Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

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A speculative series worth investing in: Review of Beneath the Forsaken City by C.E. Laureano

Last summer I took a chance on a new series of speculative (think fantasy/adventure) fiction, even though I wasn’t sure it was the genre for me. But author C.E. Laureano hooked me from the start of The Song of Seare series, and I gobbled up book one. You can read my thoughts about it here. Book Two recently released, and my expectations were high. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my review.)

forsaken cityBeneath the Forsaken City continues the tale of the faithful men and women fighting for the heart and soul of their land which is deep in darkness under the influence of an evil king. It’s hard to talk about a second book in a series without giving away too much from the first book, so I’ll try, instead, to tell you what I like about the series overall.

First, I’m in awe of an author creating an entire world, including a language, that is similar to an existing world but not quite the same. Seare (pronounced SHAR-uh) is reminiscent of Britain, with influences from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. It’s an island nation with clans and the setting is somewhat medieval with horses, castles, kings and sword-fighting. And yet it’s entirely its own world.

At times it reminds me of Lord of the Rings and other times I think of The Princess Bride. The stories contain a lot of action and suspense, some hints of romance, and plenty of food for thought about faith, spirituality, and morality.

It is not hard to get lost in this world and be completely caught up in the characters. The stories move along at a pace that keeps you turning the pages. And book two definitely left me aching for book three. All in good time, I guess. That’s the worst part of reading the second book in a trilogy: having to wait for book three to wrap it all up!

When it comes to this set of stories, though, the wait is worth it. And the wait for book three will be worth it too.

If you’re looking for something different than what you normally read, or if you’re looking to add to your collection of fantasy/adventure stories, look to this series. (But don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

A guide to surviving Valentine's Day

I love a good fairytale. A happily-ever-after romance. Pretty sure I always have.

But life is not always happily-ever-after. Even great marriages have their low points. And all relationships have flaws.

I haven’t been the hugest fan of Valentine’s Day, although it has its charms. (Conversation hearts, anyone?)

love

I’ve been single, separated by war, and married on Valentine’s Day, and none of those statuses made it any easier to stomach. Because sometimes Valentine’s Day makes us think that love has to be perfect to be worth it. Or that romantic love is all there is to life.

That it falls on a weekend this year somehow intensifies the feelings about this holiday. (I use the term loosely.) Whether you’re single and happy, single and miserable, attached and blissful, attached and unhappy, married with or without children, living your marriage dreams or slogging through a nightmare, I want you to survive Valentine’s Day. I want you to know that love is work and relationships are hard and it’s okay.

A few years ago I blogged a list of realistic love songs about marriage.

I want to add to that list with songs, books and articles that will make your situation, whatever it is, feel normal on Valentine’s Day. Few of us live a fairytale every day, and especially on Valentine’s Day, it’s good to be reminded of love in all seasons of life. Feel free to add your own.

My friend Courtney wrote this book called Paper Hearts. And while it might look like a lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day romance, it is so much more. You can read my full review, and I think you’ll be encouraged by the story. It is what real love is like. (Also, check out the video that goes with it.)

Grab a tissue to watch this Casting Crowns video of their song, “Broken Together.” That whole idea of “you complete me” is good for the movies, but this song tells a much more realistic story.

Specific to Valentine’s Day, here’s a great reminder that our day doesn’t have to be perfect to be good: The One True Thing About the Perfect Valentine’s Date by Kelly Flanagan.

Still have those tissues? Check out the story of Ian & Larissa Murphy in their book Eight Twenty Eight or you can watch some videos and read some articles about them here. A humbling story of sacrificial love and the goodness of God.

And if you have a lot of garbage in your relationship or your past, check out this post by Gary Thomas, which encourages us that our broken pieces can turn into beautiful windows.

So, there you have it. My guide to surviving Valentine’s Day. Let me know what you think if you check out any of these resources. And please, add others in the comments section!