Find it on: Goodreads | Kindle | Paperback 

Age Appropriate For: 13 and up for violence, mildly scary scenes.

Best for Ages: 13 - 25

Description: She doesn’t have much longer to live.

Losing the last of the radialloy puts Andi’s life in immediate danger and sends her, August, and the Doctor rushing towards the demolished Qandon system in search of more. Their speeder is crippled, a powerful man is desperate to stop them—and they are running out of time.

Meanwhile, Crash has escaped from prison and is hiding somewhere in Hungary, hunted by assassins who have instructions to kill him if Andi and the others don’t return to Earth in one week. The only person on Earth who can help him is Guilders, who very nearly despises him.

Is there more radialloy out there? Can Crash and Guilders make it to safety? And will Andi ever be able to return to the way of life that she loves so much? 

This story is exhilarating, heart-breaking, faith-building, tear-jerking, inspiring, and so much more. Do I have your attention? Good. This book, this series, has been a favorite since book one. Not only is this clean sci-fi, it masterful story-telling. 

I think Pennington has reached a new level in her writing. While her story-telling abilities have always been great, this book had a new quality to it that just shines. She has always done a wonderful job of pulling emotion out of both her characters and her readers. However, this book just stood out to me as her best at emotion yet.

We get to meet some new characters, most notably to me was Book. While I don’t want to give anything about the plot away, let’s just say I like this very quirky character right from the beginning. I apricated how he handled Andi 

Andi herself is not the same girl from book one. In fact, there are a couple of times in this book that she doesn’t act very lovable. However, under the top-secret-I-will-give-no-spoilers circumstances, I think everyone will understand why Andi acts the way she does.

The faith element in this story shines brightly. There is faith and doubt, trust and suspicion, hope and tears. Yet, more than any of the other books in the series yet, faith was the solid foundation for some of the characters. It just goes to show you that when times are tough, that is when our faith shines. Now, not every struggle by every character is tied up with a neat bow. However, this book is encouraging and faith-building while being very honest that it’s hard to trust God at times.

The story took several unexpected twists. I had a serious book hangover. I was grateful my sister had read it two days before me because we were able to console each other. Yet, even though part of this book was sad, it still was very satisfying.

I highly recommend it to those who enjoy clean sci-fi stories, solid YA fiction, and stories that keep you guessing.

Pre-order your copy HERE.

Add it to Goodreads HERE.

I still have a few slots open for the launch team. You can apply HERE.

Are you excited? I know I am. 

 

How as the start of your year been?

Find it on: Goodreads | Kindle | Paperback | Audiobook

Age Appropriate For: 18 and up. This story is about two different people dealing with the aftermath of a pregnancy out of wedlock and raising those children.

Best for Ages: 18 and up

Description:  Emily Ackerman has traveled the world, her constant compass and companion a book of letters her mother left for her when she died. With no father in the picture, her mom's advice has been her only true north. But when professional failure leads Emily back to Nantucket to renovate and sell the family cottage she inherited, she wonders if her mom left advice to cover this . . . especially when her grandmother arrives to "supervise." And especially when her heart becomes entangled with Hollis McGuire, the boy next door-turned-baseball star who's back on the island after a career-ending injury. As sparks fly between her and Hollis, Emily is drawn to island life, even as she uncovers shocking secrets about the tragic accident that led to her mother's death. With her world turned upside down, Emily must choose between allowing the voices from her past to guide her future or forging her own path forward.

I have to start out by saying that the narrator for this book, Hannah Cabell, added so much to the enjoyment of this story.  Her narration was so good, I would give her five stars almost on her own. I would love to listen to more read by her.

Courtney Walsh is a solid author. I don’t always love her books, but I have yet to read one that I hated. She has skill, writes realistic stories, and her faith shines through. This book has been my favorite by her so far. As both a reader and an author, I was amazed at how she mixed three different threads of the story (Emily’s, her mother’s, and the letters from her mother two her) so well. It wasn’t simply switching back and forth, it was pieced together like a patchwork quilt, a very well done, beautiful quilt. This book shows some serious skills.

Now, the story was full of flawed people struggling, trying to do what is right and failing sometimes. Hollis has a daughter from a one-night stand and Emily’s own mother hadn’t been married. We get to discover more about her mother’s story as the book progresses. Honestly, I felt Walsh did a fantastic job covering a very sticky issue. She didn’t sugarcoat it. People made big mistakes and life is messy.

The faith element in this one I felt was handled well. It felt very natural and I like how it influenced the characters in the end. There were a couple of points I wish it had been a little more a part of the conversation, but again, it fit the characters so well it was hard to complain.

Speaking of the characters, I just adored all of them. They felt real, lifelike, and I loved each of them. Emily was my favorite.

I could go on about this story, but I think I will leave it at that and say that I highly recommend this book for adults who like realistic situations, unique storytelling, and lovable characters.

I'm looking for some book lovers to join the launch team for my new novella coming out next month, Fanny's Hope Chest. It's the story of a 30-year-old girl struggling to find hope in her singleness.

As part of the launch team, you will get:

~ free review copy

~ some goodies in the mail

~ A chance to earn a free physical copy of the novella 

~ Exclusive giveaways

What is expected of you?

~ Share about the book on whatever online platforms you are on

~ Write a review for your blog and/or Goodreads

~ Have fun with a group of nice ladies

Interested? The launch team group will be on Slack, a business workspace application. No need to be on social media to take part! 

Find the book on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51812538-fanny-s-hope-chest

Apply for the launch team here: https://forms.gle/44rrj9kBcXvCWcb7A

Find it on: Goodreads | Kindle | Paperback

Age Appropriate For: 10 and up for thematic elements

Best for Ages: 15 - 30

Description:  An incredible job. An exasperating android. An all-too-human secret.

Fresh out of art school, Abigail Huntley gets the chance of a lifetime working for Sphinx Architecture. Her remarkable talent has also landed her a remarkable work partner: a cutting-edge android named Rory, who appears so completely human that Abigail struggles to remember he’s just a machine. If only his stiff interactions and coldly logical approach to everything didn’t stifle her creativity.

As time goes by, however, Rory shows subtle changes in behavior, making Abigail wonder if he has achieved self-awareness. Despite her reservations, she finds herself warming to him, even attracted to him. Then an accident crashes Rory’s programming—and leaves him bleeding, with human memories of a medical experiment inflicted by the mysterious organization, PRISM.

Abigail races to recover Rory’s identity and find justice. But without his neurological programming, Rory suffers from a dangerous health condition that slows them down and threatens them both. Only a jaded doctor and his enigmatic assistant stand between Rory and the organization that stole his humanity—the organization that will do anything to keep him silent.

Wow! This novel kept me up late and I didn’t want to do anything else the next day until I finished it. It’s fast-paced, took some major turns, and left me feeling giddy with pleasure that only a stratifying story can. The writing? Steller! Some of the best I’ve read.

Before I get to deep into this review, I want to let many of those who read my reviews know that this is not an overtly Christian book. While clean, and a couple of mentions of someone praying, it’s more geared for the general market than strictly Christian. Also, some of my readers will want to know that the use of the words gosh and crap are sprinkled throughout and one mildly bad name for someone was used twice. Because this is not under a strictly Christian umbrella, It didn’t affect my rating. I will say that morality was very good.

The characters in this book were gold. Abigail is a sweet and spunky artist. Unlike most artists I’ve read about lately, she isn’t broody or using her art to escape from her painful past. She’s a person who was mostly happy and full of life who loves art. I loved that about her. Rory is…well the opposite. He’s exactly like one would expect from an android – emotionless, not much personality, and analytical. In many ways, he reminded me of Data from Star Trek: Next Generation (which made me happy) yet he came into his own and ended up being very, very different.

The setting, in the not too distant future I feel, was well done. It felt like there were enough futuristic advances to make the plot work, yet not so far in the future that I didn’t have a feel for the world. It was fun, inventive, yet also familiar.

The story kept me on the edge of my seat from page one. At first, it was because the characters so captured my heart, but then the excitement and intrigue swept me away. I wanted to read it in one sitting, but I had to sleep (sadly) but I finished it the next day. It was a great ride.

There is a romance in the book and I have to say it was really sweet. I loved every moment of it. It was sweet, clean, and realistic. There is one kiss in the story and I thought it was done well.

I highly recommend this book to those that like stories set in the future, great writing that makes you want to keep reading, and books that also make you think.

A new year hopefully will mean a lot of new stories. Here's a peek at what's coming up:

 

I'm very excited about the Kate's Case Files this year. I have the next two books drafted and waiting for editing. My hope is to get four books published this year. This means... the series will almost be complete. 

One of the things I realized while writing books 6 and 7 is that the characters have grown and changed in ways I hadn't expected. So, the plan currently is to have 10 books in the series. 

*not final cover*

A Very Bookish 4th of July is in the works. I'm very excited about using characters from my A Very Bookish Thanksgiving story in this collection. My story is going to be based on Around the World in 80 Days. 

Lastly, is a huge dream of mine that I'm hoping to make a reality this year. A revamping of The Destiny Trilogy. I'm already taking with a cover designer and plan to begin beginning edits soon. This was my first published series and I made some big mistakes with it. But I've learned and want to make it even better.