Face the Unknown in Freefall

I have yet to read anything by Kristin Heitzmann that didn't fill me with wonder. She makes me want to crawl into a cozy place and not come out until the story is over. Then I spend the next few days reliving the tale in my mind.

She is the kind of author I long to be.

I recently read Freefall. This novel is set in Hawaii, and if you've never been there, you will most definitely want to after reading her breathtaking descriptions. It centers around a young lady who emerges from an accident with amnesia. Although these types of stories are not rare, I never felt as if I was reading "just another thriller." There is intrigue, danger, and...as I have found true in every novel by Heitzmann, endearing characters who by their very struggles and brokenness make you want to cheer them on.

While she wraps her stories in Christ, her characters are real in their questions, their fears, and their hopes. What I mean is that even as a Christian, I still struggle with life here. My thoughts are not always pure, my reactions to situations not always holy, and my need to control often squeezes Christ out of the picture. Heitzmann gives us characters like this. We can believe them in the midst of the unlikely and fictional situations they find themselves in. And we come away with hope that should such circumstances befall us, we might in the end, still turn to the one true source of strength and peace.

I highly recommend Kristin Heitzmann's works, Freefall in particular today.

Breath of Angel

Breath of Angel, book 1 of The Angeleon Circle, by Karyn Henley, was almost everything I hoped it would be! In this fantasy novel, Henley does a masterful job of creating her world, her characters, and her storyline. From the first pages, I was hooked.

Melaia, a young priestess discovers the legends she is charged with remembering through song are not simple myth. In fact, the ancient battle between good and evil continues its epic struggle in her land. She is drawn into the middle of the age old battle and learns her role is more than simple priestess. Her destiny is intertwined with the salvation of her world. And she must learn who she can trust, as her heart is pulled between her duty, her destiny, and her desires.

I look forward to the continuation of the tale with bated breath! My only criticism is that I will have to wait for book 2...

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy. It was a clean, easy read, suitable for even middle school children. My thanks to Waterbrook Press for offering this book for review. It will be available for sale on June 21, 2011 and can be pre-ordered at amazon.com.