Hope's Enduring Echo by Kim Vogel Sawyer - A Book Review

  

Hope's Enduring Echo takes place in 1915 Colorado. Seventeen-year-old Jennie Ward had taken over her daddy's job of walking and examining the water pipeline that provided water to Cañon City after he fell and broke his leg when she was 15. Her father had slipped into depression after the fall and had never been able to return to his job. It was a heavily guarded secret as her family depended on the income and home that was provided by the Water Works Department. The first person to discover their secret was Leo Day, a young college student aspiring to become a paleontologist and to use that platform to prove the biblical creation story and his belief in young earth creationism. What better place to go on a dinosaur hunt than Colorado, the home of the Bone Wars from 1877 to 1892? Jennie had been without friends since moving to the pipeline. Leo seemed to be an answer to her prayer for a friend. And so began the summer of 1915. Readers will be moved by the many events that occur before that summer draws to a close. The author beautifully illustrates how God moves through prayer and through suffering when one allows oneself to have hope in the Lord and to place themselves and those they love in His care.

Kim Vogel Sawyer consistently writes sweet stories that address difficult themes. This story does not only address the controversial topic of creationism, but also mental illness. It addresses the first with a logically reasoned argument without being argumentative, and the second with great compassion. I highly recommend Hope's Enduring Echo, and all previous works by this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry - A Book Review

  

The Story She Left Behind is inspired by the true literary mystery involving the disappearance of author Barbara Newhall Follet in 1939. Barbara wrote her first novel at the age of eight. She became a published author at the age of twelve. The mystery of her disappearance at the age of twenty-five has never been solved.

Henry's character, Bronwynn Newcastle Fordham was also a child literary prodigy. In 1927, she disappeared off the coast of South Carolina leaving her husband and eight-year-old daughter behind. Twenty-five years later, her daughter, Clara, still grieves the loss of her mother. AS a single mother of eight-year-old Wynnie, Clara's own creativity is expressed in her paintings and book illustrations. She has never quite healed from her mother's abandonment. When she receives an unexpected call from a stranger in London saying a satchel containing some of her mother's papers had been found among his late father's things. Clara and Wynnie begin the adventure of a lifetime.

The Story She Left Behind is filled with magic and mystery, secrets and suspense, and make-believe and wisdom. I usually review Christian fiction, while the characters, or maybe even the author, don't see God in their story, those with eyes to see will certainly glimpse Him there. Although, just like in real life, not all choices will reflect him. The language in this book is beautiful. It is meant to be savored, not hurried through. While the ending is not rushed, readers will not be fully ready for the story to end.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Story She Left Behind from Simon &Schuster via NetGalley without obligation.All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Break My Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn - A Book Review

  

It was a treat to be back in Gossamer Falls with the Quinn family. It would be hard to find a more loyal yet quirky family. Readers new to Gossamer Falls will find that Break My Fall works well as a stand-alone read, but will likely want to then read the first book to spend more time with the Quinns and learn more of the backstory alluded to in this book.

As always Blackburn provides some sweet romance as a backdrop to an intense suspense story. Danger abounds! Break My Fall is written in classic Blackburn style. Her work is consistently engaging and compelling. That is why I am never hesitant to recommend any and all of her novels. Her dialogue flows naturally, her protagonists are people it is easy to care about, and she creates vivid mental images of her settings without being too wordy in her descriptions.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Breaking My Fall from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

How to Fast: Rediscover the Ancient Practice for Unlocking Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Renewal by Reward Sibanda - A Book Review

  

I was sitting with a group of ladies telling them about this fascinating book I am reading on the topic of fasting. I am not sure they thought fascinating was the right word for a book on this topic, but after reading How to Fast: Rediscover the Ancient Practice for Unlocking Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Renewal by Reward Sibanda, I truly have a greater understanding of the essence of fasting as well as the process. I feel more prepared to build on my past experiences as my husband and I plan to be more regular and intentional in practicing fasting as a part of our continued spiritual formation. Sibanda gives a detailed explanation of what physically occurs day by day during a water fast as he also explains the spiritual benefits. He brings out cultural aspects of the practice of fasting. After reading this book and sharing parts with my husband, we not only sense the Holy Spirit's encouragement, but are genuinely excited about the impact fasting will have.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any questions about fasting and who wants to receive the greatest possible spiritual and physical benefits. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of How to Fast from WaterBrook without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Ambush by Colleen Coble - A Book Review

  

Ambush is the first in Colleen Coble's Sanctuary Novel series. It has the bonus of including appearances from her Pelican Harbor series and the Tupelo Grove series she co-wrote with Rick Acker. The novel is written in a similar style to these two series. Her protagonists are people who have had great challenges in life, survived, and are now ready to thrive. Unfortunately, obstacles abound, unlike answers which are elusive. A series of unexplained events from break-ins to possible murder place Blake Lawson in Deputy Creed Greene's crosshairs, in spite of the fact that it appears that Blake is actually the victim rather than the perpetrator. Blake, along with his high school girlfriend, who has recently returned to solve a mystery from her own past, must work to solve the mystery of who is after Blake before he finds himself in jail for the crimes.

Ambush has all the elements necessary for a great romantic suspense story: a wonderful plot, well-planted clues and red herrings, romantic tension, high stakes for the protagonists, and several likely suspects. Coble has pulled them all together to create a story readers won't be able to put down, and she has left a bit of a cliffhanger originating from the case Paradise Alden originally came to investigate to prepare us for the next book in the series. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Ambush from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

When the Sky Burned by Liz Tolsma

  

We have all heard of the Great Chicago Fire, a conflagration that began on October 8, 1871, but few of us are likely to be familiar with the fire that consumed the village of Peshtigo in northeastern Wisconsin on that same day. Approximately three hundred people died in the Great Chicago Fire. Between twelve hundred and twenty-five hundred were killed in the Peshtigo fire. Exact numbers were impossible to ascertain as the extremely hot fires reduced many bodies to ash.

The fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin is the focus of the latest addition to Barbour Publishing's A Day to Remember series. It is written by Liz Tolsma. While the main characters are fictional, the details of the disaster are well-researched and accurately yet sensitively described. Mariah Randolph suffers great loss during the fire, loss beyond material possessions, and even beyond loss of loved ones. The story becomes one of reconciling faith and the hope and joy found in choosing to see God's blessings even in times of hardship.

Seeds of this story were planted in the author's heart and mind years ago. Now, readers will be blessed with the fully mature product of those seeds. When the Sky Burned is a story whose encouragement will linger on for some time. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this novel from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Where Your Treasure Is by Eugene H. Peterson - A Book Review

  

I have been reviewing books for years and do not often have difficulty doing so. This book posed a challenge to putting my ideas into paragraph form. Rather they seemed to want to organize themselves into a three column table of portions that touched my heart and soul, portions that challenged me to think deeper, and portions that I had to trudge through. The last being at least partially responsible for the length of time it took me to complete this book.

The theme of the book certainly rings loud and true. As the author states, America is in conspicuous need of unselfing. The point is made that this great need is best addressed through prayer. Eleven Psalms are used to focus the reader on eleven areas in which this needs to occur. Author, Eugene H. Peterson connects this need for unselfing to the need to stop dividing our lives between religion and politics. He encourages us, through our prayer life, to allow our faith in Christ to fully permeate all areas of our lives.

I read through the first five chapters, taking notes, gleaning things here and there. Then, chapter six struck me deeply. The importance of humility, a forgotten virtue in our society where self-assertion is prized, and the importance of allowing God to assert Himself in and through us is beautifully unfolded in this chapter. Chapter ten also took me deeper; it is here that Peterson addresses our relationship with the rest of God's creation. Chapter eleven gives much food for thought as it focuses on the responsibility and impact a godly loving marriage is capable of having on our society.

I am grateful to have received a copy of Where Your Treasure Is from a friend.