Review of "Her Daughter's Dream" by Francine Rivers

I found myself liking Marta more and more in this powerful conclusion to Her Mother's Hope; what a began as a seemingly hopeless tangled mess of relationships was resolved in a story rich in forgiveness - it illustrated beautifully that God can use even the most challenging of situations for something great.  I thought it was especially interesting that just as Carolyn was drawn to her Oma Marta, May Flower Dawn is with her grandmother Hildie....the difference being that Marta encouraged Carolyn to persist in her challenging relationship with her mother; Hildie seems determined to undermine Carolyn every chance she gets.  She is a tough character to enjoy because she is so persistently selfish.
Her Daughter's Dream takes us from the 50's through to present day....again, a rich-in-history lesson illustrating how decisions we make today can have such long reaching effects....but that God's grace can shine through and bring healthy resolution to it all, if we will simply stop being so stubborn and listen more than we speak.

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Review of "Her Mother's Hope" by Francine Rivers

Epic. Truly.  Both this and it's companion book, "Her Daughter's Dream" are simply put, wonderful.  I had a hard time putting them down.  Her Mother's Hope is part 1 that takes us all over Europe, Canada, and finally settles in the central valley of California, sweeping over several decades.  I truly enjoy reading novels set in historical and geographical settings so different from my own because I feel as if I learn a ton of history, get a great feel for the time, all while being entertained.  The character of Marta is intriguing; she was not only unusual for her time, but her determination and work ethic is a great example for any one today.  When analyzing the complex relationship between Marta and one of her daughters, Hildemara Rose, it is heartbreaking to see both "sides" of the story played out....and the far reaching effects that misunderstandings can cause.

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Review of "Bound by Guilt" by C.J. Darlington

C.J. Darlington has another winner with this book.  I read the first one ("Thicker Than Blood"), enjoyed it, and could hardly believe two things: 1, it was her debut novel, and 2, she was sooooooper young when she wrote it.  :)
That said, I was looking forward to reading Bound by Guilt, and it did not disappoint.  I liked the conflict -just enough tension for my personal tastes!- was thankful for the examples of unconditional love shown to Roxi even when she made serious mistakes, and loved the theme of redemption throughout.  I especially enjoyed learning more about Dealers of Rare Books/Antiquities.
I recommend both this and its companion book (I think they can be read independently but personally love to know the 'backstory'....so I must recommend reading Thicker Than Blood first!)

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Review of "Beneath the Night Tree" by Nicole Baart

I had read the first two books in this "series" quite some time ago, not realizing that there was another soon to come - so I was really pleased to find out what was going on with Julia DeSmit.
We pick up a few years after the last book left off and some new family dynamics have formed, with Julia looking ahead to the larger future.  The overall theme?  I felt it was redemption, something I personally can't read enough about.  Without giving too much away, she makes some tough decisions, this book made me think, and I was simultaneously really glad I read it and sorry when it was over.  It left me wanting more and I highly recommend all three books.

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Review of a favorite, "So Long, Insecurity...You've Been a Bad Friend To Us" by Beth Moore

First of all, the title: "You've been a bad friend..." - Genius.  Isn't it true?  Insecurity is the bad friend no more after reading this book.  I have only read a few other Beth Moore books, but (so far) this one is absolutely my favorite.  I know this is completely cliched, but I laughed, cried, read sections aloud to friends....I didn't even care if they were bored, because I sure wasn't. :)
I cannot say enough good things about this book.  I am grateful that Beth put on paper a lot of the thoughts I didn't think I wanted to share out loud, and then published it, so I could quit feeling weird about feeling, well, weird.
I firmly believe that almost ALL of the problems in this world ultimately stem from people's insecurity.  (Would we even HAVE mean girls without it?!)  If you have ever felt even a tiny bit unsure, check it out....this could be a great book for you.

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