book reviews

The Illustrated Screwtape Letters – C.S. Lewis

Angela3 Comments

Screwtape Letters Cover Image

A C.S. Lewis story I had not read before, this satirical novel was brilliant, and definitely timely for me personally. The 31 chapters are each an individual letter from Screwtape, a senior devil, to Wormwood, a junior devil whose job it is to keep his “patient”, a newly converted Christian man, from getting too deep into things with the Enemy; aka God. I won’t give away how it ends, and what happens to the patient, but I can easily highly recommend this book!

Screwtape Letters chapter 1

Mr. Lewis certainly touched on many aspects of the human condition, and what brings them closer to God, as well as moves them further from God. A few excerpts that I found still fitting today:

“…he can be induced to live, as I have known many humans to live, for quite long periods, two parallel lives; he will not only appear to be, but actually be, a different man in each of the circles he frequents” (C.S. Lewis, pg 59).

Screwtape Letters chapter 20

“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts” (pg 72).

“They will find out in the end, never fear, to whom their time, their souls, and their bodies really belong – certainly not to them – whatever happens” (pg 128).

Have you read this already? I would love to hear what you thought of it!

All excerpts from The Illustrated Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis (1961). Illustrated by Papas. New York: Harper One Publishers.

Coming Soon; To A Blog Near You…

Angela2 Comments

…Well, okay; this blog.

Book reviews, suggestions, interesting facts, quotes, and author features.

Yes; I have been reading (very slowly). No, I am not feeling better. Still trying to crawl out of the winter blues, and a trip to the doctor’s and chest x-rays today have not given me an answer yet for what is physically been ailing me since I woke up Thursday.

So I am arguing with myself about using the next 2 vacation days I put in for at work; just-in-case. Or, going to work like I really should, even though I desperately need the rest.

So I will get those book reviews posted again. I will pick back up with my author features. And most of all I look forward to the great comments and insight from all of my followers!

Here’s to books, and all the happiness they bring us!

A Call From the Dark – Adam Deverell

Angela2 Comments

A Call From the Dark Cover Image

This was an okay story, centered around a teenage girl who works in a video rental store, and gets herself caught up in one of her co-workers DVD-Video-Computer-game pirating scheme. She gets quite a scare when someone breaks in as she is closing the store, and is determined to get herself out of the mess she got herself into, while exacting a little bit if revenge for herself.

In the end, she doesn’t get caught for her small involvement in the DVD-copying racket, she gets a different job for the summer, and her and her father have a better relationship.

There were some spelling and sentence errors, such as using ‘he’ where it should be ‘she’, or using the wrong person’s name. ‘Smelt’ was used for ‘smelled’ more than once. Such as if I were to say “It smelt like the candle burned out”.

I feel like this story had great potential, if things were expanded on. It was not horrible by any means, but I wouldn’t be likely to purchase one of this author’s books if I saw it on an end-cap at B&N.

(The image above was the only cover image I could find, and I do not think the person on the cover looks like a 15 year old girl. IMHO).

Sanctum – Madeleine Roux

Angela3 Comments

Sanctum Cover Image

The follow-up book to Asylum was not quite as creepy as Asylum, but I enjoyed it none-the-less. This story had us again following Dan, Abby, and Jordan as they return to Brookline, still in search of the answer to what is going on at the old Mental Hospital, and why.

Sanctum 001

They all lie to their parents saying they are going elsewhere (didn’t we all do this?) and are trying to figure out what Felix, the poor chap from the 1st book, was trying to tell Dan when he paid him a visit. Felix’s mom called Dan, asking that he come to visit Felix. Dan goes, only to leave feeling far more confused than he did when he arrived.

Sanctum 002

This book is full of creepy photos as well; this time of old circus performers. They make me happy that not only did my parents never take me to the circus, but that I have never taken my own children, either.

Sanctum 003

I do not know if there is going to be a third novel; nothing was mentioned at the end of this story. If one comes out, I will certainly read it. If not, it was a good two stories just as they are.

The Wolf and the Raven – Steven A. McKay

Angela5 Comments

The second installment in “The Forest Lord” series was even better than the first! Robin Hood, and Mr. McKay, have certainly gotten a new fan. I am not generally a “Medieval-setting-Robin-Hood” type of story reader, but I am anxiously awaiting book three in this series.

The Wolf and the Raven Cover Image

The story picks up right where book one left off, and the action never lets up right through to the final page. Robin and his outlaws seem to have made a couple more enemies, and continue to do what is necessary to survive in the forest, while taking care of their families back home. All of the outlaws dream of getting a pardon, in order to go back home and live a normal life like everyone else.

I do think this book could be enjoyed on its own without having read the first one, but why would you want to miss such a great first installment? Full of action, adventure, suspense, and quite a few laughs, this is definitely a series I will read more than once!

You can find more information on Steven A. McKay here:

http://stevenamckay.wordpress.com

Asylum – Madeleine Roux

Angela4 Comments

I finished this story in short order, and I loved it. I am already half-way through the second book, Sanctum, and that review will be posted likely sometime this coming week.

Asylum book cover

Dan Crawford spent a large amount of his childhood in the foster care system. Adopted by a great family, he is doing much better, but still seems to have some lapses of memory. His summer trip to a New Hampshire college has him meeting 2 new friends, Abby and Jordan.

Strange things begin to happen right from the get-go, and the 3 of them are determined to get to the bottom of it. Dan doesn’t know what is real and what he is imagining. Abby finds out something that throws her in a tailspin, and Jordan thinks they are both crazy for pursuing something he would rather they all just forget about.

This story is a page-turner that you will not want to put down. Well, I did put it down that first night; the pictures along with the story were freaking me out. If you like scary-makes-your-hair-stand-on-end stories, let me know what you think of this one after you rush out and get it.

Then The Deluge Comes – Caryl McAdoo

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Book two in The Generations series was everything I hoped for, and so much more!

This story picks up the story of Noah, starting before his birth to give you a great setting of what was going on. This is an accurate story about the book of Genesis, and what Noah and his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law went through to build this massive ship. For no other reason than they were told by God to do so, to save their family.

This story goes between what is happening on Earth, and what is happening in Heaven with God. They are intertwined, always, and helps you understand why those of us on Earth would have to experience hardship and struggles.

Caryl sets an environment for her stories that have you feeling like you are sitting in the middle of all of the activity; seeing what they see, hearing what they hear, and tasting what they eat.

As this book is not yet officially “published”, I prefer to not give too much away. But I have to say, if you enjoy religious stories, especially ones that give you even more than you will read in Scripture, you certainly want to see what she is writing.

Giving glory to God, Caryl helps make the connection for those who may be sitting on the fence about their religion.

Wolf’s Head – Steven A. McKay

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Book One in “The Forest Lord” series.

“The Wolf’s Head” gives a whole new look at Robin Hood. Adam Bell is the leader of a group of outlaws whom Robin is forced to join, both for his survival, and protection. Little John and Friar Tuck join the story quite close to the beginning, and make it that much more interesting.

Wolfs-Head_ebook-FrontCover

Due to an obnoxious church Prior, Robin Hood has to go on the run for defending the honor of his girlfriend, Matilda. Robin quickly adjusts to life as an outlaw, proving his worth to the others who are living in the woods.

Things get very interesting when Adam goes to the sheriff, promising to turn over Robin Hood and the rest of the outlaws in order to be granted a pardon. It takes the outlaws a bit of time to learn to trust Robin as their leader, due to his young age and newness to the group. They know he’s good, they just don’t know about taking orders from him.

Robin leads the outlaws on several missions to right the wrongs committed by others, and manages to save Matilda from a horrible fate, and bring a father and daughter back together.

This is not normally the type of story I would pick up and read, but I thought it was fantastic and would definitely read more in this series. It is full of adventure, humor, friends, and forgiveness. It is fast-paced and you will not find yourself feeling bored while reading it, but you will wonder how time went by so fast when you stop long enough to look at a clock. This is certainly a story that is easy to get caught up in, and you will be glad you did!

You can find this story on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolfs-Head-Forest-Lord-ebook/dp/B00DSCDZFY

What I Am Reading Right Now…

Angela3 Comments

…and is freaking me out to no end! It has been a long time since I have been laying in my bed, reading a story, and it completely unhinged me so much that I put it down.

Asylum and Sanctum 002

Asylum. By Madeliene Roux. I bought this book, and the second in the series, Sanctum, without knowing anything about either.

I told my 13-year old she could read them after me, but I am now seriously questioning that statement. I do not think I can let her read them.

Asylum and Sanctum 003

I am keeping it short-and-sweet. Did you read these? What did you think?

Bookplate Special – Lorna Barrett

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Book 3 in the Booktown Mystery series had Tricia Miles finding yet another dead body. That makes 3 in a year for this sleepy, quiet New Hampshire town. Normally this type of thing would probably bother me but I see it as being no different than Joanne Fluke’s mystery series featuring Hannah Swensen, who seems to find a dead body every time she walks out her front door. (These are fantastic stories as well, full of recipes too as Hannah owns a cookie shop).

Bookplate Special Cover

The victim this time is Pammy, Tricia’s college roommate and less than pleasant houseguest. Apparently Pammy was looking to come into some money by blackmailing a resident of Stoneham, who was not exactly receptive to the idea.

Tricia is spared dealing with the always difficult town sheriff, Wendy Adams, who each have a strong dislike for the other. This time, it is Captain Baker who is investigating the murder, and none too soon as Tricia has just had quite the falling out with her boyfriend and owner of the local newspaper, Russ Smith.

You get to take part in a wedding (no, not Tricia’s), and watch her sister Angelica struggle as she opens a diner while still running the Cookery bookstore. A stray cat gets rescued, and Tricia and Angelica continue to work on their normally stress-filled relationship.

All in all this was a fun story, and it certainly had its share of twists and turns. I believe I still have 4 more books in this series, but I will be picking up something different next as I work through my Accounting class, and work on two editing jobs.

What has you reading late into the night as of late?