Grab some Hot Cocoa, a Quilt, and prepare to get Nothing else done…

It happened again…I sat curled up on the couch, reading page after page of Solomon’s Puzzle, until before I knew it, the clock struck midnight.  While I didn’t turn into a pumpkin, it did make waking up the next morning rather difficult… especially coupled with nursing a sick baby.  Yes, I hold Loris Nebbia, author of Solomon’s Puzzle, strictly responsible for the fact that my son was late for his tutorial twice last week. 

My favorite kind of books, are the ones in which the characters are so vivid and real that you find yourself believing that they are in fact your real life friends.  From the first chapter of Solomon’s Puzzle, I was instantly captivated by the character of young Ben Hunter.  He is so likeable and  yet there is this cloud of mystery surrounding him, as you question how he could be so completely different from his harsh and unloving father.

I love the way the author so beautifully portrays good and evil in this book.  The two main father figures in the book could not be more opposite from each other and Ben’s struggle to comprehend their differences is a compelling one.   You can’t help but route for him as he struggles with more than the typical teenage battles.

Nebbia does a great job of staying true to her characters.  This means that she sometimes uses language which I don’t generally appreciate in novels, as well as a few “PG” scenes, but they both serve to accurately depict the characters. She also portrays the negative ramifications these actions cause in the lives of all involved.  Sin is in no way glorified or glossed over in this novel.  At the same time, it isn’t one of those cheesy, “every one is a Christian, every thing works out perfectly all the time” type novels either.  And unlike most novels I’ve read, it is far, far from predictable.  As I read, I really had no idea how it was going to end up.  This kept me reading late into the night as I found myself engrossed in the lives of the characters, eager to see how it all would unfold. 

Prepare to stay up late and let some of your work slide as you find yourself sucked into the story, eager to find out more about the characters and solve the mystery behind Solomon’s Puzzle.   It is a delightful book, that begs you to sit down under a comfy quilt and read the night away.   You can order it here, and I highly recommend that you do.  It is the perfect way to spend your winter evenings!