Book Review: "The Betrayed" by Lisa T. Bergren and BOOK GIVEAWAY!

I'm giving away a TWO BOOK set today: a hardback copy of today's book plus a paperback copy of the first book in the series, The Begotten! (For my review click here)

Leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you if you win. I'll pick a name and announce the winner on Monday, September 24. For this giveaway, the winner must have a US mailing address. Good luck!

The next LOTR?

The book starts off right where The Begotten left off. It is the year 1340. The members of the Gifted are searching for clues to help understand more about their gifts. Daria, the healer and leader of the group, is being watched by the evil Lord Amadei who wishes for her to use her powers for him. He tries to use her former ally Vincenzo to get her to bow down to his wishes. However her faith is too strong to allow her to bend towards his will. Unfortunately this causes not only her, but all the members of the Gifted to suffer and question exactly how strong their faith really is.

Once again I was enthralled by this book. The details are so rich and the characters are extremely well developed that I felt that I was pulled along into the story. At first it was a little difficult trying to remember who everyone was and what their gifts were. The action doesn't really pick up also until the middle of the book. But when it does, BAM! there's a whole lot of excitement going on. Daria has become one of my favorite female characters ever because of her faith and strength. Even when questioning God for the treatment she and others must suffer doesn't waiver her belief. Actually it was good timing that I read this book because my pastor was doing a series on exactly the questions Daria asked in the story. The villain in this book, Amidei, is deliciously evil and the way that he manipulates people to get to the Gifted is scary. The rest of the Gifted are extremely loyal to Daria and will do whatever it takes to save her. All of them get their faith tested in this book. It was also fun to discover a new member of the Gifted as well. Bergren is able to weave historical fact with her imaginative tale perfectly. It's a wonderful blend of fantasy, history and biblical knowledge. The story leaves you hanging so I am eagerly looking forward to the last book in the series. Highly recommended for fans of epic stories like LOTR or Narnia.

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the author of 28 books, with over 1.3 million sold. She is a publishing consultant, writer, Bible study leader, mother and wife. Her hobbies include travel (mostly from an armchair), reading, watching movies, cooking and exploring with her family. Lisa's most recent books include The Begotten, The Betrayed, God Gave Us Heaven, What Women Want and The Busy Mom's Devotional. She resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado. To sign up for her monthly email (which includes a new, unpublished devotional) go to www.LisaTawnBergren.com and join her newsletter list.

The Betrayed by Lisa T. Bergren is published by Berkley Books (2007)