Secrets, Book 1 in the Beauties from Ashes series, and the first book published by new Christian author Beckie Lindsey, focuses on the separate yet intertwined stories of four teenage girls, Krystal, Sadie, Tammi and Mackenzie, who all attend the same high school. Each young lady fights one or more hidden battles no one should ever face alone. But life begins to take a different turn as they somehow become linked to the same local church through friends and family.
When the forces of evil sense the girls are potentially being drawn by a higher power, they unleash the forces of Hell, and a huge spiritual battle ensues for their souls. In the midst of chaos, we find a handsome, kindhearted boy named Bryce who serves God and steals everyone’s heart. He has his own weaknesses, but at the same time, he brings a calm spirit to each situation. One of the girls notes, “It’s like there’s a storm going on all around you, and you’re not even afraid.”
Beckie paints a picture of spiritual warfare to which all Christians can relate. We have all felt the same struggles of a violent tug-of-war between good and evil in our lives and have questioned God’s plan. Several scenes provide vivid details of violent battles between angels and demons.
But at one point in the book, the angels are instructed to “stand down,” prompting one angel to admit “standing down takes more strength than the actual battle.” But another angel notes that “certain events must take place in order to draw the people to the only power that will save them,” and God’s plan must prevail.
The Master and His angels soon allow a startling occurrence to take place, and in the aftermath, all four girls are divinely led to the same room at the same time to face their fears together and make critical decisions about their destinies.
Personally, I loved the scenes in this book where Heaven’s angels showed up to provide comfort and peace after the characters spoke prayers and quoted scripture from the word of God. Another of my favorite scenes depicts the cries of the demons being drowned out by the cheers of angels.
This book identifies several difficult struggles some young women face these days. While it is sad to admit these problems exist, Secrets shows us that even when life does not make sense, we can still have real peace despite our circumstances.
You will find yourself captivated by this powerful story, and once you finish, stay tuned at the end for Beckie’s follow-up regarding the truth about the supernatural and how we can use God’s way to fight our spiritual battles. She also concludes with a tease as she shares Chapter 1 of Book 2 of her series, The Uninvited, to set the scene for what is next in this planned trilogy.
Note: Be aware there are themes and events in this book surrounding sexual trauma, depression, and suicide. Check out the “Trigger Warning” at the beginning before reading.
About the Author:
Beckie Lindsey is an award-winning poet, author, freelancer, and blogger. She is the editor of Southern California Christian Voice, a division of One Christian Voice, a national news syndicating agency. She is a major coffeeholic and enjoys a good book with a cat on her lap. She also loves to hike and hang out with family and friends. Beckie and her husband, Scott, have three adult children, two adorable cats and live in California. Check out her website at https://beckielindsey.com, and follow her Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/BeckieLindseyauthor.
You can purchase Secrets on Amazon HERE.