Did you know that June is rose month? I didn’t, until I was researching what the flower of this month is, and found out it is a rose. Roses are beautiful and have always been my favorite flowers, despite the thorns. And like the rose, I feel like this month has been a month with thorns and beautiful flowers. Here’s how.
The Flowers
What I Watched
Fena: Pirate Princess Review
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Characters:
I absolutely loved the main characters, Fena and Yukimaru. That is because Fena reminds me of my main character, Etania, and Yukimaru reminds me of Keyel. Fena is outgoing and bubbly, while Yukimaru is reserved and serious. Both balance each other well, and their interactions create a bit of humor that is needed in such a serious plot.
The supporting characters were equally endearing. Each had something unique about them, whether it was the twins or the gunslinger. Then, there were antagonists that were intriguing because you never quite knew whether they were acting in the interests of Fena or themselves.
Plot:
This plot is definitely convoluted! Starting off as an escape from prostitution, the plot further evolves as Fena realizes that there is much more to her background than she thought. She is given an exotic stone that has something to do with her ancestry. Furthermore, she keeps hearing an alluring song and seeing a vision that she doesn’t quite understand. As she and the Red Goblin Gang travel the seas, it is fascinating to put the pieces together with Fena and ultimately understand her calling. The first few episodes seem to move a bit slower than the rest, but each one has something that keeps you watching, heart-pounding, until the very end.
Animation:
This anime has such a mystical quality about it. Animated with blues and whites as the dominant colors, it often creates a dream-like feel. The splashes of red then add excitement to the screen, and the music adds to the tension. Although this anime is more simplistic than an anime like Demon Slayer, it is still pretty, and I didn’t feel the animation itself was clunky.
Content:
There are several instances of sexual innuendo that a younger audience may miss and at the beginning, Fena is basically being sold off to a man for his own pleasure. There are scary moments where a certain person seems almost possessed by a demon. There is also blood, violence, and fire that could frighten some. Finally, the weird reincarnation/possessiveness of a certain character may make people uncomfortable. However, to be honest, this was not that bad compared to some anime.
The 1 star I docked was mainly because the ending, though it was conclusive, was hard for me to swallow as a Christian.
Jurassic World Dominion
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Characters:
Honestly, this is where the movie fell short. Despite bringing back characters from the old films and the new ones, this movie failed to bring back the passion and uniqueness of each character. The only ones I cared about were Owen and Claire, who exhibited characteristics of parenthood. Their care for their adopted “daughter” made me care about the overall plot. However, the rest of the characters, even the new ones, fell flat. They were one dimensional and didn’t have an overall motivation that made them worth emphasizing with.
Plot:
This was where it got interesting. The basic plot is that Owen and Claire are trying to get their adopted daughter back and Ellie and Allan are trying to expose the evils of the Dodgson’s corporation. I wasn’t exactly sure how they were going to weave these plot lines together, but they did pretty well. However, some may argue there was a bit of deus ex machina, and I could see that. Owen and Claire just happen to find a woman who can lead them to their daughter. Ellie and Allan just happen to have an inside man to help them find information about the evil Dodgson corporation. They also just happen to stumble upon Owen and Claire’s daughter and lead her to safety. Their planes and vehicles just happen to crash/land near each other, leading to a unification. So the plot was rather contrived, but it was as heart-stopping as normal with intimidating dinosaurs on the lose, trying to kill humans (which is really what the franchise of Jurassic Park/World is all about).
Setting:
Most of the movie was set in the Dodgson facility, where a bunch of dangerous dinosaurs were seeking shelter. This part was very reminiscent of Jurassic Park/World, bringing people back with nostalgia than intimidation, though there was one part where I jumped out of my seat. I also thought the underground dinosaur market, and showing how dinosaurs impacted the world at large, was fascinating. It was really interesting to conjecture how dinosaurs would make a difference to the ecosystem, and how they would either cooperate or kill each other. This was probably the most important part of the setting.
Content:
Be prepared to be scared. There are multiple moments where dinosaurs attack planes, vehicles, people, and each other. The violence and jump scare may be too much for young children. There is also an implication that the pilot is a lesbian, and Owen and Claire are unmarried, but raising a daughter. T-shirts get torn, showing many women’s middles. If you want a fuller list, make sure to check out Focus on the Family’s review.
What I Read
Retribution Review:
A powerful story of prayer in the midst of battle…
I’ve been an alpha and beta reader of this novel, and this was my third time reading it. Despite the fact I knew what was going to happen, I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting my favorite characters and reading about the Trylithians, my favorite alien race of C.E. Stone. C.E. does a brilliant job of describing so you can visualize her science fiction setting. She is also an amazing tactician, including detailed and realistic portrayals of battles in a long war. Since I’ve been a fan of C.E. for awhile, I even noticed some hints she gives about future books that I won’t spoil under pain of plasma waves. 😉 My review will be broken into three parts: characters, plot, and content.
Characters:
C.E. Stone has a wide array of characters, from the minor Ah’ae, to the all important antagonist, Tormac Grunn. She does a great job of describing the characters and making them different. For this book, I think I am split between whether Kexid or Kaity is my favorite. I enjoyed, even though it was painful, reading about Kaity’s character arc. Stone definitely made you feel all the conflict that being a Starganaut brings and empathize with someone who wants a peaceful life. Another favorite character of mine is Kexid. Her convoluted feelings are very evident throughout the story, and I like how realistic that is-that people, or in this case, aliens,-don’t just have one emotion. Sometimes, their emotions are conflicting, and for good reason. Even though Kexid and Kaity were may favorites in this novel, I empathized and related to many others, including Dudeman (James), Sharko, Samantha, and even Grunn. Some of the best parts of C.E. Stone’s novel are getting to know these characters over several books, and relating to (sometimes painfully!) their struggles.
Plot:
I thought the first Starganauts book was rather fast-paced, but this one is even more so! The emotional stakes for the characters are present from the beginning, drawing and building the tension until Chapter 5, when the actions starts. From that point on, the action doesn’t seem to stop. There are battles, skirmishes, space fights, and technology that makes the plot twist and turn until the intense conclusion. C.E. does an excellent job increasing the suspense from the heart-pounding prologue to the final battle. If you’re looking for the epic space fights and one-on-one duels of Star Wars, you’ll find it in this book. There are also unique alien abilities like the plasma wave, and some others I don’t want to discuss because of spoilers. C.E.’s tactical battles and unique twists made this plot compelling and creative.
Content:
There are no swear words in this story, but there is a mention of pornography (dealt with tactfully), and mentions of torture (again, not described). There is a mention of alien wearing midriff bearing tops (but honestly, it makes sense that another culture wouldn’t have our standard of modesty). Overall, this is a squeaky clean book.
Concluding Thoughts:
I read a review of C.E.’s first book that said it is Pureflix meets Scifi. I don’t know if that person meant it as a compliment or not (who can tell with online reviews?), but I think it describes C.E. Stone’s style and I mean it as a compliment. Christian values and Christian principles are present throughout the book. Prayer is emphasized, and the power of prayer is evident. I consider this to be a realistic view of the Christian life. God made not answer your prayers the way we expect (and neither does he answer the character’s prayers the way they expect), but He is always there. He will pave a way through suffering, and each of C.E.’s novels speak mightily into that theme.
Therefore, if you like Christian fiction and are looking for a science fiction novel to add to your collection, I highly recommend C.E. Stone’s work.
Shield Band Review
A great conclusion to the series…
It’s so hard to finish a series. It’s like leaving your best book friends. You’ve seen the characters grow and flourish, been there with them when they struggle and fight, and cheered for them when they win in love and life. I started this series as soon as I found out Tara Grayce and Tricia Mingerink were the same person. I’m so glad I did. I absolutely loved Essie and Farrendell, and my second favorite couple is Edmund and Jalissa. I did like Melantha and Rharreth, whose fiery relationship grew on me. I will say the same about Julien and Vriska. I now want spin-off short stories and books, but I don’t think Tara is going to do those any time soon, so I will have to enjoy writing imaginary fan fiction in my head, haha. So, what did I like about this final book?
Plot
I really enjoyed the plot. It was very interesting to see how Mongravia impacted the human, elf, and troll alliance. I also liked how Julien and Vriska got to know each other over time, and that unlike the other books, this was not a marriage automatically. There was also a twist that I didn’t see coming, and it kept me on my toes.
Characters
Julien and Vriska were interesting characters. Julien was really cute, always putting himself last, and that made him very endearing. Vriska was fascinating because she had to overcome her own prejudices and her own view of herself to fall in love with Julien. Their relationship was unique because I can see this kind of couple in the real world. They’re both essentially athletes or military members who can relate over their love of the “battle.” Vriska is a tomboy through and through, and her struggles with femininity reminded me of when I used to try to get my best friend to try to wear a skirt. Both my best friend and Vriska learned that womanhood isn’t in skirts, but in a certain type of fierce strength that women have. So it was neat to read about their developing relationship and see cameos from the other characters. I couldn’t necessarily relate to these characters since I’m not an athlete or militaristic, but I could understand them and enjoy reading about them.
Content:
There is implication of cursing and some passionate kissing, but other than that, this book is squeaky clean. There is also violence that may not be suitable for super sensitive readers, but honestly, I didn’t think it was too bad.
I will probably reread this series often. It is hard to say good-bye, but I look forward to seeing where Tara goes with the rest of her books.
Unveiled: Tamar
A compelling portrayal of a difficult time during Biblical history…
I’m in-between books right now, so I decided to pick up a book I have on my bookshelf and reread it. I’m so glad I did. It kept me up late, which tells you how good this short novella is!
I think the hardest part of this book was reading a story of how someone was abused and used by the men in her life. Even Judah knew he was committing a fourteen-year-old to a marriage with someone who was at least a wild child and, he later found out, was abusing his daughter-in-law. It’s hard to read about, and I felt deep sympathy for Tamar.
That being said, Tamar develops from someone who is intimidated by the people in control of her life to someone who is strong and willing to fight back. She has an inner strength that isn’t present in many female characters in today’s movies, tv shows, and books. Some may see her as a doormat. I didn’t. I saw her as someone who knew her culture and had to work within the culture to get what she deserved.
If you know anything of the Bible story, you know that this book is going to deal with more touchy subjects than a typical, clean fiction book. The abuse might have been made up, but the sexual issues and wickedness of the sons of Judah are not. These biblical subjects were sensitively addressed, with enough description to be implied, but not graphic. The plot and character development was interesting, and I enjoyed seeing this biblical story from another angle. Overall, a very good biblical fiction portrayal of Tamar.
The Thorns…
What I Wrote
I’ve written 35,000 words or 78 pages of Etania’s Destiny, and it has been hard! I’ve been struggling to develop the characters and pull all the threads into one solid story. Just to give you some idea of it, I have some new narrators that I’m adding that make things a bit complicated. If you’ve read Etania’s Calling, then you probably assume that I will be using Damien as a narrator. But I have a surprise one: Gwen.
*Spoiler Alert*
Gwen was Zaden’s girlfriend in Etania’s Calling, and because of her marriage to Xavier, Zaden’s bother, I decided to add her perspective to the story. Plus, she has a unique point of view that I needed in order to give you a “villain’s perspective.” Damien, to be honest, is a very one-dimensional villain. He wants to kill anyone who will stop him from doing what he wants. As Alfred so wonderfully told Batman, “Some people just want to watch the world burn.” Damien is definitely one of those people.
*End of Spoiler*
My goal is to finish the first draft of Etania’s Destiny by July 31st or August 30th. I’m not entirely sure I will be able to do it, but I am working hard to accomplish that goal. Of course, finishing the first draft does not mean that I will be done. At that time, I will be taking a break to edit it myself before I hand it over to my edit for a final proof. This process should take months, with a hopeful release date of next summer. But we shall see.
What I Learned
It’s so hard to trust God. This statement about trusting God shouldn’t be a surprise to those of you who have read my books. It happens to be a theme I constantly find myself coming back to. Why? Because I struggle with trusting God.
I wish I didn’t. Honestly. I wish I just trusted God and had perfect peace all the time. But it can be difficult to trust God when he asks you to do something that is out of your comfort zone.
That’s what he asked me to do this month. He asked me to step out of teaching Middle School and begin teaching High School. To say I’m excited, nervous, and intimidated all at once is an understatement. Adding to my nervousness is the fact that this is a significant pay cut because it is part-time. With my husband’s job also being a question mark, it has been difficult for me to trust God to provide.
At the same time, I know God will come through. Again, and again, he has shown up. I know many readers have complained about the deus ex machina of books and movies. But honestly, that is how it has been in my life. God has showed up, exactly when I need him, to accomplish exactly what I need.
So, why is it hard to trust? I think it is because I am a fragile human in need of a sovereign God. These moments of fear instead of faith remind me of what matters the most. I need to rely on God, more than myself.
Wrap-Up Posts You May Have Missed
Over to You: Have you read any of these books or watched any of these movies? What are your thoughts about what I’ve learned or written?