Fairyeater by Pam Halter

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I’m so excited to kick off the blog tour for the launch of Pam Halter’s Fairyeater. Let’s start by checking out the absolutely gorgeous cover…

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Beautiful (and just creepy enough to make you want to know what’s going on), right??

And now, a little about the book:

All fifteen-year-old Akeela has ever wanted is an ordinary family who will love her. But the only mother she has ever known is the old hag, Krezma, who berates her night and day. Why did the old woman even take her in?

But Krezma knows her charge is no ordinary child. She can see the auras surrounding living things and can communicate with fairies. And the birthmark on her palm reveals a secret Krezma must hold close for the child’s safety.

A secret that the witch, Tzmet, hunts for night and day, drying and eating fairies for the power they contain. When Akeela discovers her fate lies in being the next Fairy Guardian, all hope for an ordinary life dissipates like the dreams they were. She must protect the fairies from the witch—and an even darker power that threatens them all.

Akeela is unwillingly thrust into an adventure that will not end until she decides to accept her fate and give up on her dream.

Maybe even her life.

Here’s my review of Fairyeater:

This book. Wow! I was entranced by the unique and utterly imaginative twist on the traditional fairy story. And the feels!?! Pam Halter has a beauty of a first novel here.

Her characterization is so rich. I loved how each different group (Acadians, dwarves, etc.) had their own dialect and their own idioms. And they weren’t overdone or overly complicated, but instead brought the characters so much more depth and a sense of “realness” that made me love them all the more.

And the plot was fascinating, filled with excitement and love and adventure and heartbreak and danger and all the things that make a great story. I appreciated the lessons learned by the characters as they went along, and I loved that the story reminds us that good versus evil is not always the whole story, but that we all have shades of gray that we need to face in order to find our true selves and face our fears.

You should read this book. In fact, I’d highly recommend you do just that. Pre-order it today, so you can start reading it as soon as it is released to touch the world with its wonder and beauty on Thursday (October 25, 2018)!

Many thanks to L2L2 Publishing for allowing me to be part of this blog tour and for the free digital copy of the book for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

Fairyeater Blog Tour Mock-Up

Don’t forget to stop by each of the blog tour stops over the next few days:

Want to know more about Pam Halter?? Check her out on social media…

Website: www.pamhalter.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pam.halter.5

Twitter: www.twitter.com/PamHalter

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/pamhalter5

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/1916337.Pam_Halter

Amazon Author: www.amazon.com/Pam-Halter/e/B001HPDNEC

Purchase Link (L2L2 website):
https://www.love2readlove2writepublishing.com/books/fairyeater/

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Facebook Launch Party Link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/499013487232526/

Again many, many thanks to L2L2 Publishing for letting me be a part of this blog tour and help celebrate the launch of such a wonderful book! And congrats to Pam for what promises to be a fascinating series! 🙂

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A Hideous Beauty by Jack Cavanaugh

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hideous beauty

About the book:

This isn’t the world you think it is…

Every day they slip across our borders to infiltrate our government, our schools, our neighborhoods.

Homeland security can’t stop them.

The armed forces are no threat to them.

Powerful and unseen, they cannot be stopped.

They have been doing this for millennia.

On what should have been the best day of his life, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Grant Austin learns of a plan to assassinate the president of the United States. Every attempt to sound the alarm is thwarted, and Grant soon finds himself at the center of an even greater battle that predates time as he stands alone against ancient powers and unspeakable evil — evil that can only be described as a hideous beauty.

My review:

I guess the best way I can explain  this book is that it is kind of a combination of Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness, in its bringing spiritual warfare to life; Tosca Lee’s Demon, in its telling the history of angels/fallen angels; and maybe even a bit of Joel C. Rosenberg’s works in its adventures in D.C. politics.

It was an relatively engaging read, with plenty of action (more towards the end), interesting enough characters, and an intriguing take on spiritual warfare. However, I unfortunately didn’t feel like it lived up to its blurb. For most of the book, the focus was so much more on the main character, Grant Austin, than on the spiritual battle, that I found my mind wandering while I read, having to go back and re-read to figure out what was going on. And, while I know it’s a work of fiction, I didn’t always agree with the theology presented, so I got frustrated with some of the characters. I also set the book down several times, debating about whether or not I should finish it.

I’m glad I did finish it, because the climactic scene was more compelling than I expected it to be. If the rest of the series keeps up with the level the first book was at near the end, I would definitely read the remaining books when Enclave publishes them.

Many thanks to Enclave Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

Praying with Jane by Rachel Dodge

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About the book:

The charm of Jane Austen and her novels has been enjoyed for over 200 years by readers around the world. Much has been written about her fascinating life, yet little is known about Jane’s spiritual side. In this lovely 31-day devotional, you will get an in-depth look at Miss Austen’s vibrant, steadfast prayer and faith life. Her intimate relationship with the Father comes to life through her exquisite prayers, touching biographical anecdotes, intimate excerpts from family letters and memoirs, and illuminating scenes from her novels.

Spiritual insights and Scripture references shed light on the profound meaning behind Miss Austen’s prayers and the enduring truths they contain. Each day ends with a key Bible verse and invitation to “pray with Jane,” helping to ignite and deepen your own vibrant relationship with the Father.

My review:

I have always been a Jane Austen fan, so when I saw a new devotional based on her prayers, I had to check it out. And I found it to most certainly be both a beautiful devotional and a lovely examination of the faith of Jane Austen.

While there are only three prayers written by Jane Austen in this devotional, Rachel Dodge has broken each prayer down into bite-sized pieces, that the reader might savor them and learn from them. She takes each piece of each prayer and expands upon it, parsing the prayers, then showing how they are reflected in Austen’s works, and finally demonstrating how they can be put to effective use in our lives today.

Praying with Jane: 31 Days through the Prayers of Jane Austen is more than a must read – it’s a devotional to be treasured by any Austen fan and anyone who desires to draw closer to the Lord through prayer. I have been blessed by this devotional and have no doubt that you will be, too.

Many thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this devotional for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

Spice Bringer by H.L. Burke

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spice bringer

About the book:

A deadly disease. A vanishing remedy. A breathless journey.

All her life, Niya’s known she will die young from the fatal rasp. She survives only with the aid of vitrisar spice and a magical, curmudgeonly fire salamander named Alk. Then an ambitious princess burns down the vitrisar grove in an effort to steal Alk so she can claim her rightful throne. Joined by Jayesh, a disgraced monk, Niya and Alk must flee to the faraway Hidden Temple with the last vitrisar plant, or all who suffer from the rasp will perish.

But even as Niya’s frustration and banter with Jayesh deepen to affection, the rasp is stealing away her breath and life.

For a girl with limited time and a crippling quest, love may be more painful than death.

My review:

What a wonderful read! Burke has created a beautiful world, filled it with fascinating and touching characters, and wrapped them all up in a plot that keeps you reading well past your bed time.

But, oh the feels! I had to work very hard not to ugly cry during one part (especially because I was in public, waiting in the doctor’s office lobby). But to me, that means that I fell in love with the characters enough that I truly cared what happened to them – a hallmark of great storytelling! And H.L. Burke definitely knows how to tell a great story.

I’d highly recommend you grab your own copy of Spice Bringer (and a box of Kleenex). It’s a lovely read that will stay with you long after the last page!

Thirst of Steel by Ronie Kendig

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Thirst of Steel

About the book:

Dismantled centuries ago, the sword of Goliath is still rumored to thirst for its enemies’ blood. Cole “Tox” Russell only wants to begin his life with Haven Cortes, but he must first complete a final mission: retrieve that sword and destroy the deadly Arrow & Flame Order.

The AFO, however, is determined to claim the sword. Wielding their father’s life over Tzivia and Ram Khalon, they threaten to expose Ram’s long-held and dangerous secret while demanding Tzivia locate the sword. With the Wraith team slowly being torn apart, things only worsen when Mercy Maddox, a new operative, emerges with the stunning news that the sword is tied to both Ram’s secret and a string of unsolved serial murders.

Tox, Ram, and the others are forced to set aside fear and anger to focus only on the enemy. No matter the cost, Wraith must stop or take the enemy down with them.

My review:

Ronie Kendig definitely knows how to wrap up a trilogy! This third and final installment of the Tox Files is non-stop and filled with just about every feel you can imagine. Secrets are revealed, questions are answered, hearts (especially mine!) are broken, all while the plot keeps you flipping pages so fast, you risk paper cuts (or for your e-reader to be unable to keep up!).

Tox and the crew may be separated, but their bonds grow stronger throughout the book. They trust each other, even when it seems that they are turning away from the right path. What an awesome picture of true friendship and faithfulness!

I have so enjoyed reading The Tox Files, this military-action-thriller series with a supernatural twist, and am sad to see it end. However, I can’t wait to see what Ronie Kendig has for us next and plan to savor her fantasy series (Abiassa’s Fire) in the meantime 🙂

Many thanks to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for the digital copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

Aerisia: Land Beyond the Sunset by Sarah Ashwood

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About the book:

The mystery of other worlds is not one Hannah Winters ever thought she’d solve. However, the day she spots a brown-robed stranger with a magical staff in a neighbor’s field is the day she also discovers Aerisia, a magical land beyond Earth’s sunset. Here in Aerisia, Hannah is believed to be the Artan, a legendary heroine prophesied to deliver Aerisia from the Dark Powers. Plenty of people, including the Simathe, a race of immortal warriors, and the Moonkind, people of the Moon, are willing to help her discover her true identity, but Hannah’s just an ordinary girl from Earth. She doesn’t have any latent magical abilities and she’s not the Artan. However, her allies aren’t seeing it that way. Neither are her enemies. In fact, Hannah’s life is in jeopardy nearly from the moment she arrives in Aerisia. And becoming the Artan may be the only way to survive…

My review:

I grabbed this book a while back, because I was intrigued by the idea and thought the cover was kind of cool. Due to my crazy schedule, it took me a while to get to it, but once I did I flew through it! It was a very enjoyable read.

At times, I’ll admit, Hannah frustrated me. But that’s because she was real – she behaved pretty much as I would expect a normal young woman to behave when she’s been basically kidnapped. Yet, even more importantly, she does try to grow and change, even though she tends to forget the progress and opt for trouble once in a while.

The world-building is wonderful, and the magic system is very interesting and well-crafted. I enjoyed hearing the backgrounds of the different peoples in Aerisia and how Ashwood developed each with a purpose. Wonderfully done!

If you like fantasy, you’ll enjoy Aerisia: Land Beyond the Sunset. But make sure you also get at least the second book in the series, because (*minor spoiler alert*) there is so much more to this story that we don’t know yet! I would certainly recommend this book to my friends.

Happy reading 🙂

The Last Motley by DJ Edwardson

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Last-MotleyAbout the book:

Motleys. Candy-colored creatures with dark powers to drain the souls of men. That’s what Roderick always thought. Until he met one. Now he’s not so sure. But with seemingly everyone in the province hunting the motley down, he must quickly decide which side he’s on.

Is the motley the living nightmare the legends say? Or just a child cursed by magic? Should Roderick save him from an awful fate, or turn him in? Either way, it seems like everyone wants to make sure that this will indeed be the last motley.

My review:

I discovered this book a while back while traipsing through a blog tour, and it so intrigued me that I immediately added it to my “Want to Read” list. Then, an online book club that I’m privileged to be a member of chose it as their selection for August! Lucky me, I finally got a chance to read it! And I’m so glad I did.

Roderick the tailor is a finely embroidered character (pun definitely intended!), stitched with sturdy threads of love, faith, and a determination to do what is right. He leads a cast of motley characters (literally in Jacob’s case), all deftly sewn into the colorful fabric of a beautifully woven world.

The pacing of the plot is swift and the action builds constantly, making this one of those books that keeps you turning pages well past your bed time. But it’s worth it, because the story is great! I definitely recommend you pick up a copy of The Last Motley. 🙂