REVIEWS
"You'll be up all night with The Zealot's! A thrilling ride through young adult life." --BookGeeks
"Memorable, real and unpredictable...To be young and Christian...whew!" --Eric Dickerson, Youth Development Leader
"I was very impressed by how inspiring this book is! If you are in the mood for a real good and thought-provoking book, then this is the one for you. Each page is better than the next!" --Marge Rutherford, Educator
"What really made the story unique was how he brought the past to life via the narrator/ main character. While this book is geared toward teens, I think that anyone who enjoys contemporary and historical fiction woven together will certainly enjoy this book. On a scale of one to five I would easily give this book a six! Highly recommended."
--Martin Abdul, Juvenile Detention Center Director
"An outstanding debut novel! The Zealot's gives us a real and painstaking view of young life, sprinkled with characters full of quirks and faults--all seen through the eyes of a humble but tough hero. Reggie Wattree Jr. has crafted a story to inspire." --Sarah Sundin, award-winning author of With Every Letter
"A brilliant debut novel . . . Readers will enjoy the complexity of The Zealot's and the simplicity of John's character."
--Missouri Journal of Books
Indie Book Reviewers
1. I really enjoyed this book, “The Zealot’s” by Reginald Wattree … Great characters (really liked John, Jazzy, and Trevor was very interesting). I thought it was excellently written for the most part (a few minor editing things but nothing too major) and kept my attention from the dramatic, enticing opening to the fulfilling finish (or is it? Seems more to come…). There is a lot of action, especially towards the last 25% or so – didn’t want to stop reading! It is a quick book, one I finished in the course of an evening. But an enjoyable one with an uplifting, strong Christian message. I was genuinely surprised at a few things that happened, and thought the tension and narrative was great. I will definitely be looking for more works from this author in the future. Definitely recommend reading for fans of action thrillers, drama, and religious fiction. (5 stars). --Jenna Brewster – Goodreads; Shelfari; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers
2. The good part was that this is an excellent novel that captured my attention from the beginning and never once let it go. Each scene was riveting, imaginative, and well crafted. The descriptions were good and kept to a minimum so as not to slow the pace, but we could still picture everything perfectly. There was no lull in the action…All in all a wonderful story with a great theme and Christian message that kept me eagerly glued to my Kindle. The only problem that I found were some grammar and punctuation errors but it really wasn’t that bad at all. However, even with that said, I really did enjoy this book and would like to read more from Mr. Wattree, especially because the ending leaves us in suspense. He has a natural gift for crafting a well-thought out story and developing positive, memorable characters that stay with you. (4 stars) --Anabella Johnson– Goodreads; Shelfari; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers
3. Warning…when starting “The Zealot’s” by Reginald Wattree make sure you don’t have anywhere you need to be or anything you need to do because you won’t want to stop reading until you’ve finished it all!! Trust me on this! The book starts off with an explosive, unforgettable beginning and just keeps going. The characters of John, Jasmine “Jazzy”, Philip, Trevor, Pete (and the others) were genuine and believable, and I think what I liked the most about this book was just the overall feel the author managed to create where it felt so real, like a close friend was telling me this really awesome story that I didn’t want to stop listening to. Loved the message throughout, and how the characters are able to reconnect with faith even when tested. I can see fans of Christian fiction eagerly gobbling this one down. Suitable for all ages, but geared toward the YA crowd. (4-5 stars). --Laura Clarke – Goodreads; Shelfari; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers
4. First, I have to say that I don’t normally read books that are “Christian Fiction”, but I was looking for something a little out of my comfort zone and this book sounded intriguing. Well, I am most certainly glad I took the chance on Reginald Wattree’s “The Zealot’s”! This was a great novel and very impressive for a debut. The title comes from the fact that people who are Christian are named Zealots and are persecuted, but John and his friends have these special ‘gifts’ that they must use to prevent a tragedy. This sets out a chain of events and nonstop action that keeps going through to the end. This is the first book of a series so the story doesn’t end here, but I’d be interested in seeing where it goes! All in all a very good read that I’d recommend even to those who don’t normally read this sort of thing…try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised! (4 stars). --Stacy Decker – Goodreads; Shelfari; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers
5. This book seems to have something of everything… action, romance, mystery, thriller, faith, morals, and it was an easy read that held on to my attention. Once I started reading I didn’t want to stop until I’d finished the whole thing. It pulls you in from the beginning, and I enjoyed the author’s “voice” and style of writing. The interweaving plotlines were well-crafted and not predictable (or cliché, thank goodness!), and I loved the spiritual element that worked nicely into the overall plotlines. The characters were all interesting and well-written, and although there were some minor punctuation errors, it wasn’t anything that really bothered me.. I do feel like people who like this story, especially fans of Christian fiction and drama will not be bothered by it, and instead will appreciate the whole book and the entire message it imparts. I’d love to read more from this author in the future! I was almost sad when it was over, but the ending was satisfying and leads us to believe that there will be more. Hope so! (4-5 stars). --Brenda Maxwell – Goodreads; Shelfari; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers
6. “The Zealot’s” is the first book I’ve read from this talented author Reginald Wattree, but it certainly won’t be the last! (Actually where’s the next one? Haha :)) I thought the storyline and the character development to be very well done and thought out. I feel like this level of complexity with the various subplots could have easily ended up badly, but instead I darn near gobbled the whole book down in one evening. The pacing is good for the most part – fast paced and with a great mix of narrative/dialogue. Author does a great job of really pulling us into the action and making us feel like we are really a part of the story instead of being on the outside looking in. An impressive and original concept, especially for Religious Young Adult/New Adult. Recommend. (5 stars). --Kaylee Stevens– Goodreads; Shelfari; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers