Crown of Souls (the Tox Files Book #2)

Cannot. Believe. It. Ronie Kendig has truly outdone herself with Crown of Souls. She totally stepped everything up several notches – the action, the mystery and suspense, the romance. My heart was pounding throughout the entire book!

The writing, as always, is superb. Ms. Kendig has a way of pulling the reader in at page one and not letting go. Oh, and the action-packed adventures in this book! I would rather read her incredibly detailed action-adventure scenes than watch James Bond, Mission Impossible, Indiana Jones, or Marvel movies. The plot in this book was more intricate and complicated than the previous book Conspiracy of Silence. Deliciously crafted twists and turns to the storyline were gasp-inducing. This book answers some questions that have been lingering since the novella but the epilogue opens up a whole new world of questions only the next book can answer (I hope!).

I would recommend that readers who are new to the Tox File series start with Warrior’s Seal, which is a prequel novella (and currently free). This novella will lay the groundwork for the continuation of the saga in the Conspiracy of Silence. Reading Conspiracy of Silence prior to this current book, Crown of Souls, will give the readers good backdrop and background details for the thrilling adventure that happens in this second full-length novel.

Now onto the characters…..
Cole is very vulnerable in this book, which is quite wonderful and refreshing. To see a seasoned warrior, one of the best that the country has, be so broken and needing love is….totally hero-worthy. He’s drowning in self-doubt and guilt from his past actions and only Haven’s love and God’s grace and forgiveness can help him.
Haven is a steadfast beacon in a world of darkness, full of wisdom, compassion, love, unswerving loyalty, and goodness. She’s not battle-hardened like Cole but he needs her softness and gentleness to help him.
The secondary characters, including Cole’s Wraith team members and the two archeologists and other governmental agency agents, are wonderfully crafted and give the story more depth and dimension. The banter amongst the men of Cole’s team provides great humor and is quite delightful.
I was disappointed not seeing Chiji, Cole’s Nigerian friend, in this book, though he is mentioned multiple times. Hopefully he’ll be back for the next book in the series?

Haven’s steady and quiet but solid faith is admirable. Cole’s faith is shaky but he’s learning to trust in small increments and not let his guilt or sense of failure drag him away from his loving Creator and Savior.

Can’t wait for the next book!!!

I received a digital ARC of the book from Bethany House and author via Crown of Souls Influencers group. I was not required to write a review or write a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

I am always amazed at how Ronie Kendig welds two time periods together in the Tox Files series. This is another amazing example of an action-packed archaeological thriller. Ronie Kendig is a literary genius!

Wow. Just wow. It’s a good thing this book was over 400 pages or I would’ve devoured it in a day! As it was, it took me three days to get through, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Tox is such a complicated but amazing hero, and the way he works through problems and connects with those around him really pulled me in. I couldn’t wait to read this book after the first one, and I couldn’t wait to read the next book after this one! Ronie Kendig is a master at her craft for sure.

Oh my goodness! I love Tox and his fellow team members. I would love to hear a story about Ram and his background. He intrigues me with his character and his dependability. Maybe someday. As for now, I will stick to Tox who shines in the Tox Files by Ronie Kendig. When I read a Kendig novel, I know that I’m getting a novel with tons of military personnel in a war ravage war area. Kendig does a good job at creating characters who shine on the page and jump right into my heart. With her latest addition to the Tox Files, Crown of Souls, I can’t say enough good things about the plot and character.

First, with her writing, Kendig draws me into the story with the first chapter and doesn’t let go. The story begs to be read and enjoyed in one setting. I feel the sand under my feet. I can see the mud built homes in the Middle East. I can feel the weight of the military equipment on Tox and his teammates as they trudge through the desert.

The characters of Haven and Tox were mentioned in the first story, Conspiracy of Silence. If you jumped into Crown of Souls before reading that book, you might want to pick up Conspiracy of Silence to understand the backstory on Haven and Tox. I really enjoyed getting to know Haven more in this book. She became more than a jittled sister of a friend. She had more depth this time around. Kendig does a great job at bringing her to life with her feelings and emotions. The only downside I had against Haven that she appeared to be the damsel-in-distress at moments in this book. The bad guy would capture her and wait for Tox to rescue her, so he could explore his growing feelings for her. As for Tox, I watched seeing his transformation from the first book. In Crown of Souls, Tox has soften a lot since the first book. He is willing to allow love into his heart and works hard at trying to protect his interest. I enjoyed him a lot more in this novel. (Not that I didn’t enjoy him in the first one!)

There is romance in this one. The couple has to work at their choices and see if it what they really want. Kendig does not write a romance novel type of romance, so if you’re like me and don’t really like to watch a predictable romance, than this might be the romance for you. It is on the surface of Tox’s mind, but it isn’t the controlling force, and I don’t see all this internal dialogue about Tox’s emotions.

The plot has a Indiana Jones with a mystery thrown in. I really got lost in the story and had a hard time putting it down. I finished it in one day and can’t wait for the next installment. There are many twists and turns that kept me glued to the page. I love the close nature of the plot to Tox and how much it could affect him if he goes toward the darkness or against it.

Overall, Crown of Souls by Ronie Kendig is an amazing feat of historical research mixed in a thrill ride of a novel. With a hero like Tox, it is hard to find another character who would go to the depths of the world to rescue someone he loves. Kendig really has outdone herself with her second installment, and I anxiously await book three.

I received a complimentary copy of Crown of Souls by Ronie Kendig from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

This book–where to start?! This is definitely the best yet!!
If you read it, you will find another fabulous, action-packed volume from Ronie Kendig! It’s like being in the middle of an action movie or a CIA episode.
I loved this book, from the beginning, to the very end.
It’s one of those books that I was afraid to finish. And yet, couldn’t bear not to! (But then, that’s what I’ve found from all of Ms. Kendig’s novels)

Cole (Tox) & his team are back in another adventure; he’s in a relationship with the lovely Haven; and they are on a quest to locate an old friend, and the crown that is turning him into terrible evil! Can they beat him at his own game, or will Tox give in to the guilt that has haunted him for too long?!

Ancient history, archaeology, & unexpected twists & turns combine to make this a delightfully captivating book.

I am anxiously awaiting the third book in this series!

Sometimes a book is so good that I struggle to put into words just how amazing it is. Crown of Souls is just that kind of book. It took me a little bit to get my thoughts about it in order. Usually, after I finish reading a book, I immediately go write my review. But not with this one. There was so much sheer awesomeness that it took me a day to figure out what to say.

Wow! What a way to start a book! I was hooked from that very first sentence. This is a big book, but it went by lightning quick. The pace was fast and furious, never letting up. I couldn’t read it fast enough. There were times when my heart was pounding furiously and I caught myself holding my breath. The action was so intense, the danger felt so real. I felt like I was right in the middle of the action. There was never a good place to stop. I didn’t want to put it down. I mean, there were times I’d have to because… ‘real life’… but I was never happy about it.

Crown of Souls takes a closer look at Tox and his past, the demons he’s fighting, the fears he’s struggling with. His old friend and teammate has him in his sights, making Tox question everything about himself. It was great reconnecting with Tox and the team for another archaeological mystery and race against time. There were so many complex layers weaved seamlessly throughout. The amount of research that must’ve gone into this novel… mind blowing!

Crown of Souls is another spectacular, edge of your seat, nonstop thriller from Ronie Kendig and is her finest work yet! If you haven’t read the first book, run and grab yourself a copy! I can’t recommend it highly enough and am very eager for book three!

I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and comments are my own honest opinion.

Indiana Jones meets Black-Ops!
This is an awesome, fast-paced story that draws you in from the first line: “It took one ten thousandth of a second- exactly 0.000169 seconds- for the bullet to rip through his shoulder.” And it doesn’t slow down until the end. Even then it leaves you anxiously waiting for the next book.

While celebrating the 4th of July with his team, Tox is shot by a sniper on his home soil, with a crown etched on the bullet as his only clue. After four other people are also killed by a sniper bullet with a crown engraving, Tox and his team are forced to track down an old army friend who has gone rogue and stolen an ancient crown, using its power in the name of justice. Torn between following orders and staying true to his friend, Tox must first conquer the darkness within himself while doing everything he can to keep his team and loved ones safe.

This was my first book by Ronie Kendig and it was awesome! I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down. Tox and his team are a great cast of characters and I loved the team almost as much as Tox. I enjoyed their unique personalities and frequently laughed at their banter. The historical aspect was equally intriguing and puts an exciting twist on this high-action story. Kendig weaves the past and present together seamlessly and I loved how they intersected, paving the way for a smashing third installment. While this is the second installment in the series, it could easily be read as a standalone. However, there are so many backstories, relationships, and character developments you miss out on by skipping the first one. I can’t wait to go back and read it so I can enjoy Crown of Souls even more.

“But the worst enemy you can meet will always be yourself…
You must be ready to burn yourself in your own flames;
how could you rise anew if you have not first come ashes?”
Friedrich Nietzsche; Thus Spake Zarathustra
Crown of Souls is the second installment of The Tox Files, a fast-paced military thriller series written by Ronie Kendig. Get your combat boots on and buckle up for a read full of breath taking loops and turns completely unexpected by even the characters themselves!
With his team Wraith, Tox, aka Cole Russell, is back in the states, except no one can know he is there. Why? Because he is supposed to be dead. His team is called Wraith for a reason: they are a ghost team…no one can know the team exists.
While a visit to a local Virginia beach, Tox is shot by a sniper; a highly skilled sniper, injuring Tox in the shoulder but yet not mortally wounding him. Wraith is there.
When it becomes obvious to the team that Tox was specifically pursued, his cover broken, Wraith goes into action, first stealthily removing him from the hospital and hiding him away in one of his team member’s highly secure getaway. Wraith is there.
When the government agents overseeing the team begin contacting Tox asking if he had any idea who might have pursued him, the pieces begin to come together. As Tox and his team begin to figure out who the sniper might be, Tox cannot wrap his mind around why his former special ops teammate would go rogue. And if this teammate can go rogue, seemingly killing people at will, then that means he himself could do the same.
When Alec King contacts him, confirming his suspicions, he is adamant that he will not do what Alec wants him to do…join him in hunting down the very people they once served with on a special ops mission that went horribly wrong. Alec wants them all dead because when they called off the special ops team, many innocent villagers in Afghanistan died. Tox refuses.
With Wraith, Tox is called to stop Alec, no matter what it takes. Believing he can save Alec, Tox begins the hunt. As Alec King continues his killing spree, things change; he seems to go descend into a madness that is brought on by a crown. The Crown of Souls.
Knowing that prior missions that encompassed historical aritifacts that seem to have powers all their own, Tox is resistant to the idea that The Crown of Souls could have anything to do Alec King’s madness.
Struggling with his own personal ghosts, Tox needs to come to a place in his own mind and heart…a place that is nothing like his former special ops team member, he is not like Alex King.
All the while his team, Wraith, is there.

Action-packed from page one!! This novel picks up with Tox and his team a few months after the events in Conspiracy of Silence. Their time to rest comes quickly to an end when Tox is shot by a sniper. What is discovered is that shot was a message to Tox from Alec King, another Special Forces operator, that has gone rogue. This operator is on a mission of vengeance and Tox and team are tasked with tracking him down and stopping him!

As readers have come to expect in a Ronie Kendig novel, what begins is an adventure full of military action, Biblical history, mysterious artifacts, just the right amount of romance, and more. It is apparent that Ms. Kendig has done extensive research for this series. As a wife of a retired Marine, I appreciate how well she portrays Tox’s internal struggles as well. In Crown of Souls, readers get a glimpse into the battles Tox fights in his mind because of the missions he has been involved in the past and the guilt that he feels from the things he has been asked to do. Tox is going after what others are calling a madman, but Tox sees a lot of Alec King in himself.

Although you could read this as a standalone novel, I would recommend reading Conspiracy of Silence first if you haven’t already since this novel picks up where that one left off.

I was given a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.