Tag Archives: Patrick W. Carr

Top Ten Tuesday — Books for People Who Don’t Like ____

2 Nov

There are people out there who don’t like to read! I know a few. Even my own daughter used to say that once upon a time — until she discovered what she loved. That is always my assertion for people who don’t like reading — they just haven’t found the right book. On a twist of this week’s TTT, I am listing books for people who don’t like romance or suspense or fantasy . . . . Maybe you just haven’t found the right book. 😉 All of the books I have listed have wonderful characters struggling with issues that are common to all. I hope this list piques your interest. By the way, my daughter loves to read now. She just doesn’t like fiction! Oh, where did I go wrong.

For more book recommendations, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Books for People Who Don’t Like ___

Amish Fiction

The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher

With a vibrant, fresh style Suzanne Woods Fisher brings readers into the world of a young Amish woman torn between following the man she loves — or joining the community of faith that sustains her, even as she questions some of the decisions of her elders. Her choice begins a torrent of change for her and her family, including a marriage of convenience to silent Daniel Miller. Both bring broken hearts into their arrangement — and secrets that have been held too long. 


Filled with gentle romance, The Choice opens the world of the Amish — their strong communities, their simple life, and their willingness to put each other first. Combined with Fisher’s exceptional gift for character development, this novel, the first in a series, is a welcome reminder that it is never too late to find your way back to God.

When The Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall

When Hannah dares to love across the boundaries of tradition, will she lose everything?

Despite being raised in a traditional Old Order Amish family, seventeen-year-old Hannah Lapp desires to break with custom, forgo baptism into the faith, and marry outside the cloistered community. She’s been in love with Mennonite Paul Waddell for three years, and before returning to college for his senior year, Paul asks Hannah to be his wife. Hannah accepts, aware that her marriage will change her relationship with her family forever.

On the evening of their engagement, tragedy strikes and in one unwelcome encounter, all that Hannah has known and believed is destroyed. As she finds herself entangled in questions that the Old Ways of her people cannot answer, Hannah faces the possibility of losing her place in her family, in her community– and in the heart of the man she loves. 

Contemporary Romance

Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese

Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there’s only one match she’s committed to now–the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first-grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency’s requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.

Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.

With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.

True to You by Becky Wade

After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.

Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother. 

The more time they spend together, the more this pair of opposites suspects they just might be a perfect match. However, John’s already dating someone and Nora’s not sure she’s ready to trade her crushes on fictional heroes for the risks of a real relationship. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.

Fantasy

A Cast of Stones by Patrick Carr

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone’s search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he’s joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom’s dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

The Story Peddler by Lindsay A. Franklin

Tanwen doesn’t just tell stories–she weaves them into crystallized sculptures that sell for more than a few bits. But the only way to escape the control of her cruel mentor and claw her way from poverty is to set her sights on something grander: becoming Royal Storyteller to the king.

During her final story peddling tour, a tale of treason spills from her hands, threatening the king himself. Tanwen goes from peddler to prey as the king’s guard hunts her down…and they’re not known for their mercy. As Tanwen flees for her life, she unearths long-buried secrets and discovers she’s not the only outlaw in the empire. There’s a rebel group of weavers…and they’re after her too.

Historical Fiction

Burning Sky by Lori Benton

Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence: her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.
 
When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.
 
As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage–the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?

An Uncommon Woman by Laura Frantz

Unflinching and plainspoken, Tessa Swan is not your typical 18th-century woman. Born and bred on the western Virginia frontier along with her five brothers, she is a force to be reckoned with. 

Quiet and courageous, Clay Tygart is not your typical 18th-century man. Raised by Lenape Indians, he returns a hero from the French and Indian War to the fort that bears his name, bringing with him Tessa’s long-lost friend, Keturah, who disappeared from the settlement years earlier.

Determined to avoid any romantic entanglements as fort commander, Clay remains aloof whenever he encounters the lovely Tessa. But when circumstances force Clay’s hand–and heart–the stage is set for one very private and one very public reckoning.

Intense, evocative, and laced with intricate historical details that bring the past to life, An Uncommon Woman will transport you to the picturesque and dangerous western Virginia mountains of 1770.

Mystery/Suspense

Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert

Child of the Appalachian mountains, Tess Spencer has experienced more than her share of heartache. The Glock-wielding, knife-carrying housewife knows how to survive whatever life throws at her. But when an anonymous warning note shows up in her best friend Miranda’s mailbox—a note written in a dead woman’s handwriting—Tess quickly discovers that ghosts are alive and well in Buckneck, West Virginia. Hot on a cold trail, she must use limited clues and her keen insight into human nature to unmask the killer…or the next victim might be Tess herself. Tinged with the supernatural and overshadowed by the mountains’ lush, protective presence, this twisting psychological mystery is the first in A Murder in the Mountains series.

Network of Deceit by Tom Threadgill

After her rescue of nearly fifty kidnapped children made international headlines, Amara Alvarez gets what she’s worked for: a transfer to San Antonio’s Homicide Division. Reality sets in quickly, though, as her first case, the suspicious death of a teenager at a crowded local water park, brings chaos to her personal life.

As the investigation moves forward and she increases the pressure on the suspects, Amara finds herself under attack by cybercriminals. Her every move is being potentially watched online, and she’s forced to resort to unconventional methods to find the killer. With few leads, she fights to keep her first murder investigation from ending up in the cold case files.

Tom Threadgill is back with another riveting page-turner featuring the detective who is willing to put everything on the line to see that justice is served and lives are protected.

2019 Christy Award Finalists

19 Sep

Here are the finalists for the 2019 Christy Awards. A top honor in Christian fiction, you can be sure of an excellent read when choosing one of these books. Congrats to all the talented authors!

 

Contemporary Romance

Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe by Carla Laureano

Falling for You by Becky Wade

Wait for Me by Susan May Warren

 

First Novel

The Baggage Handler by David Rawlings

Engraved on The Heart by Tara Johnson

The Plum Blooms in Winter by Linda Thompson

 

General Fiction

No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert

Send Down The Rain by Charles Martin

We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartels

 

 

Historical

A Rumored Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano

Of Fire And Lions by Mesu Andrews

The Seamstress by Allison Pitman

Shelter of The Most High by Connilyn Cossette

 

Historical Romance

A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan

With This Pledge by Tamera Alexander

 

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Called to Protect by Lynette Eason

Every Wicked Man by Steven James

Mind Games by Nancy Mehl

 

 

Short Form

A Shot at Love by Sarah Loudin Thomas

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock

Falling for Grace by Janet Ferguson

Legacy of Love by Kristi Ann Hunter

 

Visionary

Mark of The Raven by Morgan L. Busse

Shivering World by Kathy Tyers

The Story Peddler by Lindsay A. Franklin

The Wounded Shadow by Patrick W. Carr

 

Young Adult

The Crescent Stone by Matt Mikalatos

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes

The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

 

 

Top 10 Tuesday — Tropes Are Tops!

20 Aug

This week Top 10 Tuesday is all about the tropes — common themes or devices used in literature. My list is all about plot devices that define a story line, such as rags to riches. While many turn their noses up at tropes, terming them cliches, there is a reason they are used over and over — they are stories readers want to read! My list contains the very common (and popular) tropes that were excellently used in the books mentioned. And as you can see, tropes can be used in any genre — romance, suspense, historical, and fantasy. Hope you find a book you will love!

For more bloggers and their favorite tropes, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Tropes

Amnesia — Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze

Cold Case — Traces of Guilt by Dee Henderson

Best Friends to Lovers — Sweet on You by Becky Wade

Long-Lost Heir — Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck

Love Triangle — The Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof

Marriage of Convenience — More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer

Missing Person — Threads of Suspicion by Dee Henderson

Second Chance at Love — Falling for You by Becky Wade

Unlikely Hero —A Cast of Stones by Patrick Carr

 

What’s your favorite trope?

 

Congrats 2017 Inspy Winners!

29 Jun

Congratulations to the winners of the 2017 Inspy Awards. What a great bunch of books! Many of these are on my shelves; the rest I will be adding to the TBR list! Got to get reading!

Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Just A Kiss by Denise Hunter

Debut Fiction

Close to You by Kara Isaac

General Fiction

Land of Silence by Tessa Afshar

Historical Romance

The Lady And The Lionheart by Joanne Bischof

Literature for Young Adults

Unblemished by Sara Ella

Mystery/Thriller

If I Run by Terri Blackstock

Speculative Fiction

Shattered Vigil by Patrick Carr

 

Recognizing the need for a new kind of book award, the INSPYs were created by bloggers to discover and highlight the very best in literature that grapples with expressions of the Christian faith.

Top 10 Tuesday: Series I Need to Finish!

20 Jun

The folks at The Broke And The Bookish want to know what book series bloggers want to start. Well, before I can start a new series, I need to complete some first. Oh, who am I kidding? Having uncompleted series won’t keep me from starting new ones, but they will weigh heavily on my mind. LOL! To find out what book series other bloggers long to begin, click HERE.

 

Because I have many books on my shelves that regularly whisper (or shout) Read Me!, I thought I would share those series I began in earnest, but have been a slacker in completing. I share these partly to find out from you which one I should be reading and partly to shame myself into reading those long neglected books. So here they are.

Top Book Series I Need to Finish

 

The Darkwater Saga by Patrick Carr

 

Drew Farthering Mystery series by Juliana Deering

 

The Martyr’s Song series by Ted Dekker

 

 

Sophie Trace Trilogy by Kathy Herman

 

 

Secrets of The Shetlands series by Michael Phillips

 

Which series would you finish first?

 

 

 

Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour — Shock of Night

7 Dec

51j9dqG7eWL._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_When one man is brutally murdered and the priest he works for mortally wounded on the streets of Bunard, Willet Dura is called to investigate. Yet the clues to the crime lead to contradictions and questions without answers. As Willet begins to question the dying priest, the man pulls Willet close and screams in a foreign tongue. Then he dies without another word.

Willet returns to the city, no closer to answers than before, but his senses are skewed. People he touches appear to have a subtle shift, a twist seen at the edge of his vision, and it’s as though he can see their deepest thoughts. In a world divided between haves and have-nots, gifted and common, Willet soon learns he’s been passed the rarest gift of all: a gift that’s not supposed to exist.

Now Willet must pursue the murderer still on the loose in Bunard even as he’s pulled into a much more dangerous and epic conflict that threatens not only his city, but his entire world–a conflict that will force him to come to terms with his own tortured past if he wants to survive.

A1lCiW73Q9L._UX250_Patrick Carr saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last eight years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist, and he wrestles with the complexity of improvisation on a daily basis. While Patrick enjoys reading about himself, he thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

My Impressions:

I loved Patrick Carr’s first epic trilogy, The Staff And The Sword. It’s humor and unconventional hero won my heart. Oh yes, it was fabulous epic fantasy at its best too. Now comes a new offering, The Shock of Night, book 1 in the Darkwater Saga. Like it or not, it has a lot to live up to. The novel has a lot of the same strengths as The Staff And The Sword: complex characterization and richly detailed sense of time and place. It also seems a much more mature book, both in content and writing style. It gets a recommended rating from me.

Willet Dura is the king’s reeve. For those of you unfamiliar with medieval occupations, the term sheriff derived from shire reeve. In our world, a reeve would have been elected by the serfs, but in the Kingdom of Collum, Lord Dura was elevated to the nobility when he performed a crucial act for the welfare of the King Laidir. Dura’s background is full of contradictions. He was destined for the church until compulsory military service put him on a very different path. His military service is termed as heroic, yet he is haunted by failure and the Darkwater from which he escaped. Hated by the nobility, respected by the Watch and friend of urchins and prostitutes, Willet is a man searching for place, identity and peace. A series of murders, a mysterious group of gifted people and the growing presence of evil put Willet on a course of discovery and danger.

Patrick Carr has again created an unlikely hero. Willet has the temperament, physical attributes and intellect to be a leader among men. But his experience within the Darkwater has left him scarred emotionally. It may have also affected his reason to the extent he may just be insane. I loved Willet and was always in his corner, but even I had doubts about him. I never questioned his sincerity, loyalty or devotion, but his eccentricities, paranoia, and unaccounted night wanderings create suspicion. Just who is Willet Dura? That is a question that is explored throughout the book and will probably continue in the rest of the series. In addition to Willet, Carr introduces other characters equally complex. Some you will love, others hate and many more that will leave you wondering. The world Carr creates is rich in detail. It is familiar — names, descriptions and culture — but with enough differences to let the reader know this is place not like our own. Its medieval setting is fun, yet the people and science of this world seem far advanced to what our medieval world was like. Willet’s world has a strict class system with few interactions between the levels. The poor quarter of the city is very Dickensian. I also found the religious structure interesting and again, familiar. One more thing, I loved the cover model, even though you have to really look closely to see him!

So what are some of the themes? The triune Aer (God) distributes gifts for the welfare of his people, so gifting is something to examine. Yet in Willet’s world, gifts seem to fall to the privileged or elevate those who receive them. One religious sect emphasizes service, but their message is one dimensional and is drowned out by the assertions of the other sects. A heretical group even calls for the abolishment of gifts. The struggle of good and evil is given a twist as Carr looks at how man locks away the darkness in his soul. Another point of examination is Willet’s struggle with the nightmare of wartime experiences. I’m sure there are more things I just didn’t recognize. The Shock of Night is very complex and really deserved a longer reading time than I gave it. Coming in at over 400 pages, it isn’t really all that long, but demanded a lot of attention. Don’t think that this will be a light and easy read. I spent a week on it and still feel like I needed more time to absorb the nuances and details.

I am glad that the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring The Shock of Night this month. I am looking forward to reading what others think. This book really is suited for a book discussion group. Make sure to check out all the blog participants listed at the end of this post.

Recommended.

Audience: older teens to adults.

Great for book clubs.

To purchase this book, click HERE

(Thanks to CSFF Blog Tour and Bethany House for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

CSFF Blog Tour Participants
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Beckie Burnham
Carol Bruce Collett
Carol Gehringer
Victor Gentile
Rani Grant
Rebekah Gyger
Bruce Hennigan
Janeen Ippolito
Carol Keen
Rebekah Loper
Jennette Mbewe
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
Audrey Sauble
Chawna Schroeder
Jessica Thomas
Robert Treskillard
Shane Werlinger
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Michelle R. Wood

Book Review: A Draw of Kings

19 Mar

The end of a series, but not the end of a writing talent. Patrick Carr’s epic fantasy series, The Staff and The Sword series, has been a wonderful adventure. With the last page of the last book turned, I am sorry to say goodbye to the characters I have come to love. A Draw of Kings is another must read, but make sure you have read the first two books first! Click HERE for more information on author, Patrick Carr.

210450Dark Forces Have Gathered and the Final Battle for Illustra Has Begun

Their journey to Merakh should have made Errol and his companions heroes of the realm. Instead, they’ve been branded enemies of the kingdom. 

In the wake of the king’s death, Duke Weir is ruling the country–and he intends to marry Adora to bring an heir from the royal line. With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war–and threatened by hostile forces gathering on every side.

A dangerous mission to free Errol is attempted, but the dangers facing the kingdom mount with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferrals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw ever closer. Will the discovery of the true heir turn back the tide of Illustra’s destruction?

My Impressions:

While the action and adventure of A Draw of Kings will draw many readers, it is Patrick’s characters that have a place in my heart:

Errol Stone, the young drunkard turned hero and savior of his kingdom time and time again, is complex. He has been manipulated and used by just about everyone he meets, but he is a true man of honor.

Adora, the princess of the realm, is not one to sit back, but with a fierceness in her heart and her love for her man, she battles those who are more skilled and stronger than herself.

Martin and Luis, men of the church, grow in their understanding of their roles in the salvation of the kingdom and in the knowledge of their God.

Rokha, the daring fighter, is perhaps my favorite. She is a true warrior who fights and loves with all her heart.

The plot, the medieval setting, and the well-drawn characters are all big draws (pardon the pun), but it is the theology of A Draw of Kings that leaves me thinking. The thread of the mystery of this world’s God, a triune deity that closely resembles the true God, is beautiful. There is a scene towards the end of the book that resembles Holy Communion with a liturgy that proclaims the gospel of Christ. My favorite lines are a description of the sacrificial Eleison, the second in their trinity, as the triumphant champion, the champion of our world.  It is for this that I would whole-heartedly recommend this series to all who love fantasy. The gospel is presented in a non-threatening way that will leave those who are seeking wanting more.

So, pick up all three books in this series. Read them and then make sure your friends read them. I highly recommend them. (For links to my reviews of the first two books in the series, click HERE.) Book 1, A Cast of Stones is currently free for Kindle (click HERE).

Highly Recommended.

(I received this book in conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour compliments of Bethany House. All opinions are mine alone.)

Make sure you check out all the other participants of this tour.

Gillian Adams
Jennifer Bogart 
Keanan Brand
Mike Coville
Pauline Creeden
Vicky DealSharingAunt
Carol Gehringer
Victor Gentile
Rebekah Gyger
Nikole Hahn
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Jennette Mbewe
Amber McCallister
Shannon McDermott
Shannon McNear
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
Writer Rani
Nathan Reimer
Audrey Sauble
James Somers
Jojo Sutis
Steve Trower
Shane Werlinger
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Jill Williamson

 

CSFF Blog Tour Day 2

18 Mar

A Draw of Kings by Patrick W. Carr is the third book in The Staff and The Sword series and you MUST read the first two books to know what is going on, but more importantly to get the full effect of this wonderful epic fantasy. So here is the recap of both books. Tomorrow I hope to bring you my review of A Draw of Kings. Be sure to check out the other participants’ links at the end of this post.

 

210433_w185A Cast of Stones (book 1) — In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone’s search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he’s joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom’s dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

My Review

 

heros-lotThe Hero’s Lot (book 2) — When Sarin Valon, the corrupt secondus of the conclave, flees Erinon and the kingdom, Errol Stone believes his troubles have at last ended. But other forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom remain and conspire to accuse Errol and his friends of a conspiracy to usurp the throne.

In a bid to keep the three of them from the axe, Archbenefice Canon sends Martin and Luis to Errol’s home village, Callowford, to discover what makes him so important to the kingdom. But Errol is also accused of consorting with spirits. Convicted, his punishment is a journey to the enemy kingdom of Merakh, where he must find Sarin Valon, and kill him. To enforce their sentence, Errol is placed under a compulsion, and he is driven to accomplish his task or die resisting.

My Review

 

CSFF Blog Tour Participants

Gillian Adams
Jennifer Bogart 
Keanan Brand
Mike Coville
Pauline Creeden
Vicky DealSharingAunt
Carol Gehringer
Victor Gentile
Rebekah Gyger
Nikole Hahn
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Jennette Mbewe
Amber McCallister
Shannon McDermott
Shannon McNear
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
Writer Rani
Nathan Reimer
Audrey Sauble
James Somers
Jojo Sutis
Steve Trower
Shane Werlinger
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Jill Williamson

Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour — A Draw of Kings

17 Mar

The folks at the CSFF are touring the final book in Patrick Carr’s The Staff and The Sword Series, A Draw of Kings. I have been rather busy lately (today started the reno of my kitchen and jury duty!), but I am really enjoying the book. I hope to have my review posted by the Wednesday, the final day of the tour. In the meantime, here is some info about the book and the author. Also make sure you check out all the participants’ thoughts. You can find their links at the end of the post.

210450Dark Forces Have Gathered and the Final Battle for Illustra Has Begun

Their journey to Merakh should have made Errol and his companions heroes of the realm. Instead, they’ve been branded enemies of the kingdom. 

In the wake of the king’s death, Duke Weir is ruling the country–and he intends to marry Adora to bring an heir from the royal line. With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war–and threatened by hostile forces gathering on every side.

A dangerous mission to free Errol is attempted, but the dangers facing the kingdom mount with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferrals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw ever closer. Will the discovery of the true heir turn back the tide of Illustra’s destruction?

To purchase this book, click on the image below.

patrick(From the author’s website) Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

CSFF Blog Tour Participants

Gillian Adams
Jennifer Bogart
Keanan Brand
Mike Coville
Pauline Creeden
Vicky DealSharingAunt
Carol Gehringer
Victor Gentile
Rebekah Gyger
Nikole Hahn
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Jennette Mbewe
Amber McCallister
Shannon McDermott
Shannon McNear
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
Writer Rani
Nathan Reimer
Audrey Sauble
James Somers
Jojo Sutis
Steve Trower
Shane Werlinger
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Jill Williamson

CSFF Blog Tour Day 3 — Draw of Kings

28 Aug

The CSFF Blog Tour is featuring Patrick Carr‘s epic fantasy series, The Staff And The Sword. The third and final book in the series is due out in February 2014. Here is a sneak peak of the book. For my reviews of the first two books in the series, click on the titles — A Cast of Stones and The Hero’s Lot.

51aSxlenOkL._SY346_Their journey to Merakh should have made Errol and his companions heroes of the realm. Instead, much is changed on their return. In the wake of the king’s death, Duke Weir is ruling the country–and his intentions are to marry Adora to bring an heir.

With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war–and at growing risk from the armies of Merakh and Morgol.

A dangerous mission to free Errol succeeds, but the dangers facing the kingdom are mounting with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw near. Will the revelation of Illustra’s next true king come in time or will all be lost?

To pre-order your copy, click on the image below.

To read what others are saying about Patrick and his books, click on the links below. 

Julie Bihn
Jennifer Bogart 
Keanan Brand
Jeff Chapman
Laure Covert
Pauline Creeden
Emma or Audrey Engel
April Erwin
Nikole Hahn
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Writer Rani
Nathan Reimer
Chawna Schroeder
Jojo Sutis
Steve Trower
Phyllis Wheeler
Rachel Wyant