Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J. K. Rowling

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.

Summary:
Intended Age-Group: 8+ (recommended 13+)
Issues of Violence: action violence, torture, murder, mutilation, intense situations.
Intimacy Level: mild attraction, a few kisses on the cheek (harmless)
Swearing: what the h***, d***,

Recommendation: yes, 5 out of 5 stars with reservations (see end of entry)

This book sparked the rebel side in my childhood. I purchased it without permission and started reading it alone in my room before guilt hit me. After the first chapter, I confessed to my mom. She knew my passion for reading and imagination could not be stopped so she said, "That's okay, just let me read it first."

Well, she's a mother of four children and the wife of a missionary. When will she have time? Even my thirteen-year-old-brain knew I wouldn't have Harry Potter 4 in my hands for another year. So I confessed further. "I've already started it and it's not that bad. I'll be really careful and skip over the scary stuff."

With a sigh, Mom said, "Okay," probably to spare me from going against her back again and living with the guilt.

It may be due to this adventurous form of possessing a book, or the fact I read it when sitting under a table with live orchestral music in the background, but Goblet of Fire has always been my favorite Harry Potter book.

Blurb:
The story begins with Harry invited to go to the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasleys where he encounters more than one unexpected surprise. Hogwarts is far from tame this year also as at welcomes the students into a new year with a surprise event taking place involving daring feats and competitions. Harry finds himself whirlwinded into the midst of things with the ever present mystery of someone trying to kill him. Voldemort, of course, wants Harry dead, and as Voldemort seems to grow stronger, Harry's death threats grow nearer.

Characters: *****

Harry and the other fourth-year students at Hogwarts step into the shoes of awkward teen years. The idea of speaking to an attractive girl is as nerve-wracking as leaping off the North Tower. Young crushes are in the air. It's almost endearing seeing the young affection and provides nice examples of overcoming fear and figuring out how to pursue a girl (and for girls, how to stand up to bullying and rudeness and to allow yourself to be beautiful).

.

Dumbledore plays a much higher role in this book and his character is further revealed. We see his fierce reaction to tragedy and his boldness when taking control and being a leader. His wisdom, though from a fictional character, can even be applied to real life (as my husband pointed out). Some of his phrases such as, "Choosing what is right over what is easy" can be very applicable to the life of a Believer (and anyone else for that matter!). But Christ is frequently calling us to turn away from what is easy and to pursue what He calls right.

Bullying is a common event throughout the Harry Potter books, mainly between the Slytherins and Harry. I've always admired the way Hermione sets an example of being above the affect of bullying, ignoring harsh words and focusing on what's important and true. This sets a good example for those who may be suffering from verbal bullying. They can easily relate to Harry's situation and see how important it is to have faithful friends and to focus on the positives in friendship and life.

Spiritual Content: *****
I won't say that J. K. Rowling put Christian themes in her book (though many might argue so), but she has many many good themes, morals, and lessons. What we encounter in life, whether through reading, watching, hearing or witnessing can hold life-applying truth to it. J. K. Rowling has an impressive way of seeing many aspects of life that others can often miss. We are blessed that she chose to write books in where she can share those messages.

Plot: *****

This book is packed with more magic, Quidditch, and bravery tests than any of the others. It has a little of what everyone loves in it, but this is also the Harry Potter book that steps over to the more mature and intense side of life. The end climax (as each Harry Potter book has) is the darkest one of the series so far. It deals with things far beyond what fourteen-year-old Harry should ever have to witness or endure. It consists of torture, murder, mutilation, and spells of Dark Magic.

Moments of the book show how the Death Eaters treated Voldemort when he was in power and they refer to him as "Master" and "Lord".  Words like 'mercy' and 'forgiveness' are thrown around, connected with Voldemort, but it is a clear example of loyalty based in fear, not in love or trust.  Voldemort's character is further revealed through stories and some of Harry's dreams, showing more and more why he was feared and establishing that fear among the readers.

Other:
There is some mild language in this book. What the h*** and d*** are used a couple of times. Some characters are also intoxicated at points--using alcohol to deal with difficult times. This not encouraged in the book. In fact, the character realizes that he is responding poorly and takes measures to sober up.

Overall Recommendation:

I cannot say if this book might negatively impact a child because I was not negatively impacted when I first read it as a child. I was completely immersed in the story as a story. I never had nightmares, I never walked around in dark robes, I never made a wand (all right, my sister and I did have dueling matches with knitting needles on occasion.)

See my post, Magic--a Christian's Point-of-View, for a more thorough understanding of my personal views on magic in fiction. Also, read my movie review to see a comparison of book to movie.

Amazon recommends The Goblet of Fire for readers 8+ and though today's children seem to possess a maturity level higher than I did at that age, I still think the book should be limited to 13+. I recommend this book as a magnificent display of adventure, imagination, and fiction, but only to a higher age-group and with caution understanding that it reaches a much deeper, serious, and dark level of story-telling.

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, released September 2014 from Enclave Publishing. 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.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Movie Review

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.

I find it only appropriate, since my husband and I are reading a book, watching the movie, reading a book, watching the movie, that I post a movie review with my book review. Being less experienced in movie reviews it will be significantly shorter and I'll leave my book review to explain the content of the story.

The Sorcerer's Stone (book review here) is the first movie of the Harry Potter Series and pulls in the main actors at the appropriate age of eleven. Having very little previous acting experience, the children did an excellent job in the first movie. The adult actors exceed their acting requirements by perfecting their roles to the characters in the books. The movie is positively enchanting with the bell-like music and the first on-screen Quidditch match.

As all movies do, it excludes a few features from the book and changes a few others. This is almost always necessary and I think the director and producer kept the important content in tact. The Quidditch and flying scenes are all a bit "old-fashioned" on the production front, mostly because a lot of computer graphics were not available at the making of the first movie. With a pinch of tolerance, I think the viewer can look past the black-lines and jilted movements of the Quidditch players.

In all the Harry Potter movies Ron Weasley (played by Rupert Grint) has a bit of a mouth on him, mainly with British-style in speaking. The severity of it really depends on your tolerance. I don't notice it much because British "swearing" doesn't really faze me since I'm American. Other than that, the language is clean, there's no romantic interest (other than small hints at possible "crushes"), and the violence level is more of an adventure-style.

Almost all the frightening scenes take place in the dark--going into the forbidden forest, fleeing in the hallways from Filch, discovering a screaming book, and the climactic end of "going through the trap door". These are all adventure based, though the most frightening one for younger viewers may be the moment that Harry and the others go into the forest for detention. They are searching for a wounded unicorn and Harry finds a cloaked creature drinking the unicorn's blood. As the creature looks up, blood drips down its face and it advances toward Harry. Harry escapes and is rescued by an unexpected friend.

The evil wizard, Voldemort, is first introduced in this movie, though we don't see much of him seeing as he's supposedly "dead" (or so they say).  It sets the scene for future movies and introduces us to the first vestiges of Harry's never-ending struggle for the defeat of evil. We also meet Dumbledore, a firm image of wisdom and the spokesperson for the power of "love". His character, through the novels and movies, pushes Harry to be greater, to be wiser, to love more, and to pursue what is "right". These are excellent lessons to learn and, though not ever reader will apply them, I found them to greatly impact my young mind when I first picked up the books and watched this movie.

Overall, I think the movie is excellent. From a Christian point of view, I address the issue of magic here. Also, the overall world-view of the movies is certainly not Christian. I don't think it's anti-Christian and I won't step out to slap a label on it. Despite the rumors and arguments regarding magic, witchcraft, and world-view, I think the Harry Potter movies and books are filled with imagination and are brilliantly developed stories. Emerging from my personal tastes, I highly recommend the books and movies to children and adults 10+.

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, released September 2014 from Enclave Publishing. 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.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (book 3), by J. K. Rowling

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.

Summary:
Intended Age-Group: 9+
Issues of Violence: action violence, bullying, threats of murder, frightening scenes.
Intimacy Level: none
Swearing: d**n, usage of the word "hell" in expressions, b*****d
Recommendation: yes, 4 out of 5 stars (see end of entry) 

Read my reviews for:
book 1 Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone)
book 2 (Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets)
book 4 (Goblet of Fire)
book 7 (Deathly Hallows)

Blurb:
For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his slee, "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts."

Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst. 
 

New Factors:

In The Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry and his classmates are introduced to many new lessons, magical items, and creatures. The first is  a new subject: divination (aka. fortune-telling). It's one of my favorite classes to read about because something funny happens almost every time with the quirky professor whom J. K. Rowling makes out to be an obvious old fraud. I enjoy how the text makes light of fortune-telling and "divination" especially because I don't believe fortune-telling is real or accurate (especially through crystal gazing, tea-leaf reading, or dream interpretation). 

Harry is also introduced to creatures called dementors: guards of Azkaban who keep the convicts complacent by sucking the happiness right out of them and forcing them to relive horrible memories. When Harry encounters a dementor we see into the hidden recesses of his memory. We follow his struggle to understand and defeat the weight of his memories.

Plot: *****
The rest of the story converges around the escaped convict, Sirius Black. Harry, believed to be Black's target, pushes through a stressful year of over-protection from teachers, harsh discovery of his past, and daily death predictions. His friends put forth enormous effort to help pull Harry through this dark time and to pursue answers with him. I admire Harry's determination to master his fears in this book. He goes to teachers for help, practices necessary spells, and runs head on into the mayhem instead of fleeing from it.

The readers delve into a new realm of Harry's backstory, particularly revolving around his father and his father's friends (Lupin, Pettigrew, and Black) and enemies (Snape). Their relationships are crucial for understanding and following the rest of the novels. It also leads into a new understanding of Harry's struggle and longing for a connection with his father and a true father-figure. We follow Harry through the turmoil of hope and despair for a better future and real family.

Characters: *****
This book carries a lot of focus around family. Harry is trying to find a father-figure and also has to tackle the acceptance that his parents were murdered. He struggles through the understanding of vengeance, forgiveness, and anger. It's very powerful and touching -- especially when the truth behind everything is revealed.

On a different note, the rule-breaking of the students reaches a new level in this book, especially when Harry goes against what is safe and advised from professors. He puts himself in harm's way for the sake of "not being left out". This is very understandable for thirteen-year-olds and I can see how it is hard for him to stay behind. Consequences inevitably come from his disobedient actions.

Other:
This book has a decent amount of appropriate violence. Most violence is spoken of after the event, for example, the characters talking about an attack or talking about a killing many years ago. The scenes themselves don't enter a lot of violence until the climax at the end where some spells are exchanged, but mostly answers are revealed. A few intense moments where lives are in danger from being soul-sucked or beheaded, nothing graphic is described.

There are frequent mentions of intoxication, particularly from Hagrid. This is a common occurrence through the books until he's knocked back to his senses by some firm words from Dumbledore or Hermione. In this book, when a class he teaches goes badly he indulges in strong spirits. It's not encouraged and he cleans up good with some common sense. :)

Spiritual Content: *****
From a Christian stand-point, I address the issue of "magic" here. No spiritual entities are mentioned.  

Overall Recommendation:
The Prisoner of Azkaban is a very clean and engaging book. It takes the Harry Potter readers to a new level of depth and adventure. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the series (read in order, of course!).

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, released September 2014 from Enclave Publishing. 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.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (book 2), by J. K. Rowling

 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.

Summary:
Intended Age-Group: 9+
Issues of Violence: action violence, monsters, bullying, threats of murder.
Intimacy Level: none
Swearing: d**n, usage of the word "hell" in expressions
Recommendation: yes, 5 out of 5 stars

Read my reviews for:
book 1 (Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone)
book 3 (Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban)
books 4 (Goblet of Fire)
book 7 (Deathly Hallows)

Blurb:

The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone — or something — starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter himself!

Initial Reaction: *****
This has always been my least favorite book of the series, but it's not for lack of content. My dislike is mostly attributed to my personal taste for the book; however, it is filled with a new level of humor  than the first one, partially due to a new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart.

The theme of the book has a few darker touches such as being possessed by Voldemort or hearing voices in the walls that are whispering words of terror ("Let me rip, let me tear, let me kill..."). This book touches Harry's fear that he's crazy when the school think he's dangerous. He deals with a lot of peer pressure and dislike. Ron and Hermione are faithful friends who join him in trying to unravel the mystery.

Characters: *****
Harry, Ron's and Hermione's friendships grow deeper and the history of Hogwarts grows thicker. There aren't many issues in this book. It falls on a similar scale to The Sorcerer's Stone. The reader meets Dobby the house elf who is a magical form of "slave" and depicts many aspects of the world of slavery. Along with addressing this issue, the book delves into Voldemort's desire to rid the world of anyone who's not pureblood (all-magical family, no Muggles). This translates into the matter of racism. Rowling does an excellent job of sharing her views of the evils behind slavery and racism in a clear and clean way that still puts it in a new light (and keeps it appropriate for younger readers). She builds values through a fantasy novel. Beautiful.

Other:
All violence in this movie is action violence and it remains at a very appropriate level. Many scenes enter a "darker" or more "tense" feel, such as being in the lair of gigantic spiders, fighting a huge snake, watching classmates get petrified, etc. "Death" is a common theme. Harry, Ron, and Hermione go to a "death day" party for a ghost, they unravel mysteries behind deaths of students in the past, the voice that Harry hears is always wanting to kill, etc. All this death is for the sole purpose of Voldemort once again trying to come back. It paints a very accurate picture of what he is willing to do to others so he can profit.

Spiritual Content: *****
From a Christian stand-point, I address the issue of "magic" here. Again, as in the first book, no spiritual entities are mentioned.

Overall Recommendation:
I recommend The Chamber of Secrets to the intended age-group and above. Though it's slightly less enjoyable (to me) than the first book, it's crucial to continue the plot and still lands in the "incredible book" bucket.

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.

Cinder, by Marissa Meyers

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.

Summary:
Intended Age-Group: 12+
Issues of Violence: action violence, gun shooting, dagger usage.
Intimacy Level: low and appropriate
Swearing: d*** it.
Recommendation: yes, 5 out of 5 stars 

Holy Ka-la-ma-zoo,

I have another five-star review

This is not common,

No, it's quite rare,

So pick it up if you dare,

But let me warn you, be prepared,

For it will blow your mind. 

The quality of my poem proves that poetry is not my forte (or desire, for that matter). The content of the poetry, however, should speak volumes. 

Blurb:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Book Trailer:

Initial Reaction: *****
Cinder, by Marissa Meyer, started out with multiple strikes against my reading tastes. It's another Cinderella story (overdone), the main character, Cinder, is a cyborg (I didn't even know/care what that was); the story is set in New Bejing, China (I'm just not into Asian culture very much), and it's a spacey technology futuristic science fiction novel. I wasn't interested...until my little sister (with identical reading taste to me) read it in 6 hours and gushed about it until she completely shriveled up.

My time is precious, so I hesitated to pick up "just any book"; therefore, I read practically all 394 Amazon reviews before accepting my sister's copy. Others said, "This isn't usually my type of book, but I loved it!" I'm thrilled to follow suit.

Simply put, Cinder is spectacular. It's in-depth, thought-provoking, believable, hard-core, clean, and as original as a re-done fairytale can get.

Characters: *****

As fairytale-esque as the original Cinderella story is, Marissa Meyer brings Cinder into a strangely realistic light (though set in a stretched fascinating science-fiction future). Cinder's personality reads like a real person plastered on paper. Her reactions are believable and her humor is tactful and very realistic. The animosity with the stepmother and Cinder is very natural, the relationship and interest that grows between Prince Kai and Cinder is believable and doesn't just happen with a single glass-slipper dance, and Cinder is a fully-developed unique character whom I'd love to meet. She's a "go-getter" instead of a reactor. What I loved most was, though her raw torn life slowly broke my heart, she never allowed her heart to break so much that it crippled her; instead, she pushed herself into action again and again, seeking what she knew must be right. She didn't just lay down to be trampled. She also wasn't a completely innocent complacent maid who sang to her pet mice. She was believable because she had sass, purpose, determination, and fear.

Prince Kai was also a delightful character. Though he's a good-looking eighteen-year-old prince, he doesn't automatically have the tact a good ruler needs. It's clear that he's in an odd mixture of having to jump into adulthood while wanting to embrace and enjoy the small joys of young manhood (like crushes, sarcasm, and personal choices). I appreciated the fact that he wasn't instantaneously politically correct. His adviser corrected him quite often and I, as a reader, could see that Prince Kai needed a little correction. I watched him grow as a man and a leader, struggling with responsibility and desire.  Prince Kai had impressive dynamic.

I can't begin to enter how thoroughly all the other characters were developed, but I was never left wanting.

Plot: *****

Cinder stayed true to the general outline of the Cinderella story, but still held a full plot of its own. Cinder's life didn't revolve around the ball or the prince, it had greater meaning: fighting against the plague, pursuing freedom, and being faithful to her country are only a few. I discovered the world of New Bejing--the prejudices, the "norm", the needs, and the hope of the people in good things. Every chapter left me turning a page without so much as a clock-check. It's believable and constantly moving. Not once did I feel a drag or roll my eyes at a boring twist.

Something I greatly appreciated about the author's delivery of this book deals with predictability. A few plot points were predictable, but the writing sent the message that Meyer knew some things were predictable and it was okay that the reader could predict them. She didn't insult my intelligence by expecting me to be "shocked" when facts I suspected were revealed. These predictable plot lines did not drive the story--a rare, but greatly appreciated form of writing.

On the romance front, it's much more realistic than the typical three-days-to-fall-in-love story. The questions Cinder asks herself about relationship are strangely accurate to the doubtful hope that young teenagers address. Prince Kai, of course, is charming and handsome with giggling fan clubs who wonder in squeaky voices about his schedule and whisper about him "being in the nude". It's funny, petty, and strangely accurate to today's obsessions with actors (only often we don't have to "wonder" too much compared to some shamelessness on screen). His interaction with Cinder is endearing and still believable.

Writing Style: *****
Marissa Meyer's writing style was as clean-cut as a handsome prince. It was fresh with new descriptions, while staying clear enough for a smooth flow. Descriptions were woven into the story without large distracting chunks. The use and choice of words took me to deeper understanding in each situation instead of bogging me down with forced "author-voice." So refreshing!

Other:
Overall, it's clean other than a swear word or two that remain on the mild side. "Scary moments" consist of more intense scenes than shoot 'em up, blood and gore moments. The evil queen and her guards from the moon have the ability to control minds to an extent and often threaten people with this power. For example, forcing a woman to poise a dagger at her own eye with the intent of having her gouge it out herself or forcing a character to level a gun at her own head with the intent to force her to shoot herself. All description remains appropriate while still carrying the story, the moment, and the intensity.

Spiritual Content: *****
On the spiritual front, statues of Buddha are seen around the Palace in New Bejing. There is no  mention of the religion behind it or others following it. Cinder doesn't seem to have or follow any sort of religion and there are no spiritual themes (Christian or other) portrayed through the book.

Overall Recommendation:
This book was phenomenal. All I can say is, READ IT.  Or, if you're the audiobook type, click here for a clip provided by Macmillan Audio of the first few pages.

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, released September 2014 from Enclave Publishing. 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.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (book 1), by J. K. Rowling

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.

Summary:
Intended Age-Group: 9-12
Issues of Violence: action violence, monsters, bullying.
Intimacy Level: none
Swearing: d**n, usage of the word "hell" in expressions
Recommendation: yes, 5 out of 5 stars (see end of entry)

I've already posted reviews for the Harry Potter Series in chunks. books 1-3, books 4-6, and book 7, but I've been reading the series to the hubby for his first time and, since I'm going through them again, I wanted to post individual book reviews to be more thorough (find book 2 review here).

Back Cover Blurb:

Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.

Initial Reaction: *****

The Harry Potter series, by J. K. Rowling, is original. There's no other way to say it. The story is so unique and enthralling it's hard not to feel a part of the story as you read. Even better, the content is for all reading age-groups. It's intended for 9-12-year-olds, but would more appropriately be 9-129-year-olds (who love imagination.)

Characters: *****
Harry, the eleven-year-old protagonist, is easy to relate to because he's not fully accepted -- a common trend among teenagers and people in general. He hopes for something greater and finds it in the discovery that he is a wizard. Once he's thrust into the wizarding world as a walking beacon of fame, he encounters trials, rejection, judgment, adventure, and questions he never knew his mind could tackle. He's adamant to pursue what's right, even if that means breaking rules or putting himself in danger.

An issue I've heard mentioned quite a few times about the Harry Potter is that "Harry and his friends are rewarded for breaking rules." I don't agree. Many of their rule-breaking escapades are done with good intent, but when they're caught they often result in detention or point-deductions. When they are rewarded, it's for something greater--saving people's lives, doing the daring that has to be done, that sort of thing. Still, rules are never lifted for these students, no matter how many times they break them for the "greater good". Rules are set in place for a reason, not just to be broken, and I was proud to see the professors standing by them.

Engaging Quality: *****
The wizarding world is alluring, filled with shops of the imagination. Books, magical animals, racing broomsticks, wands, potions, planets, goblins, you name it. We get to discover it along with Harry, gaping in awe at the new candies and magic he sees. We get to meet the students of Hogwarts and pick with him who we like and who we don't. We enter the dangers of discovery, curiosity, and adventure. We learn more about the evil Dark Lord who murdered Harry's parents and made him famous.

Violence: *****

Some scenes in the books are more scary for younger readers. For example, venturing into the Forbidden Forest filled with dangerous beasts and a mysterious creature drinking blood from another animal. It's a disturbing picture, but Dumbledore does a good job explaining that it is not right--it is disturbing. A lesson is always learned. Another instance is when Harry fights against an evil wizard and wounds (like burning) are inflicted. The scenes are intense, but never too dark for the intended age-group.

Writing Quality: *****

The writing style of this book (and the entire series, for that matter) is very easy to follow. So easy, in fact, I've heard people say that J. K. Rowling is "not a good writer." I disagree, because being a good writer greatly hinges on your definition of "writer." The Harry Potter series is filled with an entire new believable and wonderful world, deep characters who build trust, dislike, laughs and questions in the reader, a plot filled with unpredictable twists and surprises, and lessons that are truly applicable to life. J. K. Rowling's descriptions are not elaborate and thick like Tolkien (author of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit). For that, I am truly grateful. Hers is aimed at a younger audience with enough meat to satisfy an older audience. Everyone's reading preference is different, but the quality of writing can't just be judged by book's grammatical make-up.

Overall Recommendation: *****
From a Christian stand-point, I address the issue of "magic" here. No spiritual entities are mentioned. I do not believe these books encourage any sort of true witchcraft, they are merely stories of the imagination. These books sparked my imagination and started the first pushes toward my love of reading and my desire for writing. I recommend the first book to the intended age-group and above. Enter into your imagination and never, ever, let it die.

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, released September 2014 from Enclave Publishing. 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.

Wade Boss: Hybrid Hunter, by Marcus MacGregor

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.

Summary:
Intended Age-Group: Teen+
Issues of Violence: action violence, animal violence
Intimacy Level: mild attraction
Swearing: none
Recommendation: yes, 4 out of 5 stars (see end of entry)

Blurb:
Wade Boss is a man with rare talent, able to train tigers and control bears in a wrestling match. His animal training business is well-known in the Hollywood world of acting. Perhaps this is why he's the first one called when a stray tiger is found in an old lady's garage. When Wade arrives on the scene with a tranquilizer gun, he's met with a new world that makes an escaped tiger look as tame as a puppy.

Hybrid beasts. Escaped, but none of the good guys know from where. Wade Boss, with a heart to help the hurting and a history of being good with animals, finds himself in a bind as an on-call hunter by a secret society.

Initial Reaction: *****
I was skeptically interested in this novel when it arrived on my doorstep--a generously given signed copy from the author, Marcus MacGregor. The cover was such a crazy mixture of futuristic and cowboy I wasn't sure what to think. I didn't love western novels, but Wade Boss: Hybrid Hunter was far from a western. Instead, it carried all the details we love about the western lifestyle: manners, skill with a gun, horseback riding, hunting, fierce bravery, and faithful love, all the while drawing us into current day action.

I was, to my immense surprise and pleasure, drawn in to this novel as if lassoed. It was gradual and took several chapters to fully hook me, but once hooked the book found its way into my purse to be pulled out at sacred spare moments.

Characters: *****
The characters were endearing and believable, though only a few were deep enough to be "main" characters, chiefly Wade Boss. He made very believable choices, especially when thrust into supernatural situations. He falls into "typical Texas gentleman" category, but the author presented this in a new way so it wasn't cliche. 

Plot: *****
As the plot grew, I felt for Boss in more ways than one. It was easy to become frustrated when fate turned him a raw hand. His situations never really had a clear-cut right answer, which made the gamble of his job and safety a hard bet for him to make...and a hard bet to watch. Sometimes, he made choices that were frustrating. I wanted to yell at him to go and communicate a little more, but at the same time I could understand the urgency pushing him onward.

Writing: *****
The writing rests on the winds of 'telling' more than 'showing', which risked pulling me out of the story; however, MacGregor managed to tug me back into Boss's character in the action scenes. Another distraction when reading is the "head-hopping" between characters. Instead of being in Wade Boss's head the whole time, I saw glimpses into almost every side-character and even the fierce animal's minds. On occasion, this was interesting, but often times I wished I was just in one character's eyes.

Likes:
The novel was clean of swear words, free of inappropriate romance, and the violence was contained in a very appropriate manner. At one point, Boss found himself interested in a blonde who was not his current girlfriend and invited her to an evening of "showing her the city". Even though Wade Boss tried to excuse away his guilt and doubts, it was obvious that he teetered on the line of two-timing. I was disappointed in him because of this, but his own thoughts behind the matter and his actions to clean up his own little mess reminded me that he's a human and he really did want to do the right thing. Though the attraction is charming, it had its stretched moments. Boss's devotion and feelings for the lovely blonde seemed a little too instantaneous a couple of times, but love is blinding, right?

Spiritual Content: *****
On the spiritual front, there was no clear message, but Boss and another character prayed over a meal. I liked the small interaction and focus on God, though I hope to see more intentionality behind this in future books.

Other:
The hybrid animals were very convincing. Two animals mixed together came out of the breeding experiment with characteristics from each animal. It was very interesting to see how a hybrid acted around humans--scared or fierce, flee or fight? Which mentality would dominate the hybrid? The snake-mind or the coyote-mind? Either the author did a lot of research or he'd just been around animals a lot, but the character's interaction with beasts, hunting, and animal training all taught me a little about animals that I didn't know. His knowledge saturated the pages and hugely impacted the believability factor.

At first, it was a little hard to believe that, just because Wade Boss was an animal trainer and took out one anomaly on his own, a confidential society would reveal their secrets and rely on him solely for the capture of the escaped anomalies, but after more behind-the-scenes interaction I understood the lack of professionalism in certain areas and it was...refreshing. I liked seeing a "secret society" that didn't have everything squeaky clean, that didn't have the black-coat assassins to call whenever they needed something shut down.

Overall Recommendation:
The book had a fun mixture of modern cowboy and futuristic experimentation. I can honestly say that it was the cleanest, most well-delivered and well-written self-published novel I've read to this day. I love being surprised by good books and I look forward to the continuation of Wade Boss. I recommend it to the intended age-group (teens and up) and highly salute Marcus MacGregor for an excellent debut novel.

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.

October Objectives

Welcome to October, the month of falling leaves, ghosts in trees, pumpkin pies, and hot cider. Spiders go into hibernation, long sleeves come out of boxes, and the colors of the month are orange, red, brown, and pink (for Breast Cancer Awareness Month). Readers nestle up with fuzzy socks, craft-makers stalk Pinterest, and we all dream about saving up our cash for Christmas gifts (but rarely do). 

With the knowledge that readers will be picking up more books due to weather, school, and all-around jovial holidays, I have a list of reviews coming! First will be an independently published debut novel, Wade Boss: Hybrid Hunter, by Marcus MacGregor about a Texas cowboy, hybrid monsters on the loose, and Hollywood glamor. The next reviews will be on the Harry Potter series, by J. K. Rowling. I've already reviewed the books in clumps (books 1-3, 4-6, and 7), but want to have an individual review for each book since they are all so different. Last will be a new novel by Marissa Meyer called, Cinder--a futuristic dystopian twist on Cinderella in Bejing, China.

And that's just October! Gird up your bookmarks, my friends, and let me know if there are other specific books you would like reviewed during these upcoming holidays!



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.

Birthmarked, by Caragh M. O'Brien

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.

Summary:
Intended Age-Group: 12+
Issues of Violence: action violence, passive mentions of gunshot or imprisonment.
Intimacy Level: mild attraction
Swearing: b*****d
Recommendation: 3 out of 5 stars

Blurb:

"You can't take my baby. She's mine."

"You'll have others. You'll get to keep some. I promise."

"Please. Not this one. Not my only. What have I done?"

"You've provided a great service to the Enclave."

In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia's mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia's choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying. 

Initial Reaction: *****

The idea of supporting a higher and healthier life by giving up newborn babies to be raised in an alternate society was fascinating. Gaia's skill and knowledge as a midwife (passed down by her mother) is very believable and educational. I especially love Gaia's concern and care for the babies--both in the womb and after they've been sent inside the wall.

This dystopian America follows the similar trend of a character discovering that the overall power may not be in her best interest.

Characters: *****
Gaia's character wove up and down for me. At the beginning of the book, when warned of imminent danger by a family friend, she clung to extreme ignorance, even with her parents missing and blatant question marks staring her in the face, but I understand that every character goes through a growth process and we can't see Gaia grow without first seeing her weaknesses. 

When life takes a nasty (but predictable) twist, Gaia's strength shows through. She acts out against injustice. She's good at maintaining an active role in passive circumstances, which is refreshing.

The character of Captain Grey was very developed and not as predictable as I'd expected. His internal conflict between Gaia's plight and his own duties was well-delivered. He made diplomatic choices that were affected by his twinging conscience. I enjoyed his growth and, though some of his choices near the end of the book were a leap toward daring and dangerously uncharacteristic, they still remained believable.

Gaia's relationship with her father was especially touching. He wasn't just the typical loving, warm-smile, twinkle-eyes father. Through Gaia's sixteen-year-old-eyes, we learned a lot about his spunk, fire, and awareness. The character of Gaia's mother didn't come out quite as much until later in the book and, though she's supposedly formed much of Gaia's character, she was a little cliche.

Plot: *****
About half way through the novel, the story hit a wall for me. I went from reading every night to snatching short paragraphs over the course of a couple weeks. My interest faded as the story slowed down even further after a stretch of medium-paced plot. This may have been caused by the limited insight into Gaia's feelings. There were moments when I knew exactly what she was feeling as she thought about her parents or wondered about the life of a baby, but when the action starts rolling, it's hard to know what's going through her head. I was often left waiting for a moment of guidance--an "Aha! That's where we're at emotionally," but it didn't come.

Spiritual Content: *****
On the spiritual front, no mention of God or any other deity was present, keeping the book quite neutral. Though I enjoy Christian speculative fiction novels, I like being able to recommend a secular one that's clean. It's good to see the different types of writing.

Other:
The book had mild, decent violence and no sexual issues in it. There is a specifically graphic scene of an old-fashioned "C-Section" of sorts, but I found it more interesting than repellent.  The single swear word I saw in the book (b*st*rd) actually felt very appropriate in the scene it was used.

Overall Recommendation:
Over the course of the 361 pages, my interest declined. The book ended with a pleasant surprise (who doesn't like surprises?), which managed to salvage an inkling of my interest. I may pick up the second book. All in all, definitely a clean read for the intended age-group, but lacking depth for more serious well-versed readers.

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.

Daughter of Light, by Morgan Busse

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.

Summary:

Recommended Age-Group: 15+
Issues of Violence: physical injuries, magic-related violence, assassination, war
Intimacy Level: mild attraction
Swearing: none
Recommendation: yes, 4.5 out of 5 stars! (see end of entry)

Blurb:

Rowen Mar is an orphan adopted into a village where she's not accepted. Her reputation sinks even deeper when a strange mark brands her as a witch and she's cast out of the only home she's known. She travels to the White City--a place she's never been, but the place her adoptive father has spent most of his life..and he's built a reputation. She arrives with hopes to become the varor to the princess--aka ferocious female bodyguard.  

Rowen is haunted by memories of when she accidentally touched a person with her mark, which revealed the evil inside a human's heart. Out of fear, she covers her hand with a glove and attempts to live without anyone knowing she is different, but God made her different for a purpose. War brews in the land and Rowen finds herself drawn to reveal and accept who and what she is, but will that acceptance distance those she loves away from her? Particularly the handsome Captain Lore?

Initial Reaction: *****

I enjoyed the fast pace to Morgan Busse's debut novel, Daughter of Light, which kept the story from dragging. There is a wide variety of characters who are more "out-of-the-box" than some of the recent fantasy I've read--a female scribe, woman bodyguard, and a blackmailed assassin. Those characters are an instant handful of gold.

Plot: *****
Rowen's journey is a great model of an under-qualified person embarking upon God's path of greater things. His calling can be intimidating and seemingly impossible, but it's important for her (and us) to take that tentative step that seems terrifying.

Daughter of Light has a similar feel to Lord of the Rings (only it's easier to read!). For those who enjoy that type of fantasy, this will be right up your alley!

Characters: *****
I had a difficult time relating to the characters, which in turn made me read the story mostly for plot-reasons than character plight. Rowen seemed very soft-hearted through the entire book, even after becoming a bodyguard and swordsman (swordswoman?). I would have liked to see a little more ferocity in her internal character--there were a lot of moments where she had to step up to bravely defend the princess, but I didn't see much confidence or determination grow from those experiences.

There were three point-of-views in this book, but Rowen's seemed to be the main one. I greatly enjoyed the assassin, Caleb's, point-of-view and looked forward to his chapters. The third character, a scribe named Nierne, caught my attention when her city was attacked. I connected with her plight the most--feeling her fear, her dread, her desperation to escape--but after her initial introduction, we only enter her head a couple more times. Not much follow-up comes regarding her city, but the way Daughter of Light ends leaves an opening for a lot more development in Nierne's besieged city. After all, we can't expect all the answers in one book. ;)

Spiritual Elements: *****

Just as the book is focused on adventure and quest for one's king/queen and country, it is focused on God's (called the Word) interaction with those He loves and pursues. This is done in a way that doesn't slap the reader across the face with Christian theology or over-the-top Christian fantasy. It touches on the Word's ability to heal and forgive.

The story also enters into the human struggle with faith, instead of thrusting every character into a "believe" moment and be a perfect apostle afterward. Characters pray out of desperation, admitting they have no faith that God will come through. A scribe who's spent her entire life copying and studying the Word's law doesn't understand His choice to allow good people to die and grows angry with Him. These moments just confirm God's faithfulness even when we doubt or don't understand.

Other:

Many scenes of battle have short graphic images--a dagger to the throat, bones splintering through a person's skin, screams of anguish. These bring the reader into the scenes, but Morgan Busse does an excellent job of giving just enough information to understand and feel what is going on without leaving a bad taste in the reader's mouth. 

Rowen is a very innocent and genuine person. When her mark leads her to see into the darkness of someone's soul, she is haunted by what she sees. Much of this includes the thoughts, desires, and memories of lust. Rowen is disgusted when she sees into the heart of a rapist. The book does not go into detail, but it informs the reader enough to know what she's seeing.

I really had to stay on my toes to keep the characters and locations straight. I have difficulty with names in general so this may not apply to all readers, but I mixed up the names of cities quite often through this book. I thought I'd also have a hard time with the characters, but the author does an excellent job reminding the reader in subtle ways who each character is.

Overall Recommendation:

Overall, I recommend this book. It's a great read and the driving idea is very original (my initial reason for stalking the release of this book). Again, I tip my hat to Marcher Lord Press for producing another inspiring book that touches the often forgotten corners of Christian fantasy. Bravo, Morgan Busse!

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, released September 2014 from Enclave Publishing. 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.