I love Ann H. Gabhart's books. I love the rural setting of the Eastern Kentucky Hills! It makes me miss the four years I lived among them. Ann was able to transport me back to those hills with a beautiful and endearing story. The Song of Sourwood Mountain is the story of a city schoolteacher who answered a call to completely step outside of her comfort zone and say "Yes" to God in a big way! Exploring the simple, yet complicated lives of those in the Appalachian mountains was an adventure that only made the city schoolteacher fall more in love with her new country home.
How she got there, why she stayed, and what happens next will be up to you to uncover as you read through this story! Get your copy here.
From the back cover:
"The doors she thought were closed forever are starting to open up . . . just a crack Though the century began with such promise, it is 1910 when Mira Dean's hopes of being a wife and mother are dashed to pieces. Her fiancé dead from tuberculosis, Mira resigns herself to being a spinster schoolteacher--until Gordon Covington shows up.
No longer the boy she knew from school, Gordon is now a preacher who is full of surprises. First, he asks Mira to come to Sourwood in Eastern Kentucky to teach at his mission school. Second, he asks her to marry him. Just like that.
With much trepidation, Mira steps out in faith into a life she never imagined, in a place filled with its own special challenges, to serve a people who just might end up becoming the family she always yearned for."
This book was given to me by Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.
Smith does it again in her latest book release: "Daughter of Eden: Eve's Story". This story chronicles the first 6 chapters of Genesis, and she does a fantastic job at taking some very difficult and at times, otherworldly situations in the Bible that are hard to understand and give some context to the mystery in the Holy text.
From the creation of the world and its inhabitants to the creation of angels and those in what Smith calls the "unseen realm" to the explanation of how Nephilim were created and a time where people lived to be close to a thousand years old, Smith eloquently weaves a believable story throughout.
Of course this book takes a lot of liberty as all biblical fiction does in interpretation of scripture and filling in the gray areas and holes where the Bible leaves us guessing, but it left me hungry at the end to read God's word.
I highly recommend this book as it gives a fascinating view on what life was like "in the beginning..." Click here to get your copy today!
From the back cover:
When the greatest joys she has ever known are stripped away, the first woman must find the courage to face an unknown future The first time she opens her eyes, Eve gazes on one whose beauty nearly blinds her, whose breath is in her lungs. Her Creator takes her hand and gives her to another like her and yet different. Together, she and Adam experience pure joy as they explore Eden. Her favorite moments are when the Creator comes to walk with them, day after day.
Then everything changes.
Through one act of disobedience, Eve finds that her world is no longer a friendly place. With remorse in her heart, she must face the unknown future--the births, the deaths, the sacrifices, the loss of the only home she has ever known. Perhaps worst of all is the loss of trust, not only with her Creator but also with the man who shares her life. How will they ever survive out of Eden?
Bestselling biblical fiction author Jill Eileen Smith imagines the life of the first woman to ever live, unspooling an epic story of love, loss, and the promise of redemption.
This book was given to me by Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.
A book that makes you hungry to open scripture has always become my favorite. I love to read biblical fiction, and Jill Eileen Smith is one of my favorite authors that really gets the job done. To bring to life not just the story of Joseph, but his father Jacob's as well and explores brother Judah's also, is quite the feat. Smith does an incredible job explaining some very difficult-to-read Bible stories and really breathes life into each person's story that grabs your attention.
The story of Judah and Tamar and the incestual affair they had, the level of Joseph's brother's betrayal and how they came to their conclusions, and exploring Jacob's favoritism between his sons are complex and dysfunctional family issues brought to light in this riveting book. How Joseph kept his cool being unfairly mistreated his whole life is an example of a man after God's Heart and an early representation of Jesus being led like a lamb to the slaughter later in the New Testament- unfairly convicted and quiet to protest.
Smith's book just came out last month and is one I highly recommend adding to your Spring porch reading list!
From the back cover:
"Two brothers. One betrayal.
The patriarch Jacob has made it no secret that young Joseph is his favorite son. Growing up as the pampered heir to his father's legacy, Joseph thrives under the praise of his father but struggles with the disdain of his older brothers, especially Judah. When a chance comes along to rid themselves of Joseph, his brothers sell him to slave traders and deceive their father about his fate.
Joseph, now serving the captain of Pharaoh's palace guard, is imprisoned after being falsely accused of rape. Back home, Judah leaves his father and builds a new life in Canaan, attempting to flee the memory of his complicity in the betrayal of his younger brother.
Decades later, the brothers will come face-to-face, and this time Joseph has the upper hand. Will forgiveness or vengeance win the day?"
I received this book for free from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.
I am a big fan of books and most of the time I read pretty heavy things like World War II fiction or stories of people surviving harrowing ordeals like human trafficking. Survival stories inspire me, and I love hearing how people overcome some of life's hardest struggles.
But every once in a while, I like to sit and get lost in a book that is more on the lighthearted side. This is similar to a Hallmark movie but has a lot more depth to the characters. Meg and Oliver are forced to work a lobster boat while Meg's father decides who gets the business at the end of the season. Will it be Meg, his only daughter, that doesn't want to lose their family legacy? Or will it be Oliver- long time and loyal deckhand who always wanted his own fishing boat?
Besides the budding love story, a bigger story emerges- one about forgiveness and how important it is to give people second chances and remember the old saying "Hurting people hurt people". As Meg and Oliver work the boat together, they learn a lot more about each other and their family members that puts the boat competition in a different perspective altogether.
I won't spoil it for you, but I really enjoyed wrapping up my summer reading with this great book. It is book one of a series and I am interested to see what will happen next on Prince Edward Island. Get your copy here.
From the Back Cover
"When Meg Whitaker's father decides to sell the family's lobster fishing business to her high school nemesis, she sets out to prove she should take it over instead. Though she's never had any interest in running the small fleet--or even getting on a boat due to her persistent seasickness--she can't stand to see Oliver Ross in charge. Not when he ruined her dreams for a science scholarship and an Ivy League education ten years ago.
Oliver isn't proud of what he did back then. Angry and broken by his father walking out on his family, he lashed out at Meg--an innocent bystander. But owning a respected fishing fleet on Prince Edward Island is the opportunity of a lifetime, as well as a way to provide for his mother, and he's not about to walk away just because Meg wants him to.
Meg's father has the perfect solution: Oliver and Meg will work the business together, and at the end of the season, he'll decide who gets it. Along the way, they may discover that their stories are more similar than they thought . . . and their dreams aren't what they expected."
I received this book for free from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.
I was first introduced to Sundin's work through my church library. I started with her "Sunrise at Normandy" Series about three Texas brothers whose path led them all to participate in one way or another in the battle of Normandy. It was such a fantastic series and each book really stood out alone. When the opportunity came with Revell Reads to be a first reader for her latest, "When Twilight Breaks" book that came out this month, I jumped at the opportunity!
The best thing about this novel is that it makes you want to bust open a history book (or do a simple Google search) to research and look up some of these historical events that are brought to life in the story.
You can tell Sundin does her research- from what the characters wear, to how they style their hair, to the kinds of cars driven in the era.
What I thought was most interesting is that this book is set in 1938 which is Pre- World War II. It explores so much about the thoughts, feelings, and emotions from those who sympathized with Hitler and the Nazi's and those of the Jews when the anti-semitic laws began to become more frequent and more harsh.
I highly recommend this book as a fantastic exploration of this time period that explores love, history, war, and faith in God when it is put to the ultimate test.
From the back cover:
Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country--or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.
Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party--to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.
As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.
Get your copy today at Amazon or your favorite online retailer, or click here!
I was given a free copy of this book to review from Revell publishing in exchange for my honest review.
Unplanned pregnancies, abandonment, the plight of shuffled foster children, PTSD, abuse, human trafficking, infertility, adoption, and homelessness...Did I leave anything out? All of these major issues are beautifully interwoven into a gripping story that brings the most vulnerable populations at the feet of an endearing woman that points them all to Jesus.
In Amanda Cox's new novel, "The Edge of Belonging", I find myself reading through the eyes of multiple different characters from present day to the past. The matriarchal character, Pearl, reminds me of my own grandmother reaching out to the lost and hurting despite her own baggage to show them the love of the Father.
Ivy, the story's main character, goes on a journey to discover who she really is from the lessons of the past. In the process she realizes that despite her frail beginnings, she can rise up to be the strong woman God created her to be.
As someone who has a degree in human services and psychology and worked in the criminal justice system and crisis pregnancy centers, I appreciate the raw feelings and emotions the author conveys through the story of Harvey and Ivy. I appreciate the detail in their plight and heartache to explain how some people labeled "at risk" arrive to this label. Sometimes it's all about having that one person in your life to love you through the hardest and darkest times in your life to give you a glimpse of God's love for you.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8
I gave this book 5 stars on my Goodreads profile and I don't hand those out just nilly willy. You should pick up your copy today!
**I received a free copy of this book by Revell publishing in exchange for my honest review.**
I love when you pick up a book by an author you’ve never read and end up loving it! Ann H. Gabhart is an author local to me. I currently live in Kentucky and she is a local celebrity with her books for sale in a small-town gift shop that I have perused and never picked up until “An Appalachian Summer” came along.
I was delighted with the story of debutante, Piper Danson, who left a life of comfort and luxury among the socially elite of Louisville, Kentucky during the height of the Great Depression for a summer of soul searching. Piper leaves behind a summer of courtship with the most eligible bachelor in Louisville, Braxton Crandall, to be a courier in the Appalachian Mountains with the Frontier Nursing Service.
Feeling stifled by her father’s expectations of an arranged marriage back home is what inspires Piper to chart a new path for herself. She struggles with the loss of her best friend and childhood love, Jamie Russell, who fled town with his mother and siblings after their family loses all of their estate during the Great Depression. Piper also considers the proposal from the handsome Braxton Crandall knowing it could afford her the financial security so many lacked during this difficult time.
Confused and unsure of what she really wants, she hears about the need for help with the Frontier Nursing Service from Mary Breckenridge who comes to town to raise funds for medical assistance in the mountains. Piper decides to join as a courier and take the summer to “do something different” and not have to think about Braxton or Jamie.
As a courier, she assists nurses who deliver babies to mothers in some of the most treacherous and rural parts of the mountainous region. Riding horses, cleaning stalls, killing chickens for dinner, and watching out for rattlesnakes is just a small portion of what Piper experiences on her adventurous summer.
But what she doesn’t expect to happen is just when she thought she was far enough away from it all, life happened to catch up with her there.
I don’t want to tell you what happens, you will have to read it for yourself.
What I love most about this story is that Piper is showcased as a strong female lead who doesn’t ever play the damsel in distress part that I come across in so many books. When she is faced with a challenge, she perseveres even in the face of fear. She isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in and is brave enough to try new things.
There is more than one love story weaved in and a strong sense of family and faith prevails throughout the pages.
I can’t wait to read more of Ann H. Gabhart’s work knowing the incredible storytelling will take me on a journey that will allow for a fun escape in a world that is COVID crazy.
If you are looking for a lighthearted summer read, I highly recommend “An Appalachian Summer”. You should look for it at your local inspirational bookstore or online wherever your favorite books are sold. You can get your copy here
(This book was given to me by Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)
liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place,
and you and your father's house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance].
And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this
[and for this very purpose]?"
Esther 4:14
The words above are from a story in the Bible that is one of my most favorite. This story is powerful and when I received my copy of Jill Eileen Smith's new book, "Star of Persia: Esther's Story", I couldn't wait to dive in. I did receive a copy from Revell publishing for my honest review, but let me tell you, I knew in advance it would not disappoint. I have read several of Smith's books in the past and her attention to biblical detail is on point. If there ever was an author that could bring the Old Testament stories to life it would be Jill Eileen Smith.
The story of a Jewish Queen over Persia hiding her ancestry before her king is one that never gets old to hear. When evil Haman seduces the king into thinking the Jews are the problem in their country and they need to be annihilated, Esther is forced to choose between keeping her ancestry a secret so that she may continue to live peacefully with her king in the palace or speaking up to save her people and risk losing her life.
Of course, I won't tell you what happens next, but as soon as I finished it, and in only a couple of days, I had to open up my Bible and re-read the story myself and Smith's story mixed with biblical and historical facts breathes new life into this incredible heroine's decision.
You see, coming before the king uninvited and unannounced could have been an automatic death sentence, by itself. But also sharing her ancestry and her plea to save her people could have also infuriated the king, so she had nothing to rely on but her faith in God (Adonai) and hope His presence in the room with her would be enough to soften the king's heart to her request.
I highly recommend this book and lucky for all my readers, this book just came out yesterday! Get your copy on Amazon asap!
I will leave you with a beautiful song that I think sums up what might have gone through Esther's mind as she pondered the big decision she had to make- My Weapon by Natalie Grant.
"Your presence is my greatest weapon
Pushing back the darkness Breaking every chain
My worship opens up the heavens Crushing every stronghold When I speak Your name Your presence is my weapon"
Have you ever gone through something really hard and wanted to give up? Have you ever thought you didn’t have what it takes to overcome an obstacle in your life that came crashing through your front door? Have you ever felt like you were losing your grip as your life’s circumstances swirled around you?
Well, what if I told you that you have everything you need inside to get through, push through, pull through, grasp tighter, hold your head up, and look that tornado in the eye and even be STILL. Well, we know Jesus can do that as told in Matthew 8:23-27. In this story, Jesus is riding in the boat with the disciples when the wind and waves were whipping wildly and water was pouring in the boat. In this story, Jesus stands up and asks profoundly, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”
In Jenny L. Donnelly’s new book, “Still: 7 Ways to Find Calm in the Chaos”, she beautifully paints a picture, even on the front cover of her book, of a silent and still eye of the storm seated in the middle of a hurricane.
Think of this statement Jenny makes in the book, “Water may be in the boat, but Jesus is too.” Sometimes I think we, as Christians, forget that we are in this boat of life with Jesus. Even when the storms are raging and He doesn’t calm the storm, He can calm the storm inside of us. Learning to be still and accessing God’s REST helps us to have the strength, perseverance, and endurance needed to pull through and come out of the storm and to the other side.
She does an incredible job of capturing God’s REST for us, even keeping the word in all caps throughout her book, to remind you that it is possible to walk through the most anxiety driven, fearful, and even depressing times with REST in our minds, spirit, and soul.
Jenny says,“If we think fear makes sense, then we will lend it power. We will say, “This is a fact, so it must be the highest truth.” In what seems like a logical conclusion, fear wins the moment. Even worse, the longer we believe in the fear, the more power it gains, eventually becoming a stronghold of the mind. A stronghold is a fortress of fear that becomes very strong and difficult to tear down.
At Universal Studios, we toured the movie sets. The buildings looked like solid brick and wood, but our guide said they were made of foam. Have you thought that maybe what you determined to be stone or fact is really foam? Fear is fake.”
What a powerful quote from Jenny’s book especially for someone like me who has experienced anxiety, fear, and worry of the unknown, the future, or other things that are uncomfortable to me. In doing so, I have allowed fear to incapacitate me and keep me in the fight, flight, or freeze mode of stress. Have you ever felt that? It’s a terrible feeling.
She tackles worry, fear, anxiety, dread and how putting on our garment of praise and being reminded of God’s grace that is given for every day as just a couple of examples to keep us grounded. These may sound like very spiritual terms for non-believers and new believers, but she really breaks this down into practical examples and scenarios of how and when this can come into play.
Most of this book is a perfect example of how we are to renew our minds and replace the negative with God’s promises and reminders of who we are- daughters and sons of the King of Kings. I love how this book brings all the glory ultimately to God. She doesn’t glorify herself or make remarks that she has this down to an exact science but talks about how she is still putting this into practice herself, slipping up at times, and falling into some of the same pitfalls as before, but keeps her focus on God. In doing so, it rearranges her perspective.
This book is filled with scripture, prayers, places for you to reflect, and keeps your eyes pointed towards the Lord. When we can get outside of our own heads and instead focus on the Lord and keep a kingdom perspective, we can better equip ourselves to handle life’s turmoil from a place of REST.
There are a million little nuggets of wisdom I could quote and share, but I highly encourage you to get a copy yourself, here. The very last chapter even has a beautiful prayer that wraps up the book while asking God to help our hearts and minds be still and remember to operate from our place of REST in God.
I will leave you with one of my favorite scriptures on the subject of entering God’s rest and being still. I will also leave you with one of my new favorite songs by Brian and Katie Torwalt that helps us remember to put on our garment of praise, even before our breakthrough fully comes.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I will always have everything I need.
He gives me green pastures to lie in. He leads me by calm pools of water.
He restores my strength. He leads me on right paths to show that he is good.
Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave, I will not be afraid of any danger,
