Beauty

By Robin McKinley

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: Classic Fairytale Retelling

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in appearance, she can perhaps make up for in courage.

When her father comes home with a tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must travel to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father insists that he will not let her go, but she responds, “Cannot a Beast be tamed?”

Writing

I really enjoyed this fairytale retelling of Beauty and the Beast! Thanks to the reader who recommended this to me! Beauty was written just like a fairytale, but with a more classical feel than that of Starflower. Less adventurous tones and more homey and contemporary.

The beginning was a little difficult to get into, but I was willing to read it because I understood what Beauty loved more than anything: her family. The story really began when Father returned from his trip back to town.

I felt like I needed more foreshadowing in first quarter of the book before Father relayed his trip. His reaction to the Beast was a little unrealistic. I thought he would be more likely to move far, far away in an attempt to get away from the Beast, or simply doubt his own mind and the Beast’s words. After all, what wild beast has a voice like a human? Instead he willingly surrendered himself, and his daughter, to its orders.

As for good prose, the metaphores in the story paint a beautiful picture. Imagine gray stone that “caught the sunlight like a dolphin’s back at dawn” or “shoes as light as leaves.” Many of the metaphores matched Beauty’s character and things she was familliar with. For example, Beauty’s father owns several ships. Many of the metaphores refer to the sea. Likely, Beauty had been on one of her father’s ships and seen dolphins in the water.

The ending could have been rolled out a few more pages. I would have liked to see the wedding between Beauty and the Beast, but it was satisfying otherwise.

Worldview

In my book review last week, I said that A Little Princess uses chiasm, which makes for a beautiful mirroring of events and carries across theme. Beauty uses a similar sort of symbolism to express its theme. At the beginning, it is said that Beauty’s real name is Honour. She has respecability and esteem. People know her and trust her. She is honest. Later the Beast tells Beauty, “A Beast has no honor.”

This is where the best romance takes place. Beauty has something that the Beast does not have. She fills that gap for him. And the Beast is able to provide things that Beauty does not have. Indeed, he provides for everything she needs and wants while she lives in his castle.

True Love Thaws a Beastly Heart

Something else Beauty did well was its definition of love. The Beast stole Beauty from her home for his own purposes. He was willing to do anything to get out of his trapped state as Beast. But overtime, he grew to love her so much that he was willing to risk dying to do what he thought was best for her; to let her see her family. He risked that she might never come back. He risked that his dream would not come true.

Beauty loved the Beast by keeping her word. She lived up to her name, Honour. She returned to him so that he wouldn’t die. It wasn’t his appearance she was motivated by. It was his character.

On God

As far as a diety, God and the Devil were mentioned, but more as distant beings that seemed to have no impact on the events in the story. (After further research, I found a blog post by Robin McKinley, the author, saying that she had converted to Christianity! After hearing what she said about her former life, it made sense how this idea emerged in Beauty, though perhaps subconciously)

Content Label

• Romance: Mention of kissing
• Spiritual: Someone is described as being “as clever as the devil himself,” Phrases like “Merciful God” are said, but it is unclear whether they are swears or prayers.

(As a sidenote, I have not read any of Robin McKinley’s other works and cannot advocate for the content inside of them.)

Final Thoughts on Beauty

Overall, I enjoyed this story. I highly recommend it. Of course, if you know the story of Beauty and the Beast, there’s not much you don’t already know about Beauty. This book is for someone who wants the familliar satisfying tale. Someone who wants to be sure of the happy close, and will never get tired of hearing the same story over and over. If that is you, then this is your book.

A Little Princess

By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: Classical Middle Grade Fiction

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sara Crewe, an exceptionally intelligent and imaginative student at Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies, is devastated when her adored, indulgent father dies. Now penniless and banished to a room in the attic, Sara is demeaned, abused, and forced to work as a servant. How this resourceful girl’s fortunes change again is at the center of A Little Princess, one of the best-loved stories in all of children’s literature.

Writing

Another classic, you guys! I read a lot of classics growing up.

A Little Princess is one of my favorite middle grade books. The story uses a chiasm, making for a beautiful reflection of ideas from beginning to end.

Define ‘Chiasm’

According this article on gotquestions.org, “A chiasm is a literary device in which a sequence of ideas is presented and then repeated in reverse order. The result is a “mirror” effect as the ideas are “reflected” back in a passage.”

*****

I will show you the chiasm in two quotes, one from the beginning of the book, and one from the end. Both concern our protagonist, Sara Crewe.

At the beginning, the headmistress, Miss Minchin, stares at all Sara’s wealth while surveying Sara’s room and says, “She has been provided for as if she were a little princess.”

And at this point, it is perfectly true. Sara has everything she could want. She is a princess on the outside.

Then her father dies, and Sara, now penniless, must work as a servant in Miss Minchin’s school.

(Spoiler Alert!)

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At the end of the book, Sara gains back all she has lost and becomes a rich princess again. Both at the beginning, and at the end, she has physical wealth. That is the chiasm. But there’s a deeper chiasm. At the end, Sara is a princess in a different way. Miss Amelia scolds her sister Miss Minchin when Sara has left, saying, “She behaved herself like a little princess even when she was a beggar.”

You see, Sara is no longer only a princess on the outside; she is a princess on the inside.

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(Welcome back!)

Let’s dig deeper into the theme in our next section.

Worldview

Our quote for this section is by Sara, speaking to her friend Ermengarde who dislikes reading and has difficulty learning.

Things happen to people by accident…A lot of nice accidents have happened to me. It just happened that I always liked lessons and books, and could remember things when I learned them. It just happened that I was born with a father who was beautiful and nice and clever, and could give me everything I liked.

Perhaps I have not really a good temper at all, but if you have everything you want and everyone is kind to you, how can you help but be good tempered? I don’t know how I shall ever find out whether I am really a nice child or a horrid one.

Perhaps I’m a hideous child, and no one will ever know, just because I never have any trials.

Events by Accident?

Let’s start at the top. Sara believes that who a person is and what they will become is entirely by accident. This is an interesting peek into Frances Hodgeson Burnett’s worldview. Because there is no God to explain the good things that happen to Sara, forces like Nature or Magic give Sara a generous heart and send her food when she is starving. The author mentions Heaven as a place for good people after they die, but never mentions God.

The problem is, events don’t happen by accident. God created all of us for a reason and put us into our exact places at the right time. It couldn’t have been a coincidence! Interestingly, Sara alludes to something like this later, when speaking to a friend of hers. (Emphasis added)

You see, now that trials have come, they have shown that I am not a nice child. I was afraid they would. Perhaps that is what they were sent for.

Perhaps it was. Just like Frances Hodgeson Burnett intentionally put trials into Sara’s story so that she would change into a true princess, God intentionally guides our stories to mold us into true princes and princesses of his kingdom.

Content Labels

• Mention of King Henry having 6 wives.
• Mention of a princess whose head was put on a pike.
• The headmistress, Miss Minchin, is cruel to Sara

A Little Princess

The more I read classics, I am convinced that the amount of time authors thought about their book’s themes far exceeded the time authors spend on theme today.

Frances Hodgeson Burnett was partially right. She delivered the powerful theme that even through trials, those who endure will be refined into better people than before. She missed out that God is the one who guides us and places those trials in our lives so that we will run towards him.

PAPERBACK: $11

PUBLISHED: 1905

Amazon Link

Fifth Fjord

By Isabel Marie

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: Dark Academia Fantasy

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐☆ (3.5)

“The dragons are waiting. Go and get one.”

In Norchar, dragon mages are the elite. They are the ones who bond with dragons and hone powers untouchable to any normal man. But to become a mage, one must sacrifice everything.

Enter the school where only the strongest survive.

At the deadly academy for dragon mages known as the Fifth Fjord, eighteen-year-old Fiora Volar is sent to spy, lie, and die. With her brother’s life hanging in a balance, Fiora enters the place where her enemies are forged- even though she knows the dragons will kill her. Just as they killed her parents.

And that won’t be the only danger.

One wrong move, and she could be executed, start a war, cost her brother’s life, and doom her soul. And still, the hardest battle may not be for her life, not for her mind– but for her own heart.

Writing

Every line in Fifth Fjord is like being in Sight & Sound Theater. The author’s vivid and sharp style impressed me. Because it’s written in first person present, it immersed me in the scene. I was hooked instantly.

I read an ebook version of Fifth Fjord, so it was difficult to flip back and forth from the chapter to the map. But the worldbuilding was so developed and relevant that I didn’t need the map. It affected the plot and characters. From the Norns to the dragons to Fifth Fjord itself and the Tournaments, every twist and turn literally kept Fiora on her feet.

Sometimes in princess movies, the script claims that the “evil step-mother” is so cruel. Sure, she makes the princess do all the chores, or she shuts her at the top of a tower, but her “evils” are more annoying or spiteful than wicked. Her opposition isn’t relevant enough. And so we never actually hate them.

Aunt Sigrid in Fifth Fjord is relevant and wicked. We actually hate her because she directly opposes what Fiora wants most, which is to keep her brother alive. And she uses Fiora’s deepest desire to get what she wants. Not every book needs a manipulative villain, but I think the best villains are like Aunt Sigrid.

There are so many other positive things I could mention. The author has amazing writing!

(Spoilers ahead!)

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I would have liked a more resolved ending. Fiora’s character arc came to a partial resolution, and we learned the fate of Fiora’s brother which is directly related to her core desire. I don’t think the beginning of book 2 will have the same driving force as Fifth Fjord, because Fiora’s purpose will be gone. It was a little disappointing. Either way, I highly doubt that Frode is gone, and I guess he will appear again in the second book. I am excited to read it!

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(Welcome back everyone!)

Worldview

Isabel wove each theme into Fifth Fjord very well. A few themes I agreed with, and a few I disagreed with. As usual, I’m going to list a few quotes from the book, share the context, and my thoughts on them. There are two main themes I see in Fifth Fjord: courage, and healing through love.

On Courage

Courage only comes when we realize how strong we are, and that can only come if we’re strong enough to perform despite the fear.

Fearless means what the two words mean separately– that you’re going to fear… less. It’s not a word that means without fear. It’s one that means courage despite it.

The first quote is a thought of Fiora’s while she is trying to escape murderous dragons, and the second is something Fiora’s dragon says to her when she’s about to face her bully.

First of all, I appreciated that the author explored the theme of courage in this book. I see the theme of courage in kids books, but I haven’t seen it in a lot of YA.

I think Fiora has the right idea. Courage is doing what is right despite being afraid. What Fiora doesn’t always understand is that the key to courage is doing what is right. Sometimes she wants courage to spite her enemies, but by the end, she is courageous for the right things. I see some character growth in Fiora for the second and third books as far as where her courage comes from. I am curious to see how the author will finish out Fiora’s character arc. 

On Love

I would not explore the intimacy of love– if I was ever worthy…

You are the wound and I am the healer.

The first quote is a thought of Fiora’s after Aunt Sigrid tells her she must go to Fifth Fjord, when she is mourning the broken childhood that she is about to leave for a worse adulthood. The second is something a love interest says to Fiora after confessing that he loves her.

(Slight Spoilers Ahead!)

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Fiora thinks she is unworthy of love, but through her time in Fifth Fjord, she learns that her worthiness does not depend on herself or her past. Atlas, the love interest, acts as a Jesus-figure, although he, too, is broken and human.

I think the fact that Atlas despised Fiora at one point marred the theme of healing through love. Human love cannot heal a wound. It can understand it, as Atlas understands Fiora’s hurt. But only heavenly love can heal a wound. You can read my article about Biblical love and how it relates to fiction here. (For those who have read the article, I think that Atlas does sacrifice for the good of Fiora, and so he does truly love her… somewhat. However a huge portion of his ‘love’ is more of a feeling of connection, which, while it’s not necessarily wrong, it’s also not necessarily love.)

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(Welcome back everyone!)

As I said before, I am curious to see where the author takes these themes in the next book.

To Watch For

• Violence: Characters die in various ways throughout the book, including by falling, stabbing, and being decapitated by a dragon’s teeth. Characters beat the main character up, mentions of dead bodies.
• Swearing: A character gives someone the middle finger. A few made-up swear words.
• Sexual Content: A girl looks herself in the mirror while trying on a dress and notes her slender figure. The dress is described as “dipping down her chest and back enticingly, almost falling off her narrow shoulders.” There are several instances of kissing. A boy and a girl converse in a room alone while the girl is covered by only a blanket and undergarments. 
• Substance Use: Characters drink and deal with the side effects of drinking.

To summarize, Isabel’s writing is exceptional. Some of the themes need more time to grow in the next couple books before I can evaluate them completely. Overall, it’s a great debut novel!

Stand up for what’s right, even when you’re afraid. Love with heavenly love, because true love can heal wounds. And check out Fifth Fjord by Isabel Marie!

PAPERBACK: $16

PUBLISHED: 2025

Amazon Link

Follow Isabel Marie on Instagram

By Carol Ryrie Brink

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: Middle Grade Historical Fiction

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Don’t be afraid to grow up.

Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She’d rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brother’s dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors—neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don’t understand her at all.

Based on the true story of author Carol Brink’s grandmother, this exciting collection of tales explores themes of coming of age, maturity, and kindness.

There were many things I enjoyed about this story, but they all tie down to one person: Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie has a very distinct personality. I can imagine her telling Carol these stories, with just the same personality as when she was in the situation. She’s not the cliched ‘tomboy.’ She has a rounded out personality that matches what she desires most: to remain young, because she’s afraid growing up will restrict her from doing things she enjoys.

Her personality made the whole book. It connected the plot and the theme, as good characters should. I loved seeing how far Caddie had come at the end. Caddie grew in responsibility, kindness, and maturity. She became a young lady. She grew up.

Content Note

Racism and racial slurs are directed towards Native Americans by people around Caddie. This book is fairly clean.

Caddie Woodlawn’s Family

My mom read Caddie Woodlawn aloud to us when I was a middle grader. I really enjoyed the book then, and when I reread it to write this review, nothing had changed.

Carol writes her grandmother’s story so that it feels like it could have been my family. She has a lot of siblings. She tries to keep up with her brothers. While I don’t have an older brother, my younger brother and I got into a lot of fun trouble together. Caddie’s little sister was a little bit like my sister. I love the scene where Caddie and Hetty are sitting on the hill beside each other, staring out into the world together.

I highly recommend Caddie Woodlawn as a read aloud for your family!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

PAPERBACK: $8

PUBLISHED: 1935

Amazon Link

Darkened

By Crystal Grant

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: Christian Fantasy Romance

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5)

They call him the Dark Steward. But what side will he fight for?

Mason Grey has left his days of darkness behind and now stands against the same army he used to belong to. But as he ventures down this new path of light, he struggles to find a place among the Steward Knights he once swore to destroy. And when he cannot even hold the Beacon–the source of the Stewards’ power–without pain, he wonders if he’s been forgiven by the Lambient at all.

Though Seria Gayle has settled into her new life as a servant at Daymont Castle, her heart and mind often turn to the man she left behind at the Gateway. In her attempt to leave the past behind, she resolves to make amends for her choices and accept the consequences. But when the king of Paladin falls ill, her healing skills are again called into service, setting her on a path that will change her life forever.

When Mason is captured and held hostage by Emperor Jader, who refuses to release him from his vows, he faces the most difficult challenge of his life. As war looms ever closer, the Dark Steward must stand firm against the agonizing allure of darkness or surrender to its pull.

Darkened Book Review

Darkened is by far the best book of the Gateway Trilogy.

I loved the continuation of Seria and Mason’s character arcs as they learned to live rightly in the kingdom. The women in this story were unique. They were a picture of women who were not afraid to come to the aid of the men in battle, yet also gentle and kind, strong in character. The knights, likewise, were manly and valiant.  I loved the picture of Mason and Seria, man and woman together fighting the villain to save the people. The comparison and contrast between them is beautiful.

As far as the romance, I think Grant handled it well in Darkened. When Mason and Seria came together again, they acted in a more mature way around each other.

(Spoilers ahead!)

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The climax was incredible. It displayed true love.

I didn’t like the bittersweet part of the ending. I didn’t want Mason to be blind, especially since he didn’t receive his blindness as a result of his wrongdoing, but as a result of his true love for Seria. Maybe that’s just me.

It is true that sometimes when we choose rightly, we suffer. Paul says, “It is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” As Christians, we can look forward to a time when there will be no more suffering.

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(Welcome back everyone!)

Despite that, the ending left me with hope and joy. As Prince Eric reminds us, “As long as Shreil exists, there will always be darkness. Evil men will crave power, and the fight for good over evil will go on. But Lambient is constant, and His truth will last forever.”

Content Labels

• Romance: kissing
• Sorcery: Those on the evil side commit their lives to Shreil, the equivalent of the devil.
• Alcohol Use: Some knights are found drunk, and are punished accordingly.

I highly recommend this series, especially the last book! (Though you should read them in order) Thanks for sticking with me this far!

What the Lambient has lit, no darkness can overcome.

~The Sacred Code, Darkened by Crystal Grant

PAPERBACK: $19

PUBLISHED: 2025

Amazon Link

Visit Crystal Grant’s Website!

A Study of Shattered Spells

By Josiah DeGraaf

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: New Adult Epic Fantasy

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Only Teachers Know What Really Happens at a Magic School…

Chintor Academy is celebrated as the place where the best music mages are forged. But beneath the surface, bullies rule with cruelty, teachers scheme against each other, and the student destined to save their nation is far from ready.

Kalina didn’t know what she was getting into when she agreed to teach at Chintor. Now, as a first-year teacher, she’s tasked with finishing the training of this prophesied violinist. Their nation’s sworn enemies are nearing victory, and she has mere months to prepare him before their country collapses.

When Kalina uncovers the abuse of a vulnerable student, she’s thrust into a dangerous dilemma. Exposing the school’s underbelly means she’ll be fired and unable to prepare their hero. Keeping quiet means her students will suffer.

The fate of the nation—and her soul—hangs in the balance.

Writing

I almost didn’t get this book. I’m so glad I did. A year ago, I joined Josiah DeGraff’s email list and was amazed at his ability to tell a good tale in his short story collection, Visions of Grandeur (you can read it for free by signing up for his email list).

I have only good things to say about this book. I’ll list all of them here.

Aside from a few authors, DeGraff has one of the most distinct styles I’ve seen in a debut novel. He’s still getting the hang of it, but if you’ve ever heard him talk, it sounds like him!

The entire book was epic, and the final page, worth it. DeGraff used several plot twists, his incredible magic system, and high-stakes factors to keep us on the edge of our seats. Most of this tension had to do with the other teachers in the school and with the very student Kalina was supposed to be training.

I loved Kalina’s character throughout the book. She grew in womanly strength, able to stand up for what was right in situations even when it might cost her, and humble enough to apologize for her mistakes. Not the feminist “strength” we see in the world today, but the more difficult-to-achieve character strength.

Worldview

DeGraff’s Christian worldview comes out in A Study of Shattered Spells in a non-preachy way. He handled tough issues while still upholding goodness. Even in the midst of Kalina’s struggles, there was hope, and that hope shone until the end. All the sensitive topics DeGraff included weren’t just for shock factor. They served their purpose to show us that even in situations of war, abuse, and complicated friendships, we can trust in the happy ending. There is hope. It’s the Christian who truly knows that.

Content to Watch For

• Violence: A character has abusive parents. His mother is mentioned as having beat him before, and his father is manipulative and unloving. This character is also extremely manipulative.
• Swearing: A made-up swear word, but no real ones.
• Sexual Content: Mentions of kissing; “making out,” “licking the inside of [someone’s] throat.” Mentions of students sleeping with other students, sexual abuse. The main character mentions several times that her sister was raped. None of these are described in detail, but they are mentioned throughout the book. Most of them are instances in the past that someone brings up in present dialogue or thought.
• Racism: Students are racist towards one student who is of a different nationality. They write mean notes, bully, and threaten him.

Please keep in mind that this is a new adult fiction, not YA. The book has more mature topics than in other books I recommend. You can read DeGraff’s content note on A Study of Shattered Spells here. Because of the hope DeGraff leaves us with at the end, I highly recommend it, even if you wait a few years to read it! The ending is joyful, while anticipating the arrival of the second book in the Chintor Legacy series in 2027!

Thank you, Mr. Josiah, for implementing everything you teach in the Young Writer’s Workshop, including the happy ending, handling sensitive topics sensitively, creating strong characters, weaving themes without being preachy, and so, so much more! Another 5 star review for the readers!

Visit Josiah DeGraff’s Website

PAPERBACK: $17

PUBLISHED: 2025

Amazon Link

By Crystal Grant

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: Christian Fantasy Romance

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The coveted Shadowstone is finally his. But what will it cost him?

Empowered by his new role as Shadowman, Mason Grey has strengthened his resolve against the Steward Army and the prince he has sworn to kill. But his heart is torn between justice for his brother and desire for the girl who stands with his enemy. Determined to bridge the gap, he risks everything he’s worked for to try to win her over to his side.

Convinced there is still good in him, Seria Gayle makes up her mind to point Mason to the truth, even if it means betraying the Stewards she has befriended. When the dark Emperor Jader turns his sights on the Gateway between his realm and theirs, Seria makes a bold decision that takes her far from home and into enemy territory. But standing between light and darkness comes with a price, and she fears the cost for Mason’s salvation may be too high to pay.

As tensions heat up on both sides of the Gateway, Mason is given a challenging assignment that will strengthen his master’s army for years to come-but it could mean losing Seria forever. To make matters worse, his abilities as a Reader begin spiraling out of control. Will this mission of vengeance bring him the closure he needs…or destroy him from the inside out?

Writing

I said much in my review of Shadowcast that also applies to Lightshed, though my thoughts are milder in Lightshed.

The beginning of Lightshed was an improvement from Shadowcast. In Shadowcast, the beginning was slow and it was difficult to connect to the main character. Since we already knew the characters in Lightshed, the story started faster and better.

That said, like many middle-of-the-trilogy books, Lightshed doesn’t stand out to me as much as the first book. Grant pulled off a few plot twists, but a lot of the story was predictable. Regardless, a huge amount of character growth takes place in the book which is essential to the movement of plot. Seria went from a girl who searched for connection and stability in Mason to looking to Lambient. And Mason? Well, I won’t spoil the story.

The ending was beautiful. It was the right thing, but also the worst thing to happen. The author found a way to make it somewhat hopeful and satisfying. If you’re going to stop somewhere in the trilogy, I’d stop at the second book.

Worldview

As before, many things I say here have already been said in full in my last review. I resonated with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and good-versus-evil.

Similarly to Shadowcast, I would have liked to feel more of a “No, don’t do that!” gut sensation towards Seria at the beginning. There is a lot of kissing in the first scenes, and they could have been improved if the author had guided our emotions better. Overall, the theme was better handled.

Warnings

• Violence: A man is stabbed. A boy is shot. Children are taken by force from their parents. 
• Sexual Content: There is a lot of kissing during the beginning scenes. After the first quarter of the book it gets better.

Well, I suppose I don’t have a whole lot to say about Lightshed except that the theme was better guided than Shadowcast. I would have liked to see more exceptional elements, but for her second book, Grant did a great job. I look forward to reading Darkened, the third book in the Gateway Trilogy!

PAPERBACK PRICE: $19

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2024

Amazon Link

The Secular-Christian Romance

Once upon a time there was a maid named Sally. Sally lived a (mostly) happy life dreaming of her future prince that she hoped to one day marry. Every day as Sally patched her garments, she longed to find someone who truly cared about her. But it was vain hope. She was too poor.

A few miles away in a castle lived a wealthy prince. Joe’s problem wasn’t loneliness. Young maidens flocked to him, daring him to love them. But none of them seemed to be the right match for him.

Until he met Sally. At first it was just a feeling, but once Joe drew up the courage to tell her he loved her, they began to meet regularly. Every time they met, Joe was more reassured that he’d found the right girl. She was, after all, the most beautiful girl on the block. And for the first time in her life, Sally didn’t feel lonely. She knew she had true connection in Joe.

Of course, they put up boundaries. They took extra measures to be sure that they followed in the path of a clean romance. Sally knew Joe was her husband-to-be. It was a perfect match…

The Rise of the Secular-Christian Romance

Have you ever read a book like the story of Joe and Sally? A story where a boy and a girl both have a hole in their heart, and when they get together, that hole is filled?

This kind of story bugs me. Why? After all, the story of Joe and Sally is a very clean story. It was even written by a Christian author–me. There’s nothing technically wrong with this story. But there’s something deeper that I question about the Christian market.

Writers are putting secular romances in Christian books. And Christian readers are tolerating these secular-Christian romances, often without realizing it. Because masked under a “clean” romance in the Christian fiction aisle is an over recurring theme that is present in almost every secular romance. It’s this: Human ‘love’ (usually from a love-interest) solves all your problems.

Why did I put ‘love’ in quotes? The root of the problem of secular-Christian romance is the author’s definition of love.

In this article, I’m going to dive into the Biblical definition of love. After that, I’ll explain the cultural definition of love and why using the word “clean” to describe fiction is not what Christians should be looking for. Last, I’ll recommend two books for you to add to your TBR list. Because I mostly read fantasy and romantasy, I’ll be drawing from books in these genres as well as the Bible.

What is Biblical Love?

Let’s begin with what the Bible has to say about love. To know what true love means, we first must look at Jesus. As John says in 1 John 4:

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love….In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God loved us enough to send his Son to trade places with us. He took on our sin and punishment. He suffered the worst physical death and the worst spiritual torment. John says elsewhere:

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

My dad, who stole this from someone famous, likes to define true love as this: “Self-sacrifice for the good of another.”

Just like Jesus sacrificed for mankind’s good to the point of death, we ought to follow in his footsteps. John continues in 1 John 4:

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

We may not die for someone else. But we still ought to sacrifice. We do the dishes for Mom. Even when we don’t feel like it, we play with our younger siblings. We confront a friend about a sin, risking the loss of a friendship. And we do it willingly, as unto the Lord, without expecting to be repaid.

The Secular Romance

Culture defines love as a feeling. An emotional stir when you see someone you like. Joe’s feeling of fulfillment when he met with Sally. Sally’s feeling of connection with Joe. I’m not saying Joe’s fulfillment and Sally’s connection are necessarily wrong, but they’re not necessarily love.

The word ‘love’ barely means anything anymore. I love chocolate. I love my family. What’s the difference between my love of chocolate and my love towards my family?

The problem with the secular theme “human ‘love’ solves all your problems” is that it’s a lie.

Human love does not solve all your problems. Human love fails. Crushes don’t last. Your feelings for the guy or girl you think is a perfect match for you now will fade, and even if they don’t and you get married and live a happy life for decades, one of you will die eventually.

But God’s love never fails. It is neverending. And the sacrificial love for the good of a fellow human that spreads from God’s love is everlasting too.

Stop Equating “Clean” with “God-honoring”

Joe and Sally sure had a clean romance. But did they have a God-honoring romance?

Christians should stop judging books by whether they’re “clean” or not, and start judging them by whether they’re “God-honoring” or not. What’s the difference?

“Clean” means there’s no explicit content, no fade-to-black, and maybe even no kissing, depending on what the reader is comfortable with. On the other hand, a person in a God-honoring romance is willing to self-sacrifice for the good of the other person.

How do we test a book to see if it matches our definition of true love? By asking how the author guides our feelings throughout the book. Let me give an example. In fact, let’s use Joe and Sally.

Let’s say that Joe kisses Sally. Is Joe kissing Sally because he believes he is sacrificing something of himself that will be good for her? Or is he kissing her for his own feelings of connection, pleasure, and fulfillment?

If he’s kissing for selfish intentions, is the author having us root for that? Why? Why does the author want us to root for something that’s not true love? Or maybe the author is showing the two characters kiss, but he’s guiding our emotions to desperately want the characters to stop and chose the right thing.

It is possible that he is truly sacrificing for her good. In the fairytale fantasy Starflower, the main character kisses a girl to bring her back from an enchanted sleep. The author did not direct the main character’s thoughts to himself and his feelings of connection, pleasure, or fulfillment. Instead, she dwelt on the yearning of the main character to resurrect the girl to life again.

Author-guided emotions are the difference between a kiss scene that is God-honoring or not.

What To Read Instead?

Does that mean we should stop reading secular-Christian romance books? Maybe. Maybe not. That’s your own prayerful decision. But you ought to think about the themes of the books you’re reading. Ask yourself: Is this book encouraging me towards Christ, specifically in the area of love?

Finding truly Christian books can be difficult, especially romance. In the years that I have been reading teen fiction, I have only found a few. Regardless, I’d love to share two of them here.

• By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson (Amazon link)

This is certainly not what I’d call a “clean” or “safe” story. (Read this article written by a friend of mine about why “dangerous” stories can actually be good) But Jill Williamson certainly handles topics of love, romance, and even sexual sins in a God-honoring way. Content labels include kissing, sorcery, and alcohol use. In later books, a character nearly commits adultery, but thankfully does not. This was the first book I read where the author had us screaming when the characters made wrong choices and cheering when they made right ones.

• Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

This is the book I mentioned earlier where the main character kisses the girl in an enchanted sleep. The author does an amazing job of portraying the theme of love in a Biblical way. I have not read any of her other works, but this book is worth reading. You can read my book review on Starflower here.

Have you read teen books that portray themes of romance and love in a Biblical way? Please, please tell me about them! I am always looking for new good books to read, and I almost always write reviews on them so others can know about them, too. You can contact me here.

Thanks for reading this article on the secular-Christian romance! Have a blessed day!

By Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: Fantasy fairytale

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Black Dogs are on the hunt, but who is their prey?

When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps fairest Lady Gleamdren, the bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission…and a race against his rival for Gleamdren’s favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.

But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren’s rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?

Writing

I have never read a book quite like Starflower! I came across Starflower while looking up books to read in the fantasy genre. Usually, I don’t try out new authors unless recommended to me by a friend, but I decided to give Stengl a chance.

So many things about this story blew me away! At the root of them all was the ability to tell a good fairytale, down to the last sentence. The prose was smooth as the petals of a starflower (See what I did there?). There are few authors whose styles imbue their entire work, and Stengl is one of them.

Of course, we can’t go any further without discussing the most important part of a fairytale: the fairy.

On Faeren…

It’s as though the fairies in this story were born from a drop of fresh dew off a leaf. It’s not the cliched Lord of the Rings prototype with wings. They’re a mix between fairies and elves, and yet they have a special ability, which I’m afraid I cannot describe in detail. This…special ability makes the story quite exciting. Stengl thought a lot about her race of faeren before writing this book, and it paid off!

On Balance…

Stengl balanced light and dark in a way that kept that fairytale-feel to the story while at the same time dealt with heavier issues. For a fairytale, some snippets in this book are a little darker. She has scenes of oppression and mentions of child sacrifice, but she balanced it out with her unique characters and fairytale style. Eanrin’s personality especially kept the story lighthearted. Which brings me to my next section:

On Characters…

I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen characters more distinctive. (The only one who may come close is middle grade author Millie Florence with her book Honey Butter) Lady Gleamdren is quite witty and flirtatious. Eanrin is sly and flatterous. Glomar is grumpy. They’re all so fairy-like, yet so different.

We’ve discussed the fairytale style of Stengl which fills her whole work. Now let’s move on to the theme, because Stengl does some fascinating things that I think are worth noting.

Worldview

This is a Christian book, and it reflects a Christian worldview. Indeed, it is somewhat of an allegory. The main theme of the book is love. As I did with my review on Eragon, I’m going to share a couple of really good quotes from the book that I felt like pulled out the theme. But first, I’d like to mention how the character and the theme were so well connected.

You Must Have Love

Stengl explored all sides to the theme you must have Love, or you are no better than your enemy.

At the beginning of the story, Eanrin loves himself. He says, “But my heart must always dictate my tongue and my heart said–.” Of course, this is a funny and in-character line for Eanrin, but it reveals what he truly cares about. Similarly, Lady Gleamdren also seems to love herself.

According to the queen, Glomar “does not love at all,” and Starflower loves her sister. And lastly, the Hri Sora and the Beast are representations of hate.

I found it interesting how Stengl used these components to change Eanrin and Starflower’s perspectives throughout the story. Eanrin goes from trusting his own heart for his words and actions to trusting God (The One Who Names Them). Starflower, trying in her own power to protect her sister, learns to trust The One Who Names Them’s plans for her.

At the end of the story, we see the contrast between Eanrin, who has changed to love The One Who Names Them, and Lady Gleamdren, who continues to only love herself. We also see contrast between Starflower and Hri Sora, who both had similar childhood circumstances, but one moved toward love and the other, hate.

I believe the first quote I chose from the book describes the theme in a single sentence:

Love Your Enemies

“Without love, you are no better than the Beast itself.”

After reading the whole story and seeing how evil the Beast was, this one really got me. I was reminded of a verse in 1 Corinthians 13:

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but have not love I am nothing.”

Another passage that Jesus spoke in Matthew 5 also came to mind:

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?”

This brings up my second quote and my second point:

Only True Love

“Only one who truly loves will at last break through [Hri Sora’s] defenses and bring my cousin safely home.”

Since this is a study of theme, I will have to label this section as

SPOILER ALERT!!!

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You see, something else I appreciated is that Stengl didn’t stick with a worldly definition of love. Not even a little bit. While there was romance in this book, she made it very clear by the middle of the story that “true love solves all your problems” was not going to be the message of her book.

The quote above is something that the queen of the faeries says when Eanrin and his rival Glomar (see the blurb at the top of this review) set out to rescue Lady Gleamdren. Ironically, neither man is able to rescue her, because neither man “truly loves.” Eanrin loves himself, and Glomar doesn’t love at all.

It is Starflower who rescues Lady Gleamdren, because she has true love. Not a fluttery feeling. Not an inner lust. She sees past Gleamdren’s selfishness and Hri Sora’s hate to the fact the The One Who Names Them did indeed name them. Both were created by Him, and that in itself is reason to love.

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SPOILERS OVER! WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE!

To sum it all up, Stengl handled the theme of love in a Biblical way and did not for an instant compromise or mix it with the threads of romance. She did both romance and theme very well.

To Watch For

• Sexual Content: Eanrin kisses a princess to wake her from an enchanted sleep, though not, it seems, for romantic purposes.
• Violence: Child sacrifice is attempted and mentioned in several scenes. The scenes with Starflower in her hometown are a little dark as Starflower is under a lot of oppression.
• Emotional/Verbal Abuse: One villain in the story has an abusive father. Starflower is emotionally and verbally abused by one of the villains as he continues to threaten her to give up her sister to him.

To sum it up, if you’re looking for a fairytale with threads of romance and fabric of Biblical love, please look into Starflower!

PAPERBACK PRICE: $10

DATE PUBLISHED: 2012

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