Incarceron is a prison unlike any other: Its inmates live not only in cells, but also in metal forests, dilapidated cities, and unbounded wilderness. The prison has been sealed for centuries, and only one man, legend says, has ever escaped.Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, can’t remember his childhood and believes he came from Outside Incarceron. He’s going to escape, even though most inmates don’t believe that Outside even exists. And then Finn finds a crystal key and through it, a girl named Claudia. Claudia claims to live Outside—her father is the Warden of Incarceron and she’s doomed to an arranged marriage. If she helps Finn escape, she will need his help in return. But they don’t realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost far more than they know.Incarceron has a great plot and great characters. Told from the perspective of Finn, a prisoner in Incarceron, and Claudia, the prison warden's daughter who is being forced into an arranged marriage with a prince. The beginning of the book left me slightly confused at times because we aren't given many details but rather jumped right into the story. Multiple storyline from both the past and the present made it a little hard to follow and I had to go back and re-listen several times because I was lost. Ultimately I'm glad I stuck with it. Once I had the characters figured out a wonderful dystopian, fantasy story unfolded that held my attention to the end.
Catherine Fisher has created an intriguing, mysterious world with her book Incarceron. Looking forward to the sequel Sapphique which is already downloaded and ready for me to listen.
Rating: 4 Stars
Content: some mild language
Source: Audio download from Overdrive
You are crazy. No Nephite has ever returned.Most people laugh when they hear of Enoch's dream of returning to Jerusalem to find the infant Messiah. Even Enoch's future father-in-law mocks him when he asks for a postponement of his long-awaited wedding to his beloved Rebekah. A few take Enoch seriously - the shipbuilder Omnihah, Enoch's teacher David, and the prophet Nephi.Five years before, a Lamanite named Samuel had stood on the wall of Zarahemla and prophesied that "five years more cometh" and the Christ would be born in Jerusalem. Time is running out! Enoch knows he must set sail across the great waters in search of his dream - to see the face of the Messiah.The Star Prophacy is a surprising story of courage and love, faith and fortitude. Sail with Enoch and his friends across the sea through hardship and adventure in search of the Christ child.I really enjoyed this adventure story. Enoch has heard the prophesy of the birth of Christ and longs to sail back to Jerusalem to see the Messiah. It's been nearly 5 years since Samuel the Lamanite made the prophecy so he knows the birth of Christ is drawing close. Along with a few companions he sets out on an impossible journey across the sea back to Jerusalem.
This was a fun book to read. Likable characters and a well written tale that left me believing this really could have happened. Although not a "Christmas" story this is a book I will likely reread around Christmas since it is set at the time of the Savior's birth. Full of details on what life was like at the time of Christ's birth this book brought special meaning to the Christmas story.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Content: Clean
Source: From publisher for Review
Where had it come from? Whose money was it? Was I to spend it? Save it? Pass it on to someone more needy? Above all else, why was I chosen? Certainly there were others, countless others, more needy than me...
Her reporter's intuition insisted that a remarkable story was on the verge of the front page.
Newspaper reporter Hope Jensen uncovers the remarkable secret behind the "Christmas Jars", glass jars filled with coins and bills anonymously left for people in need. But along the way, Hope discovers much more than the origin of the jars. When some unexpected news sets off a chain reaction of kindness, Hope's greatest Christmas Eve wish comes true.The Christmas Jars by
Jason F. Wright is a heartwarming Christmas story. More than once I had tears in my eyes while reading the touching book.
Focusing on giving during Christmas instead of getting, I loved the message of this story. I admit it does fit somewhere on far side of the unbelievability scale and is a little sappy. However read as a feel good, remind me what Christmas is all about reason, this is a great holiday book.
I'm thinking we'll start a Christmas Jar of our own this year.
Content: Clean
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: Library
Leaving home; for college, for military service, or for a job. It's a milestone in the life of almost every child - and a bittersweet crossroads for almost every parent. What you say to your child at this critical moment, and how you say it, can be a welcome catharsis for you, as a parent, and a lifelong gift to your child. The letter in this book is how David Perkins chose to say goodbye to his son as he left for college. He does not hold it up as a template, or even as an example, for others. He only wants you to know that it made this important rite of passage easier for him to navigate. How his son feels about it may not be known for some time. Dear Austin: A Letter to My Son is just what the title says it is - a letter author
David M. Perkins wrote to his son Austin. This is a really quick read. Just 56 pages with lots of pictures. I think it only took me about 15 mintues to read through.
I really enjoyed reading through this letter. Filled with words of advice, encouragement and love from a father to his son. I wish I had a letter like this from my mother who passed away several years ago. This book made me decide to write a letter like this one to each of my children when they leave home.
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: From Author for Review
Before the Great War, before so many sons of God turned away from their Father and walked knowingly into the dark, there was a choosing, a sifting, a contest of ideas and a battle for souls. Brother fought brother. Families were torn apart. Some fought to protect their homes, their freedom and peace. Others fought to destroy everything they had once held so dear. And as the battle between good and evil came into each home, all God's children had to chose which side they were on, which principles would they fight for, and what price would they pay.
In this contest before the Great War, each of us learned the first lessons of life. The great ones may fall. The wicked can change. The weak and the foolish can be made the strongest of all. And when the contest was over, we also had learned the greatest secret of all: the children of God can defeat their adversary, for they have fought him before.Prologue: The Brothers is the first book in the Great and Terrible series by Chris Stewart. I picked this book up several years ago when it first came out but never got further than the first few pages. A friend recently recommended this series to my husband so I started on this book again. This time I found myself fascinated with this book.
The Brothers is a fictitious account of the War in Heaven and our life before coming to earth. I was intrigued by the author's take on what pre-earth life might have been like. It's something I have never thought much about. At times I found myself with chills as certain elements of this story rang true. Admittedly the author took many liberties in this book but I found it to be thought provoking, entertaining and enlightening.
I'm definitely reading the rest of the series.
Content: Clean
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can't sell. For as long as Han can remember, he's worn thick silver cuffs engraved with runes. They're clearly magicked-as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.
While out hunting one day, Han and his Clan friend, Dancer catch three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. After a confrontation, Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won't use it against them. Han soon learns that the amulet has an evil history-it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.
Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She's just returned to court after three years of relative freedom with her father's family at Demonai camp - riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Although Raisa will become eligible for marriage after her sixteenth name-day, she isn't looking forward to trading in her common sense and new skills for etiquette tutors and stuffy parties.
Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.
The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning new page-turner from bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima.
I recently received a review copy of The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima. I didn't realize it was book 2 in The Seven Realms Series? I had to get the first book, The Demon King to read first.
This book started off so slowly for me. I listened to the audio version of this book and I probably would have quit listening if I didn't have a 6 hour car ride ahead of me. Since I had nothing else to listen to I kept at it and I'm glad I did. By the middle of the book I was completely hooked. I'm ready to start the sequel ASAP!
The Demon King is an epic fantasy full of detail, description and well developed characters, all the things you expect to find in a well done fantasy...romance, mystery, adventure, magic, suspense. Much of the plot was predictable but it did have twists and turns I didn't see coming.
For those who enjoy high fantasy I recommend you give this series a try!
Content: Clean read (there may have been a mild swear word early)
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: Audio download from NetLibrary
I was pretty sure I was the only person that hadn't read this book. Glad to see I'm not the only one. Seeing that you gave it such a high rating, I might read it still. Audiobook is probably the way to go with this one for me.
Great review.
Heather
I really enjoyed this one - just picked up #2 today :)
I thought Claudia really turned into an awful person compared to who she was in the first book!
Thanks for the review Kathy. Do you think this one is appropriate for an 11 year old? I've been trying to make up my mind whether to buy it to share with my son (the actual book) or for myself (ebook).
I found it confusing in the beginning too but it's a great book.