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Goddess Tithe by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Review: Goddess Tithe by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Goddess Tithe
Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Rooglewood Press
Published November 12, 2013

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A young sailor eager to learn of life on the seas finds himself the keeper of a foreign stowaway. Despite the crew’s whispers of the goddess who demands to be given the lives of those found hiding aboard merchant vessels, the captain promises safe passage to the mysterious traveler. The young boy, Munny, struggles to understand why the captain would risk the lives of his crew to spare this strange man. As the enraged goddess tosses the ship about on enraged seas, Munny becomes caught between the captain’s order to protect the passenger and the crew’s plots to throw him overboard.

Fans of the Tales of Goldstone Wood series will recognize the mysterious stowaway as the adventurous Leonard from books two and three. Stengl weaves humor into the story through the language barrier between Leonard and Munny, who seldom understand one another, sometimes leading to hilarious results. Munny lives in bondage to the fear of the goddess who controls the seas, and yet through the story he learns of a greater power, one personal and benevolent and of the beauty of grace and its power to banish vengeance. Goddess Tithe is a beautiful story, though its length prevents it from developing the complexity of Stengl’s longer stories. Series fans will find the same lovely prose and deep spiritual undercurrents classic to all of the Goldstone Wood novels.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The sailors believe that a ruthless goddess lives beneath the waves of the sea and demands to be given any stowaways found aboard sea vessels. The story explores themes of vengeance versus grace and the value of self-sacrifice.

Violence
An older sailor boy bullies Munny. Brief fight scenes with few graphic details.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: White Lines by Jennifer Banash

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

White Lines
Jennifer Banash
G P Putnam’s Sons
Published April 4, 2013

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Seventeen-year-old Cat slogs through school days, waiting for nighttime, when the flashing lights and pulsing music of New York’s hottest clubs to bring her to life. Waiting to float away on the little white lines. What started as a dream, an unending party, twists into something more sinister. Cat can feel her life rocketing out of control, but she feels powerless to stop it. As pressure from her boss and her abusive mother pile on top of her, Cat wants to retreat further into the haze of anonymity in the club scene. All that holds her back is the mysterious boy who makes her want to experience life and feel things that ordinarily terrify her. As the pull of her night life and her attraction to Julian yank her in different directions, Cat must make hard choices and force her fears into words before she fractures completely.
In a genre already crowded with stories of teen drug experimentation, self-destruction, and recovery, Banash boldly writes with equal measures grit and empathy. Cat’s battle extends far beyond drug addiction into issues of abandonment and abuse, which only adds to the believability of her plight. Though the end was a little too neat and tidy to fit the rest of this dark tale, the message of hope and recovery is sure to be encouraging to readers who’ve struggled with addiction personally or through a friend or family member.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Infrequent but severe.

Sexual Content
Brief but intense kissing scene. References to sexual encounters that happen off-scene.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
One boy attempts suicide publicly by first trying to throw himself out a window and then cutting himself. Another boy eggs him on. Cat’s mother physically and emotionally abuses her. A few scenes contain brief but strong descriptions of this abuse. She suffers from a violent recurring nightmare in which her mother brutally murders her.

Drug Content
Cat and her coworkers frequently abuse drugs like cocaine and extasy. Consequences for the behavior are severe and while the abuse is pretty thoroughly described, it is not condoned in any way. This is a cautionary tale of disaster averted by rehab and therapy.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: The Others by Kristin Bryant

Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, ,

The Others
Kristin Bryant
Sourced Media Books
Published September 1, 2013

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Ryen and his friends receive the greatest honor when they are sent from their home planet to earth as a team of researchers to find evidence of Jesus’ existence. Could he be The Light, whose coming was prophesied so long ago? As Ryen and his team scour the earth for clues, a young woman catches his eye. Try as he might, Ryan can’t stop thinking about her. As his mission comes to a close, he knows that if he becomes involved with her, he’ll only have to leave her behind. He should protect her by ignoring her, but can he ignore the powerful longing he feels for her?

When Ryen’s teammate invites the girl to join them on the last leg of their earthly journey, he promises himself the only reason he allows her to accompany them is to protect her and send her home. But the more time he spends with Savannah, the more thinly his resolve is stretched, and the girl claims she has no home to which she can return, only terrible memories. Difficulties at his own home force Ryen to focus. His tribe leader threatens to invade earth and rumors of kidnapping, murder and a deadly new weapon send Ryen and his team spinning. It’s more important than ever to find the evidence they’ve been sent to collect. Ryen will have to work fast if he is to protect Savannah and his family and stop the terrible plot that could destroy them all.

In a fresh, fun story, Bryant explores history and archaeology from a whole different perspective. The story unfolds, bringing with it a vibrant cast of characters and a plot that is as fascinating as its premise. Ryen can be a little bit brooding and repetitive (he revisits the idea that he should not become involved with Savannah but wants to several times without deepening or adding to his observations,) but Savannah’s quick wit and endearing nature make it tough for readers not to engage in the story. History or archaeology fans will probably find this story more interesting than sci-fi fans, as much of it takes place on earth, and the aliens themselves are genetically identical to humans. The political intrigue and high action sequences make this a fun read for all.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
Romance between Ryan and Savannah intensifies, but no details are given as to whether they engage in sex, though they do spend the night together.

Spiritual Content
Ryen’s people received prophesies that The Light, a savior to all creation would come – to another planet. Since the prophecy was received, the people have devoted themselves to developing the technology to explore space looking for the planet where the Savior was born. They journey to earth looking for evidence to prove that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy.

Violence
On Ryen’s home planet, a small group of tribe members stage a revolution using a terrible weapon. The group bribes and threatens leadership members. On earth, Ryen attacks a man who pursues a young woman. There are a few graphic details.

Drug Content
Ryen ends a relationship with a girl because he discovers her addiction to drugs. She has since passed on her addiction to other members of her tribe. This only leads to destruction.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

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Review: Dark Halo by Shannon Dittemore

Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Dark Halo
Shannon Dittemore
Thomas Nelson
Published August 27, 2013

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Brielle has been blessed with a special gift: she can see the Celestial, both the angels and their warring worship and the fear that gushes like black tar from those caught in the grip of her enemies. She’s not the only gifted one. Her boyfriend Jake can heal others with his hands.

But Jake has been taken, kidnapped by demons, and her attempt to save him throws Brielle into the hands of the Prince of Demons. He asks her to make a terrible choice. She’s been given a heavenly halo, one that bestowed her gift upon her. The Prince offers her a dark halo, one that will block the pain of her heavenly sight. It’s a choice Brielle thinks will be simple, but when nightmares and tragedies plague her, doesn’t she deserve just a little relief?

Dark Halo is the third and final book in the Angel Eyes series. It can be read without the first two books, but will be more enjoyable if one is familiar with the stories from the first two novels. Jake, Brielle and the others reveal deeply moving stories, participating in a spiritual battle and hunting down clues to solve mysteries concerning the disappearance of Brielle’s mom, a human-trafficking organization, and the death of Brielle’s friend. It’s not all drama and tragedy, though. Dittemore lightens the mood with the perky hilarity of Kaylee, Brielle’s young friend. This makes for great tempo in the storytelling. Readers who enjoy fantasy or paranormal stories will love this series which is a little bit like Peretti’s This Present Darkness meets X-Men.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
Light – Jake and Brielle share a few lip-locked moments and discuss plans for marriage.

Spiritual Content
Angels and demons wage war over earth and its inhabitants, based on scripture from the Bible. Brielle, Jake and other characters wrestle with doubt and other obstacles to faith.

Violence
While most of the warfare going on in the story is in the form of worship, there are a few battle sequences. Angels use wings of razor-sharp feathers to cut down their enemies. Jake and Marco are both treated pretty roughly by their captors. There are some brief references to injuries sustained in a deadly car accident.

Drug Content
Brielle’s father struggles with alcoholism, and there are some brief references to him drinking too much.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Cinder
Marissa Meyer
Feiwel & Friends/MacMillan
Published January 3, 2012

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When her reputation as one of the best mechanics in New Beijing draws a covert visit from the prince, Cinder can’t help but be charmed by his easygoing, friendly nature. She hides her cyborg leg and foot, desperate to hold on to the moment where he sees her as human, rather than as property, as the law dictates. An outbreak of a terrible plague interrupts Cinder’s work and nearly her life when she is sent to the labs as a research subject, a sure death sentence.

Prince Kai watches helplessly as the ruthless plague destroys his father and the responsibility of leadership falls to him. In this dark hour, the Lunar queen, a powerful woman rumored to possess an ability to control the minds of her subjects and anyone in her presence, makes an unscheduled journey to earth to speak of an alliance with Kai and the people of earth. Kai must tread carefully, for the queen will ask the greatest sacrifice of him and pose the greatest threat to his people.

At the lab, Cinder’s test results stun the medical staff and make it clear that she is much more than an orphaned nobody from Europe. She may, in fact, be the key to undoing the Lunar queen’s destructive plan.

In an android-saturated futuristic world, Meyer retells the story of the little Cinder girl, her handsome prince, and the magical ball that brought them together. Her version of the story again brings to life familiar roles – the wicked stepmother, stepsisters, a carriage fastened from an unlikely source – and throws new twists into the mix. Cinder’s world is crafted from a complicated social structure in which humans have the technology to save lives of the gravely injured by implanting machinery. Instead of returning to life as normal post-surgery, the victims become cyborgs, second-class citizens no better than slaves. While thoroughly imaginative, it seems an expensive way to acquire a workforce. Despite that, the amazing characters made it easy to suspend that small bit of disbelief. I loved Iko, the android with the malfunctioning personality chip, which made her super interested in fashion and celebrity gossip. She definitely makes me laugh. Cinder and Kai’s relationship always pulls my heartstrings, too.

Another fascinating addition to the story is the powerful Lunar queen, ruler of a people who live on the moon, who possess a gift allowing them to control the thoughts and emotions of others. While the queen claims to seek peace with the people of earth, the military preparations on the moon seem to indicate otherwise, creating an intricate political dilemma which only adds richness and tension to an already worthy story.

Cinder is only the first book in Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles. The series will contain four books. The second, Scarlet features a girl in a red hoodie looking for her missing grandmother, followed by Cress, a retelling of the story of Rapunzel in space. With Meyer’s brilliant imagination and keen sense of story, fans will surely fall in love with each book in the series.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
A terrible plague is spreading rapidly through New Beijing. Some of the descriptions are a little intense but brief.

Drug Content
None.

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Review: The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrill

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The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet
Stephanie Morrill
Playlist Fiction
Published October 13, 2013

Amazon | Goodreads

The day of Ellie’s book debut draws near, and the pressure is on. On top of school and family commitments, Ellie’s editor presses for detailed revisions. Instead of support and cheerleading, Ellie’s best writing buddy has gone AWOL, and her boyfriend Chase doesn’t seem to understand how much work writing can be or how important it is to Ellie.

Tension between Ellie and Chase only rises as he pushes her to spend more time with his friends and their short-term girlfriends. While Ellie believes in the goodness of Chase’s heart and his ability to succeed, he only sees his tarnished reputation. He expects Ellie to bail on the relationship at every turn. Ellie tries to reassure him, but maybe her love isn’t enough to get through to him.

Her relationship with Chase isn’t the only complicated cross-gender issue, either. Now that she and Chase have made things official, Palmer (the guy who was previously too cool to date Ellie publicly) follows her with longing in his eyes. Ellie tries to be friends, but even that spirals into emotions too confusing to sort.

Like her other novels, Stephanie Morrill captures the fresh, perky world of YA, bringing wit and emotional depth to this fantastic story. Ellie’s conflicted relationship with boys really reflects moments on the journey each of us make in learning what makes a successful (or unsuccessful) relationship. She also learns about pride and how one’s choices can injure others. She discovers the pain of humbling oneself to offer apology and the sweet release that comes with such humility.

This sequel to The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet will not disappoint fans and has a lot to offer both teens and aspiring writers alike.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
Ellie overhears her boyfriend tell his pals that they’ve been having sex. While the boyfriend has been a little “handsier” than usual lately, sex is a line Ellie sure hasn’t crossed.

Spiritual Content
Ellie and her family are a wholesome, church-going family. Ellie clearly believes the values and spiritual precepts she has been taught in church and tries to walk them out in her life, but the story doesn’t focus on a lot of spiritual content as much as display the principles through the plot and each character’s response to situations the story places them in.

Violence
None.

Drug Content
Despite his claims to Ellie that he’ll behave, Chase seems easily drawn into his friends’ habits of smoking pot and drinking. Ellie does not condone or participate.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About Stephanie Morrill

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Stephanie Morrill lives in Overland Park, Kansas with her husband and two kids. Her only talents are reading, writing, and drinking coffee, so career options were somewhat limited. Fortunately she discovered a passion for young adult novels and has been writing them ever since.

Stephanie is the author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series, The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet, and the award-winning Go Teen Writers: How to Turn Your First Draft into a Published Book. She enjoys encouraging and teaching teen writers on her blog, www.GoTeenWriters.com.