Cloak of the Light is one of those “impossible to categorize” books. It’s not quite sci-fi, not fantasy, not allegory. My brother purchased this at a homeschool conference last weekend, devoured it in a day, and declared it one of the best books he ever read. He described it as Spider Man meets Frank Peretti.
Life has thrown Drew plenty of curveballs, starting when he lost his father at age twelve. He doesn’t believe in God. He doesn’t believe his best friend’s conviction about the potential of alien life either. Not until he sees an other-earthly invader with his own eyes. In an experiment goes wrong, Drew gets zapped with the equipment used to see into the other realm and soon discovers that he can now see into it without a machine. He finds himself observing a battle between dark and light invaders. Who are these mysterious beings that are invisible to all eyes but his own? What do they want? And what can one young man do against a force of evil that can affect the hearts of men?
I found the start of this book a little slow, but my brother said it drew him in from page one, so I’m guessing it’s a matter of personal preference and level of criticalness. If you’re like me, just view the first few chapters as an extended prologue and rest assured it will pick up soon. Chuck Black makes it clear in the afterword that this book is not intended to be an interpretation of actual spiritual warfare, but rather an imaginative, gripping story to help readers think about spiritual warfare as they might not have otherwise. I fully enjoyed the story and look forward to book two!
Book Review and Giveaway: The Big Field
“Yeah,” Hutch said, not looking up at either one of them. “My Dad sure knows his baseball.”
Baseball runs in Hutch’s blood, and no position feels like home as much as shortstop. His father played shortstop during his baseball days, but those ended a long time ago. Now his dad struggles to hold down a job and rarely shows up to watch Hutch play baseball. When superstar shortstop Darryl Williams shows up to play on Hutch’s team, Hutch gets moved to second base. Hutch resigns himself to be a good team player and accepts the move, but when his consistently MIA dad starts showing up to coach Darryl, the situation gets more and more bitter. The biggest game ever for their team is coming up fast, but Hutch’s patience is running out.
I’ve yet to read a book by Mike Lupica that I didn’t like. My mom and brother enjoyed this one with me when we listened to it as an audio book. I love his down-to-earth, humble main characters. They’re not perfect kids, but they aspire to standards that make them worthy role models for young readers. And the feel-good stories are equally heart warming for older readers as well.
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY simply leave a comment explaining why you’d like to read this book. Due to shipping costs the giveaway is only open to residents of the continental United States. The winner will be announced on April 30th.
Book Review: Stumptown Kid
Charlie desperately wants to make the baseball team, but he can’t seem to focus when bullies taunt him. His lack of focus costs him his chance at the team. After the tryouts, he’s surprised when a black man offers some baseball advice that helps right away. The man introduces himself as Luther and says he’s looking for work. Charlie claims Luther as a new friend and, with the help of his mom, finds Luther a job. He also quickly decides he likes Luther much more than his mother’s boyfriend, Vern. Vern’s racist attitude doesn’t win him any brownie points with Charlie either. But Charlie doesn’t realize how much trouble can be found by trying to straddle the line between black and white. Sometimes it’s a matter of life and death.
I read this several years ago and enjoyed it again recently when my family and I listed to it on a road trip. The ending is…well, dramatic. Maybe even a tad too dramatic but not enough to complain about and plenty to keep you on the edge of your seat. Charlie’s innocence and loyalty make his friendship with Luther that much better. Luther is also an easy character to like. You’ll feel his pain right along with him. This book focuses more on the historical fiction side than the sports side, but it has plenty of baseball to make it count for this month’s theme.
Book Review: Cobra Strike
“And don’t do anything stupid like try to run,” he said. “I’d hate to have to get rough.”
Roy Linden can run like a deer, but his tongue is another story. His stutter prevents him from making friends and keeps him labeled a loner. His running isn’t doing him much good either. Everyone in his small Kentucky hometown thinks he could be great in football, but without a decent quarterback, no one outside Johnstown will ever see him. Roy’s luck changes when legendary high school quarter back Waymen Witley moves to town. Together, Waymen and Roy are unstoppable on the football field. But Roy has plenty to distract him from his growing fame. Birds have been dying on his Gram’s property. Roy knows something is wrong with the water, but he can’t get anyone to listen to him. Something strange is going on, and someone high up is pulling strings to keep it quiet. Roy fears his gram is in danger. What will he decide when he starts receiving threats?
I’m not a big football fan when it comes to the sport itself, but I seem to enjoy a lot of football stories (Facing the Giants anyone?). I first read Cobra Strike several years ago and enjoyed it enough to re-read it out loud to my mom. I enjoyed it again as I re-read it this week. It’s a quick read (I suspect it may have been written as a hi-lo book), but totally worth it. Let me know what you think! Bonus points: Cobra Strike is written from a Christian perspective!
Book Review: Million-Dollar Throw
New month, new theme. This month I’m going with sports stories. Which may end up meaning written-by-Mike-Lupica-books. I love his stories. But there are some other sports stories that look good, too, so we’ll see. 😉
“I mean, I’m excited about doing it, at least some of the time, when I’m not geeked out of my head about it,” Nate said. “But most of the time, it’s like it’s one more thing I don’t need right now. Like one more guy piling on when I’m already down.”
Nate Brody loves football and is a huge Tom Brady fan. He’s been saving up money to buy a football autographed by Brady. Despite financial hardships, his parents are holding to their end of the deal and paying half the money for the ball. Winning football isn’t Nate’s biggest worry, though. He spends nights staring out the window at the for sale sign hanging in front of their house, not wanting to sell their house but hoping the bank won’t get it. And then there’s his best friend, Abby. As far as Nate’s concerned, Abby’s problems trump all of his. When his name is drawn for a chance to win a million-dollars during half-time at a Patriots’ game, Nate feels the pressure piling on. Can he get things figured out before the big day and his million-dollar throw?
This is the newest addition to my comfort-reads shelf. You know, those books you read on rainy days or when you’re sick? Miracle on 49th Street, another Mike Lupica book, has been on that shelf for a while along with A Little Princess and The Scarlet Pimpernel. These books cover a wide range of story types, but they have at least one thing in common. All of the stories feature strong friendships. That’s what made me enjoy Million-Dollar Throw too. Nate consistently puts the needs of his teammates, his family, and his friends above his own stresses and worries. As his mom says several times, he leads with his heart. And in the process he does a great job of capturing the heart of the reader. If you’re looking for an edge-of-your seat story that keeps you guessing till the last page, this one isn’t for you. But if you want book that leaves you with warm fuzzies, go for it! 🙂
Book Review: The King’s Shadow
“You, Shadow!” the slave master shouted, as though Evyn were deaf as well as dumb. Laughter erupted behind him. “Shadow” was what they called dogs or horses. Evyn burned with shame. Uncle Morgan had even stolen his name.
Young Evyn is a Welsh serf in the 11th century. His life is turned upside down when his uncle betrays him and his father, leaving his father dead and Evyn a mute orphan. The uncle then sells Evyn into a life of slavery and pockets the money to repay a debt. Evyn becomes Shadow, a often mistreated and sometimes pitied slave boy. But his fortunes begin to change when he learns to read and write. He becomes a squire to Earl Harold and in time, the two become close friends. When Harold is crowned king, he makes Evyn his foster son. It’s a bond that will throw Evyn into the middle of two of the greatest battles of his time.
It’s funny how some books fade from your memory within a week of reading them, while some linger for years. The King’s Shadow is one that has lingered. I read it in 2008 (wow, is that really six years ago?), yet I still remember feeling furious at Uncle Morgan and deeply sympathetic towards Evyn. And it fits pretty well into the “hodge podge” theme this month because I’ve read very few books about this time period.
What’s your favorite time period to read about? Do you like any other books set in the 11th century?
Book Review: The Corporate Kid
Charles raised his hand. It took a moment for people to acknowledge him. He stood up and cleared his throat. The room went silent. “Um, so if you want American to believe in you again, what about just telling the truth?”
I picked this book at our library used book store thinking it was a different story. After reading a few pages, I didn’t expect much. The Corporate Kid didn’t earn a five star rating from beautiful or well polished pros. This story is unique because it’s a general market book with a purpose. Instead of the normal twaddle and/or junk of various descriptions that fills young adult stories, this one embodies and promotes morality. And it does so without preaching. That’s a pretty impressive resume…especially for a general market book.
Fifteen year old Charles Sullivan has never had much. After his father’s death, his mother has worked two jobs and struggles to maintain their home in the hood. Their world crumbles yet again when a distracted driver hits her as they leave their church one Sunday morning. That driver, Bill Bradford, is CEO of Hospital of America. The last thing he wants to deal with is bad press over hitting a woman on the wrong side of town. He calls his lawyer and tells the man to take care of the situation. He doesn’t realize till later that he dropped his wallet at the sight of the accident. He doesn’t know that Charles Sullivan picked it up. That wallet, and the boy who picked it up, will bring the two families together in ways they never expected, and will challenge the way they think of each other.
I’m so glad I mistook this book for the one I was actually looking for! Definitely recommend it!
Book Review: Small as an Elephant
So, it’s the beginning of a new month, which usually means a new theme. However, it’s also been a very busy month for me, so I haven’t picked or read books for a normal theme. Therefore, this months theme is miscellaneous books. And we’re kicking it off with a contemporary story about…well, you can read the review to find out. 😉
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Jack’s perfect vacation with his mother ends in disaster before it even starts. He wakes up the very first day to discover that she and almost all their camping gear is gone. At first he assumes she’s coming back soon, but as hours and then full days pass, he has to face the fact that she’s really gone, and he needs to fend for himself. His first priority is to avoid getting picked up by the police. That would result in the DSS getting involved and Jack doesn’t want to be taken away from his mother.
This was a really good book, not because it leaves you with warm fuzzies, but because it is realistic. It makes the reader enter into the mind and emotions of a young boy forced to take on adult responsibility because his mother doesn’t have the mental capacity to parent him properly. And it manages to stay realistic without being depressing, so double win.
Leah E. Good 