Review: Marabel and the Book of Fate

Marabel and the Book of Fate by Tracy Barrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun fantasy story for middle schoolers, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys girl heroes or fairy tales and myths.

Marabel is a princess and twin to her "Chosen One" brother. She lives in his shadow but loves him, her family, and her kingdom. When he is kidnapped, she sets off to bring him back. There is so much fun in this adventure: many references to familiar tales and even to some modern things (like "elfies," pictures of you drawn by elves). While there is a lot of fun and puns and hilarious times, along the way Marabel learns about biases and prejudices and teamwork. She also learns she's stonger than she thinks.

I enjoy a good story that makes me chuckle and gives me something to think about. This story did that. Many middle-grade stories that I read these days seem to "dumb down" the wording or sentence structure within the story; this one did not. While it may not be rich in its vocabulary, at least I did not feel talked down to. I definitely would recommend Marabel and the Book of Fate for school libraries and language arts classrooms.  

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At my request, I received a free electronic copy of this book from NetGalley.  I was not required to give a positive review.  This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions on the book, and I received no compensation for this review other than getting to keep the e-book. 

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Review: Bread of Angels

Bread of Angels by Tessa Afshar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great story! I love how the author takes a few verses from the Bible and then creates a great backstory. I did not realize until after I had finished this book that her novel The Land of Silence tied into this novel and actually comes first in sequence of time. However, it is not necessary to read it first. The books can each fully stand alone.

For this novel, Tessa Afshar creates a backstory for Lydia, the seller of purple who has a brief mention in the New Testament. The story is plausible and enjoyable. I learned so much about business and dyeing in the early church time. Lydia definitely had to be courageous and determined to make it as a businesswoman of that time period. I enjoyed the humorous spots and fell in love with some great quotes. My favorite was “I follow a scarred Redeemer. Somehow I think our scars become holy in the shadow of His. And His plans are made perfect in the demolition of our own devices.” (page 290). We can learn a lot from Tessa Afshar's Lydia!

I highly recommend this author. I have enjoyed three of her novels so far and have purchased all three for my church library. I look forward to reading more of her books.

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Review: Land of Silence

Land of Silence by Tessa Afshar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again, Tessa Afshar has done an outstanding job of taking familiar scenes from the Bible and turning them into an amazing story. This is my third novel from this author. I ended up staying up until 1:00 a.m. to finish it because I just couldn't put it down!

The author is very talented at creating a plausible backstory for the various Biblical characters within her stories. By the time we get to the scenes of the Bible that we already know, the backstory has made us feel so deeply for the characters that we forget this is just a fictional scenario of how the Biblical characters came to be part of that passage. The Bible gives us glimpses into various people's lives. Some more than others. Tessa Afshar gives us one possibility of their life fleshed out. And, oh what glorious tales they have been! Can't wait to read more of this author. I also hope some of the characters from Land of Silence make it into a book of their own! I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who likes historical or Biblical fiction.

5 stars and I also purchased a copy for my church library. :)

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Review: The Man He Never Was: A Modern Reimagining of Jekyll and Hyde

The Man He Never Was: A Modern Reimagining of Jekyll and Hyde by James L. Rubart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is not the first book by James L. Rubart that I have read, and I'm sure it won't be the last. As with the author's other books, this intriguing novel gives you much to think about. If you've ever read and studied [i]The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde[/i], then you know where this story is going. And if you're a Christian, then you really understand this story. Inside each of us is both good and bad; the one we feed the most is the one we show the most.

As with other books by this author, there are supernatural elements, but it's not a Sci-Fi or fantasy novel. It's the story of a modern-day man who wakes up one day and discovers he disappeared eight months before after leaving a note that could be construed as a suicide note. He's not the man he used to be, and he never wants to be that man again....and that's the struggle.

Well worth a read, even if books with a few supernatural elements are not your normal cup of tea.
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At my request, I received a free electronic copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions on the book, and I received no compensation for this review other than getting to keep the e-book.

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Review: The War on Christmas: Battles in Faith, Tradition, and Religious Expression

The War on Christmas: Battles in Faith, Tradition, and Religious Expression by Bodie Hodge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great book that demonstrates how CHRISTmas has become so secular. It offers many reasons why this has happened and how it has happened through history. The book also gives some good information on original meanings of various words in scripture, as well as dispelling myths that have become integrated in the nativity narrative. Knowing how it's become so secular can lead to being intentional about making the season more meaningful for yourself and your family. It's an excellent start to your research of the Bible passages that tell about the birth of Jesus Christ.

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Books: My Year in Reivew

 I surpassed my goal of 50 books to be read in 2017.  Below is the link to the books I read:

Books Read: 2017 Year in Review

Review: Weighing Shadows

Weighing Shadows by Lisa Goldstein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Although I normally read Christian fiction, I also enjoy some sci-fi and time-travel. This book, however, had too much of a feminist agenda for me. In addition, there were parts of the story that were just too unbelievable. (I mean who jumps into a car with a stranger to be taken to a job interview?! And then accepts the job before being told what the job really is? Who doesn't ask a lot of questions when told the company uses time-travel to make "little changes" in history?) The story is an interesting concept and a fairly enjoyable read, but not for me.

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Review: The Witch With The Glitch

The Witch With The Glitch by Adam Maxwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun middle-school read. Definitely not my normal choice of books to read, but what's not inviting about an old bookstore with a secret room that leads to adventures? I'm not into witches, werewolves, ghosts, and vampires, but it was a fun read and better than many middle school books of today that I've read. I did think it odd that it was midway through the book before the authorial intrusion began. It was a bit jarring when it first occurred. The story alluded to other adventures, even though this is the first book, so be on the lookout for more.

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