Hope Ann - Burning Rose

Burning Rose
Legends of Light 1-3


By Hope Ann


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

A forbidden rose and deadly sacrifice.
A glittering sword and living melody.
A stolen stormestone and detestable pardon.
The war in Aslaria, founded in ancient legends, changes the lives of those it touches forever.

Fairy tales retold as you have never heard them before.

About the Author (from Amazon)

Hope Ann is a speculative fiction writer who lives on a small farm in northern Indiana. She has self-published three Legends of Light novellas and writes regular articles for Kingdom Pen as the Writing Team Captain. Reading since the age of five, and introducing herself to writing at age eight, she never had a question that the author’s life was the life for her. Her goal is to write thrilling Christian fantasy and futuristic fiction — stories she longed for while growing up. After graduating from homeschool, Hope now teaches writing to several of her eight younger siblings. She loves climbing trees, archery, photography, Lord of the Rings, chocolate, and collecting shiny things she claims are useful for story inspiration.

You can follow Hope at https://authorhopeann.com/

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

A year or so I reviewed The Song of the Sword, a beautiful retelling of Rapunzel. I can't say that it's my favorite retelling of that tale that I've ever read, but it's one of the three vying for that position.

So, when she announced that she was releasing the first three books + the prequel of this series in one shiny volume, I was needless-to-say enthused, and I volunteered to review the book for her.

It took me a while to get to it, and then I devoured the whole thing in a day and a half. Ish. Somewhere in there. In short, I loved it. This is the best series ever. Everyone and their dog should read it.

So, quick breakdown:

Rose of the Night: The prequel story to the Beauty and the Beast tale. This was an intriguing tale. I have an obsession with reimaginings of the Fall, and this was a pretty good one. It really fit well with the mythos of this world, and was pretty good set-up for Rose of the Oath, which followed it. 

Rose of the Oath: Of the books in this set, this is the one I'm mixed on. And it's largely because it replaced a different retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It's the rare retelling of B&B that I can get excited about (I don't have anything against them, I just ... they don't appeal to me), and I had actually liked Rose of Prophecy, as the previous version had been entitled. And I hadn't actually realized that she'd replaced RoP until several pages into RotO.

In defense of RotO, it was a stronger story and fit better with the world's mythos ... but, on the other hand, while RoP had been a breath of sweet air by following the original version of B&B, RotO ... hit more of Disney's beats. And that's one of my biggest peeves when it comes to any retelling period: retelling Disney (Disney is, itself, a retelling, and therefore copyrighted!). But it was only a few beats, so I think that I have forgiven it. Not my favorite in the collection, but it was a beautiful story.

And also the only romance.

The Song of the Sword: I love it and you can read my review for it here: http://oscarlettreviews.blogspot.com/2016/08/song-of-sword-legends-of-light-by-hope.html

Shadows of Hearsweald: Now this was an interesting story, and probably, of the collection, the book that followed its fairy tale the loosest. After all, H and G (can't remember their modified names off the top of my head and I'm too tired to look them up), are older - she's already engaged, and he's had time to be an ex-soldier of Tauscher's. There's no candy house or witch to eat them ... and H and G are step-siblings - the stepmother is H's actual mother. They're also cousins, though, but I failed to catch which of the deceased parents had been siblings.

I rather liked this one, though, due to the loose approach it took to the fairy tale and how condensed the story world was ... there were a lot of details that I didn't catch, and thus I'm confused on a lot of issues (Such as, again, whose sibling was whose in the parental department.) That said, it was a strong and powerful story of forgiveness and the Peace that can come of it.

On the whole, I'm thoroughly in love with this collection. Fairy tales + the fruit of the spirit? Wait, didn't I mention that each of the stories was centered around the various fruits? Love, Joy, Peace. Each beautifully illustrated. I loved it. Also, allegory.

I think, really, the only quibble I have with the collection (beyond those I've already mentioned) is that all four stories use the same plot twist. But they're plot twists that made sense for the tales they were telling, so ... I'll let it be. They were awesome. 

Genre/Theme: Christian, Fantasy, Retelling, 

Reading Level: TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: NONE - not even hinted at 
Other: Quite a bit of fighting, scars, people die.

Morgan Elizabeth Huneke - Twisted Dreams

Twisted Dreams



By Morgan Elizabeth Huneke


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

“I, Calandra, of the Wingans, do bestow upon you, the Princess of Hanover, a gift. You have been given long life. I cannot interfere with that, but when you are sixteen years of age, you will prick your finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into an everlasting sleep.” She stepped closer so that she could be heard only by Liesel and her parents. “Then you will at last see the truth. Be wary. Be wise. Your fate rests upon yourself.”

On her sixteenth birthday, Princess Liesel Rosanna falls victim to a sleeping curse—but wakens in another world, a prisoner of war. As the bait in a trap for her fiancé, the crown prince of Hanover, Liesel longs to escape back to the fairy tale world. The world where she is only wanting a true love’s kiss to set everything to rights.

As situations quickly grow dire, Liesel must choose which story to live, which life is real. The fate of her country rests on her decision.

About the Author (from Amazon)

Morgan Elizabeth Huneke is a homeschool graduate who lives in Georgia. She has enjoyed creating characters and writing stories since early childhood. Books have always been a big part of her life, never more so than when working at the local library. Her other interests include reading, playing the piano and violin, and politics. To learn more about Morgan and her work, visit: www.morganhuneke.com or www.morganhuneke.blogspot.com

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra E. Ardnek

When Morgan announced that she was working on a Sleeping Beauty retelling for the Rooglewood contest, I was excited. I love Morgan's writing, and I love retellings, so I was eager to see how they combined.

Unfortunately, her book didn't win ... but that meant that we got the story later, all on its own with its own brilliance. Quick disclaimer here - I did beta read the book for her, which, for me, meant that I gave it a stiff edit. So I've read the story multiple times, and in multiple versions.

And Twisted Dreams is delightfully brilliant and twisted. It starts as a traditional retelling of Sleeping Beauty - with an opening that rather reminded me of Sonora and the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine - but even within that opening, you quickly realize that there is something very wrong. The Catileens giving gifts are the ones who seem sinister, while the Wingan granting the curse ... seems benevolent.

Things grow even stranger when the curse comes about and Liesel wakes up in a cell in a sci-fi world, now remembering a very different past. And a fiance who's the prince of the planet/country that is at war with her captors. They're holding her for extortion.

But which is the true reality?

I loved this story, it's morals, message, and twists. I'll admit that there are a few blandish characters ... but there was Matthew, the hero's younger brother. Oh, the dear, enthusiastic boy. Read the book just for him.

The worldbuilding was brilliant. For the shortness of the story, there's a surprising amount of worldbuilding in it - and as someone who loves worldbuilding, it made me so happy.

And then the theme - Sacrificial love. I love a good story of sacrificial love.

In short, go read this lovely little story. You won't regret it.

Genre/Theme: Christian, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Fairy Tale Retelling

Reading Level: TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: NONE - not even hinted at.  
Other: 
Fighting, torture, characters are drugged. 

Jeffrey A. Davis - Revenge of the Ninja

Revenge of the Ninja
The Adventure Chronicles #1


By Jeffrey A. Davis


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

Jamie and Yoshi are late twentieth century members of the Funakoshi ninja clan who were trained by Yoshi’s uncle, Tanemura Funakoshi. When the Waruiyatsu, a sinister clan with an ancient grudge, attack Jamie’s high school and hold his classmates hostage in an effort to bring Tanemura and his two students into the open, Jamie and his clan sister are forced to attempt a rescue. 

Going along are a close group of friends, each with his own interest in the fighting arts. From Dave, whose muscle-bound frame and love of a good scuffle are overshadowed by his cheerful personality and kind heart, to Buster, whose Bible is his greatest weapon, each of their friends has a loyalty to them and each other that is stronger than the Waruiyatsu can ever fathom.

This is a story of courage, friendship, and faith ....

About the Author (from Amazon)

Jeffrey Allen Davis was born on March 2, 1975, in St. Charles, MO.The youngest of three boys, he was sheltered by his loving mother. Instead of going out to parties when he was in high school, he stayed at home and watched 80s ninja movies or played RPGs with his fellow geeks (a term that he uses affectionately). These experiences have found their way into his writing. His first book, "Invasion of the Togakura", was released in 2003 by Publish America. It's sequel, "Klandestine Maneuvers", was published by the same company in 2005. After a five-year hiatus from publishing, Davis founded a new press for his third book, "Lily's Redemption." A rewrite of his first book, retitled "Invasion of the Ninja," was released in 2013.

Davis is a licensed Baptist preacher and lives in the St. Louis area with his wife, daughter and two stepchildren. http://www.jeffreyallendavis.tk

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

A few years back, Jeffery Davis contacted me, asking if I would review his book, and I agreed, since the premise of a Christain Ninja novel appealed to me, not so much because I enjoy ninjas, but because I have cousins who do, and I wanted to see if it was a book that I could give to them.

I started the book right away, and finally finished it a few months ago, feelings very mixed. It wasn't entirely the book's fault that it took me so long to read it - I switched kindles in the middle of it, and since it was a review file, it wasn't easy for me to skip ahead through the book to where I'd left off. It wasn't until late last year that I was given my old kindle back and was able to finish the book. Still, since I wasn't interested in burrowing through the book to find my place, it meant that I wasn't invested - and I was halfway through the book. I should have been invested by that point.

Honestly, I think that the premise still holds a lot of promise. A ninja tribe converted to Christianity, but decide to retain their traditions and skills (the ones that don't involve mysticism, that is). I've been toying with a people group who did the exact same thing in one of my own books. The further premise that they're being attacked by one of their old rivals, I loved that, too. 

The problem with this book is a problem I see in many Christian books. It tries to do too much. Address all of the issues. As a result, the characters are molded to bring issues, rather than the issues brought up in response to the characters. There was a huge cast, but the only one whose name I can remember is Yoshi, and there are only a few distinct personalities that I can pick out from the rest of the crowd. I have a good memory when it comes to books. I don't forget people. But I was so meh about all of these characters that only the main character and the preacher kid, and the preacher kid's love interest stand out in my mind. Oh, and Yoshi's ... uncle, I believe it was.

The main character, Jamie (just referred to the book's description to get his name...), is an American kid who was honorarily adopted by Christian Ninja tribe after a run-in with thugs a few years back where he showed fighting promise. Now he keeps quiet about his ninja skills at school ... until a bully pushes him over the edge. Oh, and then the rival tribe shows up and besieges them in school.

After that, the book alternates between action scenes and conversations about Sensitive Topics.

Topics like swearing, salvation, domestic violence, saving yourself for marriage...

Granted, these are important topics that need to be addressed, but this wasn't necessarily the best book for them. It felt as though the characters were built for the sole reason of talking about these issues. In short, it came out preachy. Even for a book with a preacher kid in it. There was even an awkward jab at abortion at the end that just ... fell flat.

I might have forgiven it, if it hadn't ignored the glaring issues that the book was MADE to address. Violence and the dangers of mysticism. There was a LOT of fighting. Sure, the characters would express remorse for outright killing, but they had no problems with knocking characters unconscious, which, contrary to popular belief, can potentially kill someone. If a knock to the head is hard enough to render you unconscious, it's enough to kill you.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-fighting, and I knew what I was getting into. Giving that the enemies were trying to kill our characters, I don't blame them for fighting back. I just wanted there to be more than just a few moment's remorse, and an acknowledgement that they'd not come out of the incident the same when it was over.

Mysticism was addressed even less. A bit at the front of "oh, we don't follow those ways," and then at the end when a prophecy popped out of nowhere and uncle claimed that it might actually have weight.

And then the villains were ... faceless. They were there for no reason but to be fought. Oh, and they're trying to kill the main cast, and traumatized Yoshi when she was younger, but they had no individual personalities.

My other issue was the flashbacks. They're clearly marked, but I failed to notice and was seriously confused on the first one. Normally, I'd forgive them, since they're marked, but almost of the information you learn in the flashbacks is either pointless or it could have been just as easily conveyed in a three minute conversation elsewhere. I'm not a huge fan of flashbacks, though - I've rarely found a book with them that I felt handled it well - so this may be a me-issue.

I don't hate this book, and I don't feel that the time reading it was wasted. I'm just very meh about it. And I don't want to feel meh about a book.

Genre/Theme: Action/Adventure, Christian, Contemporary

Reading Level: TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language, as far as I can remember, though glancing through the other reviews, it is stated that a character does swear, but his words aren't given. 
Sexuality: SUBTLE - hinted, but not explicit. Two of the characters have a discussion about waiting until marriage to have sex. 
Other: 
There is a LOT of fighting. I forget how graphic it was, though, because I tend to skim action scenes.  

Kirsten Fitcher - The Rose and the Balloon

The Rose and the Balloon
Once Upon a Twist #1


By Kirsten Fitcher


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

In a kingdom where fauna and flora are held in higher esteem than breakfast, Dmitri is a prince who yearns for change and plans it in a single daring act that will alter his life forever. However, when his demented mother accidentally causes the destruction of a prized garden of roses, Dmitri is horrified when she proposes his hand in marriage to make up for it. Not only will a wife hamper his glorious plans, he doesn't even want one.

Janelle has spent her whole life on her father's rose farm, tending the roses and staying simple. But she really yearns for something greater than the flower beds. But now there's a wrench thrown in the works – the crazy Queen Maeva wants her to marry the prince, and all for ruining her father's beloved roses.

This is Beauty and the Beast with a twist like you've never seen it before.

About the Author (from Amazon)

No author description available

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

Have you ever watched Disney's Beauty and the Beast and thought to yourself, "This could use a bit less magic."? If so, then this is the book for you.

Anyone who has known me for any amount of time knows that I love fairy tales. However, Beauty and the Beast is that one fairy tale that's very hit and miss for me, and I've so far only found a handful of retellings of if that I actually liked, and one was a Hidden Object Adventure game.

However, having read a good deal of the author's unpublished work and absolutely loved it, when she told me that she wanted to publish her Beauty and the Beast story, I was willing to give it a try and encouraged her to publish it, and then signed up for the review.

Well, I didn't dislike it. And, perhaps, I would have liked it more had I not then followed it up by reading an absolutely amazing retelling of Rapunzel that very day. In fact, I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys the story of Beauty and the Beast.

If this hadn't been labeled with Beauty and the Beast, I probably would have loved it, despite a slightly awkward rushing of the conflict's resolution and a slight lack in backstory setup - this author was made to write long books, and I would have loved to have seen this story been given a bit more space.

There was one glaring problem that I had with the story: It's not a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It's a reimagining of the Disney movie.

I don't dislike the Disney movie.  It's not my favorite, but it's not bad, either. However, it does bother me when people forget that it IS ITSELF A RETELLING. It's not the original fairy tale, in fact, it's VERY different from the original tale.

However, there were really only one or two moments where the similarities were very glaring, and they were only made obvious by the inclusion of "Beauty and the Beast" on the cover, so as I said, I don't dislike the story, and I do recommend it. If nothing else, read it for the antics of the prince's mother who's a bit ... touched in the head, and his twin younger siblings, Nicolas and Nicolette. Those younger two made the story, and I'd love to read a book all about them.

Genre/Theme: Fairy Tale Retelling, Steampunk

Reading Level: CHILD - children's literature 
TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: NONE - not even hinted at 
Other: 
Violence and adult themes noted as necessary 

Hope Ann - Song of the Sword

Song of the Sword
Legends of Light


By Hope Ann


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

A glittering sword.
An ancient oath.
A blackened rose.
And a melody which ties it all together.

Evrard and Roinette, twins separated at birth, are caught in a battle beyond their own limited powers. With their ability to walk in the melody realm, catching glimpses of the light and darkness underlying Aslaria, comes even more danger.

Deadly mistbenders. Writhing walls of blankness. Hateful drumbeats. As a warrior in the Melody, Evrard has seen it all. But his own ability in the melody realm pales in comparison to the Prince’s melody, the legendary prowess of past Wingmasters, and even the depth of his sister’s song.

To rescue Roinette and evade the trap almost certainly set for him by those who want his power, Evrard knows he’ll have to be careful. Even if he can find the Wingmaster’s sword, there’s no assurance he’ll be able to defeat a mistbender on his own. In the end, will his and Roinette’s efforts matter if the Prince brings an ancient oath to fulfillment, shaking the very foundation of Aslaria?

Perfect for those who love fantasy, but don’t have the time to sit down for a full-length novel, this second novella in the Legends of Light series presents the story of Rapunzel as you have never read it before. A fantasy saturated story, with mist covered Shadowfens, ancient oaths, and a legendary sword, this is more than a mere retelling of a favorite fairy tale.

Each novella focuses on one of the nine aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit while also following the conflict between the Prince and Tauscher and retelling popular fairy tales in a clean, exciting, and inspiring manner.

About the Author (from Amazon)

Hope Ann is a Christian wordsmith, avid reader, and dedicated authoress. With the help of her resident realm leapers, Kirin and Elena, she loves to research published legends, like Lord of the Rings, as well as recount her own tales of undiscovered lands.

Her time is taken up with writing, reading, archery, knife throwing, playing with inspirational photos, helping care for the house and eight younger siblings, and generally enjoying the adventures of life on a small farm at the crossroads of America.

You can follow Hope, find out more about her realm leapers and join their Legend Seekers Guild at https://authorhopeann.com/

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

I love fantasy, but there are two facets of fantasy that, done well, rise above all the others in my humble little opinion. Fairy tale retellings and Christian Fantasy. So when the two genres are combined, of course I want to read them.

The Legends of Light is a series of fairy tale retellings based on the Fruits of the Spirit. I haven't read the first book yet even though it's sitting on my kindle. (It's Beauty and the Beast and ... I don't know why, but that's the one fairy tale that I don't enjoy having retold) However, when the author revealed that the second book was a retelling of Rapunzel and focused on joy, I volunteered to review it at once.

I read it in one afternoon. Sure, it's a short book, but I've also been in a reading slump.

It's a very loose retelling of Rapunzel, choosing to take the core themes of the tale - singing, the tower, long hair - and weave it into a beautiful allegory infused with the central theme of joy. This story isn't a romance, instead it's the story of twins separated at birth.

Evrard is a wingmaster, a hereditary position of great power - he's the one man who can enter the Melody, a realm of spiritual warfare, and communicate with the Messenger Falcons. Which are sentient birds who fully exist in both the tangible world and Melody at the same time. However, he lacks the power of the wingmasters before him. Andrinian, the head of the Messenger Falcons, thinks it's because he has a twin.

Which he does. Roinette has been hidden away in a swamp since her childhood. Not necessarily in a tower, she can come and go as she wishes, but there is one nearby that she can retreat to for safety. When she enters Melody one day to find the battle raging between the Prince and Tauscher, she rescues and heals Andrinian, thus alerting them to her presence - for such is a power only possessed by the wingmaster family.

Though Evard has been skeptical of the twin theory up until this point, now that it has been confirmed, he resolves to do everything he can to reunite with her.

What follows is a fast-passed, twisting adventure imbued with rich truths. There were more than a few plot twists, though none were wild enough to blow my mind. The characters were engaging. My favorite was Punzel, Roinette's ... well, pet isn't the right word ... companion fen-hopper, which is a sort of winged cat. Which also talks.

This is an allegory, which I didn't know going into the book, but I quite liked that aspect of the story. It wasn't the most powerful I've ever read, but the book's focus was more on joy rather than salvation, so I can forgive that.

The worldbuilding was intriguing, though due to the condensed size of the book, I did feel lost at times. Perhaps I would have had a better idea if I had read the prequel, but I do feel that this story should have been a bit longer - though that's my only complaint.

This was an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

Genre/Theme: Fairy Tale Retelling, Christian Fantasy, 

Reading Level: 
CHILD - children's literature 
TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: 
NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: 
NONE - not even hinted at 
Other: 
There is fighting on physical and spiritual levels, but there aren't any details that would leave you with nightmares. 

Kendra E. Ardnek - Water Princess, Fire Prince

Water Princess, Fire Prince
The Rizkaland Legends


By Kendra E. Ardnek


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

When the Lady Dragon does come,

Hold fast, do not fear, do not run.

Your Water Princess will fight

Fire Prince will set all to right

Each shall come from a fall

Their Union will save you all.

Despite the fact that she's on track for competing in the Olympics, and he's practically raised his younger brothers since they lost their mom in a car accident, Clara Mandras and Andrew Stevenson are pretty much normal teens. They have normal hopes, normal dreams, and they live in a normal world.

All this is torn away from them when they are thrust into another world and declared Water Princess and Fire Prince. With no experience ruling a country, meeting each other for the first time, and being expected to fight the Lady Dragon – an evil sorceress plaguing the world of Rizkaland – Clara and Andrew are underprepared and inexperienced. Unless they learn to work together despite their standing opposition, Rizkaland's hope will be lost.

What is to come will change their lives forever.

About the Author (from Amazon)

Kendra E. Ardnek has been writing her own stories since she was a toddler. She fell in love with books, drama, and fairy tales at a very young age - and has been filling notebooks with her stories for years. Joining NaNoWriMo gave her an opportunity to be a published author at 16.

She writes her own blog (knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com), homeschools, cooks, knits, and crafts when she isn't writing stories and acting them out with her younger cousins and siblings.

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Tenya

This is a well-crafted story by a maturing author about young people who are snatched from reality and thrust through a portal into a fantasy world which is dependent upon them for its very survival.  The book is full of spiritual allegory and symbolism which gives the tale another facet of meaning that goes deeper than the mere plot.  Miss Ardnek has created a truly unique and fantastical realm from the topography of the land and many colors of water to the somewhat frightening and fantastic wildlife and varied people groups which inhabit this place called Klarand, an island in Rizkaland.  This world is populated by magical creatures, elves, awesome flying and talking equines, and some particularly fascinating bug children, along with one curiously illusive time traveler.

The description of the land, animals, and people unfolds piece-by-piece throughout the story which prevents one from becoming bogged down with too much descriptive narrative all at once, a fault which makes some fantasy books difficult to wade through as a reader.  The main characters are also revealed layer-upon-layer by the author which is a good writing ploy to slowly introduce the reader to the strengths and weaknesses of each while naturally peeling back the surface to demonstrate the metamorphoses necessary for the main characters to become the Legends (what histories are called in Rizkaland) for which all the inhabitants of Rizka have been anxiously awaiting.  Experiencing the changes of each character, not just the main characters, but supporting cast as well, is one of the most enjoyable parts of the story because it gives a tangible human element to the book to which a reader can intimately relate.

Clara, the Water Princess, is a confident, sporty, and athletically talented young woman who is presented as no-nonsense and even arrogant at the beginning of the book.  The Fire Prince, Andrew, on the other hand, lacks a bit of confidence particularly in physical pursuits and with girls, but he has other talents, particularly on the practical and scientific side of things.  Together, Clara and Andrew must save Klarand from the evil Lady Dragon who has ravaged the land for years.  Therein lays the problem, this togetherness matter.  The Legends speak of it taking BOTH the Water Princess and Fire Prince to defeat the dragon, and Andrew and Clara must learn to work together as one to accomplish the daunting task and win the battle which lies ahead of them.

The romance between the main characters is handled beautifully by the author with just the right push and pull to keep drawing the reader into the mix.  The deep understanding of marriage and relationship is approached maturely by this young author.  There is nothing about the romance which could be embarrassing or inappropriate for any reader, but this reviewer would only recommend the book for middle school age through adult because some of the relationship issues are a bit complicated and may need a more mature understanding.  This differs from Kendra Ardnek’s Bookania series, which I would highly recommend as family reading.

It is true that by the fourth or fifth chapter of this book, I had difficulty putting it down.  There is a lot to be said for that as I have been known to give up on books because they ‘bore’ me.   If you like fantasy and symbolism, Water Princess, Fire Prince is a going to thrill you!

And, this is only Book 1 of the Rizkaland Legends!

Genre/Theme: Portal Fantasy, Christian

Reading Level: TEEN - upper elementary to middle school to
Mature TEEN - high school to college 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: MILD - descriptions of affection/desire - Handholding, hugging, kissing, discussion of holding off on more serious stuff.
Other: 
There is some fighting, characters do get injured. 

C. F. Fruzzetti and M. I. Pearshall - The Light Bringer's Way

The Light Bringer's Way
(The Light Bringer's Series)


By C. F. Fruzzetti and M. I. Pearshall


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

In book two of the The Light Bringer series, THE LIGHT BRINGER’S WAY, Whitney and Reid arrive home after their first mission and Whitney is left wondering if and when her eyesight will return. More of Reid’s secrets are revealed and Whitney discovers together they can accomplish more than she ever imagined. THE LIGHT BRINGER’S WAY deftly weaves a physical journey of adventure through Africa rife with dangerous obstacles to obtain an ancient spear of pure energy with an emotional journey of love, trust and belief. The dark and deadly path she must travel down calls on Whitney to use her strengths to survive but will she once again be able to turn adversity into advantage? Each second counts in this young adult adventure as more truth comes to light and Whitney finally discovers Karen’s hold on Reid...or does she?

About the Author (from Amazon)

Best friends since childhood, Carolyn Fruzzetti and Meghan Pearsall always knew that they would work together on a creative endeavor. In 2011, they formed Pure Energy Books and released SUNDIAL, the first novel in a young adult series.
Originally from Alexandria, VA, Carolyn currently resides in Arlington, VA with her husband and two daughters. Carolyn has a B.S. in Public Administration from James Madison University and is a professional culinary graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine.

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel

Overall, I enjoyed book 2 of this series almost as much as the first one. The romance department rivets up a notch or so, and so does the action and adventure. The story picks up almost immediately at the closure of book one, so there is no interruption of the story line. In fact, the entire book takes place in very few weeks times and culminates on Halloween where the book ends with a bombshell of a discovery. The foreshadowing of this discovery is throughout both books, but believe me, you will probably miss it just like I did! Of course, the authors already have their third installment available, so no waiting to see how this will move the story along.

The story has the same setting, with another overseas adventure, this time stylized after Indiana Jones. There is even a mine train ride! The plot was excellent, speed without being too rushed, details without drowning in them, info dumps were kept to short clips in a fashion that made them seem natural. There were tons of new information that will thrill and amaze and keep you riveted at the edge of your seat for most of the story.


Basic Plot


The story opens with hours of the last books ending. The mission has been completed, but Whitney is now blind. Of course, she doesn't let that stop her. She may be blind, but she still has her intuition and she is perfectly healthy otherwise. She finds herself in a fight with Reid and manages to best him, proving to herself and others that she will manage life being blind if she needs to.

The group returns home and life resumes right where it picked up. Everyone in the high school believes Whitney was absent due to an allergic reaction to nuts, if only they knew the truth. But things don't really go back to normal, events have been set in motion, and nobody is safe, especially not the ever independent Whitney. Reid certainly has his hands full trying to keep her safe. Whitney isn't very sure she can trust Reid yet either, just what kind of hold does Karen have on him, rumors have it that she is his girlfriend and she wants him back.

But life is not going to drift back to "normal", by Chapter 3 there is a family emergency that has Reid whisking Whitney as well as her best friend Blair and Patrick off to the yacht. There they meet Reid's aunt, and she has a job for the 4 teens. The plane leaves in two weeks. She also drops some history and background into Whitney's lap and is shocked that she had no idea any of this was happening. Imagine discovering that most of what you thought was true about your life and the world around you was just a cover up for a whole sub world of people with special talents like Whitney and Reid.

The four teens arrive at their destination, where the adults will keep an eye on them as best they can, and begin to work their way toward the retrieval of a special artifact. Of course, the plans go awry almost as soon as they get settled. Que the Indiana Jones music, because shortly after they leave the plane in Chapter 8, the action will involve deep caves, molten rivers, poison darts, melting floors, mine trains, secret riddles and much more. Time is ticking. Nothing is as it seems. And everyone must face fears and learn to work together. The only other option is failure and death deep inside of the mountain puzzle.


As a whole, I enjoyed the "old world" explanations of history and how whole races of secret people with amazing talents have been manipulating legends and history from the earliest days of history. Peoples who hear more than others, see more than others, can predict time, and many more. Whitney was in for more than a few shocks and surprises.

The genre stayed true to the first book. A lot more kissing, but about the same as far as action, no gore - although their were bones. Language was mostly clean. Self Control was still a big theme, and so was learning to trust others and the importance of good communication. Whitney had a lot to learn about keeping secrets, and when it was important to share feelings rather than keeping them secret.

Genre/Theme:  Paranormal, CIA, Adventure, High School, 1980s, Sci-Fi

Reading Level:  TEEN - middle school and up
Profanity: Usually None .... but occasionally leans toward
 MODERATE - mild words & a few stronger expletives  (the text is really quite clean)
Sexuality:  MILD - descriptions of affection/desire   (lots of kissing)  some skimpy clothing and some wet clothing
OBVIOUS - there is a shower seen that is "interesting", it's an outdoor shower, so Whitney is fully dressed.  Quite a bit of snuggling and touching.  Also one accidental nude scene at the beginning - no descriptions - but to explain would be a plot spoiler, it involves a shared shower and accidentally walking in on the other person.
Other: The last several chapters are very intense – Indiana Jones adventure style, ESP and other skills

Morgan Elizabeth Huneke - Creighton Hill

Creighton Hill
Time Captives


By Morgan Elizabeth Huneke


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

“No one can mysteriously disappear leaving no trace. It isn’t realistic.”
“You’re right, Emily,” her grandfather said thoughtfully. “It isn’t realistic. However, a good many things happen in this world that are not realistic, things supernatural.”

Emily, Allan, Jill, Joey, and Anna have grown up on their grandfather’s tales of ancestors who mysteriously disappeared from Creighton Hill, the plantation home that has been in their family for centuries. When Grampa’s death forces them to move into Creighton Hill, the truth about the supposed disappearances is the first thing on their minds. Allan, Jill, Joey, and Anna’s, that is. As for Emily, why must they keep at their supernatural hogwash?

Could it be that their family really does just have an unusual history of early deaths? Most people seem to think so. But Grampa’s research has uncovered something different.

When mysterious writing matching descriptions found in ancient accounts begins appearing to the children, they know something’s up. They must find out what really happened to their ancestors, and work together to discover the reason behind the mysterious writings.

Creighton Hill is the first book of the Time Captives trilogy, a tale of faith, family, fantasy, and a fight for truth and freedom.

About the Author (from Amazon)

Morgan Elizabeth Huneke is a homeschool graduate who lives in Georgia. She has enjoyed creating characters and writing stories since early childhood. Her other interests include reading, playing the piano and violin, and politics.

To find out more, visit her website: www.morganhuneke.com

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

Portal fantasy is one of my favorite subgenres of fantasy. I love exploring fantasy worlds, and getting to share the culture shock with the main character is always nice. Unfortunately, I very rarely come across one that truly sticks out with a brilliant new twist.

Creighton Hill, with the Time Captives the series itself is named for, did.

I've been following this author for a while now, and quite enjoyed her first novel, Across the Stars, though there was definite room for improvement, so when she asked for ARC reviewers for Creighton Hill, I volunteered.

The heart of the story is pretty typical of the genre, a group of kids are pulled from this world into another one, and at the bidding of a prophecy, sent to fight some terrible evil with some really neat weapons. However, instead of all of the kids coming from the present day, saving the world, then popping back to discover that no time has passed at all, the Hubbard family has had a child go missing every generation since the 1800's.

Even more interesting is the fact that once the children arrive in Calhortea, time looses all affect on them, leaving them frozen at the age of twelve, and impervious to most injuries.

Most of the book is about Joey and his siblings, who are the modern generation of Hubbards. They're your typical Christian family, apart from the fact that they've had aunts and uncles disappearing for the two hundred years. However, there are flashbacks to George and Abigail, who had been two of the first to disappear.

The world itself was delightfully unique and well-built. We mostly get to know the Strytes and Kalicans in this book, but I'm looking forward to meeting more interesting creatures in the sequels.

I think the only issue I had with the book was that, at times, the conversations were a bit stiff. However, the sheer high-concept idea more than made up for it in my mind.

Also, a few of the characters were a bit flat, but with the sheer number that were in the book, it was hard to give them all proper development - I look forward to getting to know them better in the successive books.

Note: Based on writing style, I would recommend this more to younger kids, as I think I would have enjoyed this even more had I read it at ten or twelve myself - it's certainly the sort of story I would have loved!

Genre/Theme: Fantasy, Christian, Historical

Reading Level: CHILD - as a readaloud, TEEN
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: NONE - not even hinted at 
Other: 
There was some fighting, including some death and an execution, but nothing was ever described