Year of Trial, Year of Grace: A Catholic’s Search for Faith, by Clayvon C. Harris, is a surprising and delightful book of devotions. It was written as a series of reflections for a weekly church bulletin, and evolved into an examination of Harris’ own faith....

Mantequero by Jenny Twist is a short story built upon an old Spanish superstition. Also known as Sacamantecas, Mantequero featured in a story parents told their children, to keep them from wandering too far from home. Not at all unlike probably every culture that has...

The place is the Nordic villages of Europe, the time is 1007, the early 11th century and Vikings are alive and well. Winter Solstice Winter follows two young women, both born on the same night, the eve of the winter solstice. One, Allia just a...

In The Ghostly Grammar Boy by Sandra Thompson, Fiona has to deal with her sister and her sister’s new boyfriend’s problems. It’s a typical teenager’s life, except for the fact that her sister and her boyfriend are both dead. When Fiona’s twin sister, Ella, died...

Little Witnesses by Alma J. Burkhart is about the stories of God for children. These stories are related to God, faith, and religion. They are put across in an endearing manner to instill faith in children. The uplifting stories make it easy to teach about...

In The Avalon Trilogy by Julie Elizabeth Powell, the reader begins the journey by following kids Davie, Ben, Anne, Chrissie, and Billy through a fantastic journey in a different world called Avalon - one of many different worlds. The time keeper turns up in the...

Gated II: Ravenhill Academy by Matt Drabble is another excellent novel by this exceptional author. It is not necessary to have read Gated prior to reading Gated II, but I strongly recommend that you do. Not only will it help familiarize you with the main...

Perhaps it all gets better the second time around, regardless of which century it happens. A Conall Christmas by Bethany Claire is not only a celebration of Christmas and new birth, but a celebration of new and unexpected love that finds two willing participants who...

Love Beyond Time (Morna's Legacy Series) Book 1 of Morna's Legacy is written by Bethany Claire. The multiple genre series gives readers a chance to explore time travel, historical Scotland, magic, as well as love and betrayal. A career oriented, non-social kindergarten teacher from Texas...

In Love Beyond Reason (Book 2 of Morna's Legacy Series) by Bethany Claire, kindergarten teacher Brielle Montgomery from Texas finds herself looking at a strange, very old portrait that looks remarkably similar to her own portrait. As she reads the description on the plaque, she...

Tom Ashdown owns a betting shop in Brighton. Tom is just a simple man living an uneventful life until he stumbles across an attempted kidnapping which he is able to foil. Tom thinks things are beginning to look up and maybe his life has changed...

As a HUGE steampunk fan, I was thrilled when I got a chance to read The Lotus Effect, the first book in the Rise of the Ardent series by Bridget Ladd. Lily Emmerson is the daughter of two of the most important leaders of her...

Words from the Sky: Dedicated Poems to each Heavenly Word by Rayan Abdul-Baki is a collection of spiritually uplifting poems that looks at life in a positive manner. The author speaks about life in general, dedicates poems to his mother, tsunami victims, victims of racism,...

The Spark by John Kenny is set in the aftermath of a fire which claimed the life of one firefighter and left another, Donny, in critical condition. Slightly over a year later, Donny returns to work, doing the same thing as before, putting out fires...

Shadowscape - The Stevie Vegas Chronicles is a young adult fantasy story written by Maryann Weston. Stevie is a 12-year-old skateboarding enthusiast who has a pretty decent life living with his younger brother Jem and his parents, who are both veterinarians. Underneath his normal exterior,...

After reading the Avalon Trilogy by Julie Elizabeth Powell, I saw 13 by the same author. I liked the author's style and thought I'd see what her style would be like in a different genre. In 13, thirteen different characters - all very shady, violent,...

Odin the Ferret by Kathryn V. White is a short story full of humour. So what is the worst that can happen to you while you try to sneak an unwanted pet into your mum's house? How about tripping on the doormat and breaking your...

Laurinda Elliot had everything figured out and organized in such a way as to have her new house built, her wedding to Dan and the beginning of her family on a perfect time table until her best friend, Leyla Jo Piper found a shard of...

Finn Colville survives the destruction of her home and family as a young girl of 12 and is forced by the religious rules of her planet to disguise herself as a man to survive. In New Sion by Diana Green, the human settlers on a...

Abby's move to the small town of Astley, following her marriage, is not what she had imagined for her life. A successful singer with a good job and a city girl at heart, it is a huge sacrifice to make for a husband who seems...