A. Renee Hunt's Blog, page 85

The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck

     The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck is a culmination of three stories.  You have what is talking place in the preset for Taylor; a girl living in a marriage that's lost it's flair.  There's Collette; a retired actress who spent decades as a monarch and loving mother and wife, but has none of it off-screen.  Then there's Jimmy, the retired football hall-of-fame coach, who's trying to find the meaning in a small, wedding chapel back in Heart's Bend, Tennessee.  

     They all come together in a manner of ways- each with a meaning but unsure of any purpose.  It takes a photography assignment to bring things to a head and it's a heart-warming story that goes back and forth through years and years for an explanation.

     Which is why I kept finding myself excited and bored at the same time with this story.  I wanted to love it so much, but the very beginning of the story brought me to napping.  Once we got the story going and was introduced to Taylor and Jack.  Their story is entrancing and it was easy to like them but for me, the constant falling back in time wasn't.  I also loved Collette and her twinge of selfishness.

     Because this book is Christian-based, you have to realize what sin has done to these people.  It's a beautiful story and how it all comes together is... heart-warming and beautiful!  Yeah, I said it!  

     Since I'm a book cover junkie, I also have to say the cover is enchanting.  It's soft yet mesmerizing; welcoming yet private.  It's not one of those that screams at you, but draws you in.  Enjoy this read.  ​

The Undead: Deleted Scene by R. R. Haywood (audiobook)

                                                                    *Audiobook Review     

How did I luck out and get two British narrator's in audiobooks? !  I haven't a clue but I loved it!  This story was pretty good and I hung on to every word.  The Undead Deleted Scene by R. R. Haywood is about a virus-ridden London.  The world is filled with zombies and a band of youths are running for their lives.

​      This story isn't all that different from the thousands upon thousands of other zombie tales, but it's an exciting piece.  With he narration of Dan Morgan, the story gives a first person account of Howie, the leader of the survivors.  

     The Undead is about survival, nothing more.  It's full of action and suspense, but it's just a blip into the full story.  If you visit Haywood's website, you'll find chapter after chapter, from the very beginning of this tale.  

     I think this is a cool story and nicely written, but this excerpt doesn't give you the whole story.  To truly appreciate this, go to the website and check it out.  You'll enjoy it!  Off to another audiobook! ​

The Time Being by Antonia Honeywell

The Time Being by Antonia Honeywell is a short story.
    
     Here's a dystopian tale, set in the UK.  It's about a world where food and other necessities are delivered into the center of town- and you can't have any unless you have a card.  You can't go anyplace without this card because the world is under a type of martial law.

     This card could also grants little girl, 12-years old Lalla, access to Regent's Park- a place wheel children play in playgrounds in London, music and food a plenty.  But her parents tell her it's not real.  The place shown on the large screens, supplied by the military, is not real.  But she doesn't believe.

     This broken society is nothing like the London we know of.  The world is cruel and Lalla's parents want her to be satisfied with her like right now.  To be satisfied with her life for the time being.  To trust her parents and what they say and to never run away again.  

     First, I love anything UK, so when I spotted particular landmarks on the cover, I wanted the story.  I love the female's accent and she cooed me into a story that was very interesting.  And then it ended.  I wanted more, but of course, it's a short story.  I liked it but it was over way too soon.  ​

The Krampus Chronicles: The Three Sisters by Sonia Haibach

     It bothers me when a book is given a title but the story doesn't quite match up.  It really does!  

     Now don't get me wrong, Sonia Halbach's The Krampus Chronicles: The Three Sisters does talk about three sisters as a pivotal piece to the tale, but there's hardly anything to do with Krampus at all!  I enjoyed the story but felt robbed.  Though in the book's defense, Krampus does lead the ending towards the second book, but guess what?  I ain't buying it!  YES, I said, Aint!

     The story is about two families, a debate, a Christmas story and the secret land of Poppel.  No vicious attacks, no mysterious bells/chains ringing and definitely no spankings of birch branches- though it was mentioned near the end.  

     Credit for 'Twas the Night Before Christmas has been stolen and a young man by the name of Henry Livingston, from Poughkeepsie has come to declare an accusation, which is what starts the story.  Everything before that was needed, I guess, but boring.  Then later a small, complete stranger is spotted diving into the fireplace of Chelsea manor, which takes main character #1: Maggie and character #2: Henry on the adventure!

     I have to admit, I was both dulled and sharpened by this  .story.  Sometimes there's just too much talking going on, you know?  It's a fun story, once they get going, with very little dryness, but the cover shows two faces that are only mentioned, perchance in the entire book! There are 238 pages in this book.  Krampus is mentioned or appears in this book on less than... maybe 5 pages!  And the Sisters are mentioned all over the place, but they're dead... and before you ask, "No, they're not ghosts!"  I was quite disillusioned.  And it wasn't enough for me to look forward to any other book.  

     Don't misunderstand, it was a nice story.  She took her time, wrote well and left nothing to chance... except the sisters and Krampus.  Ha!  On to the next book! ​

Affairy Tale by C. J. English

     Whenever I get a book, I usually look up the author on a few sites and see what other's have said, so I can have an idea of what to expect.  I found nothing but good things on C. J. English, the author of Affairy Tale. 

​     So I checked out Youtube, where the book trailer was posted and loved it.  Then I opened the book and found scripture from Leviticus 20.  It gave me goosebumps- I don't know why!  I guess the severity of the book's situation and the fact that this book is a memoir just blew me away!  I was geared up for a good read.  I was not disappointed.

     C. J. is in search of an adventurous love.  A love that keeps her panting at night and grinning like the Cheshire Cat during the day.  She knows that's exactly what she'd have in Grant, but she marries Levi... because it's the right thing to do for her daughter's life and healthy upbringing.  

     Against everything in her being, she marries the father of her child.  And regrets it.  She dreams of the man she wants but subsists with debilitating regret with the one who was the prudent
choice.  They argue, fuss, fight and humiliate each other before family and friends.  It's difficult but so worth the time she steals with Grant.  And it changes everything!

     This book made me see so much about myself.  I easily saw me in C.J.'s shoes.  The story is well written because it's so real!  I felt so bad for C.J. even though she made the choice to marry Levi- causing the entire situation, but I can't say much more than that because I believe in NO SPOILERS!  

     What I will say is that if you love memoirs and a steamy love affair that didn't go anywhere near as far as I thought it would have,   I admire a story like that.  This is an pleasant, exciting and riveting read.  I will tell you,
if you want a nice read that gives you an ending that's totally sweet and worth the wait, read Affairytale.  It's not your usual tale of romance.  Not at all! 
Off to my next book!  

Blood Memory: Season Two, Vol. 1-4

     Many of us already know how we'd react if the zombie apocalypse struck, but what would you do if the zombies that came for you didn't eat you?  What if all they were instructed to do was bite you, so you'd be infected and added to the horde?  Uh, if you caught on to my wording, you'd have noticed, I said instructed.  Yup, these Z's are mind controlled!  

     Perrin Briar, the author of Swiss Family RobinZOM and other stories has brought readers, Blood Memory,  In this 4-book season, a handful of people are floating aboard the Hope Tomorrow, a sailboat.  They're doing their best to avoid the coastlines, since they're covered in zombies but visit land whenever they need supplies.  

     When they come across a body floating in the water, they hoist it in, checking if he's alive, because they're do-gooders in the land of dead things.  And guess what?  He is!  And  he's got amnesia!  Though he can't remember much, he is an asset to the crew, in fighting skills and bravery.  Sadly that's not all he's got.

     Though the crew have the Suez Canal at their bow, their stern's being followed by a madman.  A man who can control zombies and able to telekinetically battle with people called Overlords, like himself.  And he knows the amnesiac onboard the Hope Tomorrow.  And he wants revenge!      I think these are the first books by Mr. Briar that I'm not crazy about.  Okay, let's get it out there that I have not read the first season at all.  I must not have been with him when Season One was published, so I have to go back and read them.  They may explain why some odd things are happening, but that's not why I was a bit disappointed.

​     First off, it's the zombie apocalypse.  I don't care if they're being controlled or not- you help when it doesn't put your crew in danger.  There's no saving villages and such when you're about as close to death as the reapers is to his scythe!  Anne, was a pain in the butt and I'm sorry, I'd have booted her from crew a long time ago.  She even got Jessie, a young girl, to do the same thing!  And in Book 3- she burned down a village to warn them of the on-comong horde of zombies?  What the wha?  And then had the nerve to feel bad because she stabbed a man.  How can one man irk your senses of guilt but burning down everyone's homes (and the people) doesn't even itch?  

​     Anyway, things like that happen throughout the series.  If it happens in the first season, I don't know if I can read them.  I was annoyed so much by the things these people did- it just didn't make sense to me.  I loved all of the other Perrin Briar books, but this one was just too much to take,  I read them all, but found myself at the ends of 3 & 4, sorta thumbing through because I was so irritated.

     I'm going to go back, should I finish the month's reading #TBR early enough.  I'll read season one and pray for some explanations as to why things are happening the way they are, because that's the interesting part of the story.  The best part about Zompocs is that they can go any way the writer chooses.  Weird stuff can happen all they want, but they must make some sort of sense.  Have you ever read Friend Green Zombies?  
On to another book! 

A Shenandoah Family Christmas by Lisa Belcastro

     Shenandoah Family Christmas by Lisa Belcastro is from a novella series.  I was given this book with no knowledge of it belonging to a series, so I was unaware of the situation.  It felt off at first, but I can adapt, adjust and move on like any Reading Soldier!

     This story is about a few people in the 1600-1700's.  A set of sisters, Rebecca and Melissa, have evidently walked into a time portal and found themselves here.  They've met men, explained their pasts- er, futures and chose to stay behind.  Rebecca has a daughter, Felicity who's caught smallpox, a deadly virus that turned plague in those days.  Her husband is also ill.  So Melissa's family and a few others set out to find cures.

​     Shenandoah Family Christmas was lovely.  The base message was to lean on God, no matter what is going wrong, or right in life.  Find appreciation for the good that's been given, and leave the rest for God to fix.  The theme was very strong and sure to make those who love The Lord proud, but for those who are offended by any form of faith or religion, they'd be put off by it.  For me, it was perfectly fine but I didn't like a few things.

     One, I like the cover.  I understand the red mittens and the ship is nice, set against a stormy sky.  I would have loved more details on the ship, but that's neither here nor there.  I also loved the story itself.  It's a sweet story, and I guess back in those days, constant praying was THE thing, especially during a crisis.  Sadly, they prayed way too much for my dose of fiction.  For me, the best parts were of Jonah, and his 'white lie' to stay with the one who stole his heart!  

     All in all, the story was nice and I was happy it was a novella.  I don't know if I could have handled a full novel like this.  I'm off to the next read!  ​

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

     You know it's a serious book when it starts off asking if: Today is a good day to die?

     All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is about Finch and Violet, two people who started off, to me, as two losers!  One constantly contemplated killing himself and the other just wished she was dead.  They were contemptuous and so heavy on life, it was almost depressing... but not for long.

     If I really wanted to, I know I could have contacted Ms. Niven and asked about Finch and Violent and their relationship, but the best part of a book is being able to come to my own conclusion.  Yes, it's about depression, dealing with the loss of a loved one and suicidal tendencies.  It's also about being a teenager, not knowing what's ahead and how to deal with what life gives you.  Or not.

     Before purchasing All The Bright Places, I read what others thought of the tale.  They were so busy commenting on mental issues, they lost sight of the story.  Yeah, Finch attempted to recreate himself numerous times but who didn't as a teen?!  I still go out and about from time to time and use a British accent while shopping for the heck of it!  I don't suffer multiple personalities!  None I'm aware of anyway.  The thing is, it was just how I dealt with not being/having what wanted to be/have.  Violet suffered Survivor's Guilt and she ended up re-evaluating her entire life; I understood that too.  Every person on this planet has some form of guilt.  It's life.

     What I didn't understand were some of the conversations that took place!  As with many YA movies, I couldn't relate to them.  When I was younger (OMGosh- did I just say that?), I pondered my life but I didn't sit and carry anapestic conversations on Virginia Wolf and the Brontë girls.  Many of my friends didn't even know who they were!  All the teens in this book were normal, except for pieces of our protagonists.  Yet even with the weird conversations, this book was lovable.  It was pleasant and allowed serious issues, such as college, what the future holds and things like the value/purpose of life and what's to come.  Depression, cyber-bullying, physical bullying, divorce, suicidal daydreams and so much more are also there but it's not solely about that!  Not to me.  

     It's about teenagers: broken, confused and lost. This book was about two lost souls that came together, embraced their difficulties and functioned as if they'd never met atop a six-story ledge contemplating a leap!  I know Finch suffered, but I also believe had he stronger, caring parents, his fictional world would have been so much easier.  Maybe.  I think he'd have received the necessary assistance to continue inspiring and maybe even thrived himself.  Instead, they let him fall.  I didn't like that.

     I enjoyed it; written as fluid as liquid, teenaged poetry: bumbly, misunderstood and true to life. I dislike quitters though, and that's where the book upset me.  I may never read the book again but there are so many beautiful lines to quote- and not from Wolf or the Brontë's.  But sadly, I was not happy with the ending.  This book teaches small lessons, but ultimately, it says quitting can be a beautiful thing (the conclusion I came up with), and that simply isn't true.  As a reader, I was left numb and disappointed.  

     Niven's a creative author and I felt more from her words than I have from any other YA novel.  She did her job well, but the brightness was clouded over.  I found myself both happy, then ultimately sullen  in All The Bright Places.
Emotionally off to another book! 

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holberg

     Charlie N. Holmberg is the author of this lovely book.  The Paper magician attracted me so, with it's fusion of My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins, with just a teaspoon of Harry Potter!  Sadly, the pages within are not as classy or as enchanting.

      A young, obstinate apprentice of paper magic sets herself onto a quest to save her master, Magician Thane from death.  He was attacked by a women, his heart stolen before his apprentice's eyes!  So young Ceony sets out to save him and stop the evil woman who used blood magic called Excision.  Deadly...

     Don't get me wrong, the story was entertaining.  I loved envisioning the origami birds and I especially love Fennel- the paper pooch, but it wasn't enough.  The story was boring, the characters were one-dimensional, and it all felt forcefully fast.  The admiration that developed between the two was barely there- for her to run off that way, to exact her revenge was off to me.  And let's not forget, Lira was one of the most powerful magicians ever.  Crony managed to accomplish what the council hadn't even started to investigate, concerning Mg. (short for magician) Thane's attack!  A green-horn, barely experienced took off and took on a blood magician.      The book started off great, but it lost me during the heart hunt- no details without spoiling things.  Sorry.  The thing is, The Paper Magician  was too slow for me.  I really didn't care.  It's as if Holmberg wanted to get so much in, she sorta ruined it.  Even the climactic battle was dull, but I can say, the ending was sweet.  I'd considered buying the other two books- just because I'm a person who enjoys a good series, but I don't know now.  I'll have to sit on that one a while.  Anyway, it's interesting but just okay.  I don't know about the follow-up books now... Oh!  Did I forget to say, Fennel was adorable?
     Off to a new book! Rating: 

When Santa Was A Baby by Linda Bailey & Genevieve Gadabout

     Now here's a book for children of all ages!  It's the story of Santa, from a normal point of view: parents had a kid an discover the child's personality as they grow up.  simple, right?  Not for these parents!

     From the very beginning, they know little Santa is different.  He's always happy, hates the cold, love to laugh in a particular fashion... 

     This book is so cute, I'm trying to decide if I'm going to give it to my Ewoks or not!  I initially bought it for them, but the bright colors, the Norman Rockwell-like illustrations; it's got everything I love in a children's book.  My babies are so lucky I love them so!

     Grab When Santa Was A Baby​ by Linda Baily and Genevieve Godbout.  You'll love it!