Tag: Speculative Fiction

24 October 2022

Book Review | Uncharted Christmas (Uncharted #11) by Keeley Brooke Keith

It’s almost Christmas in the Land (and let’s not talk about how fast this year has gone!).

Dr. Lydia Bradshaw is busy with her medical practice, and also wishing she could fall pregnant again. Meanwhile, she’s having to cope with some strange maladies in the village. At Falls Creek, Philip Roberts is wishing for a wife when three strangers arrive to stay, one of whom catches his attention … and I think this is introducing the next story in the series. If so, I’m already looking forward to it.

Uncharted Christmas is a quick read that those who have read the previous Uncharted books will enjoy.

If you haven’t read any of the previous Uncharted books, I recommend starting at the beginning – while Uncharted Christmas is a standalone story, you’ll enjoy it more if you understand the backstory and know some of the characters.

Revisiting those familiar characters is one of the reasons I keep reading and enjoying the Uncharted series. It’s an original and enjoyable twist on a dystopian future – as the characters are living in the future, but with nineteenth-century technology. And it’s a fun and easy evening or weekend read.

The other thing I like is the way the character’s Christian faith is interwoven smoothly into the story. Sure, some of the characters struggle (like we do in real life), but they are always pointed back to God. I found the quote at the top of this review particularly reassuring. It’s good to be reminded that we don’t have to chase God, because He is always beside us and will make His will clear to us … if we’re looking.

Recommended for those who’ve enjoyed previous Uncharted stories, or those who would like to try a historical romance with a unique twist

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Uncharted Christmas

As Dr. Lydia Bradshaw makes her rounds in the village of Good Springs this Christmas season, each family she visits seems to be blessed in ways she is not. All the homes are beautifully decorated for the holiday, and every woman is expecting another baby.

Every woman but her, that is.

While the haze from the volcanic ash cloud outside the Land looms on the horizon, calls for the doctor force Lydia to work around the clock. Torn between fighting for the home life she craves and the career that defines her, Lydia needs a Christmas miracle.

Meanwhile, at Falls Creek…

Philip Roberts spends his lonely nights in the parsonage next to the humble chapel. Pastoring the church across from the Land’s only inn means encouraging many a road-worn traveler to carry on, whatever their journey might be. Philip also watches the ever-changing rotation of guests for the one person he prays will stay at Falls Creek forever.

Only he doesn’t know her name.

When the Vestal siblings break their journey to Good Springs at the inn for a much needed respite over Christmas, Philip is fascinated with the demure Lena Vestal. As he tries to get to know her, she stirs in him more questions than answers.

Can he discover who this intriguing woman truly is in such a short time, and is she the one he’s been waiting for?

You can find Uncharted Christmas online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

About Keely Brooke Keith

Keely Brooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a slight Sci-Fi twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Awards Longlist). Keely also creates resources for writers such as The Writer’s Book Launch Guide and The Writer’s Character Journal.

Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely grew up in a family that frequently relocated. By graduation, she lived in 8 states and attended 14 schools. When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys playing bass guitar, preparing homeschool lessons, and collecting antique textbooks. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.

Find Keely Brooke Keith online at:

Website | Facebook

22 November 2021

Book Review | Uncharted Courage (Land Uncharted #10) by Keely Brooke Keith

Bailey Colburn is feeling unsettled, so takes a trip to the village of Good Springs to visit old friends and get advice from the village elder, John Colburn. She visits over spring equinox, the one time of year when a change in atmospheric conditions allows newcomers to enter the Land. And someone does … actually, two people.

Revel is enjoying his role as island courier now he’s had his father’s blessing to take the role and not take over the family inn. Now, if he can only get Bailey to see how he feels about her. But first he has to share the information the newcomer brought.

Both are fiercely independent and love their freedom, Bailey especially. Both have to learn that working alone doesn’t always yeild the best result. Sometimes, it’s better to work together …

Uncharted Courage is an enjoyable romance, and a relatively quick read.

It’s good to see Bailey again—she’s been one of my favourite characters throughout the series. I also enjoyed the underlying spiritual thread, and the way the Christian elements underpin the entire plot without being preachy.

Uncharted Courage is the tenth book in the Uncharted series, about a small community living on a hidden island while World War III rages in the outside world. Keith does an excellent job of reminding readers of the important points from the previous novels by weaving them into the present story in a way that feels natural.

While you could read Uncharted Courage as a standalone novel, it’s probably best to read through the series in order. Having said that, my favourite stories in the series are the stories like Uncharted Courage, where there is a crossover between the Land and the outside world.

Recommended for fans of historical Christian romance or speculative romance with a twist.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Keely Brooke Keith

Find Keely Brooke Keith online at:

Website | Facebook

About Uncharted Courage

With the survival of the Land at stake and her heart on the line, Bailey must find the courage to love.

When Bailey accepts John Colburn’s offer for her to visit Good Springs, she leaves the Inn at Falls Creek expecting to spend the autumn relaxing in her favorite seaside village. Upon her arrival, Connor asks her to cover a shift of guard duty on the equinox, and her quiet vacation takes a shocking turn.

Revel Roberts works hard to keep his life commitment-free, making it easy to leave community decisions to men like Connor and John. But when the Land is threatened, Revel sees his chance to prove he is a man worthy of Bailey’s love. Amid the chaos in Good Springs, his unrequited feelings for her preoccupy him. One wrong choice could ruin everything.

As Bailey’s new life in the Land unravels and threats from the outside world loom, a yearning she can’t define surges within her. It distracts her from defending the hidden world she loves, and a tragedy reinforces her need for independence.

With the survival of the Land at stake and their hearts on the line, Bailey and Revel will need more courage than fighting ever required. They will need to find the courage to love.

You can find Uncharted Courage online at:

Amazon | BookBub| Goodreads

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16 January 2020

#ThrowbackThursday | Book Review | The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings

Australian author David Rawlings has just won a 2019 Christy Award for his debut novel, The Baggage Handler, so I wanted to find out how his second novel fared in comparison.

Personally, I think it’s even better.

Now, not everyone will agree with me. One of the strengths of The Baggage Handler was that so many readers could find themselves in one of the three characters: the ambitious businessman, the harried housewife, the teen trying to find his own definition of success. The Camera Never Lies has a narrower set of characters, but I found them just as relateable. And they’re still asking a universal question:

What would you do if your secrets were revealed to those around you?

The Camera Never Lies is the story of a successful marriage counsellor who refuses to face up to the issues in his own marriage, despite his “No Secrets” tagline. Daniel Whiteley inherits his grandfather’s camera, an old-fashioned film model, the kind where the pictures are true and can’t be manipulated with filters or PhotoShop.

As Simon in the photo shop says, the camera never lies.

Or so he thinks. Because when Daniel looks at the photographs, he’s sure they’re not the photos he took. So what are these photos? This is where the slight speculative element comes in, as we discover the camera is a little magical. It captures truth, but not the truth we see …

The Camera Never Lies isn’t overt Christian fiction.

It never mentions God or Jesus or church or prayer. But it is definitely a story built on Christian principles—honesty, integrity, and the importance of internal character over the external trappings of success. As such, it’s both a great story, and a great gift … especially for people who would never pick up a Christian novel.

Recommended.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About David Rawlings

David Rawlings is an Australian author, and a sports-mad father-of-three who loves humor and a clever turn-of-phrase.

Over a 25-year career he has put words on the page to put food on the table, developing from sports journalism and copywriting to corporate communication.

Now in fiction, he entices readers to look deeper into life with stories that combine the everyday with a sense of the speculative, addressing the fundamental questions we all face. That starts with his debut novel – The Baggage Handler – a contemporary story that explores one question: What baggage are you carrying?

Find David Rawlings online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About The Camera Never Lies

Daniel, Kelly, and Milly appear to be the perfect family. But an old camera will expose secrets no one wants developed.

Daniel Whitely is a successful marriage counselor and bestselling author, yet his own marriage is in crisis and his daughter is drifting further away each day. To make matters worse, the deadline for his second book has come and gone, and he still hasn’t written a single word.

When Daniel inherits an old camera from his grandfather, he notices an inscription on the bottom: “No matter what you think you might see, the camera never lies.”

Daniel begins using the camera, but every time he develops his photos, they threaten to reveal secrets that could sabotage both his marriage and his career—exposing him as a fraud and destroying the life he has worked so hard to build.

He’s faced with a choice: keep his secrets and save his career or come clean and possibly save his family. Which will he choose? Which would you choose?

Find The Camera Never Lies online:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Kobo | Koorong

16 July 2016

Book Review: Illusion by Frank Peretti

If you’ve signed up for my monthly Newsletter, you’ll already have receive my entirely biased list of 50 novels from my favourite Christian authors. If you haven’t, sign up on the right!

Today I’m reviewing Illusion by Frank Peretti, who practically invented the modern Christian speculative fiction genre with This Present Darkness.

Illusion

Mandy’s death in a car accident means the end of her forty-year career in magic.

Or does it? Because Mandy is not dead. She’s nineteen again, but nineteen in 2010, not the 1970 she remembers. Mandy struggles to adjust to modern life, trying to practice her father’s advice: when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Meanwhile, husband Dane is struggling to adjust to life without his wife … until one day he sees a young magician who reminds him of a young version of Mandy.

As is typical of a Peretti novel, nothing is what it seems. Characters that appeared harmless at first then appear to have some ulterior motive. There is Mandy’s new manager, who helps her get a valid social security number. There is also the mysterious Mr Stone and Mr Mortimer, who appear at Mandy’s funeral, then follow Dane to his new home in northern Idaho to spy on him.

And underneath, there is the mystery of how a dead woman has suddenly appeared again, forty years younger. It’s like there is more than one Mandy, but she is real because she eats and sleeps and talks. And other people talk to her, so it’s not like she’s a ghost – just a teenager in 2010 who only knows the sixties songs and slang.

I try not to read other people’s reviews before I read a book for review, because I don’t want to be influenced by someone else’s ideas. But I did happen to glimpse a couple of reviews before starting to read Illusion, and one commented that they found the beginning of the book confusing.

Well, yes, it was. But I think that was the intention.

Just imagine it. One moment you’re nineteen and enjoying the County Fair with your friends. You sit down to eat lunch, and the next thing you know, the Fair has vanished, everything that is familiar is gone, and people are talking into small plastic boxes and telling you it is 2010 when you know it is 1970. What’s not to be confused about?

So, yes, Illusion was confusing.

It was also engaging and intriguing and I wavered between trying to work out who was who and exactly what was happening, and just wanting to read more and read faster so I could find out for myself. And weird things keep happening. Illusionis not a spiritual warfare novel like Peretti’s early Darkness novels, but it is a fast-paced thriller with a touch of science fiction, albeit from a Christian point of view. I was reading at night and found it hard to keep my eyes open, but even harder to stop reading. Recommended.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.