Review: Children of Angels

--About the Book--

Jeremy is an average 7th grader. He deals with common issues, including cruel bullies that break his new iPod and the fact that his family has little money and is separated.  However, Jeremy's life is about to get much better--or worse--depending on his perspective.  How would you react if you realized one day that you could fly? Imagine that you suddenly have several unusual powers.  And to top it off, Jeremy will begin to realize the very real dangers of evil--and the very real power of God's love.

 --My thoughts--

Children of Angels is a fun, fast-paced, encouraging read.  Most intriguing were the spiritual parallels, particularly the way in which Kathryn Dahlstrom integrated the Christmas story into the end of her tale about angels (and half-angels).  The Christmas setting backing the whole of the plot gave the book a serious undertone, emphasizing the reality of God's love that Christmas and angels truly hold--below the greeting-card-obvious surface. 

I couldn't help comparing this book to the Dragons in Our Midst series by Bryan Davis, which also places Nephilim as major characters.  Children of Angels did not give as much Biblical background, but the fictional-historical mesh of background for the characters' existence was extremely fascinating, and one of my favorite components of the book.

The only issues I had with the book were fast, no-background information needed pace (which is probably not something that the target audience of this book would be bothered by); the slight thread of romance underlying Jeremy's encounters with another character (again, I am rather picky about such things, and it's merely my opinion) that, although purely innocent, seemed more grown-up than the age group needed; and finally, the general treatment of adults (slightly less than complete respect was shown in a few instances [e.g. trying to run away from home]). 

Aside from the above, I found the story to be entirely appropriate for the juvenile fiction audience.  Though the story is light-hearted, it has serious spiritual emphasis to inspire, intrigue and provoke deeper thought. I would recommend it to pre-teens and above looking for a supernatural fantasy novel to capture and cultivate imagination.

I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my unbiased review.


Click this link to read more about Kathryn Dahlstrom and this Litfuse blog tour!

Review: Live to Give

"God doesn't need your help. But He definitely wants it."

--About the Book--

We all were born with gifts. But will we let them sit and rot, waste them while chasing pointless things, or will we be brave enough to find out what exactly our gifts are and put them to the test?  When we use our talents by giving them to God, He will in turn use them for miracles.  Just because God can use anything does't mean He won't want to use you.  

In Live to Give, you will learn about what your gift is, how to keep pressing on when things are tough, and how your life can be changed by giving. 

"To truly live...we give" 

--My thoughts--

~One thing I found particularly helpful about Live to Give was that every chapter ended with a set of pertinent "Study Questions." These help the reader to review what the chapter taught them, and apply it to their own lives. I'm looking forward to reading this book more slowly and journaling my answers to these questions! The questions are also so interactive and discussion based that I could see this book being used as a Bible study or small group for pre-teens or teens.

~I completely enjoyed Austin Gutwein's voice throughout the book.  His witty, attention catchy phrasing makes every chapter interesting and attention holding.  Really entertaining personal stories are found in every part of the book, like in chapter 5, when he talks about the time he gave into an infomercial scam.  This humor is used to get his point across, while keeping (especially younger) readers' attentions. More importantly, he aptly presents Bible stories that Christians have heard over and over again in a new light, helping the reader to better understand God's word and how it applies to their lives. 

~Another aspect of Live to Give that makes it interactive and fun is the great list of possible gifts and talents found in chapter 6 (seen in the picture above).  This list is a great start to get you thinking about what specific gifts God has given you!

~Something that really stuck with me was the chapter that talked about getting "fueled up" to go out and serve God.  Gutwein emphasized that prayer and Bible reader are like our bread and water.  The way he explained the connection between these and being able to give our gifts to God for serving others gave new depth to these "everyday exercises" that sometimes, as a Christian, I forget are so very important. 

It inspired me to see someone as young as Austin standing up and sharing his story by publishing a novel! I was extremely impressed by Live to Give, which left me eager to discover, develop, and dedicate my own gifts. 

I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my unbiased review.

***

Austin's new book Live to Give is about "Letting God Turn Your Talents into Miracles"! Celebrate with him by entering his "Get and Give" Campaign - you could win a Kindle Fire for yourself AND Litfuse will donate $250 to the charity of your choice!

See what people are saying about Live to Give.

One winner will receive:

• A Brand New Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
• Five copies of Live to Give by Austin Gutwein
• $250 donated on the winner’s behalf to the charity of their choice

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 8/25/12. The winner will be announced on 8/27/12 on the Live to Give Landing Page!

Just click one of the icons below to enter. Tell your friends about Austin's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

My identity = the end of me.

It's okay, this is just the end
Don't be afraid, this is where it begins, oh
'Cause everything here had to fall apart
But in the ruins of a broken heart

I found peace like a river to attend my soul
Hope running over when I let go
I found joy that was hidden for all these years
And love overflowing to wash over everything
Here at the end of me

If you are like me, you will probably agree with this statement:

"I am really concerned with making sure people know who I am--leaving an impression of my identity."

Even if we don't admit it, even if we are "shy" we have this underlying desire for people to know who we are and to respect us.

But, if you are like me, you find yourself struggling with defining this very idea: "what is my identity?"

This point in my life is a definite in-between stage. I'm going into my senior year of high school, I'm trying to decide what college to go to, and I'm trying to trust God with my future.

And it really feels like I'm being blown in the wind, because they are so many different voices trying to tell me who I am.

-Commercials that target teenage girls tell me I have to dress to impress, and have all the latest styles in clothing, hair products, mobile devices, makeup, and perfume.

-My family tells me I need to make the right decisions about my future and yet still find time to spend with them before I move out (scary thought).

-The media tells me (as they have for the past, like, 5 years) that I'm crazy to not have a boyfriend and that I need to hurry up and "start living" or "be normal."

And I'm left in a puddle of self-pity and stress, wondering why I ever wanted to "grow up and be like the big kids." Because, now that I see it all up close, it's not as glamourous as I had expected.

Now, this is the point where I'd like to have all the answers. But since this is about where I am right now, the answers aren't going to be so super clear.  I'd like to have a perfect verse or a snazzy quote...but I don't.

Because this is where my struggle ends, and my hope begins.

This is where I trust Him, and His forgiveness, and His love.

This is where I start again.

Review - Giants in the Land: The Way of Things

"There must always be giants in the land..."

-- About the Book --

What would you do if one morning you woke up and the one thing you had relied on your entire life had disappeared? How would you react if everyone around you was falling into hopeless fear? Would you be able to take a stand and believe even when there was nothing visible to trust?

These questions are what Thomas has to answer when he awakens to discover that the giants are gone. The giants have helped his village for generations--farming, building, and clearing.  They have also protected their land and caused the people to live in perfect peace.  

Now, the village is in pandemonium. Who will step up to seek the giants and bring them back? Thomas volunteers, not because he is the bravest person in the village, but simply because he knows it is the right thing. His journey begins an adventure that will teach him the true meaning of courage, faith, and hope.

-- My Thoughts --

~I wasn't sure what to expect from Giants in the Land: The Way of Things by Clark Rich Burbidge. It is classified as juvenile fiction, but I definitely found it to be an interesting, thought provoking read. The symbolism the book drew between the giants and the people in our lives that are our leaders was really interesting and deeper than I was anticipating.  I couldn't help but compare this book to a Ted Dekker novel, and while it did not go into quite as much backstory or spiritual metaphor, I definitely would say it is a meaningful, action-genre book (especially for pre-teens).

~Trying not to give too many spoilers, I'd like to share two amazing quotes from the book: 

"While the way if things is the only path worth taking, it is not an easy one. Other paths may seem easier at first, but...they lead to nothing... selfishness, self indulgence, and useless distraction pretend to be freedom at first."

"All people grow up with giants in their lives on whom they depend...this learning environment is important in every society. But if carried to far, people tend to become overly dependent on their giants." Instead, the story encourages us to discover "the power of hope, which leads to the exercise of faith, which becomes knowledge, inner strength, and wisdom."

~You may be wondering where God is in the story.  Like The Chronicles of Narnia (I did think of The Silver Chair reading this book because of the giants), Giants has a parallel to God, named "Worldmaker." The giants serve this God, and have a received a promise from Him that they will live forever to serve mankind and help them serve Worldmaker (who the people call "by another name" sound like Narnia?).  This reminded me of angels in the Bible as well, so I wonder if this is an intended parallel.

~The illustrations in the book were really fun, cartoon styled images that really set the scene for each chapter!

~In the end, this book left me excited for the next installment in the series (the ending was a great cliffhanger!) and I would readily recommend this book to pre-teens, teens, and adults looking for a wonderful, easy read about becoming who you are meant to be.

I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my unbiased review.

Review: Tales of the Not Forgotten

--About the Book--

Joel, Seraphina, Ibrahim, and Christiana are average children: they have hopes and dreams. But what makes these children different is not that they live in different countries. It is the fact that they exist in extreme poverty and illness.  Still, this does not define them; instead, their adventures are about incredible faith and willingness to be used by God.  Their stories are collected in Tales of the Not Forgotten, and will most definitely inspire other people, young and old, to ask God to lead them to a mission.

--My thoughts--

~I really liked the way this book was organized: each chapter was a story about a different person, and within the story, the point of view would switch from the main character to the missionaries that were helping them.  This gave a unique view of every aspect of following God as He leads to unknown places and unknown (but very important) people.

~The theme of this book was a beautiful promise: you are not forgotten. In the darkest, dirtiest of circumstances, God proves Himself bigger and stronger than anything that faces you. Also, the book made me want to reach out to others to share that promise, and to tell them that I haven't forgotten them either.

~Something very special about Tales of the Not Forgotten is the fact that, although it is targeted at an audience of ages 8-12 (and I think it is a fantastic book for kids, my 12 year sister found it interesting), there is absolutely no reason why it cannot be convicting to youth and adults.  Beth Guckenberger writes a captivating read, in no way watered down.

~My book also came with the Tales of the Not Forgotten Leader's Guide: Kid's Missions Resource, a DVD containing printable lessons for leaders or Sunday school teachers. I haven't used this resource yet, but it seems like it would be a really helpful way of extending the discussions about missions with kids! The lessons include Bible story scripts, conversation cards, and activities to accompany the teaching lesson.

Overall, this was one of the best pieces of nonfiction  I've read in a long time! I don't want to read this book and forget it. No, I want to begin praying earnestly for God to show me my mission. 

I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my unbiased review.

***

Celebrate with Beth by entering her Kindle Fire Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 7/31!

Find out what readers are saying here.

One winner will receive: A Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi A Tales of the Not Forgotten small group kit (books and DVD) Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 30th. Winner will be announced at the "Not Forgotten" Author Chat Facebook Party on 7/31. Beth will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills (how much do you know children around the world?) and giving away some great prizes!

So grab your copy of Tales of the Not Forgoteen and join Beth on the evening of the July 31st  for a chance to meet Beth and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Review: Angel Eyes

Brielle is cold.  And it's not just because Stratus is chilly this time of year.  She carries a burden of guilt that threatens to freeze her very soul -- all because of a horrible tragedy she believes was her fault.

But maybe moving back to Stratus from her boarding school and spending time with her dad and old friends is a good thing. Still, it does nothing to cleanse her of this cold weight.  That is, until Brielle meets Jake. His very appearance emanates warmth.  And when he saves her life, she realizes that there is something very different about Jake. In addition to the crazy heat, there is something odd about Jake's mysterious but kindly guardian, Canaan. And there is definitely something more to the story of tragedy that haunts Brielle.

Epic showdowns between good and evil will challenge Brielle's -- and the reader's -- view of the not-so-ordinary day battles going on during this very moment.

My thoughts on this book:

~ Angel Eyes makes me think of this song (especially this lovely phrase: "once you feel the weight of glory, all the pain will fade to memory"). Now I realize that there is always a reason to trust God, utterly despite the circumstances.  There always will be a morning of rejoicing after a night of sorrow.

~ There were some amazing quotes in this book:

"God chooses to use us...but really, He can do it all on His own."

"A righteous God isn't bound by time. He has an eternity to make things right...He doesn't owe me an explanation.  I owe Him my life."

"He is adamant, intense -- emphasizing each word like it belongs in its own universe."

~ Dittemore's prose is exquisite.  I literally could not put the book down--if I started a chapter, I was captivated fully from the first word to the last. Her presentation of the Terrestrial (earthly) and the Celestial (spiritual) was extremely thought provoking, and her interpretation of angels and demons reminded me of Bryan Davis' books. The romantic elements of her book were beautifully moving and pure.  I would recommend this book a thousand times over, to any reader--whether young adult or adult, it will decidedly challenge your faith and touch your heart.

I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my review.

***

Celebrate with Shannon by entering her "Angel Eyes" Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 6/26!

Find out what readers are saying here.



One "angelic" winner will receive:

• A Brand New Nook Color
• A copy of Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on June 25th. Winner will be announced at the "Angel Eyes" Author Chat Facebook Party on 6/26. Shannon will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills and giving away some great prizes!

So grab your copy of Angel Eyes and join Shannon on the evening of the June 26th for a chance to meet Shannon and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 26th!

Review: Crazy Dangerous

Do Right. Fear Nothing.

It can be hard being a preacher’s kid. It puts pressure on you to be perfect, and causes people to treat you differently. This is the struggle that Sam Hopkins faces, and he is tired of it.  So, he starts to run with a bad crowd, breaking the law and living dangerous. But when the bullies he has been “friends” with begin to attack Sam’s bizarre schoolmate, Jennifer, Sam has a choice to make—should he do the right thing, or the easy thing?

Sam’s choice pushes him into a plot deep in suspense, excitement, fear, and (naturally) danger.  Jennifer seems to know more than anyone about the scary things that are happening in Sam’s town, and her visions of demons begin to appear more and more credible as Sam's world spins out of control.

High speed chases, moving character relationships, and striking faith-filled themes make Crazy Dangerous a masterpiece.  This was the first book I have read by Andrew Klavan, and I was left wanting more.  Even if you are not a huge fan of teen fiction, this book is worth a read. You will be amazed by how captivating it is!

My thoughts on this book:

The other day, after I finished Crazy Dangerous, I was thinking about the powerful statement the book centers upon, “Do right. Fear nothing.” It reminded me of 1 Samuel 17—the David and Goliath story. Reading it, I discovered David’s reason to not fear as he faced Goliath: “for the battle in the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into our hands (verse 47).” Sam's response to his fears was the same--he chose to trust God even though no one believed him, and he chose to do the right thing even though it did not feel right.

I also thought it was interesting that the words “fear” and “not” occur simultaneously in 66 different verses in the NIV, like these two:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” –Isaiah 41:10

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” --1 John 4:18

A remarkable lesson that I learned from the character Sam in Crazy Dangerous is that we must simply do the right thing before we can claim the promise of fearing nothing. We may be terrified when we strike out into the unknown, but if we go anyway, we will not be alone. 

I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my review.

Celebrate with Andrew Klavan by entering his Crazy Dangerous giveaway and connecting with him during the Author Chat Party on 5/29!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A $100 Visa Cash Card
• A copy of Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan for YOU and 5 of your Friends!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 28th. Winner will be announced at the "Crazy Dangerous" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/29. Andrew will be hosting an Author Chat, testing your survival trivia skills, giving away books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the "danger"!

Grab your copy of Crazy Dangerous and connect with Andrew on the evening of 5/29/12 for an author chat and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 24th!