Imagine your parents have been lost in darkness and only your faith can shine their way home. The Tower of Light series insightfully examines childlike faith from the perspective of three small children, facing insurmountable problems… and succeeding, by faith and grace alone. “This little light of mine” never seemed so bright, and keeping it shining never felt so imperative.Light of Mine, … keeping it shining never felt so imperative.
Light of Mine, introduces Lauren (12), Aiden (9), and Ethan (5) who bear the responsibility of keeping their Father’s newly constructed Tower of Light shining in his absence.
From the back cover:
Darkness is spreading through Zoura. Beyond the borders of the heathlands, innocent animals are being turned into monsters, and good men into pawns of the Dark One. Father has vanished after joining the Mighty Mercenaries and mother has gone missing in search of him.
Alone on the farm, twelve-year-old Lauren and her brave little brothers, Aiden and Ethan, must guard the Tower of Light that will guide both parents home. But when a hooded stranger is caught trespassing the farm, and a new bishop claims the church, confusion pervades their close-knit community. Will the children be able to recognize who is a threat to the Tower and who is there to help them protect it?
With little else but the aid of a trio of blessed pets, three mysterious weapons, and their growing faith, Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan find it is up to them to stop the agents of The Dark One from putting out the Light and dooming the heathlands to Darkness.
Fans of Little House on the Prairie will feel at home in the series’ classic farmstead setting, and the sincerity of the children’s love for one another— nurtured by the example of their parents—will bring a smile to readers and listeners of all ages.
Read Light of Mine aloud to your family or confidently give it to your middle grade reader, knowing he or she will be ensconced in a wholesome and riveting experience, beginning to end.
About the author
Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband and father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. Follow his endeavors @towersoflight, @twodadsandajoke, and http://www.brokken.net. Your children can grow their own faith and love of God by following the adventures of Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan (plus their pets!) at instagram.com/towersoflight.
Stay tuned for book two, launching in June 2020, and book three in December 2020.
The faith journey continues! Onward and upward.
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Often my son will read books that interest him and review them for me. This particular book was one of those. He wasn’t as impressed as I had hoped, so I may have to read this book myself and see what I think. I am sure our opinions will differ some, as I am a bit more old-fashioned than this younger generation.
This is what he had to say:
“At 15, I enjoy reading fantasy books. At first glance, this book looked like it would fit that category. However, it wasn’t quite what I was hoping. I didn’t enjoy this book for quite a few reasons. First, I found the characters to be a bit uninteresting. Second, the structure of the world that Mr. Brokken created also frustrated me. It seems to try to blend things from earth with things of a fantastical nature, but the way it goes about doing that leaves it lacking in originality, or lore that I found appealing. I feel my disappointment with this book was due to the fact that I didn’t relate to the mindset of any of the main characters, as I am quite a few years older than them. However, younger children and preteens may very well find it a great read, so I would recommend they give it a try. But I am not sure older teens would enjoy it as much.”
I received this book free courtesy of the author and celebrate lit. All opinons are my own and I was not asked to give a positive review.
What I think you should know:
Light of Mine is a Middle Grades Christian Fantasy by Allen Brokken. It is the first book in the towers of light series. It is set in a fictional land where Darkness is taking over. When their parents have to leave to fight the darkness three siblings are left to be the caretakers of the light.
What I thought about this book:
As a mom of a YA reader, I loved this book. Brokken presented the battle for Faith in an interesting way. Each of the siblings cared an important part of the story so it would be good to read aloud with your family in addition to having your YA read it. I enjoyed how Brokken made it harder for the children to distinguish who was the good guy and who wasn’t, it could open the door for wonderful family discussions.
As a reader of YA fiction I enjoyed this book. Brokken has written a very interesting story about faith. I enjoyed the characters as well as the setting of the story. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
My Thoughts on Light of Mine:
I am always on the look-out for good children’s books. Lately, my children have really begun to like fantasy books. They’ll look at the library and see some that look interesting and bring them to me to see if they can check them out. All too often I have to tell them no, that they can’t get the book until I’ve had a chance to research the author and the book. Or sometimes, I have to grab the e-copy from the library and read it myself first.
With this book, I knew that I wouldn’t have to pre-read it. The author is a Christian father so I have to think that he also has faced wanting his children to read good wholesome books. Knowing that I did still pre-read this book because I wanted to be able to give it an honest review.
My honest review is. . . we can’t wait for books two and three to come out later this year!!
This is a great fun read and my kids have all been taking turns reading it. Every child who can read chapter books has read this book as quickly as they could because the next child was ready to snatch it from them!
We highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the rest of the series.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
Reading is always an adventure, and I love it when the opportunity arises to review a children’s or middle-grade novel. Not only is it a nice change of pace, especially as we navigate this pandemic, but it also offers a fresh perspective. When it comes to Christian literature, Jesus’ teachings about having the faith of a child become so much more clear as we witness the wholehearted and innocent trust that children possess. As Ethan remarks in the story, “Daddy says if we have a need, we pray. God takes care of it.” Instead of becoming jaded by the darkness of this world, we should keep our hearts soft toward others and love God above all else. After all, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
“Light of Mine” by Allen Brokken begins the Towers of Light series, and I intend to read the second book when it releases. This is exactly the type of book that I devoured when I was growing up. It is billed as being in the vein of “Little House on the Prairie”, and I also see delightful similarities with Thomas L. Tedrow’s “The Younguns of Mansfield.” Because I usually avoid looking at the synopsis before reading a book, I expected this one to have a contemporary or even future setting, so the old-fashioned farm location charmed me. It is so refreshing to read a book that does not contain bullying or kids trying to be “cool”, but rather just being kids while also working hard and being respectful. Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan have their disagreements like any siblings, but they work together to solve the problems facing them, taking to heart their father’s words: “Children, as long as we stay faithful to the Lord, this Light will shine over the Heathlands. We must do our work the very best we can as if for the Lord. We must pray, read the Good Book, and honor the Sabbath…We must do our work obediently, with a happy heart, and the Light will always shine.”
Brokken astutely writes this novel to appeal to the younger generation. The theme of obedience runs throughout, but in such a way that it is not forced or repellant. Trying to put myself in the shoes of a middle-grader, I don’t think that this story will be too frightening. There are a few intense scenes, particularly at the end, that might cause distress in sensitive children, but I think that these episodes accomplish their purpose to unveil true darkness vs. true light. This is a very important distinction for children to learn how to make as they grow older, and “Light of Mine” certainly succeeds in helping them to do so. The animal characters in the story, Sparkle Frog, Daddy Duck, and Meow-Meow, lighten the tone and bring some cheerful relief. I did find the epilogue to be rather off-putting, however, although maybe for younger readers it would not be an issue; as it is, I thought that there would either be more resolution or there would be clearer direction as to where book two would go. This may just be my personal preference, however, and I am not deducting stars for it. Whether you are 10 or 100, “Light of Mine” encourages and inspires all of us to “let our light shine before others, that they may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
As a homeschooling mother and blogger, I love finding new books for my children to read as well as for me to recommend. This book aimed at children in the middle grades caught my attention. This book is the first book in the Towers of Light Series.
I love how the story combines fantasy with Wild West aspects to create an amazing storyline. The characters are believable and interesting. The fantasy aspect may keep children interested while helping them grow in their faith and belief in God. The story takes some twists and turns that add to the interesting aspects of this book. I definitely recommend this book for middle graders. I think it would also make a great story to read aloud as well.
So check out this book for yourself. I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.
Right away I noticed something very important about this book. One of the characters say, “When you love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and spirit, the Good Book says you reflect the Savior’s Light on the world, which pushes back the Darkness.”It is a great statement to remind us that we can overcome the darkness when we surrender everything to God. We don’t have to fear anything because God in us has overcome darkness. Oh I’m so excited to read this book and share my thoughts .
I loved how the children worked together as their parents turn up missing. Strange things are going on around them but they take their responsibilities serious. The author does a great job of writing a book that is filled with whimsical animals , fighting off the darkness and presenting Biblical references that shine the light on God.
When the author mentioned the song, “This Little Light of Mine ,” I was immediately reminded of all the times I sang that song in Sunday school growing up. Today that song has such a deeper meaning for me. God wants us to shine light where darkness lingers. He wants us to to be the light that encourages others and shares His truth with others. The book is an excellent example of three young children shining light and trusting God.
The children encounter danger and I liked how the author uses examples that help readers of all ages understand dark vs light. It is a great book that have lessons on trust, faith and standing up against the enemy. I think this would make a great TV show for children.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.