Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Playing With Fire
The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor Book Three

by Melody Carlson



      Playing With Fire is the third book I've read in this series and the author is really settling into her characters nicely. Samantha McGregor is a godly Christian teen with an unusual gift - she gets visions from God in her dreams. These visions aren't always clear and Samantha struggles with the insecurity of somehow misinterpreting her visions and letting people die. It's a heavy load to lay on a high school girl, but Samantha handles it with relatively little whining (something I appreciate in a heroine). Adding to the burden of her visions, Samantha worries about her brother coming out of drug rehab, her mother who is trying to "get a life" through dating and a little too much alcohol, and a friend who may or may not be using drugs. Drugs is a major theme of this particular installment in Samantha's life, and the author does a decent job of skirting around letting the novel become a full blown anti-drug lecture for readers. Each book also includes a reader's guide for using the books in group discussions. That kind of thing made me twitchy as a teen, looking a little too much like homework, but the publisher probably sees the potential of these novels in introducing teens to both spiritual gifts and contemporary issues. Thankfully, they're also entertaining books. The characters are becoming more well-rounded and real with each installment in the series. For teens looking for a solid Christian novel with a contemporary twist, this series is fast-paced with generally likable characters and plenty of plot twists - the novels feel more like mysteries than the standard "teen problem novel." I'm looking forward to future installments in Samantha's life.

The Book

Multnomah
August 2007
Paperback
1590526945 / 978-1590526941
Teen /Young Adult Fiction
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE:

The Reviewer

Jan Fields
Reviewed 2007
NOTE: Reviewer Jan Fields is the editor of Kid Magazine Writers emagazine and has written dozens of stories and articles for the children's magazine market.
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