ISBN: 978-0-9790357-0-8
Ages: Young Adult
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

“Zan-Gah” is set in the prehistoric times and focuses on a boy named Zan-Gah. A young girl from his tribe is murdered by a lion. The tribe sets out to kill it. Zan single-handedly kills the lion. The tribe celebrates the kill, but Zan is not happy. He wonders where his twin brother, Dael, is. He has been missing for over year.

Zan goes on a coming-of-age quest to find his brother. He must leave his tribe, and face many dangerous situations by himself. Zan will risk his own life to save his brother.

“Zan-Gah” is a fast read, just under 150 pages. The author, A.R. Shickman, has written a wonderful coming-of-age story set in the prehistoric world. The descriptions and actions in the book are well-written. Male readers will enjoy reading about Zan’s adventure into the unknown, and female readers will like the love that Zan has for his twin. I recommend this book to everyone.


Reviewed by Billy Burgess
In this sequel, Zan-Gah is now grown with a wife, and he is respected through out the tribe. His twin brother, Dael, is not as respected, and is full of anger. The two are the opposite of each other.

The tribe has moved to the Beautiful Country, the same unknown land that Zan saved Dael at in the first book. Dael has evil in his heart, and leaves the tribe. He gathers other men from the tribe, and want to begin a war against his brother’s people. Dael and his men tattoo their bodies and shave off their hair.

The relationship between the Zan and Deal will never be the same.

“Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country” focuses more on Dael than Zan. This is a completely different book than the first, and is much darker. Once again, Zan is a loveable character. He loves his people and even his troubled brother, Dael - who has become an evil character. The first book was a coming-of-age story, while the sequel is about war and sacrifice. Fans of the first book will want to read the sequel. I must warn you that this book is much darker. I enjoyed reading about the characters again, but at the same time I had mix-feelings about the sequel.

-I would like to thank the author for sending me these copies to review.

Jennifer from Crazy for Books has created this meme.

If you'd like to participate, here's Jennifer's instructions:


Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!


So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!! So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun!

BY: Delia Parr
PUBLISHED BY: Bethany House
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0670-2
Pages: 352
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

“Hearts Awakening” is set during the 1840s on the Dillon’s Island that is located in the Susquehanna River. Elvira Kilmer has always wanted a husband and family of her own, but feels that she is getting to old and that her dream will never come true. She moves to Dillon’s Island in hope of a new life. She takes a job as a housekeeper at the Smith residents.

Jackson Smith is a handsome widower with children. Both Jackson and Elvira start to have feelings for another, but their relationship maybe in jeopardy when she learns of Jackson’s first marriage scandal.

This is a simple story about the plain looking Elvira falling in love with her boss. Elvira’s character is likeable, and you do at times feel everything she is feeling. Jackson is an interesting character, with a somewhat harming past. Even with the simple plot, I ended up liking this cute romantic tale. If you like romance books, check this book out.

I would like to thank Bethany House for sending me this copy to review.

BY: Judith Miller
PUBLISHED BY: Bethany House
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0642-9
Pages: 364
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Book one in the “Daughters of Amana” series is set in Main Amana, one of the seven villages settled by devoted Christians who believe in living a simple life. Johann Ilg has lived her entire live there and is devoted to God. A part of her has longed to see the outside world, but stays loyal to her community.

The Schumacher family leaves the big city life and moves to the Amana community. Their daughter, Berta, doesn’t care for the change, and she wants to rebel.

Meanwhile, Johanna stumbles upon a dark secret.

There have been dozens of books released in the last few years about the Amish/simple life communities. “Somewhere to Belong,” stands out from some of the others by using great descriptions of what life would have been liked in the late 1800s. I liked that the author threw in a bit of mystery. It’s a great read.

I would like to thank Bethany House for sending me this copy to review.

By: Stephanie Grace Whitson
PUBLISHED BY: Bethany House
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0513-2
Pages: 348
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Sixteen Civil War Widows respond to an ad. They all attend several gatherings ran by a land speculator, who promises that they’ll have a chance to own their own land.

The speculator has a different plan in mind. He brings to Plum Grove, Nebraska - a small struggling town. He hopes that’ll accept marriage proposals from some of the Plum Grove single and widow men.

Some of them women announce that they are getting married when hours of arriving. Of course by the end of the book, almost all the women are happily married.

“Sixteen Brides,” is an average historical romance novel. At the times, I found the book to be boring. There are too many characters to keep up with. The overall plot didn’t interest me. If you like this type of novel, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you have never read a historical romance, don’t start with this one. There are better books out there.


I would like to thank Bethany House for sending me this copy to review.

BY: Pamela Samuels Young
PUBLISHED BY: Goldman House Publishing
PUBLISHED IN: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-9815627-1-1
Pages: 419
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

“Buying Time” is author Pamela Samuels Young’s fourth novel. Waverly Sloan is your typical nice guy being disbarred from his job - a lawyer. Afraid of losing his high-matinance, younger wife, Deidra, he takes a job as an insurance broker at Live Now, a new insurance company.

At his new job, Waverly signs on terminally ill people in exchange for quick cash to pay for medical bills, house payments, and other expenses. Investors, some of them doctors, advance the cash, and then those investors become the sole beneficiary of their life insurance polices when the client dies.

Waverly gets a broker’s fee for every deal he makes. Within a few months, Waverly has paid off all of his debts, and he has finally gotten the home that Deidra has always dreamed of. Life is good, until his clients starting dieing off, one by one.

Angela Evans, a U.S. Assistant Attorney, starts investigating Live Now and Waverly Sloan.

Waverly starts questioning his new job and wants to find out why his clients are dying so fast.

“Buying Time” is fun thriller to read. The plot is cleverly written, and the characters are entertaining enough to keep you turning the pages. The main character Waverly Sloan is very likeable, but at times can be a little annoying. He’s suppose to be an ex-lawyer, but he had no clue what was happening to clients at the insurance company. Why would an ex-lawyer join Live Now to begin with is beyond me? Besides this little silliness, I enjoyed the book. If your into thrillers, you should give this book a look.

Note: I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy to review.

Jennifer from Crazy for Books has created this meme.

If you'd like to participate, here's Jennifer's instructions:


Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!


So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!! So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun!

Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Detective Jody Brae, a Korea war veteran, begins investigating the fires on the same day he gets up the nerve to ask out the lovely Ruth. He’s assigned a new partner, a black man, Detective Harrigan. While Jody relationship with Ruth scorches, so does the streets of Boston. The arsonist strikes again, this time taking innocent lives.

Soon, Jody is abandoned by his own police department. He must go into the dark underworld of the Boston streets to solve the mystery of the fires, and his own past.

Jody Brae is your typical hero character with a troubled past. Unlike other mystery novels, this is set during the 1960s, and just like I mentioned before, there are no electronic gizmos to help Jody out. The dialogue is cleverly written, and so is the descriptions of the Boston streets. I didn’t care much for the love story, it’s been done to death. Overall, this is a entertaining read from a debut author. I recommend reading it.

- I would like to thank the author for sending me this copy to review.

BY: Jacquelyn Cook
PUBLISHED BY: Belle Bridge Books
PUBLISHED IN: 1985
ISBN: 978-0-9843256-0-3
Pages: 166
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Set in Alabama in the year1859, Lily Edwards is awaiting the arrival of her cousin, Green Bethune. She will wed him through an arrange marriage. At least that is what her family has planned. Lily meets Harrison Wingate, a captain of a steamboat. Sparks fly between the two. When he leaves the shore for the river, he sends her letters. Now Lily must choose between her cousin and the captain.

This is my first review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers. “The River Between” is a simple love story with a Christian edge to it. The book is well-written, the historical scenes are great. I recommend this book to fans of romance novels.