The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

This is a spur of the moment book/series review, but this is my favorite series of all time. I figured I need to somehow spread the word about these wonderful books. Andrew Peterson is a talented story teller. His books are full of humor, lovable characters, and frightening never-before heard of creatures such as toothy cows and thwaps. The books are not just all fun and humor, but offer a beautiful and sacrificial story about growing up and assuming the responsibilities we've been given in life. Janner, Tink, and Leeli have much to learn, but will teach readers much more in the end.

There are four books all total, and although the first book starts out slow, the story only climbs from there. This may be the only series I've read where each book is better than the one before it. The books are extremely clean and are appropriate and enjoyable for almost any age. I personally hope to read them out loud to my kids someday.

Five Stars!

If you want to read more about each book, here's a link to the website: http://wingfeathersaga.com/books-2/

The Next Evangelicalism

It's true I haven't had a whole lot of to write for enjoyment at college, but I have been doing a lot of reading. (and a lot of writing about reading)

Here's a little bit from a book review on The Next Evangelicalism by Soong-Chan Rah:

Content:

Soong-Chan Rah addresses a rather sensitive topic about how to free the Church from western cultural captivity. He tears the veil off of the white church, revealing exactly what is, has been, and how it is affecting other churches and cultures across the world. Rah contends that the next big evangelicalism will be the rise of multi-ethnic churches as immigrants flood the United States and Churches grow in other countries. As the white church conforms with society, it shrinks, becoming less and less like the Church God intended it to be. The question is whether or not the white-church will wake up and embrace this new change.

My Reaction:

I greatly appreciated the above points that Rah made, especially about materialism, consumerism, and individualism. It is so prevalent in our society, yet we are so blind to how it affects our churches. I also greatly appreciated that when Rah speaks of western cultural captivity, he is not just speaking about racism, but a much broader range of problems. My eyes were opened to just how culturally trapped we are in our churches in so many aspects, even in the content of our songs and the architecture of our buildings. It was also very convicting how he pointed out that we try to reach for multi-ethnicity in our churches, but we do not change our leaderships. 

 Near the middle of the book, I began to get a little bogged down. Rah began to get a little repetitive, and I began to feel like he was attacking the white church, and fitting all white churches into this category. However, in all honesty, I think I was just being convicted. I appreciated that at the end he drew lessons we could learn from multi-ethnic and immigrant churches. It does appear that we have a lot to learn from them, even in attitudes of more joy and praise in our music instead of self-focus. In summary, I felt like this book was well-thought out and convicting despite the difficulty I had in getting through it.

Four Stars, Ages 16 and up (based on difficulty of read)

Chasing Jupiter

Scarlett Blaine's life in 1960s Georgia isn't always easy, especially given her parents' financial struggles and the fights surrounding her sister Juli's hippie lifestyle. Then there's her brother, Cliff. While Scarlett loves him more than anything, there's no denying his unique behavior leaves Cliff misunderstood and left out. So when he wishes for a rocket to Jupiter, Scarlett agrees to make it happen, no matter how crazy the idea might be. Raising the rocket money means baking pies, and the farmer's son, Frank, agrees to provide the peaches if Scarlett will help him talk to Juli. The problem is, Scarlett really enjoys her time with Frank, and finds herself wondering if, someday, they could be more than friends. Just as she thinks everything might be going her way, Cliff suffers an accident that not only affects the rocket plans, but shakes Scarlett's view of God. As the summer comes to an end, Scarlett must find a way to regain what she's lost, but also fulfill a promise to launch her brother's dream. (from Amazon.com)

Pros: I absolutely loved this book! Such a sweet story line! However, it will not end exactly how you want it to. The author does a good job of making this story seem real. It's the most hear-warming, heart-breaking story all at once, and you will not be able to predict the end. This is actually the first teen book in which I've related to the main character. She doesn't want to grow up, and the funny thing is, she's actually one of the most grown up people in her family.

Cons: It may have just been me, but it took the first chapter or two to get used to the writing style. Also, at one point the preacher's wife gives the main character some advice I didn't exactly agree with. I mean, telling a teen girl who is not old enough to consider marriage to tell this older young man her feelings, I'm just not sure it's wise.


Ages 13 and up. 5 stars

The Scribe

The Scribe--Francine Rivers

Summary--
Behind the men who shaped history are the heroes who forever changed it. The Scribe, the fifth and final book in the Sons of Encouragement series, author Francine Rivers illuminates the life of Silas. Like the other Sons of Encouragement, this book tells the story of a lesser-known biblical character who made an impact on eternity. The Scribe tells the story of Silas, the man behind the spotlight who recorded most of the New Testament Scriptures we read today. In classic Francine Rivers style the story lets readers grasp the Scriptures in a whole new light—from a perspective never before imagined. Along the way readers will be captivated by the growth of the early church and the trials Paul suffers before he is martyred for the cause of Christ. (From Amazon)

Con's-- I actually did not care much for this book. I'm not sure I could exactly lay my finger on why exactly except that it was almost solidly fiction...about a real character and  I have never seemed to like that. I did not connect at all with Silas.

Pro's--For not having liked this book very well I did learn some things from it. It was an eye opener to see what things were probably like after Acts ended. Everyone was dying, the church was being persecuted and Christ still had not come back. It would be a confusing and depressing time. Something else I liked was seeing just how focused all Christians were. They ate, slept and breathed Jesus and his words. That was a smack in the face that I as a 21st century Christian needed to feel.

Ages 13 and up. 3 out of 5 stars.

The Prophet

  The Prophet--Francine Rivers
Summary--Behind the men who shaped history are the heroes who forever changed it. In The Prophet, the fourth book in the Sons of Encouragement series,  author Francine Rivers illuminates the life of Amos. Francine examines the life of Amos and his relationship to Israel during its prosperous years. Amos's message—and his relationship with God—made him unpopular. But his challenge to those who were enjoying the blessings of prosperity was crucial then and is strikingly timely today as well. (from Amazon)

Con's--As with any book dealing with Biblical characters there are going to be many fictional things. Things the Bible did not tell us. I think Rivers deals pretty well with this, and I really appreciate how she always puts right up front in her books that she had to make some things up. Still, it is something you have to keep in mind.

Pro's--Grace was the one who got me into this series and she told me once that she liked this book because it kind-of gives you insight into the background of a prophet's...well, prophesying. I agree. Though I had a hard time connecting with Amos' character I enjoyed getting to see what it might have been like for a prophet of God. It opened my eyes to just how unpleasant of a life it might have been. I also learned many things I did not know about Amos. The most interesting is that he was from Judah, but prophesied in Israel!

Age 13 and up. Four out of Five Stars.

This year I had made a mental goal with myself that I would write reviews for all the books I read...when you start out behind on something it is awfully hard to catch up. This book was actually read back in January. :z

When A Secret Kills

Summary:
Investigative reporter Jillian Carter knows it's time to put the past to rest. She's tired of looking over her shoulder, letting a killer go free. She's no longer the scared kid who changed her name and disappeared. Now, no matter what the cost, Jillian must do what she is trained to do--ferret out the truth and expose it. Senator Frank Hoffman committed murder ten years ago--and Jillian watched it happen.

Didn't she?

Pros:  This has to be one of the most suspenseful books that I have ever read.  There was constant action, which I love, as well as some surprising twists and turns which kept me jumping. The author also did a great job of conveying the character's emotions.  I could feel the anger, sadness, and fear that dominated much of the book.  I have read very few books that can do that so well.  I also enjoyed Jullian's selfless love for her daughter.  I mean, she loved her.  She wasn't just tolerant of an annyoing little kid, she loved her, even though it made her life harder to raise her and keep her safe.   

Cons:  I have to admit that this book made me mad.  It was so well written and so enjoyable to read . . . except for one thing:  you find out in the first few chapters that Jillian has a daughter.  Basically, if you want to put it this way, she and her boyfriend made a mistake ten years ago.  Yeah.  Kinda ruins the whole story.  However, I will give the author credit that the boyfriend, Colton, realizes what he did was wrong (which was good!) and asks for her forgiveness.  At the same time, unfortunately, I felt as if Jillian didn't feel much remorse due to the fact that she loves her daughter so much (of course, it is good that she loves her daughter, but I still feel as if she should have acknowledge that what she did was wrong).  I also felt like Jillian and Colton moved very rapidly through their relationship.  But I am willing to let that slide considering Colton was on the verge of proposing to her before she disappeared.

My overall opinion of this book is that it was very enjoyable to read, however, the author did disappoint me with some of the things she chose to put in the story line.

I would give this book 4 stars. 

Recommended for ages 17 and up.

The Centurion's Wife (Acts of Faith Book 1)

Summary: 
This is the story of Leah, a young Jewess of mixed heritage trapped in a vortex of competing political agendas and private trauma. Caught up in the maelstrom following the death of an obscure rabbi in the Roman backwater of firstcentury Palestine, Leah finds herself also engulfed in her own turmoil facing the prospect of an arranged marriage to a Roman soldier, Alban, who seems to care for nothing but his own ambitions. Head of the garrison near Galilee, he has been assigned by Palestine's governor to ferret out the truth behind rumors of a political execution gone awry. Leah's mistress, the governor's wife, secretly commissions Leah also to discover what really has become of this man whose death and missing bodyis causing such furor (from amazon.com).


Cons: The main things you could point out as problems with this book (and I only noticed them on my fourth  read) are that you might not get into the book until you read the first two or so chapters (I honestly don't remember having this problem, but it is possible someone else could ) and it does move a bit slow at times.  Also, (and this doesn't actually count as a con) if you do not enjoy books that are set in the time period of the Bible and that involve some Biblical characters, then you will not enjoy this one.

Pros:  This book brings the time right after Jesus's death (and the early church) alive.  I find it easy to forget how the people in the Bible were real people, and that there were other real people that they interacted with (I'm sorry if that sounds strange).  Also, the authors of this book are very talented at bringing the land of Israel to life.  For years, this book has been one of my favorites to read and read-read. 

Note:  This is the first book of three of the Acts of Faith series.  While I will not write book reviews on the other two, I will mention that they were just as fantastic as this one and that I would highly recommend them.

This book easily gets five stars.  Recommended ages 15 and up.

Unbroken

  Unbroken--Laura Hillenbrand

Summary--Louise Zamperini, had a childhood that though he was unaware of it at the time, would prepare him for his horrific future.Living as an extremely successful thief, as well as an accomplished nuisance he speeds through his childhood with the police always on his heels. His frantic parents couldn't keep him in line until one day he discovered he had an amazing talent--running. He began burning up the track and even made the Olympics where, though he didn't place, he was personally greeted by Hitler as "the boy with the fast finish." Running hard to prepare for the next Olympics and to be the first man to make the four minute mile, Zamperini has to put his dream on the back burner as World War II strikes and he is summoned to the Air Force. On one bombing mission in Japan Louise comes back to base amazingly unhurt, but in a plane that will never fly again. When another air crew is reported Missing at Sea he and his crew are sent up in the Green Hornet, a plane that is unsafe. It never sees land again and only three crew members survive on life rafts. One is Zamperini. With shark attacks, starvation, dehydration and over a month of nothing but water and sky one man breaths his last and is buried at sea. Zamperini and the other float on, into Japanese territory. They are captured and taken to a POW where they learn they are in (to put it mildly) the most disgustingly inhumane place they have ever been. "The Bird", a brutal and bitter enemy soldier takes Louise into his "special care" and by the time the war is over and he is release he is an emotional wreck, ready to fall apart. After coming home and eventually marrying, he comes undone. Turning to drinking, smoking, anything to numb his feelings he becomes dangerous and his wife, with their new born child flee. Eventually she is forced to return but both are only waiting for their divorce to come through. Then Zamperini's wife attends a revival hosted by the new phenomenon, Billy Graham and her life turns a 180. Louise can hardly help but be affected.

Con's--This book had much more language and off color comments than I ever care to read. I can stomach them better than some however because they were mostly direct quotes. Also, the POW camps are horrifically, and graphically accurate.This last fact is not necessarily a con, just a warning. This is certainly not a bedtime book! The other con to the book was the author's perspective. She is obviously not a Christian so at times she can be a bit irreverent. She presents Christianity as Louise's way (spoiler warning!!) to find peace but not as the only way. Simply another option. I did appreciate that she quoted nearly a whole chapter of John though!

Pro's--Laura Hillenbrand is a wonderful author! This book was so fascinating that I stayed up last night in an effort to finish it. I loved the history most of all. Another thing that I appreciated was that Louise Zamperini finally found peace--exactly where he needed to in the only real place, Jesus Christ. (Spoiler warning again!!) I was also very encouraged and challenged at his forgiveness to those who had done "unforgivable" things to him. He fully forgave, loved and witnessed to them.

I would recommend this book to anyone with a strong stomach, love for history, and a mind not too sensitive to language.

A mature 17 and up book! 5 stars.

This Present Darkness

Summary:
Ashton is just a typical small town. But when a skeptical reporter and a prayerful, hardworking pastor begin to investigate mysterious events, they suddenly find themselves caught up in a hideous New Age plot to enslave the townspeople, and eventually the entire human race. The physical world meets the spiritual realm as the battle rages between forces of good and evil.


Cons:  I can honestly say, that I can't think of anything negative about this book.  However, one must keep in mind that when someone writes about the spiritual realm, they are only speculating.  And that is all that this book (and I think the author) meant to do.  The author is simply throwing out an idea of how it might be. 

Pros:  Frank Peretti does a masterful job of weaving a tale involving the spiritual realm.  The story is fascinating and suspenseful and the writing style is magnificent.  Besides that, the reader is given a glance into the spiritual side of things making the book even more interesting and unique.   

I would give this book five stars.  Recommended for Ages 17 and up. 

House

Summary:
Enter House—where you'll find yourself thrown into a killer's deadly game in which the only way to win is to lose . . . and the only way out is in.
The stakes of the game become clear when a tin can is tossed into the house with rules scrawled on it. Rules that only a madman—or worse—could have written. Rules that make no sense yet must be followed.
One game. Seven players. Three rules. Game ends at dawn.




  

Cons:  I enjoyed this book, but not nearly as much as I thought I would.  Perhaps it was built up too much for me and then when I read it I found out it wasn't quite what I was expecting. 

Pros:  First off, it was written by two of my favorite authors (who did a great job writing it).  The plot line was exciting and crazy, and the over all meaning was good.  However, if you get creeped out easily I would not recommend this book to you.  Otherwise, read away!

Overall, I would give this book four or five stars.

Recommended for ages 17 and up.

Thr3e

Summary: 
By all accounts seminary student Kevin Parsins is leading a good, if not virtuous, life. But like all people, Kevin has his secrets. And someone wants them revealed.  While driving home from a day at graduate school, Kevin receives a call from a mysterious stranger who calls himself Slater. Slater demands Kevin confess his sin in the next three minutes or the vehicle he is manning will be blown to pieces.  Thus starts a harrowing chain of events. After narrowly escaping his exploding car, Kevin continues to receive phone calls from Slater, each with another riddle, another consequence, and another three minutes to confess his sin.  The problem is Kevin is unsure of what that sin might be. And Slater's cycle won't stop until he figures it out.(from amazon.com)





Cons:  None.  Though, this type of book is one that takes certain tastes to enjoy.  I could easily see someone not liking it.

Pros:  This book was well written and from the first page to the last was filled with twists and turns.  It took me only one day to read because I was so eager for the ending.  And, though I tried, I was unable to predict the final twist that left your head spinning.

I would give this book five stars.

Recommended for ages 17 and up.

The Peleg Chronicles

The Peleg Chronicles - Matthew Christian Harding

Overview from Amazon.com: 

The Northern realms. Circa 2000 B.C.

It was in the days of Peleg when the world was divided. After the flood of Noah, after the Tower of Babel and the dispersion ... when beasts were more numerous than men.

Two orphans, Thiery and Suzie.

The Lady Mercy without a protector.

Priests of the dragon, Baal, and the Queen of Heaven are seeking sacrifices for their false gods.

The Death Hunt!

In a land of giants and dragons, and men running from the knowledge of their Creator, wickedness spreads as a plague, but a remnant of faithful souls shine in the darkness.

Pros: I loved the overall idea for the book, set in the days of Peleg. The characters, such as Fergus Leatherhead and Lord McDougal were unique and sometimes hilarious. The themes of forgiveness, keeping faith when times are hard, and God's hope for all men to come to repentance, were woven well into the story. The book is clean and appropriate for all ages. 

Cons: There were certain places where the style of writing made it a little hard to understand exactly what happened. I read and reread a couple parts and still didn't grasp exactly what happened - but perhaps this was done on purpose or maybe I was just reading too fast. I do have a terrible habit of scanning in some books :) Overall, though, I still love the author's style. Another thing that sometimes bothered be was that the characters were always paraphrasing scripture that hadn't even been written yet. I can overlook this though because God's Word is eternal. His truth will always stand, no matter what time period. Moving on, the book still didn't feel very true to the time period. It felt more like a fantasy world or a mix between medieval and ancient Rome. Of course, I don't know what it was like after the flood, but I just don't imagine it with lords, castles, and an arena much like the Colosseum. A couple more things: even though I loved the story, sometimes it was confusing because it was always switching perspectives. Often you would jump from Lord Fergus's head to Thiery, then a dwarf, and a couple times to a badger. Lastly, when reading a single book out of the series, it's hard to find a climax. You'll be reading along and then the book ends. The book would end right in the middle of what appeared to be the climax. This series definitely needs to be read in order, and make sure you buy all the books at once!

I recommend this book to anyone who desires a clean story with a fantasy/medieval feel. Over all, I give this book four stars. It would be a fun book to read out loud to kids!

The Highlander's Last Song

   Summary--  This story centers around a once-mighty highland clan and the social, cultural and spiritual forces of change which they faced at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Con's-- My only qualm with this book is the same as with all MacDonalds books--there is some very odd and unbiblical theology simply because he always writes about nineteenth century Scotland.

Pro's--Though most people find MacDonalds books hard to get into I have liked everyone I read and completely understand why he was C.S.Lewis' favorite author. This book made a lot of very good points, gave some interesting history and had just a touch of romance to add a little extra excitement. I have so far read three of his books (and hope to eventually post reviews on them!) but this one is by far my favorite.

I do have to admit, I am biased since I'm of Scottish ancestory but even if I weren't, I still think I would give this book Five Stars. No age limit based on content but level of difficulty would be a 13 year old good reader.