Reality and Fantasy

I've been reading a lot of fiction lately, maybe because I've been sick this week, and I don't really want to read anything too serious. It's the official school hols right now, but in school, it's what we all call "Week 11". Basically, we come back to school for one more week of lessons ):

Let me see, first, I read The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch. I borrowed it because it looked interesting, and Esther borrowed it from me cause she thought it looked interesting too. But I'd have to say, I don't recommend this to Christians, especially those struggling with their faith.

The story talks about Hoodoo (another sort of African Magic, if I remember correctly), and while the storyline was interesting, I didn't like how all the characters seemed to take it for granted that Christianity and Hoodoo can mix. Some of the 'spells' they used even used Bible verses >.< This sort of thing is very dangerous, because it rationalises black magic so BEWARE.

The next book I read was Emma Burning by Shanon Hale. It's the direct sequel of the book Goose Girl and I loved it! It's about Emma, Isi's forest friend from the first book, and how she learnt 'fire speak'. The difference between Emma Burning and The Magnolia League is that Emma Burning is quite plainly fantasy. It quite reminds me of Narnia or LOTR (But not that good, those books are simply one of a kind). It's the entertaining fantasy that instructs.

The last book I read is called A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie, and is another one of the Poirot Series. The premise is quite interesting, an unknown person puts an announcement in the local paper announcing a murder at 6.30 that day. The curious residents gather and the lights go out. A shots are heard and one resident is briefly struck by a bullet. But the intruder somehow has a bullet in him and dies.

Like all her books, this book has a very unexpected twist, not the one you expect. While the twist is a little strained and smacks a little of coincidence, it's not so coincidental as to be completely unbelievable. I suppose that's the beauty of it.