The Lost Boys of Barlow Theater by Jaime Jo Wright

The Lost Boys of Barlow Theater - Jamie Jo Wright - 4.5 Stars 

Wow, Jaime Jo does it AGAIN! This is a haunting and intricately woven novel that seamlessly combines elements of mystery and suspense. We have richly developed characters and a storyline that spans generations. This book is going to keep readers engaged from start to finish! 

Set in the eerie backdrop of the Barlow Theater, this story is told through dual timelines - one in present day and one in the early 1900s. In 1915, we see Greta Mercy, who is skeptical of the theater as her brother died there in an accident during its construction. When her younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta hopes the local police can help her solve this mystery of where he is. Plus, early on in the story, Greta caused quite the uproar when she says she saw a child fall from the theater balcony during one of the productions...yet no child was found. Was she seeing things or is there more to this theater than meets the eye?

Decades later during present day, we follow Kit Boyd, whose best friend Madison goes missing at the Theater when TV ghost-hunting host and skeptic, Evan Fisher, is there with their crew filming episodes of their TV show trying to catch secrets of the theater on film. Evan and Kit work together trying to piece together the puzzle and find Madison before it's too late. 

I am so glad I read this! It explored so much in both timelines and Jaime Jo always weaves the timelines and generational families together SO well! I can't say which timeline I liked better because I genuinely wanted to keep reading both! There were some parts that dragged a little for me but this is truly a 4.5 to 5 star read and I think if you are looking for a good, gothic fall read, this is for you! The content was not triggering for me in any way, the opening is a little unsettling with the thought of a possible child that fell from the balcony, but we soon question if that even truly happened or not. 

I loved Evan and Kit together most of all - he was just an awesome guy and I loved how he combated the "medium" or "psychic" in this story and explained how the supernatural world we "think" of today is most likely an illusion from the devil making us see what we think we want to see and how many of these things are things God doesn't want us even dabbling it - preach it Evan! The faith in this book is also weaved in very naturally and isn't preachy - it's beautiful to see how Evan reminds Kit that God hasn't abandoned her yet and he still won't. Jaime Jo may have had some details with psychics and mediums in here but she made sure to debunk what they were doing and point it back to God!

In conclusion, The Lost Boys of Barlow Theater will grip readers as an engaging and eerie fall read and I highly recommend! Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5882194710
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tqWLsJ
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/516373
Vlog and YouTube Review Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt-U-nf5HX8

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

  

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (Book 2 in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy)

“It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end… because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing… this shadow. Even darkness must pass.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

'Why, Sam,' he said, 'to hear you somehow makes me as merry as if the story was already written. But you've left out one of the chief characters: Samwise the stouthearted. "I want to hear more about Sam, dad. Why didn't they put in more of his talk, dad? That's what I like, it makes me laugh. And Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam, would he, dad?"'
'Now, Mr. Frodo,' said Sam, 'you shouldn't make fun. I was serious.'
'So was I,' said Frodo, 'and so I am.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

What can I even say? There is just something about Lord of the Rings that brings me comfort and pure happiness. I highly recommend the narration by Andy Serkis - top tier. He sounds just like every character from the movie so it makes it much more like listening to a movie from his voice. AMAZING. Maybe that is why I was so engaged. My favorite parts were with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, plus the chapter about Treebeard was AWESOME.

I like that we got to see the splits between what was going on with Merry and Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, plus other characters, and then cutting to Frodo and Sam at the end. 

This book exudes all things friendship, bravery, loyalty and strength. While there are some parts that may drag at times, I was still completely immersed while reading, well listening :) 

Sam has become one of my favorite characters after this book. I mean, he truly is the reason Frodo continues and as the quote says above, Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam. So much truth. We all need a Samwise Gamgee as a friend. Sam sees Gollum for what he has become and is capable of - and we almost see Gollum as an example of what Frodo could become should the ring corrupt him too. So Sam continues the quest, looking out for Frodo and keeping a careful watch on Gollum - for good reason - throughout their quest.

I also really enjoyed the parts of Faramir and their meet up with Sam and Frodo. Very interesting to see the conversations and to discuss Boromir's end. 

We also start to see Aragorn evolve as a character here and really become a leader. I can't wait to see more of him in Return of the King. 

ALSOOOO - Gimli and Legolas' Friendship Bond! MY FAV.

Overall, such a classic tale and I can't wait to continue in the next book. 

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1816023090
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZPqmbB

YouTube Review to come, but here is my vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0ApnuX2mAw&t

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt-U-nf5HX8

The Cider Shop Rules by Julie Anne Lindsey

 

Cider Shop Rules - Julie Anne Lindsey - 4 Stars - Book 3 in the Cider Shop Mystery Series

What a perfect fall read! All the fall vibes, atmosphere, activities - so much fun reading it! We are back in Blossom Valley with the upcoming Fall Festival. Everyone is looking forward to Jacob Potter's pumpkin farm with hay rides, pumpkin picking and corn maze fun. Things go south fast though when Mr. Potter is found dead in the back of Winnie's pickup truck. Sheriff Colton is back trying to protect Winnie and figure out who killed Mr. Potter - but then someone named Blake comes in and a little bit of a love triangle comes in the beginning of the story...Will they figure out the killer? Who will win Winnie's heart along the way?

This is the 3rd and final installment of the Cider Shop Mystery series and I am SO sad! I want more of these amazing characters and setting! It feels so southern and real and I just LOVE it. While nothing compares to the first book, this one was a solid 4 stars for me. I buddy read this with some amazing ladies and had the best time trying to figure out the mystery. My favorite part is of course Colton and Winnie and the fall elements. 

Overall, a good ending to the series but hope she will write more someday!

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5885216042
Entire Series on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Fbxk1e

YouTube Review to come, but here is my vlog on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0ApnuX2mAw&t=

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt-U-nf5HX8

You are More than You've Been Told by Hosanna Wong

 

You Are More Than You've Been Told - Hosanna Wong

I love Hosanna Wong’s spoken word poetry and got to see her perform it at a women’s conference in the past. This book was filled with the Gospel of Jesus and I got so much out of it. Some things were repeated several times but she really brings her points home. I love how she explains we have a new name in Christ with all the names He has given us. And we are NOT what others have defined us as. I also appreciated her discussions on the Sabbath and resting - and her story about her family and her past. 

This is all about how can we figure out who we are, how you don't have to live disconnected from yourself or from God. She gives us a roadmap to living and reconnecting with God. When you don't feel worth or loved or good enough....Hosanna's book truly reminds us of spending time in prayer, finding time to rest, finding time for real community, fighting for time in God's word...etc. 

No matter what stage you are in your faith walk, there is something for everyone in this book. She has such a beautiful way of explaining things in a very poetic way and I loved reading through this.

If you haven't been blessed to watch her spoken word poetry or her speak, please watch some of these videos: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A_uXO3CgwY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bgNDJ_SXWE

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5879870188

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RMB8NT

YouTube Review to come.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt-U-nf5HX8

DNF Review - On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni - DNF 33%

 

On Moonberry Lake - Holly Varni - A disappointment 

DNF 33%. This Christian Fiction book was one I was really anticipating for the Fall of 2023. The premise sounded like such a good story. I think the writing is good, the characters were making me laugh and I was loving the small town setting. She does a great job immersing you in this new town and describing it. Unfortunately, this is not for me and I am disappointed in the new age beliefs displayed. Based on what I read 33% in, I feel this book had a good opportunity to share the love of Christ - the true Gospel of Jesus - but instead, I found a girl who truly needed good, Godly friendships but she was becoming good friends with the wrong influence. Not to bash this author in any way, I am just very disappointed and surprised in the amount of new age statements shown for a Christian marketed book.

This book is about Cora, who has no family, her mother recently passed away and she has inherited her grandparents lodge and is trying to start new in this new area. She is getting to know people and we see how she truly needs a friend.

Where I have a problem with this -- we have the following:
- Page 1 mentions the main character being able to tell when someone was dying or pregnant and explains it as she has a premonition
- A character - Kitty - who talks to gravestones as if they're people and is described to be a bit witchy
- Another character - who is a bit of a hippie artsy character - who starts off saying she can make Cora some Jewish bread (or other cultural bread) and how the act of baking and creating bread can be meditative and it "centers your spirit at the present moment".
- The same character above talks about her being a hippie at heart and how they come to accept and love her and then they continue talking about "talking to people in the cemetery", how people who have died are still with us and make us better listeners.
- Our main character, Cora, makes a fool out of herself twice in front of someone and this friend says "Wow, the universe desperately wants you to cross paths with this person." Then Cora says how this person is a good influence on her and she is thankful for her new friend.

I stopped here.
I read many other reviews that say these types of things and honestly, this is just a missed opportunity to share the Gospel of Christ as I said. You have to be SO careful of your friend circle and who you are "very close" friends with. From what I read thus far, are we encouraging these types of influences? Yes, we need to minister to these friends but your close circle - should be considered very carefully and discernment should play a role in that.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts are my own.

YouTube Review Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrJBzCMbGUw&t=2s

The Fake Out by Sharon Peterson

 

The Fake Out - Sharon Peterson - 3.5 Stars - Many parts I enjoyed, but many parts not so much. Let's chat!

While there were SO much in this rom-com I really enjoyed, there are some parts that fell flat. The storyline itself - great and very layered. The characters have a depth to them that make them feel relatable - specifically our main girl of Mae. (See more thoughts on that below.) But many of the quick one-liner pick up lines bothered me from a sexual content and language perspective - this will be personal preference to each person, but it did impact my reading experience a bit. Many of them were funny - I will admit - but there were maybe between 5 and 10 that bothered me personally. Overall, this is a clean rom-com from a sexual content perspective, with some things riding a fine line. There is mild language in this book and I searched the kindle book and will leave the content details on that at the bottom. I had a good time overall in this story, had some laughs and enjoyed the ending. 

This story follows Mae Sampson, she is just trying to keep it all together between her job at the failing library to working other multiple jobs just to help pay the medical bills for her mother's stroke therapies. We see her struggles to "do it all" and that's where I felt she was very relatable - as someone who feels like they "have to do everything" but you really don't. I also love how she was a plus size girl - very relatable for me too!

She meets Chris Sterns, a profession football player she finds asleep in her library one day. Chris is the ultimate guy with integrity - he cares so much about raising awareness for CHF - a heart disease his sister suffered from growing up. But there is a situation that occurs when he's found in a suggestive photo that isn't what it seams and the media is out to destroy his good name and his work with the charity is in jeopardy. 

Chris decides to offer Mae an offer - $100,000 for a fake engagement to settle his image and she gets the money she needs for her mother's medical bills and can quit her second job at a "hooters" like establishment called "Chicky's". Things go on from here as they get to know one another and as usual, real feelings start to form. :)

Great premise - right?! I love a good fake dating story and the beginning of this was GREAT! I just found myself wrestling with some of the innuendos and pick up lines I didn't love so that took it down for me some. But the storyline with Chris, learning about his upbringing with his sisters and how genuine he was, and Mae, her Mom and sister, then her Dad comes in and that was WILD - it all just played out to be a good story. 

Overall, I recommend to anyone who likes funny, clean, rom-coms and doesn't mind mild language or sexual innuendos / some questionable pick-up lines at the beginning of each chapter. :)

Content Warnings: Language - 14-15 D words, 14-15 H words, 4 JA words, 2-3 B words, 4 S words that I found. No F words. Clean from a sexual content perspective but I did not like the pick up lines about "crawling out of Hell" and "breaking Old Testament rules" the most, with some of the others being a bit much in the sexual innuendos. Chris and Mae sleep in the same bed, but nothing happens between them. They start a bookclub together and read a "spicy pirate romance" book so they mention some of the sex scenes in that book but it's not explained. Overall, the sexual content is going to be a personal preference to everyone but I wanted to mention this for your reference. 

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5859389291
Amazon: https://amzn.to/46wFfBU

YouTube Review Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrJBzCMbGUw&t=2s

Night Fall by Nancy Mehl

 

Night Fall - Nancy Mehl - 4.5 Stars - An "on the edge of your seat" Christian Suspense! (Book 1 in The Quantico Files Series)

This was my second book by Nancy and she sure knows how to truly keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat in her books! This book is a Christian Suspense/Mystery and has an awesome ending! If you find the prologue a bit too unsettling, keep reading because it jumps right in to the main characters and that unsettling feeling is a bit resolved early on. While we do have some other chapters from the killer perspective that can be a bit unsettling overall, it didn't cross any lines with me as far as my own personal content barriers, BUT I don't recommend reading after 8pm LOL. The only things I didn't love were I wanted more of a resolution on Alex's faith/salvation story but I will be reading book 2 to see how it all plays out. I did love all of the faith elements in the story, they were great. Additionally, I don't love when stories tie in Covid-19 in a book - it somewhat dates the story and I feel like I heard enough about that when it was going on, but this book only had very small bits on that thankfully so it didn't impact my reading much.

In this story, we follow Alex and Logan - Alex is not a believer but Logan is. We see his influence throughout the story for her as Alex wrestles with the thoughts of does she want to truly know God? Will she let the Lord in? She's been brought up in a very hard home situation - with her family being involved in something called "The Circle" - basically a cult that thinks you are either an angel or a demon and they have their own "book" of guidelines for their "master". It's a wild ride for sure - as we see this "cult" be brought back up in the actual murders and the "Train Man" who is committing them. He sees it as his duty to kill 1/3rd of the population and he has a secret "virus" to do it. Alex and Logan work to stop him and the story goes on here.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one in the series. Lovers of suspense with great faith elements - pick this up.

Content: Main character has OCD, mentions of parental deaths and struggling as a child to keep their home clean, main storyline has a cult, mentions of demons, some unsettling killing mentions, etc.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5865946252
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tbifdh
Baker: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/235798
YouTube Review Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrJBzCMbGUw&t=2s