Phillip Camden hasn't flown in a long time. Not since The Incident that killed the rest of his air force squad. Not since he was blamed for their deaths. Not since he came to Room 40 as a cryptographer or began receiving threats of death by firing squad. Not since he had to break Arabelle Denler's engagement on behalf of his sister. Not since an assassin snuck back into London with Room 40 in her sights. And not since this dark depression set in.

No, Cam hasn't flown in a long time.

Phillip Camden is likely my favorite characters Roseanna White has written. Bitingly sarcastic? Yes. But spirited and caring as well.

But his spirit sometimes dulls through his journey with depression. This book handles the topic realistically, but with a sensitive touch. I was impressed with the way it was handled.

This book almost had me in tears--a rare occurence. I felt what Cam and Ara felt, even though I'd never been a cryptographer or a nurse during the Great War. Their situations were completely foreign, but I understood. I understood Cam's survivor's guilt. I understood Ara's need to be wanted.

All in all, a beautiful redemption story where no one is too far gone--with a bit of mayhem on the side.

It also seems to move a bit slowly in some places. I say seems because it really is an illusion. Because this book finds its wings soon enough.

So, a quick summary before I take off. On Wings of Devotion is a sensitive, timely story that does more than just get off the ground. It soars.

Well, it all started when Rafe was minding his own business. Just doing his storyacting thing at his half-brother's house like it was any other day. But then there was this old lady, and then there was this little girl, and then there were tunnels, and flame-spinning powers, and people who'd kill him to get those powers--
 
So he's had a bit of a rough day.
 
Rafe would be reason enough to love Dust to Flame. His outer snark disguises an inner hurt that could move him to look beyond himself. Rafe's questions and feelings made me as the reader stop and think, too. As he goes from the dust of the streets to the flame of his new powers, we watch the possibility of the same transformation happening on the inside. But will it?
 
As usual from Hope Ann, this book is deep. First off, the plot is just a brilliant concept. The plot has many more layers than you see at first glance, as many as the tunnels and alleys of Marsadon. Sometimes the plot moves you along at a dizzying pace faster than those spinning flames. By the climax, I had to sit back and try to sort out just who was evil and who was good--a conflict that gives her characters and plot a real quality, because life isn't always in tidy "you're good, you're evil" boxes.
 
That's all part of the epic landscape of Dust to Flame--a landscape I couldn't tear myself from. Some elements may seem dusty at first, a hazy mystery that draws you in. But in the end, it couldn't burn any brighter or any clearer.

Looking for a good read as we rev up for Valentine’s Day? I just may have found it! But don’t let this book’s title fool you—this is no mushy romance. It’s a World War I thriller as codebreakers and spies alike battle to save London. With a little love story on the side.

Among those codebreakers is Margot De Wilde—who despite the fact that she’s a woman (and an eighteen-year-old one at that!) is the greatest weapon the Room 40 Codebreakers have. And among those spies is Drake Elton—who whether Margot likes it or not, she may have to cooperate with to save London from a deadly plot. But as they race to break the code and evade shadowy agents, Margot is also dealing with the fallout of the greatest tragedy she’s ever known. And that's a code that for the first time in her life, Margot can't crack.

From the moment I picked this book up from the bookstore shelf, I was excited. I was eager to see Margot (whom I became acquainted with in A Song Unheard) return—this spunky young adult deserved her own book! Even though he didn’t have as much of a head start as Margot, Drake soon captured my attention as well. I could get in both their heads and related a lot to the introverted Margot. The side characters are vibrant and only add to the vivid landscape of the unfolding plot.

Roseanna White doesn’t shy away from mentioning God—in fact, this book probes perhaps the deepest question we ask: Why does God let bad things happen? But don't mistake that for me saying the theme is preachy or tacked on--it weaves through out the whole story, right up to the surprising conclusion. The plot twist in the climax turns everything on its head—I quite literally was guessing through every page of this book. And, as I mentioned, a surprising conclusion brings everything full circle.

One or two sequences do feel almost as if a scene is missing. For example: a character argues with Margot in one scene. The scene changes and suddenly we have the villain gloating over having kidnapped said character. What happened? These instances are few and far between, however, and hardly able to tarnish this top-notch story.

In short? Let me break the code for you. This is an exciting read that won't leave you without pencil or paper or scratching your head too many times. How many stars would I give it? The only correct answer, of course, would be the number of love-this-book!