Book review: "Aquifer" by Jonathan Friesen

“Only He Can Bring What They Need to Survive. In the year 2250, water is scarce, and those who control it control everything. Sixteen-year-old Luca has struggled with this truth, and what it means, his entire life. As the son of the Deliverer, he will one day have to descend to the underground Aquifer each year and negotiate with the reportedly ratlike miners who harvest the world's fresh water. But he has learned the true control rests with the Council aboveground, a group that has people following without hesitation, and which has forbidden all emotion and art in the name of keeping the peace. And this Council has broken his father's spirit, while also forcing Luca to hide every feeling that rules his heart. But when Luca's father goes missing, everything shifts. Luca is forced underground, and discovers secrets, lies, and mysteries that cause him to reevaluate who he is and the world he serves. Together with his friends and a very alluring girl, Luca seeks to free his people and the Rats from the Council's control. But Luca's mission is not without struggle and loss, as his desire to uncover the truth could have greater consequences than he ever imagined.”

“Aquifer,” by Jonathan Friesen, was a fairly predictable future dystopian society fantasy novel. Although there were a couple of things that weren’t predictable from the very beginning, once the hints were there it was easy to see the plot points coming. The beginning of the book was kind of confusing, and I flipped through the first couple of chapters several times trying to figure out who the different characters were and how they were connected. I finally gave up and all the connections were revealed later in the book, but the way it was set up was still confusing.

There was quite a bit of Christian symbolism, which I think is fine for books like this, but then there were other parts where I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to be literal or symbolic. An author should decide if he is going to use religious comparisons or flat out have religion, but it gets weird when both are used.

I also didn’t enjoy the end. It, too, was confusing. In fact, when I set the book down, I even said, “Worst ending ever,” out loud.

The teen love story was sweet, the interconnections of the people were good, and the lessons learned were relatable, but I felt the overall book was too confusing to be enjoyable.

 

disclosure: the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®.

Book Review: Dear Mr. Knightley, by Katherine Reay

“Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others—namely, her favorite characters in literature. Now, she will learn to write her own story—by giving that story to a complete stranger.

“Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

“But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

“As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

“Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.”

I loved this book! As an avid reader, loving historical fiction as well as contemporary fiction, this book was the best of both worlds.

Although the story was pretty predictable, I loved it anyway.

Having a special place in my heart for foster care and adoption, loving a clean romance, and enjoying a fun read, this book was perfect. I appreciated the subtle Christian theme without it being overbearing as a lot of Christian novels are.

I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a quick escape from reality for a weekend. It’s an easy read, and the sweet romance that blossoms in the story gets you sighing at the end.

Definitely one of the better books I have read recently!

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book through the Booksneeze book review website.

Book Review: Dateline Jerusalem, by Chris Mitchell

“History’s final chapter will be written in Jerusalem. When an Iranian president thunders a murderous threat or an obscure Turkish drunkard has a dream in Mecca or a Jewish couple from Brooklyn lands at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, these events might seem disconnected. But they’re not. In Dateline Jerusalem, CBN News correspondent Chris Mitchell connects the dots and unveils Jerusalem as the epicenter and crossroads of the spiritual, political, and, yes, supernatural worlds. For thousands of years, Jerusalem’s powerful draw has transcended simple economics, military strategy, and religious affiliation. In our own time, as the Arab Spring threatens to become an Islamic Winter, one commentator warns: “The Arab Spring doesn’t lead to democracy, it leads to Jerusalem.” Indeed, the fragile peace of Israel is in new peril as violent Islamic factions vie for control of surrounding nations. Yet Muslims are converting to Christianity in record numbers. Dateline Jerusalem untangles and chronicles all this through the riveting narrative of a Christian reporter in the upheaval of the modern Fertile Crescent. We live in a world where we cannot afford to be ill informed. What happens in the strategic Middle East, Israel, and Jerusalem is critical. It matters to you. Today’s news might focus on Washington, New York, London, or Moscow, but history’s final chapter will be written in Jerusalem.”

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I think the last days is a fascinating topic of study, and the summary of the book sounded really cool. I was looking forward to the dreams and supernatural events, but I actually found the book very dry and unexciting to read. The book was written well, and was very informative, but I was disappointed in the lack of more exciting stories. I feel like if the teaser promises “thunderous murder threats” and “crossroads….of supernatural worlds” it should be more thrilling of a tale. Maybe the teaser should have just said what the book really is: a timeline of happenings in the Middle East, some of which I was aware of from watching the news.

Overall I was disappointed and often bored when reading this book. If I had known it would be less enthralling and more like reading a news report, I probably would have selected a different book to review.

disclosure: the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®.

Book Review: Dark Halo, by Shannon Dittemore

“One halo brought sight to Brielle. Another offers sweet relief from what she sees.

“Brielle can’t help but see the Celestial. Even without the halo, the invisible realm is everywhere she looks. It’s impossibly beautiful—and terrifying, especially now. Because a battle rages above Stratus, Oregon.

“The Terrestrial Veil is ripping, and demons walk the streets past unseeing mortals. Dark, sticky fear drips from every face, and nightmares haunt Brielle’s sleep.

“Worst of all, Jake is gone. The only boy she’s ever loved has been taken by the demon, Damien. When she receives instructions from the Throne Room leading her to Jake, she unknowingly walks into a diabolical and heartbreaking trap.

 “Now she’s stranded in a sulfurous desert with the Prince of Darkness himself, and he’s offering her another halo—a mirrored ring that will destroy her Celestial vision. All she has to do is wear it and she’ll see no more of the invisible world. No more fear. No more nightmares. No more demons. It’s a gift. And best of all: it comes with the promise of a future with Jake, something the Throne Room seems to be taking from her.

“Will Brielle trade the beauty of the Celestial and the truth of the world around her just to feel ordinary again?”

 

The book, Dark Halo, by Shannon Dittemore, is the third in the Angel Eyes trilogy. I really enjoyed the first book in the trilogy, Angel Eyes, but this one, Dark Halo, fell a little flat for me. The story line seemed a little week, like she wrote it just for the sake of having a third book. I think most of the story could have been wrapped up in a slightly longer sequel instead of a trilogy.

The actual dark halo in the book seemed to not play that big of a role. She wasn’t really that torn about it, at least that’s the impression I got. And there were several aspects of the plot line that remained unanswered when all was said and done.

Overall, the book was just okay, but not something I would read again or recommend to others to read.

disclosure: the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®.

Book Review: Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold, by Joyce Magnin

Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold is a novel about a 70-something year old woman who has moved across the country to live with her son and daughter-in-law. She is kind of bored in her new town and is homesick for her best friend and her old stomping grounds on the East coast. She is feels like a 5^th wheel, always feeling like a guest instead of a member of the family. One day she meets a teenage girl and her father and decides to invest in their gold mine business, giving them a lot of her money. She feels slightly nervous about her investment but mostly excited about the prospect of striking it rich with gold. She decides to keep her investment a secret from her son and daughter-in-law, when her best friend comes for a visit. Soon the jig is up, the FBI is involved, and Harriet is feeling a little sheepish about her foolish mistake. She discovers that she was really rich with “gold” all along, her friends and family surrounding her with love.

I chose to review this book because I assumed it would be a quick, easy read, which it was. I found some of the writing and phrases to be a little cheesy, and the story mostly predictable. I wouldn’t say I didn’t like the book, but I wouldn’t say I loved it, either. I felt like the characters were developed well, and the story kept moving throughout the book. There wasn’t any kind of exciting climax, really, but the story wrapped up nicely at the end. Overall it was a quick, easy read, but probably not one I would go out and tell everyone else to read, too.

disclosure: the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®.

Book Review: Francis, Man of Prayer, by Mario Escobar

Francis, Man of Prayer, by Mario Escobar, is a biography of the new Pope Francis of the Catholic Church. This book covers the life of the Pope when he was a child, teenager, young adult, and adult. It explains why he decided to become a priest for the Catholic Church. It also tells about the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. It explains their history and their activity in modern times. This book also goes into some of the things the recent popes have done during their service, and explains how a pope is selected, going into the details of the current Pope Francis’ election.

As a practicing Christian, I was pleased to find a brief history of the Catholic Church and explanations for why and how certain things are done in that religion. This biography of the new Pope was enlightening. I enjoyed learning about his background, his personal beliefs, and his goals for his ministry. It was interesting to learn about some of the recent problems the Church has been having, and how their leaders have dealt with those issues. It gave a more personal look into the new Pope, and helped him seem more like a real, every day person, instead of a mysterious leader of a religion different than my own.

disclosure: the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®.

Book Review: Domination, by Jon Lewis

Summary

“Their goal is simple: total domination.

With six arms and jaws that can snap a man in two, the warmongering race of aliens known as the Thule has conquered every planet they’ve attacked.

And now their invasion of Earth has begun.

Humanity’s only hope springs from a mysterious Thule legend about a Betrayer, who they believe will rise up and destroy their people. The American government tried to manufacture their own Betrayer by injecting children with Thule blood but time after time the experiment failed . . . until Colt McAlister.

A decade later, Colt is a 16-year-old cadet at the CHAOS Military Academy where he’s training to defend mankind. But he’s afraid that the alien blood may be turning him into a Thule—and he’s beginning to suspect that fulfilling his role as the Betrayer may cost him everything.

Experience a cosmic battle filled with high-tech gear, gateways to other planets, and ultimate stakes. Not everyone will survive. But heroes will rise up and step into their destiny in this earth-shaking conclusion to the C.H.A.O.S trilogy.”

Review

I truly enjoyed this book. I read the first two books in the trilogy first so I would have a clear understanding of the characters and plot, but soon discovered that wasn’t totally necessary. The author does enough reviewing of characters and plot that you could read this book without having read the other two. The plot was interesting, edge-of-your-seat-exciting, and unique. I was afraid it would be too much like other sci-fi plots, but there were enough twists and turns along the way to keep the reader guessing. I thought the character development was perfect and enjoyed the little bit of relationship/romance that was involved, and since it is geared towards young adults, it wasn’t trashy or graphic in the romance area. The reader gets attached to each character and hopes that they survive the thrilling ending. Without giving the ending away, I will just say it ended just right with no disappointment.

disclosure: the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®.