In lieu of my lack of book reviews recently (hopefully, winter break will give me some time to rectify that situation), I thought I’d share with you some of the books on my very long TBR pile. First up is Theresa Linden and her YA novel Roland West, Loner.
Theresa Linden is a homeschooling mom who lives in northeast Ohio with her husband, three boys, and one very old dog. Her father was in the Coast Guard, so she moved often growing up. She lived through Typhoon Pamela on Guam, got stung by a jelly fish on Hawaii, and came face to face with a doe in California. She is a firm believer that life is an adventure. Faith in the invisible realities has only increased this belief. She hopes that the richness, depth, and mystery of the Catholic faith arouse her readers’ imaginations to the invisible realities and the power of faith and grace. Her love for faith, family and freedom inspired her other published books, Chasing Liberty and Testing Liberty, books one and two in a dystopian trilogy.
Here’s a review about Roland West, Loner that Theresa shared with me:
“If I could choose but one novel this year that was not only sheer delight to read, but also had the most profound impact on my spiritual life, it would be — without a shadow of a doubt — “Roland West, Loner” by Theresa Linden. I wish I could give this book to every Catholic teen I know (and their parents too!). At first glance, the story is on a purely natural level: a teenage boy, alone and friendless in a new school, trying to cope with his cruel older brothers. But the plot swiftly moves into a new and unexpected realm — that of the supernatural — sweeping the reader way beyond the halls of West River High and plunging straight into the doctrine of the Communion of Saints. The way Linden accomplishes this will take your breath away.
When we first meet Roland, our 14-year-old hero, he is on the verge of a trip to Italy with his father. This is Roland’s chance to escape his brother Jarrett and the nightmare of school. But Jarrett wants the trip for himself, and will stop at nothing to get it. While their father is away, he locks Roland in the cellar and puts his scheme into action.
But, unknown to Roland, he does in fact have a friend: someone special in Heaven, who likewise has a scheme and is putting it into action. Roland’s life, and the life of all the characters, is about to be changed forever.
When Roland is rescued from his prison by a boy from school named Peter, a friendship springs up between them. The two are drawn together especially by a mysterious locked box that Peter has been given as an inheritance. What it contains is literally out of this world — a gift directly from Heaven. But someone else wants the treasure too. The race is on to keep the box and its precious contents safe.
Peter’s secret inheritance is the very heart of this suspenseful and heartwarming story. Once you’ve read this magnificent novel, you will never again think of the Saints as being far away!
I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. A rare work by an extremely talented author!” ~Susan Peek, Author of A Soldier Surrenders
If you want to learn more about Theresa Linden, you can find her online here:
Website: http://theresalinden.wix.com/theresalindenfiction
Author FB page: https://www.facebook.com/theresalindenauthor
Twitter handle: @LindenTheresa
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/TheresaALinden/catholic-teen-fiction
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Roland-West-Loner-Theresa-Linden/dp/0996816844
Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0189FKSPE
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