Book Reviews and More: Belt of Truth - Theresa Linden

Belt of Truth
Armor of God Book 1
Theresa Linden
Silver Fire Publishing

ISBN 9780997674781
ASIN B07QT99Q2Z

In under two years I have read books by Theresa Linden twenty-two times. There are some amazing reads for young adults, and adults. This is her first book for younger readers, and it is excellent. Theresa Linden is one of my favourite contemporary authors. If not my favourite. I have compared her writings to Madeleine L’Engle and Lois Lowry, and firmly stand by that comparison. And it is good clean fiction. Her Young Adult novels that have the strength and appeal that I believe any adult would enjoy reading them. They have strong Christian themes and usually have Catholic main characters. This is her first book for younger readers, and it is just as good.

I was impressed by Linden as an author, but in the new series she is both author and illustrator. This series is going be be based on the armor of God,

“Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So, stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
~ Ephesians 6:13-17

The chapters in the story are:
1. Tryouts 1
2. Tapestry 11
3. Through the Woods 21
4. A New Friend 29
5. The Teacher 37
6. The Virtue 47
7. George’s Friends 51
8. Sneaking 57
9. Tuition 65
10. Sharing a Secret 69
11. Where is Erik? 75
12. Just Tell 81
13. The Truth 87
14. Finding Erik 93
15. Belt of Truth

This is the story of George Pennington, a young man whose greatest desire is to become a knight. But in order to become a knight he must first win entrance into knights’ school and make his way through the 6 levels of training to become a squire. After that he can work towards becoming a knight. But I am getting ahead of the story a bit. The story begins with the annual tryout’s day. Both George and his younger brother Erik are testing to see if they can enter the school. George has tested a few times before, and he really has his heart set on this. George is desperate not to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a scribe.

George and Erik become friends with Robyn Haylan a new girl in the region. She wans George that some of his friends might not be the best to hang around and tries to steer him along the correct path. But George is a little head strong, and that gets him in trouble. Soon he finds himself lying. And the more lies he tells the worse things get, until that fateful day … But you will need to read the story to find out about that day, and what George does or doesn’t do to make things right.

This is a wonderful read. The young and young at heart alike will love the stories. The illustrations are fun. And The book leaves you desperate for the next in the series. An excellent first book in what looks like it will be another wonderful series from the masterful pen of Theresa Linden!

(Author Theresa Linden is doing a virtual scavenger hunt as part of this story during the release. There are some incredible prizes. For more information click here.)

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2019 Catholic Reading Plan!