Children's Book Review Tuesdays: I Know My Dad Loves Me by Scott A. Williams

Book Title: I Know My Dad Loves Me

Author: Scott A. Williams

Publish Date: October 1, 2004

Genre: Middle Grade

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Ten-year-old Dale yearns for his father's love. Although smaller than the other kids and afraid of getting hurt, Dale tries out for Pee-Wee Football in hopes of winning his father's approval. He makes the team and in his first game catches the winning touchdown, yet Dale still doesn't get what he longs for the most: To hear his father say "I love you." "I Know My Dad Loves Me" explores the desire all boys have to know their fathers love them, and the struggle fathers experience in expressing that love. Through persistent questioning and the emotional toll of his grandfather's death, Dale tries to get his father to say "I love you" before it's too late.

Why I Read this Book: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.

 

Review

A great first chapter book for children, this book addresses the topic of affection displayed between father and son.  Oftentimes, it is hard for men to express how they feel.  Men are often expected to be strong and not show emotion.  This book, written in the voice of a ten year old child, displays how not showing affection can damage the relationship between parents and children.  It also shows how females, not just men, can be great athletes.

The writing style of this middle grade novel is perfect for children.  The only negative comment I have about this book is that it incorrectly states how to get to heaven; it says that good deeds can gain you entrance to heaven, but the only way to get to Heaven is through admission of sins and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 7-10

Overall Rating: 4/5

Book Review: Avalon High by Meg Cabot

Book Title: Avalon High

Author: Meg Cabot

Publish Date: 2006

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Who is Will Wagner, and how is it that Ellie, the new girl at Avalon High, feels as if she's known him all her life, when she's only just met him?

A log ago legend comes to new life in this tale of a love triangle, a medieval sword, and a totally awesome pool raft.

Avalon High seems like a typical high school, attended by typical students. There's Lance, the Jock. Jennifer, the cheerleader. And Will, senior class president, quarterback, and all-around good guy.

But not everybody at Avalon High is who they appear to be... not even, as new student Ellie is about to discover, herself. What part does she play in the drama that is unfolding? What if the bizarre chain of events and coincidences she has pieced together means — as with the court of King Arthur — tragedy is fast approaching Avalon High.

Worst of all, what if there's nothing she can do about it?

Why I Read this Book: I have really been into reading Audiobooks at the gym lately, so I checked this book out online from my library.

 

Review

A dash of romance, a dash of action, and a large bit of awesomeness is what makes this book worth the read.  This is a fun, light read.  I enjoyed the references to mythology.  I also enjoyed the lightness of the read.  Although I would consider this book more as middle grade rather than young adult, I still found that I easily related to the characters.
 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Middle Grade

Overall Rating: 4/5

Series Review: Angelmen by T.C. Slonaker (Series Not Yet Completed)

Series Title: Angelmen

Author: T.C. Slonaker

Titles and Publication Dates: Amity of the Angelmen (Book 1, 2012) and Asher of the Angelmen (Book 2, March 2014)

Genre: Christian Young Adult Fantasy

About the Series (from Goodreads):  

Someone has to die.
Life must be relinquished for the salvation of another. So someone will die. In the human world, it has already been done. But the race of the Nephilim has a different war to fight. And their sacrifice has yet to be given.

It will be one of the four.

Read the four paraquel stories to learn about the characters - Amity, Asher, Caedmon, & Malachi.
Watch them meet in the last chapter of each book.
Find out who will be the Sacrifice in the 5th book - The Battle

About Amity of the Angelmen (from Goodreads): 

Amity David is not human, as the seventeen-year-old pastor's daughter had thought she was. Her life has now been upturned and possibly set aright with the help of Mackenzie Abel, a young priest as conflicted about his calling as Amity is about hers. Blindly searching for answers together that will serve God's intent, the two also struggle against feelings they have developed for one another. Can Amity trust the alleged angel who told her she is descended from a demon? Part of her hopes not because, if true, it means she is being called to help free others like her from the ties of her evil heritage through war. What happens when a being created out of evil, is called to fight on the side of good? And what if this evil being thinks she is a good person, only to find she is not even a person at all?

Why I Read this Book: I received a physical copy of both Amity of the Angelmen and Asher of the Angelmen from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review of these books.

 

Review of the Series Thus Far

Both Amity of the Angelmen and Asher of the Angelmen had my attention from the first chapter.  These books are paraquel novels; they are about different characters in the series and they occur simultaneously.  The whole series is a battle of good versus evil.  The main characters struggle to find their identities once they learn that they are nephilim, born of human and demon.

My favorite part of this series is the complexity of the characters.  Amity is my favorite character in the series before as she struggles to physically fight the powers of evil as well as the spiritual struggle of trying to serve God even though she is half demon.

This series eloquently combines fantasy, christian elements, action, adventure, and romance.  I would recommend this series to any fan of fantasy!

The third book in the series will be coming out within the next year and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy. 
 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 16+ (some references to sex in a biblical point of view)

Overall Rating for the Series: 4.5/5