"Lord of a Shattered Land" by Howard Andrew Jones

Hanover was once the ruler of a beautiful and prosperous kingdom, but multiple wars saw his kingdom destroyed, many of his allies killed, and the remains of his people enslaved and scattered across enemy lands. Hanover himself was believed killed in that final battle, but against all odds, he managed to survive. And now, he is determined to find and free all of his people, taking them all away to somewhere they can live free and safe as they begin a new life.

This was the first book in what is sure to be an epic adventure. The main character has set himself what appears to be an impossible task, but refuses to give up or to give in to despair. It is written as a series of his adventures, where the characters are often seemingly sidetracked into helping others along the way. And yet, each success does seem to bring them closer, as well as farther from, his ultimate goal. 

I found this book to be very interesting, and enjoyed the unique way in which it was told. The "sidekick" character who has attached himself to the main character and begins traveling with him as he sees Hanuvar as the means for him to write an epic tale that will live on long after the both of them have passed. And while initially his reasons for helping Hanuvar may appear a bit self-serving, he soon becomes not only a good friend and traveling companion, but a very necessary part of the story. 

If you enjoy stories full of adventure and difficult challenges to overcome, then I believe that you will enjoy this book as much as I did. I'll be waiting for the next book in this series to be released so that I can find out what happens next.

This book may also be available through the following vendors:

https://books2read.com/u/bW6d9D

"Shadow Guardian" and the "big Bad Wolf" by Robert J. Lewis

Two people had been cursed by a demon to know their love exists somewhere in the world, but to never again be allowed to be together. Through lifetime after lifetime, they search for each other, but in order to be together once again, the demon must be banished back to Hell, and they must find each other again. The curse can only be broken when they finally manage to touch each other. But with so many obstacles in their way, can this curse ever be ended?

I read an Advance Review Copy of this book. It was the second book in a series, but I have not yet read the previous book. Even without having read book one, I didn't feel at all lost while reading this one. I'm sure there are things that would be clearer had I read the previous book already, but I do plan on going back to read it when I have the chance.

Parts of this book made me snicker in amusement quite a bit at the antics of one character. He really managed to help keep things somewhat lighthearted, even when he wasn't trying to. Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I believe that anyone who enjoys fantasy novels with a lighthearted batman-style superhero would enjoy this book. It really is a fun read. And I'll be keeping my eyes open for both book 1 and book three in the series. If you enjoy superhero stories, give this series a shot. I think you’ll find it’s a fun one.

This book may also be available through:

https://books2read.com/shadowguardian02

"The shadowless" by Ty Carlson

Shipley Bowden is a scavenger who lives on Earth in what appears to be our future, if things continue as they seem to be going currently. It is a dark and cruel world. The sun is hidden behind the "Everstorm," only appearing when one of the many "black eyes" (tornadoes) that happen across the world appears to cause even more death and destruction. After one such event, he finds a lone surviving 6 year old girl. He takes her with him, planning to find somewhere safe to leave her, but things don't go as planned.

I read an Advance Review Copy of this book. It was the 3rd book in a series, and not having read the first two, I don't know what happened before this point, but this book was a complete story on its own. In other words, I didn't feel lost, but I do intend to go back and read them when I get the chance anyway.

This was a fantastic post-apocalyptic story that tells a very vivid tale of what happens to the planet when people are only out for themselves, caring nothing about what happens to other people or the planet itself. I greatly enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone, even though it paints a grim future for mankind. Be warned though, there is a great deal of violence in this story.

This book may also be available from the following:

https://books2read.com/dadirri03

"Orphaned Bride and the scarred Farmer" by Florence Linnington

When their mother died, Beth and her little sister Hannah learn that the debt on their property of $12,000 has been past due for quite some time.  They are about to be evicted. Beth accepts a proposal from a man across the country and sells everything they own, but is cheated out of some of the money she needed in order to pay the debt. Beth and Hannah try to sneak out of town, barely escaping the sheriff, knowing they still need to find a way to pay the remaining $6,000.

David wasn't expecting his mail order bride to arrive with a little sister. What will he do when he learns she also comes with a large debt? Will he still marry Beth and allow them both to remain, or will he send them packing?

As with her other books, I enjoyed reading this one. There were a few more twists in this book, than in some of the previous ones, but the usual themes of honesty, communication, trust, family, and love remain. And when all those items come together, you get a heartwarming tale the way Ms. Linnington is so good at sharing with us.

If you enjoy western mail-order bride stories, or have enjoyed any of Ms. Linnington's other books, then you should also enjoy this one.

This book may also be found through:

https://books2read.com/u/b5wOyw