We Have Winners!

First, I want to announce the winner of The Diamond of Darkhold ARC. Out of all the correct answers I received by email, I held a random drawing, and the winner is …. Gil. Congratulations. I’ll be in contact with you about receiving your prize.

But in the title, I said “winners.” No, sadly, not a second book give-away, but another book I am happy to recommend. This is the first from my Fall Into Reading list. I’m referring to Kathleen Popa’s The Feast of Saint Bertie (David C. Cook), just released in September.

I have to say, Katy is one of the best writers I know (though the list is growing longer and longer). The most striking thing about her work is how real it all feels. Within the first sentence or two, I am captivated, intrigued, lured on to the next page and the next.

Her characters are a bit quirky but also real. No stereotypes within these pages. And everyone is not entirely as they seem to be at first. Well, not quite everyone. But as so often is true in real life, the people we think we know often have hidden places they rarely show, even to their closest friends.

The story includes a mystery, though the point of the story is not to discover whodunit. In fact, at one spot I felt a sense of satisfaction and closure, forgetting that the culprit had yet to be unmasked. That’s because the real purpose of the story is to show a revolution within the main character. That other characters experience equally important coups d’état makes the story even better.

You might notice, I’m being circumspect, not giving details about the plot. I’m a firm believer that too much foreknowledge can ruin the surprises in a novel. With this one, the backcover copy lets the cat show a head and two paws outside the bag, so if you’re the type of reader who WANTS to know, click on The Feast of Saint Bertie link and read the product description on the Amazon page.

One warning. This is probably a women’s book. The protagonist is a woman, and the story is told from first person. There are plenty of important male characters, however, so I might be wrong.

My recommendation—if you’re interested in good fiction, true to life characters with genuine emotions and no easy answers, if you’re interested in a story that leaves you hopeful and more concerned with knowing God, then this book is for you. Highly recommend.