Forsaken Island by Sharon Hinck: My Review
I have been very impatiently waiting for this sequel to Sharon Hinck’s Hidden Current, and it did not disappoint! It was every bit as good as I expected it to be, and I’m so excited to share it with you today!
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About the Book
Title: Forsaken Island
Author: Sharon Hinck
Series:The Dancing Realms, Book 2
Publication Date:September 15, 2020
Publisher: Enclave Publishing
Print Length: 258 pages
Summary from the publisher: On an uncharted world, happiness is effortless and constant … but can true joy exist without sacrifice?
The people of Meriel have long believed their island world floats alone in the vast ocean universe, so they are astonished when another island drifts into view. With resources becoming scarce, Carya and Brantley quickly volunteer to search the new land for supplies.
After navigating a barrier of menacing trees, the pair encounter a culture of perpetually happy people who readily share their talents and their possessions. But all is not what it seems. At the core of the island is a horror that threatens everyone, including Brantley and Carya.
Freeing the villagers of the bondage they’ve chosen may cost Carya and Brantley more than they could have imagined. Even if the two succeed, they’ll have to find a way to return to Meriel quickly … or be cut off from their home forever.
Mommynificent’s Review
This is one of those books that ruins me for other books for a few weeks because I can’t bring myself to face the fact that I’ve finished it and actually leave the world it has created in my mind. I’ve tried several times to write this review over the last few weeks since I finished reading a complimentary early release copy from the publisher, but words have failed me every time. This world Mrs. Hinck has created and the characters that live in it have touched me so deeply. I felt their pain, their joy, their triumphs, and their losses so keenly, and I was drawn closer to the Maker just as surely as they were. In my opinion, this book, and Hidden Current that preceded it, are masterpieces. I will read them again and again, and I have already purchased multiple copies of both – one to keep forever and the others to loan out and give away. I already have a long list of people I can’t wait to share them with!
My Favorite Quotes
“Give me a heart like Yours that gives without demanding anything in return.”
“Sometimes what everyone believes is true is still wrong.”
“The attachment of love could lead to pain beyond imagining. “It’s worth it,” I whispered. “I’m still glad I love you. Every minute we spent together was a treasure.””
“Some things are worth discomfort.”
“I longed for a map with step-by-step directions….Yet this effort of waiting, of listening, drew me closer to my Herder and Tender. I strained to hear His voice.”
“The Maker asked me to trust Him when I couldn’t unravel a purpose.”
“The Maker’s love had opened doors in my soul that I’d never dreamed possible. But could I follow Him now, when nothing made sense? I wanted to. I wanted to give back a fragment of the huge love He’d given me. My trust could be my gift to Him. But offering that faith was so hard. “Help me,” I whispered, realizing the irony. I needed to ask His help even to love Him.”
“If I were still caught up in His arms in the beautiful vision of this world’s creation, it would be easy to heed His voice. But I was back in the dust and thorns and confusion of the day. “Help me want to obey You.””
“When everything is uncertain, sometimes it helps to laugh.”
“Could I thank my Maker even while looking directly and honestly at my loss?”
About the Author
Award-winning author of The Sword of Lyric series (which is also really, really good!!!), Sharon Hinck writes “stories for the hero in all of us” about women (and men) on extraordinary adventures of faith. Her novels are praised for their authentic characters, strong spiritual themes, and emotional resonance. For this series, she drew on her experience as a ballet teacher, dancer, and choreographer.