Wendy Robichaud doesn’t care one bit about being popular like good-looking classmates Tookie and the Sticks–until Brainiac bully John-Monster schemes against her, and someone leaves anonymous sticky-note messages all over school. Even the best friend she always counted on, Jennifer, is hiding something and pulling away. But the spring program, abandoned puppies, and high school track team tryouts don’t leave much time to play detective. And the more Wendy discovers about the people around her, the more there is to learn.When secrets and failed dreams kick off the summer after eighth grade, who will be around to support her as high school starts in the fall? 

This Christian YA novel by Cynthia Toney, is about the difficulties of the middle school years. It’s a beautiful story that deals honestly with many difficult subjects such a low self-esteem, depression and other serious issues. Toney does an incredible job of tackling these hard topics in a hopeful and empowering way. I love how the main character finds the strength to take charge and change things for herself by following her 5 step plan to making friends. This is such a great proactive idea that all teens could try. My favorite part of the story was seeing how things changed for the main character over the summer as she prepared for high school. It was so wonderful to see that even though heartache and tragedies occurred things could change and get better, leaving this deep book ending on a wonderfully positive note. This is a great book for any middle school student. And you’ll be thrilled to know there is a sequel!

There are a lot of great Christian Young Adult novels out there and I’m excited to spread the word about some of them. My first review is for A Single Bead. 

          On the anniversary of the plane crash that took the life of her beloved grandmother and threw her own mother into a deep depression, 16-year-old Katelyn Roberts discovers a single bead from her grandmother’s rosary – a rosary lost in the crash

          A chance encounter with a stranger, who tells Katelyn that a similar bead saved her friend’s life, launches Katelyn and her family on a quest to find the other missing beads.

          Their mysterious journey, filled with glimmers of hope, mystical events and unexplained graces takes them further into the unknown. Katelyn turns to the Rosary for answers and soon finds that family, prayer and the help of others may be the key to restoring what was lost.

A Single Bead by Stephanie Engelman, is a beautiful young adult novel that centers around a family in need and a special rosary that affects the lives around them.

This engaging story touches on very real and difficult issues such as loss and depression while focusing on the power of prayer and the importance of family.

I was intrigued with the main character, Katelyn, and how she was influenced not only by the crisis of faith in her own personal family but also the very strong beliefs held by her large extended family. The journey that Katelyn is drawn into surrounding her grandmother’s rosary is mysterious, thought-provoking and moving. What a joyful message for anyone that our prayers can be so powerful and life-changing.

A Single Bead would make a wonderful Confirmation gift.

I’m incredibly thankful that people are responding so favorably to my book. My vision has always been to encourage teens to find their gifts from God and hopefully deepen their faith. Below is a review I received from Children’s Bookwatch. Thank you God for leading me on this journey.  ~Leslea

Children’s Bookwatch: November 2015

The Perfect Blindside
Leslea Wahl
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Pauls Avenue, Boston, MA 02130
www.pauline.org
www.amazon.com

Fresh off a championship medal, Jake is becoming overwhelmed by everyone who wants something from him: reporters, fans, girls, companies, his parents. He can’t figure out who is real and who just wants something. To top it all off, his parents have dragged him to a middle-of-nowhere town in Colorado, far away from his teammates and anything interesting. Then there’s smart and savvy Sophie. She has spent the summer before her junior year of high school following Jake Taylor, recent snowboarding sensation, in every magazine and article she could find. Now he’s moved into Silver Springs and she finds out what the reporters and everyone else seems to have missed Jake’s letting the fame go to his head. He’s just a jerk and Sophie has no respect or patience for that. Peaceful Silver Springs, however, has an even bigger problem than Jake’s inflated ego. Wildlife is dying inexplicably, tires are getting slashed, and everything seems to be falling apart. Can Jake and Sophie work out their differences to discover what’s really been happening at the abandoned silver mine? Follow Sophie and Jake into secret tunnels as they unravel the mystery and challenge each other to become who God wants them to be. Exceptionally well written and a thoroughly absorbing read from beginning to end, “The Perfect Blindside” is very highly recommended for high school and community library YA Fiction collections.

Below is a new review on my book. I’m so thankful that people are responding and understanding my vision for teen fiction.

Review: The Perfect Blindside

Today I am excited to share with you the very first one more catholic book review! Cathy Knipper of Pauline Media asked me to review Leslea Wahl‘s The Perfect Blindside, a novel for Catholic teens.

First, I want to applaud Wahl for telling a realistic story, weaving in the Catholic faith artfully without overwhelming her readers or detracting from the plot. When I was a young teenager, many of the Christian teen novels I read frustrated me because they were cheesy; the characters, model Christians in constant inner dialogue with the Lord, lacked depth. WithThe Perfect Blindside, Leslea Wahl strikes a harmonious balance between the Catholic faith and her moving story.

The Perfect Blindside shifts between the first-person voices of characters Sophie and Jake (i.e., every other chapter is Sophie’s perspective). Sophie Metcalf, fed up with the antics of arrogant snowboarding prodigy Jake Taylor, sets out to expose his true character. Sophie, a gentle and intelligent high school junior, despises Jake for moving to her small Colorado town. Jake wants only to focus on snowboarding and his newfound Olympic fame. But a series of odd circumstances surrounding an old silver mine forces Jake and Sophie to become partners, amateur sleuths in a puzzling mystery.

Unlike the empty Christian characters I became accustomed to as a young teenager, Sophie deals with the typical struggles of her teenage life while learning to rely on God. The Perfect Blindside is not about Sophie’s prayer life; it is the tale of Sophie and Jake and a perplexing crime. Sophie’s quiet, faithful devotion to the Lord adds depth to her character and offers a connection with young readers who are trying to live out their Catholic faith in a secular world.

What I love most about The Perfect Blindside is that Sophie and Jake are normal teenagers. They are not young Christian robots, nor are they rebellious teenaged runaways experiencing major conversions. Sophie and Jake are simply teenagers who struggle with relationships, the Catholic faith, listening to their parents, and avoiding risky situations. They deal with crushes and mean girls at school. They use cell phones and shop at the local mall. Young readers can connect with Sophie and Jake. The first-person perspective shifts allow for both girls and boys to relate with the characters. Drama and mystery lurk within each chapter so that the reader never bores.

Thank you, Pauline Media, for allowing me to review The Perfect Blindside. I recommend this book to teens, tweens, and Catholic parents searching for wholesome, intriguing novels for their children! The Perfect Blindside is the book I wish I had read as a young teenager.

You can enter a giveaway for the book here. For more reviews, or to purchase The Perfect Blindside, look here and here.

Pauline Books & Media provided me with a free copy of The Perfect Blindside in exchange for an honest review.

This beautiful review was written by Emily Post on her website: Our Home, Mary’s Mantle

Review Wednesday – The Perfect Blindside

Today, I am reviewing The Perfect Blindside by Leslea Wahl. Before I start the review, I want to share a couple of links with you:

Lesley Wahl’s Site
Goodreads Giveaway of The Perfect Blindside (this is actually Ms. Wahl’s site too, but the information about the giveaway is there… and who doesn’t like a chance to win a book?!)

I really enjoy reviewing books for teens because my son is about to turn twelve and I want to make sure I have “the right kind of books” here for him to read. Sure, we love all the classics, but as our Priest said on Sunday (paraphrased), ‘As parents teaching your children about our Faith and morality, starts with you, at home. The love of God in your children’s hearts; the teaching of virtue and commandments ALL start with you.’ My immediate thought was – “NO PRESSURE!”

It is with that in mind that I know my husband and I have to make sure our almost teen is presented with the right type of reading material.  We do not believe in isolating him from society, but we do believe in insulating. He plays baseball and takes karate and is around non-homeschooled children on many occasions. Even when watching appropriate TV shows, he sees commercials we would rather him not see. He asks a lot of questions and we have constant dialogue.

I have to be honest, at first, the chapters going back and forth between perspectives of the main characters Jake and Sophie, put me off. Chapter 1 was Jake’s perspective, Chapter 2 was Sophie’s perspective… back and forth it went. But after the second chapter, I got it… and I really liked it. It’s different and frankly, I hope there are more books coming about these two and their little town.

This book is about good, old-fashioned mystery solved by two teenagers that could not have misjudged one-another more… and I love it!  We talk to our children about expectations and judgments. We tell them that things are not always what they seem… that people are not always what we perceive… that situations that may seem ______ could turn out to be ______. You just NEVER know until you get to know someone or go to the _______________. I left those blank intentionally because there are a zillion things any one of you may put in those blanks.

The two main characters are:

1. Jake. Olympic Snowboarder with a silver medal. Egotistical. Teen sensation. Struggling with all the normal teen stuff AND how to manage fame. His parents moved him to a little town in Colorado in an effort to shield him from fame. And he’s torn between being cool in everyone’s eyes AND wanting to fit in like everyone else.
2. Sophie. Honors student. Budding Photographer/Reporter. Small town sweetheart. Judgmental and a little bit OCD. She and her best friend Kate are like so many teen girls. It made me smile when they planned their first day of school outfits (we all used to… awww).

There are many twists and turns in this classic story about two people so determined not to like one-another that it becomes all they think about. They struggle with jealousy and insecurity. They struggle with their families, who are really good families (but teens struggle with authority figures).  They struggle with other teens at school (you know, some teens can be so cruel).

Through a series of unexpected events these two teens have to work together, learn to trust each other, and be humble enough to do God’s will… in order to save Jake’s reputation and their small town from a drug ring.  SO exciting!

This book is about learning virtues; appreciating the talents God gave us, and working together for the betterment of God and His people.  And this book is a great book to have your teens read. The way Mrs. Wahl writes is exceptional.

I highly recommend it. I’m so thankful I read it!

Blessings all,

Emily