The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz
Topic or themes I saw: Feelings of unworthiness.
Who it may interest: Those who love to be steeped deeply in the culture and dialect of the time period and enjoy slow burn romances.
Story: It takes a lot of skill and knowledge to write in 1700’s Scottish dialect! The way Frantz wrote it was stunning. But since I’ve never read anything in this time period or location, the dialect made it a bit hard for me to get fully immersed in the story. This is the first book I have read set in Scotland and I appreciated learning about that location and history. I had no prior knowledge of the Jacobite’s and the political tension in the 1700’s. This story was very rich in culture and history. I also loved the fact that the author is a direct descendent of the Hume family. How cool!
Main takeaway: I loved this quote: “There are no titles in His kingdom, just worshipful sons and daughters.”
Thank you, Revell for gifting me a copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Healing What’s Hidden by Evan and Jenny Owens
There are different types of trauma. Acute, chronic, and complex. I have this theory that to a degree, each one of us has had some type of trauma in our lives. Then when something triggers it, we react in ways that aren’t truly us. I believe it would do us all good to dive into this area whether we think something big happened to us or not. And even if there has been no trauma in our life, there could be many people around us with it. This book would be an excellent read in seeking to understand trauma so we can be an empathetic, compassionate person to the people who are working through it.
The authors, a husband and wife team who run a trauma healing program, dive deep down, below the symptoms, to dig out the soul wounds. I loved the thought they brought out about Adam and Eve and the trauma of sin.
They also do an excellent job of describing and uncovering misunderstandings of emotions and feelings. I loved this quote so much: “We lead with faith, support with facts, and end with feelings, not the other way around.” It was in the context of forgiveness (which they also handled beautifully), but how often can this be applied to many areas in our life? I know my feelings tend to lead, but really faith and facts should go first. When we rely on those two, in my experience, feelings eventually follow. But man, feelings can be a bear to wrestle with. The authors tackle this subject very well.
Every section was well thought out, explained great, and helpful. I really found the last section on breaking away from the lies surrounding your identity to be incredibly helpful for where I am currently.
Thank you Revell and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I Will Not Fear by Mark DeJesus
Over the past year, I have realized just how much fear drives my decisions and actions. As always, Mark’s teachings really reach in my heart and pull me closer to healing.
DeJesus takes readers on a journey with him in understanding what fear is, how it manifests, and practical ways to overcome so we can live in peace. If you struggle with worry, anxiety, and stress, this book is for you!
Almost Home by Valerie Fraser Luesse
Who may be interested: Historical Fiction fans, WWII Era lovers. Lovers of Southern Fiction
I loved how this story showed the healing power of community. There were also thought provoking quotes that I enjoyed chewing on.
The story begins mostly with Anna’s story and her POV and ends with mainly Reed’s story and POV. Anna is still in the story, it’s just not through her perspective much. I enjoyed Reed’s story, while I personally felt like Anna’s wasn’t developed enough. In my opinion she could have been a secondary story. I would have loved a more focused POV.
Anna starts out the story in a struggling marriage and Reed starts his story battling against combat fatigue. At the core of both stories is Dolly and her boarding house that draws everyone together. I really loved what Dolly did at the end 🥰.
I normally don’t love omnipresent tense but wow, Berry did excellent with it in this story. Despite being omnipresent, the characters were deep and really pulled the reader in. She has an amazing talent with taking hard things and stringing softness and hope with her beautiful story telling. I was a little unsure if I would like this book because of the Greek gods, but even though I don’t believe in Greek gods, it was used in a neat way to untangle things we don’t quite understand and unfold the shaping of hearts. Oh my James and Hazel’s relationship was so tender, silly, and just perfect. I also appreciated how this story wove in African American stories and struggles. It is heartbreaking how they were treated.
A side note, the audio version of the book was so well done. I normally don’t love listening to books, but the narrators nailed this story and really brought it to life.
The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green
Topic or themes I saw: The power of stories and friendships.
Who it may interest: Anyone who wants to be placed in the WWII era. Historical fiction lovers. This novel, in a way, reminded me of Lynn Austin’s book A Women’s Place.
Story: Oh my, the characters were just amazing! Their personalities, quirks, and lives were so real, vibrant, and perfect. In one scene Ginny even had me laughing out loud…which I don’t think I’ve ever done while reading a book. I loved how the characters and their life stories, all connecting around books showed how each one of us views life a little differently because of the life we’ve lived. And it’s okay. It’s okay to get together and disagree. We may even find, while we are different, we are also very much the same in ways. I also learned, for the first time, about the Coastal Picket Patrol, I love learning about nuggets of history I didn’t know existed!
Main takeaway: Stories are powerful, and the relationships are a gift. My favorite quote: “Books make fine friends, but fellow readers even better.”
The Silver Suitcase by Terrie Todd
Topic or themes I saw: Anger toward God, grief, and the way God loves us even there in that spot. How our lives can leave an impact.
Who it may interest: Duel time lovers, WWII historical fiction fans, those who enjoy Robin Lee Hatcher. Anyone who loves a story that really points you to Christ.
Story: Goodness, the ending 😍. Perfect, so perfect. I can’t get enough of stories that show truth in a way that’s hard to see with our eyes. This story was a gentle story that shows what it’s like to walk by faith and not by sight. Trusting in God and his love for us to make our path straight. Often I can wonder what the point of the things I do is. This story shows how God can use us in ways we may never even see. I closed the pages with a greater level of contentment in trusting that God is using my life and I can trust His ways. This story also really showcased the pain and brokenness we as humans carry in our heart and the reactions—both good or bad—we follow through on because of that pain. It showed how a faithful life can echo through generations. It was a heartwarming, thought provoking read.
Main takeaway: God loves us, even when we refuse to accept it. He gently beckons us with kindness. He is always with us. And He uses our life for good.
The Girl Who Could Breathe Underwater Erin Bartels
Topic or themes I saw: Truth in fiction, Childhood friendships and growing up. Sexual abuse. Making sense of past memories and pain. Vulnerability, broken relationships, regrets, and mending of relationships.
Who it may interest: Contemporary readers of women’s fiction. Those who don’t mind diving into the messy places of life.
Story: This was unique in the fact that the main character, Kendra, tells this story to her friend. It’s very reflective in the sense that she’s present in her life while also facing the past. The lake setting was brought out in exquisite detail and brought me back to my own hot summer days in the lakes and ponds of my childhood. I loved the writing/author life thread, it resonated with me. And total side note, the scene at the end with old Ike—all heart eyes. The faith elements of this story were slim, I would have liked them to be stronger, however, the strong lake setting, the reflective healing of the past, and the theme of restoration of broken things really sucked me in.
Main takeaway: We all have pain. We aren’t all good or all bad, and when we stop focusing only on our own pain, our own story, we may be able to see someone else’s too.
