WestBow Press

Sunday, May 28, 2017

DEFIANCE: A Post-Apocalyptic YA Tale of Survival by L.R. Burkard

Gripping. Heart-stopping. I read a couple of chapters of Defiance one night before bedtime and couldn't sleep. I even dreamed of an EMP. Burkard's characters jump off the page and she writes with such realism that I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I were put in the same situations as the people in the book. Excellent story-telling and highly recommended.

Friday, May 19, 2017

Love Letters from God by Glenys Nellist, Illustrated by Rachel Clowes


Love Letters from God is a lovely book, beautifully illustrated, and full of love from beginning to end. A different ‘girl’ examined in each chapter feels God’s love in a very real way through her experiences.

A word of caution: The stories stick to the Biblical accounts rather loosely. That may not be a bad thing if the reader has a Bible close by and decides to do more reading. Having each character described as a girl also threw me in places. For instance, the woman at the well is described as “The Thirsty Girl” – a woman who had five husbands and was living with a man at the time of her encounter with Jesus. In this book, she is simply ‘searching for love.’

I realize that in a children’s book, certain details may be glossed over, and if an adult reads to a child, this book presents opportunities to delve further into Scripture together. The Love Letters from God are under flaps in the print books and are sweet reminders of the love that each character feels, although I felt in some letters, the author took liberties in speaking as God.

Overall, I can recommend this book as a springboard for more discussion about the girls and women in the Bible.

HandleBar Marketing sent a complimentary copy of Love Letters from God, Bible Stories for a Girl’s Heart to me. The opinions expressed are my own.
 
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