Book Review: Where Prayer Becomes Real

I struggled to get into this book on prayer, Where Prayer Becomes Real. Writers Kyle Strobel and John Coe present a sufficient argument that in order to be real with God, we must be honest in our prayer. After reading one hour, I set the book aside for almost a week. I couldn't bring myself to give up on a prayer book, though. They outline 5 types of prayers: praying the psalms, prayers of intention, prayers of recollection, prayers of examine, and prayers of intercession.

If ever one wanted to see an example of honest praying, you only need to visit the psalms in the Bible. David and others pour out their heart, their lament, their worship, and their praise. I think my favorite sections were on praying The Psalms, examining your days and life, and interceding for others. The authors identify a common struggle. "When tragedy strikes and we pray, sometimes it feels like the smallest possible gesture. But intercession is no mere gesture. Intercession is a prayer of faith, and we are present to another to carry them, in the Spirit, to the Father." They argue for the importance of being present to the individuals we are lifting to the throne. [I wrote this review in June, but I feel the significance of this deeply now!]

At the end of the book, Strobel and Coe present mini callings for prayer. They suggest, 1) you must intend to be with God as He really is; 2) resist turning to fantasy and prayers of magic; 3) be honest with God in about your heart's longings without cleaning them up to be more acceptable; and 4) live in the truth of who you are in Christ. While this wasn't my favorite book on prayer (probably J. C. Ryle's Do You Pray?), it did spur me on to greater honesty with God in the face of personal trials. 

Book Review: The Lawyer and the Laundress

When I finished my last audiobook on Hoopla, I skimmed through the recommendations. The Lawyer and the Laundress had an interesting cover and promised a clean read. Lately, I've tried several popular titles and, quite far in, abandoned them. I abandoned Taylor Reid Jenkins' Atmosphere (despite the good writing and compelling investment in the story) when, halfway through, the main character visits a strip club and is titillated by the experience. Census, by Jesse Ball, was stilted. It also failed to be engaging or clean. Interested in Claire Foy's movie H is for Hawk, I attempted to read that book prior to seeing the film. It was quickly abandoned and I'm glad I didn't go to see the movie with my husband, despite my love of Claire Foy's performances. Finally, I just abandoned The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It gets discouraging.

The Lawyer and the Laundress takes place in 1837 Canada, during a time of political unrest. A widowed lawyer, James Kinney, is struggling to raise his feisty daughter Evie. She is miserable at her lessons under a strict and ineffective teacher. As such, she seeks the friendship of the laundress, Sara O'Connor. Sara is no ordinary laundress, as she knows French and effectively teaches Evie. James eventually seeks Sara to serve as Evie's governess. As romance blossoms between the two of them, political unrest threatens their lives.

I just learned this is a Carol Award Finalist. For a debut novel, it was well-written and engaging. The characters are compelling. Evie is delightful. The plot moves at a reasonable pace with plenty of conflicts. Most of all, I appreciated the tasteful treatment of the romantic tension simmering between Sara and James. Christine Hill Suntz manages to write it with sizzle, without smut. Why can't all authors stick to that?  

Book Review: The English Masterpiece

This was February's read for the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge I joined. At one time, I picked up Katherine Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley. It wasn't the right timing for me, and I set it aside. This time, however, I was enthralled by Reay's well-woven story of an alleged forgery. I listened to The English Masterpiece on Hoopla and loved the distinct, alternating narration of the two main characters, Lily and Diana. It made my morning exercise and chores slip by unnoticed.

When I lived in London, I visited the Tate Gallery (purchased a lovely card game of painting sets). How fun to return to that setting, albeit in an earlier timeframe! Lily eagerly anticipates the 1973 opening of a Picasso exhibit she helped prepare. Her boss, the art curator, Diana Gilden, hopes to advance in her job as a result of their work. Instead, with one uncontrolled whisper of "forgery," Lily has put everything in jeopardy. Lily's own asperations of showing a painting in an upcoming Emerging Artists Exhibition may be foiled, as well. But, as we all sadly learn, once words slip out, you cannot undo them.

What follows is a carefully plotted chase to determine the truth behind the painting and its provenance. The insurance company calls up an American detective, Conor Walsh. When he finds a student studio full of Lily's copies of the masters, suspicion shifts to Lily. Walsh and Lily feel pulled toward each other, but the mystery remains the focus. She is closed off to others, but will she open up to Conor?

I loved the pacing, and the characters were well-drawn. Lily's back-story was interesting. I was thrilled to explore the world of early-70s London. The writing was such that I forgot there was a puppet-master pulling the strings. My mind was gripped with the unfolding mystery. I'm so glad I read this book, and I cannot wait to seek another Katherine Reay novel.

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My favorite passage of all came toward the end of the book, when Lily is ruminating on the assessment of talent. Her words, about painting, could equally apply to writing. "Next week, I'll find out how far I'm willing to stretch, how vulnerable I can make myself, and how much of myself I'm willing to splay onto a canvas. Whether the art world chooses to laud my efforts or eviscerate them is beyond my control... As Picasso taught me, the act of painting is the vivisection of one's soul, splayed out before the world in a two dimensional format. And in art, as in life, success lies in holding nothing back. The world can hate it, but I can still have a marvelous time." 

Book Review: The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams

I had never heard of this author, and now I cannot remember where I picked up the recommendation. Was The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams offered on Book Bub? I may have been a less-than-motivated reader, so I don't count this against the book, but it didn't enthrall me. With "bookshop" in the title, you assume it will focus a lot on books. Book mentions were minimal. It takes place in a bookshop in the small town of Dove Pond.

Tay Dove is one of seven sisters. Supposedly, whenever seven sisters are born in the Dove family, those women are endowed with magical powers. Tay possesses the unique power (helpful, as she is a historian) to see the scene of writing when she places her hands on handwritten notes and letters. Of course, this comes in handy when you're trying to solve a mystery from the past with primary source documents. When the sisters uncover a tin of love letters, they beg Tay to pick up the trail and solve the mystery of their relative, Sarafina Dove, and her suitor, an alleged train robber, William Day. Rose Day, owner of the town bookshop, offers her grandson's assistance, in hopes that romance may blossom.

You have all the standard details of a mystery: suspicious characters, lost money or treasure, secret codes, and families hoping to learn more about distant relatives. It was an easy read. I just wish it had sucked me in more. Again, my indifference might have stemmed from a reading malaise. When life's circumstances heat up, my mind is more on current issues than on pages passing. I appreciated it as a clean read though (especially as I've turned aside 3 others for content I couldn't get behind). Plus, it receives many 4 and 5 star ratings on Amazon, so others are clearly enticed.

Book Review: The Magician's Nephew

After completing a re-read of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, I headed to the library hoping to find the second book in the series. The librarian (with obvious pride in knowing these details) explained that the order actually (although "actually" is a subjective word here) starts with The Magician's Nephew. I think I had heard this whole dilemma before, but had forgotten. In my humble opinion, I'm glad I read LWW first. It was a more striking entrance into the idea of Narnia. I preferred that book to this prequel. I may not even continue with re-reading the series.

In The Magician's Nephew, we meet Digory and Polly, two bored children in London. The kids, with the help of Uncle Andrew's magic rings, go on adventures to other worlds. By the end, they land in Narnia and meet Aslan. This book holds the clue to how the evil witch entered Narnia. It bears some similarity to Biblical stories of the first sin. While it was entertaining, I don't feel compelled to stick with this. I need something that grabs my attention with more force. Besides, I had already reviewed the entire series when I read a few of them with my younger sons (and then completed the series on my own) back in 2011. 

I would be interested, however, in seeing the upcoming movie of The Magician's Nephew, slated for the end of 2026. It will star Carey Mulligan as Digory's ailing mother. It is due to be released in IMAX theaters on November 26, 2026. If you want to know more, here's a You Tube video about the movie.

Book Review: Happy & Sad & Everything True

Sometimes I settle for a middle grade book out of sheer frustration over the content in women's fiction. I have recently read and tossed aside 3 or 4 books. In two different books, I waded through 4 or 5 CDs (1/2 the book) before coming upon content I just couldn't tolerate. So discouraging! Indeed, for our December book club meeting, we had a book exchange. I received a psychological thriller from a popular author. In seeking an audio book for my car trips, I selected one of her other books as an introductory sample. With that one, I overlooked smut until half-way through, when I just couldn't take it anymore. 

Thus, on the next trip to the library, I selected Happy & Sad & Everything True by Alex Thayer. Slated for readers 10 and up, it straddles the age brackets of children's and tween. The main character is in the 6th grade, but includes characters who are in 2nd. I appreciated a clean book for a change.

Dee is sure her mother doesn't understand. She expresses her devastation at being placed in a class apart from her best friend Juniper. Her mother says it will give her the opportunity to make new friends. But watching a best friend detach from you is never easy. As she hides out in the school bathroom, she discovers she is not the only one with problems. As she helps others, she heals her own wounds simultaneously.

Thayer has presented, as the title describes, a range of emotions that children face, and presented them with honesty. The reader cannot help but feel for Dee as she endures mortification, confusion, frustration, and hope. She is an empathetic character who draws empathy from the reader. This would make a good read-aloud, but I would steer it toward 4th or 5th graders.

As for the gifted book, I cannot decide if I will wade through possible cautionary content or not (easier when it is a physical book and you can skip a page). I'm not against psychological thrillers, and this author has quite a following. I just prefer not to get bogged down in sexual promiscuity with graphic details. So sad! It has become harder and harder to find clean women's fiction. Perhaps I will have to stick with Christian fiction and miss out on reading skilled writers who cannot write without bludgeoning the reader with language, filth, and smut.

Book Review: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman was a book club pick. Unfortunately, I didn't read it in time (setting it aside only 25 pages in). I believe it was also the month of my son's wedding, so I was stressed for time, anyway. When I finally did pick up the book, I took forever to read it. Perhaps it was just not the right time for this book for me. The characters were sweet and interesting, but I just couldn't remain engaged enough. It took me 3 weeks to read it.

Twelve-year-old CeeCee Honeycutt lives in Ohio with her southern belle mother. Her mother feels trapped in exile away from the south. She fixates on her one moment of fame when she won a 1951 beauty pageant. CeeCee is embarrassed by her mother's crazy behavior, but equally bereft when her mother dies in a tragic accident. She thinks things can't get any worse when her father sends her to live with her great-aunt in Savannah. But, as is so often true in life, the very worst changes can be a saving grace in the end.

The others in my book club encouraged me to read it anyway. It is probably a great read under normal circumstances. I simply don't have normal circumstances these days. I've noticed that almost all the books I've been reading have been audiobooks. They accompany time spent on the treadmill or in the car. Thus, I don't abandon them for days on end. Hopefully my hard copy reading will begin to pick up again.

Book Review: A Thousand Times Yes

A few years ago, I noticed this title, A Thousand Times Yes: Two Doctors Who Answered God's Call, on my friend's Good Reads shelf. She gave it 5 stars, so I looked into it and purchased the book. My friend is training to be a doctor and a missionary, so I understand the appeal this book had for her. I began reading this last year, during my January trip with my sister to visit my parents. However, I abandoned the book when my dad encouraged me to read a book from his apartment called Heaven Rules. This year's trip to FL (for my mother's celebration of life), I brought it along again and completed it.

Wana Ann Fort shares the story of her life and her calling to be a missionary doctor, something she felt was far out of reach. I was interested in following this story of her missionary exploits in Africa because two of my friends were on a sister trip to re-visit Africa, where they had lived temporarily with their missionary parents when they were children. Combining viewing their stunning photos while reading the Forts' adventures and faith bolstered my spiritual fortitude when I needed spiritual fortitude more than you can imagine! Here is an example of one amazing shot taken by my friends while on their reunion trip to Africa:

(photo credit: Beth Petrie)

I once desired a missionary calling. I did a brief stint on a summer mission team in the Philippines. When I returned, I had a new view of my privilege and my heritage, so often taken for granted. But God led in a different path. I admire those who give their lives in service to Christ and His kingdom. They will reap rewards in heaven. My path holds just as much purpose and challenge as a missionary life, but I'm still aware of the comforts I look upon with expectation. May God use my faith for His kingdom, just as he did the faith of the Fort family.

Book Review: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Hunger Games was riveting. I owned (thanks to my sister's gift to my non-reading teen) and read every book in the series. When The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes arrived on the scene, Sean and I were both eager to read it. Thus, I asked for the giant hardback book for my birthday and Bryce obliged. Sadly, years passed. While both of us attempted to give it a start, we didn't get far. Now, with the movie out, I decided I would attempt it in a different format. I checked out the audio version from our library.

The book is long (528 pages) and winding. The characters felt inconsistent. One minute my sympathies lay with Coriolanus Snow, while in the next, I didn't care for him. The length of the book put me off to begin with, and kept me from completing it, as well. The audio version is 14 CDs long. With Trevor's car out of commission, I wasn't the only one driving, so my husband had to pause the CD when he drove. Perhaps, given the season of snow and ice, I wasn't driving as frequently either. Whatever the reason, my interest was minimal. I continued to listen, but missed the absorbing nature of the original books. I tired of the constant battle between "is this character a good guy or a bad guy?"

To be honest, I don't think I enjoyed it enough to even bother with the movie. If the library acquires it, and I'm lost for something to do some weekend, I may check it out. But I can't muster the desire to see it or experience this tale again. The books still highlight telling social commentary. Our society doesn't hold human life with any more esteem than the Capitol. It isn't a stretch to think we might be capable of similar atrocities occurring right beneath our noses, and few have the guts to protest. 

Book Review: The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley

Lately, I've had rotten luck with audio selections, even getting a far way in and chucking them. Louisa May Alcott's Jo's Boys (something I read in high school and thought I'd revisit) was slow-paced and not enticing enough to take my mind off the treadmill trek. I tried one called Entwined. Again, I just couldn't connect with it. I figured a book about the psalms would do. Even though I had my name on the hold list for the book copy of Open and Unafraid, I attempted the audio. Alas, in that format it was difficult to digest. It is a book you need to read with the opportunity to dwell and contemplate. Finally, I gave The Thirteenth Tale a whirl. After all, it has received tremendous accolades. Yikes - 3 discs in and I came upon an uncomfortable stretch that made me google the book to check for sexual content - sadly, there were even more scenes ahead, so I trashed that effort, as well.

I may have ditched The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley, too, if I hadn't been experiencing such a poor track record. Thus, I gave it more leeway. The premise and story structure was enticing. You knew you were going to get through twelve tales of bullet wounds on Samuel Hawley's body. Plus, I appreciated the role of the daughter in the tale.

Loo Hawley is used to packing up and moving at a moment's notice. She and her father do it repeatedly. Now, for the first time in her life, her father is ready to put down roots in her deceased mother's hometown. However, when he approaches Loo's grandmother, she wants nothing to do with them. She holds Samuel responsible for her daughter's death. As Loo uncovers more of the story, and the reasons her father has so many guns and uproots so often, she grows up and comes into her own tale.

The book held my attention. Though the father was unsavory, the daughter was delightful even when conflicted. It won't be a favorite read this year, but I finished it and for now, given my audio book track record, that is saying something. Ha!

Book Review: The Ten Thousand Doors of January

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a current hot title. While I didn't love this book, I did like plenty of aspects. The concept of stories opening up ten thousand worlds and fresh experiences thrilled me. I loved the many passages articulating why our stories are so very important. The book held my interest, and I was glad I picked up on the story line easily, despite setting it aside for almost three weeks because of my trip to Florida and my decision to complete The Lost Girls of Paris in time for the book club discussion that never occurred.

January Scaller (during the entire audio experience I thought it was spelled like a studious person - ha) has lived almost her whole life as a ward to an eccentric old man who collects artifacts from around the world. Her father explores the world for the well-to-do Mr. Locke and only returns to visit January occasionally. Her world is upended when she happens upon a book claiming to outline ten thousand doors. As January reads the book, she learns her origins, her purpose, and her role in the magical world around her.

This book, like many others, offered an opportunity to hear perspectives that differ from my own. I didn't like much of the side commentary, but I could still appreciate the weaving story about how books take one into a whole further dimension and open up things we might not perceive or experience in any other way. Still, I wouldn't have lost much if I hadn't read the book.

Book Review: Border Crossing

I'm always trying to find new audio selections to accompany my treadmill workouts. Indeed, I cast aside a famous Christian memoir because the author spent the first half of the initial CD regaling how many books she has written. She waxed on about how the book will appeal to all women of every age bracket and background experience. Plenty of people have recommended her books, but I will probably steer clear from now on, given my brief foray into her self-aggrandizement.

Thus, I was back to square one and on a limited time budget for browsing. I will acknowledge that I haven't been disposed to reading lately, but Border Crossing by Pat Barker is an audio book I wish I hadn't consumed. I was too far in before happening upon the raunchier bits. Plus, while it was intriguing to consider a therapist and his relationship with a juvenile murderer, it accomplished no redemption or resolution. I ended the book wondering why I had bothered. It provided a character study of a psychologist who is grieving the end of his marriage while reconnecting with a boy he helped send to prison. What a disturbing youth! I felt sure it would lead somewhere, but alas, it never did. The man remained unchanged. The boy remained unchanged. I ached for a sense of redemption that never materialized.

Book Review: Once More We Saw Stars

Sadly, Once More We Saw Stars was the only book that held my interest during my time at camp for CBLI. Jayson Greene's memoir kept me turning pages, while two Elisabeth Elliot books didn't draw me in sufficiently (The Path of Loneliness and On Asking God Why). I also plowed through 120 pages of Love and Salt. The premise was great (correspondence between two writers discussing their spiritual journeys) and I thought I'd encounter deep spiritual insights, but I tired of it and set it aside, as well.

A chance crumbling brick falls from a 9th story windowsill. Within seconds, Jayson Greene's life turns upside down. As Greene shares the anguish and sorrow throughout this random tragedy that took his daughter's tender life, he tries to make sense of the incomprehensible and to find hope when life is at its most hopeless. Several authors offer resounding praise for the book. Dani Shapiro calls it "soul-affirming," and Kate Bowler calls it "stunning." Lucy Kalanithi articulates her love of the book quite well: "Jayson Greene crystallizes the bravery required for parenting, the insanity within grief, the struggle and haven of marriage, the durability of love in all its forms. This is a book about how we make sense of suffering and what it means to be a family. It's funny, lucid, and deeply generous." Although I never finished Elisabeth Elliot's book, On Asking God Why, I would highly recommend it to this author (although since he is not a believer, I doubt he'd give it credence). I wish him all the best and thank him for sharing his heart and his story.

Recently Abandoned Audio Books

Photo by Findaway Voices on Unsplash

What a slump I'm experiencing in my audio book selections. The last two completed works only garnered two out of five stars, in my opinion. Now, I've also wasted time and energy on books I could not continue. I attempted Joshua Ferris's The Unnamed. If only books came with smut alerts, I would not have invested my time in half of the 7 cds. It is really a shame, too, because the premise was thoroughly intriguing. Ferris tells the story of a man who loves his job as a high-powered lawyer, his marriage to a loving wife, and his role of father to a searching teen daughter. Yet, he battles spells of compulsive walking, never knowing when or in what elements the urge will take hold. During the episodes, he walks until he falls asleep and his wife must come fetch him. No doctor can diagnose a condition or proffer a cure. It has the potential to tear his happy family life apart. But, why, oh why, do authors feel the need to include gratuitous smut?? The filth didn't even advance the story in any way. It ruined the book for me, despite my interest in discovering the final outcome. Thankfully, when I looked it up on Amazon, I discovered that over a fourth of the reviews expressed dissatisfaction with the book, calling it depressing with little to no resolution. So maybe, I dodged a bullet after all.

Next, I picked up a non-fiction book. Certainly, I'd enjoy better success. No chance of smut on the horizon. Indeed, it was a book about the brain, one of my fascinations. Alas, The Genius Checklist by Dean Keith Simonton was not a good fit either. I liken it to the experience Charlie Brown has when listening to the teacher in school. The words began to sound more like wah-wah wah-wah, wah-wah wah-wah. I only listened to two out of 8 discs, but never felt reeled in sufficiently. The paradoxical tips promised for teaching a person how to develop creative genius sounded like a load of gobbledegook. Perhaps I would have fared better if I could have skimmed a physical copy of the book, instead of attempting to stay focused on words like psychopathology and orthogonal (had to look that one up - it means "at right angles"). I understood what the author was getting at. Indeed, while discussing the correlation between creativity and mental health, I worried for my poet friends because they apparently hold more propensity toward madness. Still, it just didn't light a fire strong enough to keep investing. Although Simonton "has studied creativity and genius for more than four decades," he failed to provide interesting enough stories to keep me riveted through boring data. I may attempt the hardback version.

Another book, snagged from the display shelves near the front desk, was by Danielle Steele and I thought Beauchamp Hall would certainly be a novel I could enjoy. It promised a story about a woman escaping to the English countryside where a manor house tale is filmed. Alas, once again, the author felt a need to include sexual content. I gave her one pass on the first involved description, thinking it might be a one-off. However, I gave up on the six-disc tale when a dirty video accompanied further activity. It is becoming harder and harder to find clean content in the books that are currently published. Very discouraging. When I took these woes to my husband, he suggested listening to music during my treadmill time. Alas, I'm most fully distracted from the exertion when I'm absorbed in a book. So, now I'm off to the library once again (this time with no kids in tow, so I can devote clear consideration) and hoping to have greater success with audio books than my last five attempts.

Book Review: Vinegar Girl

Although I'm familiar with Anne Tyler's name and had often run across her books, I had read nothing by this author. I think I will have to remedy that further. I really enjoyed Vinegar Girl. This retelling of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew does an outstanding job of presenting a modern take on the classic tale. I fell in love with the caustic Kate and sympathized with her dilemma. Well done, Anne Tyler!

In Vinegar Girl, Kate Battista's life lacks direction. College didn't pan out for her, due to a bold response to a professor's ineptitude. So instead, she settled into the role of caretaker for her scientist father's household. She has her empty-headed younger sister, Bunny, to manage, endless household chores, and a less-than-ideal position as assistant for a preschool class. She has alienated the parents of her charges with her forthright candor often. Now she's on probation, not that she'd mind losing the job. The only thing that brings her satisfaction is her gardening.

But Dr. Battista is about to ask her to do more than merely manage his household and his taxes. He values his life's work more than he values his daughters. Thus, when his essential research assistant faces deportation, Dr. Battista plans to remedy the problem by marrying Kate off to Pyotr. This way he can satisfy the immigration requirements and keep his research on target. But can he convince his recalcitrant daughter to comply and aid him in this manner? Will he lose years' worth of research progress or will Kate put her foot down and insist upon having her own say in the matter?

I loved the audio version. Kirsten Potter did a phenomenal job of bringing the story to life. Her distinct voices for the various characters were excellent. She fully fleshed out the whiny teenager, the foreign lab assistant, and the strong-willed protagonist. I recently gave up on a retelling of Jane Eyre (My Plain Jane), so it pleased me that this was a more satisfying experience.

Book Review: The Peach Keeper

I've been in quite a reading slump lately. Apart from audio books, I haven't completed anything since our spring break trip earlier in the month. I tried to get into a well-regarded book, The Child, about infant bones unearthed in a building excavation. However, with separate focus on several different characters, I had a hard time keeping them straight and struggled with multiple tenses. I know shifting from one tense to another can be used effectively in a novel with multiple perspectives, but I'm pretty sure my reading malaise stood in the way of the necessary hook.

I might have given up on The Peach Keeper, by Sarah Addison Allen, as well, if I hadn't been held hostage with no other audio book available for my daily treadmill sessions. I didn't feel enticed by the story until well into the second disc (with only six, that means a full fourth of the way into the book). Thankfully, I did stick with it. I would say it was a fairly enjoyable story (although not as good as her other book I read, Lost Lake).

Willa Jackson has no interest in attending the gala thrown by socialite Paxton Osgood, despite Paxton's request to honor the friendship shared between their grandmothers. Paxton, and her twin brother are busy working to restore the Blue Ridge Madam, a grand home that once belonged to Willa's family. When a skeleton is unearthed beneath the property's peach tree, Willa and Paxton are thrown together on a mission to discover clues to the identity of the body and how it ended up buried there. In the midst of their sleuthing both Paxton and Willa find love.

Of course, my husband walked in during an intimate moment between two of the characters (something I could have done without) and had to ask what in the world I was listening to. Ah, well. Thankfully, the scene was over quickly. I'm hoping to find something squeaky clean to listen to next. Ha! Perhaps another middle grade novel.

Book Review: Rise & Shine, Benedict Stone

When I think of infertility, I tend to think of the women who experience that trial. I don't often put myself in the shoes of a man who desperately wants to have a family including children. This book helped to remedy that as I came to greatly care for the main character and to feel his painful longing.

Benedict Stone's wife has left him. It seems all he can talk about anymore is his desire to fill their happy home with the pitter patter of little feet and the joyful squeals of small children. Sadly, it isn't the first time Benedict's been left behind. His parents left him behind to care for his younger brother when they died in a tsunami. His brother left him behind when he moved away to the United States and made it clear that he wanted no further communication between the two.

Then one day, his sixteen-year-old niece Gemma shows up on his doorstep begging for a place to stay for a while. Gemma brings her own baggage and tales of a mother who left her. Yet, she also brings the opportunity for second chances. She is determined to help Benedict mend the rifts in his life and regain his relationships with his wife and his brother.

Phaedra Patrick impressed me with her debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, back in 2016. In that novel, the reader follows the main character on a quest to unravel his deceased wife's previous life by following a trail of several charms on a discovered bracelet. Each charm holds special meaning and unlocks a part of the story. In a similar way, as Benedict Stone unearths the legends behind gemstones, a variety of smaller stories, intersecting individuals, and life lessons unfold.

It was a sweet and tender read. I liked the image of the gemstones in the family tree. I loved the vulnerability of the main characters. The only thing I would change would be the character names, which seemed a bit much. Gemma Stone - really? Thankfully, it was a very engrossing read and kept me occupied during the endless waiting game associated with my husband's hernia surgery. I even found myself sharing tidbits of the story with him. I'll look forward to more from this author.

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The book I checked out from the library had a different cover from the one above, but I like this cover better than the library's one (an image of a man sitting in a weeping willow tree). Plus, this cover is vaguely reminiscent of another book I attempted recently, The Story of Arthur Truluv. Despite that story's great start (an older widow who encounters a teen girl in a graveyard and strikes up a friendship), I decided to abort the read due to content that made me uncomfortable.

Book Review: A Cedar Cove Christmas

If you are looking for a clean read full of holiday cheer, you cannot go wrong with a Debbie Macomber Christmas story. This tale, A Cedar Cove Christmas, was a simple modern re-telling of the Christmas story, complete with an unwed-mother named Mary Jo, her three brothers, the Wyse men, a shifty king,  and a room over a stable full of barn-yard animals. While absolutely predictable, it was still a sweet story. Plus, I was eager to find something I could listen to while walking that wouldn't offend my own sensibilities or the tender ears of my children (the last audio book I attempted, An Extraordinary Union, started out the first twenty minutes with extremely foul language - somehow I can overlook a few f-bombs and d-mns, but the use of the b-word and the p-word, is a bit too much for me to stomach within the first few minutes of a story).

Book Review: Black Rabbit Hall - Highly Recommend

After abandoning my previous audio book (Wired by Julie Garwood - sadly, I was already half-way through before I simply gave up because of the trashiness of it), I was absolutely thrilled with the fare of Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase. This was an outstanding audio experience. I was riveted and entranced throughout the telling. As Book Page proclaimed, "For fans of Kate Morton and Daphne du Maurier, Black Rabbit Hall, is an obvious must-read, but it is sure to please any reader who delights in devilishly thrilling dramas...."

Lorna Dunaway cannot help but be pulled back to the Cornish countryside when searching for a venue for her upcoming wedding. She has fond memories of exploring a particular old country estate, called Black Rabbit Hall, with her mother in her younger days. Sadly, the house has decayed quite a bit over the years and may not be a suitable choice, in the eyes of her fiance John. Still, when the owner invites her to spend a few days there, she gives into the magnetic force.

As she explores the grounds, she comes across markings on a tree indicating the untimely death of a young boy. Curious to know more, she probes the owner for more background history, unaware that she is unearthing personal truths she may not be ready to face. As Caroline Alton outlines the history of the house and the family, Lorna is both undone and reborn.

While I guessed the ending long before it played out, it was still a delicious journey. I loved the narrator's accent, the English environment, the mystery and intrigue, and the characterization. I enjoyed it enough to want to listen to it all over again, and just might, if I cannot find another suitable audio book to listen to while I walk.

Book Review: Quality of Care

Whenever I go away I try to bring along books from my own coffers, rather than carrying library materials, on the off chance they might get lost. Moreover, as I was contemplating my time at CBLI, I wanted to bring books that were small enough to fit easily in my bag and not take up too much space. I brought along two books, but the first one, The Road from Coorain, proved too heady to hold my interest while at camp (full of pages and pages of descriptions of Australian countryside). Thankfully, this second one, Quality of Care by Elizabeth Letts, managed to hold my attention and would be sure to appeal to anyone who loves horses.

Clara Raymond is a dedicated obstetrician who insists on providing the best possible quality of care for her patients. When a pregnant woman turns up one night, events are triggered that will test Clara's perspective and self-assessment. That woman is Lydia Benson, a former friend who once saved her life. She arrives on the arm of her husband, Gordon Robinson, a man Clara once loved. Given their shared histories, one would expect this to be a fortuitous night, but instead, when things go wrong, Clara flees and attempts to confront many demons from her past.

Of course, given that I was reading this book in the midst of a course on God's sovereignty, I couldn't help but smile at the author's attempt to handle the grand ideas of fate and chance. At one point, the narrator observes that Gordon was the one "who tried so hard to teach me to accept the fact that there doesn't have to be a reason, that sometimes bad things just happen." Moreover, another doctor remarks to Clara, "Every day, I show up to work and I try to do the best I can. Just one foot in front of the other. Sometimes, you do what you can and it doesn't turn out to be enough. I feel quite sure in the end that the balance [of harm to good] is in my favor.... If you show up every day with your game clothes on, you may win some and you may lose some, but I'm pretty sure you're right with yourself and with the patients - right enough with God, the way I reckon it."

Clara struggles with her part in the fate of Lydia's life and Lydia's part in the fate of her own life. In the end, she sides with her colleague's assessment of her responsibilities. She concludes, "So I pray - little accidental prayers that are just small blossoms of my inherent hope for goodness. Watch out for the little one - watch out for the ones who are small and need assistance, and are defenseless. Please protect those who cannot protect themselves. And me? I just get up every morning and put my shoes on, and try to do the very best I can that day, and every other single day that follows." While it wasn't a book that affirmed by belief in God, it was a well-written debut novel that held my attention and furthered my thoughts about personal responsibility and God's hand.