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Threshold #1
The Blue Door
ZonderKidz launches an exciting supernatural series for kids 11 and up. The Blue Door, the first book in The Threshold Series, introduces Prissie Pomeroy, a teen who discovers she can see what others cannot: angels all around. Even more startling is the surprising secret she uncovers about people she thought she knew. As she wrestles with this unexpected ability she must come to grips with the spiritual battles surrounding her. Especially when she learns she received this gift because God has a unique role for her in his bigger plan. But if she's to fulfill it, she'll need faith like never before.This exciting debut by author Christa Kinde draws on the rapidly growing interest in angel stories, an emerging trend in teen and preteen supernatural novels. Boys and girls alike will appreciate her gifted storytelling that captures their imagination with things beyond human sight. And parents will appreciate the family-friendly tone and godly messages maintained throughout this intriguing tale of adventure and spiritual warfare.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 25, 2012
24 people are currently reading
1532 people want to read
About the author
Christa Kinde
21 books172 followersThreshold Series - complete in 4 volumes
Pomeroy Family Legacy Collection - ongoing
Forsaken Sons Trilogy - ongoing
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
July 4, 2020
I liked this, but I had some issues with it. The theology seemed somewhat off to me, though I am in no way a Biblical scholar, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt.
The MC can see angels, and neither she nor the angels know why. It’s a sudden thing and so the seen angel reveals that a few people in her small town are really angels acting as humans, though we never really find out why. This upsets the MC and causes some low-key drama until she gets over it.
The part that concerned me the most is that an angel had been taken by the Devil and his minions and was tortured, repeatedly, for information. Yet if this was happening, that means God allowed it, as God is all-powerful, the Devil, while not without power, is not able to withstand God’s. So why was God allowing it to happen?
Which also begs the question why, if EVERYone has a Guardian angel pair (one of the premises of the angel system in this book), that anything bad ever happens to humans at all?
The MC is super-special, though no one, including the reader, knows why. She just is. She meets someone who is claiming to be an angel, she’s uneasy around him, she knows that the angels are at war with the demons, yet she NOT ONCE mentions this angel to the other angels? She only sees him when no other angels are present and he seeks her out.
This isn’t a bad book, I read it well into the wee hours of the morning, but I’m not sure it stands up to reflection after sleeping on it.
Again, I am not a theologian and never really studied angels specifically, so I may be showing my ignorance for all of GR to see and if I am, some gentle correction is welcome.
That being said, the book is well written in the characterization of the humans. It kind of gets lost in amongst the angel stuff, but the MC and her family and friends all felt real to me. Definitely human, flaws and all. The MC, despite being able to see angels, wasn’t perfect. Her unrelenting dislike for Ransom irked me, as he didn’t seem bad and there was no real reason for it that I could see, but as I have taken irrational dislikes to people before, especially as a teenager, it was realistic.
I didn’t like how none of the plot arcs really seemed to be resolved before it was “to be continued” in book two, so that was a tad annoying as I felt unsatisfied when I closed my eReader early this morning. I would like to know how things are resolved, but not really enough to seek out the next book in the series.
It was written well, but the suspension of disbelief I was asked to make as a reader was too much for me to want to continue.
It really sounds like I didn’t like this book, but I did like the human characters in how they were written, I did appreciate the Good vs Evil war that is talked about and I really liked how when the MC was introduced to the idea of angels, she went to adults she trusted to ask questions of them to get answers to help her be less confused over what was happening in her life. She went to her minister, her parents and her grandmother. I LOVE seeing a family that was THERE for each other. Too often parents in kids books are MIA. They were present here, as were the grandparents and while the siblings all teased one another, they were also solidly there for each other.
So, while the angel theme wasn’t overly too my liking in that I felt it took some liberties, I DID enjoy the writing and characters and small town farm setting. So a solid 3 stars. I would read this author again, though maybe not continue with this particular series.
The MC can see angels, and neither she nor the angels know why. It’s a sudden thing and so the seen angel reveals that a few people in her small town are really angels acting as humans, though we never really find out why. This upsets the MC and causes some low-key drama until she gets over it.
The part that concerned me the most is that an angel had been taken by the Devil and his minions and was tortured, repeatedly, for information. Yet if this was happening, that means God allowed it, as God is all-powerful, the Devil, while not without power, is not able to withstand God’s. So why was God allowing it to happen?
Which also begs the question why, if EVERYone has a Guardian angel pair (one of the premises of the angel system in this book), that anything bad ever happens to humans at all?
The MC is super-special, though no one, including the reader, knows why. She just is. She meets someone who is claiming to be an angel, she’s uneasy around him, she knows that the angels are at war with the demons, yet she NOT ONCE mentions this angel to the other angels? She only sees him when no other angels are present and he seeks her out.
This isn’t a bad book, I read it well into the wee hours of the morning, but I’m not sure it stands up to reflection after sleeping on it.
Again, I am not a theologian and never really studied angels specifically, so I may be showing my ignorance for all of GR to see and if I am, some gentle correction is welcome.
That being said, the book is well written in the characterization of the humans. It kind of gets lost in amongst the angel stuff, but the MC and her family and friends all felt real to me. Definitely human, flaws and all. The MC, despite being able to see angels, wasn’t perfect. Her unrelenting dislike for Ransom irked me, as he didn’t seem bad and there was no real reason for it that I could see, but as I have taken irrational dislikes to people before, especially as a teenager, it was realistic.
I didn’t like how none of the plot arcs really seemed to be resolved before it was “to be continued” in book two, so that was a tad annoying as I felt unsatisfied when I closed my eReader early this morning. I would like to know how things are resolved, but not really enough to seek out the next book in the series.
It was written well, but the suspension of disbelief I was asked to make as a reader was too much for me to want to continue.
It really sounds like I didn’t like this book, but I did like the human characters in how they were written, I did appreciate the Good vs Evil war that is talked about and I really liked how when the MC was introduced to the idea of angels, she went to adults she trusted to ask questions of them to get answers to help her be less confused over what was happening in her life. She went to her minister, her parents and her grandmother. I LOVE seeing a family that was THERE for each other. Too often parents in kids books are MIA. They were present here, as were the grandparents and while the siblings all teased one another, they were also solidly there for each other.
So, while the angel theme wasn’t overly too my liking in that I felt it took some liberties, I DID enjoy the writing and characters and small town farm setting. So a solid 3 stars. I would read this author again, though maybe not continue with this particular series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2020
My older sister read this book before me and I was a little skeptical about it at first but I ended up loving it. Then I got my little sister to read the series(she was also skeptical but I haven't let her down yet):] she also loved it! We loved the characters, we loved to see Prissie's faith grow. We loved all the twists and turns. We loved the Angels and their personalities. So I guess we just LOVED the books!😀
July 24, 2016
I won this free book through Goodreads First reads.
Prissie Pomeroy, a young teenager has a lot of pressure at her age, getting ready for the county fair.
She was doing her best to learn how to bake a pie for the competition.
Prissie had a few temptations. She had help to stay away from these. She had guardian angels in many forms that helped her through out that Summer.
They would keep her away form the enemy.
Prissie Pomeroy, a young teenager has a lot of pressure at her age, getting ready for the county fair.
She was doing her best to learn how to bake a pie for the competition.
Prissie had a few temptations. She had help to stay away from these. She had guardian angels in many forms that helped her through out that Summer.
They would keep her away form the enemy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2015
It was an interesting book. I can't say I agree with her portrayal of angels, but I do look forward to reading the others.
Read
June 17, 2017A household read-aloud. With voices. Because I can.
June 25, 2024
What if you had the ability to see angels? What if this angel had a special message for you? Teenager, Prissie will face this precisely in Christa Kinde’s The Blue Door. I love stories of fantasy and adventure and this one absolutely nails it! The characters are so endearing, the setting is so intriguing, the concept is so enthralling- I enjoyed every minute!
February 1, 2015
Blue Door Review:
Prissie Pomeroy had always loved her normal life with her large family in Pomeroy Orchard. But one day, when she was walking through the orchard, she spotted something that changed all of that. A boy, sitting in one of the apple trees. A boy that she shouldn’t have been able to see.
“Hello!” she called.
The boy’s eyes widened in surprise, and he looked around uncertainly. Finally, in a soft, lyrical voice, he asked, “Are you speaking to me?”
The boy reveals himself to be Koji, and Prissie introduces him to her friend, Milo, the mailman. Something strange seems to be going on, as Prissie quickly finds out when Koji accidentally reveals his pointed ears. When Prissie goes with Milo and Koji to bring a package to her mom, she is confused by her family’s ignorance of the boy, it’s as if they can’t see him. She soon finds out why.
“The truth is best,” he said, offering Prissie a lopsided smile before turning his attention back on the rode, “Go ahead, Koji.”
The boy straightened and bravely met Prissie’s gaze, “The truth is … we are angels.”
Prissie is shocked by his statement. Milo, one of the people she felt she knew best, isn’t really who he said he was. Even Harken, the owner of the bookstore who her family has known for a long time, is really an angel. Then she learns that, for some reason only known by God, she has been given the ability to see angels. Feeling a little scared, and hurt by the secret her friends had been keeping from her, she states that she won’t believe them. She isn’t really sure what to do, and she wasn’t sure if what they were saying was true.
Mr. Pomeroy invites Milo and Harken to dinner that night, and Prissie is dismayed that the two people that she didn’t really want to talk to were joining them for dinner.
She sat out of the conversation that night, feeling awkward. When she goes to fill a pitcher of water, she is startled by Harken, who followed her into the kitchen to tell her something.
“I have a message for you, child.”
“From who?”
Prissie darted a quick glance at Milo, but the old man shook his head and said, “First of all, don’t be afraid.”
She swallowed hard and gave a little half-shake of her head. “If you say so.”
He pulled his hand away with a sigh. “I told you Prissie, I’m only a messenger.” She tentatively met his gaze, and Harken nodded approvingly. With calm solemnity, he intoned, “Priscilla Pomeroy, the time had come to give away some of your trust.”
Afterwards, Prissie talks to Koji, asking him questions about angels. With her mind spinning with information, she also asks her mother about angels. When Milo comes over, bringing a package with him, she has no choice but to talk to him again, it helps her make a decision about what she should do.
Prissie drew a deep, shaky breath, then blurted, “Okay.”
Harken and Milo exchanged a glance, and the bookstore owner inquired, “Okay?”
“Yes. Okay. I’m willing to listen … or whatever,” Prissie said in a rush. “I don’t understand what’s going on, but if you guys need me, I don’t feel right about refusing.”
When Prissie said she was willing to listen to what the angels had to tell her, she wasn’t quite sure what she was agreeing to. Turns out, she was agreeing to something really wonderful. And something dangerous. Something more dangerous then she could ever have imagined ….
The Blue Door is the first book in the Threshold series, and is one of my favorite books ever, I have read it over and over again! But if you are a lover of super-intense books, this one might not catch your interest that much. I also really loved all the other books in the Threshold series. I would say that the book is good for all ages.
Prissie Pomeroy had always loved her normal life with her large family in Pomeroy Orchard. But one day, when she was walking through the orchard, she spotted something that changed all of that. A boy, sitting in one of the apple trees. A boy that she shouldn’t have been able to see.
“Hello!” she called.
The boy’s eyes widened in surprise, and he looked around uncertainly. Finally, in a soft, lyrical voice, he asked, “Are you speaking to me?”
The boy reveals himself to be Koji, and Prissie introduces him to her friend, Milo, the mailman. Something strange seems to be going on, as Prissie quickly finds out when Koji accidentally reveals his pointed ears. When Prissie goes with Milo and Koji to bring a package to her mom, she is confused by her family’s ignorance of the boy, it’s as if they can’t see him. She soon finds out why.
“The truth is best,” he said, offering Prissie a lopsided smile before turning his attention back on the rode, “Go ahead, Koji.”
The boy straightened and bravely met Prissie’s gaze, “The truth is … we are angels.”
Prissie is shocked by his statement. Milo, one of the people she felt she knew best, isn’t really who he said he was. Even Harken, the owner of the bookstore who her family has known for a long time, is really an angel. Then she learns that, for some reason only known by God, she has been given the ability to see angels. Feeling a little scared, and hurt by the secret her friends had been keeping from her, she states that she won’t believe them. She isn’t really sure what to do, and she wasn’t sure if what they were saying was true.
Mr. Pomeroy invites Milo and Harken to dinner that night, and Prissie is dismayed that the two people that she didn’t really want to talk to were joining them for dinner.
She sat out of the conversation that night, feeling awkward. When she goes to fill a pitcher of water, she is startled by Harken, who followed her into the kitchen to tell her something.
“I have a message for you, child.”
“From who?”
Prissie darted a quick glance at Milo, but the old man shook his head and said, “First of all, don’t be afraid.”
She swallowed hard and gave a little half-shake of her head. “If you say so.”
He pulled his hand away with a sigh. “I told you Prissie, I’m only a messenger.” She tentatively met his gaze, and Harken nodded approvingly. With calm solemnity, he intoned, “Priscilla Pomeroy, the time had come to give away some of your trust.”
Afterwards, Prissie talks to Koji, asking him questions about angels. With her mind spinning with information, she also asks her mother about angels. When Milo comes over, bringing a package with him, she has no choice but to talk to him again, it helps her make a decision about what she should do.
Prissie drew a deep, shaky breath, then blurted, “Okay.”
Harken and Milo exchanged a glance, and the bookstore owner inquired, “Okay?”
“Yes. Okay. I’m willing to listen … or whatever,” Prissie said in a rush. “I don’t understand what’s going on, but if you guys need me, I don’t feel right about refusing.”
When Prissie said she was willing to listen to what the angels had to tell her, she wasn’t quite sure what she was agreeing to. Turns out, she was agreeing to something really wonderful. And something dangerous. Something more dangerous then she could ever have imagined ….
The Blue Door is the first book in the Threshold series, and is one of my favorite books ever, I have read it over and over again! But if you are a lover of super-intense books, this one might not catch your interest that much. I also really loved all the other books in the Threshold series. I would say that the book is good for all ages.
August 22, 2018
Country Girl with the ability to see angels,
loved reading it. it had a feel of when calls the heart/ Angel wars.
loved it.
Amelia
loved reading it. it had a feel of when calls the heart/ Angel wars.
loved it.
Amelia
June 22, 2016
I know from experience that writing a 14-year-old female protagonist is tough, and the reader often doesn't know whether the character will be more childlike or teen-like until reading the book. In spite of the cover art, which led me to believe the protagonist would be the more mature type of 14, the voice and story seemed more suitable for 9 to 11-year-olds than 12 and up. So MG rather than YA. That's okay—it's just not what I expected.
I like stories with angel characters, and I did love a few of these, particularly Koji. The story should appeal to middle-grade readers who like fantasy tales, but they should keep a dictionary handy for a few words that might be outside their vocabulary.
I received a print copy of this book in a giveaway, and I am glad I had the opportunity to read it.
I like stories with angel characters, and I did love a few of these, particularly Koji. The story should appeal to middle-grade readers who like fantasy tales, but they should keep a dictionary handy for a few words that might be outside their vocabulary.
I received a print copy of this book in a giveaway, and I am glad I had the opportunity to read it.
June 22, 2018
It only took like 1 hour to read but it has left a mark. This book was absolutely imaginative and beautiful. It was a wonderful piece of literature, and I wish I hadn’t gotten it from the library so I had my own copy to read and reread. I wish I could give it more than five stars. ⭐️ It was life changing. She was realistic, and I could easily relate. I hope my review helps.
January 3, 2015
3.5 stars really. I like the story and it's well done but the characters are a little too unrealistic. I will be reading the rest of the series though!
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August 16, 2025This author is a favorite and comfort-read in her other pen names (Forthright. and C.J. Milbrandt). The quality of the writing is the same, as is the emphasis on family and taking care of your people. Plots are well-paced, characters are decently differentiated, and dialogue is believable in context. The emphasis on born-again Christian beliefs is central and consistent, and just another kind of fantasy if that is not your jam.
Unfortunately for me, the author on occasion has a main character who I find frustrating and unlikeable because they are self-centered and unthinkingly unkind to others. Churlish/Cherish in the Amaranthine series is one, and Prissy in this series is another. The amount of effort that others put into “winning” these people who treat them badly is unbelievable to me. Which sucks, as everyone around the brat is fun to read about. Plus I need to know what happens, so I read this whole series and just hoped she would grow the heck up. Which didn’t really happen the way I hoped - the passive-aggressive game playing and utter obliviousness to the feelings of those around her never really stopped. I genuinely felt sorry for the romantic partner who she had no real interest in outside of friendship until he declared he wanted to marry her and just wouldn’t go away. I hate relationships where every interaction is a test. I don’t care if you believe in Jesus if you can’t be bothered to treat your neighbor well.
I am not rating this, specifically because it was well-written but I hated the main character. Your mileage may vary.
Unfortunately for me, the author on occasion has a main character who I find frustrating and unlikeable because they are self-centered and unthinkingly unkind to others. Churlish/Cherish in the Amaranthine series is one, and Prissy in this series is another. The amount of effort that others put into “winning” these people who treat them badly is unbelievable to me. Which sucks, as everyone around the brat is fun to read about. Plus I need to know what happens, so I read this whole series and just hoped she would grow the heck up. Which didn’t really happen the way I hoped - the passive-aggressive game playing and utter obliviousness to the feelings of those around her never really stopped. I genuinely felt sorry for the romantic partner who she had no real interest in outside of friendship until he declared he wanted to marry her and just wouldn’t go away. I hate relationships where every interaction is a test. I don’t care if you believe in Jesus if you can’t be bothered to treat your neighbor well.
I am not rating this, specifically because it was well-written but I hated the main character. Your mileage may vary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2019
Priscilla Pomeroy is a fourteen year old girl that is going to discover she has a special ability, she can see angels. At first she doesn’t believe this and is irritated about her friends keeping the secret that they are angels. But the more she talks with them and other angels the more she comes to care for them and is willing to accept her gift.
But there is a lot happening and Prissy is going to be the key to the battle. There is a war coming between the angels and the demons and it is going to be up to Prissy to help out her new friends and follows Gods plan for her.
I liked Prissy, she is a good kid that gets along with her five brothers and helps out her parents. I understand how she felt betrayed by Milo and Koji when she learns that they are angels. I also understand how she doesn’t want this ability to see angels but has to learn to accept it. She is an important part of an upcoming war with her ability to see the Blue Door too.
This is a good start to a series. Although it has religious themes it is not preachy. I just wish there was a little more about the Blue Door and its importance. This was a good, quick read and I admit that I am excited to read The Hidden Deep to see what happens to Prissy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
But there is a lot happening and Prissy is going to be the key to the battle. There is a war coming between the angels and the demons and it is going to be up to Prissy to help out her new friends and follows Gods plan for her.
I liked Prissy, she is a good kid that gets along with her five brothers and helps out her parents. I understand how she felt betrayed by Milo and Koji when she learns that they are angels. I also understand how she doesn’t want this ability to see angels but has to learn to accept it. She is an important part of an upcoming war with her ability to see the Blue Door too.
This is a good start to a series. Although it has religious themes it is not preachy. I just wish there was a little more about the Blue Door and its importance. This was a good, quick read and I admit that I am excited to read The Hidden Deep to see what happens to Prissy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
June 9, 2017
I went into this knowing full well that this was not the book for me, but hoped I might be wrong. I wasn't, but I disliked it for different reasons than expected.
Knowing that it was touted as Christian-friendly fiction with positive God messages, I assumed it would be super preachy. It actually wasn't. The one instance where Prissy was discussing angels with her pastor actually came across more as a theology class than a sermon, which I appreciated.
What actually bothered me was that almost nothing happens in this book! There are hints of a good plot of good vs. evil with the little intros to each chapter, but the book fails to deliver on this interesting story line overall. I fear it may have been forced to adhere to rather delicate sensibilities to the point of stripping away any true plot.
I'll stick with Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. Still has angels, but they actually DO something!
Knowing that it was touted as Christian-friendly fiction with positive God messages, I assumed it would be super preachy. It actually wasn't. The one instance where Prissy was discussing angels with her pastor actually came across more as a theology class than a sermon, which I appreciated.
What actually bothered me was that almost nothing happens in this book! There are hints of a good plot of good vs. evil with the little intros to each chapter, but the book fails to deliver on this interesting story line overall. I fear it may have been forced to adhere to rather delicate sensibilities to the point of stripping away any true plot.
I'll stick with Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. Still has angels, but they actually DO something!
February 16, 2018
I have to give this 3 stars, not because it wasn't good but because the ending annoyed me. I read a lot of series. Series, no matter the number books on the series follow a pattern. The series, as a whole, as a story, a conflict, an issue it overcomes. But each individual book has a smaller story, a piece of the overall story it deals with, it conquers. closed up by the end. You have questions at the end, usually dealing with the overall story. But you always have answers, even if only small ones. Enough answers to draw you in but not so many you don't want to keep reading. I finished this book with way more questions than answers. In fact I don't think I have any answers. I barely know the characters. Ugh, I would say I am so annoyed that I don't want to finish the series but I know I will because I am a serial reader and if I start a series, I will finish it.
March 17, 2018
Definitely Recommended for Young Adults
This is a good book for young adults. I wouldn't recommend it for middle grade children because it has scenes of demons torturing angels. This book reminded me a little of the television series "Touched by an Angel." I like the way the book ended in a cliffhanger. It made you want to read more. the main character, Prissy, sure is introduced to a lot of angels by the end of the book. I would like to know why she has been blessed with this gift. Perhaps we'll find out in subsequent books.
This is a good book for young adults. I wouldn't recommend it for middle grade children because it has scenes of demons torturing angels. This book reminded me a little of the television series "Touched by an Angel." I like the way the book ended in a cliffhanger. It made you want to read more. the main character, Prissy, sure is introduced to a lot of angels by the end of the book. I would like to know why she has been blessed with this gift. Perhaps we'll find out in subsequent books.
September 7, 2018
This book is very interesting. It is about a girl who suddenly encounters someone who nobody else can see because he is an angel named Koji. The mailman and others around town are also angels in hiding. Throughout this story Prissie is thrown into another world with angels and the Fallen. People who want to hurt, or save her. With her angel friends and the family she loves she figures things out and see what others cannot.
January 16, 2024
This was such an interesting read. Although the theological view is wrong in a handful of ways and a little bit backwards and outdated, it was still a cool read. I know that everything couldn’t be wrapped up in a neat little package but there were too many unanswered questions. It was enough for my daughter to be interested so it was enough for me to want to read it with her. I’m hoping the series gets better. I have hope for this one.
June 17, 2021
This book is the first in one of my favorites series. It's about a girl who can see angels, and I love everything about it. It has a wide variety of characters, especially amongst the angels, good family dynamics, kind people, and I think is probably not far off what angels do in real life. I love how much this book makes me think! Plus, it's great if you're looking for a feel-good read.
February 28, 2023
Such a great clean YA fantasy. She can see angels and discovers there are many in her town. The angles hav no.idea why she can see them but know the Mkaer hs a purpose in it. A wonderfully written story that caused me to buy a physical copy of books 2-4 for my shelf to share as well as ebooks becasue I could not wait to read them.
August 19, 2019
An engaging story about a young teen, Prissy, who can see Angels all around her, where ever she goes! The Guardian Angels of people are as challenging as the earthly human beings and quite as different! A heartwarming story!
March 4, 2020
Great book to read with my daughter
Reading this book with my 12 year old daughter. Good, clean, interesting even for me as an adult. Educational at the same time. Makes me want to do some research on angels.
Reading this book with my 12 year old daughter. Good, clean, interesting even for me as an adult. Educational at the same time. Makes me want to do some research on angels.
Want to read
September 11, 2017I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2018
This is a great book worth reading especially if you like angels. I recommend it for 12-15 year old girls the most.
April 22, 2020
LUVED IT!!!
September 16, 2021
So wholesome. 💞💞💞
August 10, 2023
A very clean Christian read about angels. Overall, I believe the doctrine is decently sound of what angels are and how God uses them. It is hard to give this single book a review without the others, as I see this as written with the author's knowledge this would not be a stand alone book and a lot of character and world building is done in this first book. I am looking forward to reading the next books in the series.
October 12, 2012
REVIEW can be found here: sognandoleggendo.net
I have to say that I had really great expectations about this one. I loved the summary, full of mystery, but I found the book pretty much unbelievable. I had a hard time reading it because I did not enjoyed it that much.
The book holds so much potential but it's hard to relate to the main character. Prissie is 14, but doesn't have a cell phone, thinks that going to a fortune teller is wrong, is not really interested in guys and acts like a 10-year-old girl. She's a good girl, helping in the kitchen and going to church. Nothing is wrong about that but seriously? At fourteen? In this society? Hard to believe. The other characters are very similar to one another and I couldn't really tell them apart that much. Lots of angels, handsome, kind, perfect, but a little bit too plain. I liked Ranson, the guy who gets on Prissie's nerves, because he felt more real than the others.
I knew before reading that this book would contain a lot of religion and I didn't really mind, but I found out that it was a little bit too much and my reading slowed down for this reason. There is little action, the story is slow-paced and the narration very simple. I get this is for a younger audience, but there are just too many useless details. I would have loved to know more about the Fallen, the Blue Door and Ransom, but maybe I'll get to see them in the next books. I'm sorry I didn't like it because there is a good potential but it was not well exploited.
Italian
Partiamo dal presupposto che la trama di questo libro mi piaceva. Sul serio, sembrava interessante, intrigante e misteriosa. Certo, si tratta di un libro per ragazzi, ma proprio non mi è risultato credibile. Mi aspettavo un linguaggio semplice e una storia alquanto lineare, non una storia che non sembra andare da nessuna parte e personaggi che non stanno né in cielo né in terra (neanche se sono degli angeli).
La storia è la seguente: Prissie, quattordici anni e amante del rosa, scopre di poter vedere gli angeli e si rende conto che alcune delle persone della cittadina dove vive sono in realtà degli angeli che vivono nel mondo umano. Tra loro c'è anche Milo, il postino, per cui Prissie da piccola aveva una cotta. Ora, vorrei dirvi che c'è un cattivo, una trama avvincente, ma mentirei. Per tutto il libro si parla di un 'pericolo' e degli angeli caduti, ma il tema non viene mai veramente sviluppato. Fondamentalmente tutto il libro si svolge con la descrizione delle attività quotidiane di Prissie (cucinare torte, andare in giro per il paese) e con la sua lenta accettazione del fatto che gli angeli esistono, quindi capite anche voi che già dopo le prime trenta pagine avevo bisogno di caffè per andare avanti.
Un peccato perché il libro aveva del potenziale, ma Prissie è una quattordicenne assai poco realistica: non ha un cellulare, pensa che andare per divertimento in uno stand a farsi leggere la mano sia peccato, non è interessata ai ragazzi e si comporta come una bambina di dieci…è una brava massaia, aiuta sempre a casa, cucina e va a messa. Non che ci sia niente di male in tutto questo ma…quattordici anni? Al giorno d'oggi? Mi lascia perplessa. Gli altri personaggi…ho fatto fatica a distinguerli. Tanti angeli, tutti con un ruolo diverso, ma piuttosto simili tra loro. Gentili, bravi cantanti, adorabili, perfetti, insomma un po' piatti. Interessante potrebbe essere lo sviluppo di Ranson, ragazzo che sta antipatico a Prissie e abbastanza irritante, ma perlomeno lungi dalla perfezioni surreale degli altri.
Anche i toni fortemente religiosi del libro mi hanno un po' irritatato, perché sono veramente pesanti e hanno fatto sì che rallentassi la lettura. La narrazione è semplice e lineare, una terza persona dal punto di vista di Prissie con degli excursus occasionali dal punto di vista degli altri angeli.
Potrei continuare a parlare, ma sinceramente non sarebbe molto positivo. Questo libro aveva del potenziale, ma la 'porta blu' nominata nel titolo viene citata solo una volta, ci sono tanti personaggi secondari non sviluppati e complessivamente la storia non mi ha coinvolto. Un vero peccato.
I have to say that I had really great expectations about this one. I loved the summary, full of mystery, but I found the book pretty much unbelievable. I had a hard time reading it because I did not enjoyed it that much.
The book holds so much potential but it's hard to relate to the main character. Prissie is 14, but doesn't have a cell phone, thinks that going to a fortune teller is wrong, is not really interested in guys and acts like a 10-year-old girl. She's a good girl, helping in the kitchen and going to church. Nothing is wrong about that but seriously? At fourteen? In this society? Hard to believe. The other characters are very similar to one another and I couldn't really tell them apart that much. Lots of angels, handsome, kind, perfect, but a little bit too plain. I liked Ranson, the guy who gets on Prissie's nerves, because he felt more real than the others.
I knew before reading that this book would contain a lot of religion and I didn't really mind, but I found out that it was a little bit too much and my reading slowed down for this reason. There is little action, the story is slow-paced and the narration very simple. I get this is for a younger audience, but there are just too many useless details. I would have loved to know more about the Fallen, the Blue Door and Ransom, but maybe I'll get to see them in the next books. I'm sorry I didn't like it because there is a good potential but it was not well exploited.
Italian
Partiamo dal presupposto che la trama di questo libro mi piaceva. Sul serio, sembrava interessante, intrigante e misteriosa. Certo, si tratta di un libro per ragazzi, ma proprio non mi è risultato credibile. Mi aspettavo un linguaggio semplice e una storia alquanto lineare, non una storia che non sembra andare da nessuna parte e personaggi che non stanno né in cielo né in terra (neanche se sono degli angeli).
La storia è la seguente: Prissie, quattordici anni e amante del rosa, scopre di poter vedere gli angeli e si rende conto che alcune delle persone della cittadina dove vive sono in realtà degli angeli che vivono nel mondo umano. Tra loro c'è anche Milo, il postino, per cui Prissie da piccola aveva una cotta. Ora, vorrei dirvi che c'è un cattivo, una trama avvincente, ma mentirei. Per tutto il libro si parla di un 'pericolo' e degli angeli caduti, ma il tema non viene mai veramente sviluppato. Fondamentalmente tutto il libro si svolge con la descrizione delle attività quotidiane di Prissie (cucinare torte, andare in giro per il paese) e con la sua lenta accettazione del fatto che gli angeli esistono, quindi capite anche voi che già dopo le prime trenta pagine avevo bisogno di caffè per andare avanti.
Un peccato perché il libro aveva del potenziale, ma Prissie è una quattordicenne assai poco realistica: non ha un cellulare, pensa che andare per divertimento in uno stand a farsi leggere la mano sia peccato, non è interessata ai ragazzi e si comporta come una bambina di dieci…è una brava massaia, aiuta sempre a casa, cucina e va a messa. Non che ci sia niente di male in tutto questo ma…quattordici anni? Al giorno d'oggi? Mi lascia perplessa. Gli altri personaggi…ho fatto fatica a distinguerli. Tanti angeli, tutti con un ruolo diverso, ma piuttosto simili tra loro. Gentili, bravi cantanti, adorabili, perfetti, insomma un po' piatti. Interessante potrebbe essere lo sviluppo di Ranson, ragazzo che sta antipatico a Prissie e abbastanza irritante, ma perlomeno lungi dalla perfezioni surreale degli altri.
Anche i toni fortemente religiosi del libro mi hanno un po' irritatato, perché sono veramente pesanti e hanno fatto sì che rallentassi la lettura. La narrazione è semplice e lineare, una terza persona dal punto di vista di Prissie con degli excursus occasionali dal punto di vista degli altri angeli.
Potrei continuare a parlare, ma sinceramente non sarebbe molto positivo. Questo libro aveva del potenziale, ma la 'porta blu' nominata nel titolo viene citata solo una volta, ci sono tanti personaggi secondari non sviluppati e complessivamente la storia non mi ha coinvolto. Un vero peccato.
August 27, 2012
The Blue Door by Christa Kinde
Review by Kara Grant
Minor Spoilers
The door would take her beyond our world (from back cover).
My Review
When I heard about this book, I immediately thought of Narnia and other books where magic occurs with a portal or door. I was wrong to do that because each of these stories introduces magic in a different way and it’s important to give the book a chance based on the author’s creativity. I did not connect with this story right away, but I enjoyed how Kinde described the angels and their roles.
Prissie is 14 years old, has 5 brothers, a cat, and she has the ability to see angels. Her first angel encounter was at age 3, but she was too young to understand what had transpired. Prissie has a close relationship with both parents, both grandparents, the community, and her brothers are in tune with her. Even though I greatly enjoyed how loved Prissie is by her family, I saw everything about her life as too perfect. Then she starts seeing angels and instead of being afraid or overjoyed, she gets annoyed about this. Once she is able to understand that angels are as real as she is, she starts experiencing conflicts.
My favorite part of this book was the angels because I didn’t see Prissie as appreciative of this gift of interacting with them. So despite my not understanding her response to knowing about their full existence, I got into the book to learn more about the angels and their stories. I also agreed with this book more than usual because Kinde writes these angels having direct contact with God and not just paranormal characters following their emotions. The blue door has a very small role in this book, yet it is a powerful place.
What I learned:
Angels get sad
Angels cannot get dirty
They all have beautiful singing voices (that change the atmosphere)
They know every language
There are no female angels
Fallen angels=demon
Angels don’t “end” or die
Angels are drawn to lasting things (such as promises, relationships, souls), not passing things
There are different types of angels introduced here…messengers, guardians, protectors, worshipers, caretakers
Each angel has a mentor so they work in groups of two
Angels are also referred to as the Faithful
Angels have tattoos and some even have piercings
Manna is the food of angels
If a Guardian places too much importance on their charge, they lose sight of God
There are demons in this book, but you only get a brief glimpse of their conversations. One of my questions would be, will Prissie be able to see them also during the series? There is no violence in this book, but there is implied danger. One angel is captured and tortured, but it is brief. The angels delight in helping Prissie and not just when she’s in danger. Whenever she prays to God an angel is sent to help her out, even when her feelings are hurt. It’s implied more than once that Prissie has a very important role in God’s plans and the angels watch her carefully throughout the story. There’s one precious scene in the story where three angels help Prissie face her fear and they lovingly ease her tension until she is calm. They also love answering her questions and making her feel safe.
Kinde has successfully started a series for young adults that accurately describes who angels are and what they’re really about. I believe that Prissie will also undergo an important transition at some point, but for now the angels are more interesting. This book addresses peer pressure, temptation, betrayal, identity, Biblical references, and what God is really about. I believe that kids will be encouraged and find acceptance within this series and The Blue Door is just the beginning.
I want to thank Zonderkidz and Zondervan’s Z Street Team for the ARC copy they sent me for reviewing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Review by Kara Grant
Minor Spoilers
The door would take her beyond our world (from back cover).
My Review
When I heard about this book, I immediately thought of Narnia and other books where magic occurs with a portal or door. I was wrong to do that because each of these stories introduces magic in a different way and it’s important to give the book a chance based on the author’s creativity. I did not connect with this story right away, but I enjoyed how Kinde described the angels and their roles.
Prissie is 14 years old, has 5 brothers, a cat, and she has the ability to see angels. Her first angel encounter was at age 3, but she was too young to understand what had transpired. Prissie has a close relationship with both parents, both grandparents, the community, and her brothers are in tune with her. Even though I greatly enjoyed how loved Prissie is by her family, I saw everything about her life as too perfect. Then she starts seeing angels and instead of being afraid or overjoyed, she gets annoyed about this. Once she is able to understand that angels are as real as she is, she starts experiencing conflicts.
My favorite part of this book was the angels because I didn’t see Prissie as appreciative of this gift of interacting with them. So despite my not understanding her response to knowing about their full existence, I got into the book to learn more about the angels and their stories. I also agreed with this book more than usual because Kinde writes these angels having direct contact with God and not just paranormal characters following their emotions. The blue door has a very small role in this book, yet it is a powerful place.
What I learned:
Angels get sad
Angels cannot get dirty
They all have beautiful singing voices (that change the atmosphere)
They know every language
There are no female angels
Fallen angels=demon
Angels don’t “end” or die
Angels are drawn to lasting things (such as promises, relationships, souls), not passing things
There are different types of angels introduced here…messengers, guardians, protectors, worshipers, caretakers
Each angel has a mentor so they work in groups of two
Angels are also referred to as the Faithful
Angels have tattoos and some even have piercings
Manna is the food of angels
If a Guardian places too much importance on their charge, they lose sight of God
There are demons in this book, but you only get a brief glimpse of their conversations. One of my questions would be, will Prissie be able to see them also during the series? There is no violence in this book, but there is implied danger. One angel is captured and tortured, but it is brief. The angels delight in helping Prissie and not just when she’s in danger. Whenever she prays to God an angel is sent to help her out, even when her feelings are hurt. It’s implied more than once that Prissie has a very important role in God’s plans and the angels watch her carefully throughout the story. There’s one precious scene in the story where three angels help Prissie face her fear and they lovingly ease her tension until she is calm. They also love answering her questions and making her feel safe.
Kinde has successfully started a series for young adults that accurately describes who angels are and what they’re really about. I believe that Prissie will also undergo an important transition at some point, but for now the angels are more interesting. This book addresses peer pressure, temptation, betrayal, identity, Biblical references, and what God is really about. I believe that kids will be encouraged and find acceptance within this series and The Blue Door is just the beginning.
I want to thank Zonderkidz and Zondervan’s Z Street Team for the ARC copy they sent me for reviewing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
July 7, 2012
Being the only girl with five brothers can be tough, but Prissie tries her best to act all ladylike, wanting to be the normal town-girl. She wears cute dresses, helps around with the cooking, joins pie contests, stays away from the bad boys, crushes on the cute mailman, and talks to the invisible boy sitting on a tree. Wait... what?
Okay, so maybe Prissie isn't entirely normal anymore. Ever since she met Koji, a sort of light-switch has gone off in her head. She can see things others can't. She can see angels.
And Koji isn't the only angel around town. Prissie will discover that those closest to her are actually not what they seem. And Prissie is in far more danger now that a message has been passed to her, because where there is light... there is darkness.
The Blue Door is different than most other books. For starters, there isn't much of any romance, which was sort of a shocker (in a good way though). I got stuck to angel books filled with passion, but I'll admit this was a refreshing read. It started off somewhat slow, Kinde let me get acquainted to the characters and the town first. I got a good picture in my head, Kinde described everything with the touch of a true storyteller. But there seemed to be more detailing and less action. Nothing really big happens until the end, everything in between just seems like a filler. I got tired real fast, and when the real stuff started to happen, I just didn't feel into it anymore.
The characters were interesting. Prissie got on my nerves though. I could understand why she didn't want to accept the whole 'angels-really-exist' thing and I got why she avoided some of them, but there was something about her that I disliked. She didn't really do much of anything, expect maybe bake a pie. I thought her character was sort of dull and not all that fascinating. Her 'nemesis', Ransom, got my attention the most. He wasn't really important, but I loved his humor and bad-boy attitude.
Most of the angels were as I would expect them to be; kind, good-looking, talented, curious, and very discreet. Of course the bad guys were bad and the good guys were good, you could tell which was which very easily in the book.
The plot was entertaining. The thing I liked best about it was that it wasn't so predictable. It tired me out a little, but I enjoyed the way the end came somewhat unexpected. I was guessing throughout the book, but in the end I came up dead wrong.
Overall, I enjoyed The Blue Door. The only real problem I had was the heavy amount of religious reference and self-righteousness, which really annoyed me. I felt like I was being taught a lesson every chapter, one of those life lesson I get lectured on almost every day. I skimmed over most of those paragraphs. For the religious stuff, it's all really new to me. I guess I'm glad one one hand, because Kinde explained some things I never knew, but then on the other hand... I really didn't care. I could stand a little of it, but it was a bit too much for my taste. The mystery side of the book kept me holding on though. Curiosity ate me up.
I was still left with a lot of questions unanswered and this is why I can't wait to read the second one. The Blue Door is a good start to a very promising series.
Okay, so maybe Prissie isn't entirely normal anymore. Ever since she met Koji, a sort of light-switch has gone off in her head. She can see things others can't. She can see angels.
And Koji isn't the only angel around town. Prissie will discover that those closest to her are actually not what they seem. And Prissie is in far more danger now that a message has been passed to her, because where there is light... there is darkness.
The Blue Door is different than most other books. For starters, there isn't much of any romance, which was sort of a shocker (in a good way though). I got stuck to angel books filled with passion, but I'll admit this was a refreshing read. It started off somewhat slow, Kinde let me get acquainted to the characters and the town first. I got a good picture in my head, Kinde described everything with the touch of a true storyteller. But there seemed to be more detailing and less action. Nothing really big happens until the end, everything in between just seems like a filler. I got tired real fast, and when the real stuff started to happen, I just didn't feel into it anymore.
The characters were interesting. Prissie got on my nerves though. I could understand why she didn't want to accept the whole 'angels-really-exist' thing and I got why she avoided some of them, but there was something about her that I disliked. She didn't really do much of anything, expect maybe bake a pie. I thought her character was sort of dull and not all that fascinating. Her 'nemesis', Ransom, got my attention the most. He wasn't really important, but I loved his humor and bad-boy attitude.
Most of the angels were as I would expect them to be; kind, good-looking, talented, curious, and very discreet. Of course the bad guys were bad and the good guys were good, you could tell which was which very easily in the book.
The plot was entertaining. The thing I liked best about it was that it wasn't so predictable. It tired me out a little, but I enjoyed the way the end came somewhat unexpected. I was guessing throughout the book, but in the end I came up dead wrong.
Overall, I enjoyed The Blue Door. The only real problem I had was the heavy amount of religious reference and self-righteousness, which really annoyed me. I felt like I was being taught a lesson every chapter, one of those life lesson I get lectured on almost every day. I skimmed over most of those paragraphs. For the religious stuff, it's all really new to me. I guess I'm glad one one hand, because Kinde explained some things I never knew, but then on the other hand... I really didn't care. I could stand a little of it, but it was a bit too much for my taste. The mystery side of the book kept me holding on though. Curiosity ate me up.
I was still left with a lot of questions unanswered and this is why I can't wait to read the second one. The Blue Door is a good start to a very promising series.
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