Month: December 2025

Book Review: The King’s Scrolls

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The King’s Scrolls
The Ilyon Chronicles #2
by Jaye L. Knight

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: Christian fantasy

Kyrin, her twin brother Kaden, and the half-ryrik Jace are now living with other resistance members in a camp in the woods of Arcacia and helping run missions to free other followers of Elôm, an outlawed religion. When the camp gets some unexpected visitors in the form of a group of dragon-riding cretes who ask for help in tracking down the last original copies of the King’s Scrolls, which contain the Word of Elôm to his followers.

With this book, I realized I was a little off in my comparison of this fantasy world to the time of Nero’s persecution of Christians. It seems much more like Old Testament times now, and I found it fascinating that the couple of times that words from the scrolls were shared, they were right out of the Bible. Knight clearly didn’t want to create her own religion and instead made the decision to mirror biblical history in her fantasy series. As an author who went through a process of trying to decide whether or not to create a new religion for a fantasy world I had dreamed up, this is really interesting to me. There are a lot of great moments in this book, both related to the religious aspects and otherwise. Dragons, family connections, allies and betrayals. And though I began to suspect that Knight was always going to write an out for anyone in peril, there is a devastating loss in this book as well. It’s sad, definitely, but makes the story more real. And it’s a beautiful example of John 12:24 (which may be a spoiler, so maybe don’t look it up if you don’t know it).

There were a couple of main downsides to me, the first being that I still just don’t care about Kyrin at all, which is a shame, since she seems to be the main-main character. She’s just so…blah. A little too shiny, if that makes sense to anyone else. The other issue I had was peril fatigue. It seemed like there wasn’t enough rest time, for me or the characters, between each different danger sequence. But try as I might, I couldn’t lower the rating more than half a star for these things, because there was just so much about the book that was amazing! I was right in thinking that I’d like this book more than the first one, because the first one picked up halfway through, and this book continued from there. It’s like Knight had to sort of clear her throat with the first half of the first book, but so far, what has come after that has been great. Older teens up through adults who enjoy Christian fiction about persecution and standing up for one’s faith should consider reading this book. The fantasy ramps up a little in this book, but I still don’t think you’d have to like fantasy to enjoy it.

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Book Review: Holly and Nick Hate Christmas

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Holly and Nick Hate Christmas
by Betsy St. Amant

My rating: 2 / 5
Genre: Christian Christmas romance

Holly was born on Christmas Day and named for the holiday. Nick’s childhood was rigid and not very loving, and Christmas was when he noticed the coldness the most. Both are now adults that hate Christmas and all its trappings, so when Holly’s brother Ryan, who is also Nick’s co-worker, sets them up on a date for Holly and Ryan’s family’s big Christmas party, it seems like a match made in Heaven. Right?

What do you get when you stack childish people on top of secrets and lies? A happy ending, apparently. When Holly finds out that Nick had to be convinced to be her date, rather than agreeing with gusto, she decides he should be tortured. So she proceeds to force Christmas festivities on him, even though she’s been told he hates it as much as she does. Considering that she has some real pain and even trauma that has led to her dislike of Christmas and has every reason to believe he would have the same, she decides to twist the knife anyway. Why? Because he agreed to be her date. How dare he… Then, when Holly and Nick talk and maturely decide to bury the hatchet, Holly convinces Nick to turn around and prank Ryan with her, because he was in on the terrible plot to give Holly a date for the Christmas party too. So they pretend to be madly in love to annoy Ryan…who set them up in the first place. Then when that plan comes to its merciful end, there’s another plot hatched for an equally immature reason… you probably see the trend by now. Meanwhile, Nick has a secret about Holly’s own parents that they asked him to keep from the rest of the family (5 total adults children). And in a scene right out of A Very Brady Christmas, it turns out each of the other family members has been hiding a big secret too (except Ryan). 

Alongside all of this mess of deceit is a message that apparently many reviewers found too religious/Christian. But frankly, I was displeased at this having a Christian label on it. For one thing, the romance involves so much physical attraction, noticing of broad shoulders or muscles, heated touching, etc. for my taste, especially in a Christian book. For another, though the message of the true meaning of Christmas is mentioned near the end, it’s incredibly shallow and only really a reminder for characters to focus less on themselves and more on God and others. But frankly, I have no idea if any of these characters are actually Christians or if they just live the “Christian culture,” meaning that they try to live “good lives” but aren’t actually saved and following Jesus. There’s a tiny bit of conviction about all of the secrets and deception, but again, it all just felt so shallow. I don’t need a major Christian message in my Christian fiction, but this one felt like it was trying to have a message that didn’t really hit home for me. Maybe because it just felt shoehorned in near the end.

The book is billed as “enemies-to-lovers,” which doesn’t make much difference to me, but for those who might have been led to consider this book because of that—that really isn’t accurate. Holly might be angry at Nick, but he doesn’t see her remotely as an enemy. And frankly, she has to keep reminding herself to be angry at him, because she keeps getting distracted by his hotness. So clearly, there wasn’t much in this book that I’d recommend. I actually kind of liked some of the family dynamics, but overall, it was a miss for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for providing me a copy of this book to review.

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Book Review: The K Team

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The K Team
Book #1
by David Rosenfelt
read by Fred Berman

My rating: 3 / 5
Genre: Mystery

The newly formed K Team consists of two former cops—Corey Douglas & Laurie Collins, super-human investigator Marcus Clark, and Corey’s former K-9 partner Simon. When they’re hired by a judge to find out who’s attempting to blackmail him, things quickly turn sticky and then downright dangerous.

It’s no secret how much I love the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt, so I knew I had to check out this spin-off when I got to the point in the series when it came up. The story has its merits with a conspiracy similar to those that are the norm in the Carpenter series and an overall interesting case. But sadly, Corey Douglas (the main character) is no Andy Carpenter and Fred Berman (the narrator) is no Grover Gardner. I realize that’s a little unfair to say, at least regarding the narrator, but Grover Gardner has spoiled me, so it is what it is. Andy actually appears in this book several times, and Fred Berman’s voice for him made me cringe hard the first time or two I heard it. I got used to it by the end, but wow. And the MC is pretty bland compared to Andy’s wit and sarcasm. Every once in while, Corey will make a snarky or sarcastic remark in the narration, but I certainly don’t expect Corey to be Andy (because otherwise, what’s the point of the spin-off?). But that means Corey needs his own kind of personality, and so far, I’m not seeing much. Maybe this will develop in future books, though so far there are only a few, and I have no idea if Rosenfelt plans to keep going with this spin-off, or if it just didn’t quite reach its potential. If you’ve read and enjoyed some of the main series and wonder whether you should read this book, the answer is yes, because a major development related to the main series actually does happen in this book. Major. My jaw dropped, seriously. If you haven’t read any of the main series, don’t start here. But definitely do start on the Andy Carpenter series if you’re interested.

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Book Review: A Sea View Christmas

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A Sea View Christmas
An On Devonshire Shores novella
by Julie Klassen

My rating: 3 / 5
Genre: Christian historical romance, Christmas fiction

Spoiler notice: The following review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the series, starting with The Sisters of Sea View.

Sarah Summers is beginning to regret her rejection of Callum Henshall, even while part of her knows that she can’t marry and leave the boarding house her family runs behind. While she struggles with her indecision, the family prepares to host a series of holiday events at their boarding house.

After reading the main On Devonshire Shores series, I was glad to know that Sarah, who is at least a partial main character in each of the other books (I’m pretty sure I’m remembering that right) would be finally getting her happily ever after here. What I wasn’t expecting was the slow, light romance that half of the book focused on regarding the youngest Summers sister, Georgiana, who is 17 in this book and has caught the attention of an old friend. The sad thing is that I was more interested in Georgiana’s plot arc, even though it was pretty clear by the end it wasn’t meant to be the main one. Sarah’s arc, on the other hand, really bogged the story down for me. I think someone just needed to yell at her sooner and tell her that she wasn’t in control of everything. Then the story could have been a little shorter. It’s actually on the long side for a novella, at least I think so…maybe it just felt longer? Apparently at this time in history, there were something like fifteen parties throughout the Christmas season. I don’t know how everyone didn’t go broke trying to celebrate. I suppose I’m exaggerating, but it did feel like a lot of parties really close together. On the other hand, half of the fun of the book was reading about some of the festivities, especially the odd role-playing game on Twelfth Night

The book was atmospheric and a nice one to read during the Christmas season, but overall, I can’t say I enjoyed it as much as I hoped to. Based on past experience, though, I have good reason to believe that most fans of Regency-era Christian romance will enjoy this book and the series before it. Unlike the other series like this that Klassen wrote, and the Christmas-themed follow-up novella to that one, I don’t really recommend that you read this novella as a stand-alone. Sarah and Callum’s story starts in the first book in the series, and I think you’d lose something by not having read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book to review.

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Book Review: Dawn and the Impossible Three

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Dawn and the Impossible Three
The Baby-Sitters Club #5
by Ann M. Martin

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Children’s classic

For complete transparency, I’ll say up front that I read a lot of this series when I was a kid/pre-teen. And at the time, my name was the same as the founder of the BSC (with the first name spelled slightly different). Nostalgia will hugely affect my reviews for this series, and I have no plans to try to be objective.

Dawn was always my least-favorite of the main five kids in the club, and that might just be because her health-food, California ways are pretty foreign to me. But I also feel that she isn’t quite as developed as the original four, at least in this first book from her perspective. Maybe that will come with future books. The title of this book is a little misleading, since, though the three main kids in this story did tend to be impossible for the other babysitters, Dawn didn’t really struggle with them that much and she did most of the sitting for them. Their mom was really the impossible one, but even there, once Dawn talked to her directly about the way she was making Dawn’s job more difficult, things smoothed out. Overall, the story was a good one for the series.

Whether or not this book will translate well to kids and pre-teens now, I couldn’t say. I wish I had thought to start reading this series to/with my daughter when she was around 8-10, because I think she would have enjoyed it, and we could have discussed the good and the bad of the books.

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Book Review: The Abduction

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The Abduction
Theodore Boone #2
by John Grisham
read by Richard Thomas


My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Middle grade fiction

When thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone’s best friend April goes missing, he knows he can’t just sit idly by and leave it up to the cops to find her.

I enjoyed this second story in the series as much as the first. Compared to the previous, this one involves a lot less of the courtroom side and more of the investigative side of Theo’s interests. He does get to help out in pet court though, up against a real lawyer, which was fun. One of the things I appreciate the most about this series is that Theo doesn’t get up to things that kids could never really do or get away with in real life. Whether alone or with the help of his uncle that was so instrumental in the previous book as well, Theo has to weigh the consequences of every action and make his decisions based on that. When I compare this book and series to others for the same age group that I’ve read that are full of action and adventure, this one might seem a little slow, but it’s so much more real.

Richard Thomas does a great job with the narration, too. For some reason I can’t really explain, every time he says, “Hello, Theo,” I smile. Overall, I’d say whether or not a teenager or pre-teen will be interested in this book will depend on what kind of fiction they like—if fast-paced action is important, this probably won’t suit them. If they’re interested in realistic fiction about crime and law and trials, this could be fascinating for them. There is a brief mention of the story from the previous book, but overall, I don’t think it’s necessary to read them in order (so far).

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Book Review: A Scheming in Parliament

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A Scheming in Parliament
Of Cloaks & Daggers #2
by Erica Vetsch

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Christian historical mystery

After spending years cultivating his reputation as a drunkard amongst the peerage, Sir Bertrand Thorndike, agent for the crown, has been given a mission that requires him to go straight so he can be presentable as he takes his new seat in Parliament. Meanwhile, the Eleos school, run in part by Philippa Cashel, a former courtesan who now attempts to help other women in a similar position, seems to have become a destination for injured or sick women before they’ve barely gotten themselves set up. Philippa and Bertie have to work together when the dirt Bertie is trying to uncover in Parliament ends up colliding with Philippa’s work.

I just love the way Vetsch weaves her stories, and this one is no exception. Philippa has terrible history, but she allows it to inform her present and future and help others who are going through what she did or worse. And Bertie’s completely unassuming yet protective nature is exactly the right foil for Philippa. The slow development of their relationship is one of my favorite kinds, and while they learn to lean on each other, there’s the terrible secret in Parliament to ferret out. Bertie is capable yet just clumsy enough to be endearing, and Philippa adds her own skills to the team. I really enjoy this twosome.

My favorite Vetsch character may have had a smaller role in this book, but that just means that the others get to shine more. And there’s still plenty of Marcus Haverly, so it’s all good. I’m really looking forward to the culmination of this trilogy. I highly recommend this book for fans of this genre and time period, whether you like romance or not, because there is some, but it’s not the focus of the book. But keep in mind that this book is the second in a trilogy. They each have their own main plot, but there’s enough that carries over from the previous book that it’s better to start with A Thieving at Carlton House. Of course, I would really recommend starting at the beginning for the full, rich experience, but diving in here is fine, too.

Note: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, but my opinions are my own.

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Book Review: Forever Odd

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Forever Odd
Odd Thomas #2
by Dean Koontz
Read by David Aaron Baker

My rating: 3 / 5
Genre: Paranormal thriller

When Odd’s best friend’s recently deceased (like, super recently) father visits him, Odd starts off on a mission to find his friend and save him from whoever seems to have abducted him and killed his father.

After finding the first book in the series interesting but a bit slow, this book is just as slow and less interesting. I still like Odd himself as a character. He’s very different from what you normally see in fiction in a lot of ways, a kind of throwback to a different time. Some reviewers seem to see this as a fault with the book, but I appreciate that his gifts have led him to live a simpler life—he has no real ambition, no need for vices, and in fact, what most people would see as a minor complication would throw his life out of whack completely. However, the first book really felt like a stand-alone. There’s usually a very different feel to a book that is the intentional first in a series compared to a book that was written to be a one-off, and though plenty of times a sequel or two may come after an original stand-alone, to me, this just didn’t work as a sequel. The main thing that I felt was seriously lacking in this book was the use of Odd’s gifts. His psychic magnetism gets plenty of play (and a new angle, unless I’m just forgetting something being mentioned in the first book), and he does see a few ghosts, but it seemed like a huge chunk of the book was just trying to escape from, hide from, and outwit the bad guys. It dragged down what was already a fairly slow read for me. Good thing I listened to the audiobook, or it might have taken me a really long time to get through this book. As for recommendations, if you haven’t read the first book, you probably shouldn’t start here, since it definitely references back and spoils some things. If you have and liked it, you may or may not like this one, depending a lot on which aspects of the first book you particularly liked or didn’t. That’s all I can really say.

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Book Review: Mandie and the Cherokee Legend

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Mandie and the Cherokee Legend
Mandie #2
by Lois Gladys Leppard

My rating: 2 / 5
Genre: Children’s Christian historical fiction

I read a lot of this series when I was a kid/pre-teen, and I read some of them to my now-teen daughter when she was younger. I would expect nostalgia to affect my reviews for this series, but I sadly have to say that this book did not hold up nearly as well as the first one did for me. There are three main areas in this book that really bug me. Mandie’s too-perfect characterization stands out in this book. I think the author tried to combat that some by having Mandie struggle with her hatred toward her rude Cherokee cousin, but it was a small part of the book, and she didn’t struggle with it that much. Plus, he miraculously changes his tune by the end of the book for no reason, which is one of the other issues I had.

On top of all of that, this book introduces a trope in the series that I remember my sister complaining about when we were younger, though somehow it didn’t bother me. It does now. Every guy that meets Mandie is attracted to her, charmed by her, jealous of other guys’ attention of her…. She inspires a lot of attention for a 12-year-old (though the guys are all at least a year or two older). Of course, Mandie is completely oblivious and doesn’t understand why these guys are so competitive around her. It’s unnecessary at best and a little disturbing at worse. I do hope that some of the issues I had with this book smooth out as the series continues, because plan to keep going and don’t want to continue to be this annoyed.

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