Switched! - a Tyndale review

Switched! is the fifth book in the TJ and the Time Stumblers series written by Bill Myers. This is a youth fiction novel that, in my opinion, would be a great book for 10-13 year olds. Girls or boys would enjoy it, but I have no girls so I can't give an adolescent girl's review. :) I did have my 12 year old son give it a read so that I could put his opinion out there. But first I'll give you my spill.

First of all, Switched! is a Christian fiction book, has a fantasy feel to it (time travel, invisible characters) as well as exciting and hilarious adventure, and is written in a fashion that would appeal to adolescents (primarily preteens). At 156 pages, the font isn't teeny tiny, so it won't take a child forever to read. At times, there is large font to convey excitement, which is appealing to the eye. The chapters are about the right length for a kid who likes to read one chapter at a time (about ten pages per chapter).

Goofball friends Tuna and Herby from the 23rd Century have teamed up to make their friend TJ Finkelstein the greatest leader of the world. First, however, they have to teach her many lessons along the way to prepare her for greatness. But when a futuristic technological gadget malfunctions, TJ finds herself in the body of her nemesis Hesper Breakahart! If that's not problematic enough, Tuna and Herby find themselves having a battle with their own enemy--Bruce Bruiseabone. The story is action-packed, full of hilarious problems to solve and goofy characters.

My son liked the part when TJ thought that Bruce Bruiseabone was trying to get after her. He was in the form of a crab and he chased her. She thought he was trying to kill her, but he was trying to tell her something. The book was funny, and he also recommends it for preteen adolescents.

If you're looking for a good series for your Christian adolescent like this one, I recommend it. It's funny, it's off the beaten path, and it's full of adventure from start to finish. I've not read the whole series, but I have a feeling that it will be one that my kids will enjoy in the future!

I am a member of Tyndale Blog Network, a fabulous website that sends free books to read and keep if you write a review for your blog and for a major retailer (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble). Tyndale Blog Network is through Tyndale House Publishers.

First Date - a BookSneeze Review

First Date, written by Krista McGee, was a sweet story that is perfect for teenage girls. Addy Davidson is a high school student in her senior year. When the principal of her Christian school suggests that she take part in a reality show called The Book of Love where the President's son chooses someone to be his prom date, the last thing Addy wants to do is be a part of it. A shy girl who prefers to stay out of the limelight and enjoy her quiet life, Addy finds herself being adamant when the cameras are thrust in her face.

She was practically forced by her uncle and principal to join the reality show. The principal told her, when asked if she could think about it, that her plane took off the next day. But when she was able to spend more time with Jonathon, the President's son, she soon realized that she wanted to stick around.

This story is an innocent story, sweet and lacks the heavy lovey-dovey tones that some YA books include. However, the story felt a little unrealistic in parts. How often would an uncle and a principal not give a girl a say in whether she wanted to be part of a reality show? In spite of that, it was a nice read and reminded me of books I used to read as a teen. If you're looking for a book that is geared toward teens, sweet and has a Christian theme, this one is sure to please.

Krista has another story planned as a spinoff of this one. I'll be anxious to see if I can get my hands on a copy!

I am a member of BookSneeze, a fabulous program through Thomas Nelson. BookSneeze sends members free books to read and keep in exchange for written reviews on a blog and on a major retailer's website (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

Dragons of the Valley - a Multnomah Review

Dragons of the Valley, by Donita K. Paul, was an enjoyable read. I had trouble visualizing the characters at first: several different races at different sizes and names and descriptions. . . . It took a couple of chapters before I was able to realize who was whom. (It doesn't help that I hadn't read the first book in the series before I read this one.)

The story takes place in a fictional land named Chiril. The peace in the land comes to a brutal halt when an enemy invades the land. The land's most prized possessions are three statues, and when it is decided that the statues must be hidden, a remarkable journey to the Valley of the Dragons becomes a struggle.

The people of Chiril embark not only on a journey to remain safe, but they also find that on this journey their creator, whom they have little knowledge of, Wulder becomes more real to them. In their struggle to regain peace, they also learn what it means to trust and desire a relationship with Wulder, their creator.

This has been a captivating novel, and I hope to read the first of the series soon!

I received Dragons of the Valley as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

How Huge the Night - a Litfuse Review

How Huge the Night, a teen book written by Heather and Lydia Munn, convincingly captures what it was like for young adolescents in Nazi-controlled France. This story captivated me, and it was hard for me to put it down. The characters were well portrayed, and the events that occurred in the story felt "real".

The mainly encompasses the stories of two families, though other characters' situations are also brought in. Julien Losier, a fifteen-year-old French boy, and his family find themselves responsible for a young Jewish teen who seemed quite difficult to interact with. Julien struggles with wanting to fit in at school, but with a Jew living in his home, Julien finds that he's ostracized and fights to make his place at school. His struggle to fit in becomes his undoing as he realizes that self isn't as important as the protection and safety of others.

In Austria, fifteen-year-old Nina and her brother Gustav watch their father pass away, and then it is up to them to escape into France to what they believe will be safety. What they're unprepared for is the immense struggles they will have to endure on this journey from Austria to France. From hunger to near death, Nina and Gustav struggle to hold on to what they hold dear.

I received How Huge the Night as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Litfuse Publicity Group.

Kregel Publications is sponsoring an $50 Amazon.com giveaway open to my blog readers.

About the Giveaway!

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #litfuse) about How Huge the Night or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use the hashtag (#litfuse). If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy. (All Litfuse bloggers who post a review are automatically entered and do NOT need to email us.)

Not sure what to tweet/post? Here's an idea.

TWEET THIS: How Huge the Night - compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens and adults alike turning the pages! #litfuse http://ow.ly/4RBXc

FACEBOOK THIS: How Huge the Night by Heather & Lydia Munn is a compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens and adults alike turning the pages late into the night! http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13181161

About the Munn's:

Heather Munn was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in southern France where her parents were missionaries like their parents before them. She has a BA in literature from Wheaton College and now lives in a Christian intentional community in rural Illinois , where she and her husband, Paul, host free spiritual retreats for the poor, especially those transitioning out of homelessness or addiction. When not writing or hosting, she works on the communal farm.

Lydia Munn, daughter of missionary parents, grew up in Brazil . She received a BA in literature from Wheaton College , and an MA in Bible from Columbia Graduate School of Bible and Missions. With her husband, Jim, she has worked in church planting and Bible teaching since 1983, notably in St. Etienne, near the small town in the central mountains of France which forms the background of How Huge the Night. The Munns now live in Grenoble, France.

Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest - a Waterbrook Multnomah Review

Before I even start my review, let me just say it.... WOW! Ok, with that out of my system, let's begin. :P

Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest, written by Chuck Black, is a YA fantasy book. It's published by Waterbrook Multnomah, a Christian publishing company. The novel is 182 pages in length, with discussion questions and answers following. Also in the back is a scoresheet of a song entitled The Final Call written by Emily Elizabeth Black, Chuck's talented daughter. (Also if you go to the series' website, Arrethtrae, you will find a CD of music written and performed by Emily that you can buy! You can also hear a demonstration of music.)

This is the second book that I've read in this series (Sir Rowan is the sixth book in the Knights of Arrethtrae series), and I just have to say that this series is, just simply put, excellent. (If you want to read a review I wrote on Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor, click *here*.) I hold a love of fantasy, and this book definitely feeds that love. My young boys (11 and 6) love fantasy as well, and even though this story is a bit "old" for my youngest son, he could definitely appreciate it as a read-along. Even though this book is considered YA, I believe that all ages can appreciate it.

The main character of this book is a guy named Rowan. Both of his parents died, and as a result he was an urchin. A stable boy with the desire to sword fight, but a boy nonetheless with no sword. However, when a knight named Sir Aldwyn came to have his horse cared for, Rowan made a plea to hold the knight's sword. Watching the young man wield his sword, Sir Aldwyn asked him if he'd like to join him in training. Rowan wholeheartedly agreed, and was trained to be a Knight of the Prince.

Rowan quickly proved to be an excellent swordsman and rose in the ranks of sword competitors to become champion. However, the fame and fortune that he received did not do him well, but instead blinded him to his real purpose in life. After being captured and held for ransom for nearly a year, he was finally left to die by his captors when they gave up on ever receiving ransom. A woman happened along, found him, and brought him back to her home to nurse him back to health. After Rowan has had a few months to recover, he joins the Resolutes, a large group of knights and other individuals whose desire is to win back their land. However, when Rowan meets an unexpected man, his life is forever changed.

I won't spoil the ending for you, so go out and grab it! I highly recommend this book. It's enjoyable and will leave you on the edge of your seat.

I received Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers.

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor - a Waterbrook Multnomah Review

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor, written by Chuck Black, is a YA fantasy book. It's published by Waterbrook Multnomah, a Christian publishing company. The novel is 176 pages in length, with discussion questions and answers following. Also in the back is a scoresheet of a song entitled Ride of the Valiant written by Emily Elizabeth Black, Chuck's talented daughter. (Also if you go to the series' website, Arrethtrae, you will find a CD of music written and performed by Emily that you can buy! You can also hear a demonstration of music.)

I was a little hesitant to start reading this book (the fifth one in the Knights of Arrethtrae series) without having read the previous four. I'm obsessive about chronology, so I love reading books in the order they were written. However, I delved into the book and had no trouble getting "knee deep" in the story. The action and intrigue is gripping, and it captured my attention quite quickly.

The main character is a young man referred to by friends and family as Twitch. Twitch received his name because of a twitch that would appear in his cheek when he became nervous or stressed. Twitch and his pal Gustav, whose nickname was Tav, lived together with Tav's family after Twitch's parents tragically died. Twitch and Tav are learning to become knights for the Prince (aka Jesus).

After a bizarre type of pet infiltrates the Burkfield haven where the boys were training, many of the young knights lost interest in serving the Prince. When Tav's uncle, Sir Baylor, arrived to recruit Tav as a Sword of Valor, Twitch's interest is piqued. Tav refuses to follow his uncle, but Twitch wants to go. At Mount Resolve, Twitch kneels and determines to follow the Prince, to give himself to whatever the Prince should want for him. What results from that resolution to the King was a tumult of hardship that he'd never have imagined.

I won't ruin the story for you, but Twitch, now called by his given name Quinlan, learns that following the Prince isn't always going to be a bed of roses. The fight is fierce, it's often nasty, but in the end the journey to the Kingdom Across the Sea (aka Heaven) is what we long for and is worth the wait!

I highly recommend this book for people who love fantasy. It's a great book for adolescents as well. I plan on purchasing the other books in the series so that I can read them and pass them on to my sons.

Here's the run-down of what I think of the book:

Ease of reading ..................... 5/5
Supporting Details ................ 5/5
Sufficient Length ................... 5/5
Ability to hold my interest ... 5/5
Overall Impression ........ 5/5

I received Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers.

When you see this image, it represents books that I highly recommend!

The Secrets Beneath - a BookSneeze Review

The Secrets Beneath, written by Kathleen Fuller, is the second book in The Mysteries of Middlefield series. At 271 pages, this YA novel is a good read. The setting is in the town of Middlefield, and young Amish girl Rebekah Yoder finds herself plunged into a mystery that would rival the stories from her Nancy Drew books that she enjoys. When Bekah discovers an old man mysteriously searching on the property of an empty home, her curiosity is piqued.

Bekah's family has their own mystery to solve when Bekah's cousin Amanda moves in. Amanda's father brought her to the Yoder house, but no one had told Bekah why. All she knew was that Amanda was going to live in her house for a year. Just like in her Nancy Drew books, Bekah is determined to solve the mysteries!

This is a delightful book that I would highly recommend for a YA or for anyone who loves Amish-related fiction.

Here's the run-down of what I think of the book:

Ease of reading ..................... 5/5
Supporting Details ................ 5/5
Sufficient Length ................... 5/5
Ability to hold my interest ... 5/5
Overall Impression ........ 5/5

I am a member of BookSneeze, a fabulous program through Thomas Nelson. BookSneeze sends members free books to read and keep in exchange for written reviews on a blog and on a major retailer's website (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

When you see this image, it represents books that I highly recommend!