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Visitations is the story of a family that has been torn apart by family disputes, mental illness and religion. It is haunting and sad, but also sheds a hopeful light on children's ability to recover and heal. The author is the main character in this book, and it was told from his life experience. The novel details the traumatic experiences and relationships Corey had to endure through his mother's mental illness and devotion to Mormonism.
The House of My Mother by Shari Franke was an incredibly captivating book about the influence of family vlogging on Shari Franke and her siblings. Coming into this book, I had a lot of knowledge on this case as I grew up watching 8 Passengers. Like many of their fans, I also was incredibly shocked at hearing about the trauma and sadistic influence that Jodi Hildebrant and Ruby Franke had on the family.
Summary: In this continuation of Saint Young Men, the new season brings a host of new experiences. Jesus and Buddha tackle sports, celebrate holidays, and explore Japanese tourist landmarks, all with theological puns and cultural references. The juxtaposition of divine beings and mundane daily life brings a fresh and interesting take on the slice-of-life genre. This volume further develops a wholesome friendship, cozy moments, and the unique perspectives of the protagonists.
Summary: Volume 2 of Saint Young Men opens with the event of Christmas and Jesus’ birthday, where a misunderstanding leads to funny and surprising outcomes. As the seasons change, Jesus and Buddha experience sickness, new ways to stay active, shopping and haircuts. The pair continue to explore the human realm through their Japanese apartment while concealing their divine identities. Hikaru Nakamura mixes comedy, religious references, and slice-of-life into a unique and heartwarming story.
This book is all about what it means to truly be a Christian and live a Christian lifestyle. It focuses on three different principles: be with Jesus, become like him, and do as he did. The book is broken down into these three parts and through both real world and biblical examples tries to explain and show what life as a Christian should look like. The book focuses on discipleship and what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus following his ways and practicing life as he did.
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a powerful story following the life of Kambili, a fifteen-year-old girl living in Nigeria. The novel explores many themes, including identity, faith, family, resilience and politics. Kambili lives with her religious and oppressive family, and is required to make painful decisions for survival of both her home-life circumstances as well as her country’s changing political climate.
Agnes lives happily in Red Creek. She likes the people, the tasks, the Prophet, the God, everything. But Agnes is a sinner. She makes contact with the Outside to treat her little brother of his diabetes. But it’s through this contact with the Outside that Agnes realizes that Red Creek isn’t perfect. That’s when everything starts to go wrong. Stuck between a religious cult and a global pandemic Agnes must fight to stay alive.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman is the story of Lyra Belacqua, a young girl living at Jordan College, in a world similar to ours. However, in this world, people have companions called daemons that are bonded with their souls and take the form of animals. Lyra, with her daemon Pantalaimon, have to face a dangerous journey to rescue her friend Roger from the Gobblers. These Gobblers take children to perform experiments, and work for the mighty Magisterium.
Elantris, written by popular fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, tends to fall under the radar when talking about his best books considering it is a small standalone story while he has written massive series and 1000 page books. Despite this, and despite being his first book, it not only manages to hold up well, but it is an incredible book in its own right. Often, books in the fantasy genre feel boring and similar, and they often follow the same formula with the same menagerie.
15-year-old Xiomara Batista never felt heard from the people around her. Although she hated it, her body did all the talking. With an overly religious mother and the judging stares of other people, Xiomara felt trapped, unable to break free from her problems. Due to her overwhelming emotions, she turned to writing poetry to manage her feelings.
