Sunday, January 12, 2014

Book Review | Luminary by Krista McGee

Luminary
by Krista McGee
Anomaly series, Book 2
Christian Fiction / YA / Dystopian
Available January 2014
Thomas Nelson
320 pages



About the Book
Thalli thought escaping to the surface would mean freedom. But is she any less of an anomaly aboveground?

After escaping an underground annihilation chamber, Thalli, Berk, Rhen, and John find themselves fleeing across the former United States, aboveground for the first time. As the defectors cross the forgotten landscape, the three youths see things they had only read about on screens: horses, rain, real books—and a colony of unsanctioned survivors living the ancient way in a town called New Hope.

When these survivors reveal the truth of what happened years ago, Thalli is left unsettled and skeptical of everything she’s ever been told. Can she trust anything from the State, including her own feelings for Berk? When she volunteers for a peace mission to New Hope’s violent neighbor, Athens, her confusion mounts when the supposedly ruthless Prince Alex turns out to be kind and charming. Although everyone in New Hope warned her not to, she can’t help but fall for him.

Meanwhile, John’s unwavering faith in the goodness of the Designer begins to make its mark on Thalli’s heart. But can Thalli really come to trust in a generous, protective Designer who rules over all things? Would that not be setting herself up for another betrayal?

The time for her to decide is now . . . because the State is closing in.

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My Thoughts
NOTE: If you have not read Anomaly (the first book in this series) yet, there are slight spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk!

After reading Anomaly this summer, I could hardly wait to read Luminary! I got my hands on a copy last week and moved it to the top of my TBR stack. While Thalli was a little ... whiny ... at the beginning, I soon got over my frustration with her and got swept up in the drama of their escape from the State. It was fascinating to read about three characters who were experience life as we know it (relatively speaking anyway) for the first time. McGee's creativity in describing things like home and parents and marriage and horses from the perspective on people who have never seen nor experienced these things was brilliant! 

My favorite part of the story was seeing John and Thalli's friendship grow as Thalli came to know the Designer (God) better. John encouraged Thalli in so many ways. I also enjoyed seeing how Psalm 23 was woven throughout the book in subtle ways. I also enjoyed the fact that I never really figured out what was going to happen next. There were a couple of characters that I'm still not sure which "side" they're on. Ha! 

With a huge cliffhanger ending, I'm really excited for the conclusion, Revolutionary, later this year! Krista McGee is a talented writer, and I highly recommend her stories for readers of all ages! [4 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author
Krista McGee’s passion to see teens excited about serving God is a driving force behind her novels. Ever since college when she spent a summer working at a youth camp, McGee knew she wanted to invest in teenagers. Since then she’s been involved in a variety of youth ministries and currently teaches at a Christian school in Tampa, FL.

McGee broke into the writing world during her time in Spain. A friend encouraged her to submit an article to a Christian girls’ magazine, and it got published. Once her family moved back to Tampa, she got the idea for her first novel, First Date, a modern take of the story of Esther. Her subsequent books, Starring Me and Right Where I Belong, are based on Rebekah and Ruth.

When Krista McGee isn’t living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she spends her days as a wife, mom, teacher and coffee snob.

Krista McGee Online

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