What I'm Reading

After reading The Bridge of Peace, I was excited to receive another one of Cindy Woodsmall's books from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers.  After reading only one chapter, I was sorely surprised. The main character, a young Amish girl, is raped by a stranger on the side of the road. After realizing what I was reading I could not finish the rest of the novel. I know that some people enjoy reading realistic situations like this no matter how unsettling the text because it is reality and we can learn from it, but it is not the kind of thing I enjoy reading at the end of a long day when I just want to relax and put my mind at ease.

Although I did not read the remainder of the novel, I did however skim through to get the gist of the rest of the story. It seams this young girl goes through a lot of heartache and trouble as a result of her first traumatic experience. She is ostracized from her community and from those she cares most about over rumors and lies and misunderstandings. In the end, a few come to her aid, but things do not get resolved there. The Bridge of Peace is part of a trilogy so it does leave you wanting and I am sure if you enjoy this book, you would enjoy the following two.

This is not a novel I would recommend only because of the blatant imagery of rape which was too unsettling for my taste in novels. I do think that it is a well written novel following the woes of one young woman which many people could be enriched by. This just wasn't for me.

**I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

What I'm Reading

I know you're up in heaven, God,
and can hear my voice from there.
I'm just a little child.
Will you answer my short prayer?

This Little Prayer of Mine by Anthony DeStefano is such a beautiful little book. It follows a little child’s prayer from beginning to end and illustrates everything the child is feeling along the way. A child’s prayer is the sweetest thing and this book captures that special innocence. With its sing-song tone, I immediately was swept away with DeStefano’s words. I also love the illustrations. Each page is so pretty and filled with imagination. This is a book that I can see cherishing for many years to come as my daughter gets older.

My favorite part is that the book only tells one child’s prayer and doesn’t go any further.  It leaves the door open for the parent to step in with a discussion about their own personal beliefs about the importance of prayer and the power that can come with that. It would be the perfect opportunity to strengthen your child’s convictions on a regular basis.

***I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

What I'm Reading

Espresso for your Spirit

Hope and Humor for Pooped Out Parents

by Pam Vredevelt

I was leery of what a Christian self-help book could do for me. I have always had a bit of a negative connotation towards this type of literature and so I began reading this book already skeptical and believing it might help some people, but most likely do nothing for me. My attitude changed immediately. The first chapter had me in tears. The following chapters were much of the same: I cried, laughed, or was compelled to get on my knees and pray about something I had been neglecting.  A chapter at a time I was uplifted by Vredevelt’s words and hanging on to every sentence.

The book is meant to be read in a few minutes here and there by busy parents who only have about 5 minutes to themselves a day in order to rejuvenate and carry on. So the chapters are short and each one very meaningful. Some of the chapters are personal stories about the author and her family and other chapters are compiled of stories mostly of close friends of the authors. They are stories of trials and moments of inspiration. Each chapter ends with a short list of humorous anecdotes or quotes of hope.

After only reading a few chapters of Espresso for Your Spirit, I was already singing its praises and deciding everyone I know needed a copy. I loved the very personal experiences shared, the acknowledgment of God’s hand in all things, the simple truths learned that all parents need to understand, and the reminder that all parents struggle and that in no way defines how “good” of a parent we are. I cannot think of a negative thing to say about this book and am thankful it crossed my path.

***I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

What I'm Reading

God Gave Us Two

by Lisa Tawn Bergren

God Gave Us Two is a children’s book meant to help the first child in a family understand why his/her parents are having a second child. I like the idea of having books around to help my own first child handle the uncertainties that come with a new baby on the way, but I didn’t necessarily like how this book went about it. The main character brought up a lot of insecurities and worries which may come with having a new sibling join the family, but I feel it would be more productive to just focus on all the joys of a new baby rather than addressing all of the possible negative feelings. I also thought the wording was just plain awkward in many places. I did really enjoy the beautiful illustrations the book had to offer though.

***I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

What I'm Reading

The Bridge of Peace

It took me awhile to get into this story mainly because I was so confused at all the character names being thrown at me from the very beginning. Only later did I realize that The Bridge of Peace is the second in a series and that also there is a handy little character glossary in the back of the book. Once I was able to get into the story and get a grip on who each of the characters were, I really started to enjoy the plot. By the end of the novel I surprised myself with how much I actually was enjoying it and couldn't put it down until I had finished it completely.

The novel is not mainly about one Amish school teacher as I had previously thought given the description; it is about a whole community of Amish people and all of the complicated relationships that go into a tight-knit community such as this one. Because of this storyline, Woodsmall was able to delve into all of the interesting parts of human emotion: hope, despair, love, friendship, hatred, even psychopathy.

This was a great "feel good" novel. One that brought me up, down, and back up again. I can't wait to go back and read The Hope of Refuge and then to read the third in the series when it comes out this fall

***I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review