Alicia G. Ruggieri

As this is the final book in the Librarians of Willow Hollow series, those who have read the other books have had a not-too-flattering glimpse of Edna. But in this book readers are shown why she was the crusty, unsympathetic person others saw her as. Here is where she starts on her personal journey of healing. I appreciated how readers could understand Edna's struggles while not approving her actions, and I was intrigued by her from her first appearance. There was a lot of built-up bitterness and abuse that contributed to who she was, but there was hope as well.

I did feel that one character meant to reflect someone in the Bible wasn't a character as much as a stereotype of that individual whose life was recorded in the Bible. And for those who are thinking of giving this to younger readers, I need to mention that the content includes emotional abuse, suicidal thoughts, and anger at God, so it depends on the maturity of the individual.

Probably my favorite quote was, "You seek fulfillment and hope in the wrong places." This was something Edna needed to understand, but it's something we all can relate to in one way or another.
I enjoyed getting to know Edna, and I'd recommend this book to fans of clean historical YA.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. A positive review was not required.… (mere)

I love books that make me forget my surroundings and take me to somewhere else where I sympathize with the characters in a real way. Each Perfect Gift was one of those for me—it hit all the right points of a captivating plot and likable, engaging people who still have a few things wrong with them, which is worked on through the story.

The whole topic of a not-so-easy past life catching up with you after you are a Christian was quite intriguing. It was also encouraging to see what Ruggieri did with this book to show how Christ’s redemption work does make a difference, even when life seems to conspire against you. I loved Ben’s story, and watching him grow in here was fun and thought-provoking.

Would I take the high road, against my desires, if I had to make the choice? Would I try to do what was best, even if it would cost me everything? And how do we really know what God wants us to do?

In all, if you’re looking for an inspiring read with a great storyline, check this book out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It was one of my top favorites of the year!

I requested a free review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.… (mere)

The House of Mercy was a clean Christian story, and a ‘clean read’. Considering some of the recent cinematic offerings, it was something of a welcome change to have a story set in the Arthurian period that more than acknowledges Christianity in that time period. I did feel that there was not always a great ‘sense’ of period, and that much of the story could have happened at any time- although in other places this was stronger, and the reader could really 'get into' the story and the time.

Also I’m fairly sure there were no druids in sixth century Britain (at least the areas that had been ruled by the Romans) for one simple reason- the Romans wiped them all out in the first century, and outlawed human sacrifice.
Perhaps the Arthurian legends, characters, and politics of the age could have been incorporated more into the story, as it provides such fertile ground for storytelling- but enough of the historical criticism.

This was a solid story which explored sympathetically and represented the important themes of redemption, hope, grace and mercy in often almost impossible circumstances. I will say that the characterization of Deoradhan, as the hardened lapsed Christian who lost his faith because of ill-circumstances is something of a cliché in this genre.
This aside, I would say that this is almost a tale of the faith journeys of the characters, whose lives are wound together. In this regard, it works well, and generally flows well, with the characters having to come to terms with the past experiences, flaws and weaknesses, and overcome them. The conclusion of each person’s story was not (usually) predictable too easy or clichéd.

So for the author's debut novel, it was certainly a good effort all around. For readers, those seeking a decent historical ‘adventure’ story that is relatively short and easy to read, but meaningful, this is probably a good choice.

… (mere)