Daughter of Helaman - Misty Moncur

THE BOOK:

Fighting in Helaman's army is Keturah's deepest desire. Certainly if God can protect a boy, he can protect a girl too. But making it into the ranks turns out to be the easy part, and when Lamanite raiders come to her village, Keturah must put her skills to the test. With danger at every turn, this book will keep you caught up in the fray to the very last page.

Misty Moncur skillfully transports readers to Nephite times, where Lamanites roam the forest and fight for your family and freedom is the dream of every boy--and one girl. You'll cheer as the sassy Keturah proves herself, both on and off the battlefield, as a girl with a warriors heart.

MY REVIEW:

Star Rating: ****

Misty Moncur’s debut novel, Daughter of Helaman turned out to be a very enjoyable, engaging read! I liked the time period that the book was set in—a kind of fantasy biblical time period. Really neat! I loved how she incorporated the lifestyle of the characters into the story. I felt like I was literally sucked back between a forgotten chapter of the bible. :-)

The characters were all very likable. Keturah made for a very strong heroine and her confusion/uncertainty with her relationships with Zeke and Gideon added to the story. (Though, just to say, I am totally for Gideon!! ;-) Overall, I didn’t really feel like I really got to know the other characters, besides Keturah. But Daughter of Helaman is a rather short read (198 pages) and things were always happening between the pages. Still, I would’ve liked to gotten to know her family a bit better and maybe even got inside Zeke or Gideons head.

While overall I enjoyed the book, there was one thing that slightly bothered me throughout the book. It had a bit of a ‘modern’ feel to it in places. Some things the characters say, and some of Keturah's view points and arguments as to why she (a girl) should be allowed in the militia of boys, are words and thoughts people use today. But that might just be picky ol’ me, and other readers might not even notice or be bothered by it.

From start to finish, Daughter of Helaman was a very enjoyable read. There never was a 'war' or 'battle', as I thought there would be. Mainly, this debut book sets the stage for the other books that will follow in the series. But while there was no intense battle scenes, the plot still keeps you reading.

I reviewed this book for the author. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done. 

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