characters, and it was clever how present and past tense were shared and used; the former especially makes one feel as if they are living history. My only concerns are that some of the minor characters I had trouble keeping track of who they were, and though there were references to historical events like the Civil War I would have liked to see perhaps some more clearer references to the Great Depression, which the main generation of characters were living in.
Surface and Shadow by Sally Whitney
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery
This is a remarkable mystery story in which a woman begins to find herself and help those she cares about. Lydia Colton has a strong spirit that cannot be put down despite an entire conservative town standing against her. The story kept me intrigued from the very beginning and wanting to know what would happen next. Sally Whitney has done a fine job with her debut novel, and I eagerly await her next book!
Disenchanted by Leigh Goff
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
It was a good story filled with passion and magic. I liked how it was tied in to real-life historic figures and witch trials from the past. Until I read this book I did not know about the witch trials in Connecticut. Sophie Goodchild was an interesting character, and I liked her a lot as well as her romance with Alexavier Mather.
I gave it four stars because I was left feeling the story could have had a little more to it – a little more delving into the witchcraft, Sophie and her powers, as well as her romance. But it was still a good read nonetheless.
The Greener Forest by Vonnie Winslow Crist
Genre(s): Fantasy, Poetry, Short stories
Mrs. Crist has a wonderfully vivid imagination which is brought to life in these poems and stories. She is both an excellent writer and an extremely talented artist. The imagery in the poetry is beautiful, such as in “The Greener Forest”, “Late Winter,” and “Key.” What makes the stories truly touching and memorable are the relationships between the characters. “Birdling” reminded me of traditional stories of faeries and how tricky they can be. In “Appleheads” and “Blood of the Swan” the bonds of friendship and affection are truly magical and deep. In “Scarecrow” one is reminded to accept friendship no matter who or what it is from, and to do what is right despite what others say or think. As also in “Blame it on the Trees” we remember to look beneath the surface at what is within. Finally, we learn to respect the natural world, for it is very much alive, and the home of many creatures. Some of the other stories were very short and I wanted more from them, but nevertheless they were still imaginative and well-written. Well done Mrs. Crist. Well done.
Andrew McDowell 