Monday, March 22, 2021

About the Book

Book: Awakening

Author: Beckie Lindsey

Genre: YA fiction

Release date: September 2020

Every girl has a secret she hopes the light will never find—but the demons already have.

As four high school girls are faced with life-altering decisions, their new-found faith will be tested. Although warrior angels are assigned to guard and assist the unlikely friends, they must rely on their faith to withstand the evil Duke Astaroth and the beast’s demonic horde.

Now that their spiritual eyes are open to daily battles between unseen forces of good and evil, lives are at stake.

Lifelong friends Krystal and Bryce are finally an official couple. But can their love survive the greatest trial they’ve ever faced?
Since Mackenzie’s mentally ill mother was hospitalized, she secretly worries that her deepest nightmare may come true.
While best friends Tammi and Sadie continue healing from their abusive pasts, each wrestles with temptations that threaten to undermine their recovery.

Can beauty arise from the ashes of despair and loss?

Will the girls embrace who and whose they truly are?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Beckie Lindsey is an award-winning author of the Beauties from Ashes series, poet, blogger, and the editor of Southern California Christian Voice, a division of One Christian Voice, a national news syndicating agency. She is a major coffeeholic and enjoys a good book with a cat on her lap. She also loves to hike and hang out with family and friends. Beckie and her husband, Scott have three adult children, two adorable cats, and live in California.

More from Beckie

Why I write YA and the BFA series

I believe a teenager still exists inside each of us.

We hear a familiar tune from our “glory days” and are instantly tapping our toes. Mentally, we’re back in high school —poofy bangs, scrunchie, neon off-the-shoulder sweatshirt — and all. Oh, wait. That’s me back in the ‘80s!

Ah, yes. There is something wonderfully awful about those coming-of-age years.

From the first kiss to the first breakup, there are memories we cherish and some we don’t care to ever revisit. Being a teen can be exciting, confusing, painful, joyous, or even all of those things at once!

No matter how different your teenage experience was from mine, one thing is true for us all: these years have an enormous impact on who we become as adults. We can all sympathize with the plight of puberty and the longing for independence and acceptance. Yeah, there’s still a teenager in all of us!

These are the reasons I write YA.

My hope is to use the power of storytelling to move past barriers and open hearts to accept how much God loves and desires a personal relationship with us.

At every age, we all need the grace and love of Jesus.

In the Beauties from Ashes (BFA) series, I write about relatable characters with difficult issues and traumatic pasts to enlighten readers about the unseen spiritual battle referred to in Scripture. Each character has a secret that has left them vulnerable to the battle in an invisible realm where demonic creatures fight to keep them chained to their pasts and angels of light work to free them.

The characters and their issues are complex, just like real life. In fact, some of the topics are often considered too taboo to talk about openly. But what is left in the dark, festers and grows. It is only in the light that we can be free. In the BFA series, readers experience the character’s quest for truth, love, grace, and freedom while hopefully finding the same for themselves.

MY REVIEW

This book is one of the best books about spiritual warfare I think I’ve read in a very long time. I know the book is geared towards young adults, but adults could benefit from reading this as well. The author hits readers hard with truth and never misses a beat in dealing with issues teens face today. The topics are abortion, incest, forgiveness , suicide, depression, eating disorders and teen pregnancy. I was very impressed with how the author used the teens in her story to illustrate the youth of today. There are a few sensitive words used and scenes that may trigger some so ask God to prepare you as you read the story.

I loved the spiritual warfare aspect of the story and felt a stirring in my soul. I wanted to stand beside the teens as they faced the demons that try to keep them away from God. Peer pressure is something all teens face and in this story I was happy to see that the friends stood together to help each other. In their darkest moment, angels surrounded them to fight off the whispers that try to convince them they aren’t good enough. I can relate to some of the topics and so wished I had someone like Lauren to talk to when I was a teen. I loved her character because she spoke truth to the teens but did it in love. She was always available to them and I liked her sweet spirit.

There is tragedy in the story that broke my heart. I wanted things to turn out differently for this teen, but in the that moment of her life, God brought her peace. I was prepared as I read about the teen dealing with forgiving her father. I lived with a father and brother that did unthinkable things to me. It was very difficult and I think it may have been harder because my dad was a pastor. As the teen searched her heart, she knows she needs to forgive her dad so she can be free from the pain of her past. I also had to come to terms with my past. I have forgiven my dad and brother even though I never told them. What is important is that God knows.

I applaud the author for writing a book that shows how the enemy will use any tactic he can to keep us from God. The good news is there are angels surrounding us waiting to do battle for us. Each teen had to make the decision to trust God and right there is why this book is so powerful. In our darkest point, God is there with arms wide open to save us.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.