Ed Strauss

If you've spent any amount of time with me, you'll know Tolkien is one of my favorite authors! I've read LOTR and The Hobbit many a time, inspired by the movies' releasing in the early 2000s to read and re-read the books nearly annually. So when 'A Hobbit Devotional' came up for review on NetGalley, I naturally jumped at the opportunity!

Having read Sarah Arthur's 'Walking with Frodo' (albeit many moons ago), I'm familiar with devotional approaches to Tolkien's work and always enjoy a fresh show more take on them. Familiarity can be great--but so can a fresh set of eyes! And that's exactly what Strauss's book does--give me a new take on something I've read over ... and over ... and over, lol. I love that he links history within The Hobbit itself, helping newer readers connect the dots and refreshing the memories of repeat visitors--and also linking themes from The Hobbit to both the Old and New Testaments.

Strauss explores motives and character traits within The Hobbit and seamlessly translates them to the reader's life, asking compelling questions and encouraging the reader to lean into Christ as their Provider and delve deeply into the treasure trove of the Word. Readers of any age will enjoy this as a supplemental read to The Hobbit, and a great devotional option. The devos are short, quick to read, and applicable at any stage of one's faith walk.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. show less

​Not only was this the perfect devotional for its age group, it was a superhero primer! Only since the Marvel and DC comics have become major blockbusters did I follow what was going on in these fictional worlds, but the backstories often eluded me. Since reading this book, I've gained so much more knowledge of each character and where they come from and I no longer feel like a novice. The language in this book is easy to follow and understand while getting across complex concepts of faith show more and God's grace. While perfect for late elementary to early middle-schoolers, it's also a great crossover to use as a witnessing tool. By correlating popular characters with some of the more obscure Bible figures, even as a mature, older Christian, I learned new stories and new names.

From the moment I started reading to the last page, I loved everything about this fantastic book. show less

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𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨 is a 100-day devotional made for tween boys (9-12.) It helps them discover their purpose from God and boosts their confidence.

I like how the book uses words and phrases that make young readers feel like it’s written just for them. It’s practical, faith-focused, and easy to read and understand, but doesn’t sound too simple or preachy. the language

Each devotion is a quick read, less than two pages. It starts with a show more Bible verse, has a short reading, and ends with a question that helps the reader reflect on the lesson and use it in their life.

This devotional is mostly focused for personal growth and self-reflection, but I think it can also be a great communication tool between boys and their homeschooling parents as well. There are several ruled pages in the back of the book for write down notes or thoughts.

#CoverLoverBookReview received a review copy of this book. Opinions are my own. show less

I've used a number of quite different books as Devotionals over the years, and occasionally am studiously regular with them. The ones that I like are the ones that don't preach at me, or that aren't too, too sweeet and encouraging. The Hobbit Devotional is neither of those - and that's good!

Ed Strauss has a good number of titles to his name - many aimed at the younger market and using a sense of humour. Books like "Bible Freaks & Geeks" and "Seriously Sick Bible Stuff" show the intended show more market immediately. I guess that's why the publisher's blurb for this mentions humour, but it seems to me that Strauss has been stereotyped. Either that, or there's an incorrect assumption being made about the type of people who love The Hobbit.

I'm 54 years old (well, I may be older when you read this review) and have been a Hobbit fan for over 40 years. This is not an "Oh, I loved that book when I was a child" sort of fandom, but an everlasting "What? You haven't read / don't love the Hobbit?!!" The Hobbit isn't simply the precursor to The Lord of the Rings, and it matters not one whit that Tolkien originally wrote it for children - it's a classic that appeals to all ages.

All this is to say that if I had read the blurb before reading this book, I may have not bothered. So I hope that the marketing people get it right and manage to reach a wider range of readers, because this is a book worth reading and using for devotions.

Strauss begins each segment with a short text from The Hobbit, followed with an overview of the situation. He does this really well, and then he brings some texts from the Bible into it - sometimes just one link, but often more than one. Next, he relates it all to everyday life, which he tackles in a down-to-earth manner.

The review copy that I'm reading is on my Kobo e-reader and comes without any illustrations (that's probably the age of my Kobo that has caused that), but I imagine that this Devotional is illustrated throughout. Any illustrations will enhance the whole experience, but even without them I have found this to be a fine example of a Devotional. It's very readable, it doesn't fall into any of the traps that some of them do, and it follows a book that I love. On top of this, it's relevant to each and every one of us who see our lives as a journey. show less