Books for Christian Girls: "If the Stars Awaken" by Kate Willis

About this book:

  “"Hush, little one, and you will see a starlit web of mystery.”
    Queen Marinne awaits a sign from the Maker about her unborn child, but the heavens are worryingly quiet about everything except the new star taking over the sky.
    Others look to the stars as well, but none more than the Starreader's loyal apprentice, Dynast, who finds himself cast aside and left to search the skies for answers on his own.
    Elite guard Arrow has no time to wonder about the star as he protects the royal family, a task that becomes harder when the Starreader interrupts the christening to prophesy the end of days.
    Fear and confusion unsettle the kingdom, and a bid for survival turns into a desperate search for truth and hope.”

Series: As of now, seems to be a stand-alone novel.

Spiritual Content- Prayers to the Maker; “The Maker” is representing God in this world and it said to be the “authoritative Being considered the creator, blesser, and redeemer of this world”; 'H's are capital when referring to the Maker; “Starreaders” are those who read the stars that the Maker talks through and are supposed to compare what they say to what the Maker has said before (comparing to make sure they are accurate in their translations); Stars are an important feature in this book as the Maker talks to His people through them (they are charted and said to be dancing; it’s up to Starreaders and their apprentices to understand what they are saying; Some study the stars to understand the Maker); “Wordbooks” are volumes that record any new word from the Maker; The “firstfathers” are mentioned and said to be the first people created by the Maker; Phrases like “may the Maker bless you” and “Maker’s blessing to you” are said; Marinne and her husband have their baby christened by presenting “the child before God to love and to follow Him”; Marinne comments that she has lost the Maker in a moment of grief and that perhaps the Maker still answers some prayers (Later, she tells someone that the Maker never leaves us); Many mentions of the Maker & His mercy; Mentions of prayers (including a prayer of farewell for the deceased and a prayer of protection), praying, blessings over food, & thanking the Maker; Mentions of churches/chapels, Wordbooks, a priest, & christenings; A couple mentions of those who have passed being with the Maker up in the stars; A mention of the Maker’s judgment on sin; A mention of someone wondering if dogs to the stars (Heaven);
             *Note: One star that is named in this book is called the “prophetess star” and is said to be a fulfillment of prophecy (when it appears, many bad things happen that imply the end of the world as the star is actually a “celestial object” on the way to earth and warns that confusion will soon visit the land; Because of this, some people believe the land and it’s people are cursed by God; Some people believe that the Maker wouldn’t doom His people like so without a hope for mercy from Him); *Spoilers* Stars are able to come down to earth, we see a good one and a fallen one; The fallen one causes trouble by stealing peoples’ energies and confusing a message to read as one without hope and mercy from the Maker who has provided as escape from the world-ending (he believes the people in this world are too messy to come to his world); Another star comes down as a messenger to bring news of the Maker’s mercy in the trying time and tells Marinne and Arrow to go to the skydocks where there is a portal to a twin world where they can live; It’s said towards the end, that the Maker “fashioned the twin worlds, connected and separated by a bright light, but each green and fertile and full of life” *End of Spoilers*; Arrow shares with Marinne about gaining energy from leaves (they stick the leaves which have been in the sun on their wrists and are able to feel replenished by them; They also place leaves on those who have had their energies stolen from them; We see the point of view of a couple people who had their energy stolen and/or gave it to others (it’s said that the people are stuck in a “gray night sky of nothing” but they still have a pulse); Later, they and others are able to give part of their energies to others by touching the person’s wrist; *Spoilers* Marinne gives energy to her son because she doesn’t want to see him ill or hungry *End of Spoiler*); A mention of praying the prayer of farewell for an animal (who “had no need” for it, but Arrow prayed it anyway).

Negative Content- A small bit of sarcasm; A scary moment for a mother with her baby not breathing (barely-above-not-detailed); Earthquakes, Fighting, Being attacked (by humans and wolves), Being tied-up, Being carried away in a river, Being shot, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, Throwing up, & Hunger pains (up to semi-detailed); Grieving a loved one & dreams of the person (*Spoiler* Marinne for her husband who she sees murdered *End of Spoiler*, up to semi-detailed with shock and pain); Mentions of deaths, accidents, a murder, bodies, & grieving (including Marinne for loved ones *Spoiler* such as an infant (prior to the book) and her husband (during the book) *End of Spoiler*, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of raids & bodies; Mentions of fights/fighting, riots, brawls, & explosions; Mentions of pain, injuries/wounds, blood/bleeding, & helping an injured person (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of thieves, robbers, & stealing; Mentions of prisons & prisoners (including children because of a parent’s crimes); Mentions of wolves, being attacked by them, & them getting a horse (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of nightmares; A few mentions of being tied-up & held at knife-point; A few mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of murderers; A couple mentions of drinks & drinking; A couple mentions of throwing up; A mention of a drowned horse; A mention of gambling;
             *Note: Mentions of an infant that passed away early (Marianne and her husband’s first baby, who was “born too small to open her eyes”; Mentions of Marianne’s grief and longing for her including a dream of the baby being older; Marianne is concerned that her second baby may not live long in this world because the lack of a name being given to the baby by the Maker).

Sexual Content- Marianne and her husband share kisses (a hand kiss, three forehead/head kisses, three not detailed kisses, and five barely-above-not-detailed kisses), embraces/cuddling, & wake up in bed together (no details; some are flashbacks/memories); A fellow guard teases Arrow about a tryst; A few mentions of a fallen woman & her children hiding when she would have a “guest” (*Spoiler* Arrow’s mother, who was arrested for it and he was also sent to prison because no one would take him *End of Spoiler*); A bit of love, being in love, & emotions;
             *Note: Labor pain (barely-above-not-detailed); Marinne feeds her baby (no details besides buttoning her garment when done and having to eat to be able to provide milk for the baby).

-Marinne
-Arrow
-Dynast
                                P.O.V. switches between them
                                                        289 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Safe for younger age ranges, but may be difficult for some to understand the symbolism.}

This was very different from my normal type of book. I liked some elements and I was confused about other elements, hence my personal rating. (I have to note that the illustration at the beginning was so pretty!)

I don’t usually read books about married couples because I’ve learned that it typically adds in sexual content and suggestions, but this book had none of that! Super thankful for that because it was kept very clean and added in a sweetness in the beginning to read about—until a certain part (not sexual, just sad) tried to rip my heart out.

We go back and forth between the main characters a lot. It took me a bit to get into the story and understanding what everything meant because of that, but by a third into the book, I was able to follow along well enough. I was confused on somethings but did okay figuring out some parts. It was slow paced and yet fast paced at times as well. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a book that had this kind of pacing.

I was a bit uncomfortable with the mentions of gaining energy from leaves that had absorbed sunlight and our main characters using them to replenish their energy levels. It’s supposed to only be used in emergency situations, but because they’re on the run and face people who had their energy stolen from them, it’s used pretty often in the last half of the book. It goes to where they’re able to touch another’s wrist and give energy to that person that way as well.

Even though this book was very different from my normal type of read, I ended up mostly enjoying it.

See y’all on Friday with a new review!