SHINE A LIGHT TODAY. AKA: SALT
The Christian & Faith-Based go-to media review series that spotlights faith-driven books, films, and podcasts worth your time.
The Fiery Priest (Season 2)
The Fiery Priest, 2019’s top-rated kdrama, is back for a second season with The Fiery Priest II. In South Korea’s second-largest city of Busan, Catholic Priest Kim Hae-il and his companions take on a Laotian druglord who’s moved into the area. Filled with epic fight scenes, unhinged gags, and a plot that could never quite find its feet, The Fiery Priest II falls flat on its face.
The Flock
The Flock is a children’s graphic novel by Tim Wolkiewicz, discussing and explaining the concepts of sharing the Gospel, helping those in need through fostering, and what it means to be adopted into both a human family and God’s family. The story loosely follows the lives of two sheep as they listen and obey the Good Shepherd’s teachings and work to evangelize a fellow sheep…or perhaps a wolf in disguise…
The Wingfeather Saga: Season One
The Wingfeather Saga (Season 1) is an animated show produced by Angel Studios, based on a book series of the same name by Andrew Peterson. This middle-grade fantasy series takes place in the land of Skree, where humanity is subjected by the ruthless, lizard-like Fangs. Three siblings — Janner, Tink, and Leeli — along with their mother Nia and grandfather Podo enjoy their not-quite-idyllic life under the Fangs’ control…that is until things are turned completely upside down by whispers of rebellion, a quest for legendary jewels, and family secrets finally revealed.
2nd Anniversary SALT Celebration Post!
Welcome to our continued celebration of ONE HUNDRED Shine A Light Today (SALT) review articles!! And, coincidentally, today is also our 2-year anniversary of SALT! Two years since our first review (Godzilla: Minus One) and one hundred pieces of Christian and secular media assessed, analyzed, and reviewed for your convenience!
Special: Top Rated Media from 100 Reviews!
Today is a very exciting day because — drumroll, please — this is the 100th SALT article! Woohoo!!
Kensuke’s Kingdom (2024)
Kensuke’s Kingdom is a breathtaking 2023 animated film based on Michael Morpurgo’s 1999 shipwreck adventure novel of the same name. In it, young Michael and his pet dog Stella find themselves stranded after being thrown overboard during a terrible storm. Washed ashore on an unknown island, Michael and Stella meet a Japanese man named Kensuke, who’s been in the untamed wilderness for decades.
Potter Knows Best: Breakable Crackables (Audiobook)
Breakable Crackables is the second book in Cheryl McKay Price’s Potter Knows Best book series for little kids. In this book, the Potter’s granddaughter Daisy knocks over a bunch of plates, sending them crashing to the floor. The Potter leads Daisy through a lesson on forgiveness and repair as he puts the plates back together using the Japanese art of kintsugi.
ClosetWorld
ClosetWorld is a fantastical, supernatural adventure graphic novel illustrated by John Amor and written by Matt Yocum (along with his late brother, Richard Yocum). In it, young Johnny Shepherd hears a noise coming from his closet. He gets up to investigate, finding his favorite calculator missing. Thinking it’s some kind of prank by his brother, Johnny dives into his closet, armed only with a toy blaster and pair of fuzzy, dinosaur slippers. He finds his calculator…or so it appears…and goes on an interdimensional adventure filled with angels, demons, and temptations beyond his imagination.
Sketch (2024)
Sketch is a family friendly psychological “horror” adventure movie produced by Angel Studios. The story follows a widowed father, Taylor, and his two children, Jack and Amber, as they navigate the grief that has followed their recent loss. Amber’s dark, expressive drawings step into the real world when Jack discovers a pond with the mystical ability to bring things to life. In a story of healing, sass, and glitter-covered bogeys the Wyatts must learn to navigate their grief in a healthy way…and defeat giant monsters using really cool swords.
Damien Decides
Damien Decides is a children’s picture book written by Rachel James and illustrated by Michael Bliss. In it, Damien must decide how to use his superpowers of transformation. During a particularly intense time of acting out, Damien’s Uncle Joe comes in and begins to teach Damien how to use his powers for good. Will the young boy learn to be a good man who uses his powers out of love for others or will he use his powers selfishly, out of pride and stubbornness?
Young David
Young David is a series of animated short films based around the life of King David as a youth. Loosely following the Biblical description of David’s childhood — as well as bringing in other Scriptural themes from both the Old and New Testaments — this beautifully animated series gives audiences a taste of what is to come from Angel Studio’s feature length animated movie David.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a cozy, philosophical, time-travel international bestseller. The cafe Funiculi Funicula has had a rumor swirling around it for decades: it can provide customers with the ability to time-travel. However, this ability is limited by a number of non-negotiable rules, including — but not limited to — where customers have to sit in order to time travel, the fact that they will never be able to change the past, that they can only meet with people who have been to the cafe before, and that they must complete their temporal jaunt before their coffee gets cold.
Jake Muller Adventures: Undead
The Jake Muller Adventures: Undead is the third installment of Darby Kern’s supernatural thriller audio drama series. This episode takes the private security officer Jake Muller to the bayous of Louisiana, where a movie about his life is being filmed and produced. Unable to have a normal vacation to save his life, Jake is swiftly caught up in a conspiracy involving strange new drugs, human trafficking, and…zombies? The Jake Muller Adventure series once again brings the action, the adventure, and the faith to its audience, sparing neither the Biblical gut-punch nor the epic explosions.
Bryce and the Lost Pearl (Lightglider Origin Story)
Bryce and the Lost Pearl is a tie-in novel to the Christian virtual world Lightgliders. Focusing on the origin of Bryce, a character and Lightglider from the video game ecosystem, this story goes through his first foray into the realm of Glideon, a fantastical land threatened by corruption and held together by hope. After taking a forbidden ride to a mysterious island, Bryce loses his horse and is forced to go searching through untamed wilderness. Soon he finds himself taken out of his old world and thrown into a new one filled with monsters, heroes, long-lost technology, and strange new friends.
Tip Lewis and His Lamp (Audio Drama)
The Promised Land (Series)
The Promised Land is a new comedy series in the style of The Office based on the Israelites’ forty-year trek from Egypt to the Promised Land. Featuring delightful caricatures of the original Biblical figures, The Promised Land manages to be funny, respectful, and charming, without wading deep into any theological ditches. The show paints a very human portrait of each person using intelligent writing and wit to bring modern problems to ancient Israel.
Make Time for Joy
Make Time for Joy by Linda Evans Shepherd is a book of prayers designed to help the audience pray through their anxieties and embrace the joy that God has for them. This book covers a variety of themes related to anxiety, repentance, and peace with repentance, humility, and honesty with God all central. With an emphasis on seeking after God’s joy and peace in your life, each beautifully-written prayer is backed up by Scripture from a variety of translations. Each prayer encourages turning from anxiety and worry, spending a moment with God to reset and seek His joy for us.
Brand of Light
Brand of Light is the first book of Ronie Kendig’s Christian space opera epic series The Droseran Saga. On a low-tech planet, a prophecy is formed that will shape the fate of the space-faring civilizations around it. Kidnapping, regicide, forbidden technology, corruption in the military, conspiracies in the nobility, ancient prophecies, and illegal human experimentation are all wrapped up in this first foray into Kendig’s richly woven tetrology. With a subtle, well-placed thread of Christianity running through the story, Kendig throws the reader into a world of treachery, danger, and romance without coming across as preachy.
Potter Knows Best
Potter Knows Best is a children’s picture book by award winning screenplay writer and author Cheryl McKay Price. In it, the newly made Little Bowl seeks answers about why she was created and what her purposes is. In a charming journey of discovery and understanding the Potter’s heart, the Little Bowl finds her place in the world.
A Crane Among Wolves
A Crane Among Wolves is a historical fiction-romance set during a particularly tumultuous time in Korea’s Joseon Period. Written by Korean-Canadian author June Hur, this story follows Iseul, a teenager who was orphaned years ago as she strives to save her sister from the clutches of an evil tyrant. To do this, she must band together with the king’s half-brother, Prince Daehyun to mount a rescue and save her sister as well as the kingdom, from King Yeonsan.