Review: The Alchemist of Aleppo

The Alchemist of Aleppo by Marie K. Savage
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Michael and Kat are both pulled towards a century’s old goblet in the Victoria & Albert Museum.  When they arrive at the goblet at the same time, they quickly realize that they also have a connection to each other.  They each have their own strengths with Michael being an art historian and Kat being a geneticist, so they work together to learn about the history of the goblet and their own past lives.  Why are they called together?  Who else is enthralled by an ancient piece of art?

 The Alchemist of Aleppo is a stand-alone novel that is a blend of magic with a historical fiction tale.  The story spends much of its time in the present with many trips back into other centuries.  The overarching story was entertaining, but it was missing the spark that is needed to make it a well-rounded hit.  The Alchemist of Aleppo will be a good read for those who like this subgenre.

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Review: Pray Naturally: Finding Your Spiritual Confidence as a Woman Loved by God

Pray Naturally: Finding Your Spiritual Confidence as a Woman Loved by God by Rachel Britton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a simple devotional guide that also pushes you to think deeply, then Pray Naturally is the book for you.  These 120 days cover fourteen women from the Bible including Eve, Hagar, and Esther.  Each woman starts with some background information and each day ends with two or three questions.  Verses are quoted throughout and additional readings are suggested.  This would not be a good fit for a Bible Study but would be great for a small group of women or a solo study.

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Review: The Wilde Trials

The Wilde Trials by Mackenzie Reed
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Wilde Trials are about to commence and Chloe wants to participate.  She doesn’t want to win for the bragging rights … she wants to win for the $600,000!  Everyone knows that the competition is hard, but this year seems to be elevated to a new level.  When Chloe is blackmailed during the competition, she is forced to partner with other contestants to uncover the answer to another mystery.  Who will win this competition?  What happened to Hayes’s brother?

The Wilde Trials is a stand-alone mystery that had the potential to be amazing, yet didn’t satisfy my urge to be thrilled.  Reed created a plausible story and great characters, but individual scenes seemed forced.  This could be because there have been a lot of books released in this specific niche genre recently and by comparison, it wasn’t up to par.  The Wilde Trials is a fun read if you need a good escape.  

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Review: After Life

After Life by Gayle Forman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Amber is riding her bike home like she normally does … except she died seven years ago!  Everyone has moved on, but Amber is the same.  She doesn’t understand what is going on and neither does anyone else.  At first, Amber tries to reconnect with family and friends, but she quickly learns that her death affected everyone in some way, and it is hard to move past her being back.  Why was Amber and her family given this second chance?

After Life is a stand-alone novel that is one-part mystery and one-part supernatural story.  I was fully invested in this story from the start because I wanted to know what happened.  Forman didn’t disappoint with the wonderful ending and great explanation.  After Life is a short read, so go ahead and start it now.

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