Erm . . . better late than never, right? 😆
I find it hard to blog when I’m not feeling well. Unfortunately, that kind of gives you an inkling into what my March has been like. Ahh . . . such is life with chronic health issues.
So, let’s see . . . in February I finished 8 more books, bringing my total for January and February up to 13.Â
First off was ‘Love Finds You In Liberty, Indiana’. This is part of a series of stand-alone novels called the ‘Love Finds You’ series. Each of these inspirational fiction novels ‘showcases’ a city in the U.S. which has an unusual name. ‘Liberty’ was an intriguing book set at the time of the Underground Railroad. Anna Brent and her father are ‘conductors’ on the ‘railroad’. Anna feels that as a Quaker, she must help every soul who is in trouble, and she feels God’s hand upon her, calling her to this dangerous work. Unfortunately, she often feels alone, as, obviously, her efforts to help slaves escape to freedom in Canada must be kept secret. When that secret is threatened, she wonders if she can trust Daniel Stanton, a man who is outspoken in his abolitionist views. I really enjoyed reading about Anna and her desire to do what God wants her to do. I also enjoyed the way the friendship developed between Anna and Daniel. I have enjoyed the few ‘Love Finds You’ books I’ve been able to read so far, and this was no exception. (four stars)
I remember reading some of the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ series when I was a girl, and decided to re-read them again starting last year. I’m wondering now if I ever read more than the last one of the series, because I honestly don’t remember the first ones! 😆 At any rate, the second book I finished in February was ‘The First Four Years’, which finished out the series. It was a quick read (I finished it in a day), but I really enjoyed reading about Laura and Almanzo’s first years of marriage. All in all, it was a pleasant journey back to the early days of American pioneering, and this series will be one I will likely return to and read again and again. (four stars)
One of my favourite Christian authors is Karen Kingsbury. I find her writing style just envelopes me and her characters are so real you at times want to shake your head in exasperation at them, or just give them a big hug. ‘Take Three’Â is the third book in her ‘Above the Line’ series, which chronicles the journey of two Christian filmmakers who are on a mission to bring faith back into the lives of the general American populace through inspirational movies. In this book, one of the producers makes a choice that ultimately takes him in a different direction than making films, and the other finds miraculous guidance in going forward without the partner he thought would be by his side for the entire journey. The book also tells about the lives of the families and friends of the producers, and starts to wrap up a few of the story lines introduced in ‘Take One’ and ‘Take Two’. I’m excited to read ‘Take Four’ and see what ends up happening in the end! (four stars)
One of my dearest friends, knowing of my interest in the ‘Twilight’ series, recommended that I read a book called ‘Beautiful Creatures’ by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, which is the story of Ethan, a mortal boy, who meets and falls in love with Lena, a Caster girl. ‘Beautiful Chaos’ is the 3rd novel in the ‘Caster Chronicles’, and tells of how Ethan, Lena and their friends try to repair a ‘broken world’ that was created in events in the 2nd novel (‘Beautiful Darkness’). I’ve really enjoyed these novels. They are a supernatural fantasy set in the deep South, and have a definite Southern Gothic feel to them. I wish I could say more without spoiling the novels for those who have not yet read them, but I will say this much . . . the ending left me breathless and stunned. (four stars)
I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and believe that God has called prophets to lead His people in this day and age, just as He did in Biblical times. One of those prophets was Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008). President Hinckley led the Church from 1995, until his death in 2008, and until her death in 2004, his wife Marjorie Pay Hinckley was always by his side. I cannot think of anyone who didn’t adore Sister Hinckley. She was a small, smiling, grandmotherly type woman, who always had a gracious word for everyone. When a friend of mine reviewed her book ‘Letters’, I knew it was something I wanted to read for myself, and I am so glad I did. My impressions of Sister Hinckley were of a gracious woman, one who found joy in life, but was content to be in the background. From her letters, I learned that my impressions were correct, and yet I learned so much more. Her personality really shone through in her writing, and I found myself smiling and laughing at her humour and use of words like ‘swell’ (let me tell you, that did NOT sound like the Sister Hinckley I was familiar with, but did it ever endear her more to me!) and such. If you want to get a more complete glimpse into the life and personality of Marjorie Pay Hinckley, I HIGHLY recommend this book! 🙂 (five stars)
Part of my belief in God and in His plan for His children includes my belief that God’s words are to be treasured. Because of that belief, I have adopted a plan of daily Scripture study. I enjoy reading these ‘letters from Home’ as it were, and no matter how many times I finish a book of Scripture, I always find new things or gentle reminders of what I need to be doing in my life. I finished ‘The Pearl of Great Price’ in February. This book ‘fleshes out’ some of the experiences of Abraham and Moses that are recorded in the Old Testament. I appreciate having this additional record of 2 of the great prophets of the Old Testament, because I believe it only clarifies and reinforces what we learn in the Old Testament writings. I am so grateful for the Scriptures and for the knowledge they bring me of a loving Father in Heaven who has a plan for the happiness of His children. (five stars)
As mentioned in my previous book roundup, I really enjoy a good Amish fiction novel. I have always been fascinated by the Plain life, and really respect them for their efforts in trying to live the Biblical injunction to be ‘in the world, but not of the world’. Â ‘An Amish Gathering’Â is a collection of 3 novellas, detailing the lives of 3 young women in one Amish settlement, who are trying to do what God wants them to do, and how each of them comes to find love in her life. ‘A Change of Heart’ talks about Leah, who is admittedly not good at doing anything that a good Amish wife is ‘supposed’ to do. She feels called to write stories that will help people understand God’s love for them, and hopefully draw them towards faith in Him. Leah struggles with what she feels she ‘should’ do and what she feels God WANTS her to do, and despairs of ever finding a man who will accept her for who she really is. ‘A Place of His Own’ talks about Amanda, whose childhood best friend, Josiah, has suddenly returned after 10 years away from the community. Amanda is a ‘fixer’ and is troubled to see Josiah’s broken heart, but soon realises that there are some things that only God can fix. In ‘When Winter Comes’, we read about Rebecca, who is mourning the death of her twin sister in an accident that happened 5 years prior, and Ben, the young man who has loved Rebecca since they were children, and continues to wait for her to find peace and healing. Both Rebecca and Ben need to learn that healing comes in God’s time, and that forgiveness, especially the ability to forgive oneself is a gift to be highly prized. (three stars)
The last book I finished in February was another choice for the Fans of Amish Fiction book club. ‘A Wedding Quilt for Ella’Â is not a typical mostly-lighthearted read. Within pages of the beginning, Ella’s fiance is taken from her unexpectedly, and she feels her life start to spiral out of control. As the troubles mount in their close-knit community, Ella must figure out for herself what it means to trust God’s will, and realise that even in the midst of difficulties, God still does love her. Ella begins to find healing in reaching out to others in their sorrows, and in making plans to move forward with her life the way she believes her departed Aden would have wanted. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series. (three stars)
2012 book count for January-February ~ 13/75
