Hello, dear friend! Happy weekend. Today, something amazing is kicking off on this blog. Something I've always done low-key but now want to make official. Book reviews!
The book we'll be featuring today is:
Drum rolls...
Up and Awake: The 22 Prophecies
Intriguing title, I tell you. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the title was: 'Isaiah 60, arise and shine...' and I wasn't wrong to think that way. The story actually draws its main power from Isaiah 60.
Genre
Christian supernatural fiction
As some of you already might know, PeculiarPraise is a diehard fans of anything supernatural fiction. Hence, it's no surprise that the first book in our book review series on this blog is from this genre.
Well, this book is unique in the sense that it's hard to nail it down to being fictitious, seeing it is a prophetic book. However there were a few elements of fiction there.
Book Cover
Firstly, I would like to talk about the uniqueness and appropriateness of the book cover. As you can see, the cover was professionally done and when you read the book, you'll understand why the elements and graphics were chosen.
We see the profile of a Nigerian girl's face (representing the main character) beside a globe.
In addition to the cover, I want to also applaud the way the formatting of the book was carried out. It made the entire book really appealing to a reader's eye. That's no surprise because the author herself is a professional ebook designer who also coaches people in that line (as advertised at the end of the book) So you might want to check that out too.
Book Introduction
I'll just insert a snippet of the book intro here so you can get a feel of what to expect in this story:
Whether you are reading this before or after the manifestation of the words in this book, you need to pay attention. This book is a short one, so you might be tempted to rush over it in one sitting. I would not advise you to do that.
In between the words of this book are other words, not written, that GOD wants you to find out. They are words specially for you and you need to find them out because they are your own part of this book.
Those words are anything you feel like writing down as you read this book - anthing at all. Always pause to write them somewhere you will not easily lose even though they don't make sense to you. I can assure you that the things you write will always make sense, either now or in the future.
If you rush through this book, you would have no real understanding and it would be an absolute waste of time for you. This book is not fantasy, not for merely entertaining your mind. It is not a story book. It is a prophetic book, for you and for Nigeria.
There are a lot of things in this book that would give you more understand more about GOD. There are a lot of things you would find out about yourself if you are patient enough.
GOD bless you!
Plot and Setting
I'll try not to add spoilers.
Basically, the book is about a girl who had a supernatural experience which led to her releasing a series of 22 Prophecies derived from Isaiah 60 over Nigeria.
In essence, it details the beautiful future that God has in store for Nigeria, if we will follow Him.
Characters
The main character herself was not specifically named but we know she's a young girl that has a with a close friend named Sheba who equally has a similar gift of visions.
Other characters featuring in the book are Jesus who was referred to as The Master, The Commander, other angels, and other Nigerian people-groups.
Personal Enjoyment and Other Comments
I've read this book twice and will definitely re-read it several time 'cause, it's so powerful.
The first time I read it, I was hooked and shed tears at some point. The second time (using a PDF to audio app called Natural Reader) I was legit praying and speaking in tongues at intervals.
This is a timely book for Nigeria, seeing as we now have a new government and all. Every major issue facing this country was addressed in that book. It's a book of hope. I can't wait to see the prophecies being fulfilled in my generation.
Also, I'd like to commend the author's writing style. It was exquisite and easy to read. Honestly, the book was 100% error free. And that is applaud-worthy.
Overall rating
I give this book a five-star rating.
For a short story with 9 short chapter and fifty something pages, this book was well rounded. This story is something you won't regret reading. It's a must read for every Nigerian Christian, both at home and abroad.
About the author
Oyenike Oyekola is a Creative Writer, Book Editor and Ebook Designer.
She is an author of many short stories including The Writer's Mind, Bottom and Somebody's Son Loves Me. (Don't worry y'all. All these books will also be reviewed by yours truly).
She actively serves as one of the Social Media Managers for Purposeful Teenagers Community, where she was formerly the Director of the Scribes Team, in charge of all the written works in the community.
As an undergraduate, she is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.
Oyenike writes stories to help people get a clearer understanding of who GOD is in relatable ways; and also to provide a godly alternative for young people who love reading stories like herself.
To connect with her or to get her books, the following are her active social media handles.
Now, I'm sure you are wondering how you can get your own copy of this amazing book. All you have to do is reach out to the author through any means as highlighted above, because guess what? This book is absolutely FREE! Yay. You don't have to pay to read this book.
If you've read the book already or are eager to do so, I'd love you to drop a comment to know your thoughts. And please share this blog post for the benefit of others who you know might be interested in reading books like this.
Keep your eyes on the lookout for more book reviews like this coming on this blog. If you have book recommendations or you know of Christian authors (particularly Nigerian Christian fiction) that you'd like to see feature on this blog, don't hesitate to reach out to your girl, PeculiarPraise.
Remember, Jesus loves you most. Happy reading.
Wonderful book, I tell you.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this review.
ReplyDeleteOyenike Oyekola is an exceptional Christian writer.
She is a blessing to this generation.
Faith Oyawale