Shelf Control - June 24

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves sponsored by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. Here's how to jump on board:

• Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
• Add your link in the comments!
• Link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your own post.
• Check out other posts, and…

This week I am featuring a Kindle freebie from my TBR pile.

BLURB: In the early months of 1775, war is brewing in the American colonies. Although frightened, eighteen-year-old Betsy Russell of Menotomy Village, Massachusetts, wants to be prepared in case of attack by British troops. Her father, prosperous farmer Jason, is the fourth generation of Russells on this land yet their very rights as British Colonials are being stripped away one by one. Will the King of England take their land as well?

Tensions are growing here in the countryside west of Boston and the outbreak of battle seems a certainty. Jason desperately wants to protect his family his wife, children and grandchildren and their future. Betsy makes every attempt to be prepared for the worst. But not even the American militia could have predicted the bloody massacre that was about to occur right on the Russells' doorstep. If Betsy loses everything she holds dear, are the rights of all the Colonists endangered?

Fields of the Fatherless is based on a true story.

DATE BOUGHT: 5/28/18 (not as long as many on my list)

WHY I BOUGHT IT: Historical fiction is a genre I truly enjoy reading and writing. This is also one of my favorite time periods.

I am concerned for the marketability of this genre in light of current events. Will we need to forgo historical accuracy in order to sell this genre of fiction in the future? Will authors find themselves boycotted for their portrayal of the times in which their characters live?

In 2017, Literary Hub ran an article where 10 writers of historical fiction weighed in on the genre being more important than ever. I wonder if the slant of this article would be the same if released now.

Prejudice, in any form, has no place in the world. It never has. Using history as a way to teach about the mistakes of the past and encourage us not to repeat them remains important. That doesn't seem to be the sentiment these days. Maybe that's an outdated approach.

Do you read historical fiction? What do you like best about it? 

First Chapter Review: The Last Confession of the Vampire Judas Iscariot by David B. Vermont

David B. Vermont is on tour this month with Pump Up Your Book sharing his urban fantasy/historical religious novel, The Last Confession of the Vampire Judas Iscariot. I requested to review this first chapter through his tour coordinator because the book blurb intrigued me.

BLURB:  Of all the people who ever lived, surely Judas Iscariot, history’s most notorious betrayer, must be in hell. Or maybe not.

After watching the crucifixion of Jesus, Judas despairs over what he has done and fumes that the Messiah he put his trust in has turned out to be just another pretender like all the rest. The toxic mix of emotions is too much for him to bear and Judas commits suicide by hanging himself.

He is restored to life by the Devil and made into a vampire apostle. The Devil teaches Judas to manipulate men and history. He becomes a king, a general, a teacher and a blacksmith, whatever is needed to effect the outcome of history and move it towards the goal of his new master.

Each time he is ready to move on to his next incarnation he must drink the blood of an innocent victim to be restored to his youthful vigor. But despite his many powers and abilities Judas knows there is one thing he desires and cannot have. Finally Judas meets a laicized priest, Raymond Breviary, and tries to steal from him what he was denied two thousand years before.

COVER: Very nicely done. The coins go back to Judas betraying Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The dark shadows over the coins and the burgundy color of the cloth are a nice contrast. Love the detail of the blood smears on the top coin.

FIRST CHAPTER: The story opens in Ars, France in 1830. Father John Vianney has completed his hours long ritual of hearing confessions before heading home. He hopes for a restful night, but the evil that visits him is certain to make that impossible.

KEEP READING: Absolutely. As I mentioned above, I wanted to review this first chapter simply because the blurb intrigued me. I will sheepishly admit, however, that I didn't have high hopes for the book. The blurb, while intriguing, seemed long-winded and didn't end with a punch. I quickly discovered my folly as I was immediately drawn into the story of Father Vianney and his fight against the darkest evil in his small backwater town. Not wanting to give too much away--you simply need to experience this one for yourself--The Last Confession of the Vampire Judas Iscariot has an Exorcist feel to it, but it's much more than that. I'm not a fan of the omniscient point of view, but because of the nature of the plot it works well here. I definitely want to make time to read the rest of this novel.

Paperback: 242 pages
Publisher: Koehler Books (April 15, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1938467922
ISBN-13: 978-1938467929
You can read the first chapter of this novel for yourself at the author's website: http://davidvermont.com/

This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

First Chapter Review: Chop, Chop by L.N. Cronk

Chop, Chop, which seems to be geared toward older teens, has been free for the month of February. I downloaded it to my Kindle based upon comments I found. Everyone seemed to love it, and the reviews on Amazon are also positive.

TITLE: Chop, Chop

AUTHOR: L.N. Cronk

BLURB: Greg and Laci make it a regular practice to grow their hair long so that they can chop it off and send it to Locks of Love. It's only one of the things that reserved, young David must tolerate as their friendship grows throughout the years. As they near adulthood the three become closer not only to each other, but to God as well. David finds himself content in every way, but when tragedy strikes, David must struggle to find his way back to God.

COVER:  Perfect based upon Greg's and Laci's practice of growing their hair and then cutting it to send to Locks of Love. I like that it's black and white. Not all the covers for the sequels are, but this first book in the Chop, Chop series and the sixth book, Gone, are designed that way. It's odd, though, that the author's name isn't on the cover.

FIRST CHAPTER:  I can't share the opening because it would ruin the impact of reading it, but David is the narrator who is telling the story of the summer Greg moved to town. David and Laci have known each other since preschool, and this is the summer before they start seventh grade. David and Laci, along with some of their other friends, end up joining the youth group at church where Greg's father is the youth pastor (I'm guessing, because it doesn't flat out say that). When David tells Greg about Laci's practice of growing her hair and then cutting it and donating it, Greg decides it's a great idea. David, however, who has never been a fan of Laci looking like a boy, is certain he doesn't want to grow his hair.

KEEP READING:  Yes, but mainly based upon comments about how wonderful this story is and how it garnered an Honorable Mention at the 2008 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.

I loved the opening. It's shocking and it's powerful. David quickly moves us from the present, back to the summer he and his friends met Greg. Laci is very much a part of David's life by the time Greg comes along, and David admits if he's to tell the story he has to start with Laci because it starts and ends with Laci and him.

David is an excellent narrator. You get the feeling that he's a good deal older when he tells the story than when the events occurred. There are funny spots, even though he is called grumpy by his friends. And you get the sense that teenage David believes things should be a certain way: girls shouldn't have short hair and look like boys and boys don't grow their hair long either.

David is one reason I want to continue reading, but the opening plays a big role too, because you know something bad happened somewhere along the line. I can't say I was totally drawn in by this first chapter, but I'm interested enough to keep going. My only criticism is that there aren't clear chapter markings. There are breaks marked by "~ ~ ~" but if there wasn't so much white space left on the last page of what I would call the first chapter, you wouldn't know. Call me silly, I just like to be sure when a chapter ends.

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 396 KB
Publisher: Rivulet Publishing (July 12, 2008)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B001CK7YV0
Currently Free

I downloaded a free copy of this book to my Kindle. I received no monetary compensation for this review.