Book Review: Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes

Lucy Clairmont's family treasured the magic of the past, and her childhood fascination with stories of the high seas led her to become a marine archaeologist. But when tragedy strikes, it's Dashel, an American forensic astronomer, and his knowledge of the stars that may help her unearth the truth behind the puzzle she's discovered in her family home.

Two hundred years earlier, the seeds of love are sown between a boy and a girl who spend their days playing in a secret sea cave, while the privileged young son of the estate looks on, wishing to join. As the children grow and war leads to unthinkable heartbreak, a story of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption unfolds, held secret by the passage of time.

As Lucy and Dash journey to a mysterious old estate on the East Sussex coast, their search leads them to a community of souls and a long-hidden tale that may hold the answers—and the healing—they so desperately seek.

My rating:

*NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR ALERT*

After reading Bespoke for Christmas last year (you can find my review HERE) I was so excited to read another Amanda Dykes novel! Even in that lil' novella, I knew her stories had the potential to draw me in and never let go.

And I was right.

*happy sigh* The prose was . . . phenomenal. Seriously. Even during characters' banter and dialogue, the writing was flawless and beautiful. And that, of course, is a cinch to keep me reading. *grins*

Aaaaand then we've got the CHARACTERS. *clasps hands and nearly hyperventilates* Y'ALL THE CHARACTERS. I'm so, so, so in love with the characters. Lucy was actually a female protagonist that I loved. I couldn't relate to her circumstances, but I definitely could relate to her personality and insecurities. And DASHEL, MY GOOD MAN! #everyoneneedsadash

And there's Frederick . . . at first I wasn't thrilled with the way the book switched back and forth between the present and the past, but then I fell in love with Frederick's story. The traitor. Oh. my goodness. gracious. If anyone should be inspired by anyone's story, it should be Frederick's.

(really, the only complaint I have about this book is that the book is so whimsical, I kept forgetting that Lucy & Dash are in the present . . . I kept getting caught off-guard when they're checking their smartphones, haha!)

I loved reading about the historical mystery in the book—reading about Frederick and Juliette and Elias, and then about Lucy and Dash and Stone's Throw Farm, reading both the unfolding of the mystery and the individual lives of each. I looooved how every aspect of the book, whether it be about the mystery or simply something resolved in the characters' lives, unfolded and peeled back, each layer revealing something more heart-achingly beautiful than the one before it.

Was there romance in this book? Yes. Yes, there was. But I was so for it. For once, it made me grin so hard when I saw the couple(s) come together after all they'd been through. There were a couple of kisses, but they were barely described and ended quickly.

The world needs more stories about this—wholesome friendships, romances built on friendships rather than whirlwind attractions, characters that worked through their heartbreaks.

I. loved. this. book.

That is all.

(And I can't wait to read more by this author)

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Any fellow Dykes fans out there??

Book Review: Dead Silence by Robin Caroll

Political games can be deadly…

 

Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave. Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.

My rating:

This book was a super unique and cool twist on suspense—I mean, Elise has a deaf son, and is a lip reader and sign language-er (what's even the right term here? Maybe interpreter?) at the courthouse. Obviously, she sees something she wasn't supposed to, and now someone wants her silenced.

It was a good, suspenseful book, but...(there's always that one little word, isn't there?) I don't know. The writing seemed almost...amateurish?

Don't get me wrong, it was not at all like a middle-schooler had written it (nothing against middle schoolers, y'all, but your writing is supposed to mature with you). Usually the story hooked me. But then sometimes there were just those little words or phrases that completely took me out of the story.

The plot was engaging, and when I expected a romance to bloom, it didn't (the main reason for that being that one of the parties involved was married, though that fact wasn't brought out until over halfway through the book), so that was actually a pleasant surprise. The rookie agent, though? I felt like her character was...overplayed? I mean, her arrogance and condescending attitude made her character more real and diverse, I suppose, but I think it may have been a little bit over-the-top.

I appreciated Elise's gradual wading back into her faith and prayer life (and if that was a spoiler, please forgive me), but somehow it seemed...detached from the mystery. Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, seeing as how it was prayer that got her through it all, but...I don't know. I wasn't a huge fan of that.

Sawyer was super cute, though, and while he wasn't perfect, he wasn't a spoiled brat either, so that was utterly fabulous.

(And detective Rodriguez? Give the man a high five, for both his patience and his work!)

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. A positive review was not required. All thoughts are my own.

Don't you agree that we need more books with ASL interpreters?

The Mystery Blogger Award

I was nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award! (Super cool, am I right??) As with all tags, let's get to the rules first, and then the fun part. *rubs hands*

-Put the award logo/image on your blog(^^)
-Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog. (Thank you, Libby May!)
-Mention the creator of the award and provide a link. (Okoto Enigmas)
-Answer the 5 questions you were asked. 
-Tell your readers three things about yourself.
-Nominate 10-20 people.
-Notify your nominees by commenting on their blogs.
-Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice, with one weird or funny question.
-Share a link to your best post.

Okay, so now for the questions Libby gave me!

1. If a friend asked you for a verse of encouragement, which is the first one that comes to mind?

Psalm 46:10 - "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted in the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" This verse has been my motto for quite some time now. When I start to doubt, when I start to wonder if God's really doing what's best, He whispers this verse to my heart. It's as if he's saying, don't freak out—I've got this.

2. How do you keep your spirit up on a day to day basis?

Music! Music, music, music. I've got several playlists that I listen to depending on what mood I'm in, but especially my 'perspective' playlist—when I need shift my focus from me and what's around me back to the bigger picture, I'll listen to this.

3. Have you ever worked in retail? What was your worst part?
Heh, um, nope. Easy answer.

4. What is your favorite flower?
*grins* sunflowerrrrrrrs. But I also loooooove irises and hollyhocks and Shasta daisies and lilacs and wildflowers and....yeah. Pretty much all of 'em. Because I loooooove flowers. *beams*

5. Would you eat peanut butter off a spoon?
Um...yes? I mean, I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter, but I'm not totally opposed to it. Besides, I used to eat it off a spoon all the time when I was little, so it's not like it's anything new to me. *shrugs*


Okay, now for the three things about myself:
-I count everything. The silverware that I put away from the dishwasher, the amount of steps I take from one end of the house to another...our basement stairs (I still count them e v e r y time, even though I already know there's 13)...
-I greatly dislike wearing shoes & socks, especially in the spring/summer
-I can't wear my hair in a ponytail (unless it's super low) bc it's too long & thick & heavy and makes my scalp hurt

And now, my best post. I'll just go with what I personally believe was my best post...

I nominate:

Brooklyne @ Showers of Blessings
Ellen @ Ellen's Musings
Faith @ Stories by Firefly

Katja @ Little Blossoms for Jesus

Aaaaaand...um...sorry, but I'm drawing a blank here...

Your questions:

1. What songs have you been listening to on repeat lately?

2. What's a Bible verse you always turn to for encouragement?

3. If someone were to ask you for FIVE book recommendations ONLY, what would you tell them?

4. If you could pick any sport to be super good at, what would you pick?

5. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

This new Blogger is screwing with me...

Author Interview: Angela R. Watts

I have a special treat today: Angela Watts and I are interviewing each other on our blogs! I loooove Angela's books, and if you enjoy intense, God-glorifying books, you will, too.

So, on to the interview!

1. Welcome to the blog, Angela! Would you mind telling us a few things about yourself?

Hi, Kaitlyn! I'm Angela, a homeschool graduate who lives on a farm in good ol' Tennessee. I've been writing since I was super tiny and haven't looked back since. I adore animals (hence, farm life), art, and gardening. If I'm not doing one of those things, I'm probably tucked away in my room watching Vines.

2. What would you say is a recurring theme in all of your works?

Redemption. Every person is a liar. The Bible says so. Live a little and you'll see how bad people truly can be. With God, however, every one of us can be saved. We can choose repentance and live a life that honors God--even if it might not be what most Christians consider "Christ-honoring". 

3. Which of your books was the hardest to write? Why?

Seek was very difficult to write for me because of how therapeutic it was. My sole intents while writing that thriller were "God, help me heal" and "Use this novel to help others"... And He said yes to both of those prayers. Seek was hard because I was facing many demons and seeking God's Light no matter what got in my way. It paid off, of course. I've spoken with many readers who say Seek inspired them or helped them realize that they are not crazy when dealing with narcissistic people.

4. To which of your characters are you able to relate the most?

Gideon Hochberg. I can't really explain it besides I'm a very black and white person and he lives the life I sometimes wish I could live. On the flip side, I'm a lot like Rene' Fisher, as well, but that's probably a no brainer for you guys. Fiction needs more gals who aren't afraid to love a lot and cry, right?

5. What is your favorite part of the publishing process?

I adore the writing part. As far as the publishing part... I love sending my book to my formatter. I love seeing the cover grow in the hands of my cover designer. Those final big, fast steps that make me go "WOW, this is happening and I can breathe for .2 seconds before I start launch prep!"... If you get my drift, haha.

6. Any wise words of advice for aspiring authors?

Write and don't pay much heed to the voices, the mentors, the articles... Help is great. Learning about the craft is great. But God gave you a story. A voice. Don't let the rules or the other people drain you out. Write, first and foremost. The growing will come. You grow and become better as you write. You can't grow if you worry too much about opinions and rules.

7. And, last but definitely not least, what lessons do you want your readers to take with them after reading your books?

Hope. Each book has a different message I pray reaches people but in the end... I want to spread hope. Hope that the fight is worth it. Hope that God knows what He's doing. Hope that no one is too lost to be saved. This world is vast and dark... But there is hope in Jesus, always. 

Thank you so much for joining me, Angela! (And y'all, don't forget to visit Angela's Blog for her interview of me!)

Before you go, though—it's promo time! Not only is Ang the author of incredible books like Seek, The Divided Nation, and others, she's also an editor! Go check her out, y'all!

Angela is a fabulous human with a heart for God and others—so go follow her blog and read her books!