Defiance, by C. J. Redwine

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: 13+
Issues of Violence: action violence, torture, murder, burning.
Intimacy Level: moderate attraction: kissing, sleeping together (in a non-sexual way), talk about breasts.
Swearing: very little

Recommendation: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Blurb: 

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Initial Reaction: *****

Even a poorly plotted book can be delivered well with decent writing. Defiance first impressed me with the quality of writing. Descriptions were like oil paintings. Another strong positive came from the premise of the book. I loved digging into the created culture of women with protectors and tracking cuffs on their arms.

Characters: *****
The main girl character, Rachel, was the typical beautiful, headstrong, I-never-cry, sword-wielding daughter who knows how to survive in the wild and kills on instinct. Everyone appreciates the independent woman, but sometimes it's overdone. I, personally, grow tired of the man-woman who's only soft when she's with the man she loves.

The chapters switch point-of-views between Rachel and the love interest (and the man in charge of keeping her safe), Logan. This felt a little jilted in first person. The voices sounded fairly similar, though Logan's chapters had a little more wit and humor. Often times I had to double check who's point of view I was in.

I did like how Logan was an inventor, though. He created weighted weapons, bombs, and shields from the enemy's tech-devices. Very cool.

The basis of Logan's and Rachel's motives becomes a mixture of desperate survival and revenge. Rachel becomes a killer almost out of natural instinct. It's animal-like and...disturbing to me, but eventually she comes to a moment where her bloodlust leaves her filled with guilt and regret. This doesn't quench her driving pursuit of revenge; in fact, it fuels it.

Plot: *****

The book became less and less believable as it progressed with the Cursed One popping out of the ground with every stomp of the foot and a character "tree-leaping" for miles with a broken rib. Unless the people of Defiance inherited some squirrel talent, it's hard to believe anyone can leap from tree to tree through a forest silently, no matter how cool they are.

Other:

There is a moment when Rachel is suspected of being violated. The thoughts of Logan have moments of strong male essence. The first time he sees Rachel in a fancy gown, he grows acutely attentive to the fact she has breasts. Almost a full page is dedicated to his observations and his attempts to avoid looking at her when she bends over. There's really not much filter, though I admit it was rather humorous.

The book has mentions of "swearing" and a few mild words that honestly didn't stick with me enough to remember them for this review (oops.)

Overall Recommendation:

Overall, the book was entertaining, but turned boring for me.  I don't have must interest in reading the second book. The story remained fairly clean and appropriate (as much as a war-torn dystopian premise with a love-hungry couple can be.) It's solely a matter of preference with this book, but I found it disappointing (even though the cover is awesome and the author's name is very cool.) The biggest let down was learning about the Cursed One. When I finally read what it was, I thought, "Really?" and that's where the story started losing its believability.

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 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.