Review: Dragons of the Valley

With an invasion of her country imminent, Tipper Schope is drawn into a mission to keep three important statues from falling into the enemy’s clutches. Her friend, the artist Bealomondore, helps her execute the plan, and along the way he learns to brandish a sword rather than a paintbrush. 
As odd disappearances and a rash of volatile behavior sweep Chiril, no one is safe. A terrible danger has made his vicious presence known: The Grawl, a hunter unlike any creature encountered before. 
To restore their country, Tipper, Bealomondore, and their party must hide the statues in the Valley of the Dragons and find a way to defeat the invading army. When it falls to the artistic Bealomondore to wield his sword as powerfully and naturally as a paintbrush, will he answer Wulder’s call for a champion?

If I were giving away an award to an author with the most imagination, I would probably give it to Donita K. Paul. I've read all of her books so far, and have never failed to be amazed at how imaginative and just plain amazing her world-building is.

Dragons of the Valley is no exception, and I enjoyed myself the whole way through. These are characters you come to love and a story with enough action that you'll want to keep reading. There's not very much Christian fantasy out there, and I really appreciate Christian authors who put out good books like these.

The religion is not too heavy handed, which I always watch for and try to warn other readers of in my reviews. This can be read and enjoyed by anyone who's looking for a fun fantasy. It's part of a series, but I think it can be read on it's own just fine. I would recommend all of Donita K. Paul's books, though, starting with the Dragonkeeper Chronicles and then continuing on from there

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball

Book Details:
Genre: Christian Romance
Page Count: 226
Publication Date: Oct. 5, 2010
Why I read it: received for review
Grade: B+

The plot:
In a sleepy, snow-covered city, Cora Crowder is busy preparing for the holiday season. Searching for a perfect gift, a fortuitous trip to Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s (a most unusual bookshop) leads to an unexpected encounter with co-worker Simon Derrick. And the surprise discovery of a ticket for a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas Ball.

Every year, the matchmaking booksellers of the Sage Street bookshop host an enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball for the romantic matches they’ve decided to bring together.

This year, will Simon and Cora discover a perfect chemistry in their opposite personalities and shared faith? Or will the matchmakers’ best laid plans end up ruining everything this holiday?

My review:
I've only ever read fantasy books by Donita K. Paul, and she's one of my favorite authors. This book was another hit for me. It was a sweet romance that was perfect for this time of year. The thing I love most about this author's books are that they are just so cozy. They're just right for reading while cuddling under a blanket with a cup of tea or cocoa.

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball wasn't very fast paced. It seemed to cover a very short amount of time, and honestly not a lot happened. I really would have liked to see the story a bit more fleshed out and more things explained. It was pretty short, and had a bit of an abrupt ending. We never really got to know exactly what was going on or why or how. That being said, I think that it was meant to be a quick holiday read, not a long detailed story.

I quite liked the characters here, and would love to read more about them. I didn't want to the story to end. There is definitely a Christian message in the book, and religion is sprinkled throughout. Pretty much what you'd expect from a Christian publisher and author. All in all, I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a sweet holiday read that you can squeeze in between all your busy times. This is an author that I'll continue to read.

The Vanishing Sculptor

I finished The Vanishing Sculptor this afternoon. I had about a chapter left and then I took a break from reading, because I didn't want it to be over yet. But alas, it had to end sometime.

This is a story of a young girl whose father has disappeared. She has to sell most of his sculptures to keep their household running. One day he returns and she finds that they must find three of the sculptures she has stolen. The rest of the book tells about their quest to find them.

This would be a great book to read with your kids, or for your older kids to read on their own. The only drawback I found in this book was that it ended, and it seemed a bit abrupt. I really hope that this is the start of a new series because I want to read more!

Also recommended is Donita K. Paul's Dragonkeeper series.