Seek and Hide

What an action pack thought provoking book! I loved how the author Amanda Stevens makes you feel your right there where the action was taking place. With the great writing you felt the moments of fear, joy, love, goodwill of man, and the hope to make things right in a world that has turned upside down for Christian's.

This book made me realize that we need to make sure we stand up for our rights and how easily they could be taken from us. It's hard to imagine something so precious as our Bible being taken away from each of us. The author also made me think, could I withstand the injustices and stand up for God no matter what evil forces may do?

A great suspenseful, Christian romance book that I know you will enjoy!

This was an eery book, one that felt way too real. Believing that we are in the end times, this book brought it home in so many ways. I could see the things that happened in this book happening any time in the near future. It was way more real to me than any of the Left Behind Series.
Recommended

Although Seek and Hide is obviously fiction, it is a story that could very easily predict our future if we allow American society to progress is the direction it is so rapidly going. This novel depicts a United States that allows only a government sanctioned Christianity with a stripped down “official” version of the Bible. It is illegal to possess a true Bible and the Constabulary is determined to see everyone found with one put behind bars for reprogramming.

Several primary characters are featured in Seek and Hide with Marcus Brenner most prominent. Both Marcus and Aubrey Weston wrestle with strong feelings of guilt that influences everything they do and how they react to their circumstances. Lee is still haunted by an event from her past that has left her emotionally unable to trust others, especially men. Each of these well-defined characters plays a pivotal role in the novel and it was easy to become involved in their story.

Seek and Hide is a somewhat dystopian story that forecasts a potentially real nightmare life in the near future. With plenty of drama, danger, and soul-searching, the story contains unexpected twists and surprises that should hold the reader’s interest until the end. I liked how spiritual truth was woven through the story and the way Marcus and Aubrey were able to let go of their guilt and allow God to guide their way. The book reached a somewhat satisfying conclusion but some threads were left hanging – obviously to be continued in the next installment of the series.

I love this book! It makes me want to go bury a Bible in a time capsule out in the woods somewhere, just in case. And then bury my nose in another copy of the Bible and soak up as much of God’s word as I can while I still can. Because, seriously, what if this kind of thing actually happened?

Amanda G Stevens has dreamed up a dystopian future that feels a little too plausible for comfort. And that’s the beauty of it. This story reminds us not to take our freedoms for granted. The details and “history” of the story’s present situation are revealed gradually, a tantalizing sliver at a time in such a way that the story world doesn’t overshadow the story itself.

Rather, the focus of this book is on the small scale. It’s the story of one small church group that meets secretly in a back room, one pair of friends wordlessly supporting each other, one woman fighting to reclaim her baby and avoid trouble with the law, and one man determined to do his part to help one member of his Christian family at a time even if that means putting his own freedom on the line.

The characters are complex, and they’re dealing with some pretty significant issues. One character is dealing with the emotional and spiritual fallout of having been raped years ago. Another is an alcoholic, nearly nine years sober, and still struggling. While these thematic elements put this book on the edgier side of things as Christian fiction goes, I thought these subjects were handled tastefully, from a Christian perspective. On top of that, they provide a vehicle for worthwhile spiritual discussions on the nature of God, temptation, guilt, mercy, and how God uses His people for good, despite our weaknesses.

Oh, and there’s a twist, near the end, that I did not see coming AT ALL. But I can’t tell you. You’ll have to read it for yourself. Fair warning though, you may want tissues.

On a more up-beat note, I really admire some of the lovely, creative descriptions found in this book. Here are a few I highlighted as I read:

“God had put some beautiful things in the world, but nothing beat the sky. Especially when it rolled with storm clouds the color of Lee’s eyes.” (from Chapter 4)

“She’d thought his voice deep at first, but it wasn’t very. More like … solid, each word an arrow that knew where it headed. And clipped. The syllables never lingered.” (from Chapter 14)

I can’t wait to continue reading this series to find out where the story will go from here. I highly recommend Seek and Hide, and I’m planning to track down a copy of the next book in the series, Found and Lost in the very near future.

Thank you to publisher David C Cook for providing a free electronic copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.