The Delusion by Laura Gallier

By March of Owen Edmonds’s senior year, eleven students at Masonville High School have committed suicide. Amid the media frenzy and chaos, Owen tries to remain levelheaded—until he endures his own near-death experience and wakes to a distressing new reality.

The people around him suddenly appear to be shackled and enslaved.

Owen’s heart-pounding journey through truth and delusion will force him to reconsider everything he believes. He both longs for and fears the answers to questions that are quickly becoming too dangerous to ignore.

When I began this book, I wasn't looking for much beyond a good story. I also didn't realize this was a book intended for the YA audience. So, while it may not have been exactly the kind of book I was looking for, as a former high school English teacher, I believe this book has merit, especially for the YA audience. The story is gripping both in the content, but also in how it moves through time. The characters are complex and it isn't until the end you get the entire story. But, most importantly, the content and issues are real and relevant. I think this book could lead to many great discussions about suicide, life as modern teenager, relationships with the opposite gender, mental health, school shootings and spiritual warfare. Those potential conversations are what lead me to recommend this book to YA readers and those in their lives. It could really make a difference.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided you with a complimentary copy of this book

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A Perspective

I have already mentioned my "Word of the Day" screen saver that I have on my laptop that is hooked up to the projector in my room. I am learning that the words go in cycles a bit, so the same word will pop up in several classes during the day. Today's popular word was "entitlement." A fantastic word to share with teenagers who often think they are entitled to a whole lot of stuff. In fact, we as humans often think we are entitled to a whole lot of stuff when really we are fallen people who deserve nothing but death. We so often miss how wonderful and blessed our life really is and we get caught up on the little things. This video sort of puts that in perspective in a rather humorous way. I am by no means promoting this comedian, but if you take what he says to heart, it is so true. We live in an amazing world, created by an amazing God. We really should be happy with the blessing we have been given.

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