T. L. HigleyReseñas

This was a very interesting book! Based in the city of Petra it follows the story of Cassia and her six year old son. After her husband dies, Cassia flees to find her husbands family. Unbeknownst to her, their son is next in line for the throne. Alexander is held hostage by the cruel queen who plans to sacrifice him to appease her god. Cassie must befriend follows of Jesus so that she can save her son. She also learns to trust Jesus with her heart.

FROM BOOKFUNNEL: Theft on the Nile
Tracy Higley
As a university math professor, Audrey knows how to solve problems. But the one problem she can’t solve? The whereabouts of her brother, missing for seven months.

When a vintage travel poster advertising a Nile riverboat cruise—tacked up in the back hall of the restaurant where her brother was last seen—reveals a startling anomaly, Audrey stumbles into an adventure too classic to be real, but too real to be a dream.

Now she’s trying to rescue her brother, return a stolen Egyptian artifact, and solve a murder, all while navigating the unfamiliar world of Egypt one hundred years in the past.

Sure, she wants to get home. But danger, mystery, and a dash of romance—who could resist?

FROM BOOKFUNNEL: Sahara Aldridge, a young Egyptologist in 1922, is making a name for herself on the digsite soon to become Egypt’s most sensational discovery—the tomb of the boy-king, Tutankhamun.

Despite opposition from a mostly-male profession, Sahara fights to continue the legacy of her Egyptologist parents, who died tragically at sea when she was a teen.

But then a childhood friend finds a lost journal written by Sahara’s mother, hinting at the bizarre possibility of time-travel, and a crazy suspicion forces Sahara to confront a freak incident years earlier…

Is it possible her parents were time travelers?

And has she inherited this mind-blowing ability?

When the American journalist Jack Moretti begins asking too many questions, Sahara suspects he knows more than he’s telling.

Did her parents truly perish in an accident? Or did someone target and murder them because of their time traveling gift?

There’s only one way to unearth the truth.

Sahara must travel back in time, to the days of King Tut.

But the biggest surprise is yet to come… the truth about her parents, and about her own destiny, discovered in the whispers of conspiracy around the death of Egypt’s most famous Pharaoh.

But what secrets are better left buried?

I'm not normally that interested in Egyptian history but I love time travel books. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It takes place in 1922 and I got definite Indiana Jones vibes when I was reading these parts. It talks about a few other different time periods but the other main one is Egypt 1325BC.
Sahara is working at an archeology dig in Egypt. Her parents died when she was 15. A friend of hers gives her a part of a journal entry that her mother had written and it raises all kinds of questions for Sahara. There is a bit of a romance as well but it is not the main story which I liked. There are some chapters from her parents point of view which raise even more questions. The book ends with some unanswered questions as it is the first in a series. Overall I found it really interesting and it was a fairly quick read.
The book was very clean.
This book was reviewed on the Literary Club Podcast Season 2 episode 15
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984185

With the references to Downton Abbey and Highclere Castle, Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, this time travel novel starting at a dig in 1922 Egypt was a phenomenal read. I have always been interested in archeology and this book had me traveling back in time, myself! It was like I was right there with Saharah Aldridge just before the discovery of the tomb of King Tut. The time travel was very believable. Saharah does not know what powers she has and goes on a few adventures. The back story about her parents was fascinating. It was cleverly written and unfolded in a way that kept my interest.
I am looking forward to the rest of the adventures that Saharah and Jack, the photographer go on in subsequent books.
*I purchased this ebook from Amazon. All opinions are my own.*

I've enjoyed a good handful of books by this author before, and the cover of this short story immediately attracted the historical mystery lover in me.

Granted, the heroine is dressed in her modern-day clothes when she arrives back in time. But my brain may have cheated a little to make the story "look" more like the great cover artwork in my head as I went along.

This quick read is an enjoyable one. Admittedly, I found the moderate number of punctuation/dialogue tag errors to be a little distracting, but I'm not sure if the complimentary copy I received is the same as the version for sale.

I've already got copies of all the books about Sahara Aldridge, so it'll be cool to finally get a look at her full story after being briefly introduced to her in this mystery.

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No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.

This is a book that begs you to question yourself and your motives for what you do as a hobby or as a career. Do you create because you are forced to or is it because you must. Only you can know yourself well enough to make that choice. Kelsey’s trip into the secret garden is her chance. Will she choose well?

This early copy was received from the author with no expectations of a positive review. These thoughts are my own.

Rich in detail, this book was captivatingly mysterious. It brought back memories of reading classic books such as Narnia and The Secret Garden. Who wouldn’t love a bookshop with a real wardrobe opening up to a children’s book room! Or a walled garden with secrets contained within!
“A bookshop holds a thousand-thousand portals to other worlds between the pages...worlds of love and longing, joy and sadness, of questing and mystery and destiny.”
Ms. Higley writes beautifully and creatively. She kept me turning pages as the heroine, Kelsey, battles issues with her Gran’s declining health and big business threatening to swallow up her beloved Chestnut Street Book Emporium. There is a secret next door- an empty lot. But all is not as it seems. Will this wonderful garden where a party takes place, its guests creative people known only by their first initial, hold the answers to her problems? That you will find out as you read the story.
I saw this as an allegorical tale, urging us to make use of the gifts God has given us. The quotes at the start of each chapter were inspirational.
“You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul.” George Bernard Shaw.
Ms Higley offers encouragement to all who wish to create. The key is to create- no matter if your gift ends up in a museum to wide acclaim or on a mantlepiece as a special keepsake for one person.
This is a beautiful story and should not be missed.
*I received an ebook from the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

I won this book in a Goodreads.com Giveaway and have finally had a chance to finish it. Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Tessa was very believable as she tried to keep hope alive even against all the pain she's been through with life. The story was well paced and had a bit of a mystery to it but it seemed a bit...preachy.

I'm not against God being in books I read or characters finding their way but it just seemed shoe-horned into the book. It didn't make me hate the book but I do admit to skimming in two different chapters when I felt things were being laid on really heavy.

I have read Tracy’s memorable and moving books in the past. I was thrilled to read another by this talented writer. I was excited to see there was a time travel element to it. The authors love of everything Egyptian shines through with her vivid descriptions of the incredible food, the desert with its textures, sounds, and aroma! It is a great way to learn about history.

I was a little lost in the beginning while the author sets up the story, introduces main character Sahara and shows how she learns about the time travel mechanisms and uncovers its rules. The real-life historical events serve as a wonderful backdrop to this first book in what will be a fun adventure to uncover the mystery of her missing parents and this handsome young reporter that she suspects is not all he seems to be.

This story gets readers ready for the next book in the trilogy. This is not your typical time travel story. It has lots of twists and turns that create a page turner. It is a refreshing read. One that would work well for your book club or just for fun!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

Set in ancient Rhodes, where the Colossus - the largest statue of that time and one of the ancient wonders of the world - once stood. The Statue serves as a place for the main character, Tessa, to run to when she is in turmoil and needs a place to think. She even plans to take her own life there, for her life as a Hetaira means that she can be bought and sold, even though she is prized for her wit and serves as a companion to an influential man. Tessa longs for freedom and when chance seems to deliver it into her hands she is determined to take it. Meanwhile a mysterious stranger called Nikos appears in Rhodes and seems determined to infiltrate himself into their household. Will he be a help or a temptation and a hindrance? Tessa must decide as time quickly passes - for as the chapter headings tell the reader, an earthquake will soon change the lives of everyone in Rhodes forever.
I enjoyed the historical aspects of this book and the depiction of Greek and Jewish culture and customs. Sometimes the story seems too far fetched for me, however. I'd rate it as an average Christian fiction read, and suggest it if someone really likes historical settings. It's the first of a series where the author writes about each of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. So there will be more to read if you like this one.

Tracy brought the reader to the land of the past. The historical details and setting let me see the place and its people. The plot interwove a tail that drew me in. The timeframe, only 7 days, was packed. How did they even sleep?
The characters were real, although the hero seemed too perfect to respond so well, even in the realm of servant.
I highly question the heroines' ability to speak for a man. Her role seemed too elevated for their society, (although the premise of the book).
Tracy was able to weave it make it believable.
I appreciated the real Christian perspective, not just a hint and a prayer of a Christian book.
Will look for more of her books.

The historical accuracy of the period of Herod's reign and the coming of Christ gives a background to this fiction tale that allows the reader to feel the characters and experience the time.
The layered struggles of Lydia, as an orphan not knowing her background, keeping herself distant from others, yet serving them to feel needed meaning for a short time in her life. But she longs for something more, something beyond her grasp until she meets the passion of Simon. His consuming desire is to bring Israel's land back to her people.

Pompeii, the City on Fire - a title that catches your interest right away. Despite the name, the book mostly deals with the lives of the citizens of the city in the days leading up to the disaster we all know about.

There's lots of different elements in this book - naturally, it's historical fiction, but there are also elements of Christianity (the days when Christians were still killed for their beliefs), mystery, romance, politics, and sports (gladiators). (I feel like this is a Princess Bride moment)

The characters in this book are all flawed, which makes them both likable and believable. Ariella, the main female character, is so stubborn that at times I wanted to yell at my e-reader to get through to her.

The moment when the volcano gives way is written very well and you can see events unfolding before your eyes, and the last part of the book was definitely the highlight of the entire novel for me (with my heart pumping the entire time).

"The end of this hall glowed like fire...and she knew, as long as it had been since she had seen it, that it was the sun at the end of that hall. The sun and the air and...the knight."

So begins the release of a woman once imprisoned, now free to follow a wise and compassionate knight toward the kingdom and the King awaiting them in Rescued: An Allegory by author Tracy L. Higley.

It’s easy to identify with the journey in this short story, a rather simple illustration of the joys, the trials, the battles, and the assurance in a life of faith. The author takes a poetic approach to the tale, and some of the symbolism in the reading gave me a feeling much like I’ve had with The Chronicles of Narnia. Here’s a story suitable for ChristFic readers to take a one-sitting break with for a quick boost of encouragement.

"Her efforts could earn her no more love because there was no more love to be had. She had it all..."

What a fascinating first read from Tracy Higley Awakening was for me! I was intrigued by her style and story. Mystery was around every corner and unexpected turns occur in her plotline. Her characters were driven by inner turmoil that even they did not grasp. One of the best parts of this read was the beautiful scenes Tracy describes as Kallie and Dimitri travel around the globe. I felt as though I could see places in my mind that I have never been to before. Two storylines mix into the book which at first threw me off but soon engaged me completely. She seamlessly works this to her advantage in the telling of this novel. I highly recommend Awakening as your next read. You won't regret it.

Each chapter was sent to me by email by the author and appreciated her generosity. This review is an honest exchange for her gift to me.

Being a long time fan of anything ancient Egypt, Higley's novel did not fail to impress. The plot is compelling, filled with lost love, forbidden passions, and backstabbing intrigue as good as a George C. Martin novel. A refreshingly new take on the historical inspirational genre.

"Regulus, the king star. Circling Jupiter, the king planet, like a crown. All of it inside the constellation of the lion. It signifies that a great king has been born in the land of the Jews."

I don't know what all I was expecting when I picked up Star of Wonder by author Tracy Higley. That is, I figured The Incense Road trilogy would be the road leading to the birth of Christ, but besides that, my space for expectations was pretty blank.

I was unprepared for the stirring adventure this story on the sands of Arabia becomes, something bringing Aladdin and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark to my mind. With the principal characters of Misha, a young mage, Reza, a general of the Persian king, and Kamillah, an Egyptian princess, this is a story of heritage and the need for acceptance, of intrigues for power and position. Along the way, the focus of the journey naturally shifts as the ultimate search for a Savior takes precedence.

I'd recommend this trilogy to readers who'll appreciate adventure and intrigue woven with deep matters of the heart, as well as to anyone who'd like to experience this story in a broader context, beyond a baby in a manger.

"Regulus, the king star. Circling Jupiter, the king planet, like a crown. All of it inside the constellation of the lion. It signifies that a great king has been born in the land of the Jews."

What began as a quest through Arabian sands for a relic of legendary power, and heightened into a violent race for supremacy, now culminates in the search for a Savior in Royal Beauty by author Tracy Higley.

Like the books that precede it in The Incense Road trilogy, this book isn't a standalone. It turns its spotlight on Kamillah, an Egyptian princess and a woman of mystery, traveling with the young mage and the general who've vied for her affections. She's leery of a menacing power that she wields but that also keeps her enslaved, and her objective is to secure her freedom in Jerusalem, even if it will leave blood on her hands.

This leg of the journey doesn't have the Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark flavor that its related books have, and that's perfectly all right, since the story must shift to the true source and purpose of power. The book brings an interesting take on the age-old tale of the magi following a star to find a world ruler, and it rightly illustrates the danger of taking on such a mission under the nose of a sitting king. The human story continues here as well, baring the characters' needs for understanding and belonging. For love, in its various forms.

I'd recommend this trilogy to readers who'll appreciate adventure and intrigue woven with deep matters of the heart, as well as to anyone who'd like to experience this story in a broader context, beyond a baby in a manger.

"Fighting each other. It makes no sense, but that is what this senseless quest has brought us. From the time we stopped following the star we have been doomed to this."

The stars over the Arabian sands have heralded the coming of a new world ruler, and ambition, tension, desperation, and violence heighten on the race to secure power in Star of Night by author Tracy Higley.

The significance of the strife that unfolds here is rooted in the book that precedes this one, and it's necessary to read The Incense Road trilogy in order. Necessary, and in my eyes so far, worth it. I'll admit there seemed to be a missing link in the chain of emotion somewhere in the first quarter or third of this book, but I didn't feel lost for long.

As the adventure that still reminds me of Aladdin and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark continues, the human story develops further as well. This time, it goes deeper into the conflicted and questioning heart of Reza, a general of the Persian king, unsure of the revolution he's leading, struggling in his friendship with Misha, the young mage who can hear the star that beckons toward Jerusalem.

Sure, I already know something about where this perilous and spiritual journey of epic import must be leading. (Thank you, Christmas!) But the growing weight of the personal stakes the characters have in this has intrigued me all the more to see how the story will ultimately culminate. On to Book Three...

This was definitely an interesting read. Kallie Andreas is an amnesiac with a questionable past. I say "questionable" because she has nothing to really give her clues about her life and her real identity. Her visions/hallucinations/daydreams/whatever-you-want-to-call-it intrigue her therapist. The dreams may provide a link to all of Kallie's problems, but she must stop running and start facing it. It's an exciting journey that leads her across the world in search of answers, but she finds more than she ever expected.