Favorite Authors & Books #1

   Alright, this post is the very beginning of what I hope will turn into an interesting chain of book and author recommendation posts. I won't be posting this every day, of course, but I will try to keep this "Favorite Authors & Books" chain alive by posting at least every once in a while (or more often, if I feel like it *smile*).

I've seen others do posts on new books they've read and liked, and I thought, "Why not me?" I certainly have plenty of books to recommend. 

With that introduction in mind, let the recommending commence!

As of yet, I have not found many a book series that have been able to match or steal this series's spot in my top favorites. . . . 

The Viking Quest Series!

 

   I love this series! Intriguing, well-written, and definitely worth every hour I spent reading them. They are clean, Christian books that I would recommend to anyone (if you know me very well, you can attest to this!). Lois Walfrid Johnson does an amazing job of drawing the reader in and making them feel as if they are really there. One can almost smell the salt of the sea, feel the wind in their face, see the vast glittering fjords, and behold the fierce Viking ships. 

All of the books I don't have any caution for, but I will note that some mild romance officially enters the picture in the 4th and 5th books, Heart of Courage and The Raider's Promise. But they are very mild and appropriate. There is no kissing or anything. The most "romantic" thing that happens in any of the books is a young man put an arm around a young lady's shoulder briefly (and maybe briefly holds her hand a few times).

Sensitive content: none 

Age recommendation: 10+

My rating: 5 stars

   This is the starting book of the series. It follows Bree O'Toole and her capture by the dreaded Norwegian Vikings. 

Sensitive content: none

Age recommendation: 10+

My rating: 5 stars

   Bree is aboard the Viking ship and bound for Norway, the home of her young, proud captor, Mikkel. Tensions heighten between not only Bree and Mikkel, but a new enemy is introduced: someone who wants revenge on the young ship captain (also Mikkel).

   

Sensitive content: none

Age recommendation: 10+

My rating: 5 stars

   Bree arrives at Norway, and finds herself a slave to Mikkel's mother. She longs to be free, but is bound by her promise to not run away. While there, she is reunited with someone she thought she'd never seen again. Her brother, Devin, arrives with a ransom for her, but will they accept it? 

Sensitive content: some (very) mild romance

Age recommendation: 10+

My rating: 5 stars

   Bree and Dev, in exchange for Bree's freedom, agree to go with Mikkel on adventures to distant lands. They face an enemy within the ship's own crew and other dangers of the seas. Will Bree win her freedom after all, or will she always be a slave?

Sensitive content: some (very) mild romance

Age recommendation: 10+

My rating: 5 stars

   Bree, who once longed to returned to Ireland and resume the life she had, has changed. She finds herself excited to go on expeditions with Lief Erikson and explore new lands.

   Mikkel, with his newfound Christian faith, has changed, too. He made a promise to Bree to return her to her home in Ireland after the voyage . . . but will he keep his promise? 

   Okay, first. of. all. I love, love, love the character development in these books. Bree grows stronger in God. Dev grows wiser. And Mikkel . . . ! He goes through a tremendous amount of change. They all grow and learn so much. 

   Also . . . Mikkel is an amazing character. So is Dev. And Keely. And . . . yeah, I pretty much adore 95% of the characters in all the books. Of course, there are people who get on my nerves. But what would a book be with no antagonists?

   Honestly, these books are right up there at the top of my favorites list. I can read them over and over again and it doesn't lessen the enjoyment or anticipation. However, I won't refrain from pointing out that while I like each of these, book 5, The Raider's Promise, has got to be my favorite out of all of them. Book 3 is really good too, though . . . nope, book 5 is definitely the best!

And there's a lot of Christian content throughout the series!

Have you read any of these?

Signed,

Martha