by Rachel Starr Thomson
It’s been thirteen years since I
graduated high school as a homeschooler, so I’m part of the early homeschooling
generation. It’s been a lot of fun to see how various of my counterparts have
fared in different careers and ways of life, but of course, I’m especially
interested in the authors—those who share my own career path!
I discovered the work of Anne
Elisabeth Stengl a few years back when I was reading books for a competition.
The book in question was Veiled Rose, one
of her Tales of Goldstone Wood stories. From the first paragraph, I knew I was
in the hands of someone who could write—a
master both of language and of the harder-to-define art of storytelling. The
mystery, the beauty, the fear, and even the humour evoked in the first few
pages made the book impossible to put down.
As it happens, Veiled Rose won a Christy award the year it was released. The prior
book in the series, Heartless, did
too. And this year, another Goldstone Wood book, Dragonwitch, is a Christy finalist. And there are more: Moonblood, Starflower, Shadow Hand, and Golden Daughter round out the continuing
series. The books can be read in order or as standalones.
My first impression has held true:
Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s books are entertaining, powerful, and beautiful. They
have grace and depth, and they’re a joy to read.
I didn’t actually know we were
fellow homeschooler grads until very recently, so it’s with pleasure that I
recommend these stories as some of the finest work being put out among those
who share our educational background—and some of the finest work being put out
in the Christian fantasy market, period.
You can check out Anne Elisabeth’s
books at her blog: anneelisabethstengl.blogspot.ca
P.S. All that, and Anne Elisabeth is
also doing fantastic and creative things as an indie publisher. Go visit her
blog!
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