Every Perfect Gift

Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love
4/5 stars
Thomas Nelson Books, 2012
320 pages
Christian Historical Romance
Book #3 in Hickory Ridge trilogy

Source: Received a free copy for review from the publisher via Booksneeze.

My reviews of Beyond All Measure and Beauty for Ashes

Well, I read the first two books in this series so I was certainly invested in returning. Our heroine this time is orphan Sophie Robillard, who was adopted by Ada and Wyatt at the end of the first book. She has now grown into a fine young woman who struggles with her lack of knowledge about her blood relations and the subsequent torments she endured. Her ambition is to return to Hickory Ridge and revitalize their newspaper in the wake of the building of Blue Smoke Resort.

One of the first people she encounters is Ethan Heyward, who is in charge of getting Blue Smoke built along with his wealthy senior partner Howard Blakely. Although the pair clash initially due to her willingness to report on the less than ideal living conditions, a mutual respect develops. But both have big family secrets that have left scars threatening their future.

Sophie is a lovely woman-she is strong and tenacious. I love her go-getting ways, feminism, and optimism (it's 1886 and she's sure woman's suffrage is only a matter of time-try 34 years away!) As a writer, she has a commitment to the truth and trying to help people, which does in a variety of ways. Ethan was a bit harder to get to know since Sophie is the focus but he is also an upstanding hard worker and the pair are well-matched.

As the two fall for each other, more obstacles crop up with some well-resolved and others less resolved to my taste. Still, I think this was my favorite of the series and if you've read the others, you'll certainly want to read this one.

Cover: I do really love this cover-the white is so striking and pretty although something with newspaper might have been more fitting.

Lovelier Than Daylight

Lovelier Than Daylight by Rosslyn Elliott
4.5/5 stars
Thomas Nelson, 2012
350 pages
Adult Historical Christian Romance

Book 1: Fairer than Morning
Book 2: Sweeter Than Birdsong

Source: Received a copy through Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Book 3 in this trilogy picks up in 1875 with the niece of book 1's couple. Susanna arrives to attend college at Otterbein only to discover her sister's kids have been dropped off at orphanages and her sister has disappeared. Additionally a man is attempting to open a tavern in the dry town much to the ire of the temperance movement there.

I loved that alcohol and temperance played such a big role here. I did think that it leaned a little heavily on the extreme pro-temperance side (since that is Susanna's belief and she is the main character); keep in mind, that aligns with my own beliefs and even I thought it was a little extreme. But we also have a strong voice arguing for the allowance of alcohol in the person of Johann Giere, son of a brewer who is an aspiring journalist and whose feelings for Susanna put them in constant contact. There are other voices on both sides but those are the most prominent. Another historical plot aspect was the power of journalism to effect social change. Although this isn't a major thread, newspaper stories provide important documentation about the battle over alcohol and other abuses. We're in a golden period of journalism here!

Johann is a good man and their romance was so sweet. I've read the previous books and this was definitely my favorite romance. I loved the short courtship and the way that sharing their first names was such an intimate act. Although I'm a modern woman, I have idealized some of the old-fashioned mores and this romance was a great example of that.  They both placed such value and caution on pursuing this relationship in contrast to some more casual treatments of relationships in some YA novels.

However what really got me and lifted up this book was near the end when Susanna is challenged in her faith. She realizes she was acting out of righteousness rather than with the love and mercy of Jesus. The example of her aunt Ann and uncle Will was pivotal in her recognition of this fact as were interactions with her sister and Johann. It moved me to tears and caused me to reflect-a great combination.

Overall: If you like these categories (Christian historical), I would highly recommend this. I hope if you've read the other books, you also enjoy this one. This can be read as a standalone but I think the rich historical background of the others would add to your reading experience.

Cover: I really like this cover-I think the pop of yellow makes this my favorite cover of the trilogy.

Stress Point

Stress Point by Susan Francis Martin
4/5 stars
Thomas Nelson, 2012
267 pages
Adult Christian Non-Fiction

Source: Received a copy for review through Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

I was interested in this book because of its subtitle: "Thriving Through Your 20s in a Decade of Drama." I am in my twenties and have found some areas of life difficult, in particular negotiating the job area, which is the very first chapter. So I figured this book would be pretty applicable.

Chapters aim to cover every aspect from work as mentioned above to relationships, money issues, and spiritual maturity over the course of ten chapters. Martin broke down each chapter into five sections, using these three guiding images: "Worshiping at the Throne of the King", "Waiting at the Throne of the King" and "Finding Focus on the King." These are images we can as we aim to conquer the stress points in our lives. Each chapter has multiple journal questions to work through but my personal favorite part was how Martin shared a different name of God with us and how that name has give her inspiration through stressful parts of her life.

Many of the points were familiar to me, which is good as I obviously need to hear some of these things again.  One immediate application for me was when earlier this week I was looking at my closet and hating all my clothes. I caught myself and shook my head to literally shake those thoughts out of my head. Instead I reflected on how lucky I am to have so many choices, closed my eyes, and then picked the first short-sleeves shirt I saw. Another application for me was waking up every morning this week and thinking how lucky I am to get to go to work instead of groaning about getting up. This was something my pastor had preached about earlier this year and I'm happy to have had it repeated because I need to hear these things multiple times to make sure they really sink in and change me.

I did struggle a bit with the beginning of each chapter as Martin shared three case studies; in many of the chapters, I didn't relate to any of the case studies and since they were a jumping-off point, I felt my entry into that section was a bit stymied. But I loved the career section and found that one to be very helpful.

Besides the book chapters, there are also summary pages, additional discussion questions, and online videos at Martin's blog if you're looking for more information about this book. I think this would be a helpful read for many Christian women in their twenties.

The Grace of God

The Grace of God by Andy Stanley
Thomas Nelson, 2010
217 pages
Inspirational Non-fiction
5/5 stars

Source: Received a free copy from Booksneeze for an honest review.

Grace has long been a topic of fascination to me. "Amazing Grace" is my favorite song and I am so grateful to receive grace from God. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm good at extending grace to others...

I really liked this book and how it delved into some of the most famous stories of the Bible. Stanley presents them anew, embroidering and expanding on how the participants might have been feeling when they went through their trials and their triumphs. No matter how badly they failed at the task set before them by God, that did not disqualify them from receiving grace nor did it stop God from following the great promises He made. Stanley looks at figures from both the Old as well as the New Testament. I thought that was especially good because of the not uncommon view that the merciless Old Testament God is so different from the loving New Testament God. Stanley squares them as most definitely being the same! He also has a clever little chapter bridging the two different sections of the Bible and preparing the reader for another perspective.

Beyond the usual suspects like Abraham and David, I was especially thrilled to see a look at the woman at the well from John 4, which I have a special fondness for due to a conference I attended. She's probably my favorite personage in the Bible (after Jesus of course) and I always devour any writings relating to her.

Another aspect I appreciated was the emphasis on how grace cannot be earned; otherwise it is not grace! I still struggle with this, thinking if I read my Bible for an hour one day, it will make me more worthy of God as well as other wrong-headed thinking. I know I can't change my thinking overnight but I will continue to cling to this truth as I amend my behavior.

Be the People

Be the People by Carol M. Swain
Thomas Nelson, 2011
230 pages
Non-fiction
2/5 stars

Source: Received a free copy from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

I was a bit skeptical about this book which seemed very conservative in comparison to my more moderate politics.  In general, it seemed VERY right-wing with little moderation and little subtlety.

My skepticism especially increased when Swain talked about leaders who manipulate the truth and criticize those who are not elites. She followed that by holding up Sarah Palin as someone who is not a cultural elite (I agree) and it seemed to me that she is implying that Palin stands for objective truth and just truth in general. This is laughable to me when Sarah Palin is the progenitor of the idea of "death panels," Politifact's Lie of the Year for 2009.

Additionally studies and polls that announced an outcome that differed from Swain's views were subjected to skepticism and accused of bias while those that agreed with Swain were held up as trustworthy. If the former are susceptible to bias and falsities, then why wouldn't the others?  Some of her comments by Obama similarly made me sniff. She presents a poll that stated that about 18% of Americans believed Obama was a Muslim; that doesn't make it true and speaks more to other people's ignorance than anything else, in my opinion. Other rumors are given space and treated as if there is a grain of truth.

I did appreciate the chapter on illegal immigration; not that I agreed with everything presented in it but that it is an issue which I know little about and I do want to learn more. And I think it's great that she included the Ten Commandments, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution; I own pocket versions of those but many other people seem unfamiliar with them despite claiming status as an American Christian.

Overall: Rather well-written if extremely ideologically biased.

The Waiting Place

The Waiting Place by Eileen Button
Thomas Nelson, 2011
229 pages
Non-fiction; Essays; Inspirational
4.5/5 stars

Source: Received a free copy from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Expectation: I hoped for a companionable writing style and I got that in spades as Button drew me into her life. I got that in spades.

I wanted to read this as I am currently in my own waiting place; trying to figure out what I should do now that I'm graduated, submitting loads of job applications and hearing nothing in return, feeling like I should be out on my own instead of living with my parents has been really tough for me. 

Thus while not every essay was as powerful for me (I sympathize with Button's worries over her youngest son's health but I haven't had children yet and can't quite grasp the experience), the overall message of the stories rang true for me.  Some left me teary-eyed; some left me smiling in recognition; but all left me wanting more of Button's writing.  Immediately she engaged me and drew me into her life with her family and Christ.

I had expected more to read more about her relationship with Jesus but that is not the focus as she looks at the people in her life and especially her relationship with her pastor husband and his commitments to his mistress, The Church.  But she does see some higher power involved: as the back says, "To wait is human. To find life in the waiting place, divine."

I will definitely keep this book to reread over the years as I mature and learn firsthand some of the insights that Button shared about marriage, children, and adulthood.

The Story of the Bible

The Story of the Bible by Larry Stone
Thomas Nelson, 2010
96 pages
Non-fiction
4/5 stars

Source: Received a free copy for review via booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

I chose to review this book because it had pretty pictures, simple as that. The inside and back cover showcases a colorful timeline covering the history of the Bible, from Abraham to today.  Inside the pictures include photographs as well as beautiful Renaissance artwork and other art.  There are also pull-out pages which show pages from some of the elaborately decorated Bibles of olden times, such as the Codex Vaticanus.

The history shared is about how Bibles were made and distributed.  I learned about the oldest copies we think we have and about different agendas when translating and sharing.  It actually ends with information about the JESUS film, a filmed adaptation of the book of Luke which apparently about 225 million people have seen worldwide.  Some of the information was repeated several times, which annoyed me but most of it was well-written and new.

Overall: A beautiful book with information on the production of Bibles throughout history.

The Jesus Inquest

The Jesus Inquest by Charles Foster
Thomas Nelson, 2010
262 pages
Non-fiction; Christian
Read for ebook and British Books Challenges
4/5 stars

Source: Received a free egalley from Thomas Nelson via booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

I hope I can review this book well because I am a very amateur scholar of Christianity.  Additionally I am a Christian so arguments against the resurrection do not sway me although I was very interested to read what the specific arguments were against.

Each chapter is divided into two parts as X argues against the resurrection and Y follows up with a rebuttal in favor of the resurrection.  Foster is a barrister in England and thought that this method would serve as a chance for X and Y to interact fairly.

The chapters trace the full resurrection sequence: death, burial, empty tomb, and post-resurrection appearances.  Each calmly argues his position, which is one of the best parts. I feel like if you watched a debate between a diehard atheist and a true believer, it could get virulent but as a book, it was more low-key and I had time to digest and consult the footnotes.

I was very interested to see the points against the resurrection because as a believer, it's not something I really consider.  Some of the arguments seemed ridiculous to me, ideas that were conspiracy theories and were complicated unlike the simplest solution (to me) of Jesus died, was resurrected, and then ascended to heaven.  The story is simple because it's true.

Overall: A well-written exploration of the resurrection: for and against the rising of Jesus Christ. Recommended for the curious non-believer and believer alike.

Cover: I don't think this cover would encourage me to read this book as I don't really like the black and white with the yellow box on the front.

Fasting

Fasting by Scot McKnight
Thomas Nelson, 2009
132 pages
Inspirational; Non-fiction
4/5 stars
Read for the Ebook Challenge

Source: Received as a free ebook from booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to read this because I've been thinking about my relationship with food lately and because I didn't know much about fasting, biblically and in more modern times.  I was hoping to learn a lot more through reading this book--and I did!

First McKnight outlines why we fast.  There are two main reasons; one is in response to a grievous spiritual moment such as a recognition of our own sin or death of a family member.  The other main reason is through scheduled weekly fasting.  Early Christians generally fasted on Wednesday and Friday to distinguish themselves from Jews fasting on Monday and Thursday.  The most important point is to not fast in order to get something from God-that is exactly the wrong mindset to have.  The idea of weekly fasts really intrigues and I'm thinking of implementing that this year.

Another point McKnight makes is about how many Westerners experience a disconnect between body and soul which hinders them when practicing this spiritual discipline.  Oftentimes the body is considered unimportant and thus fasting is not practiced.  This is wrong, argues McKnight; we need to bring the body and soul together, something that fasting can do.

Of course, fasting can also be dangerous and McKnight includes a chapter about the health risks excessive fasting can impose.  It might be wise to fast from breakfast to dinner, which is how I'm going to start, rather than just jump into long-term fasting.  That would be dangerous to your health!  If there are any health concerns, a doctor should be consulted.

Overall: An intriguing and illuminating look at the ancient practice of fasting: how it was practiced and how we might practice fasting now.  I want to incorporate fasting in to my spiritual journey.

Cover: I'm not a big fan of the picture; I chose the book solely based on the concept.

Seeds of Turmoil

Seeds of Turmoil by Bryant Wright
Thomas Nelson, 2010
173 pages
Non-fiction; Christian
3/5 stars

Source: Received for review via Booksneeze

Summary: Wright argues a. that the roots of the conflict in the Middle East are inevitable and b. in favor of Israel.

Thoughts: I requested to review this because I don't know much about this conflict and I wanted to see a Christian perspective.  Now this certainly has a lot of Scripture references; in fact it tells the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar repeatedly in the first part.  That is where the conflict comes from.  Abraham and Sarah were supposed to have a child who would be the covenant child from God (Isaac).  Instead he sins with Hagar, fathering Ishmael the father of Muslims and planting the seeds of conflict.

He also argues that God promised the land of Israel (and actually even more territory) to the Jewish people making it theirs and that all Bible-believing Christians should support Israel.  I feel like I don't know enough about this to decide where I stand but that was at least somewhat convincing.

Overall: Too repetitive and not fully tied together in a cohesive convincing way.