Our Young Blogger writes:
"This is only a small selection of the books I love and recommend but reading is one of my favourite things to do and I would always recommend it! One of the benefits of lock-down for me is finally getting through a pile of books I have been meaning to read for years and finally buying new books without feeling as guilty!"
Having been to Soul Survivor several times I decided to read books written.jpg)
by their pastors, and I am glad I did! I have only read Lifelines and Everyday Supernatural, but I thoroughly enjoyed them both. Everyday Supernatural explored how to live a Spirit-filled life that is consistent with Scripture, how to use the gifts of the Spirit as everyday tools, practical ideas for prayer and ways to show dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Lifelines talked about what the stories of these biblical characters teach us about how to live lives full of faith and integrity today. I found these books genuinely helpful as they were a mixture of testimonies, teaching and Bible studies to help deepen my faith.
This book tells the stories of everyday people whose lives have been changed by Jesus. You'll be introduced to lives from the Premier League to Parliament, fashion to finance, music to the military, baking to business and more. It helped me to understand more the impact Jesus can have on people’s lives and I loved reading their testimonies. I personally enjoyed the chapters written by a Paralympian talking about suffering, an Oxford professor on science vs religion and a cabinet minister attending church.
I am N reminds us that we are each “N”—how radical Muslims in Iraq identify
followers of Jesus the Nazarene. This book talks about the persecution other followers of Jesus face for their beliefs, it helped me to deepen my faith in a God who gives us the courage to shine in a dark world. I found it insightful to understand the privileges I have, which is the opposite of the persecution like others do, it really opened my eyes to the realities people face. Although it was not a cheerful read, I was invested in the lives of the people we were told about and am have grown in my faith having read it.
Two young people are forced to make a stand in this thought-provoking look at racism and prejudice in an alternate society.
This book is set in an alternate world, where Sephy is a Cross -- a member of the dark-skinned ruling class and Callum is a Nought -- a “colourless” member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. I found this book intriguing from a social perspective, seeing how segregation, prejudice, scapegoating, and racism were portrayed. Furthermore, this book has been recently made into a BBC tv show! This book has an amazing concept/idea and gave a new outlook on the world while highlighting key issues like racism, poverty, and nepotism. I was invested in what happened to the characters as the positive outcomes for the protagonists looked slim and I found myself hooked by the events that occurred.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist.
I recently finished this book and am about to start its sequel. I adored the .jpg)
world, the characters, and the storyline. It follows six completely different people who all have their own problems but mainly a criminal prodigy called Kaz Brekker, who gets offered a chance at a heist that could change both his life and the lives of everyone he knows. These six characters must band together to perform the heist which could easily result in their deaths or capture. I personally loved the dynamics between the characters, seeing some clash, some get along and watching their characters develop was a winner for me, furthermore it finished on a gripping cliffhanger which had me bursting for more!
Fall in love, break the curse. Break the curse, save the kingdom.
I love fairytale retellings, so this retelling of Beauty and the Beast was perfect (just without the simple life in France, frequent breakouts in song and huge libraries!) It follows the story of a girl named Harper who has cerebral palsy, she gets pulled from her life in Washington DC and into a world of magic, castles, curses, and a monster. She is stuck in a castle with Prince Rhen (who yes, she must fall in love with) and a guard named Grey, where they're surprisingly was not a love triangle! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, base ideas for the book (mainly by mixing the real world and fantasy world), as well as the twist at the end!
An Assassin. A corrupt kingdom. A tyrannical King.
The Throne of Glass series is one of my favorites of all time. The first book
follows the assassin Celeana Sardothien, who is dragged before the Crown Prince after serving out a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines for her crimes. She gets offered freedom on one condition: she must win a competition to be the new royal assassin, however, the other contestants start to be found dead and she is caught up in the thick of it. I love the character development in this book and series, it is so well planned out and has plenty of humour, mystery and romance.