Book Review: River to Redemption

I have once again had the opportunity to read and review a book, this month one titled River to Redemption by Ann H. Gabhart. The description of this book drew me in from the moment I read it- "Orphaned in the cholera epidemic of 1833, Adria Starr was cared for by a slave named Louis, a man who passed up the opportunity to escape his bondage and instead tended to the sick and buried the dead. A man who, twelve years later, is being sold by his owners despite his heroic actions. Now nineteen, Adria has never forgotten what Louis did for her. She's determined to find a way to buy Louis's freedom. But in 1840s Kentucky, she'll need all of the courage and strength she possesses- an more." (back of book).
I thought this story sounded interesting, but I didn't realize at the time that it was actually based on true events. Louis, his heroic efforts, and his eventual freedom were all true. The author took liberties to imagine how his freedom might have happened, but the gist of the story was historical. I really appreciated this, when I got to the end and realized it!
The book itself was a decent read. It was rather slow at times, and in a way felt anti-climactic, but it was a good plot and the author carried it well. While I generally find books to be predictable, I found myself surprised at different areas of this novel. This is unusual, and I like it!
So really, if you are a fan of historical fiction, you should read this book. It's well written and -I feel, anyway- historically accurate.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

The Return

This month, I had the pleasure of reading a book called The Return by Lacey Sturm. This book was simply reflections on loving God back. This is something that I've thought about quite a bit lately, since in recent years (starting during my DTS, in fact), the fact that GOD loves ME has moved from being head knowledge to heart knowledge. And knowing that HE loves ME makes me want to show HIM even more how much I love Him.
If that makes any sense at all.
Anyway, I was excited to get this book, and I'm still not 100% sure how I feel about it. It was good to spend time reading, but what it says on the title "The Return: Reflections on loving God back" is very accurate. Essentially, this book is a collection of Lacey's old journal entries and prayers and Bible studies, as well as current reflections. It is very interesting and personal, and real. I also did enjoy her list of questions with Bible passages underneath. It was a very full book. My only hesitation was that because it was so personal, sometimes I didn't really know what was going on. It was at times random, with random stories from throughout her life with little to no context. This, however, also gave it an authenticity; the author didn't worry about spending the time making sure the reader knew exactly who everyone was. She wanted to share her reflections of loving God back, and in this, she was very effective.
All in all, I enjoyed the book and it did actually help me when I had a major life decision to make recently. Some of the things that Lacey was reflecting on were similar to what I was thinking about at the time when I read it. So that was pretty great. :)
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

All My Tomorrows

This summer has been a busy one so far, but I have certainly had time to sit down and read, for which I am thankful. My friend described her summer to me as "busy but not insane", and I would have to concur.
One book that I had the opportunity to read was All My Tomorrows, a collection of three novellas by some excellent authors -Elizabeth Camden, Jody Hedlund, and Karen Witemeyer. I have read books by both the first two authors before, but Karen Witemeyer was new to me. 
The book is three novellas, which makes it an easy read. I appreciated this, because while I said my summer is not insane, it has been busy. Reading one novella at a time gave me a good break point, and made it easy to put the book down when I needed to.
I enjoyed all three stories in the book. I have always enjoyed historical romance, although it can be hard to find an author who writes it well. These three nailed it! It felt real, and never did I question the accuracy of the historical aspects. The authors are all engaging and the characters and events felt real. If you're looking for an easy, quick read, this would be a good one!
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

I Forgot.... But God Didn't

God is so good, so faithful, and He makes me laugh.
As you might remember, I started this blog because I joined YWAM and this was my way of updating everyone back home on how things were going. During my DTS, we had a teacher who briefly mentioned ministering to prisoners, simply by writing letters to them. This struck a chord with me at the time, and I wrote "Write to prisoners" and highlighted it.
A couple months ago, I was rereading all my old DTS notes, and I came upon this notation of mine. I felt that little God-nudge as I read those highlighted words, and I knew that even though I had completely forgotten about this idea, God hadn't, and He still wanted me to do this. Now, I don't know about you, but my knowledge of the prison system is pretty much nothing, so I had no idea how to even begin figuring out HOW to write letters to prisoners. So I simply said "Okay, but HOW, God?" and then moved on.
The next morning, I was driving my aunt to work and she said "Hey Katie, do you want to hear this email I got yesterday? No... you probably don't. Oh well, I'm going to read it anyway." And she pulled it up on her phone and began to read.
The email was from a ministry called Crossroads Prison Ministries. Here's an excerpt from their website: "Crossroads Prison Ministries is a volunteer-driven ministry that offers free correspondence-based courses and resources for incarcerated men and women across Canada. Our program changes the lives of prisoners and our volunteers, but most importantly, it restores lives, prisons, and churches through the Gospel." (https://cpministries.ca/). Basically, a volunteer would receive the completed Bible study of a prisoner, go over it, and write a personal letter of encouragement to send back along with the marked study. My aunt received this email inviting her to become involved by being a mentor, as more volunteers were needed.
Dude. Literally LESS THAN TWELVE HOURS after God a) reminded me of this calling I had felt years ago, and b) I asked him how on earth to go about doing that, this happened. Like... I don't even have words. 
God is so so faithful to the things He says -even after we forget, even if it has been years, He remembers and He reminds us at just the right time. But not only that, He has such a good sense of humour about it! Like, I can't stop laughing because He is so good, and He did that SO smoothly and amazingly. He blew me away.
Although I should know by now that God can and will do anything. Really I should, after all I have seen Him do. Yet He continues to amaze me, in the best possible way.

A Light on the Hill

When I got an email with my list of options for books to review, and I saw author Connilyn Cossette, I immediately knew which book I wanted to read. I've only read one book by this author, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. With that being said, when I received A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette and began to read, I had high expectations and great anticipation.

Set in ancient Israel, during the time when the nation had just conquered Canaan, this book tells the story of Moriyah, an Israeli girl whose face bares the marks of the Canaanite gods, a daily reminder of her time in captivity as a child. Moriyah hides her face behind a veil, but rumors abound and there is little hope for her future. One day, her father announces her betrothal to a man who will marry her in spite of her branding, and Moriyah dares to hope- until the meeting goes horribly wrong and she is forced to flee for her life. Desperate to reach one of the newly established Levitical cities of refuge, Moriyah finds herself in a battle for her life as she flees to safety.

As I said, I opened this book with great anticipation, and I was not disappointed! Cossette once again produced a terrific book, one that was hard to put down. I'm no expert in the historical accuracy of the book, but to me it definitely seemed believable and true. Cossette grabbed my attention from the beginning and never lost it; I definitely would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a historical romance!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Beneath the Surface

I recently received the book Beneath the Surface by Lynn Blackburn and I have to say, I really enjoyed it! I'm always one to enjoy a romantic suspense, and Blackburn did not disappoint. Beneath the Surface was about a nurse, Leigh Weston, who finds herself the victim of a stalker- one who many just have murderous intentions. Leigh turns to an old friend, now a homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help. Ryan quickly sees that Leigh's case is connected to the body of a wealthy businessman found nearby, and when the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer, stakes have never been more high.
I felt like both Leigh and Ryan were characters that were realistic and easy to connect with. I quickly felt invested in their lives, and found myself eagerly reading each chapter. In spite of the fact that I read this book during an incredibly busy season in my life, I somehow managed to read it in one day because I just didn't want to put it down. Blackburn masterfully pieced together an excellent story filled with suspense, love, and mystery. I would definitely recommend!
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

Judah's Wife

This month, I had the pleasure of receiving a novel called Judah's Wife to read. Written by Angela Hunt. it is a part of a series about the Silent Years, the time between the end of the Old Testament and the New. 
When Leah marries Judah, she is striving to find a life of peace, one that she never had growing up with an abusive father. Content to move to the country and make cheese, Leah thinks that she has found what she wanted- until Judah and his family feel called to step out and defend their nation from oppressive conquerors. When Judah's father dies, Judah steps up to take the lead in this mission, a time of battles and violence and everything Leah had run from.
This story was told from the viewpoint of both Leah and Judah. I appreciated how the author clearly did her research about the times and culture. When she was describing the persecution that the characters faced, I felt uncomfortable and it caused me to think about my own faith, which I always like. The characters in the story were, for the most part, believable (there were a few moments, especially between Leah and Judah, that I found slightly unbelievable, but those were the exception) and likable. Although the story itself progressed rather slowly, all in all the book was an enjoyable read for someone who enjoys historical fiction.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Free of Me

Lately, I've started to feel a little bit discontent. And I realized that it was because I have been so focused on myself, more than focused on God. So when I saw that I had the opportunity to read a book called Free of Me by Sharon Hodde Miller, I was pretty excited to read it. And I wasn't disappointed!
"Our me-centered culture affects every area of our lives- our relationships, calling, self-image, even our faith- and it negatively impacts each one. The self-focused life robs our joy, shrinks our souls, and is the reason we get stuck in insecurity." This is what it says on the back cover, what I read that really resonated with me and made me want to read this book.
Miller spends a good chunk of the book describing seven "mirrors", or areas of our lives that we so often make about ourselves. These are God, family, appearance, possessions, friendships, calling, and church. At first, I was afraid that, as I read and saw myself in these pages, I would feel really crappy about myself, but Miller has an excellent way of helping us become aware without seeming judgmental and critical. She shares her own personal struggles in each area, and different ways that she overcame it. At the end of each chapter, she includes a focus verse, a prayer, and discussion questions. Honestly, it would be an excellent book to read and discuss in a small group!
I enjoyed this book. Not only was it a great resource for helping to focus less on myself and more on God, but it helped me realize that I am not alone in my struggle to do so. Even if you don't feel like you are that focused on yourself, I would recommend reading this book because it can help even in the smallest way!
/***Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.***

A Dangerous Legacy

This month, I read a novel called A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden. As soon as I saw the book as an option to review, I knew I wanted to read it. Elizabeth Camden is, in my opinion, an excellent author. 
This book was about Lucy Drake, who works as a telegraph operator for the Associated Press news agency. Lucy and her brother are involved in an ongoing legal battle with their wealthy uncle, a court case that began forty years earlier with their grandfather. When Sir Colin Beckwith arrives from England, Lucy finds an unexpected ally when he discovers her secret, and she his. 
From the beginning, this book drew me in. I wanted to know more about what had happened, and of course how it would end. Camden once again wrote an engaging story with realistic and lovable characters. I found it hard to put the book down and could have devoured it in one sitting if I had the time to do so.
At first, I wasn't sure how I would enjoy the story, since it seemed to deeply encircle Morse code, which I know very little about and honestly am not interested in. However, while telegraphs and Morse code and the media industry of that time were certainly major aspects of the book, I found that Camden had (I believe) done her research, and she well explained it in a way that made it interesting.
So, if you are searching for an engaging read, how about trying A Dangerous Legacy! 
***Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.***