Reign Breaker by J.J. Fischer Review

 

I absolutely adored Reign Breaker, the second book in the Painted Wind series by J.J. Fischer. It was awesome to get to travel back to this fantasy world she created and revisit Rigan and Corcoran, plus get to know Prince Soren better and be introduced to the newest main character, Isel. Plus we got to see old friends, yay! And old enemies, boo! Not really "boo," but I definitely could have done without seeing a couple of the villains from the first book, especially with the parts they played in this story.

Reign Breaker was told from four points of view. We again got to follow Rigan and Corcoran, and we also get to follow Prince Soren and Isel, the young lady who looks so very much like Rigan. The story takes place on both parts of the Twin Kingdoms, Jardia and Calidore. 

There is adventure and danger and political intrigue and war. We get to learn more about the Shro Khan, the evil, shape-shifting monsters who play a much bigger part this time around. In fact, they seem to be a lot more powerful now and I'm really concerned about how they are going to affect our characters in the upcoming books. There is a lot in this book about how the Khan are affecting characters in different ways already. 

But we have also learned more about the Divine Will and see more characters who trust in Him and urge others to as well. I loved the introduction of the new "race" that seems to be followers of this Divine Will, and I hope we get to see more of them. I'm also wondering if we will ever get to learn more about this world besides the Twin Kingdoms.

I have to say, the relationship between Rigan and Corcoran could use a bit of help. They need to work on their trust and their communication. Hopefully they get a chance to do so. I loved the way the relationship between Prince Soren and Isel has been progressing, except for the fact that there is a bit of a love triangle that was going on, and then maybe not going on, but then might be an issue again. 

And in all this, who can we really trust what with the Shro Khan being able to control people. And then there are prophecies that may or may not be real. And unexpected twists that kept me glued to the book. 

Yes, this is a book and a series that I can definitely recommend. Be aware though, this book ends on a cliffhanger, so you may want to wait to read it closer to when book three comes out. And definitely make sure to read book one, The Heart of the King first, as this story picks up right where that one left off. 

I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - March 13, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have two books to share with you.

I read an eARC of Reign Breaker by J.J. Fischer. This is the second book in her Painted Wind series and it releases next week, on March 16th.

I just started the eARC of Unexpected Target by Penny Zeller. This third book in her Mountain Justice series also releases next week, on March 17th.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

 Reign Breaker by J.J. Fischer:

"You can come out now, my dear."

Okay, so it sounds like someone is hiding. Possibly. But who? And why? And who is telling said person they can now come out. 

Unexpected Target by Penny Zeller:

"Someone had been in her house."

The fact that this is a romantic suspense book immediately made me suspicious that said person was not someone who was supposed to be in her house.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections:

Reign Breaker by J.J. Fischer:

"Sometimes, the Divine Will granted visions, to see things that could not be perceived with normal human vision. Clearly, this dream was one of them. His father would want to hear of it, especially given it involved his enemy, Morlath. Soren was reluctant to share the details, for his conversation with the girl had felt private. Intimate, even. But he was the crown prince, and this was important."

Unexpected Target by Penny Zeller:

"Someone in a dark shirt stood beneath the streetlight just to the right side of her house and situated between hers and the next duplex. Someone familiar.

And he was staring in her direction.

He lit up a cigarette, but never once withdrew his attention from her house. The streetlight illuminated his man bun. 

Why was he staring in her direction? Was he truly gawking at her house? Could he see her?"

Reviews:

Last week I shared three books in my Friday fun post. Here are the links to my reviews:

The Puzzle Within by Gina Holder

Special Target  by Jerusha Agen

The Heart of the King by J.J. Fischer

Two weeks ago I had shared two books. I had already shared the link to the review of the one book. But somehow I forgot to link to my review of the second. So, here it is:

Last to Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn

Last to Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn Review

 

Last to Fall was an awesome conclusion to Lynn H. Blackburn's Gossamer Falls series. We finally get Bronwyn's story, learning more about her and what happened in her past with Mo. And why they aren't talking to each other anymore. I really wanted to see what it would take for them to start talking again. Boy was it quite a shock.

This story is told from the points of view of both Bronwyn and Mo, plus we get to alternate between present day and the past, learning more and more about the relationship between Bronwyn and Mo, starting way back when they first met in elementary school. I love the way the author wove the past and present together. At the same time we have the mystery of what is going on with the finances at The Haven and who is targeting Bronwyn. Things definitely get suspenseful, though not ultra suspenseful. 

I loved seeing the relationship she had with the Quinn family. A family she had technically been forbidden from becoming friends with, even in the present day. As a Pierce she wasn't supposed to be mingling with such a family. And yet, she had become good friends with them, and they are who she can call on when she needs help. 

I loved the twists and the suspense and the romance. I could definitely agree with Mo's relatives who were ready to see Bronwyn and Mo get over the hurts of the past and forgive and give their relationship a chance. 

This book wrapped up this story well, and the series as a whole. I will definitely miss Gossamer Falls and these characters.

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - March 6, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have three books to share with you.

I read an eARC of Special Target by Jerusha Agen. This stand alone Christian suspense thriller releases on March 26th.

I also read The Puzzle Within by Gina Holder. This is the first book in The Game Masters series. I decided to read it because book two is releasing later this spring. 

I'm currently rereading The Heart of the King by J.J. Fischer. This is the first book of her Painted Wind series. Book two, Reign Breaker releases March 16th.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

 Special Target by Jerusha Agen:

"For a child, home should mean chocolate chip cookies in the oven, the sound of her mother's laughter, lullabies to dream by."

Seeing as it says "should mean," it was sort of obvious that we were going to be learning about someone who did not have that. I wasn't sure if it was the main character's life (either currently or in the past) or someone else.

The Puzzle Within by Gina Holder:

"Ari planted her palms flat against the desktop and locked gazes with Senior Special Agent Matt Updike."

Seemed like someone was getting ready to make her point clear about something.

The Heart of the King by J.J. Fischer:

Last time I shared about this book, I shared the first line from the prologue. This time I'm sharing from chapter one.

"Rigan leaned on her shovel, panting as she stared at the deepening hole at her feet."

This could have been concerning, except the blurb shares what Rigan's job was.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections:

Special Target by Jerusha Agen:

"She was succumbing to fear again. She would not let it paralyze her anymore. Tightening her grip on the suitcase, she marched up the driveway and passed Matthew to reach the side door. With Grayson and that awful name she didn't even want to think, Ashley had much bigger fish to deal with than LeBron right now."

The Puzzle Within by Gina Holder:

"'It's blocked. We can't get out that way. But I'm certain our killer came in through there. Did you call the police?'

Powers shook her head. 'I can't get a signal.'

There had been no way in or out except the front entrance and the fire escape. He checked his watch-the room had been dark for only two, maybe three minutes."

The Heart of the King by J.J. Fischer:

"'Remember to stay awake.' Apparently tiring of his interrogation, he eased to his feet and began to walk away.

Staying awake, fortunately wouldn't be an issue, no matter how tired she became. And kind nature or not, he was going to pay for what he'd done.

'Good night, Aureus,' she said sweetly, well-rewarded when his back stiffened in response."

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday fun post. Here are the links to my reviews:

When Justice Comes by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker

Last to Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn

And here are the links to my reviews of the books I finished above:

The Puzzle Within by Gina Holder

Special Target  by Jerusha Agen

The Puzzle Within by Gina Holder Review

 

The Puzzle Within is the first book I've read by Gina Holder and I loved it! This is the first book in The Game Masters series, and I wanted to read it before book two comes out later this spring. I actually had this book slated to be read closer to the release of book two, but I gave into the temptation and picked it up to check it out. And, well, I couldn't put it down. Awesome suspense with twists and danger and faith woven in. And we can't forget the possible romance.

Arizona Powers is an FBI agent who recently had a mental breakdown and has been out on leave. She feels she is ready to come back to work, but her boss isn't quite sure. She ends up being requested for an assignment protecting the teenage daughter of an ambassador. She is partnered with Nick Trueheart, a former escape artist-turned DSS risk analysist. Together they attempt to protect the ungrateful, spoiled teen. However, this assignment goes horribly wrong from the get-go, and they find themselves off the case. Except, the villain doesn't WANT them off the case and they are forced to play his or her deadly game. A game filled with mystery and cyphers, twists, and sinister clues. Clues that dig into Ari's memories and dreams. 

Both of our main characters have issues they need to work through. They are quite opposite each other in some ways. Ways that make it tricky to work together. I loved seeing their relationship develop through their quest to find the truth. 

This was an awesome book and I can't wait to read book two. 

Special Target by Jerusha Agen Review

 

Special Target is an awesome Christian suspense thriller by Jerusha Agen. This stand-alone novel gripped me from the very beginning and just wouldn't let me go. I really didn't plan to read it when I did, seeing as I had other books to read first. However, once I started reading, I could not put the book down. There was lots of suspense, danger, and action; just the way I like my suspense books. 

This story is told from only one point of view, that of social worker Ashley Sorenson. She is joined by a recently orphaned teen with Down's Syndrome named Matthew. A teen who she needs to find a home for, but is unable to at first, so he ends up in her care. Which she is not thrilled with. And she has no clue how to handle a person with Down's Syndrome. In fact, I admit, she really started to get on my nerves with the way she felt towards him. But, I will say this for her, she did her best to take care of him even when danger headed their way. And as the story progressed, you could see her feelings towards him start to change. 

Another main character in the story is Tiernan, a man who claims to be an FBI agent. But, is he really? Should she be trusting this stranger? And what about his supposed fellow agents? She honestly doesn't know who to trust when troubles come their way and she finds herself on the run with the orphaned teen.

As she tries to navigate these challenges, memories from her past help to explain her lack of trust and her animosity toward God and Christianity. A faith that both Matthew and Tiernan try to share with her. There are some powerful truths that the author shares and some difficult topics are tackled. Very thought-provoking. And there were quite some emotional scenes. Make sure you have your tissues handy. I wish I had. I admit, there was a point where I wanted to question the author directly and say, "Why, why, why??"

Another book I highly recommend by this author. 

I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith Review

Wow, A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith was quite the powerful book. And very, very emotional. I was literally in tears for the majority of the book. I sat reading this book for hours because I couldn't put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen to Nessa. 

Nessa is the name the author gave to the unnamed woman at the well who we meet in the book of John in the Bible. I've heard or read this account multiple times and usually it seems that this woman is judged quite badly. She's had multiple husbands and her current husband isn't her husband. According to Jesus. The thing is, I was just recently thinking about this because our Bible study on John had a lesson on the woman at the well. This Samaritan woman that Jesus actually talked to and asked for a cup of water from. And I got to wondering, why is she always seen in such a bad light? I asked, in that culture, wasn't it the man who had to ask for the divorce? It's not like she was an adulteress, because if she had been, she would have been stoned. So, I asked in my Bible study, what exactly happened in her life that she had had multiple husbands? And then here comes this fictionalized tale that actually delves into that very question. 

Yes, of course this book is fiction. We can't really know. It's just speculation. But the author did a wonderful job of bringing this character to life. Imagining what her life might have looked like in the frame of the culture at the time. Events that might have happened to cause a woman to have been without her husband five times. Here was this gorgeous woman who was just about sold multiple times because of the bride price her family could get for her because of her beauty. She despaired, wondering if she would ever find someone who would actually love her, care for her, not cast her aside. 

I was not expecting that the story would be told from two points of view. However, we also got to see the story from the point of view of Lavi, a young man who had been in love with her since they were younger and had hoped to marry her when they were of age. Sadly we also get to see his despair when he is rejected and has to see her constantly given to other men. 

Of course, if you know the story from the Bible, you know that hope does come to her. Hope in the form of Jesus, the Messiah, the One who actually talks to her and knows her. The One who she proclaims about throughout the town where she lives. The town where Jesus then stays for a couple of days to preach. A part of the story that I had actually forgotten about. I was a little uneasy, concerned that the author was putting words into Jesus's mouth that He didn't say. But most of what He says in this story is biblical. There were just a couple of accounts I wasn't quite sure of. All in all, I think the author handled it well, sharing God's truths. 

I loved this book, and highly recommend it. But, yeah, have those tissues handy. 

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.