A Desperate Experiment

Fellowship of Light series

by Chelsea Burden

A tiny church struggling to keep its doors open, a pair of girls only wanting to belong, two determined enthusiasts on a mission to change the world, and a young cynic who doesn’t believe it can be changed—what future lies ahead for them all?The past is full of change and disappointment for the five teenage members of the Matthews and Hall families—the present seems to mock them with its inability to offer what they long for most. Is there any way to move beyond their past and their present and chart a future that will bring all they desire?Will they find the answers to life’s haunting questions? Is there one solution which can prove the key to all their struggles?And how will Mr. Meadows’s Desperate Experiment affect their hopes and dreams?

Genres: Contemporary

77 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2021

About the author

Chelsea Burden is a homeschool graduate, a first-generation Anabaptist, and a passionate word-lover who enjoys dabbling in etymology (not entomology!) and routinely adds bona fide words to spellcheck!
She loves books, people, and Jesus—and a lot of other things too, including chickadees, hymns, snowflakes, and having a good time with friends. She lives in Canada and spends her days writing and doing whatever else comes to hand in her three-generational home.
She appreciates hearing from readers, whether through reviews, on the Sheep Among Wolves blog (www.sawpublishing.com) or by email (chelsea@sawpublishing.com).

Reviews

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This was such an interesting little prequel novella! I related a lot to Maple Grove Church ;) all the characters were so delightful and interesting, and the writing style was just so beautiful!! And even though the story was so short, the lessons were excellent. However, I was a little confused about the whole “the church will fold” issue. As someone who’s belonged to a church with less than four members most of my life, I didn’t quite understand the urgency… However, I’m interested in seeing how this will all wind up, and I am definitely enjoying how peaceful and perfect everything is. :)

Quotes to come upon reread!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is my second book by Burden, but I didn't like it as much as Snow-Globe World. There were a whole lot of characters introduced without a lot of emotional connection to any of them. A lot of telling instead of showing. The language also lends itself more to history. I kept having to remind myself that this was a modern setting.

I did enjoy some aspects of the book and plan to try the next book in the series.

[Erika Mathews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisitely-drawn characters, gorgeous vintage writing, an intriguing plot, and a beautiful story-voice. Don’t miss this first installment in The Fellowship of Light series!

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an good story. I liked that the two main families were vastly different and yet close friends. The young people had me smiling a few times at their own unique personalities and reactions to things.
The writing style is more old-fashioned and slower paced than many modern books. There is some action and conversation, but I felt it had more narration than letting the characters tell the story, which isn't bad, but I found myself falling asleep. Perhaps I was just tired. I also wished there was more description and setting.
But it was still good, and I want to read the next book.

[Lydia Willcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I really did. The characters were relatable and realistic, with a depth to them which I really liked. Their struggles, hopes, and fears, their individual and unique personalities, and their different ways of expressing their deepest feelings, were excellently portrayed. The writing style is quite different, and sometimes has a bit of an old-fashioned feel (which is a good thing; don't get me wrong, I loved it!) and I really enjoyed the quieter, gentler pace and feel that the whole story had.
The only reason I am not giving it a higher rating is that I feel the whole premise of the experiment was false. There is nothing wrong with having a very small church, and there is no reason why a church should collapse because it is losing members. Also, if the Matthews and the Halls weren't in agreement with the members of their own church, and if they felt as if they didn't belong, they shouldn't have ever stayed in the first place. And lastly, I don't agree with their asking for a sign at the end, although I can overlook that as it wasn't a major part of the story and in context it's not a big issue.

None of this is to that I didn't enjoy it, or that I don't want to read the rest of the series. The other books will have different themes and different conflicts, and I'm sure I'll be able to enjoy them more. The characters - all of them - have captured my interest already and I really want to know what happens to them. From Stanley to Sadie to Alex, I loved them all, and I look forward to reading more about them!

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[The Film Director's Wife · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this story.

Chelsea Burden has such a unique writing voice and that definitely shines in this tale, which I appreciated. It has a certain old-fashioned and gentleness to it that is not as common nowadays and that was a neat change of pace.

The characters were written in such a way that they not only felt realistic, but they had a certian depth to them when it came to their individual hopes,fears, personalities, and expressing their feelings.

The characters left me wanting to know more about them and looking forward to the upcoming books in the series.

I did connect with the story in many ways and know the Lord sometimes calls us to be where we feel "we don't belong" or where it is a "struggle" to do a great work for Him and that is one of the beautiful things of being a follower of Jesus.

Overall, it was good, nice afternoon read from an Author that I enjoy and that I would recommend.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions included in this review are my own.