Remnants: Season of Wonder by Lisa T. Bergren

 ABOUT THE BOOK:

Andriana is a Remnant, one of the gifted teens born on the seventh day during the seventy-seventh Harvest after the Great War, and destined to act as humanity’s last shield against the horrors that now plague those who remain.

After years of training in stealth and warfare, Andriana and her Knight protector, Ronan, are finally ready to answer the Call and begin the life they were designed for. But as they embark with the other Remnants on the first of their assignments, they quickly discover that the world beyond their protected Valley home is more dangerous than they imagined.

The Sons of Sheol will stop at nothing to prevent Dri and Ronan from rescuing anyone sympathetic to the Remnants’ cause. And as the Remnants attempt to battle the demonic forces, other enemies close in. Dangers intensify, but so do Dri's feelings for Ronan--the one emotion she is not meant to feel. In the midst of their mission, Andriana must find a way to master her feelings, or risk compromising everything.

MY REVIEW:

 I think that Dystopian and YA are two of my favorite genre's to read which made REMNANTS a story that I thoroughly enjoyed. From the very beginning of the book when Andriana and Ronan escape the evil forces that will haunt them throughout their journey, to the very end where we are left with many unanswered questions and a burgeoning forbidden love, REMNANTS took me on a roller-coaster adventure that has me breathlessly waiting for more!

I loved the characters of REMNANTS. Each one of the Remnants has a gift that The Maker has given them to use for his purpose. I think Ronan may be my favorite character of the group. Just because he makes such a hunky knight-in-shining-armor...oh wait, wrong era! He is Andriana's knight though, without the shining armor part. I'm kind of partial to men that protect women.

While the Remnants are definitely on mission for The Maker I did not find the story overly preachy. Spiritual forces abound in the forms of both good and evil, but it seems that evil is prevailing. I'm looking forward to book two to see what unfolds next!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa T. Bergren 
Lisa T. Bergren is the author of over forty books, with a combined count of over 2.5 million copies sold.

She has written best-selling children’s books, award-winning YA (River of Time Series: Waterfall), popular historical fiction, contemporary fiction, women’s nonfiction, and gift books. She is a writer and editor residing in Colorado Springs, CO, with her husband and three children. You can find out more about Lisa at LisaBergren.com.

 

Check out other books that I have read and reviewed by Lisa:

The River of Time Series:

Waterfall
Cascade
Torrent
Bourne
Tributary

The Grand Tour Series:

Glamorous Illusions
Grave Consequences
Glittering Promises

To purchase Remnants:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1sw88q4

B&N: http://bit.ly/1eon8x9

BAM: http://bit.ly/1edUmos

GIVEAWAY!!!!

Author Lisa T. Bergren is giving away a signed copy of Remnants to one winner on my blog today. Leave a comment to be entered to win.

Cress by Marissa Meyer

YES! I was able to read an ARC copy of CRESS borrowed from my friend Karin! Here is a copy of the book I read:

The big cover reveal was this past week and as with the other two books in the Lunar Chronicle series it does not disappoint:

MY REVIEW:

I am a huge fan of series. I love them! I'm addicted to them. I can't seem to ever have enough of them. I'm obsessed with collecting every book in the series. Sometimes though I have gotten disappointed in a series and thought about actually not buying any future books in that series...That is so not the case in The Lunar Chronicles!! Each book so far has been just as good as the very first one. CRESS does not disappoint from the opening pages to the very end. The Lunar Chronicles have become one of my favorite series of all-time.

As you can tell from the cover there is a take on the Rapunzel fairy tale in CRESS. Instead of the princess stuck in the tower though Cress has been stuck in a Satellite for 7 years monitoring Earth for her Lunar Mistress Sybil. Dreaming of someday being rescued by a handsome prince, Cress spends her days alone entertained only by her dreams and the monitors that fill her satellite.

Cinder and the rest of the cast are all back in CRESS. Cinder and Captain Thorne are still on the run from Queen Levana's army. They are now joined by Wolf and Scarlet. Cinder is trying to find a way to stop the wedding between Emperor Kai and Queen Levana without starting a war of epic proportions. When they all become separated it looks like their mission is doomed. With Lunar ships waiting outside of Earth's atmosphere it is only a matter of time before Queen Levana's wishes are granted and she becomes supreme ruler of all.

With each book and each added character I become more of a fan of these books. Captain Thorne as the worldly rogue and Cress as the innocent and naive make the perfect couple! Cinder and Kai seem like a lost hope with Kai going to marry Levana, but all hope is not lost for them as a couple. Wolf and Scarlet are not very prominent in CRESS, but their relationship has developed and there is a strong bond between them. Then I think my favorite character is the robot Iko! She cracks me up with her antics of trying to be human. She is quite entertaining.

The ARC copy of CRESS has 550 pages in it and I have to say I was disappointed when I turned that last page! The published copy doesn't come out until February 2014 which means the last book in the series will not be published until 2015. That is a LONG time to wait for the ending of this wonderful series. If you haven't picked up The Lunar Chronicles yet I would say they are a MUST READ. Here are my reviews of CINDER and SCARLET.

Sneak by Evan Angler

It has been a month since Logan has escaped his marking. DOME has been clearing out all of the Markless in an attempt to find Logan. He's managed to stay one step ahead of them so far. Logan is making his way to Beacon where he hopes to find Acheron, a prison that may not exist, and to find his sister who may not even be alive.

Mr. Arbitor is being demoted because of the antics of his daughter Erin. Breaking into DOME, stealing equipment and maybe helping a Markless escape causes Mr. Arbitor's boss to send him back to Beacon. Exactly what Erin wanted to happen. Reunited with her mom, Erin was hoping that they could be a family once again. Also realizing that she can once again help Logan, Erin sets out to find him and Acheron in Beacon.

Using an Underground Network to help get them to Beacon, The Dust also make their way there to help Logan. Finding Acheron is not an easy task and breaking someone out of it could prove even more difficult.

One of the complaints I had about SWIPE(the first book in the series) was that we didn't really get the background of how this dystopian world came about. In SNEAK there is a note from the author filling in some background which was very helpful. While the SWIPE series is marketed as a Christian series I found very little evidence of that in either book. Logan does get his hands on a Bible in SNEAK, but really there is very little said about it. I think that the series becomes more "preachy" about the government role in our lives rather than a religious role. That is very understandable considering that the series takes place in an apocalyptic world that has become "all inclusive." Which really means that the government wants total control.  I really enjoyed SNEAK, and look forward to the next installment of the SWIPE series.

A Duke's Promise by Jamie Carie

Alexandria and Gabriel are now married. Facing her wedding night with trepidation Alexandria still does not know if she was violated by John, her former fiancé.  Not a good way to start a marriage.

Gabriel has made Alexandria a promise to help her find her parents. The Featherstone’s are treasure hunters and have been missing for over a year now. With many people wanting what the Featherstone’s are seeking, life is very dangerous for Alexandria. 

Gabriel is still afflicted with his hearing problem. He seems to lose it when he is seasick or at high altitudes, which doesn’t help him when he and Alexandria hire an aeronaut to take them in her hot air balloon to Italy. His hearing is also exacerbated by the floating colors he sees. 

An evil Duke has taken the Featherstone’s captive. He has threatened to abuse Alexandria if they do not hand over the manuscript that they have been seeking. The manuscript supposedly contains the plans for a weapon that could be devastating for the countries that do not have it. Will Alex and Gabriel be able to find the Featherstone’s before this manuscript gets into the wrong hands?

I have to say I was disappointed in this last installment of The Forgotten Castles trilogy. The beginning scene of Gabriel and Alexandria’s wedding night was on the border of too much. Really the scene needed to stop at the bedroom door. I did enjoy all of the action that took place. The romance between Gabriel and Alexandria was special, but again the borderline sex scenes were a bit uncomfortable. I also had a problem with Gabriel’s seeing colors. It sounded too much of aura’s and the whole “new age” way of thinking. The ending with the big reveal of what the great weapon was not very satisfying and a bit over the top as far as the spiritual realm goes.  I would have liked it better if the author had concentrated more on Alexandria’s relationship with her parents. There needed to be more resolution in that relationship. So yes, there was excitement in the story that keeps a person on the edge of their seat, but there were also scenes that I thought the author took too far. 

The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund

Priscilla White knows that she is called to be a missionary. After all, she knows she will never marry because of the heart-breaking secret she carries with her each day.

Dr. Eli Ernest has a dream to become a missionary in Oregon country. He too carries scars from his past. He also knows that the mission field is no place for a woman.

Unfortunately for both Eli and Priscilla the mission board is no longer sending out single people. They wish for only married couples to go into the field. With no other choice before them Eli and Priscilla enter into a marriage of convenience.

Eli resents having to take a woman across the hard trails to Oregon country. Priscilla is determined to show him that she is strong enough to make the journey. Neither one of them counted on the awkwardness that would occur when they met up with the other young couple traveling with them. Henry, a young preacher, and his wife Mabel have agreed to travel with Eli and Priscilla to Oregon country to start a new mission. Henry though is a former suitor of Priscilla's. She had told him that she would never marry, now she shows up married to another man.

The journey is filled with frustration for Eli, hardships for the entire party and near disaster at every corner. Will their determination to serve their Savior carry them through the many miles and hardships of travel? And what about Eli and Priscilla's agreement of a marriage of convenience? Will they be able to deny the attraction they feel for each other?

This is the second book I have read by Jody Hedlund and I must say that she is not afraid to delve into the cost of following Christ. Eli and Priscilla leave all that they know in order to bring the gospel to the lost Indian tribes in the Oregon country. They suffer hardships, illness, exhaustion and frustration(and fleas) at every turn and they still press on to serve Him. Ms. Hedlund is not afraid to show the weaknesses of her characters, their human-ness helps us to relate. If you are a Historical Fiction fan this book is for you!

Pirate Of My Heart by Jamie Carie

When Lady Kendra's father dies she is left in the care of her scheming Uncle. He insists that she marry the man of his choosing or go to America to live with an Aunt and Uncle that she has never met. Choosing what she hopes is the lesser of two evils Kendra boards the Angelina to set sail for America.

Captain Dorian Colburn is not very happy about taking on a passenger. He is even less happy when he finds that his new passenger is a woman. From the moment Kendra and Dorian meet sparks fly. He is determined to never let another woman into his heart. But there is something about Kendra that touches his very soul. 

When Kendra reaches her Aunt and Uncle she is surprised to see how low they have become since settling in America. From being nobility in England to poor farmers in America, all because of her Uncle's penchant for gambling everything away.

From the moment Kendra arrives this Uncle too plots to marry her off to a scoundrel. What he doesn't count on is the interference of Dorian and his family who live close by.

Pirate Of My Heart is an exciting romance filled with romantic tension and suspense. Also, who can resist the amazing cover of the book? I would have picked it up just for that, but thanks to B&H Publishers I received my copy free. It is well worth the read!

Skeleton Creek: The Raven by Patrick Carman

Still trying to uncover the secret of the Crossbones Sarah and Ryan embark on another leg of the mystery. This time Sarah is heading back home from LA. On the way she will make several side trips looking for clues that The Apostle has left in various places.

Ryan is at home in Skeleton Creek fending off reporters trying to interview him about the discovery of the lost Thomas Jefferson books. The mayor of Skeleton Creek is encouraging him to answer as many questions as possible in order to keep Skeleton Creek in the news and on the map.

Between working in his fathers fishing store and returning reporters calls Ryan is unravelling the map that the Ghost of Old Joe Bush had given him. Between he and Sarah they unravel a mystery about Edgar Allen Poe that the Crossbones have been protecting for years. As things unfold the torch is passed to a new generation of Crossbones protectors.

I have enjoyed every book in the Skeleton Creek series. They are great mysteries and the video's that go along throughout the story help maintain the suspense of the mystery.

The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead

When Kit is late for a date with his girlfriend he takes what he thinks is a shortcut through an alley. He ends up in another time and place. He meets his great-grandfather Cosimo there. Cosimo entreats Kit to come with him and help him find the Skin Map. A map that is tattooed on a man's chest that shows travellers how to get from one time period to another.

Kit refuses to help Cosimo. He leaves the time he is in and goes back to London to meet with his girlfriend. When he tries to explain to Wilhelmina why he is late she refuses to believe him. Bent on showing Mina that all he has told her is true, Kit takes her to the place that he entered another time before. They are separated while making the "leap". Kit to his great-grandfather's and Mina to 1600's Prague.

Mina joins forces with  Etzel on his journey to Prague to open a bakery. Their business is lagging until Mina introduces coffee to the citizens of Prague. Her and Etzel open the first coffeehouse to huge success. When Mina meets a fellow traveller from another time period she is shrewd enough to learn all that he is up to.

Kit and Cosimo and Sir Henry are all trying to find not only the Skin Map, but also trying to find what time period Mina jumped to. Time is running short as they are constantly followed by Burley Men bent on following them to find the map and use it for their own nefarious schemes. Will Kit and Company be able to find the map before it is too late?

I have mixed feelings about this book. It drug in parts. I was most captivated with Mina's experience and wanted to flip the pages faster to get to her part more quickly. The ending was very disappointing in that I felt like I was right in the middle of some serious action and turned the page and it was over. I know that there is another book in the series that is coming out in September, but still felt a bit ripped off. Also, I received this book from BookSneeze. I thought that they were a Christian book distributor, but this book had little or no Spiritual content.  I honestly do not know that I would pick up the second book.

Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry

For 7 months Tom has been training Benny, Lilah, Nix, and Chong how to survive in the Rot & Ruin. Preparing them for their trek east in search of the jet they all saw fly over them months before. Nix cannot wait to leave all of her memories behind. Lilah cannot wait to feel freedom outside of the fences. Chong is only going for an overnight camping trip to further his training and of course to be with Lilah for a little while longer.

Once in the Rot & Ruin though things do not go the way they planned. Things seem to be happening in the Ruin that indicate that Gameland is once again up and running. While checking out a dead body they encounter Preacher Jack. A man whose title doesn't match his evil countenance.

When they all become separated things go from bad to worse. Not only struggling against the living dead, they are also having to contend with an evilness in humans that they never thought possible.

Once again Jonathan Mayberry has kept me on the edge of my seat! There were times in the story that I would get so stressed out that I had to set the book down for a while! This is an ARC copy that I received at TXLA in April. Jonathan Mayberry was kind enough to autograph it for me. It comes out in stores in August of 2011. I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz

In this final installment of the Alex Rider series the action does not disappoint.

Alex has never wanted to work for MI6. It seems that every time they ask him for help he is forced unwillingly into situations that any normal 15-year-old boy would be unable to get out of. After his last mission his caretaker Jack put her foot down and said NO MORE to MI6. Alex hasn't heard from them in months and is finally feeling like he will be able to lead a normal teenage boy life.

Alan Blunt, Head of Operations for MI6, is being forced into retirement. The likely person to take over will be Mrs. Jones. It appears that they will be forced to use Alex Rider once again to infiltrate into a private school in Cairo. What they don't know is that Scorpia is orchestrating behind the scenes and that MI6 is playing right into their hands.

Scorpia has devised a plan to not only discredit MI6 but to finally get rid of Alex for good. Their plans have been thwarted by Alex before. When all of the dust settles will Alex come through intact or will the events that happen leave Alex broken and unable to pick up the pieces?

The book is broken into two parts. The first part is Scorpia and the second part is Alex. I actually thought the first part was a bit slow. Thankfully it isn't very long and the action does pick up. I didn't want to put the book down! I'm sad that this is the last Alex Rider book. I could see Anthony Horowitz picking it up again when Alex is an adult which would be totally cool! I wanted to cry when one of my favorite characters was killed...I'm still pretty bitter about it! All in all this was a great ending to a great series, thank you Mr. Horowitz for keeping me entertained!

Under The Green Hill by Laura L. Sullivan

The Morgan children, Rowan, Meg, Priscilla(Silly for short), and James are sent to live with relatives in England to escape the fever in the States. They are looking forward to exploring the house with many rooms and the countryside around them.

What they discover is a land of fairies. Shortly after arriving they find themselves in the midst of preparations for the fairy war. Every 7th year the Midsummer War takes place. The Seelie Court and the Host meet under the Green Hill to do battle. They choose one human from each side to fight to the death. The fairy queen is so beautiful that she has put a spell on Rowan who pledges to fight for her.

Meg is distraught and determined to find a way to save her brother from fighting in the war. What will be the outcome of this most interesting Midsummer War?

I enjoyed this story very much! It was entertaining and exciting to read. Meg's desire to save her brother at any cost was heart-warming. The writing was descriptive and beautiful. And I loved the cover!!

The New World by Patrick Ness(Kindle)

Way too short! But I enjoyed it. You can read this prequel in about 30 minutes or less. It helped to read this in order to understand where Viola came from and why. It doesn't really have to be read before The Knife of Never Letting Go to understand that book though.

Erratum by Walter Sorrells

Erratum=an error in writing or printing.

Jessica has always felt like she doesn't belong. Her family feel the same way about her, but they accept her because they love her. Dale is her best friend because he too is  a misfit. He lives in a very poor part of town. He has 8 brothers and sisters and his parents have been beaten down by life. His father lost his hand at the sausage making plant in town and has been sitting in front of the TV doing nothing but drinking for years. His mom is bitter and old-looking. Dale doesn't spend much time at home. He has dreams of what he would love for his family to be like. His father throwing the football out  in the yard with him, and his mother baking cookies in the kitchen and caring for the family. Dreams that seem almost like reality.

When Jessica stops into an old bookstore that she has never seen before things are about to change. She finds a book in the store that has her name on it. The title is "Her Lif". As she starts to read she realizes that the book is the story of her life. When she reads that the owner of the store is about to kill her she barely manages to escape before it actually happens. From there things start getting weird. Her and Dale go to the local library where they manage to lose the book. While trying to find it they meet different people along the way and find that there are alternate universes and that it is up to Jessica to save this universe. The question is what reality is the "real" one?

Things start changing as a black hole opens up and starts deleting the town. It is imperative that Jessica find the book and set things right before the universe they know is obsolete. Dale is helping her until he finds his perfect family. Then he doesn't want things to change. It is just like he always dreamed. His father smiling and playing with him in the yard. His mother making fresh cookies in the kitchen and caring for her family. He starts to forget what his "old" life was and fits right in with his new. In the meantime Jessica finds that her family is not the same either. What she finds she does not like.

Once Jessica finds the book she has a decision to make. Will she keep what she knows is not real with a chance that the universe could be gone in an hour or a thousand years, or will she choose the reality that she does not like in order to preserve the universe the way that it should be?

I liked this story, but had a hard time following some of the science stuff in it. It was humorous and pretty fast-paced.

The Knife Of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness(Kindle)

Imagine that you can hear what every person and creature around you is thinking. This is what Todd and the men of his village have to deal with every day. They call it Noise. It is constantly buzzing in Todd's mind. The random thoughts of men, their evil thoughts, their desires, all out there for everyone to hear.

One day while in the swamp with his dog Manchee Todd senses another person there. He can't hear their noise though. It freaks him out. When he tells his caretakers Ben and Cillian they panic and pack him up to send him away. The town hear though and come to get Todd and the person that they can't hear the noise from. While escaping Todd runs into that person~a girl. She won't speak to him. Todd has to rescue her from Aaron the "preacher" from the town. Aaron tries to stop Todd and the girl from escaping. While struggling he falls into the swamp and is attacked by crocodile's. Thinking this is the end of Aaron, Todd and the girl take off for the next settlement.

After days of travel the girl finally is able to talk. Viola and her family crash landed in their space ship. Her parents died. They were a scouting trip to this new world. Viola is trying to get to a place where she can notify the rest of her people coming to settle on the new world. Once they reach the first settlement they find that an army is chasing them. This starts a race of survival hoping to reach the biggest settlement of all before the army catches up with them.

The Knife of Never Letting Go kept me on the edge of my seat! I kept hoping for Todd and Viola to win. I fell in love with Todd's dog Manchee. I wanted everything to end well...It didn't. I now have to get The Ask and the Answer that hopefully picks up where The Knife of Never Letting Go ended. A couple of things that I didn't like were the language and the constant one-thing-after-another that kept happening. It got old after a while. I will have to take a break before I start the next one because I need something a little lighter.

No Safe Haven by Kimberley Woodhouse and Kayla R. Woodhouse

Andie and her mother Jenna are flying in their plane home to Alaska. They are giving a ride to a man named Cole. When they see Hank their pilot and Cole struggling together they are confused and scared. Hank has sabotaged their plane and set them on a crash course for one of the highest peaks in Alaska.

After the crash Andie awakes first and realizes that she must help her mother and Cole stay warm in the freezing elements. Also she must take care of her own needs as she has a rare disorder that causes her to feel no pain and her body to be unable to maintain a proper temperature.

Jenna suffers a severe cut on her leg and has lost a lot of blood. When she comes to her first thoughts are for her daughter. Since the death of her husband she has been the sole caregiver for her daughter. She is very leery of Cole and his desire to get them away from the crash site. She also is struggling to understand why Hank who has been their friend for years would sabotage the plane.

Cole had made a promise to Jenna's husband before he died. He promised to take care of his family. He intends to do that no matter what. Battling his own demons of losing his wife and daughter he is determined to never let his heart care again. What he didn't count on was spunky Andie.

In an effort to escape other bad men that are after a secret that Jenna's husband never talked about to her, the 3 start hiking higher up the mountain. Their hope is that the bad men will think that they died in the crash. While spending harrowing days battling the elements Jenna's leg becomes steadily more infected. Andie's disorder proves challenging and Cole is in constant battle within himself about his softening heart towards "his girls". Andie gets under his skin with her straight-forward talk of God's love and forgiveness.

Danger is still just around the corner once they are rescued. Jenna is devastated when she learns about her husband's part in why they are in danger. Andie is disillusioned about her "hero dad." Both must learn to give their fears to the Lord and trust Him. Cole needs to learn that he is not in control of all situations and he must put his faith in God.

This was a fast-paced, heart-stopping mystery that I really enjoyed. You get the feel for each character as the story is told from Cole, Jenna and Andie's points of view.

Travels With Gannon and Wyatt by Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemstreet

Travels With Gannon and Wyatt is written in journal form. Gannon and Wyatt are brothers that love to travel and have adventures. My understanding is that this is going to be a series. In this installment the boys went to Botswana.

While tracking a lioness that has been injured by a poacher the boys encounter many adventures in the Okavango Delta of Botswana. They have to continue on foot when their jeep is stuck in water. They encounter elephants, buffalo, lions, snakes and a poacher. They also have to deal with a scary illness that Wyatt comes down with.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to other installments. The journal entries trade off between the two boys. You get different perspectives of each encounter and experience. The book came with a cd that I haven't had a chance to watch yet.

The cd was very informative to watch. You get to see and hear Wyatt and Gannon speaking about their trip to Botswana. There is also video of some of the wildlife that they filmed while they were there.

Snow Angel A Novel by Jamie Carie

Elizabeth's birth mother was forced to give her up to an orphanage when Elizabeth was two. For almost 20 years her mother has been searching for her.

Elizabeth has gold fever. She is on her way to the Yukon to find her fortune. She is also running from a man who has already harmed her. In search of a man she was told would be a good guide Elizabeth gets lost in a snowstorm. She stumbles onto Noah's doorstep and by some miracle he is able to breathe life back into her.

Being chased by her past Elizabeth is forced to run away from the man that she loves. Noah is not about to let her go so easily so he follows her to the Yukon. The only problem is that he is not the only man following Elizabeth.

With much heart-stopping adventures and dangers Jamie Carie has woven a very captivating novel. I enjoyed this novel very much and find that it is very appropriate for Young Adults as well as Adult readers.