Doon, Destined for

Book 1

     There are always those moments where escape would be preferable if it meant literally vanishing from this world and entering a life of importance somewhere else - a world not quite like this one. Maybe not at all like this one. A place where you have a clear and defined role that only you can play; where everyone knows it and will either try to help you or try to hinder you.

     Carie Corp and Lorie Langdon take this desire to heart and put it onto the page with a cast of characters ranging from relatable to stereotyped to outlandish to desirable, and back again, all jumping in between present-day reality and the fictional realm of Doon.

Book 2

     Two authors, two main characters: Verronica and Mackenna, setting out to explore the land of Scotland when they tumble upon the Brig O' Doon and the fantastic kingdom that lies beyond. They spiral into a web of adventure, danger, and romance that spins the kingdom of Doon to life.

     For Verronica, Doon is a kind of escape from a life that has left her wanting much. And for Mackenna it is more of a waking nightmare, and a very strange inconvenience. Two best friends, close enough to be sisters, find themselves falling into a story of royalty, world-hopping, spying, and most certainly true love. And while love is a definite focus in the story, it is only one of many, including danger and mystery, action and adventure, a couple of princes, a few disgruntled brigands, and a haunting, deeply intriguing witch-hunt.

     Doon and its subsequent sequals, including Destined for Doon, Shades of Doon (release date September 2015), and a fourth addition expected September of 2016, are the perfect escape from reality. Written for teenage girls, they are certainly a light and fluffy read, but would appeal to anyone looking for a lighthearted escape from the day-to-day; a chance to relax and ponder something out of the ordinary; a little bit of romance as far-fetched and beautiful as it is and some vicarious travel to Scotland and its lush scenery and historic appeal. Scottish accents abound.

--Elise--

 Available in hardcover and paperback.

For more information on Doon by Cary Corp and Lorie Langdon, visit our website here.

Times Two

Words by Sheree Plett, illustrations by Shari-Anne Vis

"However long that it
would take to reach the
highest point in space,
that's how deep my love
is, dear, that's how far
my love would trace."

     This pure work of art is written in form of a lyric poem - defined as emotional and song-like, originally accompanied by a lyre when spoken or sung.  

     "A warm-hearted, lyrical book about the limitlessness of love."

     It is a children's book, but as is often the case, it is enjoyable and applicable for all ages. (We're all only older, taller, ever-so-slightly-more-knowledgeable children, throughout our lives after all, aren't we?)

     The "limitlessness" of love is probably something everyone could use a reminder about every so often, and what better way than through a simple song accompanied by touching, adorable, and colourful art?

     It was released a couple of years ago but I hadn't seen it on the shelf until today, and as soon as I did I had to pick it up. Childish or not, the simplicity of the words and the pure, bare truth in them draws you in and is a warming, comforting reminder that you are loved - fully, truly, warmly, and glamorously - and it is a striking and beautiful thing.

     The perfect book to raise your spirits on a dreary, no good, very bad day, because we all have those, sometimes all too often.

--Elise--

For more information on Sheree Plett's Times Two, visit us at our website here:
http://www.houseofjames.com/store/details/9780981140971

Messy Spirituality

"My life is a mess.
After forty-five years of trying to follow Jesus, I keep losing him in the crowded busyness of my life. I know Jesus is there, somewhere, but it's difficult to make him out in the haze of everyday life.
[...]
I want to be a good person. I don't want to fail. I want to learn from my mistakes, rid myself of distractions, and run into the arms of Jesus. Most of the time, however, I feel like I am running away from Jesus into the arms of my own clutteredness."

--Messy Spirituality, Chapter One, page 18

     From page one (or rather, page 18, where he begins to share after the foreword written by his wife, Karla), Michael Yaconelli is brutally honest about himself. And, to a point, about the reader.

     The premise of Messy Spirituality is based on the foundation that it is relatable. No matter what stage you are at in your faith, it can seem like not enough. You're not spiritual enough, not committed enough; you don't have enough faith, you don't love God enough, you don't share your faith enough, you don't pray enough, you don't read your Bible enough. Everyone tries to measure up to everyone else in a detrimental spiral of comparison and shame, and in the end there is no pay off, because faith is a personal thing. You cannot compare.

     Enough.

     Yaconelli suggests that maybe faith "begins with admitting we will never have our act completely together". He addresses spiritual perfectionism as a common struggle, and Messy Spirituality provides thoughts to help change those habits. The growth of your faith is something between you and God, and God sees everyone as they are: messy, imperfect, and absolutely beloved. Pastors, missionaries, worship leaders - they all struggle with the temptations and the doubts of everyday life as much as the next individual. Your position, your profession, your calling - does not determine the level of your faith.

     Yaconelli offers encouragement, to those of us who feel like we are not enough. He provides assurance and a sense of direction. He does not necessarily say that your faith doesn't need some work - that would be untrue for anyone, at any point in time - but he wants to remind anyone and everyone who have all somehow forgotten that faith and spirituality are not neat, clear, clean, or straight forward. Not always. Not for everyone. It is a constant, lifelong struggle; a work continually in progress.

     And that can be a very comforting thought.

--Elise--

For more information on Michael Yaconelli's book Messy Spirituality, visit us at our website here:
http://www.houseofjames.com/store/details/9780310277309

The Knight of Elderan

For a fall into the realm of the fantastic - in the root, literal sense of the word - Anna Thayer brings us the epic trilogy of The Knight of Eldaran.

"I just started reading The Traitor’s Heir, the first book in the The Knight of Eldaran trilogy by Anna Thayer, and I’m hooked. I’m impressed by Anna Thayer, who is not only a Tolkien and C.S. Lewis scholar, but a great writer as well as she sustains tension and intrigue throughout this well-woven and ever-unfolding tale. The Broken Blade, which came out last month, completes the series, and although I’m sorry I  hadn’t heard of them sooner, I’m happy to be able to read them all without suffering the wait between volumes. I think anyone who has enjoyed Stephen Lawhead will appreciate this epic series."
-- Pierre Dery --

Followed by The King's Hand and then the final installment, The Broken Blade, Thayer's The Traitor's Heir follows the story of Eamon Goodman and his transition into the ranks of the Gauntlet: the army of the overlord Eldered. Through her use of tension and captivating suspense, Thayer creates this epic and provides a cast of strong characters with developed relationships to keep you coming back for answers.



For more information on the series visit our website here:
http://www.houseofjames.com/search/eldaran