Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

c.e. laureano

A speculative series worth investing in: Review of Beneath the Forsaken City by C.E. Laureano

Last summer I took a chance on a new series of speculative (think fantasy/adventure) fiction, even though I wasn’t sure it was the genre for me. But author C.E. Laureano hooked me from the start of The Song of Seare series, and I gobbled up book one. You can read my thoughts about it here. Book Two recently released, and my expectations were high. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my review.)

forsaken cityBeneath the Forsaken City continues the tale of the faithful men and women fighting for the heart and soul of their land which is deep in darkness under the influence of an evil king. It’s hard to talk about a second book in a series without giving away too much from the first book, so I’ll try, instead, to tell you what I like about the series overall.

First, I’m in awe of an author creating an entire world, including a language, that is similar to an existing world but not quite the same. Seare (pronounced SHAR-uh) is reminiscent of Britain, with influences from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. It’s an island nation with clans and the setting is somewhat medieval with horses, castles, kings and sword-fighting. And yet it’s entirely its own world.

At times it reminds me of Lord of the Rings and other times I think of The Princess Bride. The stories contain a lot of action and suspense, some hints of romance, and plenty of food for thought about faith, spirituality, and morality.

It is not hard to get lost in this world and be completely caught up in the characters. The stories move along at a pace that keeps you turning the pages. And book two definitely left me aching for book three. All in good time, I guess. That’s the worst part of reading the second book in a trilogy: having to wait for book three to wrap it all up!

When it comes to this set of stories, though, the wait is worth it. And the wait for book three will be worth it too.

If you’re looking for something different than what you normally read, or if you’re looking to add to your collection of fantasy/adventure stories, look to this series. (But don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

Best books of the third quarter

You all know how much I love to read. (No spoilers, there.) And I take seriously my duty to share with you the best books I’ve been reading. This year, I switched to a quarterly summary because there were just too many good books. (To see what I’ve liked so far, check out this post from the first quarter and this one from the second quarter.)

The third quarter just might be the toughest assignment yet because I spent the summer reading more books than I thought possible.

Here’s a valiant attempt to give you five (or so) of the best books I read in the last three months. motherhood

Topping the list is Surprised by Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker, mostly because I don’t typically read parenting books and this one I would recommend to any and every mom out there. I passed it on to a friend as soon as I’d finished it and ordered a second copy just so I could share it with more people. If the thought of a parenting book makes you want to throw up, then get your hands on this one because it is the antidote to all of that.

I also finally finished Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright, and it is no way similar to the book I just mentioned, but is the best book I’ve ever read on what the church should be doing in the world and what it actually means to live for the kingdom here and now. (Thanks, hubby, for persisting that I read this book from your seminary reading list, a list I often avoid.)

brotherhoodFor fiction, I’ve gotta give a shout-out to The Advocate by Randy Singer. Singer often writes legal thrillers a la John Grisham, but this one focuses on Theophilus and the Roman empire. I’ve often wondered about this character mentioned in the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. Singer lets his imagination meet history and births a hard-to-put-down story.

I took a chance on a fantasy novel by C.E. Laureano and Oath of the Brotherhood didn’t disappoint. I devoured this story and can hardly wait for spring when the next one in the series releases. Captivating.

Rounding out the list would be Overrated by Eugene Cho. A gentle but firm kick in the pants to do justice every day. And Cho speaks with humility from a point of understanding how hard that can be in the world we live in. Read the full review here.Overrated BookCover-3D

I hate to even have a cut-off, but those are the ones that stand out the most from the summer. By no means is this an exhaustive list of the great books I’ve read. If you’re a book lover, too, then check back here on Wednesdays for a review of a book I’m reading.

Or look for me on Goodreads to see what I’m reading or want to read.

And if you need a recommendation, leave a comment. I’d love to help you find your next great read!

What’s on your “best of” list so far this year? And what do you look for in a book that makes it stand apart from the rest?