Shannon McNear, Author

Yes, this is Day 3, and yes, I skipped Day 2. Lots and lots of real life yesterday. So. Put it all together and ... ... you get a very decently entertaining read, in my opinion. Part of it for me, as I’ve already mentioned, is that I really enjoy Brouwer’s style. Rich, flowing, contemplative without turning purple. I found Caitlyn well-drawn and appealing, and her two supporting characters as well; the really bad dude was appropriately creepy. The pacing was smooth, and the author had some nice surprises on who was "in" and who wasn't. The ending leaves you wanting more—MUCH more—and I’ve read elsewhere on the tour that Brouwer has a sequel in the works. The thing that really caught me, however, was the interwoven commentary on Christians and political involvement. I come from Evangelical American stock, where it’s a given that you’ll be vocal about political issues and that you’ll have proper Opinions, but I’ve grown increasingly uncomfortable with the methods that t

When did August get here? Weren't we supposed to have a summer? This month's tour features an author I've enjoyed for a LONG time: Sigmund Brouwer. Some of my favorite titles include the young adult medieval adventure series Winds of Light , the western Ghost Rider series, and several of his suspense novels, including the excellent Out of the Shadows , set right here in Charleston. So when we were offered a chance to preview a couple of chapters of his new title, Broken Angel , I was on it. This story is, of course, speculative: a slightly futuristic tale of a not-normal girl whose father tries to protect her from those who want to exploit her, um, different-ness. Add to the mix one creepy fundamentalist group, an even more creepy bounty hunter, several other characters of unknown allegiance, and you have--but wait, I don't plan to do a full review until tomorrow or Wednesday. In the meantime, to find out more about the author: http://www.coolreading.com/ And oth

Both Sharon Hinck and Christopher Hopper have dragged me into this one. :-) (Gee, thanks, y'all.) It was started by Becky Miller the Real (as opposed to Becky Miller the Fictional ), and she posted five books each under three categories: Must Reads, Keep Your Eyes On These, and Coming Soon. Each player has to replace one title with another in each category, indicating what book they added, and WHY (as per Becky's request). So, without further ado... MUST Reads : DragonSpell by Donita K. Paul (I'm changing TWO because I was tagged twice! I'm adding this because, well, Donita is Donita and Kale is Kale and Fenworth is Fenworth ... and it all must be experienced to be appreciated!) Demon: a Memoir by Tosca Lee (NavPress) Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer (WaterBrook) The Restorer by Sharon Hinck (NavPress) Isle of Fire by Wayne Thomas Batson (Tommy Nelson) (I added this one because I've read it most recently and just LOVED the story! Wayne's writing style ha