Last Wednesday I picked up The Restorer, the first book in The Sword of Lyric Series by Sharon Hinck. I’ve had the book ever since I attended the release party for Symphony of Secrets, but during the busy speaking season, enjoying a good read is something I don’t often get to enjoy. I’ve never read much Christian fantasy or fantasy at all, so this was stepping into new territory for me. The Restorer was absolutly gripping! This is the book that set off the marathon reading I did for the next 6 days. By Thursday night I had finished The Restorer  and was in a serious panic. The panic began when I realized that I had book 3 sitting on my shelf, but not book 2. Seriously, when you finish reading book 1, I highly recommend that you have books, The Restorer’s Son, at the ready! After emailing the author and asking her if she enjoyed doing this to her readers (to which she responded with hand wringing and a conspiratory cackle…can you read that into an email?), I called my local Christian book store. To my relief they had one copy left on the shelf, which they promised to hold for me until my hero husband could get there to buy it!  Here’s the backcover copy:

Susan Mitchell is wondering what happened to God’s plan for her. Her life can’t just be about cleaning, organizing her family, and being involved in damage control for her four rambunctious children, can it? When Susan opens a box in labeled “Dress Up” in her attic, her question is answered.
Upon opening the box, Susan finds herself thrust into a parallel universe where she must help bring heathens and warring territories “back to the Verses.” Susan is a Restorer, a prophet like the Biblical Deborah. Together with an unfamiliar sword, it is Susan’s job to show the inhabitants of this new world how Jesus can save people. This universe will forever change how Susan looks at life, love, and family, if she can get out alive.

Sharon’s writing is flawless. I tend to read fiction with a critical eye, sometimes finding type-os (not necesarily the author’s fault) and bugs in the writing that take away from the story for me. After reading 4 of Sharon’s books this week, I can tell you that you won’t find that here. I felt a little bit like Susan (character in the book), but instead of being grabbed in the attic and pulled through a portal, I was grabbed by the pages and pulled into one of the most compelling stories I’ve read in a long time. Magnificent! I love how Sharon weaves God’s Word into the pages of the story. I’m working on a new writing project and several Truths that Sharon shared were confirmation for my own writing. Don’t get this book unless you are prepared to lose yourself into a fascinating world and come back enthusiastic and filled with fresh faith.  Bravo, Sharon!!!