A Bookworm's Book Reviews

Guest Post – Mere Christianity

Thank you Macy of Macy Thoughts for this wonderful book review!

Title: Mere Christianity

Author: C.S. Lewis

Genre: Christian nonfiction

A Christian nonfiction written originally as a radio script in the height of WWII, Mere Christianity is book that delves into the intricacies of Christianity in a tactful and engaging manner. In it, Lewis pulls apart the major yet ambiguous topics of the religion in a methodical and organized manner. Divided into four topical sections, Mere Christianity makes it convenient for readers to follow along and keep track of what they learned and where.

The first section uses humans’ inherent sense of right and wrong to introduce readers to the possible existence of a higher order being, namely God. The second section delineates some of the core truths of what Christians believe such as the broken state of the world, who Jesus is, and the significance of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. In the third, Lewis explains how Christianity’s view of particular topics such as morality, marriage, forgiveness, pride, and faith affects Christians’ behavior towards them. In the last section, Lewis tackles some of the deeper theological questions surrounding Christianity like God’s relationship with time and the purpose for Christianity’s existence.

I found Lewis’s arguments digestible and applaud him for building them almost entirely off logic. His frequent usage of everyday analogies and examples to succor his explanations was an additional helpful technique. These attributes will especially advantage readers who have minimal knowledge about the religion, meaning you absolutely do not need to be a Christian to read, understand, and appreciate Mere Christianity’s teachings.

Founded upon Biblical facts, thought-provoking, and timeless in relevance, readers of all spiritual backgrounds, not just newbie or mature Christians, will certainly gain an invaluably deeper understanding of themselves and God after reading C.S Lewis’s Mere Christianity.

About contributor: Macy Lu a 19 year old writer in my second year at the University of California, Davis. She enjoys thinking deeply about a multitude of things, she loves creative writing, and she dislikesroutines. Her dream job after college is to be a novelist. Her dream job for life is to be a faithful follower of Jesus. You can learn more about her at http://macythoughts.com/blog.

Night of the Living Dead Christian – Matt Mikalatos

Title: Night of the Living Dead Christian

Author: Matt Mikalatos

Genre: Christian Fiction, Fantasy

Plot: Luther is a on the run from his past. He’s done some things that he’s not proud of. Now his family wants nothing to do with him and his anger. His anger and obsessions have turned him into a werewolf. Luther runs into Matt, mad scientist Dr. Culbreton, and robot Hibbs 3000. Together they find a way to help Luther overcome his anger issues and be rid of his werewolf self. To do that, Luther must confront his past which he wants left in the past. The three travel to help Luther deal with his past and find the root of his problems. They tackle other monsters, including zombies, vampires, and other werewolves. When Luther is finally ready to face the root of his problems, he becomes trapped in a fire. The only way out is to let go. Will Luther be able to let go? Will he be able to make amends with his family? Will he overcome his anger issues? Will Luther ever be able to be rid of the monsters in his life?

Rating: 3.0 – a simple way to explain different ways Christians tend to fall away

Opinion: This was an entertaining book. Matt found a simple way to explain some of the ways Christians tend to drift, or tend to fall into categories of thinking. I liked the idea of using monsters and fantasy to explain parts of Christianity. It’s a way to explain to people outside of Christianity that Christians get caught up in different ideas, too. Matt uses fantasy and sci-fi and humor to help explain some difficult things about Christianity. It’s an easy read and a fun book. I enjoyed it and its simplicity. It’s a fun read that uses humor and fantasy to explain Christianity. Though the ideas are simply put, the point is still there. I enjoyed this book immensely. I highly recommend this book to those who want an easy read that combines Christian fiction with fantasy.

The Reason – Lacey Sturm

Title: The Reason: How I Discovered a Life Worth Living

Author: Lacey Sturm

Genre: Memoir, Biography

Plot: Lacey Sturm is the former lead singer of rock band Flyleaf. She tells her story of growing up with a single mother and taking care of her younger siblings. Life was never easy with a strict mother and living near poverty and moving a lot. Music kept her sane during all this. She fell in love with jazz, then started singing. Slowly she moved towards rock music. Still, Lacey was depressed and angry. When she was a teenager, she moved in with her grandma. They fought constantly. Finally, Lacey didn’t see an end and sought to end her life. Dispute everything, her grandma convinced her to come to church with her. That night she planned to end it all. But God had another plan for her. One of the pastors at the church felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit about someone feeling suicidal and spoke up about in church. Then found Lacey after the service and they talked. Something changed in Lacey after that. She decided to keep living. After that, Lacey talked of how her life changed for the better.

Rating: 4.5 – a great testimony and a story of how God can change a person’s life

Opinion: This was a great testimony. I am a fan of Flyleaf. I wanted to learn more of how Lacey came to Christ. I had realized how heart rendering it is. It goes to show how God can change a person’s life. Lacey is a very passionate person. She used music to fuel her passion, her anger, and her sadness. After she came to Christ, Lacey used passion and her music to help bring others to Christ. She can relate to those going through depression and suicide. It’s nice for people to know that there are others like them. If you listen to her music, you can hear her passion and her faith. I highly recommend this book for those who are struggling with depression, anger, or suicide.

Guest Post – The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Thank you Oli for this incredible book! If you’d like to know more about Oli and her work, check out her review and her website Adventures in Arabic.

Title: The Boy who Harnessed the Wind

Author: William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

Genre: Biography, Inspirational

Plot: When famine hits Malawi William’s family have to use the $80 that should have paid his school fees to buy food. He tries to keep up with his education by studying at a local library, where he sees a photo of a wind farm in America. If Americans can use wind to generate electricity why can’t he…

Rating: 4.0 – Really uplifting with a wonderful sense of place. William’s voice shines through.

Rating: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. You get a real feel for Malawi and rural life there, but without long descriptive passages. The authors don’t shy away from how tough life is for people, but it is told with real affection and respect. In a lot of ways it reads like a novel, the pacing is great, and while it is an emotional roller-coaster (I cried) you never really doubt that the ending will be happy. You get a sense for who William is both as the boy the book is about and as the man writing it. However his two friends are less distinct characters and while the paragraphs about how, exactly, he makes a windmill and generator out of junk are quite short I certainly found the parts about overcoming technical challenges less interesting than the bits about overcoming emotional challenges. I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a feel good read.

“The author of this review works for a Malawi-based NGO and blogs about her experiences at https://adventuresinarabic.wordpress.com/ “

Bridge to Haven – Francine Rivers

Title: Bridge to Haven

Author: Francine Rivers

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Abra was abandoned as an infant in the 1950s. Paster Ezekial Freeman found her under a bridge during his morning walk. She grew up in the city of Haven with an older ‘brother,’ Joshua. Abra was never content with her small town life. She longed for more. After she graduated high school, Abra headed for Hollywood. She quickly caught the eye of a manager. He changed her name to Lena Scott. Lena embraced her new life but at a cost. Her manager controlled every aspect of her life. She slowly lost all of her freedom. Lena moved in with her manager and started a very controlled relationship with him. Her manager continued to control more and more of her life. She was told what to wear, what to eat, and where to go. Everything she did was monitored. Lena learns about what she truly wants, and it’s not the Hollywood life. But try as she might, she can’t escape. Will Lena ever be able to escape? Does she have the courage to return home? Can she every have forgiveness for her mistakes? Can she be set free from her past?

Rating: 4.0 – a good book of loss, and forgiveness

Opinion: This was a different style of book for Francine Rivers. It was a little grittier than other books that I’ve read by her. But it still tells a heart rendering of love, loss, and forgiveness. This book doesn’t have many twists but Abra/Lena’s story still captivates your heart. Every person can relate to her story to some extent. Every person has some desire to escape growing up and longs for something bigger. There are many who, when they get their desires, find them unfulfilling, disappointing, or not at all what they wanted or expected. Abra/Lena’s story is also one of forgiveness. When we’ve made a mistake, or a series of them, we long for forgiveness. This may not be the most accurate in the way of forgiveness, because everyone forgives Abra/Lena. This does not always happen in real life. But I will give Francine Rivers this, she is great at dealing with the aftermaths of Abra/Lena’s actions. She struggles with coming to terms with her past. She struggles with it for a long time and has lasting effects. With time, Abra/Lena learns to accept her past and is at peace. This is an excellent story of love, loss, redemption, and forgiveness. If you love Francine Rivers, then you’ll love this story. This is a great story that pulls at your heart, I highly recommend it.

The Winter Witch – Paula Brackston

Title: The Winter Witch

Author: Paula Brackston

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Morgana is a pretty, young woman. She could catch the eye of any young suitor. Except that the people in her village think she’s odd because of her magical skills. Morgana also hasn’t spoken since she was a child. Her mother finds her a suitor in another small town. Cai is her new husband. He is a farmer just outside of town. Morgana is nervous at first and keeps to herself. She quickly befriends the maid who shows her how to harness her powers. While she learns to control her powers, Morgana learns to trust Cai. In town, Morgana is still thought of as odd because of her silence. She is weary of the town’s priest and the wealthy lady in town who has her eye on Cai. Morgana senses something dark in the two of them. The rich lady seems to have everyone wrapped around her finger. Morgana digs deeper into the town’s secrets. She finds out more about the people’s dark past. This puts everyone she knows in danger. Can Morgana convince Cai and the town of this? Will she be able to save him? And the farm?

Rating: 4.0 – a great book with lots of twists and turns

Opinion: This was the first book that I read by Paula Brackston. This book was much better than I was expecting. There are lots of twists and turns in this book. Though I was suspicious of the bad guy/girl from the beginning. It still surprised me how dark the characters go and how far they are willing to go to keep their power. I enjoyed learning about small town Welsh life. It took me a little bit to learn how to say all of the character’s names, cause they’re all Welsh names. Paula Brackston does her research when it comes to history and magic. That and her well written mystery is why I keep reading her books. I also enjoyed learning about the natural magic system and how light and dark witches use their powers. Do I believe in the ways of natural magic? No, but it’s still good to learn about it. All Paula Brackston’s books include some form of natural magic, and this book is no exception. The magic is based on real magical practices. If you’re looking for a historical fiction intertwined with magic and mystery, then I’d highly recommend this book.

The Hearts of Horses – Molly Gloss

Title: The Hearts of Horses

Author: Molly Gloss

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Martha Lesson is a horse trainer in 1917 Eastern Oregon. Some take her on since many of the farm hands are fighting ing WW1. Martha travels around to a few farms going in a circle, switching out horses along the way. At first, the ranchers are skeptical of her quiet ways of breaking (teaching them how to be ridden) horses. Slowly, the ranchers see how effective Martha’s teachings are. She starts earning their respect. They start sharing their lives with her. The ranchers also ask for her help around the farms if she stays for more than a day. Along the way between two farms, something spooks (scares) the horse she’s riding. Martha and her horse take a tumble off the road and down a small cliff. Both miraculously escape with scrapes, and a broken leg. How will Martha be able to continue training the horses? How will she be able to help the ranchers?

Rating: 3.5 – a good book with a slow and steady pace

Opinion: This book is a great read. Though it’s not the most thrilling book that I’ve ever read, it’s still a good book. It tells of the daily life of a girl of a small community. As a horse lover, it’s accurate about how horses are trained properly and what horses need to live. Molly Gloss is an accurate historian, too. She is a horse person and knows what she is talking about. She is also a local author, writing about life in Eastern Oregon, where she grew up and near where I live. She writes well and keeps the plot flowing nicely. As I said, this book’s not the most action packed book I’ve read, but it still keeps you reading. You want to know more about Martha, her life, and the lives of the people she comes to know. If you’re looking for a local author, read then I suggest this book. I’d also suggest this book for any horse lover or a historical fiction lover.

The Shadowy Horses – Susanna Kearsley

Title: The Shadowy Horses

Author: Susanna Kearsley

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Plot: Verity Grey is an archeologist searching for the lost Roman legion, the 9th. The 9th vanished after being sent to fight against the northern tribes of present day England and Scotland. She and some other researchers found some evidence of Roman life near the Scottish and English boarder. A boy who lives near the archeological dig says he’s seen the ghost of a Roman soldier who has connections to the 9th. Verity is skeptical. Her boss is not. He’s insistent that they’ve found a site where the 9th were last camped. Soon after Verity arrives at the site, she starts hearing things. At first, she hears hoofbeats. Then she hears soldiers. Then she finally believes when she actually sees the Roman soldier. As they find more and more evidence of a Roman encampment, the ghost becomes more and more apparent and visible. Will Verity and her boss find evidence of the lost legion? What does the ghost want? Is he a friend or foe? Or is he simply searching for something?

Rating: 4.0 – a good mystery mixed with history and ghosts

Opinion: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Though it took me a little bit to pick up on all of the British and Scottish terms, as Verity is English and most of the people she works with are Scottish. I enjoyed trying to read what the characters said in their proper accents but gave up as it became too distracting. I am still skeptical of ghosts, like Verity was at the beginning of the book, but the addition of ghosts in the story gave it a very unique perspective. The mystery surrounding is very good, it keeps you reading. There are enough twists to keep you reading and interested. I enjoyed learning more about Roman life in Britain. I also enjoyed learning some things about archeology as well as life in England and Scotland. If you’re looking for a historical fiction book about a less well known time period, then I suggest this book. This book also good for those looking for a good mystery.

Beyond All Dreams – Elizabeth Camden

Title: Beyond All Dreams

Author: Elizabeth Camden

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Anna O’Brian is a librarian with the Library of Congress who specializes in maps. One day, she learns of a ship that’s disappeared at sea. Her curiosity gets the better of her and she searches for answers. In Anna’s search for answers, she meets Luke Callahan. Luke is a congressmen, one who’s past haunts him. At first he is hesitant to assist her. Anna wants answers and funds for the new Library of Congress. Luke thinks it’s a waist of money. He brushes her off at first. But Luke is the one of the few people who can help her. Slowly, he starts helping Anna. But some secrets are hidden behind the disappeared ship. People are trying to stop them. What secrets are hidden? Who wants the ship to remain disappeared? Can Anna and Luke ever learn to fully trust each other?

Rating: 3.5 – a good read with some good twists, and sappy romance

Opinion: This was a good book. I love Elizabeth Camden’s books for their history, mystery, and sappy romance. It was filled with accurate historical fiction, mystery, and sappy romance. I wasn’t sure how much political stuff there would be, but there wasn’t. Anna and Luke show a realistic past and overcoming past hurts. They are slow to talk of their pasts and to trust each other with their pasts. I enjoyed that character growth. There was also a fair amount of mystery. There seemed to be more plot twists than other Elizabeth Camden books, but that could’ve been me. If you’re looking for a great book about history, mystery, and sappy romance, then read this book.

Immanuel’s Veins – Ted Dekker

Title: Immanuel’s Veins

Author: Ted Dekker

Genre: Fantasy, Thriller

Plot: Toma Nicolescu is a highly regarded soldier in the Russian Army. He is tasked with protecting two sisters, Lucine and Natasha Cantemir, and escort them back to Russia. They are staying with Vlad van Valerik. Both Toma and Vlad are taken by Lucine’s beauty. Both try to win her heart. Natasha is instantly taken with the freedom and power Vlad and his people offer. She embraces it wholeheartedly and is slowly transformed into someone else. Vlad offers Lucine the same freedom and power. She is hesitant and can tell something is off. Especially when Toma returns to Vlad’s castle to make sure that the sisters are alright. He feels like something is off. He doesn’t completely buy into Vlad’s story. Vlad and Natasha slowly win her over. While Vlad and Natasha win Lucine to their side, Toma learns more about Vlad and his people. What he discovers shocks him. He rushes back to Vlad’s castle to fight for Lucine’s life and love. But will it be too late? Will Toma be able to save Lucine from a fate worse than death? Is it possible to save the others under Vlad’s control as well? Or will Vlad fully convince Lucine to join him and his people? Will Lucine accept his freedom and power?

Rating: 4.0 – this story is weird but fascinating and it keeps you read

Opinion: I’ve always loved Ted Dekker’s books. This one is no exception. This book is oddly fascinating. There were many times I was thinking uh, this is really weird but this is so fascinating, I want to know more. Ted Dekker took a classic monster legend and made it his own. I loved what he did with it. There were plenty of plot twists to keep me reading. Over the years, I’ve realized that Ted Dekker’s books deal with blood. The book revolves around saving or destroying people with blood. I don’t mind it because Ted Dekker does it in a non violent, non gory way. If you’re looking for an interesting read about history, love, and thrills then I suggest you read this book.