Heartless, by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

Heartless (Tales of Goldstone Wood), by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, is a random read pulled off the Christian book shelf. I'll admit, I was quite shocked to find a new, well-written Christian fantasy. Isn't this what I always looked for as a child?

Yes.
The reader follows Princess Una and her daydreams of suitors now that she has come of age. But just like a young romantic girl, her ideas of the "perfect" suitor are young, far-fetched, and unrealistic. So much so that she is practically blind to the man she needs...who just happens to be the "real deal" perfect. Too entranced with her young ideas of love, she is taken by surprise when the feared Dragon King attacks her father's kingdom. Una, held captive, must cling to hope to resist the dragon, but can she do it? Is her hope founded in truth and real love...enough to keep her safe?

Heartless is geared toward grades 8 and up, appropriately so. There are battles and terrors that are only appropriate for teens and older. Still, the novel never reaches inappropriate or gruesome details. I was very pleased in this quality of book on the Christian shelf. Stengl, a new writer, has made a smashing entrance. Her novel weaves in Christian allegory, which is quite clear and evident to a Christian, but anyone (Christian or not) can pick it up and find a clean, inspiring, and adventurous read. There are a few moments near the climax of the book that I felt a little lost in the descriptions and I wasn't sure what was happening, but I skimmed through and still survived with a good grasp on the plot. :)
The writing is slightly advanced and requires a bit more concentration, but there are still the fun adventure elements such as jesters, dragons, castles, magic, sword fighting, and such. Admit it, we all love those "childlike" elements. ;)
I highly recommend this book and wish Anne Stengl the best of luck in her writing career (purely out of selfish reasons in hopes that she'll pop out another novel for my greedy grubby little fingers).

Violence Level: ***

Romance Level: **

Christian Focus: ***

Readability Level: ***

Story Depth Level: ****

Recommendation: ****

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

How To Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

First impression: funny (the type of funny that makes you laugh out loud and then feel awkward when your family looks at you with that "Why are you laughing, weirdo?" look.) My suggestion? Read when alone to avoid said awkwardness.
Second impression: The book reads considerably better when snacking on pretzels and orange juice.

Third impression: perfect for boys. Now don't get me wrong. Girls can read it, too (I did, obviously, and loved it). But it has boy things in it--muscles, belching, snot, and the likes. Not to mention names like Snotlout, Dogbreath, Baggy-bum, etc.


How To Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell is a wonderfully witty and sarcastic book. I love humor. I love books that impress me with jokes that I couldn't have though of myself. As the reader follows Hiccup (main character) through the trials of Dragon Training, he/she joins Hiccup in overcoming frustrations of being awkward, puny, and the son of the Viking leader. His relationship with his father is strained and pressured, but through strength and will of character, he overcomes it and proves his worth, both to himself and the town.




The book is 96% different than the movie (except for the title and some character names). But I enjoyed both on a completely different wonderful level. I highly recommend reading the book after the movie, only because the movie is nothing like the book. I, however, love the movie and so does the author, Cressida Cowell.

From a Christian point of view, there is an issue in the movie that concerns many Christians--the frequent mention of Germanic/Viking gods (Thor, Odin, etc). These gods are also mentioned in the book as well as references to soothsaying, the will of the gods, and "Fate"...but in a cultural sense, these beliefs are accurate for the Viking culture. The book is not written in an attempt to convince the reader that the Viking gods are real or that the world revolves around fate; Cowell instead tries to convey what she believes life for Vikings (or at least crazy Hooligan dragon-fighting Vikings) is like.

The book is not from a Christian point of view, but it's clean, enjoyable, creative, and amusing. I believe it's a decent read for any age-group and, if I had my own dragon, I would read this as a reference book to train it. You should, too (even if you don't have a dragon...it's always good to be prepared).

Violence Level: **

Romance Level: *

Christian Focus: *

Readability Level: ***

Story Depth Level: ***

Recommendation: ****

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.


Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice, book 2), by John Flanagan

.Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

We met Will in John Flanagan's first Ranger's Apprentice book, The Ruins of Gorlan. It's time to meet the new, improved, courageous, selfless, Will in book 2, The Burning Bridge. He is sent on a special mission with his friend, Horace, and the Ranger, Gilan. Their mission is prolonged when signs of Morgorath's domination crop up in deserted cities, armies of Wargals, and mysterious tunnels and bridges. When Gilan leaves to take these reports back to the king, Will is placed in charge. But that role forces him to make decisions more difficult and dangerous than he or Horace ever imagined.

After book 2, I'm starting to really like Will. In book 1, he's a nice boy that the reader cares about a little. But book 2 takes him to a whole new level and I applaud Flanagan's increased character development. I feared Will may stay a slightly fearful, half-wimp through the entire series. I was wrong (thank heavens) and I see much promise for him.
In The Burning Bridge, the reader encounters Morgarath (evil lord) on a more personal level--his looks of hatred, his black armor, and the evil armies that follow (and try to escape) him. Now the reader has someone to fear, which makes the reader root for Will. It's getting more personal and I already want book 3. Book 1, (The Ruins of Gorlan), left me content, not dying to read on. But The Burning Bridge ended with a cliff-hanger and I'm cursing the empty bookshelf (I'm on vacation, you see. My bookshelf at my house is never empty) already planning to track down The Icebound Land at first chance.

Flanagan steps up the violence in this book (arrows to the throat, spear through the body, dagger in the heart, etc), but it remains at an age-appropriate level (aka. non-descriptive). What fantasy/adventure book is complete without an end battle? One set-back, like the first book, is the language. The "D" word is used more often as well as phrases with God's name and "what the h**l". John Flanagan is from Australia and I do not know the Australian culture. These phrases may be commonly used and accepted in Australia, but if you are a parent or reader concerned about any level of language in a book, be aware that The Burning Bridge (and I'm assuming the entire series) uses it often in common dialogue. I will say, however, that I approve of Flanagan's choice of words like "brouhaha" and "nincompoop" (and you should, too. They're funny).

Different religions are mentioned in passing, such as worshiping the gods of fire and iron (pg. 67). Other than that and the "code of chivalry" for knights, God is nonexistant (*sad face*). Also, as in book 1, violence is encouraged by a Ranger and reaches a level past what I would allow it to reach (if I were a Ranger). Lastly, I got a bit lost in some of the names--there are several characters, but I found if I just made sure I knew Will, Halt, Horace, and Gilan, I fared pretty well.

I give this book a neutral recommendation. I personally enjoyed it, but probably won't re-read it. I am hesitant to recommend it to younger readers mainly due to the use of language (even if it on the mild side). But if you do choose to read it, I still suggest the Australian book cover. I can't get over how much better it is than the American one.

Violence Level: ***(a bit more in this book, but still remains appropriate).

Romance Level: **

Christian Focus: *

Readability Level: ** (Grows a bit, but still a little too easy.)

Story Depth Level: ***

Recommendation: ***(please see the 6-Point Nutshell)

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

The Magician's Nephew (Narnia, book 1), by C. S. Lewis

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

Many of us have crazy relatives. But do those relatives ever experiment in upstairs attics with magic rings and Beethoven hair-do's? Well...maybe some of them do, but Uncle Andrew tops the cake in C. S. Lewis's opening novel of the Chronicles of Narnia, The Magician's Nephew. Though The Magician's Nephew was written near the end of the Narnia series, chronologically it falls as the first of the Narnia stories.

Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer find themselves tricked into world-traveling by Digory's maniacal uncle. They battle temptation, fear, forgetfulness, and an evil witch. When the witch follows them back to their world, Digory is faced with the challenge of defeating her before she dominates mankind (Polly is at home, grounded because of a dirty frock. Otherwise she'd help, of course). In the end, he encounters events and magic far beyond his understanding, ultimately witnessing the creation of Narnia.

Lewis depicts the creation of Earth beautifully through Aslan's detailed creation of Narnia . His ability to paint mind pictures leaves the reader with ultimate satisfaction. I have read The Magician's Nephew before, but forgot how much excitement takes place. I always remembered it as a tad boring, but after reading it recently I can't imagine why I had that negative impression. It is witty, very humorous (especially the relationship between Digory and Polly), and somewhat deep when you look further into it.
Lewis tackles the idea of temptation and the repercussions of giving in. This is done through a scene similar to the temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Digory is faced with a choice to strike a small bell with a hammer. A poem warns him, but he gives in anyway (despite Polly's shrieks of disagreement) and must deal with the consequences.

One aspect of the Narnia novels that I especially love is the manners. Children are polite, they have good standards, they are respectful, and they are smart. They learn to think for themselves. When I see a younger child like that nowadays, whether I know him/her or not, I am inclined to swell with pride. :) I pray these morals and habits enter each child reader who picks up the book.
Lewis's writing is also very clear and easy to understand, but not simple . I like this because it encourages the reader to pursue a higher reading/thinking level (particularly the younger ones). Lastly, this book definitely tackles magic. "Magic" is stated and used plainly by the witch and is what transports Digory and Polly to the other worlds.

The book is quite clean other than a few mentions of alcohol (specifically, Uncle Andrew turning to "drink" to still his nerves) and tobacco. But I have never considered those "sins" or completely inappropriate. Today, however, they are considered a more "adult" topic. I think children can still handle them to an extent and Narnia remains within that appropriate extent.

Speaking of sins, I found a rather interesting article of the relation of the 7 deadly sins to Lewis's Narnia series. The link is found here and I encourage you to read it. Lastly, I also found an online library of sorts that provides the entire Narnia series for free. Though the books are beautiful (in their many different forms), the insides are even more so and if you can't afford to buy them, they're worth reading online here.

Overall, I highly recommend, not only The Magician's Nephew, but the entire Narnia series. I will provide reviews for the other books eventually, but for now, you'll just have to trust that they're amazing.

Violence Level: ** (just action, really. Not violence).

Romance Level: *

Christian Focus: ****

Readability Level: ***(keeps the reader focused, but not confusing).

Story Depth Level: ***

Recommendation: ****

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.



Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C. S. Lewis

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

A sea voyage. A talking mouse. Pools of gold. Kidnapping. Talking stars. Invisible enemies. Sea monsters. Bravery. Magical snow. Who wouldn't want to read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader?

C. S. Lewis--one of the inventors of fantasy writing--always leaves me in awe, even though he's been dead almost 50 years now. His ability to paint on the canvas of imagination leaves the reader with a sense of amazement and completed adventure.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, book 5) continues with the story of two Pevensie children--Lucy and Edmund. They fall through a painting in their nasty cousin's bedroom (his name is Eustace) and find themselves, once again, in the enchanted land of Narnia. Pulled aboard a giant dragon-ship with a single purple sail, they join Prince Caspian (an old friend) on a voyage for seven lost lords. Each traveler's bravery is tested through adventure and their patience is tested by Eustace (who fell through the painting after his cousins). Lastly, but never leastly, they learn more about Aslan, the King of Narnia and protector of His people.

You may find it strange that I begin my Narnia reviews with book 5, but I picked it up for a re-read due to the fact the movie came out almost a week ago. It has always been my favorite book in the series, just because I loved the idea of sailing through seas of lilies, traversing unexplored islands, finding dragon treasure, and meeting kind wizards (perhaps not so specific, but you understand).

I enjoyed re-reading book 5 just as much as every other time I've read it (too many to count) and noticed many little things I never saw before, such as the many appearances of Aslan that are so similar to when we encounter Jesus during difficult times. The characters of Lucy, Edmund, Eustace, and even Caspian develop beautifully, creating a desire in the reader to develop and mature more him/herself.

The parallels between Aslan and Jesus grow even more in this story, especially near the end when He informs the children that in "their world" (aka. our world), He is known by a different name. I was pleased to see this same line in the movie (which was quite enjoyable, by the way--even if it jumbled the book a tad).

There are not many negatives in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, partially because it was written for young children by an older Christian man a good 50 years ago. Morals and standards were a bit stronger back then. ;) Also, due to the different culture, the "A" word is used several times; however, they are used referring to "donkey" or insulting a person on the level of "dunce" or "fool".

The reading is easy, but at times a little slow. This is also partially due to the time period in which it was written. The mystical lands and drawn out chivalry are magical to a reader with patience. I have patience most of the time, but I'll admit I skimmed a tad toward the end of the book when the voyagers finally reach the world's end and travel toward it for several glorious days. The reading turned slow, especially for the modern-day reading-pace.

I definitely recommend this book. It is beautifully written and filled with firm morals, standards, and lessons all children of today (and yesterday, yesteryear, and tomorrow) need to have more firmly implanted into their characters.

Once you're finished with it, you'll be craving the Narnian ship and you'll know the language of a sailor (decent language, that is).

Violence Level: ** (low, but present).

Romance Level: *

Christian Focus: ***

Readability Level: ***

Story Depth Level: ***

Recommendation: ****

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.



Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases spring 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Christmas Reads.

.
I grow increasingly aware of my dwindling time.

So far, I still have 12 books to go in my 25/128 goal and 21 days to read them. According to this status, I need to read at least one book every 2 days. It may sound impossible, but here's the catch:
I will be home for Christmas break in approximately 4 hours. Christmas break = no homework, which inevitably means I can read as often as I wish. :) And I plan to do so with a fire, fuzzy socks, and Christmas cheer.

Right now, I am half-way through John Flanagan's second Ranger's Apprentice book (The Burning Bridge). After this, I will move to the Narnia Chronicles. This decision is inspired by the fact that The Voyage of the Dawn Treader has been released today in theaters.


I admit, I grow a bit rabid at the thought. I love the Narnia Chronicles, I love the first two movies, and I'm beyond thrilled to see what 20th Century Fox does with this one. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was always my favorite book in the series (followed closely by The Silver Chair).

I must warn my readers--even if I manage to read a book every two days (or more) this December, my reviews will not post within that same time frame. This is so you are not bombarded every other day with my loud opinions. I will, however, keep you updated on my progress.

Now I must ask, what pages are you rifling through on your break? Any favorite Christmas reads singing carols from your bookshelf?




Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

The Ranger's Apprentice, book 1: The Ruins of Gorlan, by John Flanagan

.Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.


Skinny, orphaned, bullied, and desperate for a future, Will accepted (rather begrudgingly), the opportunity to apprentice a Ranger. Little did he know, the life of a Ranger is far more adventurous than any mighty knight or soldier. A Ranger can turn practically invisible, move without being heard, shoot arrows with minute (pronounced my newt) precision, and ride horses that only respond to secret passwords.


Who wouldn't want to be a Ranger? (Are girls allowed?)



John Flanagan's series, The Ranger's Apprentice, is growing in popularity with every book he writes (up to 10 in the series, now). The books are on the shorter side (200-300 pages), which make for a quick and enjoyable read.

Book 1, The Ruins of Gorlan, introduces us to Will--the orphan with no last name. Every year, the orphans of the Baron's manor are allowed to request apprenticeship at the age of 15. Will, too scrawny and small, is denied his one dream--battleschool. Instead, the hooded Ranger, Halt, takes him in. Will soon learns he was always meant to be a Ranger, but he never knew this included boar hunting, morning-to-night practice, or patience.

When the evil Lord Morgarath sends the dreaded Kalkara (ape-like bear assassins with waxy scale-like hair) to dominate the kingdom, one murder at a time, the Rangers are called upon to defend the fiefs (estates of land). Will is thrust into the most dangerous battle of the year (and then some!) and is forced to put into action every tiny lesson his grim-faced Ranger Master ever taught him.


My Opinionated Opinion:First off, as opinions go, I must say that I like the Australian book-cover (below) far better than the American one (above):

Do you agree with me? Cooler font, cooler person, and the green just matches the word ranger, doesn't it?

Moving on...
This book is full of adventure--boar hunting, sword training, archery, tracking, climbing towers, the whole enchilada. Flanagan also makes Will very believable using natural emotions--fear, doubt, anger, excitement, curiosity. It's nice to see a character that acts human. The "violence" and danger are kept at an age-appropriate level (ages 9-12) and overall remains clean.

One disappointment is the frequent usage of the "D" word by the Ranger, Halt. This is the only "borderline" word used in the book, but Halt says it at least four times. Depending on how a reader views this word (appropriate vs. inappropriate), it may not be best for a younger reader.
The plot moves a little slowly at first and doesn't seem to have much of a purpose until a good half way through the book. This was a little frustrating for me, but I'm also an older reader looking instantly for the purpose and underlying themes. For a young reader who's just reading for adventure and discovery, I think the pace is fine.
A slightly-inconsequential habit of the author is to change the character's point-of-view (POV) multiple times on the same page. Now, I am a writer (prayerfully an author-to-be), so I notice the little technicalities like POV. To be honest, it nearly drove me crazy, but I forced myself to have a steel will. Again, young readers probably won't notice a difference (thank heavens!).

There are some issues of bullying in the book, which is a natural occurrence at this age, but I was bothered by the message the book sent. It starts with Will being bullied slightly and hating it. Then the boy who bullied him (Horace) enters Battleschool and gets bullied by the older kids. He finally receives a chance to get back at them and he takes it. Not only does he swat, kick, bruise, and punch them, but he is encouraged to do this by the adult Ranger, Halt.
I was sorely disappointed as I read this because, in a day where bullying is reaching the extreme, this book teaches kids that retaliation and revenge is good and deserved. This is far from the truth, as we know.

Lastly, on a positive note, The Ruins of Gorlan has a refreshing feel to it. It is a novel about a boy, written by a male. Many times I see children novels written by females, which tend to make the male-characters a little more emotional, sensitive, and sappy than a real boy would be. Flanagan keeps the boy-characters realistic, but still reveals touching emotion and sensitivity. This is very different, coming from a male-author, and I like it.
Overall, I lightly recommend this book. It is age appropriate, enjoyable, and clean (other than those few "D" words). But if you choose to buy it, I suggest going with the Australian cover. It will brighten the bookshelf rather nicely, I think.

Violence Level: ** (low, but present).

Romance Level: **(No romance until the very end (crush-like). He sees the girl, she kisses him, he realizes he likes her, and voila! A four-sentence romance.)

Christian Focus: *

Readability Level: * (Almost too easy to read, doesn't push the reader.)

Story Depth Level: ***

Recommendation: ***

Read my review on Flanagan's continuation, The Burning Bridge!
For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.