Book Review: Risuko

Risuko

A Kunoichi Tale

by David Kudler

Stillpoint Digital Press

Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members’ Titles

Middle Grade, Teens & YA

Pub Date 15 Jun 2016

I was given a copy of Risuko through the publisher and their partnership with netgalley in exchange for my honest review:

Totomi Japan, 1570 AD

Everyone puts their hope in Risuko her family is in disgrace but all Risuko wants to do is climb trees.  Her family believes she can be a special female warrior and urge her to fight for her families name and her country. 

Risuko is sold to a noblewoman named Lady Chiyome.  Soon Risuko finds herself traveling by foot for days in the snow with other students and Lady Chiyome. 

Risuko is faced with a life different than she has known before and many of the same feelings teenagers today face.  She wears her heart on her sleeve and that can be dangerous. 

Will Risuko’s tree climbing skills be put to the test as a warrior?

Risuko is a great book full of Japanese Culture and adventure perfect for Middle grade or Young Adult readers.

Five out of five stars

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Book Review: When Dreams Come True

When Dreams Come True

by Rebecca Emin

Gingersnap Books

Middle Grade, Teens & YA

Pub Date 03 Feb 2016

I was given a copy of When Dreams Come True through the publisher and their partnership with netgalley in exchange for my honest review:

Charlie is a tom boy two of her best friends are boys and she has a best friend that is a girl.  Her best friend Allies is more of a girlie girl than she is. 

When Charlie’s parents have to go take care of her Aunt Jenny who picked up an infection and is not doing well she stays weekdays with Allies and her Mother and her Mom or Dad come to pick her up on weekends. 

In her room at Aunt Jenny’s house Charlie has strange dreams, dreams her Aunt tells her she too has there, prompting her Aunt to believe the house is haunted.

When her friends Max and Toby come to visit Charlie at her Aunt’s house where the strange dreams continue. 

Soon Charlie realizes she is developing feelings for Max, feelings that go beyond friendship. 

This is a story about dreams coming true, and about a young girl coming of age.

Five out of five stars

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Book Review: Through the Shadows

Through the Shadows

The Golden Gate Chronicles – Book 3

by Karen Barnett

Abingdon Press

Christian, General Fiction (Adult)

Pub Date 03 May 2016

I was given a copy of Through the Shadows through the publisher and their partnership with netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

1908 Sacramento California, Elizabeth King has dreams of being a great pianist.   Charles Mckinley is a lawyer on his first assignment since graduating top of his class from Law School. 

After hearing missionaries talk of Children being rescue from Slavery in china town Elizabeth decides to move to the city and teach these rescue children much to her Mother’s dismay.  More than anything her Mother wants to see Elizabeth married.

Soon Elizabeth finds herself going on rescues to get children away from the slave holders and she faces all the dangers that brings.

Elizabeth ends up taking a little girl named Yoke So under her wings.  Encouraging the little girl to tap into her talentwith the piano. 

Charles would like to get Elizabeth’s attention he develops feelings for her but she wants to solely focus her energy on the mission and it’s children. 

Can Elizabeth have love as well as her Mission Work.

I give this novel five out of five stars

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Book Review: What it Was Like…Short Stories of childhood memories of. Segregation in America

What It Was Like…short stories of childhood memories of segregation in America

by Lois Watkins

First Edition Design Publishing

Biographies & Memoirs, Middle Grade

Pub Date 23 Feb 2016

I was given a copy of What It Was Like through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

1940’s America was different than it was today and one of the biggest differences especially in the south was Segegration.  In the black neighborhoods the center of the community centered around the beauty shops and the churches. 

In the south in the 1940’s there was no such thing as “part black”  if you had even a little bit of African American in you you were considered “Black”. 

Another very real danger African Americans in the south faced in the south in the 1940’s were Lynching by the K.K.K. 

Book Review: What it Was Like…Short Stories of childhood memories of. Segregation in America

What It Was Like…short stories of childhood memories of segregation in America

by Lois Watkins

First Edition Design Publishing

Biographies & Memoirs, Middle Grade

Pub Date 23 Feb 2016

I was given a copy of What It Was Like through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

1940’s America was different than it was today and one of the biggest differences especially in the south was Segegration.  In the black neighborhoods the center of the community centered around the beauty shops and the churches. 

In the south in the 1940’s there was no such thing as “part black”  if you had even a little bit of African American in you you were considered “Black”. 

Another very real danger African Americans in the south faced in the south in the 1940’s were Lynching by the K.K.K. 

Buses in the south were segregated and there were cabs that served the Black Communities. 

Even the Media of the 1940’s and fifties were very much segegrated.  When going to the movies African Americans would have to sit in segegrated sections of the theaters and blacks were rarely seen on the screen and if they were portrayed it was generally in a negative light.

There were Colored magazines such as Jet, Ebony, Sepia and Bronze Thrills. 

Schools to were Segregated and the children’s parents were expected to provide the necessary supplies for the school year. 

Restraints too were Segegrated and if a Colored person wanted to order food from a white restraint they would have to knock on the back door and give a waiter the order to go eating inside the establishment if you were colored was not allowed.

This book is great for Middle Grade readers.

I give this book five out of five stars

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Book Review: Fading Starlight

Fading Starlight

by Cushman, Kathryn

Bethany House

Bethany House Publishers

Christian

Pub Date 03 May 2016

I was given a copy of Fading Starlight through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review:

Lauren is an up and coming fashion designer.  But when her dress falls apart in an awards show she is out a job.  Lauren is certain that she had everything right.  Could someone have sabatoged the dress?

After spending a week locked in her house waiting for the negative attention and paparazzi to die down she realizes she needs to get out and move on.  So Lauren finds a job making costumes for a highschool play. 

Charolette Montgomery does not like Lauren’s presence as her new neighbor in the rented cottage.  Soon though Charolette Montgomery’s maid is sending over dresses of Charolette’s for Lauren to mend. 

Despite all the kindness Lauren shows Charolette Montgomery the woman is still mean and hateful to her. 

Lauren also finds herself designing her best friend Chloe’s wedding dress. 

Will Lauren be able to show Charolette Montgomery that she has no ill intention towards her?

Find out in Fading Starlight

Five out of five stars

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Book Review:Threads of Love

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Threads of Love

Also includes bonus story of Woven Threads

by Judith Miller

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Barbour Books

Christian, Romance

Pub Date 01 Mar 2016

I was given a copy of Threads of Love through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

After loosing her Mother Delphinia’s Father strikes up a bargain with a man to takecare of his daughter.  Delphinia is not ready to be sent to a strange place with a man she does not know but she has no choice in the matter.  Delphinia soon finds herself resolved to the fact that she is going to be with this man and help him care for his dead brothers children and soon she is able to forgive her Father.

When Delphinia receives a letter from her Father that he is in Colorado City and is dying of Consumption she has to go and see him so he knows that she forgives him.  And her Father wants to make amends for being a poor Father for the two years since her Mothers death so he can die knowing that his daughter forgives her.

Doctor Charlie Banion does not expect a woman when he is reading over applications for a doctor so when Doctor Tessie Wilshire shows up he is taken by surprise. 

On the train to her new career and her new life she meets a young woman who is bitter over the death of her Mother and having to care for her younger sister who went deaf just the year before.  Soon Tessie finds herself playing a Mother role to Lydia and especially young Addie.  Soon Lydia leaves abandoning Addie and leaving it for Tessie to tell her. 

Before long Tessie learns about a new procedure that may allow Addie to hear again.  Just before the young girl goes in for the risky surgery Tessie discovers that the young girl’s hearing was returning, and she knew it was God.

I give Threads of Love five out of five stars

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Book Review:Jump

Jump

by Michel Sauret

One Way Street Productions

Christian, General Fiction (Adult)

Pub Date 16 Mar 2016

I was given a copy of Jump through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

When he was a child his parents had him jump off branches of an old oak tree in order to measure his faith.  When he was ten for the first time his Father asks him if be wants a birthday present and when he says a toy gun his Father tells him he will get him a sword instead when he opens the gift on his tenth birthday he is dissapointed to find its a Bible.  He mumbles and curses under his breath.

When his Father takes him into a pet store to get a shock collar he thinks at first they are getting a dog but soon discovered the collar is to shock his strong willed little sister Arminelle into obedience.  But despite that Christopher is jealous of his sister she has a beautiful voice unlike most five year Olds.

By the time he is sixteen Christopher is hiding the fact that he is gay from his parents.  He wonders if you can “pray the gay away.”  When he was Seventeen Christopher applies to colleges all over Pennsylvania, but none of them Christian colleges.  And when he was eighteen Christopher made his final Jump.

Christopher ends up going to Pitt against his Fathers wishes and his parents refuse to help him.    Christopher meets Lena at school and she invites him to her church but the church is unlike what Christopher is used to.  Despite going to church though Christopher still finds himself fighting his impulses.  But his new church seems to be a series of contradictions, pastors trying to make more money from the families. 

Finally Christopher seeks help for his born addiction. 

By November Arminelle is sending Christopher emails about their Mother’s poor health, when he goes to find out what’s being done he is distressed to find out his Father refuses to take her to the doctors to see what is wrong.  He insists that they are doing best for her by praying and laying hands on her. By Christmas of that year his Mother dies.  Despite all the prayers, angry and defeated Christopher heads back to college. 

After failing all five of his mid terms Christopher once again decides to leave this time he is unsure what he is searching for.  While on his search he ends up traveling with a young man named Stephon and while in one town Stephen’s tires are intentionally flattened.  Showing Christopher that prejudice still exists. 

Jump is a novel about one young man’s journey of self discovery as well ashes search for God.

I give this story five out of five stars

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Book Review: The Valley of Dry Bones

The Valley of The Dry Bones

A Novel

by Jerry B. Jenkins

Worthy Publishing

Christian, General Fiction (Adult)

Pub Date 31 May 2016

I was given a copy of The Valley of Dry Bones through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

Devastating earthquakes have leveled much of California. After the quakes tens of thousands of Native Americans were displaced and moved to Arizona from California after the quakes.  Zeke and Pastor Bob are slowly gaining trust of the Peyote people.  He shares his Faith with them.  Because of his preaching to the Peyote people Zeke is arrested for Religious intolerance.

Will Zeke be able to continuing reaching out to those who are lost or will he die trying?

The Valley of Dry Bones is a contemporary end times tale like which Jerry B Jenkins is famous for due to the Left Behind series.

I give this book five out of five stars

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Book Review:The Story Continues

The Story Continues

The Acts of the Apostles for Today

by Kalas, J Ellsworth

Abingdon Press

Christian, Nonfiction (Adult)

Pub Date 19 Apr 2016

I was given a copy of The Story Continues through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

If we looked at the apostles at first or even second glass we probably would not see anything extraordinary about them but Christ saw something in them and asked them to follow him. 

In this generation we are quick to judge the church and its people without looking deeper within.  Perhaps if we took at the time to look at the body if Christ differently we could have a rebirth of the Church.  We could perhaps have the fire and excitement that the Apostles felt as they followed Christ on their journey, despite knowing they would face trials and even betrayals. 

The Story Continues The Acts of the Apostles for Today would make a great book for individual or group study.  Perfect for a Bible Study Class.

Five out of five stars

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