One of my favorite things to do when I’m not writing is walking around a good used book store! I’m fortunate to have three different wonderful used book stores within an hour’s drive, so last week I visited all three in one day! I found a ton of great used books ranging from Sigmund Brouwer’s Accidental Detectives to Bill Myers’ The Guardian, book #5 in his Forbidden Doors series, one of my favorites!
Check out everything I found in the video below!
The Relic of Perilous Falls by Raymond Arroyo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I will admit this: it took me awhile to get into The Relic of Perilous Falls, book #1 in the Will Wilder series by Raymond Arroyo. I started reading the first couple chapters almost four years ago, couldn’t get into it, and set it aside. However, over this pandemic year of 2020, I’ve been revisiting cast aside novels and trying to finish them up. So when I picked this book back up over Christmas 2020, I settled in and determined to at least get a few chapters in and then give up on the book if it still didn’t hook me. However, as I started flipping pages, the book drew me in, slowly at first, until I had to read to the end to see how it finished. Now, I’m not going to say this book doesn’t have its issues, which I will lay out here, but I will say this: if you’re looking for a fun, adventurous read in the vein of a mashup of high church history, Indiana Jones, and a splash of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, then The Relic of Perilous Falls might be right up your alley.
Will Wilder is an ordinary kid who has no idea that there is a dangerous, yet invisible, world all around him filled with evil forces that are bent on the destruction of all humanity. But when he falls off the back of a donkey, he sees something in the shadows. Will’s Aunt Lucille takes Will under wing and helps him discover the mysterious world around him, but when the entire town of Perilous Falls is threatened, it’s up to Will and his friends to find an ancient relic to battle an evil demon and save them all.
First off, this book does suffer from some of the similar tropes of this genre of fantasy adventure for Middle Grade readers: There is a prophecy involved, hidden special powers, and a supernatural world that meets the modern day world in unexpected ways. However, the great twist here is the Christian worldview at play here. Some might categorize this book as more Catholic than Protestant, but either stream of faith is definitely going to discover some fascinating church history as well as tiptoe into the world of religious relics, which is barely touched on here. I would actually say that this is one of those stories that shows just how closely Charismatic Christianity and Catholicism intersect by diving into a supernatural world where those with faith battle demons, have spiritual gifts, and must rely on the invisible God to see them through.
The other aspect here that raises this story beyond other “Chosen One” Middle Grade fiction are the Indiana Jones aspects to the novel. There is a fair bit of treasure hunting, traps, and near escapes that were extremely reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Last Crusade, complete with illustrated clues incorporated into the text.
Will Wilder as a character is fine, if not somewhat typical of a main character for this type of novel. His character growth is nonchalant and more of a side, side story than any through line. The plot and the world-building are what drive this forward, with sometimes too many side characters getting into the mix. Some readers may be put off by Will’s choices at times, which seem to sometimes make no sense or be choices taken merely for the sake of upping the stakes.
However, at the end of the book, I found myself having thoroughly enjoyed this romp through the world of relics and faith. If you’re a fan of books such as Percy Jackson and the Olympians or any book in the fantasy adventure genre for Middle Grade readers, you’re likely to at least enjoy The Relic of Perilous Falls.
This year has been one for the books. So I turned to books when I needed to step back, remember all that God has done in the world. Reading reminds me of the creativity that human beings have been given, and it’s one of my favorite parts of life if I’m being honest. When we are creative as human beings, we reflect the Creator who made everything around us.
So here are my top 5 favorite books I read during 2020. Not all of them were released in 2020, but this is the year I found these wonderful stories. I will quickly admit there are a few books that are not making this list which surprised me. For one, I am a huge Brandon Mull fan, and while I enjoyed the latest Dragonwatch book, it didn’t wow me like the ones on my list this year. I also read quite a bit of non-fiction, but none of those made my list either.
I have been an Alex Rider fan since 2006 when I saw the film based on book #1, Stormbreaker. I have read every Alex Rider book since then, and when I saw Nightshade was releasing, I knew I had to pick it up and read it.
Horowitz never disappoints. This book was non-stop action, put Alex Rider in new frightening predicaments, and had me gasp out loud a couple of times (always my true test of a good book!). With great pacing, the return of some series favorites, and a super creepy villain plot this time around, Horowitz is at the top of his game.
This book surprised me. After the first book in the series, The Sword Bearer, I wasn’t sure if the second book would live up to the same level of story, but also wouldn’t be quite so obvious with the allegory present here. However, while the allegory to a Biblical story is pretty obvious from the beginning, there are other elements of this book that elevate it to #4 on this list.
For starters, the final “battle” is intense, frightening, and had me shout “No!” out loud at the pages as I flipped them frantically to see what would happen next. One thing happens near the end that had me on the edge of my seat all the rest of the way through. The set up here is also intense, leaving the lead characters with a very intriguing mission to accomplish.
I haven’t finished this series yet, but I have picked up books #3-#6 at a local used bookstore, so I’m eager to see what happens next!
Another surprise to me was how much this short board book about Christmas would mean to me. This past year I have been discovering just how often God celebrates throughout Scripture. Too often growing up I viewed God as distant and stoic and emotionless. But the truth is that God often celebrates, especially when it comes to the people God has created!
This book emphasizes the sheer celebration of the birth of Jesus. When Jesus was born, the clock starting ticking on death and sin. Jesus went on to conquer sin and death once and for all through his death and resurrection, and that is certainly something to celebrate!
The other thing I loved here was the artwork, from the animals to the backgrounds — everything is incredibly well done. This is definitely on my list of favorites for 2020, but also on my list of favorite Christmas books!
Okay. This book right here had downright one of the best first 150 pages of any book I’ve ever read. The writing was top notch, the mystery was confounding and drew me in instantly, and also the tense pace and action had me barely breathing as I turned the pages desperately needing to know what was about to happen. This is book #4 in the Adventurers Wanted series, which really takes a lot of aspects from high fantasy similar to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and amps them up for a Middle Grade/Young Adult audience.
The character building here is also fascinating, especially considering the plot reveals from the previous book in the series. I couldn’t wait to see how it all worked out in the end. This book also introduced an overarching series threat I didn’t see coming, and couldn’t wait to find out more about.
The only downside was the ending faltered slightly before picking back up to bring it all to the finish line. However, even with a slight stumble near the end, this was one of my favorites from this year.
This book takes my top spot for the year due not only to the expansive plot, character development, action, side adventures, and twists along the way, but also for the downright cozy feeling of this book.
The best way I can describe it is like this: have you ever finished a series of books and felt like there was closure, which made you happy, but also you wished there was more in the world of the series, and an almost panic comes over you that the book is ending and there won’t be any more from this particular world you have enjoyed so much over the course of a novel? That’s the feeling I had reading this book, which is book #3 in the Adventurers Wanted series by M.L. Forman.
While it’s the middle of the series, this book was one that I immediately thought: I’m going to re-read this book someday. For those who know me, I rarely ever re-read books. I have always felt as though there are so many good books out there to read that I wouldn’t want to waste time re-reading one I’ve already read. But the journey for the characters here is so captivating that I knew one day I would revisit this world and enjoy every minute of it once again.
Also, major shout out to the plot twist of all plot twists in this book. It had such a creepy build up and then came out of nowhere in a great way, that I was instantly excited to see what might happen next.
Well, that’s it for 2020. So many great books I had the privilege of reading this year. Here’s to 2021 and a whole year more of reading incredible stories, insightful thoughts, and inspiring fiction and non-fiction.
Rumor of a Werewolf by Eddie Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Since it’s “spooky season” I’ve been enjoying reading through Eddie Jones’ Monster Mysteries series. However, while book four, Rumor of a Werewolf has some fun moments, it also seemed to falter a bit. One of the biggest strengths of the previous three books was the setting. Jones excels at creating spooky scenes that really get your imagination cranking. But with this latest entry, I found myself a little underwhelmed by the setting. This book takes place in Sleepy Hollow, NY, which has plenty of atmosphere from its famous associations with Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but none of that chilly pumpkin charm shows up here.
Nick Caden is on another case, this time in Sleepy Hollow, where a woman has been found murdered, and all the clues point to a werewolf as the culprit. As Nick closes in on the killer, he discovers that the werewolf has caught his scent, and it’s only a matter of time before the full moon rises and Nick ends up the next victim.
Storylines from the previous three books are loosely continued here, and there definitely is a bit of suspended belief required to follow the sometimes loose logic leaps Nick takes in order to solve the case. Once again, there are some subtle clues that point to the killer along the way, but only by guessing a little blindly can you solve the crime before Nick does.
Throughout the story, there is a traveling group of sleuths dressed as famous TV detectives from the 1970’s and 1980’s who show up for a recurring gag, and while I understand Nick knowing who all of these characters are because he watches mystery shows in order to solve crimes, I also felt as though readers today would most likely be completely unaware of many of the names mentioned. I feel as though I only knew some because my parents loved those shows and we watched some of them as kids. However, kids today would likely have no idea who Jessica Fletcher, Kojak, or Columbo even is.
As far as other content in the story, the gore in this one is ratcheted up a notch, especially since a werewolf is in play. There are a few scenes that pushed this firmly into the Young Adult category, and parents with younger readers may want to check this one out first before letting their kids dive in. The other potential caution here is this book is particularly heavy on comments about women and how they look. Nothing is graphic, or overt, but at a couple of moments I was a little taken back by the commentary on the women in the story. Again, nothing here is inappropriate per say, but parents of younger readers may want to check it out for themselves first.
No spoilers, but I will say there are a few lingering story threads from previous books in the series that show up here as teasers for what might happen in book five.
All said, Rumor of a Werewolf was a little disappointing in comparison to the previous books in Monster Mysteries, but here’s hoping that book five, Phantom Gunslinger picks things back up.
Dead Low Tide by Eddie Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have to admit: Eddie Jones’ Monster Mysteries series has been my guilty pleasure this spooky season. Each book is a quick read, highly entertaining, and often have a few great action scenes that really get the blood pumping. Even if each book is very light on character development, and sometimes the spiritual connections are intriguing conversation starters, these books are all about the atmosphere. Jones can create more atmosphere in under 200 pages than I have ever seen in any other series.
Dead Low Tide, book number three, sets up more fun and creepy action for Nick Caden as his family spends a short vacation on an island off the Carolinas while his dad interviews for a new job. However, things get rolling along right from the beginning as Nick’s sister Wendy is zombie-napped. It’s not until Nick starts getting messages from a dead girl that the pieces begin to fall into place. And when the dust settles, zombies will be the least of Nick’s worries.
The mystery and storytelling are a little tighter here than in the first two books of the series, however, as with the previous books, there are also moments with a few logic leaps that make sense in retrospect, but definitely left me scratching my head as to how Nick was able to piece it together. There is more genuine danger in the story, and for parents to note, there are also a couple of moments where the author makes veiled references to teenage partying that has gotten “out of hand.” This book in particular has definitely moved up to the Young Adult category. There is also mention of a “date rape drug” at one point, which if younger readers are encountering this book, might bring up some conversations and questions.
All said, Dead Low Tide had some great atmosphere that left me checking the darker corners of the room a couple times before settling back into the story. If you’re looking for a fun and easy spooky read this season, this is one that will definitely scratch the itch.
Skull Creek Stakeout by Eddie Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Since it’s October, I was definitely in the mood for some lighthearted monster mysteries. Enter Eddie Jones’ second book in the re-released Caden Chronicles series, now known as Monster Mysteries. Skull Creek Stakeout picks up shortly after where the previous book in the series ended, and takes Nick Caden on another adventure searching for monsters that may or may not be real.
Nick is now a reporter for Cool Ghoul Gazette an online magazine that specializes in paranormal stories, and the editor of the site, Calvin, has a story that is right up Nick’s dead-end alley: reports of a vampire have surfaced in Transylvania, North Carolina, and it’s up to Nick to find out what’s really going on. Is there a vampire on the loose in this small town? Is there something sinister happening in the mansion set deep into the woods? It’s up to Nick to figure it out and hopefully take a bite out of crime before a vampire takes a bite out of him!
I felt as though this second entry was stronger than the first, Dead Man’s Hand. Maybe it was the fact that I knew more of what to expect, but I do think the setting does a lot of heavy lifting here. The forest deep in Transylvania, North Carolina, plus the creepiest bed and breakfast you’ve ever read about, all set against the backdrop of a small touristy town lent itself to a perfect spooky season vibe. While the mystery reads like a Murder, She Wrote episode mixed with the Hardy Boys, it’s more fun following along and finding out what’s happening in the small town behind the scenes. As each clue unravels, Nick finds himself in some serious danger, and no one around him is safe.
The spirituality of this series continues to fascinate me as Eddie Jones interprets passages about the death of Christ in light of the way someone who doesn’t follow Jesus, but is intrigued by creepy stories. Nick Caden’s exploration of faith with vampire stories as the backdrop creates a different lens to see the stories of Scripture through. The discussion questions in the back of the book tie in the spiritual themes well, and definitely will lead to good conversation.
So if you’re looking for a fun, super easy, but lightly spooky read, Skull Creek Stakeout is definitely a crowd pleaser.
Dead Man’s Hand by Eddie Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Murder mysteries have always been one of my favorite types of stories. I love trying to figure out who did the crime along with the main character as they search through clues and suspects and arrive at the answer. Some mysteries can end up being too obvious, and others tend to be too difficult to follow along with. Dead Man’s Hand by Eddie Jones falls somewhere in the middle. I found myself guessing at who the criminal might be, because it seemed somewhat obvious, but then there were a couple twists that were almost impossible to guess ahead of time. But, did I enjoy the book? Yeah, I did.
Dead Man’s Hand centers on Nick Caden and his family trip to an old Ghost Town in Colorado. They think they’re in for a lot of fun in the Old West, or at least the rest of the family does. Nick’s not so sure it’s going to be that great of a time — in fact, he’s expecting this to be one of the most boring weeks of his life. That’s until he comes across a dead body that vanishes. Is it just a trick like all the other stunts in town? Or is something more sinister going on? Nick’s on the case, and along the way, he’s going to try his best to steer clear of the ghosts of the Ghost Town.
Written entirely from Nick’s point of view, this book is a quick read, aimed at middle grade readers, but with surprisingly dark moments. The writing is very fast-paced, but sometimes the plot meanders a little bit as Nick investigates suspects and tries to figure out what’s going on. At some points I wanted to say, “But that would never happen in real life…” but eventually I decided to suspend reality and just go along with the story.
However, this book does one thing that really annoys me when an author is trying to drag out a mystery. At one point, a character sees something, but then refuses to tell Nick about it for nearly the whole book, and that one thing could have solved the case much sooner. Obviously, the drama is being played out for the mystery’s sake, but I wish Eddie Jones had found a more creative way around this particular plot point.
This book does contain some references to Christianity, including some Bible references that were actually kind of fascinating from the perspective of a “ghost hunter.” I had never thought about a couple of the passages that way before, and it was certainly intriguing, but a minor part of the story. However, there is one reference that I kept waiting to see where it would go, but never did go anywhere. At one point, a bandit in town starts yelling at the sheriff in Spanish, and quotes John 14:6 in Spanish. However, this is not translated for the reader who doesn’t know Spanish, and I thought it kind of odd for the bandit to yell at the sheriff, rather than something else like “You’ll never catch me,” etc. It just came across as somewhat odd, and perhaps disrespectful to the bandit, Spanish, and the verse.
In the end, this is a fun, easy read, and definitely not a waste of time. If you enjoy the Old West or murder mysteries for a middle grade audience, give this one a go!
I have a somewhat long history with Wayne Thomas Batson’s Sword in the Stars, book one in the newly renamed The Myridian Constellation series. I picked up the original version of this book when it came out almost 10 years ago now after reading his Isle of Swords pirate novel. I got about one-third into that version and put it down for other books, as I felt a little bored and left wondering when the story would pick up.
So when I saw that Batson was about to re-release Sword in the Stars in an “author-ized” version, I was intrigued and somewhat excited to try this epic fantasy series again. And I must say: it did not disappoint. If you are looking for an incredible, action-packed fantasy adventure with elements of horror, this is definitely the series to read.
Just when retired-assassin Alastair Coldhollow is ready to give up hope of ever finding the coming Halfainin — a savior long-promised to save the land of Myriad — a mysterious constellation appears in the sky: a sword in the stars. As Coldhollow searches for the Halfainin, dark forces stir setting into motion a plot that will change what the world has known about everything. Ancient evils whisper in the darkness. Half-hearted kings seek new resolve. And nation rises against nation, seeking to end life for anyone standing in their bloodthirsty way.
Sword in the Stars is true epic fantasy with multiple plot threads weaving in and out of each other leading to a breathtaking climax. Part of the fun of a book like this is exploring the world the author has created. And Myriad is one of those worlds. There are so many cities, caves, secret passages, and forgotten corners of this world, it kept my imagination peaked. Batson is at the top of his game giving us a fleshed out setting without the copious amounts of descriptive passages upon passages. At the opening of every chapter are short vignettes from lore, holy books, fireside conversations captured on paper, and bits of almanac-esque information that serves to further expand the world set up here in the first of seven novels.
At times, I did wonder whether this book classified as a young adult novel or an adult fantasy epic novel. It sometimes wavers between the two, and most often in the way characters are depicted. At times some of the dialogue comes across as definitely belonging to a young adult book, but at other times, the action and violence seem to bring this book to the adult world. It straddles an interesting line, and I can’t help but wonder if that is simply because it was written under a YA banner ten years ago and then updated, or whether the author unintentionally wrote it that way.
Some of the characters are fairly obvious and straightforward and hit the tropes of a fantasy novel, and others are highly intriguing and kept me wondering when we would return to their storyline. Not all of the threads are tied off by the end of the book, and The Errant King in book two picks up with other characters and continues their stories.
At the end of the day, if you are looking for a beautifully written, fast-paced fantasy adventure, then I highly recommend Sword in the Stars.
Thrones fans! It’s finally here! The re-release of Sword of the Broken Son will be out on May 11th in ebook form, and May 25th in paperback! I am so excited to share this updated and revised version of the story with you. Not much has changed, but there are a couple of fun sequences I was able to add in to make this story even better than before.
Plus, did I mention there’s a sneak peek of Thrones III: Skin of the Dragon Lord? For those of you who have been asking me about the third book, I am so thrilled to tell you it is on schedule and coming this Fall! If you thought the twists and turns of books one and two were enough to keep you gasping along, then you are going to love book three!
Sword of the Broken Son is one of my favorite stories so far, exactly the sort of book I wish I had had in my hands as a student. The questions of loneliness, betrayal, and purpose ring true for each one of us, and while I will never lay down pat answers to these tough issues, I love to wrestle with them and offer what I can: hope in the midst of the darkness.
If you are looking for something to tide you over until release day, consider checking out my other series: The Runners of Abra. I will neither confirm nor deny that these two worlds may exist alongside each other. I love Easter eggs (both the plastic kind and the story hint kind), and there are plenty to be found.
Until then, keep adventuring,
Shaun
Six years ago when I finished the last pages of Scorpia Rising, I remember feeling satisfied with the ending to an epic series, but also sad to see some of my favorite YA characters sign off for good. So when I happened to spot Never Say Die on the shelves of my local bookstore, I grabbed it with a gasp. Alex Rider was back! I raced home and plowed through Anthony Horowitz’s latest, so excited to find out what happened next to the youngest spy in MI6.
Alex is grieving the death of his caregiver and friend Jack Starbright when he receives a mysterious email that Alex believes has to have come from her. He embarks on a journey to find out anything he can about what exactly happened to Jack. Is he being manipulated again by MI6? Or has a villain from the past resurfaced to take revenge? Only Alex Rider can stop what’s coming before it’s too late. Because the fate of hundreds of lives hangs in the balance — including his own.
Horowitz is back at the top of his game with thrilling chases, huge action set pieces, and crazy revelations. I would say Horowitz is always best when he’s racing through the action, and a little weak when it comes to characters. At the beginning of the book, Alex is really processing the death of Jack, and that felt surprisingly real, along with the hope that she might be alive. Throughout the novel, we’re kept guessing whether Alex is being manipulated or whether Jack is actually alive, and Alex’s emotions trail through that journey well.
One interesting thing to note here is that the typical plot formula of an Alex Rider novel is broken with Never Say Die. Usually there is an ending stinger where the main villains return after the plot has been foiled. But this time, that does not happen. No spoilers, but it was definitely a top-notch end to an insane ride. Also, fans should rejoice, because this doesn’t sound like the end of Alex’s adventures in espionage!
If you haven’t read an Alex Rider book, what are you doing with your life? Pick up Stormbreaker and see what the hype is about. And if you’ve been a fan all along, definitely dive into this latest installment in one of Horowitz’s best series to date.
