Thunder by Bonnie S. Calhoun

About the Book:

Book 1 in Stone Braide Chronicles

The Time of Sorrows is long past.
The future of Selah and her people is shrouded in mystery.
And the clock is ticking.

Hidden in the tall grasses along a shore littered with the rusted metal remnants of a once-great city, a hunter crouches. It is the eve of her eighteenth Birth Remembrance and high time she proves to herself and her brothers that she can stand on her own two feet. Selah Rishon Chavez waits not for game but for one of the small boats that occasionally crash against the desolate shoreline. Because inside one of these boats she will find her quarry--a Lander.

These people from an unknown land across the ocean are highly prized by the Company and bring a good price--especially if they keep the markings they arrive with.

Everything falls to pieces when the Lander whom Selah catches is stolen by her brothers, and Selah wakes the next morning to find the Lander's distinctive mark has appeared on her own flesh. Once the hunter, Selah is now one of the hunted, and she knows only one person who can help her--Bodhi Locke, the Lander her brothers hope to sell in the Mountain.

With evocative descriptions of a strange new world that combines elements of disturbing scientific advances, devious political conspiracy, and survival in a hostile wilderness, Bonnie S. Calhoun weaves a captivating tale of a society more like our own than we may want to admit. From the tension-laced first scene to the captivating last page, Thunder is an epic journey into the heart of humankind that explores how far we are willing to go when we're pushed to the limit.

My Review:

4 Stars

Fans of Dystopian  fiction will love Bonnie Calhoun's first book in her brand new series The Stone Braide Chronicles. I personally find this genre fascinating and love seeing how each author tackles the subject. As many us know this is a growing genre that has grabbed a hold of readers and hasn't let go and its nice to see some Christian authors breaking into the genre and putting their own spin on it. No matter what happens on earth God is still in control and Jesus saves.

I really enjoyed this book. I found the plot to be well developed full of believable characters. Bonnie Calhoun mixed action, adventure, romance, suspense and so much more into this book. I will say as the book came to a conclusion it left me wanting for more and I am so ready to read the next in the series. 

* I received this book from Revell Reads for the purpose of this review. Thank You!

Hidden in the Stars by Robin Caroll

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Hidden in the Stars Abingdon Press (September 16, 2014) by Robin Caroll

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in Louisiana, Robin Caroll is a southerner through and through. Her passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others. Robin’s mother, bless her heart, is a genealogist who instilled in Robin the deep love of family and pride of heritage—two aspects Robin weaves into each of her books.

When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of twenty-plus years, her 3 beautiful daughters, 2 precious grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home—in the South, where else?

ABOUT THE BOOK

Following an attack that killed her mother and stole her ability to speak, 21-year-old Sophia Montgomery has no choice but to accept her estranged grandmother’s offer to return to their family home. Although detective Julian Frazier is working hard on the case, Sophia unknowingly frustrates him because her inability to speak thwarts her eyewitness evidence. The fact that Julian is undeniably attracted to Sophia doesn’t help either, so Julian hides his feelings as concern for a trauma victim and focuses instead on finding the killer.

Little do they know, the clues to solving the case may be right in front of them, displayed in Sophia’s mother’s “special” quilt design. Who will realize the secret Sophia’s unwittingly been hiding in plain sight? When the truth comes to light, will Sophia find her voice again? Or will the murderer—still at large—silence her forever?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hidden in the Stars, go HERE.

A Love Undone by Cindy Woodsmall

About the Book:

A husband and son abandoned to forge a path alone.
A young woman who sacrificed her dreams.
How will the God of grace and hope help them find their way?

At nineteen years old, Old Order Amish Jolene Keim was on the brink of happily-ever-after when everything changed, stealing the future she expected and burdening her with an unbearable decision. For the next ten years, Jolene throws herself into family life—and then she meets Andy Fisher. The horse trainer and father to a sweet nine year-old challenges her and holds up a mirror to issues Jolene has been unwilling to face.

Andy is cautious about his deepening friendship with Jolene, but he believes she knows the truth about him – that he is a grass widower. As a man whose wife has abandoned him six years past, he is unable to divorce or remarry according to the Amish ways. Andy has wrestled with God concerning his reality, and he had found peace with the solitary future facing him…until he met Jolene.

As Andy and Jolene find themselves confronted by difficult choices, will they trust in God's guidance—or will the allure of their deepening friendship only lead to further temptation? 

My Review:

4 Stars

I will start off to say that Amish fiction is not my favorite genre but I do love Cindy Woodsmalls books. Her writing and style is so good that its hard to not like. This is the 3rd book I have read from here and have loved them all. What I liked about this book is that it is stand alone and I don't have to wait to find out what happens next. This is the kind of book that stays with you and hard to forget. I found the whole story to be sweet and a blessing to read. I do find it fascinating to read about the Old Order Amish and how they live. It is so hard to comprehend how different they live and at times refreshing that it is possible to live a simple life.

Anyone that loves Cindy Woodsmall or Amish fiction will truly love this book and not be disappointed by taking the time out to read this wonderful book.

*I received this book from blogging for book for the purpose of this review. Thank You!