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Tag: 4.5 stars

Book Review: The Time Door (Eternities, #1) by Shannon McDermott

Book Review: The Time Door (Eternities, #1) by Shannon McDermott

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The Time Door by Shannon McDermott
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

“One thing I know…God did not bring us this far, and save us from so much, for nothing. There is more for us. Let’s go discover it.”

The Time Door is exactly what I’m always looking for on the rare occasions I venture into hard science fiction, though it’s something I rarely find. This book is by turns fanciful and believable, philosophical and propulsive. It swept me away while also keeping my mind fully engaged, and I never found myself drowning in the science or the politics that were both so vital to the story. I drew comparisons to both The Martian and Project Hail Mary as I read, which is some of the highest praise I can give any work of science fiction as I adored both novels. …

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Skysworn (Of Earth and Sky, #2) by Katee Stein

Skysworn (Of Earth and Sky, #2) by Katee Stein

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Skysworn by Katee Stein

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the author. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Skysworn is a fantastic followup to Earthbound, one of the most compelling and unique science-fantasies I’ve had the pleasure of reading. This completes the Of Earth and Sky duology, and gives readers the culmination of a story that is truly epic in every sense of the word. Both books are packed with compelling characters, brimming with depth and passion and their own kind of brokenness. This world is expansive and refreshingly original, beautifully fleshed-out in terms of worldbuilding. The plot is propulsive, the prose tight and crisp, and the romance believably messy. …

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Book Review: Framed in Death (In Death, #61) by J.D. Robb

Book Review: Framed in Death (In Death, #61) by J.D. Robb

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Framed in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review.

Framed in Death is the 61st installment in the In Death series. I’ve loved Nora Roberts (and her pen name, J.D. Robb) for well over half my life. I’ll read—and have read—pretty much anything that she writes. But there’s something about this series that is just so special to me. I’ve been following the adventures of Eve Dallas and Roarke, Peabody and the rest of the crew, since I was sixteen. Which was twenty years ago. Because Nora publishes two installments in the series per year, it feels like I have this bi-annual chance to catch up with a great group of friends. Some installments are more successful than others, but all of them provide me with that cozy feeling of sitting down to a meal with good friends I haven’t seen in months. That being said, Framed in Death is a very strong installment, one that had me glued to its pages late into the night. …

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Book Review: Winter’s Chill (The Nordic Wars, #2) by Morgan L. Busse

Book Review: Winter’s Chill (The Nordic Wars, #2) by Morgan L. Busse

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Winter’s Chill by Morgan L. Busse
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Winter’s Chill picks up right where Winter’s Maiden left off. We continue following Brighid and Kaeden, with occasional secondary perspectives thrown in. Busse takes us to the White City in the southlands, and back to Bear Clan territory in the north. I loved learning more about the Eldaran through Kaeden’s perspective. But even more, I loved exploring the lore and power of the Bear Clan alongside Brighid. While not as tense and fast-paced as its predecessor, Winter’s Chill is just as compelling. The expansion of the world and the growth of the characters made for an engaging reading experience. …

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Book Review: The Chaos Grid (The Chaos Grid, #1) by Lyndsey Lewellen

Book Review: The Chaos Grid (The Chaos Grid, #1) by Lyndsey Lewellen

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The Chaos Grid by Lyndsey Lewellen
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I love retellings, especially stories that riff on either a fairytale or a Bible story. Some stories—like “Beauty and the Beast” or the Book of Esther—have been retold often. I’ve read quite a few takes on both of those, some of which have been wonderful. But then there are stories that reimagined less frequently, like the story of Jonah. I can only remember encountering one other loose retelling of that particular tale, but it didn’t hold a candle to this book in terms of originality. The Chaos Grid is the first half of a duology that blends Mad Max with the Book of Jonah, set within a post-apocalyptic, dystopian Texas. I found it fascinating and unique, fast-paced and compelling. There was never a dull moment in this first half of the story, and it left me hungry to know what happens next. …

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Book Review: The Radiant King (Astral Kingdoms, #1) by David Dalglish

Book Review: The Radiant King (Astral Kingdoms, #1) by David Dalglish

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Review copy provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.


Cover art by Magali Villeneuve

The Radiant King by David Dalglish

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Astral Kingdoms (Book #1 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 514 pages (PaperbackEdition)

Word count: 174,000 words

Published: 4th March 2025 by Orbit Books

The Radiant King by David Dalglish is a Berserk inspired epic fantasy book that will become one of Dalglish’s most underrated titles.

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Book Review: Darkfell by Amanda Wright

Book Review: Darkfell by Amanda Wright

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Darkfell by Amanda Wright
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Darkfell is a timeless, refreshing take on classic fantasy tropes that deserves shelf space alongside The Chronicles of Narnia and Dekker’s Circle series. Like the aforementioned works, Darkfell tells a powerful, fantastical tale on the surface, with layers of spiritual depth underpinning the plot. I love finding Christian fantasy that is actually, unabashedly Christian, not simply clean and penned from a Christian worldview. Darkfell is unashamedly Christian. While the plot is propulsive, the characters engaging, and the worldbuilding exemplary, this is a story that would quite literally fall apart without the Creator holding it together. Which is a writing decision that I love, because my story would also fall about without Him. …

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Book Review: Illuminary (The Sceptre and the Stylus, #1) by Chawna Schroeder

Book Review: Illuminary (The Sceptre and the Stylus, #1) by Chawna Schroeder

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Illuminary by Chawna Schroeder
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I’ve been eagerly anticipating Illuminary since it was first announced. A Little Princess is one of my favorite books of all time, so the idea of a fantasy reimagining of that classic story was immediately appealing to me. While I could absolutely see and feel that inspiration in this series opener, it never felt derivative in any way. Illuminary is a refreshingly unique tale, packed with more action and adventure and faith than I expected to find. …

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Book Review: Earthbound (Of Earth and Sky, #1) by Katee Stein

Book Review: Earthbound (Of Earth and Sky, #1) by Katee Stein

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Earthbound by Katee Stein
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Earthbound has been on my radar for a while now. With threads of The Stormlight Archive in its words of power, Dune with its gargantuan subterranean monsters, and even Empire of the Vampire in terms of certain relationship dynamics and quasi-religious political machinations, this sounded like an incredibly promising science fantasy that would harken back to powerful stories I’ve loved in the past while still being a tale wholly its own. And that’s exactly what Stein delivered in this first installment in the Of Earth and Sky duology. What I didn’t anticipate was just how tense and heart wrenching a story it would be. Earthbound is nothing if not intensely unique and totally unforgettable. …

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Book Review: Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett

Book Review: Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett

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Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Above the Circle of Earth is a standalone work of science fiction that explores an aspect of the expansion of the human race into space that we don’t often contemplate: the mission field. Imagine a world that is edging closer to a utopia from a secular perspective, but in which those who practice one of the current world religions find themselves relegated to preserves. These preserves are seen as a blessing by many in these faith communities, as it provides them with protection and insulation from the outside world. But how does this effect the Great Commission? We as Christians were commanded to “go ye therefore,” so should we be content to stay in our own insular bubbles because it’s safe and inoffensive to the outside world? And what about when planets beyond Earth begin to be populated? Do we let entire worlds of people live and die without ever hearing the Gospel of Jesus? When we neglect to share our faith out of fear, do we realize the blood that’s on our hands? …

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