"rope of sand" by c.f. dunn

About the book (from the publisher): The third installment of the acclaimed romantic thriller series

This third volume, set in rural Maine’s deep winter, follows the developing relationship between British historian, Emma D’Eresby, and American surgeon, Matthew Lynes. Emma unravels Matthew’s alarming past and begins to comprehend how very diff erent her future might be with a man whose identity must never be revealed.

Emma nervously meets Matthew’s family. She encounters his seventy-year-old son, Henry, and learns how unique the family really is. As Christmas approaches, it is clear that Emma is not welcomed by all: what does Matthew’s great-granddaughter have against her, and what might his sinister psychiatrist granddaughter, Maggie, be prepared to do?

Bound by their faith, Matthew and Emma have accepted that they must wait to be together until his wife dies. Very reluctantly, Emma meets Ellen—an elderly woman with a core of steel—and learns how living with Matthew will mean concealment and lies. How can they have a life together?

My take: When I picked up Rope of Sand, my first thought was, "How on earth will I remember all that led up to this novel?" It's the third book in C. F. Dunn's The Secrets of the Journal series, and I read the first books two years ago and one year ago, respectively. So I was quite pleased to discover that before the book begins, there's a section called "The Story So Far," which clearly and concisely summarizes the events leading up to Rope of Sand. Hurray! (I wish more authors would do this ...)

Rope of Sand finds Emma in a difficult place—she's finally clear about where she stands with Matthew, but she struggles to fit in with his family, and then there's the matter of his wife. Honestly, I struggled with Matthew and Emma's relationship quite a bit—it never became sexual, but it was adulterous in every other way. The situation is certainly unique, with Matthew unable to age and his wife old and physically incapacitated. But a marriage vow is a marriage vow, and I couldn't help but feel a bit "icky" about the relationship.

Aside from that, though, I really enjoyed Rope of Sand. Emma's interactions with Matthew's family were fascinating, and the twists the plot took, especially with the reintroduction of Kort Staahl, were unexpected and gripping. I also enjoyed the gradual revealing of Emma's gifts, though they haven't been adequately explained by the end of the novel.

I thought that Rope of Sand might be the end of the series, but it most certainly isn't, and for that I'm glad. I'm eager to find out what will happen next with Matthew and Emma (especially since some of the obstacles to their being together have been removed), and I'm very curious about Emma's abilities.

Content note: In addition to the aforementioned relationship, the book also contains some mild expletives and sexual innuendo. Nothing is explicit.

My rating: 4 stars

Buy the book.
Read my reviews of books one and two, Mortal Fire and Death Be Not Proud.

About the author: C. F. Dunn runs a school in North Kent for children with developmental disabilities, dyslexia, autism, and other difficulties. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"dark halo" by shannon dittemore

About the book (from Goodreads): One halo brought sight to Brielle. Another offers sweet relief from what she sees.

Brielle can’t help but see the Celestial realm. Even without the halo, it’s everywhere she looks. And with the heavens above Stratus ravaged by war, Brielle wishes for another gift, any gift. Because Jake is gone. The only boy she’s ever loved has been taken by the demon, Damien—and she knows if she ever wants to see him again, she must fight.

But fighting is so hard when everything you see makes you afraid.

When she receives instructions from the Throne Room leading her to Jake, she unknowingly walks into a diabolical and heartbreaking trap. Then the Prince of Darkness himself offers Brielle a halo of his own making. With the dark halo, she won’t have to see the fear and brokenness that surround her. She’ll be free of that unbearable burden. And it comes with a promise: the guarantee of a life with Jake.

When confusing details about Jake’s past emerge, and the battle above reaches a fever pitch, Brielle is forced to make a choice. Will she choose the dark halo and the ignorance that comes with it, or will she choose to live with her eyes wide open and trust the Creator’s design—even if it means a future without Jake?

My take: Wow. Dark Halo is everything I hoped it would be and more. Shannon Dittemore has crafted a brilliant conclusion to her Angel Eyes trilogy—a conclusion that had me gasping in surprise, crying out in despair, and cheering for joy.

The story picks up right where Broken Wings left off, and it often refers back to events in both Angel Eyes and Broken Wings, so I would highly recommend reading both of those books before picking up Dark Halo. But please do pick it up. This is a wonderful trilogy that entertains while also making you think.

I don't want to spoil anything, so it's hard to say much about the book except that the big questions from the first two books are answered and wrapped up in an extremely satisfying manner. Also, my wish after reading Broken Wings came true: that book looks so much better in light of the complete story. And now that all three books are available, you can read them straight through from start to finish—that would be a great way to spend a weekend!

Read this trilogy. You won't regret it.

My rating: 5 stars, as well as 5 stars for the series as a whole.

See what other bloggers are saying.
Read my reviews of books one and two: Angel Eyes and Broken Wings.

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About the author: Shannon Dittemore is the author of the Angel Eyes Trilogy. She has an overactive imagination and a passion for truth. Her lifelong journey to combine the two is responsible for a stint at Portland Bible College, performances with local theater companies, and a focus on youth and young adult ministry. When she isn’t writing, she spends her days with her husband, Matt, imagining things unseen and chasing their two children around their home in Northern California.

ANGEL EYES was Shannon’s debut novel and the launch of a young adult supernatural trilogy. It was published in the summer of 2012 by Thomas Nelson. The sequel BROKEN WINGS hit shelves in February, 2013 and the final novel in the trilogy, DARK HALO, released August 20, 2013.

Author Links:

    

About the giveaway: Shannon Dittemore is having a Live Twitter Chat August 27^th at 6pm (Pacific) where she will be giving away a Kindle Fire HD and other prizes!  Enter here:
http://shannondittemore.com/win-a-kindle-fire/

5-sets of the Angel Eyes Trilogy including Angel Eyes, Broken Wings and Dark Halo. US only. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook free from the publisher via YA Bound Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"broken wings" by shannon dittemore

About the book (from Goodreads): Giant angels with metal wings and visible song. A blind demon restored from the pit of darkness. And a girl who has never felt more broken.

Brielle sees the world as it really is: a place where the Celestial exists side by side with human reality. But in the aftermath of a supernatural showdown, her life begins to crumble. Her boyfriend, Jake, is keeping something from her—something important. Her overprotective father has started drinking again. He’s dating a much younger woman who makes Brielle’s skin crawl, and he’s downright hostile toward Jake. Haunting nightmares keep Brielle from sleeping, and flashes of Celestial vision keep her off kilter.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s been targeted. The Prince of Darkness himself has heard of the boy with healing in his hands and of the girl who sees through the Terrestrial Veil. When he plucks the blind demon, Damien, from the fiery chasm and sends him back to Earth with new eyes, the stage is set for a cataclysmic battle of good versus evil.

Then Brielle unearths the truth about her mother’s death and she must question everything she ever thought was true.

Brielle has no choice. She knows evil forces are converging and will soon rain their terror down upon the town of Stratus. She must master the weapons she’s been given. She must fight.

But can she fly with broken wings?

My take: I was so excited to read Broken Wings. After all, I named book one, Angel Eyes, my #2 book of 2012. The day I received it (which was back in February, I think), I opened it up and started reading. But for whatever reason, I just couldn't get into it. So I put the book down and didn't pick it up again until this week. Once again, I had trouble getting into the story. I think it's because Angel Eyes was so good—full of intrigue (who exactly are Jake and Canaan?), suspense, and action—that the slower pace of Broken Wings was a bit of a letdown.

Broken Wings is the "in between" book. The reader already understands Jake's gift and Canaan's nature, Jake and Brielle are in a good place relationally, and the only real conflict throughout most of the book comes as a result of Brielle's father's drinking. But the book also sets up what is sure to be an epic showdown between good and evil in the final book of the trilogy, Dark Halo, and the action really ramps up near the end of the book.

Don't get me wrong, Broken Wings is a good book. Written well with an interesting plot, it's better than much of what's out there. I hope that once I've read Dark Halo, I'll see exactly how it fits in and just how good it is. But taken now, it just didn't quite live up to my (admittedly high) expectations.

My rating: 4 stars

See what other bloggers are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my review of Dittemore's Angel Eyes.

About the author: Shannon Dittemore is the author of the Angel Eyes Trilogy. She has an overactive imagination and a passion for truth. Her lifelong journey to combine the two is responsible for a stint at Portland Bible College, performances with local theater companies, and a focus on youth and young adult ministry. When she isn’t writing, she spends her days with her husband, Matt, imagining things unseen and chasing their two children around their home in Northern California.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"darkness rising" by lis wiehl with pete nelson

About the book (from the publisher): The evil in East Salem is no longer content to hide in the shadows. The stakes—and the darkness—are rising.

Dani Harris thought there wasn’t much left that could surprise her after serving as a forensic psychiatrist in East Salem. And Tommy Gunderson has faced few challenges in his life that he couldn’t overcome by either physical strength or his celebrity status.

But as they race to uncover what’s really happening behind the high walls of St. Adrian’s Academy, it becomes clear that supernatural forces have been at work here for generations. And now their focus is on making sure Dani and Tommy don’t interfere.

When the unseen becomes seen, faith is the only weapon strong enough to fight in a battle involving not just murder and betrayal—but angels and demons.

My take: Darkness Rising is the sequel to Waking Hours ... and yes, you really do need to read Waking Hours first! Both books are incredibly quick, captivating reads, but Darkness Rising really kicked things up a notch. Waking Hours really just laid the groundwork for the battles to come, and Darkness Rising kicks off with a bang and continues at a frenetic pace until the end.

One thing you should know: Darkness Rising doesn't just deal with the battle between good and evil, involving angels and demons, but it also depicts a Christian who is demon possessed. If you're sensitive to that type of thing (as I am...) you may want to think hard about whether you want to read it.

So in the end, I'm torn. On one hand, I loved the book while I was reading it. On the other, it left me dwelling on things that aren't healthy for me to be thinking about (and it really stuck with me). Because of the subject matter and how it affected me, I'm giving it 3-1/2 stars. But if you enjoy supernatural thrillers and aren't bothered by reading about demon possession, you'll probably really like this novel.

Read my review of Waking Hours.
Read my reviews of Wiehl's "Triple Threat" novels (these are crime novels that do not deal with the supernatural): Hand of Fate, Heart of Ice, and Eyes of Justice.

About the authors: Lis Wiehl is a New York Times best-selling author, Harvard Law School graduate, and former federal prosecutor. A popular legal analyst and commentator for the Fox News Channel, Wiehl appears onThe O'Reilly Factor and was co-host will Bill O'Reilly on the radio for seven years. 

Pete Nelson is the author of I Thought You Were Dead. He was listed in the Esquire Register of Best American Writers, the recipient of the 2003 Christopher Award, and nominated for the prestigious Edgar Award. He lives with his wife and son in Westchester, New York.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."