Monday, March 16, 2015

Dauntless by Dina L. Sleiman - REVIEWED

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dauntless
by Dina L. Sleiman


About the Book:
Born a baron's daughter, Lady Merry Ellison is now an enemy of the throne after her father's failed assassination attempt upon the king. Bold and uniquely skilled, she is willing to go to any lengths to protect the orphaned children of her former village--a group that becomes known as "The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest." Merry finds her charge more difficult as their growing notoriety brings increasing trouble their way.

Timothy Grey, ninth child of the Baron of Greyham, longs to perform some feat so legendary that he will rise from obscurity and earn a title of his own. When the Ghosts of Farthingale Forest are spotted in Wyndeshire, where he serves as assistant to the local earl, he might have found his chance. But when he comes face-to-face with the leader of the thieves, he's forced to reexamine everything he's known.

My Thoughts:
The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend.  Oft as not, his is just another enemy waiting to be discovered.”  (p. 336)

There are a lot of friends and enemies to sort out in Dina Sleiman’s  Dauntless, but you will be so totally absorbed in the adventure that when revelation comes to you,  you will be truly delighted or truly aghast!  This is a perfect blend of Robinhood and Peter Pan set in an historically accurate medieval England.  I have never been so thoroughly entertained!  The main characters may be adolescent, but given the age within which the story is set, you don’t get the feel of an adolescent novel.  This story is for anyone of any age that enjoys a well-written adventure that successfully navigates the social mores of the time period within which the story line is set.  You will fall in love with Merry and her band of “Ghosts”, and you will eventually come to love some of the gentry in the story as well. 

There is a bit of everything to draw you into the story!  Sibling rivalry, parent-child relationship and all of the dynamics that accompany those relationships over a lifetime, the rivalry between classes…this story has it all!  There is also a very real element of faith and struggle with faith in the face of hardship that will cause you to examine your own heart as you enjoy the story.

I am super-excited to recommend this story to readers of all ages!  There is much to be enjoyed! Go ahead, be Dauntless and pick up your copy today!

About the Author:
Dina Sleiman writes stories of passion and grace. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Since finishing her Professional Writing MA in 1994, she has enjoyed many opportunities to teach literature, writing, and the arts. Her debut novel, Dance of the Dandelion with Whitefire Publishing, won an Honorable Mention in the 2012 Selah Awards. Also look for her novels, Love in Three-Quarter Time and Dance from Deep Within, and her Valiant Hearts series coming with Bethany House Publishers in 2015. Dina serves as an acquisitions editor for WhiteFire as well, and she loves to represent them at writers conferences throughout the US. Join her as she discovers the unforced rhythms of grace. For more info visit her at http://dinasleiman.com/ (Photo by Silly Little Sparrow.)

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