Page 21 - JUNE 2022

June 2022
NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM Page 21
By BRittany amalfi
The Story of a Young Girl Be- coming Her Own Superhero To Save The Ones She Loves The Most
Rena Barron Delivers an Ac- tion-Packed Adventure About a Twelve-Year-Old Girl Who Must Beat The Odds To Take Down a Sinister Force and Save Her Fa- ther
When dark forces begin infil- trating the world, there’s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. All Maya wants to do is finish school and enjoy her summer vacation, but when strange, scary things start happening, she knows that’s just wishful thinking. Maya learns that her father is the guardian of the veil between our world and the Dark—a place where the Lord of Shadows control an evil army called the “darkbringers.”
Well, now, the veil is failing, and not only are darkbringers getting through to our world and wreaking havoc, but the Lord of Shadows is also invad-
ing Maya’s dreams and turning them into nightmares. To make matters worse, Maya’s father has been kidnapped by the sinister lord, and it is up to her to save him. With all of the adults tell- ing her what to do, Maya only listens to one voice—her own. Maya is a godling—half-human, half Orisha, and with the help of her friends, they venture into the Dark and battle the Lord of Shadow’s wicked army to find her father and save the world.
A Fun New Fantasy That Shows The Power of Owning Your bravery and Being Your Own Hero
Maya and The Rising Dark by Rena Barron is a fresh and lively story that perfectly balances the dark elements with some witty humor that had me smiling as I turned the pages. Rooted in West African mythology, I learned about the Orishas—the divine be- ings that Maya considered super- heroes in her story. However, what I loved most about this book, was
that Maya mustered up her cour- age and bravery to become the hero her world needed. I watched as Maya fought through her fear of taking each step necessary to find her father, no matter how
frightening the outcome might be. Maya is the type of protago- nist with people of all ages relat- ing to her because of her fierce personality and her motivation to overcome what she fears the most. Barron wasn’t afraid to highlight how scared Maya was to go on this dangerous escapade, which brought out her human traits in full force. Maya’s dread about the dark unknown in no way made her weak, it made her human, and the strength she showed to overcome it made her the protag- onist we all needed.
Maya and The Rising Dark kept me captivated from the first page with Barron’s exhilarating and quirky writing style. Once the color bled from the world in the first chapter, I knew I was in for an exciting adventure. The jour-
ney into the Dark as Maya learns more about this other world was as fascinating as it was inspiring. The essential messages scattered throughout this story showed us that even the noblest superheroes can make mistakes and that, with a little bravery, and some help from friends, a young girl is capa- ble of anything.
Rena Barron conveys im- portant messages while keeping the tone fun and lighthearted. The friendship dynamic be- tween Maya and her two friends, Frankie and Eli, drove this story forward while searching for her father, which helped Maya find her strength. Maya’s relationship with her father was not only sweet and wholesome but the whole reason why Maya steps into who she really is.
Book of the Month: Maya and The Rising Dark by Rena Barron
Community
Looking for
Fralick & Sons Electrical Services
603-966-9919
Mark Fralick Master Electrian fralickes@gmail.com
copies FREE at these locations:
Residential and Commercial Generator Installation Fralickelectric.com
A listing of drop off locations are online at www.newfoundlakelife.com
You are Invited!
For over 80 years Hill Village Bible Church has been serving the newfound region through community out reach efforts, through the ministry of the Word of God and through prayer. On May 29th the church invites you to Old Home day and our annual Friend day services. Service starts at 10am with BBQ lunch to follow. There will be games and activities for kids and fun for all ages. Please come celebrate this historic day with us.
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