This is a review of the first 3 books of the Sierra Jensen series, now compiled into 1 volume that I am reviewing in exchange for a free e-book from waterbrook press.
Something wasn’t right. Was it school? Probably. She flat out didn’t want to be in highschool anymore. That was it. She wanted to be in college and be around college students like she was in England. That’s where she belonged.
Book: Only You Sierra, by Robin Jones Gunn, Focus on the Family Publishers, 1995
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Target Audience: Girls 14-19
Subjects: Friendships, Relationships with family, Dating relationships, Growing up
Summary: 16 year old Sierra is now ready to be done with highschool. She’s had enough of it! After spending time on a missions trip with college students and developing an interest in an older guy who backed off completely when he learned her age, she is tired of being young. And it doesn’t help that while she was gone her family moved to another town and she’s attending a new school. It’s not easy starting over, especially when you aren’t convinced you even want to make new friends.
Notes: This book was a delight for those who had been following the Christy Miller series for years before this. It picks up only a matter of days after the end of the author’s last series. Sierra Jensen was introduced to us in that last book and this is the first of twelve books about her story. In this first book, the character finds herself having to grow up in new ways. She is mature for her age in many ways, but between that, the move to a new home and school, and the time spent with friends who are older, she finds herself wanting to just rush through her last two years of high school and move on. She’s putting forth no effort to make friends with those around her and is making herself more and more unhappy. She has to learn to trust in God and enjoy being where He has placed her instead of wishing away the next two years.
Recommendation Scale: 5/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi
Psalm 62:8 – Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
It was a wonderful dream, and one she wished she could surrender to right now. How comforting to curl up in that closet. But she was sixteen and responsible for her grandmother’s welfare.
Book: In Your Dreams by Robin Jones Gunn, Focus on the Family Publishing, 1996
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Target Audience: Girls 14-19
Subjects: Relationships with family, friendship, dating relationships
Summary: Sierra is trying hard to be content with where she’s at in life, but it’s still hard. She still hasn’t made any new friends and still doesn’t really know how to go about it. She is hoping having some spending money to hang out with other kids will help, but it’s not always easy to find a job. In the midst of this, Sierra’s family all takes off various places on weekend, leaving Sierra to care for her elderly grandmother. The next thing she knows, her grandmother is in the hospital and Sierra is desperately trying to get in contact with family members and not having any success. Some times growing up isn’t all it’s made out to be.
Notes: Sierra is continuing to work on waiting on the Lord in this 2nd book in the Sierra Jensen series. She has accepted that she needs to fit in with the others at school but hasn’t figured out how to pursue that yet. Her heart is still with Paul, wondering how he’s doing, wishing he were interested in her. She is working on the relationships with family, especially her sister, and starting to see that maybe it’s ok to just enjoy being sixteen for now.
Recommendation Scale: 4/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi
Isaiah 26:8 – Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.
Well I’m not glad she came. I wish I’d never suggested any of this to her. I wish she would find her own friends and leave mine alone. I wish she wasn’t so picky and prissy about everything. I wish she wasn’t so beautiful and attractive to guys. I wish…
Book: Don’t You Wish by Robin Jones Gunn, Focus on the Family Publishing, 1996
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Target Audience: Girls 14-19
Subjects: Relationships with sister, dating relationships, friendship
Summary: Sierra’s wish has come true – spring break at the beach with all her friends from the missions trip. But it comes with a major downside: her beautiful, perfect sister accompanied her. Sierra and Tawni are about as opposite as two sisters can be and both drive each other crazy. In no time at all, Tawni sets her sites on one of the guys and soon Sierra realizes everyone has coupled up except for her. She’s been wanting so bad to be older and hang out with these college age friends more, but now that she gets the chance she realizes just how not ready she is and longs for highschool friends again.
Notes: Sierra seems to go from wanting one thing to wanting the exact opposite. She’s been wrestling with contentment ever since she returned from the missions trip but the time has come to grasp exactly what God want of her. After an early morning conversation with Christy, Sierra realizes that God is asking her to be content wherever He has placed her, in whatever circumstance she finds herself. And then there’s the whole lesson about loving her sister when Tawni drives Sierra nuts.
Recommendation Scale: 5/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi
1 Timothy 6:6 - But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment