Sarah Allerding - Swords of Time

Swords of Time



By Sarah Allerding


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

Braden has one goal: knighthood.

Unfortunately, he lives on a horse farm in modern day America with his uncle, his younger brother, and an aunt who absolutely hates him.

Against all odds, Braden and his brother, Jamie, stumble across a pair of special swords that sweep them back into medieval times. They land near a castle whose lord has a task for them.

His older son is lost somewhere in time, and only someone who can control the Swords of Time can save him.

With the goal of knighthood suddenly in sight, Braden's not sure he wants to leave, but he wishes to impress the lord. Can he protect his brother, find the lost heir, and fulfill his dreams, or will the lord's younger son ruin everything?

About the Author (from Amazon)

No Author Bio available

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

It's been a while since I last read a book that took me so strongly back to my childhood as Swords of Time did.

I was a lover of fantasy, as a kid. But my mom, the sensible person that she is ... wanted me to read educational stuff. But since she wasn't adverse to fantasy, there was an easy compromise - the "kid times travels back to the historical era" stories. Magic Tree House was my favorite, but there were others. 

This story, though a stand-alone, felt like reading one of those books.

As with most kids books, it didn't really feel that stand-out or amazing. The characters could be shallow and frustrating, and the plot was simplistic, but I only got annoyed at Braden a couple times. He'd led a hard life, though, and being bullied by someone who should be a parental figure is devastating, so he has excuses.

Really, my only qualm with the book is that the characters tend to be rather one-note and caricaturized. There is character growth, but only for Braden and Darren, and their characters still aren't very complex.

But such is typical of these stories, and I still enjoyed the book. It was a great trip back into my childhood of time travel fantasy that made learning fun.

(Also, I'm not sure that we have orphanages anymore in modern-day America. Not many, at any rate. I think a threat of the foster care system would have been more realistic.) 

Genre/Theme: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Time Travel

Reading Level: CHILD - children's literature 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: NONE - not even hinted at 
Other: Some fighting and a non-graphic close call with a torture device  

Amanda Tero - The Secret Slipper

The Secret Slipper
Tales of Faith


By Amanda Tero


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

Being a cripple is only the beginning of Lia’s troubles. It seems as if Bioti’s goal in life is to make Lia as miserable as possible. If Lia’s purpose is to be a slave, then why did God make her a cripple? How can He make something beautiful out of her deformity?

Raoul never questioned the death of his daughter until someone reports her whereabouts. If Ellia is still alive, how has she survived these ten years with her deformity? When Raoul doesn’t know who to trust, can he trust God to keep Ellia safe when evidence reveals Bioti’s dangerous character?

As time brings more hindrances, will Raoul find Ellia, or will she forever be lost to the father she doesn't even know is searching for her?

About the Author (from Amazon)

Amanda Tero is a homeschool graduate who desires to provide God-honoring, family-friendly reading material. She has enjoyed writing since before ten years old, but it has only been since 2013 that she began seriously pursuing writing again - starting with some short stories that she wrote for her sisters as a gift. Her mom encouraged her to try selling the stories she published, and since then, she has begun actively writing short stories, novellas, and novels.

If something she has written draws an individual into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, it is worth it!

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

Have you ever read a fairy tale and had the thought, "You know what? This would be so much better without the romance. And, hey, while we're at it, let's toss out the magic, too!"?

Well, those aren’t thoughts that I’ve ever had, specifically, but I am always looking for fairy tales told in new and intriguing ways. When I heard of Amanda Tero’s Befriending the Beast, a story where the “beast” was the heroine’s father, rather than love interest, I knew I needed to read it. There aren’t many B&B retellings – much less B&B retellings stripped of magic – that I actually like. This twist, though, was unique enough to intrigue me. 

Then the author contacted me asking if I’d like to participate in the blog tour for the sequel, a retelling of Cinderella where the prince was Cinderella’s father. I signed up to review, as well receive a copy of the first book, which I loved just as much as I thought that I would, then I plunged eagerly into Secret Slipper.

This story directly follows the events of Befriending the Beast, but is about Lord Raoul, the uncle with whom Belle had lived following her own mother’s death. He had lost his wife and only daughter to a plague years before, and while he had remarried, his second wife provided him with no children. For a time, Belle had filled that hole in his heart, but now she has returned to her own father and Raoul's home is empty again.

Until he receives a message that states that his daughter might be as dead as he'd believed. That she had instead been spirited away by a spiteful servant who blamed Raoul for her husband's death. Raoul immediately begins his search, dropping everything for the chance at having his child back.

Meanwhile, Lia has led a pretty miserable life as her "stepmother" has continued to take her annoyance for Raoul out on her. They've run short on money, and Lia is the one forced to get a job to support them. Even though she has a club foot and can barely hobble about.

This was a delightfully unique take on the fairy tale. There's no ball, no glass slipper scene, but it's touching and heartfelt all the same. The rags-to-riches story of redemption is ever so much stronger and more powerful when it's the father stepping in for his daughter than it is when it's a love interest that the girl meets for the first time in a rushed ball. Amanda tells her stories without shame for her faith, and the story of redemption is told clearly, even as it's shown. The characters are diverse and interest, with many different motives and struggles.

While this is the second book of the series, and it does directly follow the events of Befriending the Beast, it can be read first without majorly spoiling its predecessor. It was a delightful tale, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Cinderella retellings and stories of faith. 

Genre/Theme: Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale Retelling, Christian 

Reading Level: TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: NONE - not even hinted at 
Other: 
Kidnapping, bit of fighting, a guy gets killed. Lia is mistreated, but such is normal for Cinderella. 

Morgan Huneke - Crannig Castle

Crannig Castle
Time Captives Trilogy


By Morgan Elizabeth Huneke


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

God, please look after Adriel. Keep him safe and keep him from acting foolish. And please help him to be able to find me.

Rae knew she could trust God to look after both of them. It was all she had now.

The Time Captives have been reunited. The rightful king has been freed. Now all that remains is to defeat the strytes who still hold a tyrannical rule over the people of Calhortz. But with their lack of soldiers, it’s a task that is easier said than done. They need allies, but are they worth it when it requires facing ghosts from their pasts?

Returning to his home country only brings the loss of Adriel’s family to the forefront of his mind. His determination to find Rae has never ceased, but now that determination could potentially destroy all that he and the Time Captives have been working towards. And his new-found faith may not be able to withstand the challenge.

Will they be able to set aside their personal struggles for the sake of the freedom of all or will they allow their pasts to consume them? Will they manage to win back Crannig Castle from the rule of the strytes? The fate of Calhortz hangs in the balance.

Crannig Castle is the final 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. She is the author of Across the Stars and The Experiment. To learn more about Morgan and her work, visit: www.morganhuneke.com or www.morganhuneke.blogspot.com

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

Well, here it is, at last, the final volume of the Time Captives trilogy. Please pay no mind to the shattered pieces of my heart that are scattered over the floor.

The Time Captives is one of the most unique portal fantasies that I've ever read. So much so that I have harped on the author for the "next book" since I read the first one, and she has obligingly sent me beta copies in exchange for my feedback. This book was no exception, and then she also sent me an ARC to review. (Which I then ignored and just preordered the book and read it again as soon as it appeared on my kindle.)

It's hard to believe that this series has come to an end already, and while I'm thrilled to finally know how it ends, there's a large part of my that's in denial that it's over. And I might be plotting a fanfic.

The story begins directly after the events of the previous book, and it's time to do what the Time Captives were sent to Calhortz to do - free the people from the strytes' oppresive rule and instate the true king. Of course, there is the fact that the strytes have a large army and that will be an issue.

The first half of the book deals with gathering allies. Some are easy to convince, but are small in number, such as the elves, merfolk, and kalicans. The events of the companion novel, Espionage, come into play as they seek the aid of the neighboring country of Briznom. Then there are the true people of Briznom - who have been made slaves.

The second half of the book deals with what happens when things go terribly wrong while seeking the aid of the slaves.

There were some intense moments in the previous books, but this final volume took it to a whole new level. Since the Time Captives are all together now, it is no longer necessary for them to be held in place in time, so now they can change, age, be injured, and ... unfortunately ... die. If you're an emotional reader, bring tissues.

There are a LOT of characters in this trilogy, but most of them are well develloped and have their moments to shine. Most of them go through excellent character devellopment. Some will annoy you, others are endearing, a few will break your heart.

The message was excellent, though I think that the worldbuilding surrouding how Christianity fits into the world could and should have been stronger. It wasn't bad, and fine for younger readers, but it was never really explained - you were given the general notion that it's simular to how it is in our world, but it was never explained why. My take is that the people came from our world originally and the customs carried over, but it was never discussed.

However, while the history of the world could have been much better (you learn practically nothing past when the strytes came in and conqured Calhortz), all other aspects of the worldbuilding were much better. Diverse cultures and rich landscapes and geography abound. It's well worth a visit.

If you love Christain Fantasy or Portal fantasy, this is a book you don't want to miss.

Genre/Theme: Fantasy, Portal Fantasy, Christian

Reading Level: CHILD - children's literature to
TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: NONE - not even hinted at 
Other: 
There's quite a bit of fighting in this book. Nothing is really described, but injuries, and even deaths, happen. 

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. 

Morgan Huneke - Espionage

Espionage 
A companion to the Time Captives


By Morgan Huneke


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

“Sir Roland has invited us to visit for the Autumn Feast.”

“Do we have to go, Papa? I couldn’t feast with the most crooked politician in all of Briznom.”

As the daughter of a Briznomian vassal lord, Vannie Cumberland has spent her childhood immersed in the world of politics. Relations between Briznom and the neighboring country of Calhortz are strained due to the tyrannical rule of the strytes. A proposed alliance could calm relations between the two countries, but would come at the cost of Briznom’s freedom.

When her father’s political archenemy invites them to the Autumn Feast, Vannie uncovers an evil scheme endangering the life of someone close to her. Personal enmity comes to a dangerous head as Vannie struggles to expose the corruption and stop the alliance. Time is running out.

Events are becoming too big for her to handle. Will Sir Roland’s son help or will things finally spiral out of control?

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.

You can connect with Morgan on her website, blog, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and Pinterest.

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

Having read and loved the first two books in the Time Captives Trilogy, I eagerly awaited the final volume ... but then the author went and announced that first she had to publish a companion story set in the same world, but in the neighboring country.

Of course, I read it.

Espionage is a sweet little story, with a healthy dose of tension, centered around a very young heroine. Vannie has grown up surrounded by politics, as her father is one of her country's vassal lords (Their ruling system is something of an Oligarchy), and one of the few said lords who bothers to bring his children with him to court. When her father's arch-rival, Sir Roland, invites them for a friendly meeting at his castle, she smells a rat, but since she's only nine, and her father agrees to it, there's really nothing she can do to protest.

Once she reaches Sir Roland's estate, she meets Kyle, Sir Roland's son, who seems to be nothing like his father. Together they uncover a devious plot that involves a Stryte - which readers of the main Time Captives series would recognize as the invasive tyrannical ruling class Calhortz.

It was a good story, it really was, but I wasn't captivated by it like I was the main series. It was a nice addition to the world, but I didn't feel wowed by any high-concept ideas or great world-building. You meet a stryte and a few Merfolk, and that's it for the other races in the world, and there were only two or three mentions of the Time Captives. So while it was a good story, making it part of the Time Captives world almost felt forced.

It also had a very different feel from the rest of Morgan's work that I've read - instead of grand, sweeping tales with lots of characters and interspersed flashbacks, it's a very focused story, entirely from Vannie's point of view, since it's first person.

(It didn't help that I read this while reading another book which I found to be far more high-concept and kept me closer to the edge of my seat.)

This doesn't mean it wasn't a great book, it just wasn't quite the story I'd wanted.

Espionage is a story of faith, family, trust, forgiveness and resourcefulness. Vannie and Kyle are both great characters, as are their surrounding family and friends. The plot is tight and cohesive, and since there are fewer characters, they all seem far better developed. Things do get tense enough to keep you on the edge of your seat for a bit. It is a good addition  to the world, even if it isn't as spectacular as the main series, and I'm pretty sure you could read and love it even if you had no plans at all to read the main books. 

Note: I do recommend this story to younger children, as the cast itself is younger.

Genre/Theme: Fantasy, Christian

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 some fighting and an attempt at murder. Nothing gory, though.
 

Claire Banschbach - Adela's Curse

Adela's Curse 
Faeries of Myrnius


By Claire Banschbach


Available on Amazon

Product Description (from Amazon)

A curse. A murderous scheme. A choice.

A witch and her master capture a young faery and command her to kill their enemy. Adela has no choice but to obey. If she does not, they will force the location of her people’s mountain home from her and kill her. To make matters even worse, the person she is to kill is only a man struggling to save his dying land and mend a broken heart.

Count Stefan is a man simply trying to forget the woman he loves and save a land crippled by drought. When a mysterious woman arrives at his castle claiming to be a seamstress, he knows she is more than she seems.

Adela enlists the help of Damian, another faery, to try and delay the inevitable. He insists she has a choice. But with the witch controlling her every move, does she?

About the Author (from Amazon)

Claire Banschbach was born and raised in Midland, TX, the fourth of eight children. She was homeschooled through high school and is now a proud member of the Texas A&M University class of 2014. An avid reader of Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and many other adventure novels, Claire was prompted to begin writing her own fantasy novel at seventeen after several years of daydreaming.

She continues to write in her spare time (and often when she doesn't have spare time). When not scratching out stories and homework with pen and pencil, Claire partakes in the joys of watching the Boston Red Sox, Aggie football, and playing volleyball. She hopes her strong foundation in God will continue to guide her writing.

She is currently working on her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Texas Tech Health Science Center.

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

I love fairies, have always been fascinated by magical people with wings, so when when Claire asked me to review Adela's Curse, I naturally jumped at the opportunity to read a new spin on the magical, mysterious folk.

Admittedly, it wasn't until last night that I actually sat down and devoured the book, but it wasn't the story's fault that I delayed so long. I was looking for a block of time that I could fully devote to reading, since it was in PDF format, and I didn't want to loose my place.

Reading this story was like coming home. It wasn't a grand, epic adventure, but a sweet fairy tale that can almost trick your mind into thinking you've read it before, yet still remain completely original. It's not a long story, though longer than your average fairy tale. Personally, I think Claire's writing style suits this sort of story better than the epic.

Adela was a sweet heroine. Considered average at best among the fairies, she prefers to spend her time in the forest, caring for the plants, for that's where her talent lies. However, when an act of kindness traps her in a witch's power, she finds herself forced to act as no self-respecting fairy ever would - lies, schemes, murder even.

There is a bit of a love triangle in the story, but one that made sense. Adela is forced to win the heart of Stefan, but at the same time, she and Damian grow closer as he tries to help her out of the magical entanglement.

The worldbuilding was excellent. I loved Claire's take on fairies, and I just wish I could have seen more of the world.

I'd recommend this story to anyone who enjoys fairy tales and fantasy.

Genre/Theme: Fantasy, Christian

Reading Level: CHILD - children's literature to
TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: NONE - not even hinted at - a few kisses, but that's as far as it goes.
Other: 
There's a lot of magic, of both the dark and light variety. Also, there's a nice battle scene at the end and people get hurt.

Morgan Elizabeth Huneke - The Crossways

The Crossways
Time Captives


By Morgan Elizabeth Huneke


Available on Amazon

Product Description

“M’lady, it has been fairly well confirmed that the Redona was hidden away by the merfolk at the conclusion of the Great War instead of destroyed as was commanded. My brother has confirmed to me Joseph’s belief that it was concealed at the Crossways.”

Toarna pressed her fingertips together in thought. “It must be recovered and destroyed as was at first intended.”

Emily, Allan, Jill, and Joey have been reunited with their long lost ancestors. But with that reunion comes the true beginning of their quest: free the rightful king of Calhortz so that he may be restored to his throne. The Redona, the only object that can free him from his long imprisonment, is rumored to be concealed in The Crossways, a mountain across the sea which cannot be entered.

A slave since birth, Adriel’s resentment and hatred towards the strytes only grows as his family is continually ripped from him. He longs for the freedom the Time Captives are prophesied to bring, but he doubts their existence, just as he doubts God’s love. Circumstances in Calhortz are so dire. How could they ever improve?

Who can enter The Crossways? Will the king ever be freed? Or will the slaves of Calhortz lose all hope of freedom before it is even offered to them?

The Crossways is the second book of the Time Captives trilogy, a tale of faith, family, fantasy, and a fight for truth and freedom.

About the Author

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. She is the author of Across the Stars and The Experiment.

You can connect with Morgan on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and Pinterest.

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra

Having quite enjoyed the first book of the series, I automatically shot an email to the author complaining about why I couldn't just read book 2 already (she and I had been chatting quite a bit - I don't normally do this with authors!), and she asked if I'd like to beta read book two. I said yes, and I loved it even more than the first book, despite tearing it to shreds with edits. I then read an edited ARC version.

While this series still doesn't quite make it to my "favorites of all time" shelf, it has the distinction of being one of the most unique portal fantasies I've ever read. Fourteen children, not all from one time, but all from the same family, had been brought to the world of Calhorz, in twenty-year increments, and frozen at the age of twelve, thus earning themselves the name "Time Captives." Now that they're all here, things are finally set in motion and they can begin freeing the land from the oppressive Strytes, starting with rescuing the true king, who is trapped on an island by a thing called the Bresmi, which can only be deactivated by a thing called the Redona, which is hidden a place called the Crossways. Lots of fun adventure going on there, as they escape from the Crannig Castle dungeon, and make their way across the sea.

But the true heart of this story is Adriel. A slave of the strytes, Adriel's life has anything but easy, and he's earned the title of a rebellious slave. The one bright point in his life is his younger sister, Rae, his only remaining family member - but even she is stripped from him when they're both sold, she to be a playmate to a young stryte, he to be a gladiator. His struggle with faith is so real and raw ... it might have brought tears were I a more emotional reader.

The backstory involving Eleanor was also intriguing, and heartbreaking, though I honestly wanted to throw her against the wall and tell her to wake up and count her blessings. Still, as her arc isn't finished yet, I suppose I can withhold my judgement a wee bit longer.

Worldbuilding was exciting. The author took more of a scientific approach to the fantasy world, which is something I always enjoy, and the world itself was such a delightful mix of eras, and peopled with interesting races. I enjoyed getting to know more about the world.

And ... I really don't have anything negative to say about the book (beyond throwing Eleanor against that wall). The writing style is a bit stiff, but it's been a vast improvement since the author's first book. Since I had the opportunity of beta reading the story, I was able to bring the issues I had directly to the author, and she dealt with them for the final version.

In short, this is a sweet little story that is another wonderful addition to the portal fantasy genre, and one that kept me up way past my bedtime reading multiple times. (And has me up way past my bedtime writing this review!) I enjoyed reading it both times, and I wish I had had this series back in my pre-teen years.

Genre/Theme: Fantasy, Christian

Reading Level: CHILD - children's literature to
TEEN - upper elementary to middle school 
Profanity: NONE - no offensive language 
Sexuality: NONE - not even hinted at 
Other: 
Some fantasy fighting and death, but nothing gory