Although I was grateful for the chance to read Blessed, the voice/writing style wasn't for me and I DNFd after the first three chapters. I was enchanted by the novel cover and premise/blurb but the voice and tone weren't working for me and when the story began to take a seemingly more sci-fi than fantasy direction than I'd expected I was unsure of whether to continue, but ultimately other books and projects drew my attention. I'm clearly not the target audience for the book but appreciate the chance to check it out all the same.

Liked: Premise, cover, blurb, character names, and setting idea (hospital on a stormy night, mysterious patient, etc).

Disliked: The writing style/flow felt a little chunky and stiff and overall amateur to me personally. I felt a more confident or accomplished voice could've teased out the mystery and introduced characters in a way that relied less on blanket statements and telling me who they were supposed to be and focused more on showing details in action. It felt like the author was telling me clearly how I was supposed to feel about everyone and every thing.

The plot sounded interesting when I originally read it and I did like the concept of this book. The blend of the mystery and Sci-Fi was an interesting combination. But I did find the
the timelines that jumped around a lot to be confusing, as well as multiple subplots and characters. Still it is an interesting darker and edgier Christian fiction!

That description alone had me hooked - On New Year’s Eve 2021 the staff at St. Ann’s Hospital witness a medical miracle when a semi-conscious woman walks into the emergency room. The Jane Doe has been stabbed multiple times and as the staff struggle to keep the woman alive in the end all they can do is stand back and watch as their mysterious patient revives herself.

A very well written book, I could not put it down until the very end.

This book has a lot going on. Action. Adventure. Thrills and chills. And there are quite a few characters, which made it a little difficult to get into at first. The opening chapter really drew me in though and I wanted to keep reading and find out what was going to happen. I'm all for a Christian thriller and this book definitely deserves that title. It will take you on a ride through time as you follow the characters. I enjoyed the supernatural/science fiction side of the book and thought it was a well-done plot. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I have a confession to make. I didn’t realise that this was a Christian book when I requested it and had I known, I don’t think I’d have wanted to read it as I’m not a fan of religious fiction.

The synopsis drew my interest and as a fan of thrillers I thought it would be right up my street. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The storytelling felt very higgledy piggledy as it jumped from person to person, time to time and it was a bit preachy in places. The characters were ok but felt shallow and two dimensional and I could see where the writer was going with having three siblings with ethereal talents that they used for good and a man who had equally supernatural powers which he used for bad.

I’m sorry that this review is so negative but I will be more careful about what I request in the future.

Thanks go to H.S.W Publications and NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review.

It's difficult to choose a rating for this book, because I'm not sure where I stand.
This book almost became a DNF for me, because in the beginning, it is very confusing. There is too much back and forth, jumping around, and too many different characters to keep up with. But I pressed on, and initially, I was glad I did. Once you get about a quarter of the way through the book, things calm down and it is much easier to follow. The basic idea of the book is intriguing, and I was interested to find out what would happen to Glory. I began to get very into the story, and then it abruptly stopped. To the point that I was convinced that I had been given a defecting (digital) copy. Was I? Is no one commenting on the abrupt stop at the end of the book? Simon just says, "Go in there and kill them, but leave me the blonde girl" and the book is over?!?! If this book is the first of a series, it should at least have some sort of sensible ending. I can't help but feel as if I've been robbed or treated wrongly. Seriously? That's where it ends?! If the author wanted to end, there would have been countless other places that would have been more appropriate to end the book. It didn't even feel like a cliffhanger ending. It just felt wrong. I find myself angry and annoyed after finishing this book, so I'm going to recommend, for your sanity, that you skip it. At least until there is a second one put out and you can continue reading the story after the jarring abrupt stop.

liked the concept but the writing wasn’t my cup of tea. sadly DNF :((( maybe i’ll try again some day

I initially thought this book would be interesting, but was distracted by the religious angle. Perhaps for another reader!

The plot, the characters, and the details all conspire to give the reader a book that is excruciating to put down because of the craving to see what happens next. .. And OMG what and ending!!

I am rating this book 4 starts. I enjoyed the concept of this book. I was hooked from the first page. The mix of the mystery/suspense and Sci-Fi genre was interwoven nicely. What I didn't like was the timelines that jumped a lot causing confusion. Also, there were a lot of characters introduced at the beginning it was confusing to keep in mind who was who.

Thanks to the Author, Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

There was some much going on in this book that it did not seem like it was going to find it's conclusion by the end of the book. I somewhat liked this book, however there were points that I had to reread several times to understand what was going on because there were a whole lot of characters involved and two different teams of people. I think this book really could have been part of a series with each part more stretched out to allow for the story to not be condensed. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.

One of the most interesting books I've read in a while. It had, in my opinion, a unique concept, especially giving the fact that this is a Christian thriller. Very interesting, with a dose of chaotic energy.

This tightly plotted, well-written book is not my usual genre of choice, but it certainly kept me on the edge of my seat (or rather, kept my eyes open into the night). For me personally, it was darker and more frightening than I was prepared for, but I can see that for those who enjoy thrillers and a bit of science fiction, it would be just the ticket. With its focus on prophetic things-to-come, it also made me think of the "Left Behind" series and might appeal to those interested in eschatology. Four stars from this reviewer.

I enjoyed this story so much. I’m speechless. The way this story was told was so original. I highly recommend it to Christians seeking edgy faith-based fiction.

This is an interesting Christian Thriller. I found it a bit difficult to get into as the beginning of the story was a little chaotic as it bounced around. The second half of the book was much better. Overall it was fairly well written blending a mix of genres together into an enjoyable thriller.

BLESSED: The prodigal daughter, is a book that is of the mystery and suspense genre. The story is told over a period of 20 years. It follows the lives of three children and many individuals that are woven into the children’s lives. The book presents the struggle of good versus evil in the choices of its characters and in the events that happen around them.

I have mixed emotions about this book. It was a struggle for me to finish it.

First the pros: I did like what I perceived to be the protagonist, Catori/Glory. She had many admirable qualities. In addition, I believe that A.L. Bryant gives us a good balance of describing the setting as the the story progressed as well as letting the protagonist tell her view. In my opinion, the author does this well.

The cons: The book had so many minor characters and so little time given to each, I could not connect with them; therefore, they seemed more like distractions. There are many subplots that it was confusing at times. I found myself going back to previous chapters to keep track of where I was in the story. I thought that the book failed to disclose a clear main plot. The story ends abruptly, which makes me think that this book is a prequel to a sequel, which I do not care for in books. It always seems dishonest of the author. Also, I want to add, I assume that with the references made to God in the book that it is attempting to have some spiritual basis, and therefore, I think that the use of profanity might be offensive to many readers..

Honestly, I find it difficult to give this book the good review I would like to. However, I am giving this book three stars for the author’s effort and because she does have a definite talent in her writing style. I just think this story does not show what I think she is truly capable of. I hope that her next book will demonstrate that.

A thoroughly enjoyable supernatural thriller. It was a little confusing at first to keep up with storyline shifting dates, locations and perspectives, but once I settled into the rhythm of this new to me author, it was hard to put down! I was not at all bothered by the “edgier” Christian fiction storyline; it was still tasteful and supported the pulse of the story. Several questions were answered, but so many more left dangling...really looking forward to the next installment.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was not the story I expected when reading the blurb. If readers enjoy supernatural, sci-fi types of novels, they will probably like this novel. I found the paranormal aspect unappealing. At times the story was just plain confusing. Not for me.

This was an exciting triller that I will not soon forget. Had some difficulty falling asleep having read it. The writer depicts some super stressful situations that have a significant impact on the lives of the characters. I highly recommend this amazing book.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The description of this book sounded amazing and I would recommend it to fantasy lovers, but I personally found the numerous plot lines confusing to follow at times. Otherwise, a very unique story idea!