Sunday Words of Encouragement December 20, 2020

Our service opened today with songs for the season: Go Tell it On the Mountain and Let Us Adore!
Pastor continued the sermon series God Speaks. He repeated from last week: “God is speaking but are we listening?”
Sometimes God has to resort to other methods to get our attention. God may say “Do I have your attention now?”
God spoke through messengers to Zechariah and Elizabeth, then Mary and Jesus. He speaks in other ways and still speaks today.

How do we listen?
1. GET QUIET. Turn off the noise around us – physical and eternal noise.
2. GO TO THE WORD. Weigh what we think He is saying against His written word.
(God gives grace by saying – ‘you didn’t fully listen or follow, but I can work with that.’)
3. ASK FOR COUNSEL. Seek input from mature Christ follower who will be honest with you.
4. GO BACK TO GOD for confirmation.

Now we look at another, amazing part of the Christmas story. Luke Chapter 2 tells of the shepherds getting involved through amazing events.

The shepherds are startled by angels in the heavens with incredible news! If that isn’t enough then the angel is joined by a heavenly host of angels! They appear not to multitudes of people but to a handful of shepherds! Singing “Glory to God in the Highest and peace to those with whom God is pleased!”

Peace on Earth. The Savior has Come!! A huge change is coming to the earth.
Peace on Earth… Goodwill to men. What does it mean? Peace between God and man is what Jesus is bringing.

Micah 5:2- 6 sets out prophesy of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Peace will come through the atonement by Jesus’ blood.
Jesus is the Peace. He is the Prince of Peace.
Peace is a condition of life, but it is conditional. We were designed to live in peace but then sin took that away by separation.

The prophet Isaiah says: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Isaiah 26:1-4.

POINT: Peace is found when we trust in Jesus in, for and with everything.

When we come to know Jesus, we know that He knows who we are; He knows our past and He wipes the slate clean if we let Him.

Paul tells the readers how to have peace in Philippians 4:4-8.
‘Don’t worry, pray about everything, tell God and then you will experience PEACE As you live in Christ Jesus.’

We can have perfect peace ... in past, future and today! But only through belief, faith and trust in Christ Jesus.

This is the song I had picked as a possibility for today even before hearing the sermon.

[Here is a video that tells a history of the writing of this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvJdmMG6VWk 
And here is a link to another video with lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1L7KAPgcO4  ]

Verses for Today:
Luke 2:8-14 NIV.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”


For the past two Sundays we have had rain. I have been reading my devotions on YouVersion and then look at the rain and I burst into tears. I just have a sense of God weeping over our world. But I am comforted that I believe that God holds the world in His hands and He has all matters under control. I can trust in Him!

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Megge of Bury Down by Rebecca Kightlinger

Megge is a complex character in this engaging story of healers ("good witches") in the middle ages.
Megge of Bury Down
The Bury Down Chronicles, Book One
by Rebecca Kightlinger
Narrated by Jan Cramer

Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
Release date: 11-09-18
Publisher: Rowan Moon
Genre: Coming of Age, Historical Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

In thirteenth century Cornwall, young Megge has just come of age to be apprenticed to her mother, the healer of Bury Down. But first, she must accept and vow to protect The Book of Seasons, an ancient tome that holds life-sustaining power harnessed centuries earlier by Murga, the first seer of Bury Down. At her vowtaking ceremony, yearning to accept her inheritance and take her place among her family's long line of healers and seers, Megge reaches for the book. When she touches it, she feels something writhe within it and becomes convinced that the book is cursed and that she too will be cursed if she accepts it.
Despite her mother's pleas to protect the book from the one who would usurp its power, Megge refuses to even look at it. But when a Blackfriar abbot arrives in the village claiming to be under orders to root out heretics, and imprisons the healer for refusing to turn over her "demon's book," will Megge finally summon the courage to take that vow?

Review:
Megge has been born into a family of healers. One line of the family has an ancient Book of Time and the other line has an ancient Book of Seasons. The books contain healing remedies and techniques and words of celestial wisdom written down by the women over the generations. Each new daughter is trained as an apprentice and prepared to take the vow of the women of Bury Down when they reach a certain age.

When Megge goes eagerly to her vowtaking ceremony she is frightened by a sense of evil and burning from the book. She refuses to touch the book again and chooses to follow a different family member who helps to train her first in shepherding and later in weaving. She knows her mother is disappointed in her but doesn’t realize that she is still being trained to take a role in the family legacy.

But some men seek the powers of the books and are willing to challenge the women as ‘witches’ doing the devil’s work in spite of the healing help they have provided in the community. A Blackfriar abbot arrives and is told by jealous young women to hunt out Megge’s mother and aunt. The confrontation puts Megge in a stressed situation as she will have to take some action if she wants to save her family.

The author takes a good portion of the story developing Megge’s character and adding the family history through story telling times. Megge is a young girl who wants to choose her own destiny, not realizing the significance of the family legacy. I liked Megge’s conflicted character and the strong female mentors who helped shape her and give her courage.

The author does a good job of building the mysticism and tension that could easily surround skilled healers in the middle ages. The story reaches a twisted climax and conclusion but leaves open issues for the sequel, The Lady of the Cliffs. I am not a huge fan of coming of the age stories and I am glad this is much more. I enjoyed this one and hope to get the second book at NetGalley too. I recommend this story to readers who like historical dramas with a touch of ancient runes and incantations.

Audio Notes: Jan Cramer is a British born narrator who delivers the Welsh accents wonderfully. The sound is lovely and added to my being immersed in the thirteenth century world. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 2020 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2020NetGalley and 2020 NetGalley Alphabet goals.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway December 18, 2020

Happy Friday!  I can't believe that this is the Friday before Christmas. Wishing you all a Blessed Holiday week! (Hanukkah ends today and I hope it was a good holiday for those who celebrated that.)

TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK.

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.

INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)

CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up too late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the December 11, 2020 Pick. There were no automatic wins this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was no title blocked.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from December 11, 2020 Pick:
ASHFA gets a GC
AND
LINDA gets a GC

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

This looks like a beautiful Night Before Christmas Pop-up Book!
Image found at Junior.

New Book Groups #92 and #93 November 13, 2020.
#92 (15 books):

The Promise by TJ Bennett
A Most Unsuitable Man by Jo Beverley
Alaskan Renegade by Kate Bridges
Killing Floor by Lee Child
The Tender Stranger by Carolyn Davidson
Her Wedding Wish by Jillian Hart
Heart's Desire by Ruth Ryan Hagan
Snowflakes on the Sea by Linda Lael Miller
Murder in Plain Sight by Marta Perry
One Perfect Rose by Mary Jo Putney
The Deputy's Duty by Terri Reed
No Ordinary Man by Suzanne Simmons
The Scot by Lyn Stone
The Abducted Heiress by Claire Thornton
Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs

Box #93 (14 books)

Three Complete Novels by Sandra Brown (Best Kept Secrets, Mirror Image, and Slow Heat to Heaven)
Select Editions Four Novels: Safe Harbor, The Analyst, Fallen Angel and Open Season
Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwyn Cready
There's Only Been You by Donna Marie Rogers (personally signed)
The Celtic Riddle by Lyn Hamilton
For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper
The Irish Bride by Alexa Harrington
The Best Man by Kristan Higgins
Castles in the Mist by Jose Litton
When We Met by Susan Mallery
Thief of Hearts by Teresa Medeiros
Anne of Green Gables by Montgomery
Familiar Stranger by Sharon Sala
All of Me by Lori Wilde

New Book Group #91 October 2, 2020 - Suspense themed

SINGLES: Ten books in this box:
Senseless by Mary Burton
Indefensible by Pamela Callow
Fight or Flight by Natalie J. Damschroder
Final Appeal by Joanne Fluke
The Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman
The Sinister Pig by Tony Hillerman Audiobook
Capital Crimes by Jonathan & Faye Kellerman
Deadly Promises (Black Ops) Anthology, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Diane Love, Cindy Gerard, Laura Griffin
Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman
Justice by Dan Mahoney
PAIRS:
Janet Evanovich: Plum Spooky and Foul Play
Sharon Sala (aka Dinah McCall): Out of the Dark and Bloodlines

PICK TWO  your choice (listed below the picture) Nora Roberts:

Born in Fire Audiobook Cassettes
Montana Sky
A Little Magic (Sorry - I initially listed this as Dark Magic)
Valley of Silence
Inner Harbor and
Chesapeake Blue


New Book Group #90 June 19, 2020
Quite a few mysteries in this box.

SINGLES:
Siren's Song by Trish Albright (personally autographed)
Alias by Smy J. Fetzer
Angel Face by Suzanne Forster
Stalking the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall
Hot Sex by Janet Evanovich (Audio cassettes)
The Warrior by Frances Richey (poetry  hardcover)


New Book Group #89 March 6, 2020

Singles:
My Surrender by Connie Brockway
How to Tame a Modern Rogue by Diana Holoquist
Phoenix by A.J. Scudiere

New Book Group #88 November 8, 2019

PAIRS:
Stella Cameron: Body of Evidence and Fascination
Singles:
A Lady Never Tells by Candace Camp
Dawn of Redemption by Starla Childs


New Book Group #87 August 23, 2019

SINGLES:
Captain's Paradise by Kay Hooper
Open Season by Linda Howard AUDIO CASSETTES


New Book Group #86 June 7, 2019
Another group of variety from my shelves.

SINGLES:
Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze
Show No Fear by Marliss Melton
A Question of God's Balance (Vol 1) by Joseph Thek
King by Right of Blood and Might by Anna L. Walls


New Book Group #85 March 22, 2019
A variety from my shelves.

SINGLES:
Summer Skies by Judith Christenberry
Windfall (two stories) by JoAnn Ross
Daddy's Little Cowgirl (two stories) by Judith Bowen and Kimberly Raye
The Forever Year, Cold Pursuit, Lover's Lane and Temporary Sanity (Reader's Condensed)
ToxiCity by Libby Fischer Hillmann

New Book Group #84 December 15, 2018
Here are some Christmas titles to pick from.

SINGLES:
A Family for Thanksgiving
On this Holy Night
Christmas Haven
King Harold's Snow Job


New Book Group #83 November 30, 2018

(Starting bottom left and continuing up then down)
SINGLE
Seductive Secrets by Lynne Connolly
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich - Audio Cassettes
A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein Audio Cassettes
Three Reader's Digest Condensed Books - each hardback:

Cold Harbour and The Courtship of Peggy McCoy
The Things We Do for Love, Three Weeks With My Brother, The Murder Artist and Night Train to Lisbon
Follow the Stars Home, Hunting Badger, The Quiet Game and Second Wind

New Book Group #82 November 9, 2018

Stella Cameron: Key West
SINGLES:
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
Killing Time by Linda Howard
The Wedding Night by Barbara Dawson Smith

New Book Group #81 August 17, 2018

SINGLES
Best Laid Plans by Allison Brennan
Darkness Tell Us by Richard Laymon
Cooking Most Deadly by Joanne Pence


New Book Group #80 August 17, 2018

Note: The Final Judgment and
The Book of Fate are Audio Cassettes
SINGLES:
Summer’s Moon by Lacey Baker
The Final Judgment by Richard North PattersonAudio Cassettes
Firebird by Janice Graham
No Getting Over a Cowboy by Delores Fossen
The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer Audio Cassettes


New Book Group #79 July 13, 2018
I found this box of books buried under some other boxes.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lenox by Maggie O’Farrell
P.S. by Helen Schulman
Her Sexiest Surprise by Dawn Atkins (personally autographed)
Dakota Child by Linda Ford
Calling the Shots by Ellen Hartman
Promises, Promises by Amber Miller
This Time for Keeps by Jenna Mills
A Daughter’s Legacy by Virginia Smith
Another Man’s Baby by Kay Stockham


New Book Group #78 April 27, 2018

SINGLES
Blackberry Bush
Breaking Point
A Tangled Affair
Too Wicked to Love
Roses are Red Audio Cassettes


New Book Group #77 February 16, 2018- All gone

New Book Group #76 November 3, 2017
13 books remain of the original 37:

I finally Have them Listed!
Boots & Booties by Kristine Rolofson
Saucer the Conquest by Stephen Coonts
The Scorpion Seducer by Bonnie Vanak
Hell On Earth by David L. Porter
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton
Crisscross by Harmon Henkin
Maelstrom by Anne McCaffrey
Inhuman Condition by Clive Barker
101 Commonsense Rules for the Office by John R. Brinkerhoff


This shelf of 35 books are what is left from Groups #1 (11/27/09) through Group #75 September 29, 2017

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 14 titles.)
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing
Named of the Dragon
Aunt Erma's Cope Book
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Bound by Destiny by Rayka Mennen

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 21 titles.)
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
(*Three One more very old books from my Gothics box.)
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell
*Four One books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I found.
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)
Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

I started Friday Pick on November 27, 2009 and in almost TEN years I have posted 91 groups of 16 books plus an additional 21 totaling 1,477 books available to find new homes! (As of November 6, 2020).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,345+ books have found new homes through this feature! YAY. [A year or so ago I posted I had reached 2000 books given away. As I calculated the numbers 11/2/17 I realized that had to be an error. I realized I went from 1098 to 2001 instead of 1101. Guess I was tired; sorry for the error.] I have to update my print out to check the exact number sent out - a few were never claimed. I periodically update the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors, your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to faraway places runs between $7.00 and $10.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy too. :o)

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!

#NetGalley Book Review: Yang Warriors by Kao Kalia Yang

Oh boy - this is touching!

Yang Warriors
by Kao Kalia Yang

Illustrations by Billy Thao

Hardcover : 40 pages
Publisher : Univ Of Minnesota Press (April 13, 2021)
ISBN-13 : 978-1517907983
Reading level : 5 - 10 years
Grade level : Kindergarten - 5
Genre: Children, Immigration, Refugee
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Award-winning author Kao Kalia Yang delivers an inspiring tale of resourceful children confronting adversaries in a refugee camp.
After lunch the Yang warriors prepare for battle. They practice drills, balance rocks on their heads, wield magical swords from fallen branches. Led by ten-year-old Master Me (whose name means “little”), the ten cousins are ready to defend the family at all costs. After a week without fresh vegetables , the warriors embark on a dangerous mission to look for food, leaving the camp’s boundaries, knowing their punishment would be severe if they were caught by the guards.
In this inspiring picture book, fierce and determined children confront the hardships of Ban Vinai refugee camp, where the author lived as a child. Yang’s older sister, seven-year-old Dawb, was one of the story’s warriors, and her brave adventure unfolds here with all the suspense and excitement that held her five-year-old sister spellbound many years later. Accompanied by the evocative and rich cultural imagery of debut illustrator Billy Thao, the warriors’ secret mission shows what feats of compassion and courage children can perform, bringing more than foraged greens back to the younger children and to their elders. In this unforgiving place, with little to call their own, these children are the heroes, offering gifts of hope and belonging in a truly unforgettable way.

Review:
The Yang warriors are a group of young children in a refugee camp in Thailand. (Ban Vinai camp housed many highland people, known as Hmong, who fled communist rule in Laos from 1975 until 1992.) The conditions in the camp are hard and the families struggle to have enough food to sustain life. The guards are harsh and will punish those who challenge the boundaries of the camp.

The children gather in a quiet, unobtrusive group to meditate and train in practice drills, balancing rocks and wielding branch swords. The children seek to be prepared to act if and when needed to help their families and especially their younger siblings. Having heard of vegetables just beyond the camp, they plan a mission to sneak out and gather those precious greens for their families.

The story is told simply from the view of the author’s memories as a five-year-old seeing the bravery and compassion of her seven-year-old sister and their cousins. The story is poignant, gripping, and heart-wrenching. I found my breath hitching as I read of these sorrowful children. I found the closing message of resourcefulness and hope encouraging (but not enough). I think the message will have to be explained to children. The author's and illustrator's notes add to the work.

The illustrations are by a Hmong American who researched and achieved a style that fits beautifully and enhances the text. The gentle images use vibrant colors and a mystical touch. The story is appropriate to share with children, explaining the struggles of refugee families and what we might be able to do to help others. I plan to purchase the print book to share with my grandchildren.

Source: 2020 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2020NetGalley and 2020Alphabet goals.

#NetGalley Book Review: Survive the Fall (EMP: Return of the Wild West Book 1) by Grace Hamilton

This is a post-apocalyptic story focused on one family in two locations.
Survive the Fall (EMP: Return of the Wild West Book 1)
by Grace Hamilton

ASIN : B08JH9PQ5W
Publication date : December 9, 2020
File size : 3025 KB
Genre: Post Apocalyptic, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

Survival of the fittest becomes harsh reality in the blink of an eye. Greg Healy isn’t fooled. The hunting trip is merely a ploy contrived by his wife and mother to force Greg and his father to end their estrangement. Not even Greg’s teenage daughter or his father’s hunting buddies along for the ride will be enough of a buffer to heal the rift of long-standing resentments. But the helicopter has barely dropped them in the remote Canadian wilderness when they discover their new equipment is dead with no explanation. Now they’ll have to rely on each other and resort to Old West ingenuity to find their way home—before the hunter becomes the hunted.
For seventeen-year-old Darryl Healy, things aren’t much easier on his grandparents’ cattle ranch. Not when his highly intelligent and successful mother keeps hounding him about college applications. But college quickly loses its allure when the lights go out after a cyberattack. Frightening responsibilities fall squarely on Darryl’s unproven shoulders as a power-hungry politician is determined to confiscate the ranch’s resources—by any means necessary.
Danger and death await the Healy family as each group attempts to navigate this terrifying new post-apocalyptic world while the vast wilderness separates them. When deceit arises from within their ranks, they’ll face threats as lethal as the grizzly bears and mountain lions lurking in the shadows.
And in order to survive the nightmare, a deal with the devil might be their only saving grace.
Prepper survivalist author Grace Hamilton invites you to step into a post-apocalyptic, EMP-ravaged world filled with strong, resourceful characters, survivalist knowledge, and edge-of-your seat action.

Review:
Greg has agreed to go on a hunting trip with his father, Tuck, whom Greg tends to avoid due to their pattern of arguing. Greg is surprised by his teenage daughter’s enthusiasm for the trip. Emma is excited and has been studying to prepare to show her father and grandfather that she can be trusted in this environment. There are two other men along for the trip: Tuck’s best friend, Tommy, a rugged fellow, and Eustace, the brawny foreman of the pipeline company who is to serve as guide on the company land.

Greg is distressed when his satellite phone doesn’t work and the hunters soon realize none of their electronic equipment is working. When they see a fire in the distance three of the men make the hike to discover that the helicopter that dropped them off has crashed. Finally, they are realizing that something is very wrong and they are apparently stranded with minimal supplies and limited hope of rescue. As they agree to trek their way down the pipeline it is clear that there are secrets and hidden tensions that threaten the group as much as the stark wilderness with snakes and bears.

Meanwhile, back home, Greg’s son, Darryl, is struggling to complete his college applications while trying to help his grandmother and mother run the family ranch. When the power failed, none of the ranch hands showed up for work. Since the mechanical equipment isn’t working, the cows have to be milked by hand. Fences have to be repaired to control the herd and soon they realize that the fences need to be turned into a wall to protect against predators - wild animals and human thieves. Will these three be able to help their neighbors and protect their property against the powers in the local town who seek to take their resources, even at gunpoint?

I found this to be a fairly predictable EMP power loss, post-apocalyptic story. The author has presented dual, well-constructed plot lines with flawed – very human – characters. The story reads easily but I was disappointed by what I will call a lack of energy. The two threads of the story are adequately written technically and have some danger and intrigue. Still, both experiences seemed depressed to me. The story ends with a shoot-out and a trailing enemy who will no doubt make trouble in the next book.

It may just be that I wasn’t particularly gripped by any of the characters. I will recommend the book to fans of post-apocalyptic genre, and there are plenty of five-star reviews to encourage them to read this..

Source: 2020 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2020NetGalley and 2020Alphabet goals.