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T. M. GAOUETTE
Age Range: 14 and up
Reading Level: High School
Gabriel Livingstone's life continues to be a whirlwind of emotions and craziness as Tanner leans on Gabriel for life direction, and Faith rebels even more against everything she should believe in. As Gabriel tries to help them and leads them on the right path, a new boy, Aaron, comes looking for protection against the bullies at school. Faith is still going down the wrong way, but things begin to look up for Tanner until an accident puts her and her friends in danger. With only so much Gabriel can handle at once, he begins to wonder if he should stay in the world with heartache and drama or if he should go to the life of a religious and stay away from all worldly things.
Thank you so much T. M. Gaouette for sending me a complimentary copy of Guarding Aaron! I was happy to read and receive this book. My review of this book is entirely my own. I LOVED Guarding Aaron and was so sad to see it end, but I am hopeful for the fourth and final book in this series! Gabriel is 18 now and struggling to find the path God wants him to take, and it is even more confusing when Tanner says she needs him. All of the characters felt so real that I could almost feel every emotion they felt, and once I started to read, I could not stop. I read the whole book in about two days, and then a few weeks later, I reread it!
This novel deals a lot with choosing your vocation and listening to God's will for you. Gabriel doesn't know if he should become a religious, so he goes to a Benedictine Monastery for a retreat when things get complicated. There he learns a lot about their way of life and the Rule of Saint Benedict. I have read one other book that also talks about Saint Benedict and his Rule, and I wish even more people would talk about it.
There is a quote from the Bible on the back of each book in the Faith & Kung Fu series, and Guarding Aaron it is Ephesians 6:10-11. Guarding Aaron perfectly explains and goes deep into the meaning of that quote and shows what it means to find all our strength in the Lord and rely on nothing else. Aaron thinks that by learning Kung Fu, he will be able to protect himself, but what he understands as the story goes on is that only through God can he do all things, and he must rely on the Lord for protection. Another character, Gabriel, continually tells Tanner that she must rely only on the Lord and look to Him for strength, but Gabriel also learns that it is good to have friends and family to help you on the path to salvation. Guarding Aaron was a fantastic addition to the Faith & Kung Fu series, and I can't wait to read the next one!
Things to Mention: There is an accident, and a lot of the main characters get hurt. A boy gets bullied and is punched and made fun of. Tanner and Gabriel go to a celebrity party, and they see inappropriate people and underage drinking.
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Faith & Kung Fu Series:
More books by T. M. Gaouette:
Catholic Teen Books Anthologies Series:
Stand Alone Novels:
If you have read Guarding Aaron, let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you have a book you want to be reviewed? Let me know, and I'll add it to my list! Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you're here.
