REVIEW: HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD ~ JK ROWLING, JACK THORNE, JOHN TIFFANY

I may not be able to get to England to see the play, but my book is from England and that helps!
A special thank you to my best friend, Erika, for this lovely gift ♥

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a new play by Jack Thorne based on an original new story by JK Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne, starts with the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione sending their own children off to Hogwarts. 

*Spoilers ahead* 

The Potters and the Granger-Weasleys at Platform 9 3/4

 

Harry’s youngest son, Albus Severus, is headed to Hogwarts for his first year and he is afraid of being sorted into Slytherin House.  As in Deathly Hallows’ epilogue, Harry assures his son that the bravest man he had ever met was from Slytherin House, and that Albus Severus carries his name.  That is where the final novel left us, with Harry assuring his son that it would not matter if he was sorted into Slytherin – a good thing as this is indeed what happens.  Harry’s oldest son James, and later his daughter Lily, as well as Ron and Hermione’s children Hugo and Rose are all sorted into Gryffindor House, but Albus finds himself sorted into Slytherin. 

Rose Granger-Weasley is sorted into Gryffindor

 

Albus also has great difficulty mastering spells in school and is soon dubbed “The Slytherin Squib”.  This, and the constant comparisons to his famous father, leads to a lot of doubt and confusion for young Albus who becomes a distant, troubled young man.  Shunned even by Rose Granger-Weasley, once his best friend, he finds an unexpected friend and ally in fellow Slytherin, Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Draco Malfoy.  Scorpius is also an outcast as he is the son of a former Death Eater, and a very dark rumour hangs over his head – the rumour that Draco and Astoria could not conceive children and that they used a time-turner to go back in time and conceive Lord Voldemort’s child!  At first this rumour is merely that as all time-turners were believed to have been destroyed during the battle at the Ministry of Magic.  Harry, now an overworked Head of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic, discovers that this is not the case as he retrieves several illegal magical devices during a raid – including a time turner. 

Albus and Harry have a very strained relationship which becomes only more strained as the years pass.  Albus, mistakenly believing that Harry does not care at all for the blood spilt in his name, takes it upon his own inexperienced shoulders to right at least one wrong - Albus decides to break into the Ministry of Magic, steal the time-turner now in Hermione's possession, return to the Tri-Wizard Tournament and prevent Cedrick Diggory's death. Yeah... going back in time to alter events... what could possibly go wrong? 

Harry Potter consults the portrait of Professor Dumbledore

 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child follows Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy as they navigate past and present, creating more wrongs than they fix as they tamper with the past and the butterfly effect changes everything in their present.  As Albus and Scorpius create all kinds of trouble messing with the past, Harry starts having very disturbing nightmares about his troubled son and his scar starts to hurt for the first time since Voldemort's death - could it mean what we all fear it means?

Ginny and Harry discuss his escalating nightmares and his hurting scar

 

I would have appreciated more time with our core trio, but this time around they are more supporting characters as the story focuses on Albus.  My favourite character is Scorpius Malfoy, much to my surprise!  I found him to be very complex and incredibly funny – I actually think, given the chance, he would have gotten along famously with the Weasley twins (oh, Fred).  The plot is very well written and keeps you on the edge of your seat.  After so many years away, it is great fun visiting Hogwarts again and catching up with beloved characters. 

An important announcement is made at the Ministry of Magic

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is, of course, released not in the form of a novel but as the script of the play.  It obviously reads very differently than the Potter novels, but it is quite easy to get into.  My only criticism would be that as reader I am not quite as immersed in the Potter universe as I am when reading the novels which have much greater, vivid descriptions – but as this is essentially a play meant to be seen more than a script meant to be read, this is not a fair criticism at the end of the day.  I am, however, not London-based and doubt very much that I will ever get to see the play performed in Pretoria, South Africa, so settle for the script I must – at least until a film version I desperately yearn for.   This story would make an excellent movie, though given the complexity of the plot and elements of time travel, a film version seems highly unlikely.  I also very much doubt that Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint could be persuaded to return for another Potter movie, but I think audiences would forgive a change in casting since their characters are 19-22 years older than during the events of the Battle of Hogwarts.  I, for one, would forgive a change of casting if it meant I got to see this story play out on the silver screen...  however, nobody – and I mean nobody – could replace Alan Rickman as Professor Snape…

The original stage production cast

All in all Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is great entertainment and sure to be a hit with all fans of the series.  As a film version seems highly unlikely, be sure to get yourself a ticket to the play (I would if I could!) or get your hands on a copy of the script - you will not be disappointed.

REVIEW: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF GLASS ~ CASSANDRA CLARE

City of Glass is the third book in Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series and picks up shortly after the conclusion of the events of City of Ashes.  Simon and Clary have (thankfully) decided that they are better off as friends, and Jace is determined to be Clary’s brother only and to adhere to all limitations that places on their relationship.  Valentine has escaped with the Mortal Cup and the Mortal Sword, and now only needs the Mortal Mirror to complete the ritual that will allow him to summon the Angel Raziel.  The mortal instruments can be used only once to summon the Angel, who will heed the Shadowhunter's call (it is believed that the one who summons Raziel can demand one action from the Angel), and Heaven only knows what Valentine has planned.  Luckily the Shadowhunters have some time on their side as nobody knows what exactly the Mortal Mirror is, or where it can be found. 

Clary is finally contacted by someone who might be able to help her save her mother.  Madeline, her mother’s oldest friend, tells Clary that her only chance of saving the comatose Jocelyn is finding a Warlock named Ragnor Fell.  Clary’s best chance of tracking him down is to go to Alicante, Idris, the home city the Nephilim.  As fate would have it all of the Lightwoods are headed to Idris and they agree to take Clary with them, much to Jace’s dismay.  Jace is the only one who knows what Clary did on Valentine’s ship, and he fears for her safety should the Clave ever find how powerful she truly is.  Jace wilfully causes several misunderstandings in order to get the Lightwoods to leave for Idris without Clary, but he really should have known better.  Clary finds a (very stupid, very dangerous) way to follow the Lightwoods into Idris and sets off a chain of events that has serious consequences.  Clary entered Alicante illegally and must find a way to track down Ragnor Fell without alerting the Clave to her presence.

Jace and Clary’s relationship is on shaky ground following Jace’s deliberate deception as well as Jace and the Lightwoods keeping a major secret from Clary regarding Simon’s whereabouts, and Jace deliberately hurting Clary in his efforts to get her to leave Idris.  Their relationship becomes even more complicated with turbulent and confusing feelings when Jace seems to be attracted to family friend Aline, and her cousin Sebastian makes a play for Clary. 

The state of their relationship becomes the least of their worries when Clary and Jace discover a horrible truth about what Valentine did to both of them before they were even born.  They learn that Valentine experimented on his children by secretly feeding Jocelyn demon blood and angel blood respectively during each of her pregnancies.  This explains both of their extraordinary talents as Shadowhunters.  Discovering the truth about the demon blood sends Jace down a slippery slope of self-loathing and self-destruction that not even Clary might be able to pull him back from.

City of Ashes is my favourite book of The Mortal Instruments series so far.  The story is fast-paced, flows perfectly and keeps you at the edge of your seat.  Danger surrounds Clary in her quest to save Jocelyn as she is in foreign surroundings and has no idea who she can trust – especially since Jace and the Lightwoods inexplicably treat her coldly. 

 

Alicante is not as safe as the Shadowhunters would like to believe, and the freedom of all Shadowhunters is threatened when Valentine sets an ultimatum most Shadowhunters are unwilling to resist.

 

A major issue I have with City of Glass is that the Shadowhunters aren’t portrayed as a force to be reckoned with.  At one point Alicante is attacked by demons, and complete chaos reigns.  It’s just a whole lot of running and screaming. I understand that at this point the adults were all converging in Gard, and that the young and the old were left to fight, yet I would have liked to see the Shadowhunters do more damage.  Following the attack several families flee Idris.  Also, the majority of Shadowhunters are too scared to oppose Valentine and refuse his ultimatum, despite the fact that they knew what giving in to him would mean.  I did appreciate that this gave Clary the opportunity to have a moment and come to the rescue, but to me this book made the majority of Shadowhunters look weak. 

Alec and Isabelle have larger roles to play this time around, and it was good to see so much more of them.  Isabelle has always been a complex character, but in City of Glass she becomes even more so.  She also has two great action scenes in this book which does her character justice.  She is also discovering that other girls are not there merely to be hated, and I like how Isabelle and Clary’s friendship is steadily growing at a natural, believable tempo.  Alec comes into his own in this book and makes a life-changing decision regarding his future.  Simon is also becoming a much more pleasant character.  Now that Simon and Clary’s relationship is purely platonic and he is no longer trying to force his feelings on her, I can actually see what brought them together.  They have a great dynamic when their time together is not clouded by unrequited love.  Simon truly is a really good friend.

Jace and Clary remain the central characters, of course, and Clare did a great job of highlighting the complexities of their relationship and their feelings for each other, and showing character development in both of them.  The tone of this book is slightly darker than the previous ones, and Jace doesn't make many smartass comments, which I really miss. 

 

Major spoilers as to the events in this book, so if you have not read it yet and would like to be surprised, this is where you stop reading.

Clary and Jace find a way to help Magnus Bane save the comatose Jocelyn, and she returns to Idris.  Through Jocelyn, Jace and Clary finally discover that they are not brother and sister, but that Jace is in fact the son of Stephen Herondale!  Jace is the grandson of the previous Inquisitor, and that explains why she sacrificed her life to save his in City of Ashes, and what she was trying to tell him as she died.  Jace’s parents died before he was born, and having secretly fed Jace’s mother angel blood as well, Valentine cut the baby from her womb and raised Jace as his own son, just as he raised the real Jonathan Christopher in another house - Clary’s brother is indeed alive, and his true identity is revealed, leading to a whole new set of complications.

Valentine finds the Mortal Mirror, but his plans go awry when he underestimates his daughter and the integrity of the Angel.  I LOVED that part of the book.  Valentine thought that by summoning Raziel, he could command him – we’re dealing with an Angel here.  I loved that the Angel did not let himself be ordered about by likes of Valentine, and that when Valentine went on and on about glory, the Angel’s response was “Glory belongs to God alone”.  Amen!

I am quite eager to start City of Fallen Angels, the next book in the series.  I am not at all sure what to expect.  Clary and Jace are finally together, a happy couple at last, and it will be good to see the two of them together.  It will also be interesting to see where the story goes now that Valentine is no longer a threat.  All seems pretty blissful at the conclusion of City of Glass, but Clary did refuse to do the Seelie Queen a favour – I doubt she will let that slide…

 

 

Product Information:

Title: City of Glass

Series: The Mortal Instruments (Book 3)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Year: 2009

Pages: 571

ISBN-10: 1416972250

ISBN-13: 978-1416972259

ASIN: B003Z0BWT0

 

Related Posts:

Review: City of Bones ~ Cassandra Clare

Review: City of Ashes ~ Cassandra Clare

Movie: City of Bones

 

REVIEW: SINNER'S CREED ~ SCOTT STAPP

Growing up in the 80’s and 90's with two older brothers, it was impossible not to develop an appreciation for rock ‘n roll.  While I have dipped my toe in the pools of other genres from time to time, thankfully rock has always been my favourite.  I’ve always loved rock music.  I’ve always loved Jesus.  I’d never imagined the two could merge until one day back in 1999 when my brother Christian brought home the CD Human Clay, by a band called Creed.  He walked into my room, said “Listen to this”, and played me the song Higher.  The opening riff had my hooked already and by the time the drums kicked in I had a huge smile on my face.  I was in love with the song before Scott Stapp even started singing.  Then came the lyrics.  I looked at my brother and said “It sounds like he’s singing about Heaven”.  Chris replied “He is singing about Heaven”, and a whole new world was opened to me.  I had never heard music about God in the Rock genre before.  (I’m not saying it didn’t exist, I had just personally never heard it before).  At the age of 14, Creed introduced me to the new medium combining two great loves of my life, and changed the way I looked at music.  For that I will always be thankful, and for this reason Creed will always hold a special place in my heart.  To this day Higher is one of my all-time favourite songs. 

Never could I have imagined that behind the man responsible for some of my favourite song lyrics ever, was a world of hurt.  In Sinner’s Creed, Scott Stapp shares the story of his life.  A story filled with rejection, depression, betrayal and addiction – but also a story about the grace of God, the gift of redemption and the joys of unconditional love.

Sin is forever knocking, beating at the iron door.
Don't even open for an instant, sin always wants more - Scott Stapp

Sinner’s Creed is a memoir you truly have to read for yourself, so I won’t say too much in the way of spoilers.  Scott starts his tale as a young boy with an absentee father, soon introduced to the man who would become his stepfather.  The injustices committed against Scott by a man who should have protected him and shaped him, caused me so much anger.  It’s unthinkable how one man’s warped perception of God can damage others, especially children!  Some of the things he said about God…

Scott had many bad experiences with so-called believers throughout his life.  He was even unjustly punished for confessing a mistake he had made and for telling the truth.  It’s truly terrifying how Christians can be responsible for sending other Christians running from the church.  Having finally found a church where I feel welcome and at home, I have come to realise anew how important fellowship with other believers truly are.  It’s a miracle that despite some of the things other believers have said and done, that Scott never gave up on loving God even though he ran away from the church.  The loving God his grandfather told him about is the One he held onto and it saved his life – a great piece of advice for parents!  The foundation you lay for your child CAN be strong enough to withstand the storms of life.

Scott furthermore shares stories of how he got screwed over (to my mind, at least) by everyone from his family, friends, his band members, his managers… it was quite disheartening at times to realise how much he had to go through and how unappreciated all his efforts were.  Yet Scott never points fingers at others; he simply tells his story and shares how all of that led to feelings of abandonment and betrayal, which led to even bigger problems.  Furthermore, Scott doesn’t pretend to be a blameless victim – he comes clean about his own mistakes and takes responsibility for his actions.  The reader gets an inside look at the pressures of being the frontman of a successful rock band, and the pitfalls of fame and fortune.

What saddened me most is that Creed was labelled uncool because of the Christian imagery in their music.  To me, this was the very thing that made them cool!  

While Sinner’s Creed is a dark read at times, as it always does the light overpowers the dark.  Ultimately it portrays how turning to God can save your life, and your spirit. 

Product Information:

Title: Sinner's Creed

Author: Scott Stapp (with David Ritz)

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Year: 2012

Pages: 336

ISBN-10: 1414364575

ISBN-13: 978-1414364575

ASIN: B007V69IHW 

REVIEW: IN THE FIELD OF GRACE ~ TESSA AFSHAR

“You never know who the Lord will use. Perhaps one day, it will be you, Ruth”.  Through the line of Ruth, the Moabite, came Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world.

Moody Publishers has graciously provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

 Beloved, I am afraid one day you will be famous. Everyone wil hear about your story, for you are far too extraordinary to remain forgotten.  As long as there are people in this world, they will speak of your faithfulness and courage [Afshar 2014:266]

Destitute, grief-stricken, and unwanted by the people of God, Ruth arrives in Israel with nothing to recommend her but Naomi's, love. Her loftiest hope is to provide enough food to save Naomi and herself from starvation. But God has other plans for her life.

While everyone considers Ruth an outcast, she is astounded to find one of the most honored men of Judah showing her favor. Long since a widower and determined to stay that way, Boaz is irresistibly drawn to the foreign woman with the haunted eyes. He tells himself he is only being kind to his Cousin Naomi's chosen daughter when he goes out of his way to protect her from harm, but his heart knows better.

Based on the biblical account of Ruth, In the Field of Grace is the story of a love that ultimately changes the course of Israel's destiny and the future of the whole world.

This is one of my all time favourite book covers. So stunning! I especially love that they ultimately used the cover I voted for on Afshar's Facebook page 

At the market a young Moabite, Ruth, meets the Israelite, Naomi, and the two become fast, if unlikely, friends.  Ruth soon catches the eye of Naomi’s son, Mahlon.  It is not long before they are married.  With Naomi, Mahlon, Chilion and Orpah, Ruth finally experiences acceptance and love, and her marriage to Mahlon is a tender one.  It is also during this time when her new Israelite family teaches Ruth about the Lord, and as naturally as breathing Ruth comes to give her heart to the Lord as well.

[…] Ruth prayed to the Lord with increasing frequency.  It wasn’t a calculated, well-examined decision.  She gave it no thought.  She made no conscious change of allegiance in her faith.  She just clung blindly to the One who seemed to bring her a strange kind of relief.

A few years into their marriage, in illness takes Mahlon from Ruth, along with his brother, Chilion.  On the brink of starvation, Naomi makes the decision to return to her homeland, Bethlehem, where the harvest is bountiful.  Naomi releases Ruth and Orpah from their duties to her and bids them to return to their mothers’ houses.  Orpah obeys, but Ruth refuses to leave Naomi in one of the most famous statements from the Bible: “Where you go, I will go.  Where you lodge, I will lodge.  Your people will be my people and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16).

Naomi and Ruth  © Sweet Publishing

As a Moabite, a Caananite, Ruth is not welcome in Bethlehem.  The fact that she was once married to an Israelite does not endear her to the people of Bethlehem; on the contrary! “[It] only raises their ire more. She had no business marrying a son of Bethlehem”.

Without any means of supporting herself and Naomi, Ruth is forced to glean: the poorest of the poor are allowed to follow the harvesters and pick up whatever wheat is dropped or left behind.  The Lord answers Ruth’s prayer for guidance and leads her to the field of Boaz – a cousin of Naomi.  Boaz, a fair master and faithful servant of the Lord, fears for Ruth’s safety in other fields, and not only allows Ruth to glean in his field but instructs her to glean only in his field.  He then charges his servants to intentionally drop more wheat for Ruth to glean in order for Ruth to provide for herself and Naomi. 

Ruth Gleaning in Boaz' field © Sweet Publishing

In his field, Boaz comes to see Ruth as a remarkable woman, far removed from the unsavoury reputation that Moabite women hold.  He finds her to be a patient and kind woman, brushing off the insults of others, never retaliating with harsh words of her own.  More than anything Boaz values Ruth’s visible love for the Lord.  Despite Ruth’s destitute status, Ruth and Boaz become tentative friends.  Ruth never ceases to be astonished by Boaz’ character.  He is friendly, fair, compassionate and generous.  He treats his servants, and even her – a Moabite! – with kindness and respect.

Ruth and Boaz fall in love with each other, but desperately try to hide their feelings.  Ruth believes she is not worthy of Boaz, and Boaz believes he is too old for Ruth.  Thank goodness for Naomi’s interference, for these two are too stubborn to get out of their own way!

Boaz invites Ruth to join him and his servants for lunch © Sweet Publishing

Before they can settle into their happily ever after, Ruth and Boaz must learn to surrender their fears to the Lord and trust Him above all else.

In The Field of Grace is the fourth book by Tessa Afshar, and is a sequel of sorts to my beloved Pearl In The Sand.  It tells the story of Salmon and Rahab’s son, Boaz, and his Ruth; one of the most famous love stories in the Bible.

As with her previous books, Afshar brings a well-known Biblical tale to life in a marvellously realistic way.  I feel like I've experienced indifference from a family in Moab, hostility from a community in Bethlehem, gleaned wheat in Boaz' fields, fallen in love with the perfect gentleman in an olive grove and found a love so pure it will be remembered for thousands of years.  The book of Ruth is a short one of only four chapters, but Afshar has managed to turn Ruth’s story into a very believable account of what Ruth’s life could have been like. 

As much as In The Field of Grace (and the book of Ruth) is about the love Ruth bears for Boaz, it is also about the love Ruth bears for her mother-in-law, Naomi.  Even after the death of her husband, Ruth refused to separate from Naomi.  Instead, she joined Naomi in a move to Jerusalem, a place where she knew she would be unwelcome at best.  Ruth’s love for Boaz and her love for Naomi carry equal weight in this telling, a very clever touch, as historically Ruth is as well known for her love for Naomi as she is for her love for Boaz.  My only complaint in this regard (and it is a tiny one) is that Ruth and Boaz only meet approximately 25% into the book – I adore Boaz and I love him and Ruth together, so this complaint is just me being greedy and wanting even more of them.

Ruth holding her son Obed, with Boaz looking on © Sweet Publishing

I find it wonderfully poetic that Boaz falls in love with - and marries - a Caananite who came to love Jesus, much like his father and mother.  Rahab’s pearl earrings also make their way into the tale of Ruth and Boaz’ romance; a lovely touch by the author that made me extremely happy.

I love all the colourful characters in the book.  Ruth is wonderful; her legendary courage and loyalty is brought to life so beautifully.  Likewise, the character of Boaz is every inch the perfect gentleman, tender and kind – just like the Bible portrays him.  I felt very frustrated by Naomi at times, but I think in that the author illustrated just how bitter Naomi had become after the death of her husband and sons, and how Ruth’s love and God’s grace ultimately healed her hurts.  I adore Dinah and Adin and wish there was even more of them! 

Tessa Afshar has become one of my favourite authors, flawlessly bringing tales from the Bible to life.  I eagerly anticipate each of her new books, and she doesn’t let me down.  I don’t know what Afshar plans to write next, but I am still clinging to hope for a book about Lysander and Roxanne (from Harvest of Gold).  Here’s hoping :)

Product information:

Title: In The Field Of Grace

Author: Tessa Afshar

Publisher: Moody Publishers

Year: 2014

Number of pages: 304

ASIN: B00J3EQGSO

Related Posts:

Review: Pearl In The Sand ~ Tessa Afshar

Review:Harvest of Rubies ~ Tessa Afshar

Review:Harvest of Gold ~ Tessa Afshar

One scene in particular touched my heart, and so reminded me of Jesus as our shepherd:

Ruth noticed the tender way Boaz caressed the lamb.  He owned thousands of sheep. One more or less could not make a material difference to him.  And yet he treated the helpless animal with a singular care, as though he were the only one Boaz owned.  As thought pain of this little lamb made his heart ache. 

REVIEW: SILENCED ~ DANI PETTREY

Bethany House Publishers has graciously provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

A blissful day of free climbing turns ugly when Kayden McKenna discovers the body of a dead climber.  Kayden’s experience and expertise immediately alert her that the fall was no accident, a claim soon confirmed by the Yancey coroner. 

Ever since Jake Cavanagh’s secret past was revealed (by Darcy in Stranded), Landon has been trying to convince Jake to become a deputy with the Yancey Police.  Short staffed and desperate for help, Landon finally convinces Jake to take on this one case.

Kayden’s expertise and connections to the climbing community make her a vital part of the investigation team, and Kayden and Jake are paired together to solve the murder.  Working closely together and spending time alone may finally be the catalyst that brings two stubborn, broken people together.

Silenced by Dany Pettrey is the fourth book in the Alaskan Courage.  Each book can be read as a stand-alone, though I recommend that they be read in order as each book features the same characters, and it’s a pleasure to continue their journeys with them.

Kayden discovered heartbreak at the age of sixteen when her beloved father passed away.  Never mind the pain she felt at losing a loved one, she saw what it did to her mother when the love of her life died.  That’s when Kayden made the decision to never give her heart to a man - if you didn’t give someone your heart, they couldn’t shatter it.  Two short years later Kayden’s mother passed away from Rheumatoid Arthritis.  That loss made Kayden completely withdraw into herself, refusing to ever be dependent on someone else.  Kayden became the strong one in the family; the one who never let anyone see her pain, the one who never broke down, the one who never cried – at least not where anyone could see.  Her mother’s illness also fuelled her to become the health nut we have come to know and love.  Kayden fights every day and denies herself life’s small pleasures in the hope that living a rigidly healthy existence will keep her from suffering the same fate as her mother.

Jake used to be a dedicated, if arrogant, detective.  His refusal to back off a murder case ultimately cost the lives of his wife and child, something Jake has never been able to forgive himself for.  Once the guilty parties were behind bars he left the police, left his town and started drifting from one place to the next, never settling in one place for too long – until the McKennas.  Before Jake knew what hit him, he had a new family; but there was truthfully only one reason he stayed: Kayden. Even though she made no secret of the fact that she didn’t trust Jake, she had his heart and there was nothing he could do about it.

Kayden was fascinated and intrigued – and very possibly, in love – with Jake since the moment she met him; though nobody would ever suspect.  Kayden’s open hostility and distrust towards Jake was a point of contention with her family, but it served its purpose – nobody would ever guess he held her heart.  Ever since the truth about Jake’s past came out, Kayden’s fallen even harder for the strong, silent man who has become a part of her life.  This case, spending all this time alone with Jake, would take every bit of her willpower to stay strong, to remind herself why they could never be together.

Getting to know the woman who holds his heart is a gift Jake couldn’t be more thankful for.  He can’t hide his surprise, though, as Kayden continues to open up towards him.  Could there be any chance, any chance at all, that Kayden could actually return his feelings?  The climbing community doesn’t take kindly to Kayden suspecting one of them to be guilty for the murder, and subtle and not-so-subtle threats soon surround Kayden, bringing out Jake’s protective instincts.  Yet when the case is wrapped up, the threats continue – and they get darker.  When Kayden is severely injured right before his eyes, with him powerless to stop it, Jake can no longer ignore the truth – his past has come back to haunt him, and to once again rip the woman he loves out of his life.

I love the McKenna family, and I love this series, but Silenced may be my favourite yet.  Kayden and Jake have both intrigued me from the start of the series, and I thoroughly enjoyed finally getting into both of their heads – and hearts.  What a joy to watch them embrace their feelings for each other.  Who knew Kayden has been in love with Jake all along?  Yet it makes perfect sense.

The focus on faith is again ever present.  Kayden and Jake share a strong faith, and it makes them that much more compatible, and brings them that much closer to each other.  I especially love Pettrey’s soundtrack for the book, and Jake and Kayden’s song happens to be one of my personal favourites – Collide by Howie Day; perfect!

In Submerged the McKennas took me diving; in Shattered they took me skiing; in Stranded they took me on several outdoor adventures, including kayaking, and in Silenced they took me climbing.  Pettrey’s writing is truly exceptional – she doesn’t tell you, she shows you.  I’m always right there with the McKennas, joining them in their adventures – that’s one of the things I love most about this series; I know I’m in for some adventure, suspense, and romance.  This time around we also get to attend two weddings: Cole and Bailie’s, and Piper and Landon’s.  It’s such a pleasure to watch these relationships take off and grow.

I really look forward to the next book in the series, Sabotaged, which will focus on Reef and Kirra.  I’ve had a soft spot for Reef ever since reading Shattered, and I’m very intrigued by Kirra who we met in Silenced.  I look forward reading this story knowing that she might be the one to finally anchor Reef, and he might be the one to repair the damage that was done to her – though we don’t know what happened to change her yet.  Sabotaged is scheduled for release in 2015 – a long wait, but sure to be well worth it.

Product information:

Title: Silenced

Author: Dany Pettrey

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Year: 2014

Number of pages: 337

ASIN: B00GHXROW6

Related posts:

Review: Alaskan Courage #1 Submerged ~ Dani Pettrey

Review: Alaskan Courage #2 Shattered ~ Dani Pettrey

Review: Alaskan Courage #3 Stranded ~ Dani Pettrey