Normally I shy away from christian fiction...but this seems interesting.

Arena pulls the reader as well as the characters into a world of fantasy. Callie Hayes finds herself pulled into a psychology research experiment thanks to her friend Meg, which lands them both in an alien world. Along the way, they encounter friends and foes. Uncertain of the right path to take, Callie works towards finding the exit to the next two realms.

Illustrating the Christian values, this story pulled me in somewhat slowly at first. But as I kept reading, I found myself wanting to see how the story would end. With twists and turns, the author creates a fantasy world worth reading about and characters worth knowing. So if you enjoy fantasy novels, check out this book for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own. ( )

The start of the book didn’t quite prepare me for the journey ahead. Callie makes a decision to participate in a psychology research experiment which turns her world upside down. It made me wonder why she would even consider such an unusual project with little information. One thought kept going through my mind though. This project will definitely test her ability to trust and make right choices. That thought is something we each have struggled with at some point. Now I was ready to see where Callie’s journey would take her and what lessons she would learn.

The story takes us to a place where survival is key to everything. I was shocked when Callie meets up with a group of people who have been in this weird place for years. Wasn’t she told that there was a way out and it was just an experiment? Why have some of these people been here for years? Who are the strange creatures that are there to destroy any human that gets in their way? The details are vivid and the author makes everything realistic. Danger lurks just outside of their guarded place and someone is always alert to anything strange coming their way.

I did find some interesting subtle hints of Christianity in the story. One such example is when Callie and Rowena are at the sanctuary and the person they meet stops them. They explain that they want to get through the gate. His response is, “The manual says no one can pass through the Gate without Mander’s help.” That instantly made me think of the scripture found in John 14:6 “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Now I was intrigued by what would happen next. You can start to see that Callie is questioning her faith. I liked the inner turmoil she was faced with and thought it was a great example of having faith in what you believe in.

There are a few places in the story where it talks about rape so be warned if this is a trigger for you. Pierce comes to Callie’s rescue but he is hard to figure out at times. I think maybe he is struggling with who to believe. Trust is a big theme in the story and like us, the characters sometimes don’t know if they are making the right decision.

Deep within the story lies a realm where Callie and the others seek to find their freedom. I liked how the armor of God was referenced by the characters talking about making sure they have their armor on in order to move forward. Among them you can smell fear and uncertainty as the time draws near to move to where freedom awaits them. The author really grabbed my attention as I kept following Callie with anticipation of what she would face next. A key factor is making the right choices and Callie starts to doubt that she will ever get back home.

The story for me was like a journey you take to find where your faith is. Do you trust God with everything? Will you find your way back if you get lost or will you be tricked into following evil? The book was good and definitely one that made me understand how important it is to trust in God in all things.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. ( )

"Intriguing concept, bit preachy (but not overly so) and finishes well. Christianity overtones are not subtle, btw." ( )

A readable and interesting Christian allegory in a science fiction setting. Callie and her friend volunteer for a psychology experiment that in reality transports them to another, alternate world, one of danger and temptation, as they strive to find the passage back to their own world. I'm not a science fiction fan, but found this intriguing.

Bookcrossing: http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/6681865