Fields of the Fatherless, by Elaine Marie Cooper

It’s 1775 and the colonies are almost up in arms. In the little town of Menotomy, Betsy Russell struggles to keep her faith. She can’t decide whether to hate the British redcoats or love them as the Bible says to do. She is torn when her father is brutally killed by the British during the retreat from Concord, and when she is asked to care for a wounded British regular in his final days. Can she do what is right and still find happiness in these dire hours?

Elaine Marie Cooper has written a fantastic book in Fields of the Fatherless. She writes in the old English style and does a fabulous job. Based on a true story, it’s a great evening read.

Jack Staples series, by Mark Batterson and Joel Clark

Jack Staples is an ordinary boy with an unordinary life. He is the fulfillment of a prophecy that was spoken thousands of years ago—he has been born without scales on his eyes. Unlike the rest of creation, he has seen the world as it really is for all of his life. When strange creatures led by an evil being called the Assassin attack his home town, Jack and a strange girl named Alexia, who has also not been born with scales, must run for their lives with Jack’s ancient school teacher and several other Awoken, people whose scales have fallen off. One of the two children are destined to betray the Awoken, and one is destined to bring down the Assassin in a struggle that will literally tear the world apart.

Mark Batterson and Joel Clark have spun a wonderful tale in the Jack Staples series. With tons of adventure, fabulous writing, and characters that each have their own individual struggles, the Jack Staples series is definitely a series that I would put on my favorites shelf.