Nine

 

GIVEAWAY

DEKKER, RACHELLE

NINE

Zoe Johnson spent most of her life living in the shadows, never drawing attention to herself, never investing in people or places. But when a wide-eyed, bedraggled teenager with no memory walks into the diner where Zoe words, everything changes. Now, against her better judgement, Zoe, who has been trying to outrun her own painful memories of the past, finds herself attempting to help a girl who doesn't seem to have any past at all. The girl knows only one thing: she must reach a woman in Corpus Christi, Texas, hundreds of miles away, before the government agents who are searching for her catch up to them.

My Review:

An impossible to pigeonhole thriller. Is it speculative? Maybe a bit. Or Dystopian? Kinda but not quite. Suspense? Definitely! Action-packed? In spades! However you want to classify Nine, it's definitely a page-turner.

Equal parts creepy and intriguing and baffling and head-spinning-wait-what-just-happened?! I was enthralled and compelled -- even through the gnarly bits and reader beware: there is a significant amount of violence, including torture scenes. I found some of it really disturbing so if you are sensitive to that kind of content this might not be the right book-match for you.

The three unique points of view really fleshed out the tale and brought a sharper edge to the storytelling. I had issues with one protagonist -- he plays a pivotal role and has a complicated backstory that feeds his motivation but -- wowzers...just no. I was on tenterhooks the entire read because of that one character!

There's a light connection to The Girl Behind the Red Rope though there isn't any indication this is part of a series. There's sure to be a sequel at least, because the conclusion is somewhat open-ended. There's enough closure so that a reader can heave a sigh of relief and let her heart rate simmer down but Zoe and Lucy's journey is far from over and I'm anxious to see how it all plays out.

The one thing I found disappointing was the lack of a faith thread -- definitely a clean read, though with quite a bit of violence. It touches on forgiveness at the end but that isn't fully developed enough for me to consider it a Christian Fiction read. Anticipating a sequel, I'm wondering if this book has laid the groundwork for some inspirational aspects to come? I'm eager to find out because Dekker has me hooked despite my misgivings on the amount of violence in this book.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Nine, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 21 2020. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

The Girl Behind the Red Rope

GIVEAWAY

DEKKER, TED
DEKKER, RACHELLE
THE GIRL BEHIND THE RED ROPE

Ten years ago, Grace saw something that would forever change the course of history. When evil in its purest form is unleashed on the world, she and others from their religious community are already hidden deep in the hills of Tennessee, abiding by every rule that will keep them safe, pure -- and alive. As long as they stay there, behind the red perimeter.

Her older brother's questions and the arrival of the first outsiders she's seen in a decade set in motion events that will question everything Grace has built her life on. Enemies rise on all sides -- but who is the real enenmy? And what will it cost her to uncover the truth?

For the first time, bestselling authors Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker team up and deliver an intense, tightly focused ride through the most treacherous world of all.

My Review:

What a formidable father/daughter duo!  All that creativity and talent meshing together to create something indefinable. And hard to classify. Speculative Fiction is the closest I can get. Not quite Dystopian, though there are Dystopian elements to this story. And there's too much realism to consider it Fantasy, I think the Dekkers might have to start their own genre.  :-)

My brain is still kinda cafuzzled after completing this read. There were times I had absolutely no idea what was going on and other times where I made assumptions that were just plain wrong.So I think it's best to approach The Girl Behind the Red Rope with an open mind because nothing can really prepare you for the deep, rich layers that make up this compelling tale where truths abound -- sometimes uncomfortably so.

And it is a hard book to review because I don't want to give anything away. But Grace's quest really resonated with me. I could see parallels in my own life to varying degrees and I love the way the authors carry their message through to a spectacular ending. Scary and hopeful and everything in between. Not a light read but a worthwhile one. And it would make a fantastic book club selection because there are so many talking points. You couldn't cover them all in one meeting!

If you're in the mood for something edgy and different and utterly thought-provoking then this is definitely the book for you!

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Girl Behind the Red Rope, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 14, 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Calling

GIVEAWAY

DEKKER, RACHELLE
THE CALLING

Remko Brant had never been so sure of anything as escaping the Authority City with Carrington Hale. But bravado comes easy when you have nothing to lose. Now a husband, father, and the tactical leader of the Seers, Remko has never had so much at risk.

As he and his team execute increasingly dangerous rescue missions inside the city, they face growing peril from a new enemy. Recently appointed Authority President Damien Gold claims to be guiding a city shaken by rebellion into a peaceful, harmonious future. But appearances can be deceiving. In order to achieve his dangerous ambitions, Gold knows he must do more than catch the rebels -- he must destroy the hope their message represents...from the inside out.

With dissension in his own camp -- and the CityWatch soliders closing in -- Remko feels control slipping through his fingers. To protect those he loves, he must conquer his fears and defeat Gold...before one of them becomes his undoing.

My Review:

The Calling is the second installment of the Seer novels and I think it's best if you read the first book, The Choosing before starting in on this one. There are a lot of characters and situations that you need to be familiar with in order to be able to hit the ground running with this one.

What a powerful story! Action-packed and full of twists and turns and chockfull of so many moving inspirational truths. Like:

"When you know who you truly are, you realize there is no war left to fight at all." (p. 326)

and

"I know that you are afraid, that fear and failure haunt you. I know you long to be free but only see freedom in escaping what you fear instead of surrendering to it." (p.382)

There's a resounding thread of hope woven through this Dystopian novel. And so many biblical parallels I could sink my teeth into. Honestly, at some points I just had to stop and haul out my bible and read a few passages and then marvel at how Dekker incorporated so much depth of faith into a heart-pounding, soul-stirring read.

A stunning novel with such depth and scope it took my breath away. I want to see this series on the big screen. It would give The Hunger Games a run for the money!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Calling please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday June 5 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

The Choosing

GIVEAWAY

DEKKER, RACHELLE
THE CHOOSING

“Not to be Chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making.”

Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.

But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within.

Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.

My Review:

A Dystopian tale fueled by hope.

Dekker had me transfixed in the very first scene of this debut novel. Her imagination knows no bounds when it comes to creating a futuristic and all too troubled earth. And the whole concept of young women having to wait to be chosen had me fuming. Especially since if they weren't they became outcasts -- even from their own families. A troubling tale that parallels our current world in subtle ways.

Loved the depth of the spiritual message -- that we have already been chosen by the One who created us. Carrington's struggle to grasp that concept is heartbreakingly real. So foreign in a world that forces religious legalism that restricts individual freedom. She's on an impossible (and often reluctant) quest to find answers to the doubts that threaten her very existence.

A line up of strong secondary characters enrich the tale -- including a forbidden love interest for Carrington.

Powerful and raw and utterly compelling. And this is just the beginning...Book Two comes out early 2016.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Choosing please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 26 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!