Noela Nancarrow Reviews Moonblood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Moonblood

Moonblood –Tales of Goldstone Wood series book 3

by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Bethany House, 2012

Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

Moonblood is the third book in the spectacular Tales of Goldstone Wood series.

Once again I was astounded at the fascinating intricacies of this clever epic allegory/fantasy. It was overflowing with unique and deeply-layered characters, strange lands and even stranger paths, and an ingenious plot unlike any other! I remain completely in awe of not only Anne’s brilliant imagination but also of her beautiful and euphonious writing!

Journey with Prince Lionheart on his undertaking to free his kingdom The Southlands from the Dragon, who is wreaking havoc, destruction, and death upon Lionheart’s kingdom and people. Experience Lionheart’s many struggles in this quest; in being humbled as a lowly servant, in falling unexpectedly in love, and in the heart-breaking decisions he made that tore at his soul. Though at times he is weak-minded and insecure, he is also a character of a quiet strength and an integrity that is buried deep within him, but not altogether extinguished. However, will this integrity and faith of his surface in time? Or will he continue to make excuses for his mistakes and terrible choices?

After betraying his beloved Una, in the most terrible way, and then banishing his long-standing devoted and faithful friend Rose Red to the dangerous Wilderlands, can Una and Rose Red ever forgive him? And can he ever forgive himself as he discovers just how far-reaching and dreadful the consequences of his actions are. What will it take for Prince Lionheart to surrender to the Silver Thrush’s words of ‘Won’t you return to me’?

We find out what became of Rose Red when she was banished to the Wilderlands, and learn the true identity of this strange, ugly girl. And we discover why she was so crucial to King Vahe and his evil plan to awaken the sleeping dragons, on the night of Moonblood.

Right along with the charismatic cast of Moonblood, we are taken on a journey of forgiveness and redemption, and learning that we cannot absolve our own sin by works.  We discover we only need to accept the grace and forgiveness of our master.

While traveling our paths, we will encounter many crossroads which may require us to make a difficult choice. How do we choose the road to take? Along the way, we will detect the signposts of trust and faith, and this is where patience is vital to stay on course.   

But will it all be too late for Rose Red and Lionheart, and for their kingdoms? The Moon is already beginning to turn blood-red…

Anne's books can be found at Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores.

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GIVEAWAY: We are giving away a copy of any one of Anne Elisabeth's books this week (ebook only for international winners.) Leave your email address and answer the question. 

QUESTION: There is a strong message of the importance of choices in this novel. Is there a difficult choice you have had to make that was for the good of someone?

Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

Veiled Rose

Veiled Rose – Tales of Goldstone Wood series Book 2
by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Bethany House, 2011

Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

Veiled Rose is Book Two in the enchanting Tales of Goldstone Wood series, and most effective and satisfying when read after Book One, Heartless.  This fascinating allegory fantasy will have you diving into an exquisite tale of memorable mortal and mythical type characters, evil dragons, intriguing and unique settings, and with an inspirational and phenomenal storyline!

Throughout this story, you’ll also feel God’s beautiful and ceaseless love portrayed. Additionally, you’ll be prompted to think about the darkness that may seep into our lives when we don’t ‘follow the light’ by putting our trust in Him during life’s adversities.

In Veiled Rose, we view the individual journeys of the enigmatical veiled girl Rose Red and the kind and humorous, yet fallible Prince Lionheart. We also experience the epic battle between good and evil throughout, and ultimately the tug-of-war for our souls.

The wonderfully mysterious Rose Red lives on a forest mountain behind a village, hiding from the villagers and wearing a shroud of veils. She has only her father who works all day and her nanny; a goat named Beana for companionship, and therefore is terribly lonely. When a young lad called Leo who is spending the summer holidays at Hill House at the bottom of the mountain, ventures up the mountain to fight the ‘monster’ that he’s heard the villages whisper about, he meets the odd but interesting Rose Red. They spend many hours playing adventures and so began a deep and abiding friendship. Eventually she acquiesces to show him the monster in the cave. Who and what is the mystery of this monster? And can she trust her friend with this secret?  Leo returns five years later, and when he discovers that Rose Red’s father has died and she is barely eating, he brings her home with him to Southlands, having revealed he is in actual fact Prince Lionheart of the Southlands.

The horrifying Dragon King, who believes Rose Red is the Beloved of his Enemy, is furious to see her leave the mountain, and him. He gives her a year and a day to return or he will come for her. When she didn’t return, the Dragon attacked Southland setting everything on fire and causing great destruction across the kingdom. And even when the fires died down, the lingering poisonous smoke continued to affect the citizens and their minds making them weak and causing dark thoughts. Lionheart sets off to find a way to be able to kill the dragon and save his family and kingdom. However the Dragon King’s sister, The Lady of Dreams, plans to ensnare Lionheart by manipulating him to choose a dream that will go against his will, his new love, and to enslave him. Follow Lionheart aka Leo the Jester as he disguises himself while on his courageous quest to rid his kingdom of the evil. Likewise, join Rose Red in her own journey of grave danger and self-discovery.

I genuinely enjoyed this ingenious tale and recommend it highly for everyone! It’s especially encouraging for those who are going through difficult circumstances and finding it difficult to place their whole trust in God. And if you are feeling lonely or just different, you’ll relate very much to the character of Rose Red.

Wrapping up this review I’d love to share some words of God’s amazing love from the Thrush Songbird in Veiled Rose. “I want you for yourself. I want you to be everything you were intended to be before the worlds were formed. Everything this death-in-life has prevented you from becoming. Yes, we both want your loyalty… I will never take something from you that you do not wish to give.”

Thank you Anne Elisabeth Stengl for this treasure!

Anne's books can be found at Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores.

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GIVEAWAY: We are giving away a copy of any one of Anne Elisabeth's books this week (ebook only for international winners.) Anne Elisabeth is also giving away a signed copy of Starflower. Leave your email address and answer the question. 

QUESTION: Do you ever feel lonely or different and if so, what has helped you to overcome any negative feelings associated with those things?  

Noela Nancarrow Reviews Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Heartless

Heartless - Tales of Goldstone Wood series book 1

by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Bethany House, 2010

Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

Heartless Has A Big Heart

‘Heartless’ is a remarkable and fascinating inspirational allegorical fantasy, set within the different world of Parumvir and other wonderful kingdoms each ruled by nobility. This enchanting and spellbinding tale provides an absolute feast of intrigue, adventure, great peril, magic and romance!  And then… there’s the dragon. A horrendously monstrous, reptilian-scaled and fire-breathing evil beast! This is a tale filled with incredible characters and fairy-tale type creatures, and layered with cleverly composed allegories.

In the Kingdom of Parumvir, we find that Princess Una has come of age. Suitors of noble status journey from kingdoms far and wide to pay their respects to her. But it is from the Unseen realm of Farthestshore that the ‘remarkably unremarkable’ Prince Aethelbald arrives to declare his love and intentions toward Una. He is however rejected by the Princess. Furthermore, his warnings to her father King Fidel of a coming great and terrible danger are not heeded. There is yet another one who is also rejected by the lovely princess and one of those rejected nobility will become dangerously revengeful. Feeling as if her dream of being swept away in love by a prince was never going to happen, she was taken by surprise when an unexpected admirer, captured her heart completely. He asks her to trust him when he had to leave to help free his imprisoned people from the dragon. But can he truly be trusted, and will she continue to trust him when he doesn’t return, and of what cost will this trust be to her and to those she loves?

Meanwhile the menacingly evil and fiery Dragon is on its way to Parumvir to claim Una, the ‘Beloved of my enemy’, a name he’d called her in one of the terrible dreams she was plagued with after touching a dragon scale at the 12 Year Market. It is Una’s kiss and heart that the Dragon seeks to claim. But her father the King, her brother Prince Felix, Oriana Palace and their city are also in the Dragon’s sights to destroy!

I loved the fantastic and unique elements throughout, such as the 12 Year Market; Woodhaven – The Halflight Realm; and the blind cat that seems to see and is more than what he seems! This riveting and intricately crafted tale is also threaded with such inspiring allegories; you will enjoy the thrill of discovering the Christian parallels as you read this story and likely even discover more as I did when you ponder the possibilities once you’ve finished. Some of them were so beautifully expressed; it was emotional at times! As was the humble and beautifully significant expressions of the Prince’s love.

Overall, Heartless is an entertaining and exciting story of God’s love and sacrifice. There are also many thought-provoking messages of encouragement we can take from this inspired fantasy tale. Una is challenged to learn not to trust her feelings or that what she sees, but to trust what she knows to be true, and to listen and obey that still, quiet voice in her spirit. The message of trust is also eloquently explained. We feel Una’s terrible despair at being betrayed, her isolation and loneliness when she becomes different, and her overwhelming fear. However as demonstrated in Heartless, it is when we place our unswerving faith in God in all circumstances that He will bring that pure peace that passes all understanding!

Anne's books can be found at Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores.

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GIVEAWAY: We are giving away a copy of any one of Anne Elisabeth's books this week (ebook only for international winners.) Leave your email address and answer the question. 

QUESTION: Is there a time where you have had to rest on pure faith and not what was in front of you? 

Anne Elisabeth Stengl interview

Anne Elizabeth Stengl

Anne Elisabeth Stengl is the author of Starflower, and the award-winning Tales of Goldstone Wood series. Her first two novels, Heartless and Veiled Rose, have both been honored with Christy Awards. Her fifth novel, Dragonwitch, is due to release summer 2013.

Anne Elisabeth, welcome to Overcoming With God.  We appreciate your willingness to share your testimony of overcoming with our readers. 

Would you tell us about the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help?

 The first few years after college, I was deeply involved in my local church. As a lonely, single girl living across the country from my family, I threw myself into this church and invested in the people there. Sadly, however, I didn't quite fit, and before long, gossip began to circulate about me. Unfair and untrue gossip. Bitter and hurt, I stayed on at the church for a few more months before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. I was so angry and so lonely, for most of my friends had been at this church, and only a few of them maintained any contact with me after I left. I tended to blame God and was very angry.

And yet, through that difficult time, God was faithful. He opened doors for my writing career, provided me with true friends, and always the love of my supportive family back home. Eventually, He led me down the path to meet my darling husband . . . whom I would never have met if I had remained in that church and life to which I had been clinging. He taught me that my relationship with Him was not about what church I attend. It's a personal relationship, one that can grow and thrive both in loneliness and in community.

Disability friendliness: Do you have any works available on audio?  Do your e-books have audio capability? Do you have any in large print? 

The Tales of Goldstone Wood are not yet in audio format, though my agent is currently looking into that possibility. I can happily say that they are available in Braille editions through Verbatim Braille Transcriptions. 

In this latest work, do you have any topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading about a disorder or situation?

I believe that Starflower would be an excellent book for bibliotherapy. The title heroine of Starflower is a young woman from an oppressive society wherein all women have their powers of speech stripped away. They are, quite literally, mute in a country of chauvinistic dominance. But despite this disability, the women, and my heroine especially, demonstrate great strength and love, developing their own silent language among each other. Starflower herself grows into a strong character able to overcome the most terrifying odds. But her strength comes through the love she learned from her mother, and the guidance she receives from the "God-figure" of my fantasy world. She is not a warrior maiden wielding a sword, but a much stronger heroine, wielding great faith and truth in the midst of oppression and adversity.

I think Starflower's is an excellent story for young women with difficult pasts. I have had a number of dear fans write and thank me for the story, telling me how it blessed and encouraged them in the midst of difficult circumstances. Which is, in turn, a tremendous blessing to me!

Thank you, Anne Elisabeth, for agreeing to answer these questions.  Have a blessed day and keep on writing!!

Thank you! I appreciate you hosting me on Overcoming with God!

Purchase link for Anne's books on Amazon (click here.)

Giveaways: Anne Elisabeth is offering a signed copy of Starflower this week in addition to our giveaway of ANY of her books, choice of format (international winners--ebook format only.) Leave your email address and your comment to enter. 

Review Seasons in the Mist by Deborah Kinnard

Seasons in the Mist by Deborah Kinnard
Sheaf House Publishers, 2010


Reviewed by Marian Baay

*5 stars*

Awesome Time-Travel Romance!

In this time-travel novel Deborah Kinnard writes a story that I liked in all aspects.

The main character Bethany Lindstrom is a student in medieval history. For her studies she travels from the US to England. There she meets the friendly Sheila who offers Bethany a place to spend the night in her historical house.

When Bethany wakes up early she is going to explore the house a bit and stumbles on a time portal that transports her back in time to the 14th century.

It’s a shock for Bethany to discover she has traveled back in time. But as a historian she also enjoys to see real life in the 14th century.

Bethany makes new friends, but also enemies. She comes to fall under the protection of Lord Michael Veryan and together they travel to king Edward’s court. Bethany is trying to guard her heart, but nonetheless finds herself falling in love with Michael.

This journey back in time brings Bethany on her knees and she finds God again. What does He want her to do? Can she stay in the 14th century, or does she have to travel back to the 21st century? She doesn’t know what she should choose. She is missing her mom, but she also doesn’t want to leave Michael.

Travel with Bethany through the ages and find out if there’s a future for her and Michael!

This novel is full of historical facts and colorful descriptions of life in medieval times. I enjoyed the author’s writing-style and liked the use of old English in the conversations. I appreciated the Christian theme and how it was portraited. Wonderful job, Deborah!

Buy Deb Kinnard's books on Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble or other (online) bookstores.


GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week's contest. Drawing will be late Saturday. Your choice of format!

The Wolf of Tebron - Book Review

The Wolf of Tebron, Book One in The Gates of Heaven series, By C.S. Lakin

Publisher: AMG Publishers/Living Ink Books

August 2010, Pages: 288

Category: Youth Fantasy Fiction

Website: www.cslakin.com

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review. A thank you goes out to Shelby Sledge, with Phenix and Phenix Literary Publicists for background information. The Wolf of Tebron is described as a modern fairy tale with components of fantasy and myth, also. A blacksmith must go on a quest to seven places on Earth that heaven has designated to protect the hearts of men from evil.

Susanne Lakin also has another book just released, her mystery novel, Someone to Blame, which won the Zondervan first novel contest. She is a member of ACFW, which is where I “met” her in one of the online groups and was fortunate to get to talk with her in person at the recent ACFW conference. She is also a member of Christian Authors Network and Christian Filmmakers.

This is a fairly fast paced novel but Susanne’s writing is so beautiful that I found myself reading extremely slowly just to savor the choices she made in every sentence. The cover is gorgeous, and is one reason why two of my author friends ended up taking home (from the ACFW conference) one of my (purchased) signed copies of this book and an advance copy I received! So my giveaway book had up and gone.

This is definitely a literary novel. It is one that deserves a place in Christian high school curriculums. I see this as a modern classic such as Hind’s Feet on High Places.

Personal note: I was interested in reading this book because I have a fantasy book that I have put aside as I work on a series of historical novels. I had also seen some of Susanne’s comments and writing online and was really impressed with how lovely her words are. Meeting her in person, she is casually elegant, extremely intelligent, and is wonderfully expressive and considerate. She’s a joy – just like her book.