*Inspirational and clean reads to remember and see
From Sellout to hero, by way of the den. Braxton Luther finds himself in the crossfire of a new order, and discovers apathy is a dangerous option.
[Read more…] about The Uncloaked Trilogy by J. Rodes (Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway)
Admission: I have read the popular mainstream YA bestsellers. In fact, I try to read most of them before the movie comes out. The Hunger Games, Divergent, Ender’s Game, The Maze Runner, The Fifth Wave, and more are books I’ve read and (for the most part) enjoyed. And I am often in awe of the worlds their imaginations create.
Mary Weber’s is no exception. Her newest offering takes elements from several of these—aliens, hackers, games of skill—and combines them into a creation that draws readers in.
As the book opens, Sofi’s sole focus is on her brother. A fact readers soon learn is more of a way of life for her. When things go awry, Sofi’s one goal is to find her brother. Between rebelling against her CEO-focused mother and her protection of her brother, some of her choices are not the best. But, you see and understand the motivation behind those poor choices.
What I loved about this book is how fast it moved. There is some good action with the FanGames, but there are more nuances that keep the pace.
Sofi’s past heartbreak where Miguel (the youngest ambassador in earth’s history) is concerned; her relationships with her team, her mother, and her brother; and the question the Delonese people’s motivation all kept my interest. Add in that I never quite knew who to trust, and this one was a page-turner. [Read more…] about Review: The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber
Twenty years have passed since Carrington and Remko Brant’s baby, Elise, was kidnapped and they were forced to leave her captive in the Authority City. Though they fled with the Seers far from Authority reach, they’ve never given up hope of rescuing their daughter from the man who betrayed them. Now Authority President, he’s ushered the city into a new era of “peace”–one where the Scientist Roth Reynard’s Genesis Serum has eradicated all memory of emotion or rebellion.
But the mysterious Aaron and his Seers are once again on the move, threatening the illusion the Authority has worked so hard to build. As the Seers send seven chosen warriors to rescue Elise and bring restoration to the Authority City, the lines are drawn for a final battle between light and darkness. The key to ultimate victory may rest within the strangely powerful girl who has felt forgotten but was never abandoned–a truth she’ll need to wage war against the powerful forces of evil.
First, I loved that the third and final Seer novel begins with Carrington and Remko Brandt. Too often books just jump into new characters and I feel like I need a refresher from what happened in the last book that I read over a year ago. This wasn’t at all the case with The Returning. In fact, the first chapter is both a reminder of what happened in The Calling but also an introduction to the story that is about to play out.
Shame. Fear. Doubt. Emotions that draw us away from God, away from the light. In the finale of Rachelle Dekker’s Seer trilogy, readers are reminded of this fact over and over again. As each character in the books goes through their own journey, much as each of us does, they are reminded that the light has always been with them. That they are not alone. That the light within is greater than anything that comes against them.
A story that clearly draws the lines between good and evil, God’s love and Satan’s lies, the light and the dark, and the choice that each person must make. Fast paced with scenes built in to let the reader breathe, The Returning is the perfect conclusion to a trilogy that started with a young woman who was not chosen with a future of servitude in front of her and ends with more than she could have ever imagined. God not only changes lives, he changes futures and gives us identity and purpose.
The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through the avenue of storytelling. She graduated with a degree in communications and spent several years in marketing and corporate recruiting before making the transition to write full-time. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat, Blair. Visit her at www.rachelledekker.com
More about the book (in the words of Rachelle Dekker)
The Returning focuses on Carrington and Remko’s daughter Elise. Tell us more about Elise’s character and her growth throughout the book.
Elise starts the book in a pretty dark place. She grew up without parents, believing she was abandoned, only to discover there’s an entire world that has been kept from her. Her journey can be divided into two parts, in my opinion: first, learning who she really is; and second, learning how to live that out. It’s the same journey we all take, and I believe that makes her pretty relatable.
The theme of identity is explored in all three Seer books. How does forgiveness relate to identity?
For me, forgiveness is more about the one who feels wronged than the one who committed the wrong. What if, for a moment, you believed that nothing could harm you? That you, as a believer, are seated at the Father’s table and standing with him? Can anything harm the Father? If you believe no, then can anything harm you—the true you, the true spirited self? So then, forgiveness becomes more about letting go of false belief and stepping into the true identity that the Father gave to you. I know it’s radical, but belief like that could change the world, don’t you think?
How do you hope this book will resonate with your readers?
I hope, as with both of the other books, that the reader sees themselves in the characters and that the story causes them to look inward. To ask hard questions like, Who am I? What am I capable of? Do I see myself the way the Father does? Can I? I hope it challenges their idea of identity and then gives them hope to see themselves and others more clearly. Because that’s how these stories have impacted me, and we are all really just the same.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Some writers’ imaginations amaze me. To create a future world and all the details that go into it is a gift. Rachelle Dekker’s future world which began in her first book of her Seer Trilogy, The Choosing, is expanded in The Calling. While the first book focused mostly on Carrington Hale and her desire to be wanted, the second is about another character readers met in book one, Remko Brant. Yet, both stories are about identity, find who each of these characters is and who God wants them to become.
A year and a half after the first book ends, Remko is now married to Carrington and a father, and the risks he takes to sneak into the Authority city and rescue other seers comes with a higher price. With his background as a CityWatch guard, he is the best choice to lead these missions but as they become more dangerous and the group experiences a couple of failures, Remko’s doubts and fear begin to take their toll.
When other seers in the camp question his leadership, Remko is left to wonder why he continues to lead the group for a cause he doesn’t believe in. If he left, would his wife follow him as he had her?
Dekker portrays Remko as both a reluctant leader (one who doubts his abilities much like Moses did) and an egotistical leader (much like King Saul). The combination is powerful and emphasizes Remko’s internal struggle of trying to be everything to everyone while being unsure of where his true identity lies. Is he the rebel leader? A husband and father? A man who wants to save his friends and family?
The story moves along at a quick clip, pulling the reader along with Remko through the highs and lows (expect some nail-biting close calls and some heart-wrenching losses) as the seers strain to make a life of freedom outside of the city. This book is part fiction, part dystopian, part YA, part speculative and entirely engaging.
In case you recognize that last name, here’s a little info about the author as well as some Q&As about her latest book. But I have to say, if Rachelle keeps writing books like these, people may be asking her dad if he’s related to her.
The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through storytelling. She graduated with a degree in communications and spent several years in marketing and corporate recruiting before making the transition to write full time. Rachelle lives in Nashville with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat Blair. Visit her online at www.rachelledekker.com.
Q: Remko struggles with his anger often throughout the book. Is this expression of anger connected to his fears? If so, how?
RD: Anger is just a natural reaction to the circumstances Remko faces. Sometimes being afraid can stir up anger because it makes us feel weak or out of control. This is definitely true for Remko in The Calling.
Q: Carrington struggles with the pain that comes from watching Remko miss the Truth that was so clear to her. What encouragement would you give to others that have loved ones who do not yet share their faith?
RD: Everyone needs to take the journey. For some, truth comes more easily, and others have to struggle to see it. It can be incredibly hard to watch someone you love miss the truth right in front of them, but don’t forget that the Father is still God, and He holds them in His hand. So love those that struggle restlessly and trust that the Father is ever-present, even in the darkness.
Q: What do you hope readers will take away from the story?
RD: I hope they take a moment to see themselves as children of the Father. I hope they see that true freedom and fearlessness rest in surrendering, and that when they stand with the Father than nothing can stand against them. There is incredible peace in that truth, and I hope, like I am beginning the experience, that readers feel that same peace.
Q: What can readers expect in the final book of the series?
RD: Characters they know and some new ones I hope they’ll love! More questions of identity, and fear, but the characters will also be looking at forgiveness and letting go. I’m really happy with the way the final book played out, and I’m hoping readers will be as well.
I, for one, am looking forward to reading how this series is concluded.
The Calling is available everywhere (and if you haven’t picked it up yet, The Choosing is also available).
****Tyndale Fiction and Tyndale Blogger Network provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. All opinions expressed are my own.
With the popularity of dystopian young adult novels, it isn’t a surprise that the genre has entered the Christian fiction market. I’ve read and enjoyed the trilogies: Hunger Games, Divergent, and Legend. What do you think it is about these books that draw people in? A young person bringing hope to a people? Someone rising above, taking a stand for what they believe is right? The action? In truth, it’s most likely a combination of these things.
I’ve known about Lisa T. Bergren’s Remnants series for a while. I even downloaded the first book on my Kindle a few months ago but my TBR pile is forever growing and I just hadn’t gotten to it. When I was given the opportunity to review the second book, I took it. It took three pages before I realized I needed to read the first book or I would be lost. After reading Season of Wonder, I was into the story and picked Season of Fire (book two) up immediately. Now the waiting begins for the final book in The Remnants Trilogy (sigh).
Andriana is a Remnant, a girl with the gift of empathy who has a high calling from the Maker. She and her knight, Ronan, have joined with other remnants (each with their own unique gift—healing, discernment, a seer) and knights to fight for the Maker’s glory. Ronan and Andriana have admitted they love each other but now have the struggle of riding themselves of that love because their enemy will use it against them. When Andriana is taken captive by Keallach (another remnant who has ignored his calling), she is challenged more than ever before. Separated from her friends and Ronan and determined to show Keallach the way back to the light, Andriana struggles with succumbing to his influence instead of swaying him to her side. Will she succumb to Sethos’s evil power or rely on the Maker to lead her through the darkness.
Unlike Season of Wonder, the second book in the trilogy gives the reader two points of view (both Andriana’s and Ronan’s while they are separated). This makes the book more rounded as the reader gets to follow both Andriana’s progress as well as her follow remnants. The story moves fast with a good balance of action and internal struggle throughout, and Bergren keeps you guessing as to which side Keallach truly belongs to. If you are looking for a good read for a teenager (or if you like YA books), this is a good choice with an uplifting, Christian message.
****Booklook Bloggers provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own
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