Category: Book Reviews

By Crystal D. Grant

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: Christian fantasy romance

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

COMPARE TO: By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson

He has known nothing but darkness for years. Now it’s time to let it consume him.

After witnessing the brutal death of his brother at the hands of the Steward Knights, Mason Grey turns to vengeance. Using his Gifts to read and control the minds of others, he climbs the ranks of the Dark Army, determined to earn the coveted Shadowstone—a powerful tool against the light-wielding Stewards. But when he is wounded in battle, he finds himself recovering in the home of a chatty peasant girl…without the use of his Gifts. Even worse, the girl mistakes him for one of the Stewards he despises.

Seria Gayle longs to be seen as more than the town washerwoman. When she finds an injured Steward in the woods, she welcomes the chance to use her healing skills and hopes it will earn her some respect. But as she nurses the sullen stranger back to health, she discovers he is nothing like the knights she has long admired.

When Mason’s true identity is revealed, Seria is devastated and humiliated. But she is offered a chance at redemption by the very prince that Mason hates. Now Mason struggles between two choices: accept the Shadowstone to avenge his brother or pursue this newfound light in the form of a peasant girl. With time running out and war looming, will Mason and Seria defy their own convictions for a chance at love or stand against one another like they’ve sworn to do?

Writing

This is one of the best medieval fantasy books I’ve read in a long time! I picked up this book because a good writer friend of mine recommended it to me. I am so excited to share my thoughts today. While I do spend a portion of this review on the negatives, my overall view really was positive!

Grant held me captive in the ropes of her story until the last page. I could not put the book down! She wove three things into Shadowcast in an especially notable way:

On Mason’s arc…

Mason’s character arc intrigued me. The choices he had to make were truly hard ones. I desperately watched as he wavered from his desire for revenge to wanting to be with his love interest, who was on the good side. I yearned for him to join the good side. The beginnings of a redemption arc are here.

On Romance…

We’ve all watched that movie where the characters fall in love at first sight, and a few scenes later, they’re making wedding plans. (Every princess movie I’ve ever watched XD) Physical appearances are, first, a poor way to judge whether or not someone would make a good wife, and second, do not make for a very deep relationship, nevermind a good story.

On the other hand, Grant showed us why Mason and Seria are perfect for each other. Mason has been revengeful and hateful all his life. Seria teaches him forgiveness and love. Seria overworks herself to care for her needs. Mason is willing to bend down far below his knightly status to wash laundry and help her support herself. Where one is weak, the other is strong, and the strong one builds up the weak. It makes for a beautiful romance that the reader desperately wants to work out!

On Gifts…

Grant’s idea of Gifts was unique, especially Mason’s Gift. It added an element of tension to the story. Mason had far more control, and the ability to twist that control, than if he’d just been a regular person. It also added to the allegorical aspect of the book, which, by the way, was also very well done!

The Beginning of Shadowcast was OK

One thing Grant could have done better was the first quarter of Shadowcast. I felt lost at the beginning. The prose was clunky, especially during fight scenes. (And believe me, as a writer, I know how hard fight scenes are!)

I wasn’t sure who exactly to root for because she switched back and forth from the point-of-views of two people on opposing sides. I knew Mason was the main character, but I would have liked Grant to stick with his POV more instead of switching back and forth at the beginning, since we could have gotten to know him better.

Overall, Grant excelled at creating character arcs and fitting those arcs together to make a story. Now let’s look at the second part of a story: theme.

Worldview

Shadowcast resonated with me so much! I loved Mason’s struggle between light and dark, and for the most part, Grant handled the story in a Christian light.

I would like to address one issue that brought my star rating down a little bit. This is probably the biggest issue I had with the book. Just a heads-up, I’m going to be looking at a somewhat touchy subject in Christian fiction: kissing and romance. I first want to make two things clear.

1) Kissing is not necessarily bad.

2) The reason I’m addressing this has to do with context. In other words, not every book with kissing in it has this problem.

Because my point of disagreement requires some context, I’m going to explain a little bit of the storyline, particularly towards the end of Shadowcast.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

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The Context

In Shadowcast, in the enemy camp, a side character tries to seduce Mason (he refuses), and because they are on the evil side of the war, the reader gets the hint that this is a bad relationship in the midst of an evil camp. They kiss several times during these scenes. Now stick with me for a bit because this next part is where it crossed the line. 

At the end of the story, Mason kisses Seria. It should be the “lovers finally get together” kiss, but here’s the problem: Seria knows Mason’s not a follower of “the Lambient” (God). And she already knows she can’t marry a non-believer. Yet she still chooses to kiss him. Right after that, she tells Mason she can’t be with him because if she choses him, she’ll be opposing the Lambient, and so she walks away sadly.

What Do You Think About This?

I, as the reader, got the hint that this kiss was good and that something was broken when Seria walked away. Which is true. Something was broken. Someone was broken.

But my question is: How come a kiss/romance with Mason’s seducer is portrayed as wrong and a kiss/romance with Seria is portrayed as good, when in both cases, Mason is on the dark side? I felt a negative feeling when Seria walked away from that relationship. I felt regret, like the right thing for Seria in that moment would have been to go with Mason, despite him being on the bad side. But would it have been the right thing?

I don’t want to get too judgy here, because I also know that Shadowcast is the first book in a trilogy. This could be setting Seria up for an arc that will lead her to trust God more, and setting Mason up for a redemption arc. Also, maybe Grant wanted the reader to feel the regrets that Seria had when she walked away, or show the power of temptation and the fact that God forgives us even when we fall. I’m not sure.

Another Option

This is how I think Grant could have done it better: What if Seria had not kissed Mason because she loved him. What if Seria knew that by waiting, she was, first of all, not connecting herself emotionally to someone she knew she couldn’t marry, but also truly doing what was best for Mason and herself. Wouldn’t that make the reader feel so much more respect for her? It would show that the Lambient really meant something to her; he’s not just this Being floating around in space. We would still feel sadness and regret when she tells Mason no, but it would have been a victory for Seria, not a failure. 

Again, I am not saying this to judge. I have not read the other two books. I cannot know the author’s true intentions, and can only guess that this will be part of a greater character arc, but this is one thing that made me stop and think a bit. If you’d like to learn more about my thoughts on this type of book, read this article. (EDIT: Please see my note at the bottom of this article, written after I read the second book!)

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SPOILERS OVER. Welcome back everyone!

To sum everything up, I had a slight disagreement with the theme that I felt was portrayed at the end of Shadowcast, but other than that, I agreed with what the author wrote. As I said in the beginning, while I’m spending a good portion of this review on the negatives, I had an overall positive view of the book!

To Watch For

• Sexual Content: There are several scenes where a side character tries to seduce the main character, and also a few kissing scenes.

• Violence: The story revolves around a war, although no wounds or killing are described in extreme detail.

• Sorcery: While not explicitly stated, it seems to be implied that the generals of the dark side are controlled by evil spirits.

I am dying to read the next book, ya’ll. If you get Shadowcast, be sure you have the other two close at hand! I think I’m going to buy them sometime this month, so you can look forward to book reviews on the last two books soon.

PAPERBACK PRICE: $19

DATE PUBLISHED: 2023

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EDIT: Hello, all! Having read the second book, Lightshed, I now have new insight into Grant’s intentions with the first book, and overall, it’s a positive view. As I predicted, the author used Seria’s choices in the first book to propel her to guilt and eventually repentance in the second. I still would have rathered that the author give us a feeling of dread as Seria crept closer and closer to Mason and joining the dark side, especially during that last kiss scene, which I felt none of. That would have solved the problem of us wanting them to get together even though Mason was still on the bad side. Regardless, I think it is a worthwhile read, especially if you read the second book alongside it. Take a look at my review of Lightshed here.

Reviewed by Jubilee Anderson

GENRE: YA Dragon Fantasy

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

COMP TITLE: Lord of the Rings

One boy…

One dragon…

A world of adventure.

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

Writing

There are debates as to whether Eragon is extremely cliched or excitingly fresh. I don’t think it’s accurate to say either. Each author has a set of things he is good at, and things he needs some work on. 

On Metaphors…

Paolini excels in crafting vivid metaphors to describe things. I felt like the page came alive through these metaphors, and it helped me learn a lot about the characters. Here are some examples of vivid language I gleaned from the text:

“Exposed like an unrolled map”

“An impressive array of knives swung from his belt.”

“His black beard was roiled and knotted like his jaw muscles.”

On Plot…

There were definitely a few cliches in the plot, and yes, many ideas were borrowed from the Lord of the Rings. Eragon’s arc follows the “chosen one” arc. Elves are obviously tall, beautiful, and more skilled than humans at everything. Eragon’s mentor says something very similar to Gandalf in an intense action scene.

“Run, you fool!”

This being Paolini’s first novel, I can understand why his book was cliched. When you first start out, it’s hard not to copy what you’ve seen in other books.

However, one thing I noticed was that Paolini did take Eragon’s “chosen one” arc a step further. As Eragon takes on his role, he learns responsibility. A mentor of Eragon instructs him in his role of leadership by telling him thus:

“You must be kind and wise to all, for they put their trust in you. Don’t speak flippantly or without thought, because your words will have impact far beyond what you intend.”

I think there is some truth to these words. The Bible, especially the book of Proverbs, tells us that our words and actions have impact on others besides ourselves. We ought to be wise with our words, and not fools.

Now that we’ve talked a little bit about Paolini’s prose and writing style, let’s look at the core of the story: the theme.

Worldview

I want to start this section off by saying that I cannot 100% know Paolini’s worldview based solely off of the book Eragon. However, it is nearly impossible for an author not to insert at least a portion of their worldview into their stories. At the very least, the following ideas are the beliefs of Paolini’s characters.

I discovered some very interesting quotes in this book. I have listed four of the most interesting ones below, along with my thoughts on them.

On Following Your Heart…

“What does your heart say?”

Our modern world is infused with this idea that one should follow his own beliefs. “Follow your heart,” they say. But if we who are inside this world cannot see beyond ourselves to the Truth, how will we be able to judge rightly? We need Someone to come in from outside and show us what Truth means. I think I would rather say, “Follow your Creator.”

On Forgiving and Forgetting…

“If you can’t forgive, at least forget.”

Eragon’s companion said this to him after he slayed a weaponless man Eragon wanted to show mercy to. Eragon is furious at his companion, but his companion begs for forgiveness. Again, this hearkens to a teaching that we ought to “Forgive and forget.” It is true that we ought to forgive. But the reason for our forgiveness flows from the amazing truth that Jesus forgave us of all our sins, and so we ought to forgive others, not simply because we should be nice to everyone or because we should “do unto others.”

On the Subject of Gods…

“He fervently thanked all the gods, known and unknown.”

and…

“What god would do this? Show yourself!”

These statements say something about what Paolini believed about God. What exactly it says, I am not quite sure. It seems that he believed in a Being up in the sky, but not a personal one. Interestingly, Paolini seems to have some sort of moral code, as Eragon clearly states that murder of an unarmed person is evil, and stealing is wrong, but the basis for this code goes unmentioned.

I am not totally sure what Paolini believes, but it is not Christian worldview. However, just because something is not Christian does not mean we can’t and shouldn’t read it. It simply means that when we read things like this, we know what the Bible says so that we can test these ideas against the Word of God.

If you’d like to learn more about Paolini’s worldview, I found two articles expanding on some of the thoughts I had in this section. Please note that I have not read other articles from this person, so use discretion when browsing content on his website. This article was specifically on Eragon, and the following article, while on book 2 in the Inheritance Cycle, digs deeper into Paolini’s worldview than the first article.

To Watch For

• Swearing: There are several mentions of characters cursing. The words “damned,” “ass,” and “hellfire” are each used once.
• Sorcery: A witch prophesies the future. Witchcraft and fortunetelling are portrayed as something good that helps the main character.
• Sexual Content: Eragon removes a woman’s shirt to heal a deadly wound and sees her bare back.
• Violence: There are descriptions of dead bodies, including that of an impaled baby, whip wounds, men getting shot with arrows/stabbed, broken bones. One character describes a religious sect that makes limb offerings and drinks blood.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Eragon. Despite the differences in worldview, he wrote a book that kept me hooked until the end. I really appreciate Paolini for having a satisfying ending, since I do not have time to be forced into reading the entire series if it ends in a cliffhanger! My good irl friends may convince me to read the next one, though. 😀

Have a blessed day!

PAPERBACK PRICE: $9

DATE PUBLISHED: 2002

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By Millie Florence

Book Review by Jubilee Anderson

BALTER (Verb) – To dance artlessly, without particular grace or skill, but usually with enjoyment.

Ashton Edward Harper had three problems, and two of them were his sisters. Unfortunately, the worst problem, the one that is not a sister, might determine the next few years of Ashton’s future.

Through a balter of events, Ashton finds himself on a carriage headed for his dream school, Overmorrow Academy. However, Ashton’s stomach is dancing with anxiety. Because if he can’t win the scholarship, his dreams might be dashed. 

Then, mysterious magic wreaks havoc on the travelers. Alone in the woods and separated from his sisters, Ashton tries to make sense of a magic he thought only existed in fairytales. Much more is at stake than attending the school of his dreams.

Middle grade fantasy The Balter of Ashton Harper includes themes of forgiveness, siblinghood, responsibility, and chasing dreams.

After reading Millie Florence’s first book, Honey Butter, for free, I knew I wanted to read The Balter of Ashton Harper as well. This year (2025), I had the privilege of meeting Millie at a writer’s conference. Of course, I also bought a signed copy of her book. 

It went beyond my expectations. She wrote unique characters into a unique world with exceptional style, and delivered a deep theme. And honestly, who can beat that snappy first line of the first chapter? 👌 (It’s up at the top, at the beginning of the blurb)

I definitely related the most to Ashton, but I also related a lot to Drusilla, the older sister. Millie kept the story whimsical and fun, while still making me yearn for Ashton to go to Overmorrow like he’d always wanted. Very sweet story, and an awesome sibling book!

4 and a half stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Absolutely no content labels.

As usual with Millie’s books, I came away inspired to love and cherish my siblings. This theme in particular resonated with me because I have a passion for writing that I sometimes put before my family on the priority list. Ashton’s story reminded me that my family is always more important than my dreams.

I highly recommend The Balter of Ashton Harper! If you’ve read it and want someone to fangirl about it with, just balter over here and shoot me a message. I await your reply…

(Hey, look! I learned a new word!)

By Jennifer Nielsen

Book Review by Jubilee Anderson

In the midst of the battles of World War I, five young people from five different countries must pick up lines of courage and face their own enemy: fear. Rising above expectation, they will bond together despite the heated air between their nations.

As the title states, Lines of Courage has themes of courage, friendship, and coming of age.

I picked up Lines of Courage at the library after a friend told me she liked Nielsen’s historical fictions. Of all the historical fiction books by Nielsen, this one was my favorite. I was so amazed at how she wove each character’s story and brought it full circle at the end! I would give Lines of Courage four stars.

CONTENT: Shooting (not graphic)
TAKEAWAYS: Lines of Courage resonated with me for two reasons. First, it was a display of how young people can join together and stand up for what’s right. Second, it was an exhortation to be bold and courageous.

As a Christian, I believe that it is God who gives me courage and boldness to stand up for what’s right. God tells Joshua in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” This is why we can have courage. Because our God is with us.

Have you read Lines of Courage? What about Jennifer Nielsen’s fantasy thriller, The False Prince? Tell me about it here!

by A.L. Tait

Book Review by Jubilee Anderson

Quinn is a farm boy, content with his quiet life, when suddenly he is chosen to participate in a race to the end of the world: a race in which he must be the first to draw a map of the entire world. He faces great challenges, including strange sea creatures and natives who want to kill him, but the greatest challenge of all is yet to come…

With themes of forgiveness, friendship, self-control, coming-of-age, courage, and maturity, this upper middle grade thriller fantasy is a perfect gift for your pre-teen boy.

I was pressured into borrowing The Mapmaker Chronicles from some good friends of ours. (Hence, why they were pressuring me.) I already had a stack of books and thought I didn’t need anymore. Apparently, I was wrong. 

The themes connected to me so much. The line that stuck with me the most was, “You cannot change what others do. You can only change how you react to those things.” And I thought, “That’s so true!” The story leaned heavily on luck, but it wasn’t enough to stop me from giving Race to the End of the World 4 stars. 

TAKEAWAYS: As I said before, I loved the theme of controlling one’s actions. I would like to add that as a Christian, I believe it takes God to change our hearts to not only be able to control our actions, but also to forgive. I wish Quinn had forgen his rivals instead of smiling at their misfortunes at the end. It’s not about what we can muster, it’s about what God changes in us to forgive even when they don’t deserve it.

Have you read Race to the End of the World? What were your thoughts? Let me know here!

Ignite

by Kara Swanson

Book Review by Jubilee Anderson

She’s a young phoenix living with her father and the other weary phoenixes. Mara. The one who will stay awake and keep watch against humans while the others hibernate. The humans of whom her father has always warned are bloodthirsty killers. But the humans find her anyway.

This beautifully woven novel has themes of coming-of-age, hope, and finding one’s identity.

I’d already read two of Kara’s books, Dust and Shadow, by the time my mom got me Ignite as a gift. I was thrilled. I had been on Kara’s street team for Ignite, and I could finally read it!

It took me a minute to become fully invested in the plot, but after the ball got rolling, so to speak, it was good. I was kept in suspense, unsure of who was the good guy and who was the bad guy. I had no idea who to trust until the end. This is a well-written masterpiece!

I felt like I didn’t connect with Mara as much as I would have liked, but I suspect that’s because the book wasn’t directed towards me. For that, I give it 4 stars. Otherwise, no complaints.

CONTENT: Emotional & verbal abuse, violence

TAKEAWAYS: I have never been in a situation like Mara’s, but even though I didn’t relate, I felt satisfied by the ending. While I look forward to the next book, I didn’t feel like I was left in complete suspense, thankfully! I’m so glad I was given the opportunity to be one of Kara’s Fiery Souls for Ignite. Can’t wait to see where this next book will take the story!

Have you read Ignite, or any of Kara’s other books? What did you think? Tell me about it here!

Poetic Surrender

by Molly McTernan

Book Review by Jubilee Anderson

Normally, I review fiction books, but I think this book is worth putting here.

Poetic Surrender is a faith-based collection of poetry by Molly McTernan. It includes themes of faith (obviously), friendship, and everyday life.

I was recommended this book for a long time. I kept hearing about it, seeing the cover, and reading Molly’s poetry on her website. Finally, I bought it. I read it at least twice on the first day.

So many of the poems connected with me. I felt like Molly had experienced some of the same things as me — love of books and writing, loneliness, life with family and siblings. My favorite poems are “Who I Write For,” “I Want a Friend,” and “Bluebird.” She has room to grow as a poetry writer, but it’s the themes that really connect to me. God is using this book for good! It has fully earned 4.5 stars.

Poetic Surrender was an encouragement in faith. A reminder. A reminder to love, to write for God, to be thankful, to see the small moments in life. Like the bluebird on my windowsill. Or the color red. Or the sound of the violin. I did not regret a penny of what I spent!

Do you read poetry? What kind of poetry do you like? Respond to me here!

The Weeping Knight

by Lauren Hildebrand

Book Review by Jubilee Anderson

No matter how hard he tries, Edric de Pleure can’t live up to God’s standards. Only Talisan, Edric’s squire, thinks he is perfect. When Talisan is captured by an evil knight, Edric must battle to get him back. Only a mystic sword, through the power of a certain One, can save him from this evil man.

The Weeping Knight overflows with themes of justice, mercy, and living morally.

I first found this book while asking around for more books to read in my genre. It was recommended to me by some writing friends of mine, so I bought it. This is now one of my favorite stand-alones. Lauren deals with heavy themes in a way that is gentle and respectful, but also brings hope. She weaves an incredible story that keeps you reading. I loved the poem at the end. It’s a poem every young man (and woman) should commit to memory these days! Lauren could grow in style and uniqueness, but otherwise I have no complaints. I rate thee five stars.

CONTENT:

Lauren deals with a lot of heavy themes from a Christian worldview and handles them very well. These include demonic powers and sexual abuse (not graphic, but mentioned throughout). The book overall is heavy, but the ending is worth it!

TAKEAWAYS:

I closed The Weeping Knight, happy to leave our Sir Edric to any journeys that should follow. He’s been through a lot, but he can finally rest, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Do you like books that incorporate faith into the themes? Why or why not? Tell me about it here!

Honey Butter

by Millie Florence

Book Review by Jubilee Anderson

Everlasting Blue, Slam Dunk Orange Dragon Fruit Pink…

Seven-year-old Jamie Johnson is obsessed with collecting paint cards. In fact, it’s the only thing that can distract her from fighting with her older sister, during the long, boring summer. Until, that is, a mysterious girl moves in next door. Laren Lark is almost thirteen, a homeschooler, and a passionate poet.

Despite their differences, the two girls quickly become friends and Jamie begins to think that the summer doesn’t have to be so boring. After all, Laren says that adventure can be found anywhere—it’s all about where you look.

I first read this book as a PDF after signing up for Millie’s email list. I finished it the same morning, and was late for breakfast. Even though I read the PDF for free, (and you can, too!) I ended up buying two copies; one for my younger sister and one for my girl cousins.

This is the best MG contemporary sister book I’ve ever read! Even though the main character is seven, I could still relate to her struggles. Even though I don’t have older siblings, I related to her annoyance with her older sister. I have a large family just like her. I related to her friendship with a unique girl who was way older than her.

The parents didn’t simply preaching lessons to Jamie. They were loving, and especially the mom, was present. She was there. A friend, a mentor, Mommy to Jamie.

I loved all the poems and poetic language. I loved the paint cards, the library, and the fun holidays on the calendar each day. This is a five-star read!

The ending of Honey Butter is so beautiful. I came away encouraged to love my sister. Sometimes in the moment of an argument, it’s easy to see little sisters as annoying, but they’re not. They are blessings from the Lord — Every single sibling I have is a blessing.

This is your next family read-aloud, or the present for your sister’s birthday! It’s short, but worth it!

PUBLISHED: 2017

PAPERBACK: $12

Visit Millie’s website and get Honey Butter for free or read my book review on The Balter of Ashton Harper!