The oracle’s gaze settled on the cloth in her palm. She furrowed her brow in response to what Elsie was offering her.

“What is that you ask of the gods, Elsie True?”

“Can they tell me where I can find the object stolen from the shifter monk monastery? Where do I begin my search?”

“Are you sure you wish to ask the gods for help?”

Elsie blew air out via her nostrils. The gods hadn’t answered her appeals in years, but this time things were different. Things seemed different.

Renounced by the gods, abandoned by her mother’s brethren, she had been deemed unworthy to receive advice from whatever ruling body still made a half-assed attempt at pleasing underlings with answers borne of pity.

Elsie’s human blood had branded her a disgrace among all creatures of magical descent. So, she wasn’t expecting much in terms of answers of whatever god was listening, if any at all, but a tiny part of her hoped that not every god saw her as a nuisance or a disgrace. She wanted to believe at least one viewed her as equal—farfetched as the likelihood for that was.

My Review
In the Nick of Time is a sweet children's book set during Christmas. A little boy named Nick Saint (who comes across as slightly bratty and entitled at first) receives a letter in the mail meant for Saint Nick (aka Santa Claus). He scoffs and calls the letter "stupid" because he didn't receive the video game he's been waiting for, and because the letter isn't meant for him. But when his mom calls out his behavior and language, then tasks him with helping the other boy who wrote the letter (and his family), Nick comes around and realizes the true meaning of the holidays. 
I liked this story, and I thought it had a heartwarming, feel-good message in it. And I feel like younger readers will realize that while Nick may start off as more of a selfish child (seeing as he only cares about his video game), he's actually a caring, understanding, and wonderful child underneath it all. He comes around, and he goes out of his way to help the boy who sent the letter (and his family). It definitely sends a good message. And it shows kids that not everyone has "nice things" like video games and toys to play with. But even helping in some small way, like donating a toy or two, or a new winter coat, can be a life-changing experience. 'Tis the season to give, after all. 
The only thing I had a small issue with was Nick using the word stupid when talking about the mailman and the letter he receives. And while his mom does call him out on it, she also uses the word when explaining that "accidents, not people" are stupid. Other than that, though, I enjoyed the story.
4 stars. 

The belief in “American Exceptionalism” is under attack, declares Larry Alex Taunton, an award-winning author, columnist, and cultural commentator. “A battle rages for the heart and soul of America.”

For Taunton, the question comes down to: Is there a better place to live than America?

To explore the idea of “national greatness,” Taunton went on a global odyssey, visiting some 26 countries. He records his discoveries in his new book, AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS: DISCOVERING WHAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT AND WHY WE MUST FIGHT TO SAVE IT.

If all of this sounds like a slog over some serious philosophic and political terrain, it is, but Taunton’s wry humor leavens the loaf.

In a chapter on Sweden, for example, the author hears, on a boat tour of Stockholm, a litany of Swedish accomplishments from his guides: “America? We discovered that. Skype? We invented it. The flat screen? You’re welcome. IKEA? You guessed it.”

Taunton’s mix of socio-political observations and cheeky wit in AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS opens the book up to a large and diverse group of readers.

The online publication The Federalist says of Taunton’s work: “The social elites want evangelicals to be as dumb as they suspect they are. But when a person comes along who proves that tale false, which Taunton clearly does…they simply don’t know what to do.”

In advance praise for AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS, Paul Reid, co-author with William Manchester, of THE LAST LION: WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL: DEFENDER OF THE REALM, 1940-1965 observes:

Larry Taunton—historian, columnist, and a man of abiding Christian faith—traveled (often at great risk to himself) to twenty-six nations in order to hold a mirror up to the United States of America and ask: Is America Good and is America Great? Mark Twain did much the same more than a century ago. Twain’s and Taunton’s conclusions are identical: There is no place—literally No Place—like home. “Around the World in (More Than) 80 Days is fabulous.”  It’s going on my shelf next to “The Innocents Abroad.”

AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS is a book for all seasons.

“America—the freest, most tolerant and inclusive nation on earth—is under siege by radicals who make no effort to conceal their determination to destroy it. Larry Alex Taunton has provided patriotic Americans with a powerful weapon to defeat our enemies. Buy this book to arm yourself for the defense of your freedoms. Buy a second copy for a friend.”

— David Horowitz, author of Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America

“To truly understand how and why America is exceptional you could travel to country after country and see for yourself. You might even want to write a brilliant book about it! But lucky for you my friend, Larry Taunton has done all the traveling for you—think of the money you’ve saved!—and has written that brilliant book, making the case so clear that you owe it to yourself to grab a copy and read it! Please do!”

— Eric Metaxas, host of The Eric Metaxas Show; author of Bonhoeffer and If You Can Keep It

“The problem with being an American is that familiarity too often breeds contempt because we see our faults up close and take our virtues and blessings for granted. Larry Alex Taunton has provided a cure by lifting us up out of America, and taking us on a long and insightful tour of the world to see how other places actually stack up. Take the tour with him, and gain some very much needed perspective. You may find—as he did—there’s no place like home.”

— Benjamin Wiker, Ph.D., author of 10 Books That Screwed Up the World

“Larry Taunton—historian, columnist, and a man of abiding Christian faith—traveled (often at great risk to himself) to twenty-seven nations in order to hold a mirror up to the United States of America and ask: Is America Good and is America Great? Mark Twain did much the same more than a century ago. Twain’s and Taunton’s conclusions are identical: There is no place—literally No Place—like home. Around the World in (More Than) 80 Days is fabulous. It’s going on my shelf next to The Innocents Abroad.”

— Paul Reid, co-author with William Manchester, The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2GCuGGY

Larry Alex Taunton is an American author, columnist, and cultural commentator. A frequent television and radio guest, he has appeared on CNN, CNN International, Fox News, Al Jazeera America, and BBC. You can find his columns on issues of faith and culture in The Atlantic, USA Today, CNN.com, and The Blaze. Taunton has been quoted by Rush Limbaugh, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, TIME, Vanity Fair, and NPR, among others. He is the author of “The Grace Effect” and “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens.”

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