Review & Giveaway: Living the Parables by Hank Smith, Kathryn Jenkins

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

As the world's greatest teacher, Jesus Christ used His skills as a storyteller to teach and inspire His followers. The parables of Christ contain a wealth of guidance, but the deeper meaning of His words can sometimes be difficult to decipher. Now, best-selling authors Hank Smith and Kathryn Jenkins—known and loved for their ability to approach gospel topics in a clear, light, and understandable way—take a careful look at the finer points of the Savior's stories. They uncover the profound spiritual lessons hidden within and illustrate practical and accessible application for our day. In Living the Parables: Applying Christ's Teachings to Our Lives, readers are presented with commentary from generations of Church leaders and religious scholars, as well as modern-day interpretations of the underlying significance of each account. This volume will inspire followers of Christ to draw on the power of His Atonement by embracing a deeper understanding of His parables.

My Review

I found this book to be a rich resource that deepened my understanding and study of the New Testament and strengthened my testimony of Jesus Christ. I was fortunate to hear Hank Smith speak at a conference in Southern California last year, and I was impressed by his down-to-earth personality, charming humor, and message of positivity, strength and empowerment through the gospel. When I saw this book I knew that it would be one with a narrative that would hold my interest and I was not disappointed! It is easy to read and quickly made me feel the importance of the Bible in our lives and the messages Christ has for us. I appreciated the bit of history that was shared in the beginning of the book about each of the Gospels themselves, and also the chapter that explains what parables are, why Christ used them, and how to interpret and apply the parables. Following are five sections that share the parables by theme, each with their own chapter. I haven't completed the entire book yet because I find myself captivated and not wanting to rush through it! I'm loving the insights, the questions, the references from prophets, apostles, and scholars, and the encouragement from the author to use the lessons learned. Highly recommend!!!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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Review: Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

In the wake of WWII, a grieving fisherman submits a poem to a local newspaper: a rallying cry for hope, purpose . . . and rocks. Send me a rock for the person you lost, and I will build something life-giving. When the poem spreads farther than he ever intended, Robert Bliss's humble words change the tide of a nation. Boxes of rocks inundate the tiny, coastal Maine town, and he sets his calloused hands to work, but the building halts when tragedy strikes.

Decades later, Annie Sawyer is summoned back to Ansel-by-the-Sea when she learns her Great-Uncle Robert, the man who became her refuge during the hardest summer of her youth, is now the one in need of help. What she didn't anticipate was finding a wall of heavy boxes hiding in his home. Long-ago memories of stone ruins on a nearby island trigger her curiosity, igniting a fire in her anthropologist soul to uncover answers.

She joins forces with the handsome and mysterious harbor postman, and all her hopes of mending the decades-old chasm in her family seem to point back to the ruins. But with Robert failing fast, her search for answers battles against time, a foe as relentless as the ever-crashing waves upon the sea.

My Review

The first word I thought of to describe the vibe of this book is otherworldly. Not in a sci-fi way, but in a beautiful hazy way like waking up and remembering what you just dreamed. The historical and contemporary stories are woven together and draw curiosity out of the reader as layers of the plot and characters are revealed and new questions arise. There is heartbreak that is inevitable from the war-time era, but healing and growth as well. The strength of Robert, Roy, their family, and the community members of Ansel is evident and I felt like Annie- like I don't quite belong but I want to because it feels like home. Her journey of discovery is lovely as her heart turns more fully to her family and really knowing them and what drives them, their motivations, their past. I loved the way the elements of the story worked together to bring a satisfying conclusion to the book.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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Synopsis

When Savannah Mae Thorpe visits her family in New England, she learns the future of the land she's inherited is in question. She finds help from a local lumberjack--who holds a shadowed past of his own--to discover the truth of a local legend and save her land. But her expedition may have unexpected ramifications on her life--and the lives of those around her.

Review & Giveaway: Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

After four years with her boyfriend, Cadie McCaffrey is thinking of ending things. Convinced Will doesn't love her in the "forever" way she loves him, Cadie believes it's time for her to let him go before life passes her by. When a misunderstanding leads to a mistake, leaving her hurt, disappointed, and full of regret, she finally sends him packing.

But for Will, the end of their relationship is only the beginning of his quest to figure out how to be the man Cadie wanted him to be. With the dubious guidance of his former pro-athlete work friends and tactics drawn from Cadie's favorite romantic comedies, Will attempts to win her back. It's a foolproof plan. What could possibly go wrong?

Bethany Turner is back with more of the heart and humor readers love. Anyone who enjoys a good romance or binges romantic comedies on Netflix will devour this delightful story.

My Review

This was an interesting book in many ways! We start at the end of the relationship between Cadie and Will- with a few well-placed flashbacks to help us feel the romance of their early relationship as well as experience some critical stages of decline. They seem so in sync, yet the miscommunication of such vital topics as expectations, marriage, and the future cause a rift between them- and they think it is for different reasons. I felt so badly for Will who is pretty much blindsided by the breakup, but admired his fortitude and determination to keep her in his life. The corporate setting brought a dynamic to the story showing how the professional lives of Cadie and Will intersect with their personal relationship. Powerful themes of regret, forgiveness, faith, and devotion are woven together with fun pop culture references, specifically from romantic movies, that make cameos as Will fights for the love of his life.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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Review & Giveaway: No Place Like Here by Christina June

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

No Place Like Here

By Christina June
Young Adult Contemporary

Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 288 Pages
May 21st 2019 by Blink

From Christina June, author of It Started with Goodbye and Everywhere You Want to Be, comes No Place Like Here, a modern twist on Hansel and Gretel.

Ashlyn Zanotti has big plans for the summer. She's just spent a year at boarding school and can't wait to get home. But when Ashlyn's father is arrested for tax evasion and her mother enters a rehab facility for "exhaustion," a.k.a. depression, her life is turned upside down.

The cherry on top? Ashlyn's father sends her to work with a cousin she doesn't even know at a rustic team-building retreat center in the middle of nowhere. A self-proclaimed "indoor girl," not even Ash's habit of leaving breadcrumb quotes--inspirational sayings she scribbles everywhere--can help her cope.

With a dangerously careless camp manager doling out grunt work, an overbearing father trying to control her even from prison, and more than a little boy drama to struggle with, the summer is full of challenges. And Ashlyn must make the toughest decision of her life: keep quiet and follow her dad's marching orders, or find the courage to finally stand up to her father to have any hope of finding her way back home.

Fans looking for stories with elements of drama, romance, friendship, and an unflinching look into navigating and improving even the most difficult parent-teen relationships need look no further.

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My Review

5 stars / It was amazing

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book after reading on a different review that there's not a big focus on romance. The author dealt so well with the themes and I was captivated as I read about Ashlyn's journey that was at times difficult, uncomfortable, healing, and empowering. I appreciated being able to see the family dynamics that brought Ashlyn to the point she is at mentally at the beginning of the book, flaws and all. Family secrets are revealed and she is instantly and unwillingly thrust onto a path of discovery- more about her parents, extended family,  and also about herself. The cast of characters that support her and those that she interacts with in a more negative way were brought to life and rounded out the story well. I especially liked seeing her relationship develop with her cousin and the quiet zipline instructor who makes a wonderful friend. A lovely story of becoming self-aware and choosing to be strong in the circumstances we are given.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions expressed in this review are my own)

Other Books by the Author

About the Author

Christina June writes young adult contemporary fiction when she’s not writing college recommendation letters during her day job as a school counselor. She loves the little moments in life that help someone discover who they’re meant to become – whether it’s her students or her characters. Christina is a voracious reader, loves to travel, and hopes to one day be bicoastal – the east coast of the US and the east coast of Scotland. She lives in Virginia with her husband and daughter. She is the author of IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE, EVERYWHERE YOU WANT TO BE, and NO PLACE LIKE HERE.

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1 winner will receive a print copy of NO PLACE LIKE HERE, a poster, and a book plate

US only
Ends June 5, 2019

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Review & Giveaway: A Proper Scandal by Esther Hatch

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Grace Sinclair has been callously cast out of her home. And though taken in as an orphaned child by the vicar and his wife, her unsurpassed beauty makes it impossible for her to remain in the vicar’s household—with two daughters of their own about to enter Society, the vicar and his wife see Grace as nothing but competition. Thankfully, Grace’s estranged Aunt Bell has agreed to take her in to her home in London. But Grace soon learns her situation has just gotten much worse.

It takes only a moment’s acquaintance for Grace to ascertain that her aunt has married a detestable rake. And Aunt Bell, recognizing the danger of having her lovely niece too near her husband, gives Grace an ultimatum: the young woman has two weeks to find a man to marry, after which she will be turned out. With no experience in the art of attracting a husband, Grace quickly realizes that a worthy suitor might not be so easy to ensnare.

My Review

Grace is in quite a mess! I loved her tenacity despite her discomfort with her circumstances. She desperately misses her parents, but realizes that nobody is there to save her, she must make the best of it and choose the path that will determine how the rest of her life turns out. She has her sights set on Nate, and even though he is determined to never be taken advantage of by a scheming woman again, he can't resist her sweet personality and genuine compassion. They had a fun meet-cute that set the stage for the informal banter they enjoy for the rest of the book. I loved the contrasts in the characters and story that makes them question what is real, what are everyone's secrets, and how on earth is everything going to turn out?! Strong characterization and the steady pace of the interesting plot made this a book I couldn't put down! Highly recommend!!!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


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Review: The Beauty (Ladies of Miss Bell's Finishing School) by Rebecca Connolly

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Caroline Perkins cannot claim much in her life other than the dowry her uncle arranged for her and her physical beauty. Raised on the London docks, she bears the burden of being a tradesman’s daughter, and not one of respectability. In leaving Miss Bell’s School for Young Ladies, Caroline is leaving the only friends she has known and the only safe place she has lived. But she knows her companionship with Lady Ashby could give her the connections and opportunities she needs to secure a good future for herself. If her past does not return to haunt her present and future, that is.
 
Will Debenham isn’t certain what he is looking for in his life, but from the moment he sees Caroline Perkins, he is certain he has found it. Every interaction with her only enhances the feeling, and every day in her company makes him want her more. But can the son of an earl really marry a tradesman’s daughter? Or will station, birth, and Caroline’s own resistance keep them apart?

My Review

This is a sweet Regency story, but I wished for more in the way of plot and personality. The focus of the book is on Caroline's role as companion and her opportunity to find a husband as such. She was a bland character, and even as I attempted to find more interesting attributes about her, Will described her perfectly: "You are always so calm, so stalwart, so unaffected. You possess an unnatural serenity." She does feel the insults of others keenly, but instead of standing up for herself, she accepts it and even internalizes the belief that she is of less worth and undeserving. I was disappointed that she didn't have more of a backbone, although this is probably realistic of many women of the time who are victims of the precedence of status and birth in society. Will sees beyond all that and cherishes her for her beauty and grace, despite her unfortunate circumstances. My issue with him is that he observed her abuse and didn't do much to stand up for her either. He struggles with his desire to break out of his role as a gentleman, but doesn't take the opportunity to do so when she is in need of his help. I kept reading to the end to see how their happy ending would come about, and the final scene was lovely and emotional.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Ladies of Miss Belle's Finishing School series:

Review: Behind the Light of Golowduyn by Deborah M. Hathaway

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

She’s the keeper of Golowduyn Lighthouse. He’s the captain who shipwrecked on her watch. A marriage of convenience can save her home—if secrets don’t destroy it first.

Abigail Moore will do anything to keep Golowduyn Lighthouse shining brightly, even if she must do so alone. When a shipwreck occurs near her home one stormy evening—bringing with it a dashing captain keen to offer his aid at every turn—her days of isolation vanish.

Captain Gavin Kendricks didn’t expect to end his naval career by crashing his ship against the rugged cliffs of Cornwall. When he’s pulled from the sea by the fearless and quick-tempered Miss Moore, a tentative friendship forms between them, and he begins to realize what has been missing from his life.

Before either of them can explore these newfound stirrings, death and deception hit Golowduyn, and Abigail is left with a choice. Either she loses everything she has ever loved, or she marries the captain and accepts his help. Unable to give up the lighthouse, she agrees to the union, and they work together to see that the light does not diminish. But when her childhood secrets are unearthed, and their property falls victim to troubling defacement, their marriage threatens to crumble. Gavin fights to gain her confidence, but only Abigail can forget the crippling memories of her past to trust Gavin with Golowduyn—and her heart.

My Review

I loved the setting in this story with great character development and a riveting plot. There's something special about lighthouses as they stand as a beacon in the storms. Abigail is overworked as she unofficially takes on the role of main keeper from her uncle, but is devoted to the lighthouse and its purpose. I admired her strength and stubbornness which was tempered by her insecurity about her past. Gavin quickly becomes a good friend to her uncle, but it was interesting how Abigail felt jealousy towards their rapport and felt left out and unappreciated by her uncle. She deals with complicated emotions during this time of upheaval as secrets are revealed in the aftermath of unexpected tragedy. I loved how Gavin is a source of strength and refuge for her as she humbles herself to accept his help and open her heart to a deeper friendship and relationship. His positive personality brings light and humor to the story and balances out the darker themes. This book was a pleasure to read and I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)