tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20209054279868144882024-03-13T10:16:01.967-05:00Christian Teen Fiction DevourerThis blog is to help teens and those who work with teens find the amazing books that are out there!
Visit the home page at www.ctfdevourer.comJ:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.comBlogger908125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-38659926512295515892020-10-23T16:35:00.001-05:002020-10-23T16:35:44.660-05:00The Conqueror“What are you talking about, soldier?” Aratus hissed. “You said nothing on this wide earth could ever deter you from your mission!”
Rex paused, gathering his resolve. He wrenched his arm from his commanding officer’s grip. The woman’s crisis had touched something primal within the soul of every man.
I am one of the most proficient warriors in this empire! I can stop this travesty if I wish. And right here… right now… for this woman… I wish.
At last he looked straight at Aratus. “I just found the one thing that can,” he declared.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdRU13wBc9w/X5NMpFy4_GI/AAAAAAAAPUw/1dtEOK8mHQQCRXDpAXlA4w5ww53Ko8ZbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/91pvDPuCybL.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1357" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdRU13wBc9w/X5NMpFy4_GI/AAAAAAAAPUw/1dtEOK8mHQQCRXDpAXlA4w5ww53Ko8ZbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/91pvDPuCybL.jpg"/></a></div>
Book: The Conqueror, Constantine’s Empire #1, by Bryan Litfin, Revell Publishers, 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Target Audience: Upper Teens and Adults
Subjects: Rule of Constantine, Persecution, Commitment
Summary: He’s a fighting machine, one of the most well-trained warriors in the world. She’s a rich, spoiled daughter of a politician… and a stubborn, headstrong Christian. Amidst the struggles for power between Constantine and Maxentius to see who will rule the entire Roman Empire, Rex and Flavia’s cross. He’s on a mission for Constantine, she’s the victim of her father’s competition under Maxentius. Only Rex can save her, but he can only do so by questioning all he has ever believed!
Notes: This is the first in the Constantine’s Empire series, by historian and a former professor of theology. He pays great attention to the details of the time period and historical figures. The story of a speculator who believes himself to be unstoppable, undefeatable and a young Christian woman who has always assumed her father is powerful enough to protect her from her own rebellion intermingles with the historical events of Constantine and Maxentius’ reigns. This book is quite different from Bryan Litfin’s earlier series, but equally detailed. It is rather violent at certain points – again, very realistic. The strongest spiritual theme would be Rex’s interaction with the Gospel message. Rex is looking for a god that is powerful – a god who will help him win battles against his enemies. Flavia attempts to explain how Jesus is the only true God and the One who was strong enough to conquer death. But Rex objects to a god that tells him to love instead of fight. Flavia has to wrestle with how to view the death of enemies as well.
Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 4/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi
John 16:33 – "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-70514347892369096802017-04-17T15:53:00.001-05:002017-04-17T15:53:19.700-05:00A Viscount's Proposal<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“</span></i><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Never,” she whispered to herself. Never would she marry someone who barely even spoke to his wife and treated her like an acquaintance, the way he treated Mother. Never would Leorah enter into a cold, passionless marriage – a fate much worse than losing her reputation.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> A Viscount’s Proposal by Melanie Dickerson, Waterfall Press, 2017</span><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUfktTD2Oe0/WPUq9KVBCHI/AAAAAAAAOJU/qBjeHRUNoj0YtdoA16T6KrqZE1AM9L63gCK4B/s1600/51NahJSTV0L._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUfktTD2Oe0/WPUq9KVBCHI/AAAAAAAAOJU/qBjeHRUNoj0YtdoA16T6KrqZE1AM9L63gCK4B/s320/51NahJSTV0L._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Mystery, Romance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Girls 16+<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Marriage, Love, Judging, Crime<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> “His brows are very piratelike.” “The way they point straight up in the middle. I imagine the viscount with an enormous hat, a giant feather curled over the crown, and a cutlass in his teeth.” And therein lies Leorah’s picture of Lord Edward Withinghall – a fierce pirate who just so happens to have a title and wealth. But title and wealth are not enough to attract this feisty young man. She dreams of romance, of true love. An accident on her horse that leads to her being in the wrong place at the wrong time appears to be removing her choice though. She was caught in Lord Withinghall’s carriage, having spent the night there, unsupervised. That is more than enough for society to condemn. And the only way to redeem her reputation in society’s eyes is to marry the viscount. Being a gentleman, he reluctantly makes the offer to the girl he views as a wild hoyden, but Leorah is holding out for her dream. When Edward and Leorah are forced to get to know one another however, they each begin to realize that maybe their judgments of one another weren’t entirely accurate. Of course, none of that will matter if the one who caused the carriage accident has his way – Edward will soon be dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes: </span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Viscount’s Proposal is the second in The Regency Spies of London series. The series tells of independent, bold young women daring to do things society deems unfit for a woman and in the process assist in solving a mystery. The character who was such an encouragement and inspiration to the main character in the first book is the one driving the plot in book two. This book tells of two people making judgments on one another and dismissing one another . Leorah doesn’t like Edward, believing him to be rude and uptight. Edward doesn’t like Leorah, believing her to be reckless – to the point of danger – and irresponsible. It is a story of how truly getting to know someone can prove your initial judgments wrong. It is also the story of two young people seeking to overcome the hurt caused by their fathers. Leorah is looking for someone to truly care about her since her father has never shown caring or compassion for her. Edward is seeking someone to be above reproach in the eyes of society since his father greatly disgraced his family through seeking a mistress and engaging in a duel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 3.5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Entertainment Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 4/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1 Peter 2:12 – </span></i><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms";">Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.</span></i><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms";">Thank you to the author for providing me with a free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. </span></i></div>
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J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-36129069722613640822017-03-31T17:23:00.002-05:002017-03-31T17:23:18.792-05:00King's Blood<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">WARNING: THE NOTES OF THIS REVIEW
CONTAIN ONE PARTIAL <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">SPOILER ALERT!!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Arman’s ways are beyond understanding.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Zeroah’s favorite verse came softly.
Wilek could not recall the reference, but he pondered the words for a very long
time. In the end the words did placate him some. He could not wallow in despair
over the lost ships nor could he rail in anger. His father was bedridden aboard
the Kaoday. Janek was dead. And Wilek would meet with the Wisean Council in a
few hours to combat a potential mutiny. He must remain strong. What was left of
the fleet looked to him. He must lead well, with confidence and strength. He
would have to tell Miss Amala and Zeroah. Worse, he would have to tell Treven.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Book</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">: King’s
Blood by Jill Williamson, Bethany House Publishers, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Genre</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">: Fantasy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target
Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and Girls 16+<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Truth, Judgment, Love, Loss<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Summary</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">: With
their homes completely destroyed in the woes, all the survivors of the five
realms sail the seas in desperate hopes of finding a new land, one big enough
to hold all of them. As the expedition continues, the evil that managed to make
it’s way onto the ships with them continues fighting for control. Things
disappear. Entire ships disappear. People disappear. Murderers appear. Yet, all
is not lost as Wilek studies more and more of the ancient texts translated by
Treven and gains a deeper understanding of Arman and His ways. And Arman is
blessing them with a new gift of mind-speaking. But just as things start to
look up, the enemy strikes again, and this tragedy will take even more to
recover from than the last.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">:
King’s Blood is actually three books combined into one volume. The three were
originally released as separate e-books. Now Kingdom at Sea, Maelstrom, and
Voices of blood make up the second book in the Kinsman Chronicles series. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This series would be classified as a mixture of fantasy and
apocalyptic. The characters are facing the end of their world. There are
strange beings and creatures that have supernatural abilities. It’s not really
fantasy animals as much as it is two supernatural powers – one good and one
evil. And these supernatural powers grant power to humans. The evil power
indwells like a demon possession. The good increases an ability beyond what is
natural. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The storyline is about the slow unveiling of a one true god
who created their land and now brings judgment on it for turning its back on
its Creator. It works out the story through two princes trying to survive their
father’s impulsive decisions to elevate one son above another at any given time
and worse still his willingness to offer as a sacrifice to the gods anyone he
is currently displeased with – including a prince. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In this book the spiritual focus is much stronger. The
characters know who the one true God is and have determined to follow Him. His
words are what guide them. And when they receive the mind-speaking ability it
is as a direct gift from Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Now, for the SPOILER ALERT: At the end of this book, the
main character, the one driving the story all the way through the first two
huge books is killed. So if you don’t like reading tragic endings, avoid this
book. Or just stop reading at page 563 before all sorts of tragedy occurs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual
Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 3/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Romans 2:5 – But
because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up
wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>judgment<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>will be
revealed.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a free review
copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-56043298536148941712017-01-26T13:13:00.001-06:002017-01-26T13:13:19.698-06:00Beyond Corista<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“You’ll know what to say.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Oriannon nodded slowly, trying her best to understand. Tell
them they’re being invaded by someone I’ve never heard about, she though, and
the news comes from a man who was dead and now isn’t. I can’t do this.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Beyond-Corista-Shadowside-Trilogy-Robert/dp/0310714230/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485456916&sr=1-1&keywords=Beyond+corista+robert+elmer" target="_blank">Beyond Corista</a> by Robert Elmer,
Zondervan Publishers, 2009<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Science Fiction/Allegory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and
Girls 13+<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Faith, Truth,
Salvation, Jesus’ death and resurrection. Missions, Persecution<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U2Z3BhC-7_Q/WIpKQPW30CI/AAAAAAAAN94/decjVQJxEWoTcuswL5Dv7uFdjWxP6mlogCLcB/s1600/51wKJLGu3%252BL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U2Z3BhC-7_Q/WIpKQPW30CI/AAAAAAAAN94/decjVQJxEWoTcuswL5Dv7uFdjWxP6mlogCLcB/s400/51wKJLGu3%252BL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="258" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Guided by a
supernatural powered stone, Oriannon, her friends, her dying father and
unfortunately, the hateful Sola, are in a space ship traveling from way station
to way station warning them of a coming attack from an enemy Oriannon knows
nothing about. Sola is still breathing out threats and insults against
Oriannon, her owling friend, her father, and pretty much anyone who disagrees
with her in any area whatsoever. Her father is barely clinging to life. And the
people Jesmet wants them to warn? They don’t want to believe the truth. Most
outright reject it. Some turn violent at the news. None welcome it. Spreading
the news of Jesmet is not going to be easy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Beyond Corista is the third in the
Shadowside Trilogy. The series is an allegorical tale of Jesus ministry on
earth, death and resurrection and some of the events of Acts – the persecution
of Christians and the spread of the Gospel. The story is set in a
science-fiction world with spaceships traveling to various planets and
scientific development being a main focus of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In Beyond Corista, Oriannon has to
learn how to rely on Jesmet and her friends rather than herself. She is forced
into situations where she has no choice but to trust and follow. It seems to be
representing the apostles attempts to spread the Gospel throughout the world in
Acts. There is usually one person who accepts the truth, while most respond to
it with violence. The series doesn’t quite seem to finish. It seems to leave it
unsettled. It doesn’t wrap up details nice and neatly. However, the book of
Acts doesn’t either! It just ends with the idea that the good news needs to
continue to be told. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Acts 1:8 – But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes
on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-51388329202799374702017-01-26T12:56:00.000-06:002017-01-26T12:56:00.379-06:00The Owling<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Remember what they did to your scribe friend? So play
dumb. Find out what she says, go to your banquets and your media things for
now, but don’t let on that you know anything. You’ll be our insider. But
whatever you do, don’t you dare tell her what we just saw. And once you find
out more,” Brinnin added, “then we can uh… then we can, you know…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Her voice trailed off, but Oriannon nodded. At least it was
a start. One way or another they would find out the truth, and then they would
help the Owlings. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">They had to. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Owling-Shadowside-Trilogy-Book/dp/0310714222/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485456869&sr=1-4&keywords=The+owling" target="_blank">The Owling</a> by Robert Elmer, Zondervan
Publishers, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Science Fiction/Allegory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and
Girls 13+<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Faith, Truth,
Salvation, Jesus’ death and resurrection. Persecution, Racism<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zOavILEKLeU/WIpGJ-y2m3I/AAAAAAAAN9s/yh2ONz6IqEMLw_C7_VOw4Jdo1KVSQBVNgCLcB/s1600/51tosTokrfL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zOavILEKLeU/WIpGJ-y2m3I/AAAAAAAAN9s/yh2ONz6IqEMLw_C7_VOw4Jdo1KVSQBVNgCLcB/s400/51tosTokrfL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="258" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Named for their bigger
eyes, the Owlings are the people who live on the shadowside of the planet. And
they are friends of Oriannon’s. So when a new political figure arises with
promises to help those poor pitiful people and targets Oriannon to be her
assistant, her representative, Oriannon gladly joins in. Or at least she does
until she finds out the truth. Sola has no intention of helping the Owlings.
What she wants is to enslave them. In her mind, they are worthless creatures,
good for nothing but manual labor. Soon the whole shadowside of the planet is
destroyed and all of the people rounded up and put to slavery or killed. It’s
up to Oriannon and her friends to save them… if they don’t become slaves or
killed themselves first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The Owlings is the second in the
Shadowside Trilogy. The series is an allegorical tale of Jesus ministry on
earth, death and resurrection and some of the events of Acts – the persecution
of Christians and the spread of the Gospel. The story is set in a
science-fiction world with spaceships traveling to various planets and
scientific development being a main focus of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In The Owlings, the good news that
Jesmet (the Jesus figure) is alive is cautiously being told to a couple of people,
but for the most part, those who follow Jesmet are hiding, waiting for the Numa
(Holy Spirit figure) to come. The problem is that Oriannon doesn’t wait – she
thinks maybe Sola is the Numa and starts helping Sola, thinking she is helping
the Owlings, when really the only thing she’s helping is their destruction. The
Owlilngs know and worship Jesmet and that’s a big reason they are under attack
from Sola – who hates even hearing the name of Jesmet. Sola seems to represent
Saul from the book of Acts. Oriannon seems to represent Peter with her
impulsiveness and yet willingness to believe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Acts 1:8 – But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes
on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Acts 8:1,3 – On that day a great persecution broke out against
the church in <st1:city w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:city>, and all except the
apostles were scattered throughout Judea and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Samaria</st1:place></st1:city>. But Saul began to destroy the
church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and
put them in prison.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-83673345826619581692017-01-26T12:33:00.002-06:002017-01-26T12:33:45.616-06:00Trion Rising<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“A faithbreaker is anyone who speaks with the spirits of
animals and the dead, magicians and diviners, shamans. Someone who tears apart
the faith and undermines what we believe. Which is, of course forbidden in the
Codex. But come on, that’s just in the Codex. Stories. It’s not like there are
any real people today who are as evil as a faithbreaker.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“That’s what I used to think, Ori, but I think we just saw
one in action.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">She had to ponder for a moment before she realized what he
was trying to say. Could he really mean…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I’m telling you Ori, he’s a faithbreaker and if he is…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Trion-Rising-Shadowside-Trilogy-Book/dp/0310714214/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485455538&sr=1-1&keywords=trion+rising" target="_blank">Trion Rising</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E12V2_OICro/WIpA6FWDJhI/AAAAAAAAN9c/KR5Ar02TJKcPoj7lsPJZVVKysrnonFDfQCLcB/s1600/51W-p2MTqrL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E12V2_OICro/WIpA6FWDJhI/AAAAAAAAN9c/KR5Ar02TJKcPoj7lsPJZVVKysrnonFDfQCLcB/s400/51W-p2MTqrL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
by Robert Elmer,
Zondervan Publishers, 2008<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Science Fiction/Allegory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and
Girls 13+<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Faith, Truth,
Salvation, Jesus’ death and resurrection<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The new music teacher
at school is rather different. But in a good way. He seems to know what the
kids are thinking and treats them with love and gentleness, but at the same
time pulls their very best out of them. He challenges their thinking and opens
their minds to music they’ve never dared to play before. Many of the students
are completely embracing him, including Oriannon. The adults don’t seem to
agree though, especially the council… including her own father who wants her to
use her special powers of memory to spy on Jesmet and report to the council
anything suspicious that happens. Jesmet completely earns Oriannon’s trust
though when he brings her dead friend back to life after a sudden accident and
then risks his life to save hers when a wild animal nearly attacks her. The
same events that convinces her to put her trust in him, convince the council to
carry out the full penalty of punishment against this faithbreaker as they
believe him to be and Jesmet is executed. In her despair, Oriannon finds
herself in the last place she would have expected to be and finds more hope
than she ever thought possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Trion Rising is the first in the
Shadowside Trilogy. The series is an allegorical tale of Jesus ministry on
earth, death and resurrection and some of the events of Acts – the persecution
of Christians and the spread of the Gospel. The story is set in a
science-fiction world with spaceships traveling to various planets and
scientific development being a main focus of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In Trion Rising, the main characters
are introduced, the Jesus figure arrives on the scene, develops followers, brings
a dead person back to life, teaches following the truth over man-made rules, is
betrayed, killed and rises from the dead. Oriannon is introduced to the people
on the other side of the planet who are different from the lies she has been
told about them. She finds what it means to place her faith and trust in the
Jesus figure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – </span></i><span class="text1cor-15-3"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">For what I received</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1cor-15-3"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I passed on to you</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1cor-15-3"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1cor-15-3"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">according to the Scriptures,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1cor-15-4"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">that he was buried, that he was raised</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1cor-15-4"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">on the third day</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1cor-15-4"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">according to the Scriptures,</span></i></span><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-6105883493268679762017-01-26T11:27:00.002-06:002017-01-26T11:27:37.945-06:00Wishing Upon A Star<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">B.T.’s presence brought such a funny feeling inside. Kind
of like peace dancing. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>
paused at the doorway and whispered, “Dear God, would it be okay if B.T. and I
got to be good friends? I don’t know if I’ve ever found such contentment with
anyone before.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Wishing-upon-Star-China-Tate/dp/1561793450/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485451382&sr=1-1&keywords=wishing+upon+a+star+china+tate" target="_blank">Wishing Upon A Star</a> by Lissa Halls
Johnson, Focus On The Family Publishers, 1995<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Realistic Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Girls
13-18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Pride, Popularity,
Servanthood, Friendship<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CZJ6v62HROA/WIoxd1U3coI/AAAAAAAAN9I/56q_1suRS-UrUilWG8I3Y4WSpb-CIB5swCLcB/s1600/download%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CZJ6v62HROA/WIoxd1U3coI/AAAAAAAAN9I/56q_1suRS-UrUilWG8I3Y4WSpb-CIB5swCLcB/s320/download%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="224" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> A movie star? Here at
camp? <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
and DeeDee don’t watch tv so they didn’t know that the camper who arrived early
was actually a famous star from a tv sitcom. The friendship began naturally.
Now though, now things are different. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> starts to wonder if maybe
it’s a sign from God. Maybe her friendship with B.T. is meant to take her
places, big place, far away places, places quite different than camp or her
parents’ mission field. Maybe it’s meant to catapult her into the life of the
rich and famous that despite all her experiences this summer, she still
somewhat envies. Pursuing that kind of fame isn’t free though. And <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> is going
to figure out just how high of a cost it really is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Project Black Bear is the third in
the seven book China Tate series about a tenth grade girl whose parents are missionaries
in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Guatemala</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
She has returned to the states to spend a summer with an aunt, hoping to find a
place to fit in. She finds her place at Camp Crazy Bear and winds up staying
and working in the kitchen for the summer. The series tells of the adventures
she has in friendship and learning responsibility. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In this fourth book, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> continues
learning the lesson about what outside trappings really mean. From the
beginning, she admired and envied Heather for her beauty and popularity. Then
she misjudged Rick because he didn’t look attractive. Now she’s caught up yet
again in the idea that being rich and popular means you’re better than others.
She remembers her grandma telling “There’s no one so different in this world
that you are better than they are. And even more important, there’s no one so
different in this world that they are better or more special than you.” But she
disagrees. She sees the crowds of people following B.T. and the money he has
and decides that “special was proven by your volume of friends and the
importance of your work.” She finds out just how wrong she is when she loses
both DeeDee and B.T.’s friendship and almost Magda’s in her pursuit of fame and
fortune. A chapel lesson on servanthood that has campers washing people’s feet
makes her realize just how wrong she has been about what really matters and who
is truly important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Matthew 20:26-28 – <span class="woj">Not so with you. Instead, whoever
wants to become great among you must be your servant,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="woj">and whoever wants to
be first must be your slave—</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="woj">just as the Son of Man</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="woj">did not come to be served, but to serve,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="woj">and to give his life
as a ransom</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="woj">for many.”</span></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-57751225270033881522017-01-26T11:25:00.002-06:002017-01-26T11:26:13.953-06:00Project Black Bear<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“What does your job consist of, Dr. Hamilton?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Most of the time, I clean up messes other people make
through foolish decisions.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">China</span></i></st1:place></st1:country-region><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> flashed DeeDee an ugly
look. “What is it with man and dumb decisions?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">DeeDee learned and whispered in her ear. “Maybe it’s
because he’s never made any.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Kemper’s brows pulled together. “I’m not sure I follow
you.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Dr. Hamilton looked out across the sea of kids, then
directly into Kemper’s eyes.. “I would be out of a job if people, especially
teenagers made better decisions.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Project-Black-Bear-China-Tate/dp/1561792837/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485451037&sr=1-1&keywords=china+tate+project+black+bear" target="_blank">Project Black Bear</a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1nbdzz2N5kw/WIowiUaGYCI/AAAAAAAAN88/jSi4hf2V8rYOHwVtI7vNL4UsPo7wvkFywCLcB/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1nbdzz2N5kw/WIowiUaGYCI/AAAAAAAAN88/jSi4hf2V8rYOHwVtI7vNL4UsPo7wvkFywCLcB/s200/download.jpg" width="147" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">by Lissa Halls
Johnson, Focus On The Family Publishers, 1994<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Realistic Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Girls
13-18<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Obedience, Authority,
Wisdom, Pride<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tCiGG2wo9EI/WIoxBP05M7I/AAAAAAAAN9A/-Qb4T27TMBM-zs9tAkdmtKKMUdTRDoqaQCLcB/s1600/41VBtq-eXFL._SX373_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tCiGG2wo9EI/WIoxBP05M7I/AAAAAAAAN9A/-Qb4T27TMBM-zs9tAkdmtKKMUdTRDoqaQCLcB/s320/41VBtq-eXFL._SX373_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> They’re so cute! And
the poor things are hungry! Just look at how desperate they are! Why else would
they dare to break into Magda’s kitchen? So <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> and DeeDee decide to leave
scraps out in the woods for the bears. If they are fed well – and away from the
campers, surely they’ll leave the camp alone, right? Now if only they could
solve their problems with Dr. Hamilton as easily! The man is rude and arrogant
and a downright jerk! He seems to look down on them merely because of their
age. And the girls are getting really sick of his insults! There has to be a way
to show him that teenagers can be responsible and make good decisions! But how?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Project Black Bear is the third in
the seven book China Tate series about a tenth grade girl whose parents are
missionaries in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Guatemala</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
She has returned to the states to spend a summer with an aunt, hoping to find a
place to fit in. She finds her place at Camp Crazy Bear and winds up staying
and working in the kitchen for the summer. The series tells of the adventures
she has in friendship and learning responsibility. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In this third book <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> and
DeeDee learn the hard way the importance of obedience. In chapel, they hear a
message about the importance of obeying God – even when they don’t understand
why the command is there. But they fail to apply it to the “Obey your parents
and those in authority over you” commands. So they feed the bears they have
been specifically commanded to not feed and the bears get used to human food
and seek it out and someone gets hurt because of their actions. They get all
mad at Dr. Hamilton for viewing them as irresponsible and yet prove him right
through their disobedience. They get excellent advice at the end from Kemper
who tells them to take responsibility for their mistake, confess it and let it
go instead of accepting the idea that they have to be stupid and worthless
because they messed up. He quotes Romans 8:28 to them (</span><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And we know
that in all things God works for the good<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of
those who love him, who</span><sup><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;"> </span></sup><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">have been called<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>according
to his purpose)</span><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> and challenges them to look for how
God can use this tragedy for good. He also explains that good doesn’t mean
happy. They don’t have to be happy about the tragedy, just be able to move on
from it to see how God can work in it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">1 Samuel 15:22
–</span></i><i><span style="background: white; color: purple;"> But Samuel replied:
“Does the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>delight in burnt offerings and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>sacrifices as much as in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>obeying the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span>?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>To<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>obey<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>is<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>better<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>than<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>sacrifice, and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>heed<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>is<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>better<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>than<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the fat of
rams.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">John 14:23 - Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me
will<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>obey<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>my teaching. My
Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.</span></i><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-62637921667982235492017-01-26T11:17:00.002-06:002017-01-26T11:17:46.617-06:00The Secret In The Kitchen<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Just as she raised her hand to strike the door again, she
remembered, Rick locks the walk-in as the last thing he does before he leaves.
He never, ever does anything else first. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">China leaned her head against the door, her heart pounding
inside her chest. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I’m stuck. Trapped. There’s no way out.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/SECRET-KITCHEN-CT-China-Tate/dp/1561792829/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485384804&sr=1-1&keywords=China+tate+secret+in+the+kitchen" target="_blank">The Secret In The Kitchen</a> by Lissa
Halls Johnson, Focus On The Family Publishers, 1994<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Realistic Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Girls
13-18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Identity, Friendship,
Family Relationships, Revenge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bmyilFxOo7I/WIovKphkBSI/AAAAAAAAN8w/UPRp-H8Qzhk9v3sI7SZaQN0hYCQ1JQ8XwCLcB/s1600/51YBF111GeL._SL500_SX346_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bmyilFxOo7I/WIovKphkBSI/AAAAAAAAN8w/UPRp-H8Qzhk9v3sI7SZaQN0hYCQ1JQ8XwCLcB/s400/51YBF111GeL._SL500_SX346_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="278" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> There are a couple new
workers in the kitchen this week. Magda is thrilled to have them here, they are
young men she’s been close to for a long time. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> isn’t quite sure how to feel
about them. Rick seems kind of strange, and his appearance… well, he’s just not
exactly the most attractive male on the planet. But he does seem to enjoy
playing around with the girls and is kind to them. John on the other hand has
no problems in the looks department but <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> doesn’t know what to make of
him either. He’s nice sometimes, but other times he seems downright cruel, as
if <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
has done something to offend him. She’d ask Magda for advice, but something has
Magda sick and out of commission. She also knows she has to be careful – she’s
breaking rules by sneaking a stray dog she and DeeDee found into the kitchen
with her. When <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
is seriously threatened, she knows things have gone too far and somehow, she
has to figure out who wants to hurt her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The Secret In The Kitchen is the second
in the seven book China Tate series about a tenth grade girl whose parents are
missionaries in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Guatemala</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
She has returned to the states to spend a summer with an aunt, hoping to find a
place to fit in. She finds her place at Camp Crazy Bear and winds up staying
and working in the kitchen for the summer. The series tells of the adventures
she has in friendship and learning responsibility. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In this second book <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> is
settling into a routine working in the kitchen with Magda and living with
DeeDee and her family. But she has to adjust to some changes when the new
summer kitchen workers arrive and one doesn’t seem to like her very much. She
learns a lesson about appearances – what you see on the outside has no bearing
on what is on the inside. She judges both of the boys who work in the kitchen
by the outside and gets proved very wrong. The dog she and DeeDee find helps
reinforce the lesson as the dog is deaf and appears on the outside to be “not
okay”, but is of great comfort to both girls and quickly becomes very important
to them. The other approach the book takes is to simply not be too hasty in
making conclusions – there might be more going on than what you realize. When
China hears the story of one of the boys’ pasts she understands a lot better
why he does some of the things he does. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">1
Samuel 16:7 –</span></i><b><i><sup><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">
</span></sup></i></b><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11.0pt;">But
the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>said to Samuel, “Do not consider his
appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>does not look at the things people
look at. People look at the outward appearance,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>but the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>looks at the heart.”</span></i><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-37442979735648731962017-01-25T16:52:00.003-06:002017-01-25T16:52:56.515-06:00Ambushed<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Clearly my dad
has the money to help me out. But would he? The man might have murdered my
mother in cold blood. And here I was in his house. You’d think I’d have learned
my lesson about walking into traps. I just didn’t think I’d have much of a life
without basketball. Maybe that was melodramatic of me, but it was how I felt. I
needed to get the best surgery possible. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Ambushed-Mini-Mission-2-5-League/dp/0988759454/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485384621&sr=1-1&keywords=ambushed+jill+williamson" target="_blank">Ambushed</a> by Jill Williamson, Novel
Teen Press, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Adventure<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Boys 13-18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Visions/Prophecy, Prayer, Friendship,
Betrayal, Purity, Salvation, Injury<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W88-XJJoeFU/WIksDe5EXtI/AAAAAAAAN8c/gbmkzyKGysgotpoY4_Ayc7EvWyvq927BgCLcB/s1600/51YIrU7zEHL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W88-XJJoeFU/WIksDe5EXtI/AAAAAAAAN8c/gbmkzyKGysgotpoY4_Ayc7EvWyvq927BgCLcB/s400/51YIrU7zEHL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="258" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Summary</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">: </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Unthinkable. Out of the question. Basketball is what
Spencer lives for. Risking losing that is not an option. Yet, a mission league
training activity gone wrong leaves him with a torn ACL. His grandma can’t
afford much – just the cheap surgeon the insurance offers – the rude one who
acts completely apathetic to Spencer and his injury. Spencer isn’t willing to
risk something so vital on a man like that! Which would be why he finds himself
standing at the entrance to a mansion, prepared to ask his father for help… the
father who betrayed the Mission League, caused his mother’s death and abandoned
Spencer… the father who may be out to kill Spencer as well. As if all of this
isn’t enough, Spencer can’t stop thinking about the blond beauty in his visions
who is clearly being abused… and who has disappeared from school. Things are
building up and Spencer is in way over his head yet again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Ambushed is the fourth in the
Mission League Chronicles, a series about an unsaved boy who joins a Christian
Spy Group for teens just to keep out of the military school his grandmother is
threatening him with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As the
series progresses he learns of his parents’ history with the league, develops
some friends, gets introduced to spiritual gifts – including the gift of
prophecy – which he has, and discovers that he may be the fulfillment of a
prophecy himself and therefore a key target for the enemy. In this series there
are good and bad examples set by all of the characters but it is pointed out
clearly which are which most of the time so the teenage reader isn’t left doubting
which is right and which is wrong. Purity is a common resounding theme as
Spencer learns how to treat girls with respect and decency. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
this book, Spencer has sworn off girls. He doesn’t want anything distracting
him from his goal of getting a basketball scholarship. That focus causes him to
do other dangerous things though. He openly acknowledges that is taking stupid
risks just to achieve his dream. However, a betrayal from a close friend pushes
him to a point where he is finally ready to give God his attention. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A huge
spiritual element that is key in this book comes when Spencer attends a
birthday party that Gabe’s dad hosts for him, focusing on helping Gabe figure
out what it takes to become a man. Spencer can’t stop thinking about evaluating
everything he sees according to those terms. Is he really living life in a way
that is respectful, responsible and righteous? Are those around him? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Spiritual Content
Recommendation Scale: </span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Philippians 1:9-11 – <span class="textphil-1-9"><span style="background: white;">And this is my prayer: that
your love</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"> </span></span><span class="textphil-1-9"><span style="background: white;">may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of
insight,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></span></i><span class="textphil-1-10"><b><i><sup><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="textphil-1-10"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be
pure and blameless for the day of Christ,</span></i></span><span class="textphil-1-11"><b><i><sup><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="textphil-1-11"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">filled with the fruit of righteousness</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> </span></i></span><span class="textphil-1-11"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of
God.</span></i></span><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-8515851813498073062017-01-25T16:49:00.002-06:002017-01-25T16:49:38.040-06:00Project Gemini <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Let her go.
Please?” I say. My hands are trapped. I’m trapped. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Anya Vseveloda
steps into my vision. She’s dressed all in white. A fancy suit of some kind.
Her hair is down and wild. Her lips are blood red. They twist into a smile as
she raises a knife to my face. She’s enjoying this. “Just seeing how much you
wan this delights me. I think she will help us get information from you. Yes, I
think she will be very helpful. I glance over and see two girls in a restaurant
booth; one is the Asian swimmer I’ve dreamed of before, the other is slumped
over the table, curly brown hair in a ponytail. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Project-Gemini-Jill-Williamson/dp/1940163013/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485384461&sr=1-1&keywords=project+gemini+jill+williamson" target="_blank">Project Gemini </a>by Jill
Williamson, Marcher Lord Press, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Adventure<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Boys 13-18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Visions/Prophecy, Prayer,
Betrayal, Dating Relationships, Friendship<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O-7k7aO0_Vw/WIkrW8KTvLI/AAAAAAAAN8U/VaE7Ph5mm64-82q8NUTcQmRNQnsE0te8QCLcB/s1600/51b8G9ZQ1nL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O-7k7aO0_Vw/WIkrW8KTvLI/AAAAAAAAN8U/VaE7Ph5mm64-82q8NUTcQmRNQnsE0te8QCLcB/s400/51b8G9ZQ1nL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="258" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Summary: </span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A trip to a Japanese paradise with gorgeous foreign girls, one of
whom is throwing herself at Spencer? What could go wrong? Well a teammate who
utterly despises him for one. Spencer had never met Grace before she joined the
Mission League so he can’t figure out why on earth she hates him so much and
she refuses to tell him. Secondly, a betrayer in disguise is ready to lead
Spencer straight to his enemy. Thirdly – a series of accidents leave Spencer
visiting Japanese hospitals and clinics – three separate times. And lastly…
well, an enemy that wants him dead is there waiting for him. Yeah, that can
ruin a trip – even a trip to a paradise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Project Gemini is the third in
the Mission League Chronicles, a series about an unsaved boy who joins a
Christian Spy Group for teens just to keep out of the military school his
grandmother is threatening him with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As the
series progresses he learns of his parents’ history with the league, develops
some friends, gets introduced to spiritual gifts – including the gift of
prophecy – which he has, and discovers that he may be the fulfillment of a
prophecy himself and therefore a key target for the enemy. In this series there
are good and bad examples set by all of the characters but it is pointed out
clearly which are which most of the time so the teenage reader isn’t left doubting
which is right and which is wrong. Purity is a common resounding theme as
Spencer learns how to treat girls with respect and decency. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
this book, Spencer finds himself falling hard for a Japanese girl and has to
start questioning how far he is willing to go physically. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">There
is the continuing question of his salvation – he actually finally tells off one
of the other characters who keeps pressuring him to make the decision to put
his trust in Christ for his salvation. He acknowledges that God has
specifically answered one of his prayers, but admits he is continuing to put
off the decision to surrender his life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Spiritual Content
Recommendation Scale: </span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Philippians 1:9-11 – <span class="textphil-1-9"><span style="background: white;">And this is my prayer: that
your love</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"> </span></span><span class="textphil-1-9"><span style="background: white;">may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of
insight,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></span></i><span class="textphil-1-10"><b><i><sup><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="textphil-1-10"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be
pure and blameless for the day of Christ,</span></i></span><span class="textphil-1-11"><b><i><sup><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="textphil-1-11"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">filled with the fruit of righteousness</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> </span></i></span><span class="textphil-1-11"><i><span style="background: white; color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of
God.</span></i></span><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-23131400610898861002017-01-25T16:47:00.001-06:002017-01-25T16:47:32.845-06:00Chokepoint<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">I was going to
have to provoke him and see what he did. I turned and sized him up. He looked
about five ten and weighed close to two-twenty. Had a bit of a gut. But he was
wearing a holster holding two guns that I could see and who knew what else.
This might backfire in a big way. Even if he was guilty he could still deny
everything. He could also kill me. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Chokepoint-Mini-Mission-1-5-League/dp/0988759462/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485381178&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=chokepoint+jill+willamson" target="_blank">Chokepoint</a> by Jill Williamson,
Novel Teen Press, 2012</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qwj7ppy34Vk/WIkq60EgPjI/AAAAAAAAN8Q/GOXfYZ85mMUYmfLyuzchhEh0Hu4osA2nwCLcB/s1600/51MgyrWGvHL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qwj7ppy34Vk/WIkq60EgPjI/AAAAAAAAN8Q/GOXfYZ85mMUYmfLyuzchhEh0Hu4osA2nwCLcB/s320/51MgyrWGvHL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Adventure<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Boys 13-18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Visions/Prophecy, Prayer,
Betrayal, Dating Relationships, Friendship<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Summary: </span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Trying to mo on and be a normal teenage boy isn’t easy with
bodyguards trailing you everywhere, friends who betray you, pests and
antagonists who care more about you than you guessed. Throw in intense workouts
for both basketball and LCT – the martial arts training taught by the Mission
League along with normal school stuff and Spencer is in deep. The real
chokepoint comes when the bad guys get around Spencer’s bodyguards though. They
are willing to destroy anything – or anyone – in their way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Chokepoint is the second in
the Mission League Chronicles, a series about an unsaved boy who joins a
Christian Spy Group for teens just to keep out of the military school his
grandmother is threatening him with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As the
series progresses he learns of his parents’ history with the league, develops
some friends, gets introduced to spiritual gifts – including the gift of
prophecy – which he has, and discovers that he may be the fulfillment of a
prophecy himself and therefore a key target for the enemy. In this series there
are good and bad examples set by all of the characters but it is pointed out
clearly which are which most of the time so the teenage reader isn’t left doubting
which is right and which is wrong. Purity is a common resounding theme as
Spencer learns how to treat girls with respect and decency. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
this book, Spencer pursues a girl from the Mission League who tells him she has
no intention of kissing anyone until marriage. His friend Gabe challenges him
to not “treat girls like meat” and to be careful not to lead them on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">There
is also the continuing element of Spencer’s need for salvation. He has not made
the choice to put his trust in Christ yet. His doesn’t yet believe prayer will
accomplish anything for him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Spiritual Content
Recommendation Scale: </span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2 Timothy 2:22 –<span style="background: white;"> Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue
righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out
of a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>pure<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>heart.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-48554361548248231762017-01-25T14:14:00.003-06:002017-01-25T14:14:59.724-06:00Light Up New York<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Mia couldn’t have been more surprised if Jennifer had
reached down and pulled the rug out from under their feet. Did Jennifer know?
She couldn’t. But then why was she asking them this question? Mia’s heart
thumped in her chest, and the silent words, “Don’t do it, Lulu. Don’t do it!”
beat in her ears. But how could she expect her little sister to keep the secret
at a moment like this, with the eyes of… everyone… watching? Mia knew she
should say something, but she wasn’t sure what to say. She couldn’t lie on
national television? No, of course she couldn’t. But what could she do?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Light-York-Faithgirlz-Glimmer-Girls/dp/0310752744/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485375167&sr=1-1&keywords=light+up+new+york+natalie+grant" target="_blank">Light Up <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state></st1:place></a> by Natalie Grant, Zonderkidz, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Realistic Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Girls 10-14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Sibling Relationships,
Truth, Helping the needy, Showing love to others<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2lZcilR7QU/WIkHGw2I9pI/AAAAAAAAN8A/iEBL_ij1870iyO6HZGeb-FZ74znq7gIbACLcB/s1600/5101h5ePWcL._SX326_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2lZcilR7QU/WIkHGw2I9pI/AAAAAAAAN8A/iEBL_ij1870iyO6HZGeb-FZ74znq7gIbACLcB/s400/5101h5ePWcL._SX326_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="262" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The whole city is to
be lit up! Candles everywhere! But not just with lights, with love too! A week
has been declared to reach out to the hurting and needy in the city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:city> and the Glimmer
family has a role to play in it. Mom will put on a concert and the girls will
do a part of a concert too in an effort to promote their own album – the one
they created with their friend who had been homeless. They are raising money to
meet the needs of the homeless too, just like the adults are. As soon as they
arrive in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York City</st1:place></st1:city>
though, a mystery greets them. Some mysterious person is leaving gifts all over
the city with a snowflake attached. The gifts are always personal, just the
perfect thing for the receiver. Yet they are all over the place, with seemingly
no connection to each other. A pair of wool socks, a birthday cake, a blanket
of their favorite color. How does one person know all these different people?
The Glimmer Girls are determined to find this mysterious Snow Angel, as the city
is calling it. But in the meantime, Maddie and Mia have some lessons to learn
about how to handle an annoying little sister!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Light Up New
York is the fourth in the Glimmer Girls series – a series by music artist,
Natalie Grant. She writes a story comparable to her own life – 3 daughters, the
oldest two twins, a singer mom, a producer dad. The strength of the story is in
the way the family lives out their faith, making it a party of everything they
do. It shows young girls asking the kinds of questions girls do at that age and
parents giving them the answers they need, directing them to the right source. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In this fourth book, the twins, are
wrestling with how to show love to their little sister. Lulu is first of all,
just simply being annoying, being whiny and getting her way, being
embarrassing, being irresponsible and once, just plain spiteful! Maddie and Mia
learn a lesson about how to return meanness with kindness and about how to tell
the truth in a way that encourages forgiveness and builds trust rather than
brushing things over and claiming they are ok while really harboring
bitterness. They learn to be honest, not just with their sister, but with their
parents. Here’s an example: “Mia nodded, trying to reframe what she needed to
say from an accusation into words that felt more truthful.” “Plus, you’d be
doing what big sisters should do, model a way to be. You’re showing Lulu that
it’s okay to talk about being upset. Maybe after a while, she will try it
herself. You never know. Maybe she’ll start talking to you about her feelings
rather than acting out. Or crying.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There is also the spiritual element of
giving to the needy. The Light Up New York event the Glimmer Girls are
participating in encourages everyone in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">New
York City</st1:city></st1:place> to reach out to others. People are sleeping
outside on a cold winter night to raise awareness for the homeless. Talented
people are raising money to donate to charities or education. And the Snow
Angel (SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!) winds up being people who have decided to listen
to those around them and find unique ways to secretly meet the small needs they
become aware of. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Interestingly, in contrast, the book
also seems to promote a materialistic mindset. The Glimmer Girls are apparently
very wealthy. They are staying in what is portrayed as a very nice hotel for
days, renting 2 rooms of it, visiting numerous tourist spots, eating out at
restaurants for every meal, and the girls keep getting toys and money to spend
on souvenirs. It’s an interesting contrast – supposedly they are in the city to
help the poor, but they are clearly quite comfortable living with a very
materialistic mindset. Some might find it offensive the way the girls are given
so many toys and souvenirs merely upon the asking for it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It also shows the girls turning to
prayer and at one point, it says, “Breathe, she told herself. Then she realized
she was trying to do things on her own again. She wondered why her first
impulse when she was worried wasn’t to pray. It was so easy to forget that God
was right there, waiting for her to reach out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I highly highly recommend this book
and the others in the series! They are very well done books that challenge
young girls to grow in their faith. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Spiritual
Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Matthew 19:21
- <span style="background: white;">Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,
go, sell your possessions and give to the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven. Then come, follow me.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br />
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a free
review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion! I greatly enjoyed
it!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-45679103586513896452017-01-25T14:11:00.004-06:002017-01-25T14:11:37.851-06:00Harry Moon<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The Enchanted World of Honey Moon –
Mountain Mayhem, The Amazing Adventures of Harry Moon – Inkadink, The Amazing
Adventures of Harry Moon – Haunted Pizza, created by Mark Andrew Poe, Rabbit
Publishers, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Fantasy, Adventure<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and
Girls 10-16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Good vs. Evil, Greed,
Hate, Pride, Friendship, Truth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1HaEbzlPMP4/WIkF-7Jm9HI/AAAAAAAAN74/aRQy42wH5-oR9xcJMrfUsEWwOZngM0YCQCLcB/s1600/51ChaYLirEL._SX343_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1HaEbzlPMP4/WIkF-7Jm9HI/AAAAAAAAN74/aRQy42wH5-oR9xcJMrfUsEWwOZngM0YCQCLcB/s200/51ChaYLirEL._SX343_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="138" /></a><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Honey doubted that Trout had planned a challenge for
them. She’d probably forgotten about
them altogether. In that case, it was up to Honey to take charge.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary of <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/dp/194378518X?ref_=ams_ad_dp_asin_2" target="_blank">Mountain Mayhem</a>:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Honey is bound and determined to get her last scout badge! Last year the
wilderness camp out and hike ended in a disaster with the girls giving up and
going home. The main scout leader later took out most of the girls for another
try, all except for Honey and her two friends. Now the assistant leader who
Honey seems as completely incapable is supposed to lead the three girls through
the wilderness to complete the badge. Honey is confident – confident that the
only way they will get out is if she takes charge! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5VnV2fdG6o/WIkF-qNkLAI/AAAAAAAAN70/ww-niswUMjkDWVEicdQJDaKPNZ88YDlcwCLcB/s1600/51ex%252BuPcfkL._SX332_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5VnV2fdG6o/WIkF-qNkLAI/AAAAAAAAN70/ww-niswUMjkDWVEicdQJDaKPNZ88YDlcwCLcB/s200/51ex%252BuPcfkL._SX332_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">You know, disappearing ink has been used to print Sleepy
Hollow’s newspaper. The news gets reported but then, over time, it disappears.
No evidence. No story. It must be connected. But how?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary of <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Inkadink-Spooky-Graphic-Amazing-Adventures/dp/1943785104/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485374824&sr=8-1&keywords=inkadink+harry+moon" target="_blank">Inkadink</a>: </span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As Harry
digs through his backpack trying to find his phone, he finds a note instead – a
note of magazine letters cut and pasted to give him a message that makes no
sense. It has something to do with ink. So Harry, with the help of his sister,
set out to discover who sent the note and what it has to do with the Mayor and
the town newspaper – which is written in disappearing ink. The mayor plans to
take action soon so Harry has to act fast if he wants to stop the mayor’s
latest evil plot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O8WDhB8I30g/WIkGDaCwmvI/AAAAAAAAN78/A0gj2GwHeeIVmhTQNl8hw2t4etCy-g82ACLcB/s1600/51Z-EMN%252BduL._SX342_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O8WDhB8I30g/WIkGDaCwmvI/AAAAAAAAN78/A0gj2GwHeeIVmhTQNl8hw2t4etCy-g82ACLcB/s200/51Z-EMN%252BduL._SX342_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="137" /></a><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">He was going to have to go to school and confront his
friends – to tell them they needed to stop eating pizza from The Sleepy Hollow
Slice because there was an ingredient called hateweed in it that was turning
them into angry lunatics. It even sounded crazy to Harry.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary of <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Haunted-Pizza-Amazing-Adventures-Harry/dp/1943785384/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485374863&sr=8-1&keywords=haunted+pizza+harry+moon" target="_blank">Haunted Pizza</a>:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Ooey,
gooey, cheesey… evil? Isn’t pizza supposed to be Ooey, gooey, cheesey goodness?
Not pizza made with HateWeed – the secret ingredient the mayor is harvesting
out at Folly Farm and putting into the new addicting pizza that Sleep Hollow
can’t get enough of. Thankfully, it doesn’t fill Harry with hate, just gives
him enough of a stomach ache to know to avoid it. So when the whole town starts
filling with hate and greed to get more, it’s up to Harry, and one person who
just so happens to be on a gluten free diet, to stop the HateWeed Pizza from
taking over the entire world!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Each of these books are part of the
Harry Moon series. There is the Adventures of Harry Moon series and The
Enchanted World of Honey Moon series. The Harry Moon series has been a subject
of dialogue in Christian ministry circles since it first came out. It has been
marketed to Christian ministries and recommended by some of them. But others
have read the series or read what the creators had to say about the series and
wondered what the hype was all about. The creators do not claim to be writing
an explicitly Christian series. As I read through them I concluded that they
very much imitate Christian writings. They contain some phrases that are Bible
verses and have morals that are Biblically correct. There are mentions of
things like church, prayer or an ultimate being (referred to as “The Great
Magician). There is a character, an invisible rabbit, who seems to sort of
represent the Holy Spirit. Some Christians might oppose them because of the
focus on magic. But that’s a concept used in many Christian fantasy books that
mostly just represents the power of God working through humans, doing things
that can’t be done or explained without a supernatural power. My conclusion is
that the books simply lack power. They are morally good, but without those
morals being clearly based on a set standard – the Bible or something that
represents the Bible, it lacks power. In our culture, there is a big push to
have right and wrong be left up to the individual and to have evil be
redefined. So Harry choosing to “do no evil” doesn’t mean anything. Who
determines what is evil and what is not? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Another interesting note is that the
books never claim to have an “author”, only a “creator”. After reading Inkadink
and Haunted Pizza I found that the characters were different. Honey showed an
adoration and extreme respect (mixed with a bit of viewing herself as knowing
more than him) for her brother in Inkadink. In Haunted Pizza and Mountain
Mayhem, Honey barely tolerates him. He’s annoying to her. She also barely
tolerates her parents, her friends or her scout leader. She has a disrespectful
attitude towards everyone, allowing her pride to let her believe everyone else
is inferior. In Inkadink the mom wrestles with letting Harry and Honey do what
they need to do, but is fully aware of them leaving the house late at night to
go fight evil. She knows they have a calling and as much as she wants to
protect them, she willingly lets them go. In Haunted Pizza, she has no idea
Harry sneaks out and Harry fears getting in trouble for doing so. And when he
confesses, he does get a punishment – they are proud of him, but still punish
him. In Inkadink Rabbit does nothing more than offer support. He just tells
Harry that he has his back a lot. In Haunted Pizza he complains about anchovies
and gives Harry key advice. Also the way they characters are shown in the
drawings and described in the books varied greatly from how they were drawn in
Inkadink. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Overall, I’d say these books have some
good things to offer. They aren’t as powerful as they could be, but they do
have some good elements. They do teach Scriptural concepts and portray the
importance of standing up against that which is evil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 3.5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">John 8:32 – Then you will know the truth and the truth will set
you free. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1 Thessalonians 5:19-24 – </span></i><span class="text1thess-5-19"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do not quench the Spirit.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-20"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do not treat prophecies</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-20"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">with contempt</span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-21"><b><i><sup><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="text1thess-5-21"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">but test them all;</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-21"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">hold on to what is good,</span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-22"><b><i><sup><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="text1thess-5-22"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">reject every kind of evil.</span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-23"><b><i><sup><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="text1thess-5-23"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">May God himself, the God of peace,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-23"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">sanctify you through and through. May
your whole spirit, soul</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-23"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">and body be kept blameless</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-23"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-24"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The one who calls</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-24"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">you is faithful,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text1thess-5-24"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">and he will do it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text1thess-5-24"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you to the publishers for sending
me free review copies in exchange for my honest opinion. I appreciate it! All
opinions are my own.</span></i></span></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-5908991531054610912017-01-25T12:20:00.001-06:002017-01-25T12:20:15.886-06:00Sliced Heather On Toast<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">China</span></i></st1:place></st1:country-region><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> smiled. “I think
that’s about to change. By the end of the week I plan to have me some sliced
Heather on toast.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“What’s that?” Joe asked.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“It’s Heather… cut down to bite-sized, humiliated pieces,
then swallowed and forgotten as easily as toast for breakfast.”</span></i><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Sliced-Heather-Toast-China-Tate/dp/1561792810/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485368305&sr=8-1&keywords=china+tate+sliced+heather" target="_blank">Sliced Heather On Toast</a> by Lissa
Halls Johnson, Focus On The Family, 1994<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Realistic Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Girls
13-18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Identity, Friendship,
Family Relationships, Revenge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KJgJMfc_XKo/WIjsRDJSrZI/AAAAAAAAN7o/MVNEemhka5cLnBLekPWrcee7QhQmzHHtACK4B/s1600/51P1Tf0HjwL._SX348_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KJgJMfc_XKo/WIjsRDJSrZI/AAAAAAAAN7o/MVNEemhka5cLnBLekPWrcee7QhQmzHHtACK4B/s320/51P1Tf0HjwL._SX348_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="224" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> She’s a missionary kid
who fits in… nowhere. Not in Guatemala where her parents serve, not in the
United States with the aunt who has a long list of expectations for her, and
definitely not on the camp bus with “Queen” Heather, the gorgeous snob who
rules the teenage girls at Camp Crazy Bear. <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
thought maybe going to camp would be fun, but since she refuses to bow down and
worship at the throne of Queen Heather, none of the campers dare to befriend
her and instead join Heather in attempting to make <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s week miserable. Thankfully
there are a few people not under Heather’s control: Magda, the camp cook and
DeeDee, the director’s daughter. <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
thinks maybe she has finally found the place she belongs, but even her two
friends can’t stop Heather’s plan to destroy <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s dream of finally fitting
in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Sliced Heather On Toast is the first
in the seven book China Tate series about a tenth grade girl whose parents are
missionaries in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Guatemala</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
She has returned to the states to spend a summer with an aunt, hoping to find a
place to fit in. She finds her place at Camp Crazy Bear and winds up staying
and working in the kitchen for the summer. The series tells of the adventures
she has in friendship and learning responsibility. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In this first book, <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>’s struggle is with a popular rich girl who
has decided to hate <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>
seeks revenge, only to find out it’s not as pleasant as she thought it would
be. But even when she apologizes, the other girl snubs her and eventually even
tries to ruin <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
chance to work at camp for the summer as well as her reputation by lying about
her. The mentor type character of the series, Magda, the camp cook helps <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> see that
she needs to show love, no matter what Heather does. She explains “When God
says we should love a brother, it means we need to treat the with respect. With
honor. No matter how they’ve treated us. You’re thinking of honor as Heather
does. Looking up to someone as if they’re better than everyone else. That’s not
what honor means. It means you see them as another child of God. It doesn’t
mean you’re going to get respect and honor and kindness and courtesy in return.
But that’s not your responsibility. That’s hers. God won’t ask you if Heather
was nice to you. He’ll only ask if you were nice to her.” The other strong
theme running through this book is <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s struggle with who she is
and where she belongs. She envies Heather at first, seeing her as everything
she wants to be. She even tries to not get too close to DeeDee because of the
pain of having to leave the closest thing she has gotten to a true friend. She
has to learn a few things about her Heavenly Father, His care for her and how
things work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Romans
12:19 – Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave
room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will
repay," says the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-43605789310925107332017-01-25T12:16:00.002-06:002017-01-25T12:16:17.210-06:00Mardan's Mark<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A moment passed and then she gasped. “It looks like
Mardan’s mark.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Like our tattoos, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“I don’t understand. How can he have Mardan’s mark?” Rene frowned.
“It’s exactly like ours.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Except that our tattoos are on the left and his is on the
right.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Rene sat back on her heels, looking stunned. “Can this
mean…?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Srilani nodded. “It can’t mean anything else.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">They stared at one another, and Rene bit her lip. “What are
you going to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Mardans-Mark-Epic-Fantasy-Adventure/dp/0986357812/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1485367411&sr=8-1&keywords=mardan%27s+mark" target="_blank">Mardan’s Mark</a> by Kathrese McKee, Word
Maker Books, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Adventure, Fantasy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Boys and
Girls 15+<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Friendship,
Relationships, Truth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O11cXerVSMc/WIjpQ6WNwNI/AAAAAAAAN7Y/do6JA8l_8QYQ2Jt8eFob9lF0AxwDfg26gCLcB/s1600/20acc31fe7489197ebae35b248fd01f7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O11cXerVSMc/WIjpQ6WNwNI/AAAAAAAAN7Y/do6JA8l_8QYQ2Jt8eFob9lF0AxwDfg26gCLcB/s320/20acc31fe7489197ebae35b248fd01f7.jpg" width="213" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Captured by pirates,
the royal children are taken away, but when a storm comes, the pirates abandon
their precious cargo for the sake of their own lives. Thankfully for the
children, they also abandon their slaves: <st1:place w:st="on">Aldan</st1:place>,
Linus and Sam. The seven young people begin the difficult trek home, fighting
more pirates, illness, priests of the false religion and even the royal guard!
Along the way, much is discovered. Princess Srilani, the oldest of the royals
is used to taking the lead, but finds <st1:place w:st="on">Aldan</st1:place>
can be trusted to lead just as much as she can. The three slaves learn of El,
the true God, the one worth worshipping. Then much to everyone’s shock,
Mardan’s Mark – the tattoo proclaiming royal birth is discovered on <st1:place w:st="on">Aldan</st1:place>, showing him to be the long lost, believed dead,
heir to the throne of the neighboring kingdom! As if one prince wasn’t enough,
now there are two princes away from their kingdoms that need to make it home
alive!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K2XzblCf59s/WIjpQmiM9NI/AAAAAAAAN7U/nKZufopw0fIzxN7dnGFzbzOKgXtuwk7uQCLcB/s1600/516fQc3pL7L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K2XzblCf59s/WIjpQmiM9NI/AAAAAAAAN7U/nKZufopw0fIzxN7dnGFzbzOKgXtuwk7uQCLcB/s320/516fQc3pL7L.jpg" width="213" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Mardan’s Mark is the first in the
Mardan’s Mark Epic Fantasy Adventures Series. Epic seems the right word for it.
Constant battles from one thing or another, a long, difficult journey, truth to
be discovered in multiple ways, relationships to be forged, enemies to be
turned into friends, trust to be earned and love to be developed – it is
definitely an epic journey for the characters! The spiritual element comes in
the existence of El – the one true God. The royal children know of His
existence and worship Him, but <st1:place w:st="on">Aldan</st1:place>, Sam and
Linus have to be taught of him. Then an angel appears to Aldan, confirming that
El is real and that He has a purpose for <st1:place w:st="on">Aldan</st1:place>.
There isn’t a ton of focus on it, the characters don’t rely on El constantly or
seek Him for direction or quote from a book of ultimate authority, it’s just
acknowledgement that the God that is real is the one they worship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> 3/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Thank you to the author for providing me with a free review
copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I enjoyed it!</span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-14363784188547650272017-01-05T17:18:00.001-06:002017-01-05T17:30:28.917-06:00The Journey Of Wishes<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“You
really did it this time,” a voice said behind him. Adam whirled around. The
ghost boy sat in another chair, smiling his thin crooked smile. “Everyone will
hate you for sure. You need to get out and get out quick.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“What
do you mean?” Adam asked.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“What
do you think, stupid?” the boy asked. “Run away. Get the train in town and get
out of here. You have enough money. You can buy a ticket. But you won’t have
any money left once you pay for that tractor. It will cost a zillion dollars to
fix that stupid mistake. You better get out while the getting is good. Everyone
hates you now. And Great Uncle Samuel will really be disappointed, especially
after he made such a big deal about choosing you.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-spirit-flyer-journey-of-wishes/john-bibee/9780830812073/pd/2075?event=CBCER1" target="_blank">The JourneyOf Wishes</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pGDtwW_DHcs/WG7SbJIz3nI/AAAAAAAANxY/8ljNeEdthdgmQZjO9Mv63eUs1a3Wn47qQCEw/s1600/wishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pGDtwW_DHcs/WG7SbJIz3nI/AAAAAAAANxY/8ljNeEdthdgmQZjO9Mv63eUs1a3Wn47qQCEw/s400/wishes.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
by John Bibee, Intervarsity Press, 1993<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Fantasy/Allegory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target
Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and Girls 12-16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Family
Relationships, Forgiveness, Freedom<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Bitterness
and resentment mixed with guilt can go a long ways towards destroying one’s
life. Adam Kramer is about to find that out for himself. He is upset at being
stuck at his cousin’s house while his parents are overseas because of World War
II. He resents his cousins for picking on him. So he starts listening to his
ghost slave and winds up wrecking his uncle’s tractor. That’s when he knows the
ghost slave is right – he doesn’t belong here. So he leaves, but soon finds
himself in an even worse situation, a slave to the owner of a carnival who
tricks young orphans and runaways into being in debt to him and afraid to
escape. The ghost slave won’t abandon him though. He continues to do all he can
to make Adam’s life even worse. Soon Adam is trapped in a cage of his own
making, a cage no one can help him get out of – no one that is, except the
Kingson. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The
Journey of Wishes is the eighth and final book in the Spirit Flyer series. The
series uses a flying bicycle to represent faith in Christ. The bicycles are
made by the “Three Kings”. When a person chooses to believe in them, the
bicycle arrives and will fly when they are trusting. The series takes place in
an end times setting, with it finally ending at the rapture. Throughout the
series, the struggle between good and evil is shown in those choosing to ride
Spirit Flyers battling Goliath Industries, an organization that desires to see
death and destruction. This book is a prequel to book one, telling the story
many years ago of Grandfather Kramer. Like Runaway Parents, it has a hint of a
prodigal son theme to it with Adam stealing money and running away, finding
himself in a much worse situation than he had at home and having to go home and
make amends. It is also a strong focus on freedom – how the Kingson is the only
one who can truly set free the cages that bind us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I highly recommend this book as well as the others in the
series. It offers great spiritual value as well as a creative storyline and
enough suspense and adventure to keep readers interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual
Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Romans
8:1 – There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because
through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of
sin and death.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-61953800385095464872017-01-05T17:17:00.001-06:002017-01-05T17:31:33.857-06:00The Perfect Star<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I
think you’re getting to an age and a place in your heart where you won’t settle
for just playing the role of a princess in some cardboard kingdom in a movie of
pretend. You can know the true kings and be their real child in a real kingdom
that lasts forever and ever.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Would
I be a princess?” Tiffany asked.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“It
wouldn’t be quite like what I think you’re thinking,” the old woman said. “But
you would be a child of the kings themselves. That’s even better than anything
you could imagine.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“But
I want to be a star!” Tiffany said defiantly. “Professor Pickie said he thought
I had star quality. I bet once I star in this movie, then I could be a star in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city> too. I could be
known around t he world as a star, and at a young age! It would be perfect.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-spirit-flyer-perfect-star/john-bibee/9780830812066/pd/2067?event=CBCER1" target="_blank">The Perfect Star</a> by John Bibee, Intervarsity Press, 1992<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Fantasy/Allegory</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vxUwvHeflFI/WG7Sa5BdW3I/AAAAAAAANxY/OjVIXmFXXXc1BYxA8UiygPsDZNAWHfvZwCEw/s1600/perfect%2Bstar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vxUwvHeflFI/WG7Sa5BdW3I/AAAAAAAANxY/OjVIXmFXXXc1BYxA8UiygPsDZNAWHfvZwCEw/s400/perfect%2Bstar.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target
Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and Girls 12-16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Loss,
Fear, Persecution, Second Coming<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> There’s
a new star in the sky and it is frightening many. Some are sure it’s going to
crash into the earth and destroy it. Some dismiss it as nothing. Tiffany knows
it’s serious though. She is quite afraid of it! She refuses to let her fear
control her thoughts though. She’s too busy trying to be a star herself – a
perfect star who will get the main role in Goliath Industry’s new movie. Meanwhile
Goliath has come up with a plan to deal with the Rank Blank Spirit Flyer group
once and for all. And unfortunately for Tiffany, her own grandmother is one of
the first victims of the new plan. As she mourns her loss, Goliath tests just
how strong her loyalty really is, using her and her brother Sloan to implement
their plan to do away with the Spirit Flyer group. Will Tiffany embrace the
light or continue to pursue being a star for the darkness? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The
Perfect Star is the seventh in the Spirit Flyer Series and the conclusion of
the series’ storyline as the final book is a prequel to book one.
The series uses a flying bicycle to represent faith in Christ. The bicycles are
made by the “Three Kings”. When a person chooses to believe in them, the
bicycle arrives and will fly when they are trusting. The series takes place in
an end times setting, with it finally ending at the rapture. Throughout the
series, the struggle between good and evil is shown in those choosing to ride
Spirit Flyers battling Goliath Industries, an organization that desires to see
death and destruction. This book concludes the battle with the return of the
Kingson. It highlights the bad guys trying to kill everyone who follows the
Three Kings, the manipulation of young people to get them to betray everyone and
the power of God to change a life. It shows Tiffany seeking something she
doesn’t even understand, reading the book that allegorically represents the
Bible and listening to teaching about it even though she thinks she is opposed
to it. It shows Sloan truly choosing to follow the darkness. Then it shows the
joy of all those who followed the Three Kings as they attend the banquet that
represents the wedding banquet of the Lamb. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I highly recommend this book as well as the others in the
series. It offers great spiritual value as well as a creative storyline and
enough suspense and adventure to keep readers interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual
Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Revelation
22:12 – Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to
everyone according to what He has done.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-90987051822551985132017-01-05T17:16:00.000-06:002017-01-05T17:29:33.530-06:00The Runaway Parents<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“But
we’ve got to find my dad now!” John insisted. “Don’t you understand? He may be
able to help her!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Like
I told you before,” his grandfather said, “there’s a timing to things, John. We
have to wait on the King’s timing. I want to find your dad, but I don’t feel
peaceful about it yet, and I’m not sure why. But I think we’ll go soon.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I’ve
waited long enough!” John cried out. “I don’t think you really care. Nobody
cares anymore but me.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">John
ran out of the room. He hit the front door and ran down t he steps. He kept
running and running.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I’ve
got to do something,” he said to himself. “I’ve got to figure out a way.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-spirit-flyer-runaway-parents/john-bibee/9780830812059/pd/2059?event=SERIES" target="_blank">TheRunaway Parents</a> by John Bibee, Intervarsity Press, 1991</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GaosJj-dIqc/WG7TlYbYQnI/AAAAAAAANxc/1lffcX0RFi4zxquOp7iUnlkn0TIxrTsFQCLcB/s1600/Runaway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GaosJj-dIqc/WG7TlYbYQnI/AAAAAAAANxc/1lffcX0RFi4zxquOp7iUnlkn0TIxrTsFQCLcB/s400/Runaway.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Fantasy/Allegory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target
Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and Girls 12-16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Family
Relationships, Doubt, Depression, Freedom, Hope<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> “He’s
a regular moron.” “He’s lazy.” “He’s stupid.” “He’ll never get it right.”
“You’re running out of money. What an awful provider!” “You should have done
this.” “You should have done that.” “What kind of man are you?” “What kind of
husband and father are you?” “You’re pathetic.” “You disgust me so much I just want
to throw up.” “He betrayed the kings for a bunch of money. He sold the Spirit
Flyers for a few measly dollars. Where’s that money now, Mr. Deal Maker?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Many years ago it rained for days in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Centerville</st1:place></st1:city>. In the midst of that rain came
sightings of black tornados that looked like snakes. After one of them, the car
of John’s parents was found destroyed by a tornado. Everyone assumed John’s
parents to be dead. But they aren’t. And now, after all of these years, his mom
has returned! And she says John’s dad is still alive as well! John wants to
instantly go after him, but for some reason his grandfather and uncle refuse,
saying it’s not the right time. Angrily, John sets off on his own. His journey
isn’t easy though. His dad is working as a slave to Goliath Industries, doing
demeaning jobs for them. He’s lost in his own despair, confident he has sunk
too far to return home. All the labels and accusations are true. He believes
he’s a failure and that John would be better off without him. John is
devastated at the abandonment, allowing his heart to fill with anger at his
parents. Only Kingslove can set free the father and the son. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The
Runaway Parents is the sixth in the Spirit Flyer Series. The series uses a
flying bicycle to represent faith in Christ. The bicycles are made by the
“Three Kings”. When a person chooses to believe in them, the bicycle arrives
and will fly when they are trusting. The series takes place in an end times
setting, with it finally ending at the rapture. Throughout the series, the struggle
between good and evil is shown in those choosing to ride Spirit Flyers battling
Goliath Industries, an organization that desires to see death and destruction.
This book sort of pauses the intense battle in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Centerville</st1:place></st1:city> and focuses on just a couple of
characters. It shows, yet again, a character who has walked away from their
faith and ceased to trust the Three Kings, but who was never abandoned by them.
At the end, the Kingson tells John and his father “No matter what you do, you
will always be your Father’s son. You made many mistakes, Joe. And you may make
some more. The Father and I feel great sorrow when any of our children suffer.
But you’ve always had a place in the Father’s house. This is your true home and
that’s never changed. All of those children who are born into his Kingdom will
live with him forever and nothing can take them away from his house. Neither
death nor life, neither height nor depth can separate you from the love of your
Father the King.” The book also deals with the issue of judgment and
condemnation as John, his cousin and his uncle all pass judgment on Joe Kramer,
condemning him and refusing to offer forgiveness until confronted by the
Kingson. John realizes he is guilty of one of the very things he is accusing
his father of. It is partially a prodigal son story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I highly recommend this book as well as the others in the
series. It offers great spiritual value as well as a creative storyline and
enough suspense and adventure to keep readers interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual
Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Romans
8:31,38 – What, then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who
can be against us? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-49667342355737591842017-01-05T17:14:00.002-06:002017-01-05T17:29:04.871-06:00The Last Christmas<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Barry
had always secretly thought people didn’t like him, but he had always hoped
that it really wasn’t true. As he woke up that next morning, he realized his
secret hopes were pure daydreams. He knew no one liked him. His old friends,
the other kids at school and even his parents seem disgusted with him. And as
Barry thought about it, he realized that he didn’t really want to be with
himself either. He secretly wished he were dead. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-spirit-flyer-last-christmas/john-bibee/9780830812042/pd/2040?event=ESRCP" target="_blank">The Last Christmas </a>by John Bibee, Intervarsity Press, 1990<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Fantasy/Allegory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target
Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and Girls 12-16</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aB1c-TmUA30/WG7TQhjRPqI/AAAAAAAANxU/XbP7EtxZ_0oT7CoZkJdmzqp-VJ4oZYHZQCLcB/s1600/Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aB1c-TmUA30/WG7TQhjRPqI/AAAAAAAANxU/XbP7EtxZ_0oT7CoZkJdmzqp-VJ4oZYHZQCLcB/s400/Christmas.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Fear,
Loss, Family Relationships, Persecution, Betrayal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> “Peace
and Safety!” That’s the new motto of ORDER, the political group created by
Goliath Industries designed to get the world back on track after the world war
that occurred on Halloween night. And Barry wants nothing more than to be a
leader in the new ORDER. The problem is Sloan Favor. He’s not only taken
Barry’s spot of #1 on the Point System, he’s taken Barry’s clubhouse and all of
his gang! Barry hasn’t gone through his trials for nothing though. All the
challenges he’s faced in life have taught him well how to climb to the top by
hurting others. So when he is asked to torment the riders of Spirit Flyers he
does so gladly. When he’s asked to betray his own family though, doubts begin
to arise. How far will he really go to be number one? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The
Last Christmas is the fifth in the Spirit Flyer Series. The series uses a
flying bicycle to represent faith in Christ. The bicycles are made by the
“Three Kings”. When a person chooses to believe in them, the bicycle arrives
and will fly when they are trusting. The series takes place in an end times
setting, with it finally ending at the rapture. Throughout the series, the
struggle between good and evil is shown in those choosing to ride Spirit Flyers
battling Goliath Industries, an organization that desires to see death and
destruction. This book picks up after the war that occurred over the period of
a single night at the end of the last book. Everything is in shambles and no
one seems to know how to get life going again. Even school has ceased. Then a
new political party steps up and is viewed as the heroes but start their attack
on their opposition – including Barry’s cousins who are living with Barry’s
family and even Barry’s mom when she suspects ORDER of breaking the law. It
truly sets up an end-times scenario, even having an allegorical mark of the
beast – a card that identifies you and makes you unable to buy or sell or do
anything without it. The issue dealt with the most is the issue of fear. Barry
is living in fear and allowing that to dictate his actions. Fear that he won’t
live up to the example of his dead older brother in the minds of his parents,
fear that he won’t be number one in the point system, fear of being attacked by
Sloan and the others, fear of being looked down upon by ORDER – this fear
controls everything he does until he meets the Kingson who sets him free from
his chains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I highly recommend this book as well as the others in the
series. It offers great spiritual value as well as a creative storyline and
enough suspense and adventure to keep readers interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual
Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2
Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the
old has gone, the new has come.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-18451391216694815162017-01-05T17:12:00.001-06:002017-01-05T17:28:50.378-06:00Bicycle Hills<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“With
my plan, we’ll get the treasure, kill points, and all the points and tokens of
everyone. We’ll let everyone arrive and fight it out for the treasure. Then
when they think they got it made, we use our secret weapon. That’s what you do
in a war.” Sloan held up the Trag 7 unit so everyone could see. “With a few
drops of blood, this thing will become a bomb,” Sloan said. “With the blood,
the Trag 7 becomes what you wish it to be, the manual says. And I want it to be
a bomb. We’ll bomb ‘em all.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Blast
them to smithereens!” Tiffany shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Nuke
‘em into the next country!” shouted someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-spirit-flyer-bicycle-hills/john-bibee/9780830812035/pd/1203?event=CBCER1" target="_blank">Bicycle Hills</a> by John Bibee, Intervarsity Press, 1989<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Fantasy/Allegory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target
Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and Girls 12-16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Popularity,
Truth, Good vs. Evil, Freedom in Christ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VPGI6wZxj5Y/WG7Sa8fdtSI/AAAAAAAANxA/JVLtZWu6XiMdmD4gc_iLpXOQLkhjvGy9QCEw/s1600/bibcyle%2Bhills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VPGI6wZxj5Y/WG7Sa8fdtSI/AAAAAAAANxA/JVLtZWu6XiMdmD4gc_iLpXOQLkhjvGy9QCEw/s400/bibcyle%2Bhills.jpg" width="261" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The
match is ignited, the flames burst up, the earthquake comes, the privacy walls
are built, the children are sworn to secrecy and the games begin. Each day
after school the kids and their bicycles meet at Bicycles Hills for Caves and
Cobras – a war game in which teams try to “kill” each other to get the treasure
– and the points in the Point System. Meanwhile, a new country club is built to
distract the adults as well. All the while, the plan to enslave the entire town
to the chains forever falls perfectly into place, step by step. When Halloween
comes will the people of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Centerville</st1:place></st1:city>
finally see just what they have chosen? Or will they continue believing what
Goliath Industries says? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Bicycle
Hills is the fourth in the Spirit Flyer Series. The series uses a flying
bicycle to represent faith in Christ. The bicycles are made by the “Three
Kings”. When a person chooses to believe in them, the bicycle arrives and will
fly when they are trusting. The series takes place in an end times setting,
with it finally ending at the rapture. Throughout the series, the struggle
between good and evil is shown in those choosing to ride Spirit Flyers battling
Goliath Industries, an organization that desires to see death and destruction. This
book is the story of a girl who doesn’t yet know the Three Kings and has truly
bought in to the things Goliath Industries has taught. Her dad is one of the
leading developers of the Trag 7 unit that the children plan to use to attack
each other in Bicycle Hills. Amy quickly learns that any association with
children who have Spirit Flyers ruins her score in the Point System and her
chances to compete in Caves and Cobras. It shows how far God will go to rescue
those lost in their sin though as Amy is given chance after chance to see and
experience the truth. Amy is given a key to represent the freedom Christ
offers. At the climax of the story it highlights how each person is given a
free choice as some kids choose not to accept the rescue offered them when the
worst danger comes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I highly recommend this book as well as the others in the
series. It offers great spiritual value as well as a creative storyline and
enough suspense and adventure to keep readers interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual
Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">John
8:32 – Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-12587256389437745922017-01-05T17:10:00.001-06:002017-01-05T17:28:39.299-06:00The Only Game In Town<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms";">He opened his eyes. At first he
wanted to scream, but he was paralyzed with fear. In the mirror, around his
head, was a swarm of black shadowy snakes. They seemed to cover his shoulders,
feasting and biting. There was a host of the leechlike serpents wrapped around
the bottom of his short right leg. Daniel stared in silent horror at the
reflection of himself. Daniel felt as if he were a prisoner to so many things,
things you couldn’t see or fight back against. He didn’t think it was fair. The
boy sighed and put the number card back in his pocket as he went back downstairs.
“You can’t fight it.” He said in deep discouragement. He got on his Super Wings
bicycle. “You can’t fight something you can’t see and there’s no way to win
anyhow. You end up Rank Blank. An outsider and an oddball. Daniel rode to the
field, feeling dead inside. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-spirit-flyer-only-game-town/john-bibee/9780830812028/pd/1202?event=CBCER1" target="_blank">The Only Game In Town</a> by John Bibee, Intervarsity Press, 1988</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FEoUVGumk4/WG7SarQiVYI/AAAAAAAANw8/nhjNpAZfy_gJwGsqEOli5WdtA9UY_awIACLcB/s1600/game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FEoUVGumk4/WG7SarQiVYI/AAAAAAAANw8/nhjNpAZfy_gJwGsqEOli5WdtA9UY_awIACLcB/s400/game.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Fantasy/Allegory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target
Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and Girls 12-16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Identity,
Friendships, Good vs. Evil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Rank Blank! Rank blank! You’re a nobody! Worse than a nobody! You’re a rank
blank! The new game in town is the point system. Everything you do is broken
down into points and your rank is shown on the board in town. You can purchase
point cards that show exactly how many points you have in every single category.
But Daniel, new in town, is a rank blank. He has no points, no information on
him at all in the system. And it’s all because of his Spirit Flyer. If he would
simply give it up, he could fit right in with the other kids, he could be
popular even! But at what cost? Giving up the Spirit Flyer means he is giving
up on the Three Kings and allowing the darkness to try to snuff out the light
inside of him. But if he doesn’t, he will never fit in. And being an outcast in
a new town is pretty much the worse thing Daniel can think of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The
Only Game In Town is the third in the Spirit Flyer Series. The series uses a
flying bicycle to represent faith in Christ. The bicycles are made by the
“Three Kings”. When a person chooses to believe in them, the bicycle arrives
and will fly when they are trusting. The series takes place in an end times
setting, with it finally ending at the rapture. Throughout the series, the
struggle between good and evil is shown in those choosing to ride Spirit Flyers
battling Goliath Industries, an organization that desires to see death and
destruction. This book introduces a new character, a boy who moved to town for
his mom to work for Goliath Industries’ factory. Daniel’s mom does not approve
of his Spirit Flyer, nor does his sister. And apparently neither do the kids of
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Centerville</st1:place></st1:city>.
Daniel arrives right in the midst of Goliath Industries’ attempt to start
controlling the children and adults through the point system. Everyone wants to
be first and will do the things it takes to be first. Just like book two, it
shows a character who has placed their faith in the Three Kings and is taking
steps to walk away from it. The motivation for Daniel is acceptance from
others. He has to make the choice to pursue what really matters, something more
lasting than popularity. At the end, Susan tells Daniel “They may call us names
and things, but let them. We won’t melt. We belong in the Kingdom of the Kings.
We don’t have to play by the rules of the Point System either. It isn’t the
only game in town. Royal love is more powerful than anything because it comes
straight from the heart of the Kings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I highly recommend this book as well as the others in the
series. It offers great spiritual value as well as a creative storyline and
enough suspense and adventure to keep readers interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual
Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Romans
8:31,38 – What, then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who
can be against us? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels
nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height
nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from
the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-27335280804595429082017-01-05T17:08:00.003-06:002017-01-05T17:28:26.657-06:00The Toy Campaign<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I could help you put the instruments on your bike,” she offered.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">John nodded quietly as if agreeing. But then a frown crossed the
boy’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“But we need to go get the toys in the dump first,” John blurted
out. “They belong to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Can’t you just forget about those dumb toys for a little while?”
Susan asked.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“You just don’t like the idea that I found them first,” John
accused. His eyes suddenly went into little angry slits. “You want them for
yourself. Well, I’m going to get back what belongs to me, and you won’t stop
me.” With those words, John strode into the house, slamming the door behind
him.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-spirit-flyer-toy-campaign/john-bibee/9780830812011/pd/1201?event=ESRCN" target="_blank">TheToy Campaign </a>by John Bibee, Intervarsity Press, 1987<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Fantasy/Allegory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Target
Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Boys and Girls 12-16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Greed, Selfishness, Good vs. Evil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OQbPCHbGNWg/WG7R5NVnuwI/AAAAAAAANw4/iBDPeupfer0stLpnr1qX6dAGOwBGGj5iwCLcB/s1600/1201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OQbPCHbGNWg/WG7R5NVnuwI/AAAAAAAANw4/iBDPeupfer0stLpnr1qX6dAGOwBGGj5iwCLcB/s400/1201.jpg" width="260" /></a><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
Toys! Tons of toys! And all his! When John went deeper, he met someone who
promised him tons of toys. They’re all his for the taking. Except, well, the
Spirit Flyer doesn’t seem to approve. Not that it matters since John won’t ride
it any longer anyway. His greed is getting the better of him though. As the new
toy store opens in town and toys are promised to all the children, Susan knows
something evil is occurring, but how can she convince a town who’s eyes are
blinded by greed? Can she save John and the rest of the town before their own
greed destroys them? Mrs. Happy and Goliath Industries will do their best to
make sure she fails!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The
Toy Campaign is the second in the Spirit Flyer Series. The series uses a
flying bicycle to represent faith in Christ. The bicycles are made by the
“Three Kings”. When a person chooses to believe in them, the bicycle arrives
and will fly when they are trusting. The series takes place in an end times
setting, with it finally ending at the rapture. Throughout the series, the
struggle between good and evil is shown in those choosing to ride Spirit Flyers
battling Goliath Industries, an organization that desires to see death and
destruction. At the end of the first book, the rest of John’s family received
Spirit Flyers. John went into the “deeper” world, meaning he was able to sort
of see a spirit realm and interact with the demon-like characters. Now he is
believing what he was told there – that a mountain of toys belongs to him – as
long as he stops riding his Spirit Flyer and trusting the Three Kings. It’s a
look at how secure our salvation is. John stops trusting, and the demon-like
characters tell him he wasn’t good enough, that his chains are not broken. The
truth is that he picked up broken chains and is choosing to wear them, but he
was never abandoned or rejected by the Three Kings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I highly recommend this book as well as the others in the
series. It offers great spiritual value as well as a creative storyline and
enough suspense and adventure to keep readers interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Spiritual
Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">John 10:28-29 – I give them eternal life and they shall never
perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to
me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Luke
12:15 – </span></i><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms";">Then
he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>greed; life does not consist in an
abundance of possessions.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-71232255709333656962016-11-05T19:35:00.000-05:002016-11-05T19:35:16.387-05:00Witch’s Mark<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ctfdevchrteef-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0997600209" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Em’s eyes flashed with anger. “Let me repeat what I told you last week. I said that God is real, and if you don’t watch what comes out of your mouth, He just might show you how real He is. And now He has.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Em’s head whipped toward Megan. “And now He has!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Megan looked back at Em with the same shocked look. “You think it’s Sam? God sent us back in the past because of Sam?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> <a href="http://amzn.to/2fPj44n" target="_blank">Witch’s Mark</a> by Sarah Norkus, West Alden Publishing, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Witchs-Mark-Sarah-Norkus/dp/0997600209/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=ctfdevchrteef-20&linkId=1d7bad15553bc974d325d64f4c317f92" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0997600209&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=ctfdevchrteef-20" /></a>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Historical Fiction/Adventure<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Girls 14-19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Salem</st1:place></st1:city> Witch Trials, Time Travel, Faith in God, Bullying, God’s existence<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Enough is enough! Subtle bullying, insults, threats, vandalism – it all just builds up until Josh, Tim, Emily and Megan find it extremely difficult to not retaliate. Sam and her boyfriend Kyle identify themselves as witches and can’t stand the faith that Em and the others live out. Things are about to escalate though. Both groups are going on the senior class trip to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Massachusetts</st1:place></st1:state>. That’s hours together in the same bus. When they arrive, Kyle finally makes it physical, starting a fight with Josh and Tim. As he does, Em feels that same sensation she has felt twice before, the sensation of being yanked out of this time into the past. This time Megan and Sam experience it too. The three of them – one of whom openly claims to be a witch, wake up in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Salem</st1:place></st1:city> in 1692, right in the midst of the witch trials!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Witch’s Mark is the third in the series about a teenage girl who travels back in time to help rescue others and learn to increase her trust in God. In this one, Em and Megan get a chance to reach out to Sam in a way they couldn’t do in their own time. Sam has no choice but to listen when she finds herself dependent upon Em and Megan and other Christians. There is also a question of God’s will as Em and Megan wrestle with a very tough decision that will change their entire lives. The book definitely has suspense but no graphic violence. It does a great job making the spiritual elements the entire focus of the book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 5/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Romans 1:18-20 – The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness. For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse;<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Thank to the author for providing me with a free review copy of this book! I greatly enjoyed it! This review reflects my own opinions.</span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020905427986814488.post-37183452037482065222016-11-04T21:20:00.002-05:002016-11-04T21:20:23.453-05:00Toward A Secret Sky<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ctfdevchrteef-20&l=li2&o=1&a=0310754747" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">“I knew that ‘crackin’ was a synonym for ‘super’, but all I could think of when I heard the word was the girl from Culloden falling to her death. I didn’t know yet that there were worse things that cracking your head open. Much worse.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Book:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Toward A Secret Sky by Heather Maclean, Blink 2017<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Toward-Secret-Blink-Heather-Maclean/dp/0310754747/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478312336&sr=1-1&keywords=toward+a+secret+sky&linkCode=li2&tag=ctfdevchrteef-20&linkId=d50d2596427fa2d7d68b98e4bd5111aa" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0310754747&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=ctfdevchrteef-20" /></a></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Genre:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Speculative/Supernatural<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Target Audience:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Girls 16-18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Subjects:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Angels, Demons, Romance, Loss, Love, Sacrifice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Summary:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> …And alone again. It seems Maren is destined to live a life of misery and loneliness. No father, no friends, now her mom dies and she is sent off to live with grandparents she has never met in an entirely different country. It seems she won’t have too much trouble making new acquaintances though. There’s her grandparents who seem thrilled to have her even though Maren’s understanding was that they didn’t want to know her or her mother. There’s Jo, the girl from school who takes Maren under her wing, teaching her Scottish slang and how to stand up to the school bully. There’s Hunter, the girl who also lost her parents – to the same organization Maren’s parents worked for. And then there’s Gavin – the super hot guy who just so happens to be not human. As Maren attempts to settle into her new life, she quickly learns nothing is as she once thought. Angels and demons are very real and in a constant intense battle over humans. Her parents worked for an agency fighting against the evil side. And angels can be the object of every girl’s dream… and demons can be the object of every girl’s worst nightmare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Notes:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Toward A Secret Sky is the first in the series. It releases April 2017. It is continuing the trend of assigning human characteristics to supernatural beings and giving them romances with humans. Falling in love with humans is forbidden, yet God created the angel in such a way so as to desire romance. The angel is not a being as described in the Bible, but an ordinary human with wings and some supernatural abilities. It certainly doesn’t follow any sort of theological soundness. One character describes him very well when she says “”Angels don’t hate anyone. You probably just have him so mixed up, he doesn’t know what to do with himself – because he’s definitely not supposed to love you, either. So he threw a big, bad tantrum and stormed off. He’ll show up again, especially if something happens in your town. Who knew angels were so much like kindergarten boys?” Maren has some very messed up theology as well – theology that is not corrected anywhere in the book. One example is that she implies salvation by keeping the ten commandments. She says “I knew lying was a sin, a commandment even. But it wasn’t going to hell after I died that worried me. It was going there beforehand.” Another example is a reference to purgatory – thinking she is there. She hints are reincarnation when she says “What had I done in a past life to deserve so much heartbreak in this one”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The book contains much violence – the dreams Maren has are very disturbing in particular. Some of it is pretty graphic. There is also a close call with rape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The theme is sacrificial love. One character willingly gives up their life for another. The blurb on the back concludes with “Along the way she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 1/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Reviewer:</span></b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> J:-)mi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">1 John 3:16 – This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">John 15:13 – Greater love has no man than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Matthew 22:30 – <span style="background: #FDFEFF;">At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background: #fdfeff; color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Matthew 10:28 – </span></i><i><span style="background: #fdfeff; color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.</span></i><i><span style="background: #fdfeff; color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br />
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<i><span style="background: #fdfeff; color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Blink is an imprint of Zondervan, a subdivision of HarperCollins – their mission statement can be found here: <a href="http://www.harpercollinschristian.com/mission-and-values/">http://www.harpercollinschristian.com/mission-and-values/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background: #fdfeff; color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a free review copy of this book. My opinions are my own. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
J:-)mihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16592290965733365642noreply@blogger.com0