Here are the finalists for the 2019 Christy Awards. A top honor in Christian fiction, you can be sure of an excellent read when choosing one of these books. Congrats to all the talented authors!
This week’s Top 10 Tuesday challenge, First 10 Reviews, kind of made me cringe. I started blogging almost 10 years ago, and those early reviews . . . . Well, I’m not sure I want them anywhere but buried deep in my archives. LOL! I wrestled with how to put this post together. Should I do the first 10 of 2019 instead? Nope! I’m going to share the reviews of my favorite books from my first year of blogging. Hopefully you’ll see I have grown! 😉 Looking back I see that I was offered outstanding books to review. Maybe you will discover an oldie but goodie to read!
Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry — Almost Heaven sings to the soul like none other I have read this year.
By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson — Whew! What a great adventure!
A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin — This book, set at the beginning of America’s entrance into the war, is a novel of hope in the bleakest times.
For Time And Eternityby Allison Pittman —For Time And Eternity is a fast-paced read that you just can’t put down.
Here Burns My Candleby Liz Curtis Higgs —Here Burns My Candle is a timeless, can’t-put-it-down novel you’ll love.
Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos — If you want a glimpse of who the real Jesus is, pick up Matt’s book. When you’re done, get quiet and get to know Him.
No Greater Love by Kathi Macias — The story of God’s love transcends events, making this book a testament to God’s power in individuals’ lives.
The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead — I found Lawhead’s newest offering an exciting and thought-provoking read.
Sons of Thunderby Susan May Warren — Warren delivers a message of God’s love and grace in a quiet way that speaks louder than the evil and violence of the world.
The Waitingby Suzanne Woods Fisher — I found even in the tragic events and clashes and conflicts presented in this novel, an expression of peace — the peace you can only find in God.
This week bloggers have been challenged by the folks at The Broke And The Bookish to identify books we find unique. Hmmm. This took a bit of thinking on my part, but I came up with some books that are unique in characters, setting, and perspective. The most unique feature of these books is that they are all Christian. I often hear people say they don’t read CF because the books are all alike — well here are some that will challenge that presumption.
Top Unique Books
Vikings! Heather Day Gilbert writes books about Vikings. Strong female Vikings! Her Vikings of The New World series is currently 2 books strong, but there are more on the way promising great storytelling. The saga begins with God’s Daughter.
Gypsies! Brandy Vallance’s novel, Within The Veil, takes a look at the gypsy culture against the backdrop of Victorian England. There are some other unique elements that make this novel not your run of the mill CF historical romance.
The Circus! I know there have been other books with the circus as their setting, but The Lady And The Lionheart by Joanne Bischof goes much deeper. The two main characters are unique as well.
Judas.Tosca Lee‘s novel, Iscariot, is a powerful look at Jesus through the eyes of the disciple who betrayed him. With Easter around the corner, you cannot go wrong with this book.
LOTS of Jesus. In Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos looks at the question Jesus asks His disciples: Who do you say I am?
Werewolves, Zombies and Vampires, oh my! Matt Mikalatos is back with another novel looking at the Christian life. Night of the Living Dead Christianis a very unique read.
Witches and a very unique narrator. All of Billy Coffey‘s novels can be categorized as unique, but The Curse of Crow Hollowtakes the designation up a notch. There is a witch, but it is the narrator that provides the most unique feature.
Island Destination. Ok, everyone likes a book with an island setting, but Uncharted by Angela Hunt offers a destination most would do anything to avoid.
Travel through space and time. Perhaps the most unique series of books I have read comes from the very talented Stephen Lawhead. The adventure in this 5-book series starts in The Skin Map. This one has it all — unique settings, characters, and mind-bending themes.
What does a transformed life actually look like? In his follow-up to the critically acclaimed Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos tackles this question in an entertaining and thought-provoking way: with monsters! As Christians, we claim to experience Christ’s resurrection power, but we sometimes act like werewolves who can’t control our base desires. Or zombies-90 percent shambling death and 10 percent life. Yet through it all, we are longing to become fully human, the way Christ intended . . . we just can’t seem to figure out how. Night of the Living Dead Christian is the story of Luther, a werewolf on the run, desperate to find someone who can help him conquer his inner beast before it’s too late. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this spiritual allegory boldly explores the monstrous underpinnings of our nature and our quest for Christlikeness.
About Matt Mikalatos:
Like many future world leaders, Matt celebrated his college graduation by beginning a career as a clerk at a comic book store. Having discovered that such work caused women to shun him, Matt took control of a high school classroom and taught American Literature and Drama (although he was best known for his riotous “study halls”). Then Matt defied all expectations by joining staff with Campus Crusade for Christ, soon after marrying his best friend, Krista.
After two years ministering in Seattle, he and Krista moved overseas for three years, working with college students and the underground church in Asia. For the last five years, Matt has given regional leadership to the Worldwide Student Network, Campus Crusade for Christ’s international sending ministry. Matt’s ministry has taken him to places as diverse as Costa Rica, South Korea, Spain, Croatia, Mexico, Thailand, Hungary and closed countries in the Middle East and Asia.
Matt is also the author of Imaginary Jesus (currently being re-marketed as My Imaginary Jesus). He loves speaking about intimacy with Christ, what it means to be a true disciple, world missions, evangelism, the gospel and the great commission. Matt is passionate about presenting the scriptures in a way that is compelling and accurate as well as accessible. He is a popular speaker in Campus Crusade for Christ, well known for his hilarious stories illustrating the deep truths about our relationship with God.
Matt, his wife and three children live near Portland, Oregon, where Matt can blend into regular society.
My Impressions:
There are monsters next door and down the block and maybe in your own house! Matt Mikalatos has uncovered the secret we as Christians have fought so hard to keep — we can be simply monstrous. In Night of The Living Dead Christian zombies, werewolves, vampires and other assorted creatures are alive and well in our cities’ churches. No you don’t have to contact the CDC about their plans for a Zombie Apocalypse (they really have a post about that), but you may want to read Matt’s book to find out if you resemble any of the monsters portrayed in his book.
There are two narrators in Night of The Living Dead Christian. Matt’s fictional alter ego is the silly, slightly clueless voice of the neighborhood watch commander on the patrol to keep the peace in his little bit of suburbia. The second narrator, Luther (Ann) Martin (really!?), is a lousy husband and a werewolf. He is also not a fan of organized religion or his Lutheran pastor father (hence his sad name). But Luther really doesn’t want to be a werewolf, and many of the other monsters depicted want to become human again as well. But the transformation from his baser self won’t come without help from God. I found Luther’s voice to be real in its helplessness and hopelessness.
Night of The Living Dead Christian is an allegory, so don’t expect real monsters. But maybe the monsters Matt brings to life and light are the truly scary ones. At the end of the book, there is an appendix detailing the habitats, symptoms, common enemies, etc. of the monsters found in today’s church. Read it only if you want to be enlightened. It is not pretty to be shown your true self.
You may recognize yourself in the pages of this book. You may also recognize one of the characters. Dr. van Pelt is Matt’s counselor. Why he decided to use someone who as a girl used to pull footballs away from clueless boys just wanting to kick is beyond me! But I guess it is good to know that childhood dreams do come true.
Night of The Living Dead Christian is a book for anyone looking to be entertained, challenged and perhaps transformed.
Recommended.
(I received this book in conjunction with the CSFF Blog tour in return for an honest review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)
This month the folks on the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour are featuring Matt Mikalatos’ book, Night of The Living Dead Christian. Here is a little about the book:
What does a transformed life actually look like? In his follow-up to the critically acclaimed Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos tackles this question in an entertaining and thought-provoking way: with monsters! As Christians, we claim to experience Christ’s resurrection power, but we sometimes act like werewolves who can’t control our base desires. Or zombies-90 percent shambling death and 10 percent life. Yet through it all, we are longing to become fully human, the way Christ intended . . . we just can’t seem to figure out how. Night of the Living Dead Christian is the story of Luther, a werewolf on the run, desperate to find someone who can help him conquer his inner beast before it’s too late. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this spiritual allegory boldly explores the monstrous underpinnings of our nature and our quest for Christlikeness.
To buy a copy of Night of The Living Dead Christian, click HERE.
Like many future world leaders, Matt celebrated his college graduation by beginning a career as a clerk at a comic book store. Having discovered that such work caused women to shun him, Matt took control of a high school classroom and taught American Literature and Drama (although he was best known for his riotous “study halls”). Then Matt defied all expectations by joining staff with Campus Crusade for Christ, soon after marrying his best friend, Krista.
After two years ministering in Seattle, he and Krista moved overseas for three years, working with college students and the underground church in Asia. For the last five years, Matt has given regional leadership to the Worldwide Student Network, Campus Crusade for Christ’s international sending ministry. Matt’s ministry has taken him to places as diverse as Costa Rica, South Korea, Spain, Croatia, Mexico, Thailand, Hungary and closed countries in the Middle East and Asia.
Matt is also the author of Imaginary Jesus (currently being re-marketed as My Imaginary Jesus). He loves speaking about intimacy with Christ, what it means to be a true disciple, world missions, evangelism, the gospel and the great commission. Matt is passionate about presenting the scriptures in a way that is compelling and accurate as well as accessible. He is a popular speaker in Campus Crusade for Christ, well known for his hilarious stories illustrating the deep truths about our relationship with God.
Matt, his wife and three children live near Portland, Oregon, where Matt can blend into regular society.
I will share my thoughts tomorrow on Night of The Living Dead Christian. In the meantime, check out my review of Imaginary JesusHERE, and be sure to check out the other participants on the tour:
Many of the books I review are provided to me free of charge from publishers, authors, or other groups in return for a review. The opinions expressed in the reviews are mine and mine alone. No monetary consideration is given. This disclaimer is in accordance with FTC rules.
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