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Appointed Time by C.J. Peterson is a Christian YA themed story mainly about four gifted children. Two grew up with loving parents (Ben and Grace), and two grew up in a clinic and treated as lab experiments. They each have special abilities and how they choose to wield those powers is greatly influenced by their upbringing. Instead of growing up in a lab with Professor Roth, an unethical scientist trying to create powerful humans that he can control, Blake and Holly live in hiding with two nurses who stole them away to save their lives. Sixteen years later, Professor Roth has finally found them and what happens next will change their lives forever. I don't want to give too much away because this is where the action really starts to take place.
The story is told in a third person perspective so you get to see the point of view of several different characters. It’s clear that the first book is more of a set-up book for the next two. There is a lot of character development and background of Holly and Blake throughout their childhood. Peterson does a good job of showing the reader how these two children learn to harness and control their special abilities while living in hiding. It's not easy for them and it was interesting to see how the two children helped each other through the process. I also liked that the relationships between the characters were not predictable. Even though Ben and Grace lived together while they raised Holly and Blake, they never developed a romantic relationship. Instead, Grace develops a secret relationship with the town Sheriff early on in the story.
Most of the story is getting to know Holly and Blake as they grow up, learn to control their abilities, and how they eventually make some friends who attend the local church. Later in the story, Peterson does a good job filling-in the reader about how Adam and Deanna were raised by using flashbacks at various stages of their youth while growing up in the compound with Professor Roth and other gifted children. You get to understand the motivation and heartbreaking childhood of these two and how vastly different their upbringing was compared to Holly and Blake's.
Peterson’s book is not only telling the story of these gifted children, but of Jesus and Christianity in direct and indirect ways. Christian stories and principles are sprinkled in the book through pastor sermons, or just through dialog of the characters when talking about life choices. I would have liked to know more about Professor Roth, as well as Ben and Grace's backgrounds. I'm also curious about what happened to Alex, as she was a potential love interest for Ben. I'm sure we'll see her in book two. There were definitely some plot twists that I didn't see coming! We learn later on in the story that Blake and Holly are more powerful than even they know and I'm looking forward to seeing their full potential. Overall, Appointed Time was a fun, action-packed read that kept my attention until the last page! I am looking forward to finding out what happens next in book two.
4 Stars!
She has authored multiple series including the Grace Restored Series, the Holy Flame Trilogy, the Divine Legacy Series, the Sands of Time Trilogy, the Adventures of Chief and Sarge, plus her recently released time travel book with a twist, Chain Reaction!
“While the stories are fiction, the journey is real.”
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