• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Bio
  • Bookshelf
    • Audio
    • Complete List of Chautona’s Books
    • The Rockland Chronicles
      • The Vintage Wren
      • The Aggie Series
      • The Hartfield Mysteries
      • Sight Unseen Series
        • Sight Unseen Series Archives
      • The Agency Files
      • Christmas Fiction
    • Legacy of the Vines
    • Meddlin’ Madeline
      • Madeline Blog Archive
    • Ballads from the Hearth
      • Ballads from the Hearth Blog Archive
    • Legends of the Vengeance
    • Journey of Dreams
    • Wynnewood
    • Webster’s Bakery
    • The Not-So-Fairy Tales
    • Heart of Warwickshire
  • Start HERE
    • Characters
    • Suggested Reading Order
    • Free Books
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Podcast
    • Advertising
    • Podcast Guest Information
    • Podcast Interview FAQ
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • Bonus
  • Speaking
  • New & Coming
Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

What Happens When You Find Yourself in a Book?

by Chautona Havig · 3 Comments

The page turned before I realized that I’d done the turning.  Another.  Another.  On those pages, I saw a girl I used to know—one passionate for the Lord and His people.  I recognized her indignation at injustice and her inconsistencies.

Another page turned.  And another girl—I recognized myself in her as well.  That self-righteous indignation over the supposed acceptance of sin. The incongruity of the two girls mashed into one glaring in its intensity.

What Happens When You Find Yourself in a Book?

Note: links in post may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  This book was provided free upon my request and I chose to review it as part of the Celebrate Lit program.

What happens when you find your younger self in the pages of a book?

You turn the page and keep reading!

And I did.

When I requested a copy of Kristin Spencer’s Kerfuffle, I had no idea of what I was getting into. YA can be a fabulous genre or an eye-roller.  I couldn’t imagine my eyes being in too much danger with Kristin,, so I tried it.

Look, if you’re looking for a book that focuses on the injustice of parents who won’t buy their kids two hundred dollar shoes or campaigns to take away the homecoming crown, you can just keep going.  But if you want to see the real struggles of today’s youth in a Christian setting, Kerfuffle is a great choice.

I often do a five-step review process that tells you what I loved, hated, made me laugh, made me cry, and if I recommend it.  Well, I’m going to do a modified version of that.  I’m going to review this as if I were a teen. It’s been a LONG time for me, but I’m gonna try. After all, I’ve had eight and get another one next month.

What teens’ll love:

Well, how about a relevant topic?  Instead of yet another book that is a thinly-veiled sermon against yielding to peer pressure or schools undermining faith, Kerfuffle tackles same-sex attraction. Not only that, but this book also tackles the church’s too-often unbiblical response to those who struggle with SSA.

They’ll also love the natural banter between friends and the adults in the book who treat them with a bit of respect as intelligent, rational (well, most of the time) creatures.  😉

Some teens will love the level of detail in descriptions (particularly near the beginning of the book), while others might not. I’ve got a household split on that score.

If they are properly devoted Whovians, they’ll love the subtle references, but I won’t tell more than that.  Spoilers, sweetie…

What teens won’t like:

I have to say it.  Kerfuffle gets preachy at times. The problem is, those sections are REALLY good stuff. But as much as I liked what I was reading, I found myself skimming at times.  I had to go back and reread because I didn’t want to miss the solid material in there. Even my most dedicated, hardcore, can’t-put-a-book-down-for-anything readers would have gotten tired of it in a couple of places.

My recommendation?  Mark those places with a sticky note.  Seriously, when you get to where you feel like you might skim, just mark it.  Finish the story.  But come back and read it.  Because while it can be a bit much in the middle of the story, it is great stuff and you really do want to read it.

What’ll make teens laugh:

I honestly don’t know.  I didn’t find myself laughing through this book, but I can say that while I prefer humor in my books, I didn’t find Kerfuffle lacking because I didn’t laugh.  I suspect there are funny parts I just missed, but even if not, this book is just fine as it is in that respect.  I did find the Gilbert and Carrots references quite adorable.  Just had to put that in there.

What’ll make teens cry:

How about a broken, struggling boy of just fourteen being the center of church controversy?  Not enough?  What about the pressure by school counselors for that boy to join groups he doesn’t want to identify with?  What about losing your best friend as you know him?  What about the story of someone so wounded by the church that it drove that person from Christ?

Do I recommend Kerfuffle?  For teens?  For Adults?

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for everyone over the age of sixteen and a bit younger if they are spending much time in the public school system.  This is reality, folks.  And Kristin Spencer does a fabulous job of reminding us of just how hard it can be. If not for a few places of rather heavy description that bogged down the story for me (particularly in the beginning), and the places that this book got preachy, I’d give it a full five stars without thinking twice.  I REALLY liked it.  But I just can’t quite say I loved it.

That said, I’ll be reading the first two in the series now.  Oh, and this one can stand alone if it needs to.  I suspect it would have been richer had I read the others, but she gives just enough background without info-dumping.  And that is brilliant. Few people do it so well.

he biggest part of your early high school experience.

Share96
Pin
Tweet
Email
98Shares
Share
Pin
Tweet
Email
98Shares

Related

Filed Under: Book Reviews

Previous Post: « What Book Jumped to the Top of my 2018 Wish List?
Next Post: The Perplexing Question of the Doors: How One Life Changed »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

Or, you can subscribe without commenting.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

Comments

  1. Kristin says

    August 19, 2017 at 5:33 pm

    Thank you so much for participating Chautona! Having you review a book I wrote is definitely a Fangirl moment for me!!

    Reply
  2. Joni says

    August 19, 2017 at 6:23 am

    Hmm….our parents tried to keep us from knowing about “church” conflicts & did a pretty good job with me since my nose was stuck in a big most of the time, however I did feel the tension at times & I think it was because mom fasted 21 days for health reasons & we went vegetarian in an era ” only hippies did that” (talk about trying to eat healthy limiting us at church potlucks!). Or maybe because my parents had to go get the pastors check when people in charge of said check had ummm, been involved in seducing one of the pastor’s children (which was why he was leaving – to get his children out of there! But that was sort of pre-high school but had it’s ramifications later…). Or perhaps it was when I found out to my shock that the boy who always made me feel uncomfortable was ousted from the nondenominational Christian school for taking pornographic pictures while the seemingly nice guy ousted at the same time was the one apparently organizing and selling the stuff… Or was it when we took a sick man in our two bedroom apartment home meaning that my brother & I now only got to use the extra room to store our clothes in it while the sick guy got the bedroom…but the worst was church people were sure he had AIDS, he was so sick. Hmmm…had a few interesting things in my teen years. : )

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      August 19, 2017 at 1:23 pm

      Wow! I feel like you had my childhood–but all of that kind of stuff in my FAMILY. I was so oblivious to stuff in my family as a kid. My parents protected me from it all. For which, I appreciate! Learning it as an adult was much easer to handle.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 164: A Chat with Christian Fantasy Author, Ernest Yip
byChautona Havig

When I talked to Ernest Yip last month, I was crazy excited to learn about his fantasy novel, The Shattered King, an allegory about the attributes of God. Ernest talks about his inspiration, how he got started, and what’s coming next for us. I loved hearing more about the story and my copy is on its way to me now. EEEP! Listen in to learn more.

Note: links are affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Experience the Attributes of God in a Whole New Way

In the tradition of Pilgrim’s Progress or the parables of Jesus, Ernest Yip brings us a story that introduces to a King like no other through the various attributes our main character meets through out the book. I love a good allegory, and listening to Ernest talk about his book had me choming at the bit to get started.

Though written for teens, The Shattered King is sure to appeal to anyone who loves fantasy and adventure. I especially love how it is a great introduction to who God is without being a heavy or preachy tome of apologetics. Instead, we’re taken on an adventure to discover it all for ourselves.

I can’t wait to see what Yip does next!

The Shattered King by Ernest Yip

Finding his way home means finding something else first—someone else.

When a dark force shatters the benevolent and mighty king Eloa, the land of Astrea lies broken and dying. Though Eloa lives, he is a shadow of his true self, unable to restore his kingdom unless he is reunited with the living Fragments of his being and made whole again.

Catapulted into this unfamiliar world and gifted with a magical sword, teenager Jax faces the ultimate test—finding the lost Fragments of Eloa. Only by fulfilling this quest will he be able to return home. But there are new forces in power, forces that will do whatever it takes to thwart Jax’s efforts and defeat Eloa.

But Jax will soon find that Eloa is no ordinary king, and neither are his Fragments—

A creator of living stone beings A father of orphans in a storm-filled land A desert warrior of limitless power

And they aren’t the only ones out there…

Encounter the Fragments of The Shattered King, a tale of danger and discovery that explores timeless truths about the world we live in, where justice and mercy are sometimes the most powerful weapons.

You can find out more about Ernest from his WEBSITE.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

  • Apple 
  • Castbox 
  • Google Play
  • Libsyn 
  • RSS
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • Amazon
  • and more!
Episode 164: A Chat with Christian Fantasy Author, Ernest Yip
Episode 164: A Chat with Christian Fantasy Author, Ernest Yip
August 16, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 163: A Chat with Naomi Craig about Ezekiel's Song
August 12, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 162: A Chat with Author, Nancy Naigle
August 9, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 161: A Chat with Christian Women's Fiction Robin W. Pearson
July 26, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 160: A Chat with Liz Johnson about The Last Way Home
July 22, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 159: A Chat with Biblical Fiction Author, Mesu Andrews
July 19, 2022
Chautona Havig
A Chat with Historical Christian Fiction Author, Stephanie Landsem
July 12, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 157: A Chat with Historical Christian Fiction Author, Lynn Austin
July 8, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 156: The Fragrance of Violets by Susan K. Beatty
July 5, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 155: Chatting with Heather Day Gilbert & Jen Cudmore
July 1, 2022
Chautona Havig
Search Results placeholder

Join a Reading Challenge

2022 Write Reading Challenge

Love Audio Books?

audio book ad

Check out the Sparrow Island novels. A tiny island with a lot of heart

independence islands series

Featured Books

Finding a Memory

Finding a Memory
Buy This Book Online
Purchase with Paypal
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Amazon
Finding a Memory
Buy now!

Penelope’s Pursuit

Penelope’s Pursuit
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Amazon
Purchase with Paypal
Penelope’s Pursuit
Buy now!

The Last Gasp

The Last Gasp
Buy This Book Online
Purchase with Paypal
Buy from Audible.com
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
The Last Gasp
Buy now!

Upcoming Posts

Sorry - nothing planned yet!

Or just subscribe to the newsletter

Recent Blog Posts

  • Experience the Attributes of God in a Whole New Way
  • Book Club Capers: July Part One
  • Has Ezekiel Always Confused You? How about a Little Fictional Clarity?

I buy my stickers here! (affiliate)

Custom Stickers, Die Cut Stickers, Bumper Stickers - Sticker Mule

Footer

What Am I Working On?

Book, Chapter & Vows
Book, Chapter, & Vows
Phase:Week 3
100%
Get Book Updates

Featured

Finding a Memory

Finding a Memory
Buy This Book Online
Purchase with Paypal
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Amazon
Finding a Memory
Buy now!

Dial W for Wrangler

Dial W for Wrangler

Disclosure:

Disclosure: Links on this website may or may not be affiliate links and as such, I may receive compensation from the retailer indicated for linking to their product. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Note: I DO NOT link to products that I do not recommend.

Privacy & Cookies. This website uses cookies (not the delicious kinds that make life grand) to do stuff it needs to do. By staying on the site, you agree to this evil substitution of yummy cookies for internet calorie-free substitutes. For more info, click here and read the boring stuff. Cookie Policy
What a sunrise!! What a sunrise!!
Oh, what a beautiful moon. Oh, what a beautiful moon.
Look what arrived on Sunday. Eeep! @naomicraigaut Look what arrived on Sunday.  Eeep!
@naomicraigauthor 
#christfic 
#bibfic 
#BIBLICALFICTION
Reposted from @celebratelit ONE MORE DAY to get th Reposted from @celebratelit ONE MORE DAY to get this preorder deal for Ezekiel's Song by Naomi Craig, Author! ⁠
⁠
30% off plus free shipping for the paperback copy or $2.99 for the ebook, bonus gift with either!⁠
⁠
#ezekielssong #naomicraigauthor #celebratelit #biblicalfiction #christianfiction #biblestory #rahab #bookstagram #bookloversofinstagram #readersofinstagram #christian #fiction #books #christianbooks #christianbookstagram #faith #christianhistoricalfiction #historicalfiction
Reposted from @joanne.markey Picture says it all. Reposted from @joanne.markey Picture says it all. Link in bio.

#contemporarychristianromcom #christianfiction
@chantelreadsallday has a new readathon for the mo @chantelreadsallday has a new readathon for the month of September--You've Got Mail!!!
So excited for this. But I'm curious... can I count writing a book that takes place in a bookstore for that prompt???
#amreading 
#YouveGotMailReadathon
Reposted from @tabithabouldin Reposted from @Sarah Reposted from @tabithabouldin Reposted from @Sarah Monzon The entire Carrington Family series is on sale for only 99¢! (Free with #kindleunlimited ) 

Split-time romances with high stakes and even higher rewards! 

#splittime #romance #booksale #kindlecountdown #bookstagram #christianfiction #readmorebooks #read #books #ebooksale #boxset
  • Home
  • Bookshelf
  • New & Coming
  • Blog
  • News!
  • Disclosure & Policies
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Chautona Havig · All Rights Reserved · Coding by Gretchen Louise

Don't go before you grab your FREE short story collection!