While “No Less Days” immediately captured my interest and never let go, this sequel was not quite as intriguing. I was thankful that the prologue replayed a scene relating to the ending of book one to refresh my memory, but the rest of the narrative proceeded at a pace that I personally feel is too slow for a book categorized as suspense. The opening chapters were not that interesting to me, so my anticipation dropped quite a bit. While there is an element of suspense regarding whether this group of near-immortals are finally reaching the end of their long lifespans or are being hunted down, I was not very engaged with the plot and was not dying to know what would happen next.

Where “From Sky to Sky” truly does shine, however, is in the faith element. Calloused by a century of avoiding God, Zac Wilson must surrender his heart back to the One whom he has run from for so long. With other longevites dying, Zac’s unique family is threatened, and in a beautiful display of the redemption and promise of Romans 8:28, Zac is finally at a seminal point in which both his life and faith journeys intersect. This is where the story becomes most readable, and to witness the longevite’s and his family’s response to the Gospel and what it means to and for them makes this a worthwhile read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

From Sky to Sky is the second book in the No Less Days series by Amanda Stevens. While it is easily read as a stand-alone book, I think reading the first book in the series will give more full enjoyment. Speculative fiction, while not necessarily a favorite of mine is still a genre I enjoy. Stevens writes of Longevites, immortals, individuals who cannot die. It's a small group who has become a family and now two more have shown up, needing help. What happens to the dynamics of the family? How will the individuals interact and react to the situations presented? Stevens tells a fascinating story. The story flows well with vivid prose and is rich with interesting and well-fleshed out characters and some twists to the plot that I did not see coming. Characters that are complex and realistic (strong yet flawed and timeless emotions despite being immortal) and evocative (you like them or you don't, you root for them to connect and make the right decisions). From Sky to Sky is a story about fears, friends, and family...about finding a home. It is a story about coming to recognize the grace of God is at work throughout one's life, about recognizing that God never left, He has always been there through every situation. I like how the author wrote a list of discussion questions at the end of the book, questions that help the reader think more about the themes of the book. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Barbour Publishing and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

"Silence in company didn't hold the weight and mass of silence alone."

I highly recommend that you read No Less Days first before reading From Sky to Sky. The first book sets the premise and some of the characters in place so that you're not confused by how things pick up at the beginning of this story. The journey of the "elderfolk" or "longevites" continues through third person limited perspective of Zac Wilson who was introduced during the first book. David Galloway who indoctrinated the readers into the plight of the "longevites" in No Less Days also plays a prominent role in this book. The plot has twists and turns that takes the reader to places unexpected, as the author beautifully melds lyrical prose, intense and raw emotions, redemption and God's unrelenting love with a hefty dose of speculative/sci-fi and wonderfully complex, layered characters.

Zac is an unforgettable character. Impulsive, passionate, vivid, and full of life, he sees and acts with emotion and has an extra sense of empathy that allows him to bond with people but also becomes his Achilles' heel. Zac meets other longevites that he longs to enfold into his family but tragic circumstances, misunderstandings, and century-old fears become obstacles in their relationships. I really enjoyed getting to know Zac, just like I did getting to know David. His struggle against the injustices of the world, his struggle against God Himself and his past pain, and his PTSD are real, tangible, and extremely relatable. Though this book answered questions that were left at the end of the first book, it ended without a definitive conclusion.....so I'm thinking there is a third book in the series?

If you enjoy a well-written book that is somewhat outside-the-box, you will totally love this book. I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

Let me start this review with one simple expression: I need book three! STAT!

Okay, I love, love, loved book one in this series, No Less Days. But I had one question at the end. And Amanda Stevens fulfilled my wish by providing an answer in From Sky to Sky. Picking up right where No Less Days ended, From Sky to Sky is an emotionally wrought tale filled with myriad characters and well-placed plots.

Zac Wilson is immortal, and so much more. His backstory will break your heart, and you’ll be ready to jump into the book as he faces his darkest nightmares. We all have things we want to forget, and we have a limited lifespan. Can you imagine what a century of running from God would be like? I can’t fathom it, but through From Sky to Sky I was able to see into a bleak world of darkness and pain that still held a glimmer of light and hope.

From Sky to Sky is a prodigal son story you won’t be able to put down.

Zac’s anger is so visceral and raw, at times, it will take you by surprise. He sees himself as broken and has difficulty asking for help. This makes him flawed and relatable, something I love in my characters. Fans of speculative fiction, I highly recommend this series. You might want to start with No Less Days, as there is a lot of storyline that continues moving forward. Plus, I just love both books and think you should read them too.

I requested a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I did not realize this was the second book in a series. As I started to read it, I realized that I was obviously missing some of the backstory. Therefore, I quit reading the book until I can read the first one.

This is a great book filled with wonderful characters. I recommend that you read book one in the series first so that you know who everyone is in book two. This was inspirational and it made me laugh and cry. I don’t think I would care to live forever but that is me. I hope there are more books in this series because I want to know how each of the characters lives continue. I received a copy of this book from Barbour publishing for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I thought that this book was interesting and a fabulous read for anybody who loves the idea of living a longer life. When I first came across the description of this book, I knew that I wanted to read it and find out what happens to the characters in this story. For anybody who is wanting to read this series, please read the first book No Less Days before jumping into this one. I think that the author has an incredible imagination to have come up with a creative story plot and characters, so kudos to Amanda G. Stevens!#FromSkyToSky#NetGalley

*Thank you to NetGalley & Barbour Publishing, Inc. for allowing me to read an e-copy for free in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

I feel as though I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this series, because as soon as I try to put voice to my thoughts, they all gush up at once and get jammed in my throat. Or fingers, as the case may be! My number one tip is to read NO LESS DAYS before this one. This is a series that is essential to read in order for maximum impact. Other than that, it’s perhaps best if I try to separate my thoughts into distinct categories.

Firstly, the premise—a group of previously unconnected people who acquired immortality when they were injected with a special healing serum at some point during the 19th Century. It’s not so much the premise itself as what the author does with this premise that makes this series so compelling. It’s led me to consider life and death, justice and mercy, human frailty and human resilience from a completely new perspective. And I mean COMPLETELY new. I guarantee this series will have you considering questions you’ve never asked yourself before. Unfortunately I can’t say any more than that for fear of spoilers!

Secondly, the characters. Okay, even just saying “the characters” has the whole gush-jammed-in-my-throat thing happening again because oh my goodness I love these characters. I love their complexity; I love their humanness; I love their idiosyncrasies; and in Zac’s case (since this is his book), I love how deeply he feels things. His personal struggle in this story was deeply affecting, and I actually had to remind myself to breathe at those times when he was gasping for breath himself, so deeply immersed was I in his character. My heart ached for this prodigal son, and yet amidst his own pain, he has such compassion for others.

But it’s not even just the individual characters that I love. It’s the dynamic between this whole group—which again, I can’t elaborate on much due to spoilers. They’re joined by a unique commonality, and yet they are so very different from each other, each strained in their own ways by their immortality and their circumstances. I simply can’t get enough of them. They’re enigmatic, startling, and endearing, and I can’t wait to take the next part of their journey with them.

This is a must-read series for the thinking Christian—bold, unique, and compelling.

From Sky to Sky
by Amanda G. Stevens
Book 2 in No Less Days series
Rating: 3/5

Now I'm usually very generous with my book ratings. I am usually spot on when I choose a book to read that I will enjoy it. Unfortunately, after reading 100 pages, I was still not hooked. I went on Goodreads to see what others were saying and found one review that said it got better after the first half so I kept reading to the end. The story does get better during the second half but I dragged my feet reading through the first half. At first, I could not relate to the characters and was so confused by everything that was happening. I probably should have read the first book in the series first but I didn't realize that until stuff was happening that I did not really understand. The entire mood in this book was a bit depressing but the ending is a bit more hopeful.

The concept of this book was so intriguing that I thought it would be right up my alley but I'm not so sure now.

Zac Wilson is a daredevil and is semi-famous, but he has a secret: he cannot die. Given a serum over 100 years ago when he was dying, he now has the ability to heal from any life-threatening illness. Luckily, he is not the only one of his kind to stop aging. When two more people intend to join his "family", there seems to be another threat to their kind. He must find out the truth at all costs while also dealing with all the ghosts from his long ago past.

What I liked: once I got past being confused and not really liking the characters, I found that Zac was a very genuine man suffering from demons of his past. What would it be like to live for so long with all your sins and not be relying on a Savior? This story is a journey of redemption and forgiveness. Zac is someone who is a super empath and that makes him carry even more burdens. He is someone who can see everyone's perspective and feel their emotions. He is a mediator but he is imperfect and needs a life buoy for himself.

What I didn't like: not understanding what was happening in the beginning. I would have liked a better synopsis in the beginning of the story to help prepare me. Maybe even a character list to help with backgrounds?

This book is still well written but just wasn't my cup of tea. I still am a fan of this author and will continue to read what she writes but I'll have to make sure to read books in a series in order.

My thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and CelebrateLit for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

I did have a very hard time getting into this book. I was not really sure what was going on and wished I had read the first book in the series. With that being said I wanted to give this book a fair chance. After all it is not the fault of the author that I didn’t read the first book. The story is set in a fantasy type setting which opens the door for imagination to soar with expectations. Over the last year I have come to embrace this genre with guarded anticipation. Some are over the top and hard to grasp, but this story felt easy to jump into with little trouble after the first chapter. I began to know the characters and how they think. Their objectives began to come clearer and yes I was hooked to some extent.
I liked Zac from the start. I don’t know if he was easy to relate to or easy to be leary of. Being a famous person for him certainly had its quirks but underneath all the fame, was a person desperate for answers. The author brings the subject of immortality to the surface and dives into the what if’s with intense emotions from characters. Would you want to live forever? What if there was a high price to pay, would you still take it? Even though I could sympathize with Zac I still felt like the author was leaving parts of the story out that were vital for the story to flow smoothly.
I did get a sense that Zac struggled with faith and wasn’t sure if God existed at times. You can feel his turmoil that stopped him from seeking God at times . What really struck me was his ability to feel emotions from other people. What would that be like to feel pain, loneliness, abandonment, hopeless and other emotions? Zac became this person who needed answers and deep down he knew who could help him. There are several things going in the story that helped keep me interested. The struggle Zac was having trying to save and protect others while trying to understand his own life was emotionally draining at times for him. The author does achieve an intriguing concept that makes readers think about their own mortality.
In the end I wanted Zac to find the answers he was looking for and embrace the feeling that God is allowing him to feel. Could it be that he feels like Jesus does? Zac could represent any of us as we struggle with just knowing God in His infinite wisdom and learn to accept why we are the way we are. Zac gave me hope and I loved the spiritual elements throughout the book that will have me reminiscing for days. We may think we can run from God, but He sees us and for Zac he will have a divine appointment that will impact his life.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion

From Sky to Sky by Amanda Stevens

Amanda Stevens continues the story that she left off in No Less Days. This book centers on Zac, the daredevil of the group. He is desperately trying to keep his family of longevities together and protect them from someone who may be targeting them for death.

There are several reasons I enjoyed this book. The author keeps the plot moving with lots of snappy and often sarcastic dialogue. She raises thought-provoking questions about what it must be like to be immortal and outlive all of your friends and family. The characters are well drawn and relatable with both strengths and weaknesses. They also grow and develop over the course of the story
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The story leaves room for a sequel, and I look forward to learning more about the characters’ lives and having some of my questions answered.

I received a free copy from the publisher for this, my honest review.

I tried reading From Sky to Sky on three separate occasions and just couldn’t get into this story. Perhaps it is because this is the second book in a series and I felt like I was dropped into the middle of the story. Or, maybe the premise of the story just didn’t interest me. In any case, I abandoned the book. Thank you for the opportunity to review.

3.5 Stars. Wow! I just finished this emotionally-intense, incredibly reflective Christian Speculative Fiction novel and I’m pretty much blown away. Speculative fiction, fantasy or even sci-fi are not genres I typically read but I was intrigued by the premise of a close group of people who are immortal and navigating loss, and what seems like a common enemy who is out to eliminate them.

I went into this not initially realizing that it was Book 2 in a series. I’m not sure what’s in the first book, but in the first 5% of the book, I could definitely tell I was missing a little context even though it didn’t take long to catch up and by the 5% mark, I think I understood all the players and what was at stake.

I really enjoyed reading this even though I expected this to be a lot more of a thriller than it was and a lot more suspenseful, but this is a pretty gentle book to read. I like the way the author married points of faith into the plot. The themes of running away from God and anxiety and taking on burdens and the difficulty of forgiveness were all really relatable and valid in a real world context. I think a bit of suspension of belief was required that the longevites/Elderfolk/immortals weren’t more concerned about being recognized and pictures being taken of them especially in the 21st century and were on social media and I kept thinking “aren’t they worried that someone will eventually recognize them as having not changed a bit in a couple of decades?”

That not withstanding, I really enjoyed this book and I took a lot of life lessons and truths from it and I was entertained reading it. I would definitely read a Book 3 and follow this author’s work.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Having heard lots of rave reviews for other novels by Amanda G. Stevens, my attention was drawn to this book. I found the plot very interesting. I don’t typically read speculative fiction, so this was a refreshing story for me. It’s a very thought provoking read that delves deeper into questions of faith and humanity than I had anticipated. However, I didn’t read the prequel, No Less Days, before reading From Sky to Sky, leaving me to feel a bit lost for most of the book. I highly recommend reading them in order. Having appreciated the author’s writing style, I’m definitely interested in checking out the first book.

There’s a large cast of characters in this book. Some of them were likable and some were not. I’m somewhat torn when it comes to the main character, Zac. He seemed very closed-off and was difficult to connect to. There were places in the book when I felt as if he had the makings of a good hero, but I just didn’t feel as invested in this character as I usual like to feel.

I may have had a few minor issues with this book, but I overall found it to be a solid read. Fans of fast-paced speculative fiction with a thoughtful faith message will definitely want to check out From Sky to Sky.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

After being injected by a serum, a group of people are now living for hundreds of years. Zac Wilson has temporarily relocated to the town of a fellow longevite to recover. During this time, he finds a lot more than he was originally looking for.

Starting out, I had a little trouble getting into the book. I didn’t read the preceding book, so I was unfamiliar with what had already happened. Once I caught up, the book was interesting and came with several great messages. The characters have different personalities, strengths, and weaknesses that come together to help present the messages.

Forgiveness is central to much of the story. The characters learn about and seek forgiveness from one another and from God. Zac finds out that trying to go through life on his own doesn’t work and that the support of friends is not just beneficial, it’s necessary.

From Sky to Sky presents elements of salvation and fellowship in a way that is gentle, but that will stick in your mind and keep you thinking about them after you’ve put the book down.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

As this is #2 I highly recommend reading first #1.

The premise is not probable, people who don't age and can't die aren't part of the real world as we know it. For most of us this is just a dream that sounds wonderful, for ever young. This novel shows that this isn't anything we should wish for.

The novel deals with rebellion against God, with anxieties and traumas, with forgiveness and struggles in a way that draws you in. Heroes that aren't always heroic, a life full of lies and facades, secrets and family, mourning and love.

The concept of someone living forever is somewhat difficult to get your head around. I imagine if it is hard for me to understand, it must be ever so much more difficult if you are the one who continues to bury those you love, only because they are mortal and you are not. Zac finds himself preferring to be alone just so he doesn’t make any new attachments. David, on the other hand, would welcome the chance to become mortal. Is it possible that the serum might be able to be reversed? Several new characters are introduced in this second book and we learn how they will fit into this family of longevites or elderfolk.

The character development of Zac is quite interesting to follow. The author deals with his panic attacks very gently and thoroughly helping the reader understand that there is nothing wrong with allowing others to see you are suffering open about some of the things he struggles with like fear, claustrophobia and developing close relationships. He looks at himself as screwed-up, thin-skinned and irredeemable. However he finally realizes that his feelings of guilt are forgiven and covered by grace, something that didn’t make sense until he could see grace for what it is.

This fabulous book was received through NetGalley and Barbour Publishing. These personal impressions and comments were in no way solicited.

If you love the Highlander series, then initially the premise of this book will appeal to you and perk your interest. And there are similarities, in ways, like how they suffer remorse of lose of those they loved and never settle for long in one place. But unlike that series, these others were created by man, with God's help, and not by choice. In some ways, I wish more time had been spent on their back histories and their maker, as it left some holes in the story. Those who like this genre will see other similarities to other books, but what makes this one unique is how God's grace saves Zac's SPIRIT, as it did his body over a century ago. The book creates a sound analogy for readers of his grace saving any of us, and Zac's struggles re very understandable. Teens especially might be drawn to the book, and it would be great for family discussions.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Should have mentioned that this was second in a series. It was hard to understand parts of story that I guess we're explained in first one.
Zac Wilson is a man who cannot age or die. Known as longevites, they received a mysterious serum and that's what it has done.
It was an interesting book.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC