Inside the Wong Mind

Book Review: Cast the First Stone by David James Warren

Cast the First Stone
by David James Warren
Book 1 in the True Lies of Rembrandt Stone series
Rating: 4.5/5
Release date: February 9, 2021
Preorder here!

I am a huge fan of Susan May Warren and was super excited to be chosen to be an early reviewer of this new series by multiple authors; however, I had a hard time reading past the first few chapters of the book but then BAM! The story really picked up, and I couldn’t stop reading till the end. So if you start this book, please give it a chance and you will not be disappointed.

Rembrandt Stone’s life is not perfect as a struggling author and former police investigator, but he doesn’t hate his life. His wife, Eve, and daughter, Ashley, are the loves of his life, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. When his old boss leaves him his watch and a box of cold case files, Rem’s life gets very strange very fast. He remembers the unsolved case that haunts his nightmares and suddenly, it feels like he’s traveled back in time to try to solve the case before it’s too late. Can he discover what he missed previously? And at what cost?

Wow. Simple enough premise, but the authors did a great job of bringing Rembrandt Stone’s past to life. I felt like I was right there with Rem experiencing the investigation and its many twists and turns. Getting into his head was interesting as he tried to sort through what he already knew from what he had forgotten. Although I wasn’t quite hooked from the first few chapters, they were still necessary to establish Rem’s background and home life. I expected the cliffhanger ending since it’s a series and felt it was necessary. If you’ve ever seen the TV show, Continuum, you may enjoy this story that has some similarities but also has its own nuances. I can’t wait to read what comes next!

Highly recommend if you enjoy time travel and crime thrillers with a hint of romance. I feel like the book (and series) has something for everyone.

My thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

February 2, 2021 by Kim Book Reviews

Book Review: Forging Darkness by Julie Hall

Forging Darkness
by Julie Hall
Book 2 in the Fallen Legacies series
Rating: 4/5
Release date: January 26, 2021
Preorder here!

I am such a huge fan of Julie Hall and I was so excited to finally get my hands on the sequel to Stealing Embers, the first book in the Fallen Legacies series. I highly recommend reading the first book before this one, and you will not be disappointed. Forging Darkness picks up where Stealing Embers left off and continues the adventure by taking the reader into a whole new world that we only caught glimpses of in book one.

When Emberly seeks out Steel and tries to help him find his sister, things go horribly wrong and she is taken captive by Thorne, someone who is like her and has similar powers. She is curious about the way things work in Thorne’s world while trying to figure out a way to escape back to the mortal realm. Thorne’s control and power over the Fallen and Forsaken is uncanny and she finds herself unable to fully trust him. When the truth is revealed, can Emberly and Steel find a way back to each other before the unthinkable happens?

I really enjoyed the continuing story and cannot wait for what comes next. (Way to end the story on a bit of cliffhanger.) I found the progression in the relationship between Emberly and Steel to be slower than I would have preferred lol. The relationship between Emberly and Thorne was interesting but a bit annoying since I don’t really like love triangles (this is not necessarily a true love triangle but it has hints of one). However, I really liked learning about Thorne, and the author does a good job of showing why he is the way he is. I did enjoy finding out more about Emberly’s powers and her angel fire. Her abilities make her a threat to the entire theology built around the Fallen and Forsaken, which could literally change the world. I definitely did not see that coming.

Highly recommend if you enjoy YA fantasy with lots of action, mystery, humor, and some romance. (Especially if you enjoy animals that talk and drink Red Bull and like the interactions between siblings)

PG-13.

My thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

January 19, 2021 by Kim Book Reviews

Book Review: Court of Swans by Melanie Dickerson

Court of Swans
by Melanie Dickerson
Book 1 in the Dericott Tales series
Rating: 4/5

I believe I have read every book by Melanie Dickerson and she did not disappoint. Court of Swans is the first book in a brand new series and I was excited to visit the world of 1381 and meet the Dericott family. This particular story is a retelling of The Wild Swans and the author definitely had her own take on the story.

Delia Dericott is the only daughter of the Earl and has lived a fairly sheltered life surrounded by her seven brothers. After her father remarries a horrible woman, she keeps her distance and hopes for the best, especially when she gains a new half-brother. However, her new stepmother has plans of her own. When her father dies suddenly, all her brothers return to the family home (most were off training to be a knight) while they mourn together. Her eldest brother, Edwin, barely has a chance to get used to his new position and title before the king of England’s soldiers arrive to arrest all of her brothers for murder and treason. When Sir Geoffrey realizes that the youngest one is but 10 years old, he is unsure why all these brothers are being sent to the Tower of London. Delia is distraught and must find a way to save her brothers. She suspects her stepmother did something but has no evidence. Afraid of what her stepmother might do to her, Delia escapes to her aunt for guidance. Her aunt arranges for Delia to become a seamstress in the king’s castle in order to find a way to convince the future queen and young King Richard of her brothers’ innocence. Delia finds herself once again confronted with Sir Geoffrey and must find a way to work with him to free her brothers before it’s too late. Can Delia trust the man who arrested her brothers? Can she find a way to rescue her brothers and exonerate them?

There’s definitely never a lack of drama in Melanie Dickerson’s books. lol. I really enjoyed this story of political intrigue set in the late 1300s which is not a time period that I read a lot about. It was interesting to read about the different historical figures and try to get into their head. I finished the book in a few hours and could not put it down. I know I will enjoy getting to know this new family and cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Highly recommend if you enjoy Christian historical fiction with romance and political intrigue.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.