New Books

Painted Memories: Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway!

March 11, 2021 // Esther Filbrun 5 Comments

When I saw that one of my more recently favorite authors was running a blog tour for her newest release, Painted Memories, I knew I wanted to join in—I didn’t want to miss out on reading this book!

I read the first book in this series, Dance With Me (which can easily be a standalone title), a couple of years ago. Though I had seen A.M. Heath’s name floating around different places, I never actually had read any of her books…until that one. And although that pushed me out of my reading comfort zone a bit, I quickly realized this was a talented author I was dealing with.

Her second book in the Art of Love series, Painted Memories, is quite possibly my favorites of hers now. I believe I’ve only read three from her—but this one had such depth that it eclipsed my former favorite by Heath!

Note: Links in this post may be affiliate links, which help support this blog at no added expense to you. Thanks! Also, the author gave me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the book:

She moved on when the love of her life died in the war, but what will happen when she finds out he’s alive?

Olivia Jernigan never thought she’d get over Grady. But three years after his death, she’s on the verge of marrying Kenneth Wade when she receives a new painting by her deceased fiancé. Olivia flees home to learn what really happened to the man she thought died in the Korean War. The man she thought loved her enough to come home for her.

Grady Barnes woke up three years ago in a hospital room with no knowledge of his identity. The only memory to resurface is the image of a woman he can’t stop painting. When she suddenly shows up at his painting class, she may help him discover where he really belongs or she may disrupt the life he was building for himself.

Olivia and Grady have a history. But now, they wonder if they still have a future … or perhaps, their love is just a painted memory.

Buy your own copy here.

My thoughts:

I’ve always been intrigued by brain-related injury stories. Perhaps hearing Dr. Ben Carson’s Gifted Hands early on had something to do with it, but that’s always been a point of interest for me. And though I didn’t take the time to read the synopsis of Painted Memories before reading it (going in blind is so much more fun, right?), I was immediately sucked in, and it didn’t take long to finish the story!

I could so relate to both characters. Both were experiencing grief in their own ways, and though I really wanted to shake one of them a couple of times (“Okay, it’s been long enough now—snap out of it!”), it also felt very realistic.

One thing I really enjoyed about this story was the setting. The era around the Korean war is not widely used in fiction yet—perhaps it’s too recent, or at least I haven’t seen it in the Christian fiction I’m familiar with—so I loved seeing that time come to life! It’s not so different from our time, but the 50s were a time of great change in our world, and getting a little piece of that here was quite special.

A great read overall. I didn’t feel like the writing style stood out, but I couldn’t put the book down the entire time I was reading it—despite the fact the characters sort-of annoyed me! This is a bittersweet story—so many lovely, lovely things in here, and yet so much grief, too. And the ending…I found that highly satisfactory, although I wasn’t sure I would when I first read it!

A recommended read if you like historical fiction, the arts, and love stories in general.

I requested a free review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, A.M. Heath is giving away the grand prize package of a Grace is Sufficient mug and a copy of the book. Be sure to comment on the blog stops (below) for nine extra entries into the giveaway. Go here to enter, or click the picture above.

About the author:

Besides being an Indie Author, I’m a wife, mother of four, children’s Sunday School teacher, sweet tea drinker, history fanatic, romantic, bubbly, lover of broccoli, and a retired cake decorator who has a soft spot for Christmas trees, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What I’m not is a laundress (or at least not one who keeps up very well), a duster, tall, or patient in a doctor’s office. (Check her out at her website: Christian Author A.M. Heath)

The other blog stops:

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, March 9
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 10
Purposeful Learning, March 10
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 11
Texas Book-aholic, March 12
Blossoms and Blessings, March 12
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 13
Inklings and notions, March 14
Batya’s Bits, March 14
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 15
deb’s Book Review, March 16
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 16 (Author Interview)
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 17
For Him and My Family, March 18
Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 18
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 19
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 20
Mary Hake, March 20
Adventures Of A Travelers Wife, March 21
Connie’s History Classroom, March 22
Live. Love. Read. , March 22

What fiction have you been reading lately? Have you had any stick with you for quite a while, as this one has for me?

Book Review and Giveaway: Cross Shadow!

June 11, 2020 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

Hello again, friends! Today, I’m bringing another book review your way, this time the second book in a series! I read (and enjoyed) the first, A Cross to Kill, although it ended up being outside my comfort zone in some ways. When I saw that the sequel, Cross Shadow, was available, I told my brother about it—who had also read and enjoyed the first book. He asked to be able to read it, and I agreed, providing he would read and do the review for me. So today, you get to hear his thoughts on the book!

I haven’t had time to read Cross Shadow since I’ve been away from home, but I expect it is as good as the last one—and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in here, too!

Disclaimer: We were given a free review copy of this book to read, in exchange for our honest thoughts. Some links in this blog post are affiliate links, which support this blog at no added cost to you.

About the Book:

All journalist Christine Lewis wants is the truth. All pastor John Cross wants is to avoid it.

Former CIA agent turned evangelical pastor John Cross is busy caring for the small community of believers he ministers to in Virginia. Journalist Christine Lewis is busy with the demand for her talents from top news agencies in New York City. Neither has any time left for their relationship, which began eight months before when they paired up to prevent the detonation of a chemical bomb in the nation’s capital.

But when Christine hears that her stepbrother has been arrested for murder in Texas, they team up again to discover the truth about the crime. Untangling a web of conspiracy, the couple finds themselves in the center of another dangerous situation-and in trouble far deeper than they expected.

With an assassin on the loose, a trusted colleague acting as a double agent, and unreliable artificial intelligence connected to mercenaries who have Cross on their hit list, these two may not get out of the Lone Star State alive.

Elijah’s Review:

You would think that after the exposure of the men who were seeking his life at the end of A Cross to Kill that the world would be safe for John Cross to live quietly. But then he finds another threat to his life when his girlfriend’s stepbrother is accused of murdering a coworker. The evidence is incriminating: There is video footage of the crime, threatening text messages on the phone of the murdered man, and a bloody knife with the accused’s fingerprints. Who actually did the deed, and why are some total strangers intent on killing both John and Christine Lewis?

After I read A Cross to Kill I wished I could read Cross Shadow, so when I got the chance I made it through in record time (even for me!). I really appreciated the fact that even though swearing and such profanities were mentioned throughout the book, the words themselves were left totally out. One thing I didn’t enjoy so much, partially due to my views from the Bible on not resisting evil (Matt. 5:39 and others), was the violence portrayed in this book. Don’t get me wrong—I appreciate the emphasis on wishing to keep from taking human life, but I feel that even the violence that is shown here is more than a Christian, in good conscience, should do.

Another thing I liked was the emphasis on following God’s will for your life. Both John and Christine began wondering in the story whether they were doing what God wished them to do, and in the end, they did make the changes they felt God would have them make in their lives.

I can’t say that the rise and fall of the action in the story was a surprise to me. It was pretty similar to the first book. I did find that the little twists the story took were totally unexpected. Some of them were pretty funny, like Christine’s father who used a wide range of nicknames for friends simply because he had a hard time remembering names!

I am intrigued to see what Right Cross has to bring. Huff has many original ideas and you never quite know what he will have you in for before the last page comes!

Buy your own copy here, or . . .

Enter the Giveaway!

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Have you read any mysteries or thrillers lately? What were they?

Jayne’s Endeavour Blog Tour: Special Recipe Post and Giveaway!

June 4, 2020 // Esther Filbrun 9 Comments

Hello, friends!

Well, I have something rather special to share with you today—and something rather unusual for me! It’s a blog tour, but the first one (I think) that I’ve participated in for an author outside the United States. I’m particularly excited about this, though, because the book, Jayne’s Endeavour (don’t you love the British spelling?!) is set in 18th century Australia, and it has a very strong Christian theme to it. How often do you come across a book like that?

I’ve lived in New Zealand for ten years now, and even in that time, have come across very few set in this part of the world, even in historical fiction, and even less that are Christian stories. So I’m excited about this story, and am glad I can share it with you.

But a little disclaimer before we start . . . I haven’t actually read this book yet! Reading has not been a priority of mine these past few weeks, so that hasn’t happened. I’ll try to share a little of what I’ve been up to lately sometime soon, but for now, I’d love to introduce this story to you, because I’m sure it will be great (the first chapter is interesting, anyway!):

I was given a free ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest review, although I haven’t actually read the book yet! (Review coming soon, hopefully.) Also, links in this post may be affiliate links, which earn me a small commission at no additional expense to you. Thanks!

About the Book

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction
Page Count: 276
Age Range: 12-18
Series: Book 1 of The JOY Series

Mysterious strangers, a Scripture verse, and a threat.

“Reids never give up.” The words once held so much truth. But at eighteen, Jayne Reid is beginning to wonder if she can live up to that standard.

When puzzling strangers appear and odd things start to happen, Jayne and her two younger sisters must find a solution—or lose everything.

What mystery lurks in the shadows of the Australian bush? Who is the man in town who thinks he can buy and bully anyone he wishes? And is it all somehow connected to their new farmhand?

Journey with Jayne as she struggles to change fear into boldness and boldness into a trusting relationship with her Heavenly Father. What adventure lies ahead?

Buy the book: Direct from Author | Amazon | AbeBooks | Book Depository | Add to Goodreads shelf

My Review

What a delightful story! Jayne’s Endeavour wasn’t the book I was expecting to read in the end—much better in some ways, I think, and perhaps not quite as good in other ways, but overall, I really enjoyed this read!

The history, of course, would be one of my biggest reasons for reading this story. There’s little enough Australian literature out there, and an Aussie story from a Christian perspective? Well nigh impossible to find! At least, I haven’t really seen any—and none written by an Australian themselves, if I remember right. The historical setting for this book was well done, I thought. It could have done with a bit more description, but the story was fine as it is. I didn’t get the same “immersed” feeling I’ve gotten reading other historical fiction books, but I suspect the author, in this case, was trying to stick as closely to known history as possible, and I applaud her for that.

I loved watching the sibling relationships in this story. It seemed very realistic, even though the characters weren’t quite as well-rounded as I hope to see in stories. Some parts of the way they acted felt a little forced or manipulated (especially the grieving process), but I feel like I can’t say much, because I don’t know how I would write it differently! But yes—this book is all about siblings, in a way, as there are three sisters and a brother and sister featured in here. I loved both their loyalty and determination to support each other no matter what—and no matter what it would take to help out everyone.

There are many pieces of Jayne’s Endeavor that I really enjoyed. Not everything was wrapped up in this first story, either—there’s a bit of mystery that will hopefully be solved in the next book (please, please?). In all, this was a fairly quick, fun read. As a debut novel, I think it shows good promise for more good stories to come. There were a few stylistic things that I wish were stronger (the setting and description weren’t as deep as I would have liked, and the characters didn’t feel as vivacious as they should have been), but I’m looking forward to seeing where this author goes in the future. If you’re looking for clean Christian historical fiction without romance, this is a great book to read. Recommended for middle-grade readers on up.

I requested a free review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

And now, from author Lauren Compton . . .

Tasty Research!

Australia was settled by a diverse range of social classes—convicts, assisted immigrants, and free settlers. As well as a diverse range of cultures—English, Irish, Scottish, Chinese, and the list goes on! So a lot of what makes up our culture has its roots in other countries. 😀

All the immigrants came holding dear their own traditions, dress, language, and even recipes. And so it is in Jayne’s Endeavour! Though it’s an Australian novel, Jayne’s family immigrated from Ireland when she was just seven years old.

During the writing of this novel, I had fun experimenting with some Irish fare! This was definitely a fun (and tasty) part of my research! 😀 And the recipe I’m about to share was particularly scrumptious! In fact, I’m going to have to make it again sometime soon!

Yvonne undid Jayne’s braid, and began to run the brush through her sister’s matted hair. Jayne felt her muscles relax. Despite her best efforts, her eyes started to shut. Her head slumped forward, and the brush caught in her hair tugging it at the roots. Her senses reawakened, Jayne sniffed deeply. “Something smells good.” She motioned to the pot hanging near the edge of the fire. “Is it Colcannon?”
–Chapter 3, Jayne’s Endeavour

Colcannon

Colcannon (Cabbage and Potatoes) is an Irish dish that is simplistic, yet homely. It’s a fine example of making do with what you have in a tasty and filling way!

Ingredients:

1 kg (2 lb) potatoes
boiling salted water
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup warm milk

500g (1 lb) cabbage, finely shredded
1 tablespoon butter
6 shallots or spring onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
pepper
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley (optional)

Method: Peel and chop potatoes. Cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain, return to pot, and shake over heat to dry. Mash potatoes with a potato masher. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and stir in half of the warm milk. If necessary, add more milk until you have reached a good consistency (not too stiff or dry and not too runny!).

Place chopped cabbage in a separate saucepan and cover with boiling water. Cook until tender. Drain thoroughly in a colander. Melt butter in the saucepan, add cabbage, and mix well over heat.

Stir the cabbage into the potato mixture, add shallots (or spring onions), salt, and pepper to taste. Serve hot with a sprinkle of parsley, if desired.

Recipe Notes: This makes a good side-dish, as well as a hearty and filling meal in its own right!

Do you like trying new recipes from different countries!? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to know some of your favorite dishes! 😀 (From Esther: I’ve always loved trying out different cuisine! We have a favorite family dish that originated as a Hungarian recipe!)

About the Author

Lauren Compton lives in Australia on a sheep farm—surrounded by mountains and plenty of Aussie wildlife! From a young age she has loved books and writing-related things (yep, that includes spending ages in the writing supplies department!). Now she has embarked on a mission to write books that both entertain AND encourage. Her desire is to weave stories that point readers to her Heavenly Father while at the same time being a whole lot of fun!

Connect with her here: Blog | Goodreads |Amazon | Newsletter

Tour Giveaway!

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Join in the Rest of the Fun!

Be sure to follow along for author interviews, fun posts, and exclusive giveaways!

Monday 25^thMay
Abby Rose @ Photos by Abby Rose |Review

Tuesday 26^th May
Leona @ Great Books for God’s Girls |Review and Excerpt

Wednesday 27^th May
Becky @ Blossoms and Blessings | Review and Exclusive Giveaway
Erika @ Resting Life | Review and Excerpt

Thursday 28^th May
Katja @ Old-Fashioned Book Love |Review
Malachi @ Brainstorms with Rain |Book Spotlight

Monday 1^st June—Release Day!!
Kaitlyn @ Maidens for Modesty |Review and Guest Post
Lauren @ Novels That Encourage |Release Day Post

Tuesday 2^nd June
Rebekah @ Read Another Page |Review and Author Interview

Wednesday 3^rd June
Kassie @ Soldier Girl Stories |Review and Exclusive Giveaway
Esther @ Purposeful Learning |Book Spotlight, Recipe, Review

Thursday 4^th June
Amanda @ With a Joyful Noise | Book Spotlight, Guest Post, Review

Monday 8^th June
Ryana Lynn @ Life of Heritage |Review, Author Interview, Exclusive Giveaway

Tuesday 9^th June
Michaela @ Tangled Up in Writing |Review and Book Spotlight
Abigail @ Read, Review, Rejoice | Book Spotlight and Guest Post

Wednesday 10^th June
Sydney @ Singing Librarian Books | Review, Excerpt, Author Interview

Thursday 11^th June
Tara @ Tower in the Plains | Review and Recipe
Laura @ Beautiful Things |Book Spotlight
Lauren @ Novels That Encourage |Tour Wrap Up

Book Review: A Cross to Kill

December 11, 2019 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

Hello, friends! I’m back after an extended, yet unintended, hiatus! I’ll have to tell you about my November sometime soon…it was quite the month!

Well, today I have a special treat. Or shall we say, I’m sharing a book that was a special treat to me? I’ve been enjoying some great mysteries lately—just started one this morning, in fact—but I read one back in November that I ended up really enjoying. Not all of it was my favorite, but overall it was great. If you’ve ever read and enjoyed any thriller or suspense novels, I’d suspect you would like it. But first, here’s the back cover copy.

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links. They help support this blog, at no added expense to you. Thank you! Also, I was given a free review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of the work.

About the Book:

John Cross is a small-town pastor, bent on leading his flock to follow God’s calling. He’s not the sort of man one would expect to have a checkered past.

But the truth is that the man behind the pulpit preaching to his sheep was once a wolf—an assassin for the CIA. When John decided to follow Christ, he put that work behind him, determined to pay penance for all the lives he took. He vowed never to kill again.

Now someone wants the peaceful pastor to pay for his sins with his own life. And when a terrorist out for revenge walks into the church, John’s secrets are laid bare. Confronted with his past, he must face his demons and discover whether a man can truly change. Can he keep his vow–even when the people he loves are in mortal danger? Will his congregation and the brave woman he’s learning to care for be caught in the cross fire? In the end, his death may be the only sacrifice he has left to offer . . .

Andrew Huff’s thrilling debut is not only a riveting story of suspense, it’s also a deep exploration of the moral quandaries that face those who choose to follow the Prince of Peace in a violent world.

Read the first two chapters, provided by Kregel, by clicking here.

What I Thought:

I really enjoyed A Cross to Kill! During November, I had a lot going on and not a lot of time to read, so with what time I did have, I wanted something fun and engaging. This book fit that criterion perfectly, and I found myself sucked in right away. I enjoyed it so much that I told my brother about it, and he, too, ended up reading the book. I thought it would be fun for you to hear what he had to think about it, so I’ll share his review below.

I felt like this story had some great themes about trying to hold to our convictions and honor the Lord, while still delivering an engaging story. Some parts were unbelievable for me, and I definitely would not want to watch this as a movie, but seeing the main character trying to do what was right was great. The gospel message also came through here, which I appreciated. I don’t know if I would want to read the sequel to the story, because of the amount of violence in here (that was the one part I didn’t enjoy that much), but the mystery and characters and story plotting in general were all superb. If you’re looking for a gripping, fast-paced ride with Christian themes, check this out.

As I mentioned before, I requested a free review copy of this book, and that is the copy both of us read. 🙂

And now, for Elijah’s thoughts (thank you, Elijah!):

Recently my older sister told me about a book that she was reading at the time, giving it high acclaim. “An adventure novel” was her label, and so A Cross to Kill turned out to be.

John Cross, a former CIA member, now pastors a small out of the way congregation belonging to the Rural Grove Baptist Church. The congregation believes that he lost a good government job and that is why he became a pastor, but the truth is that he was one of the CIA’s top field operatives. He still does some work for the CIA, but he desperately wishes to bury most of what he has done deep in the past. All this starts to change with the very last mission he does for the CIA, rescuing an American reporter who was about to be executed by terrorists in Turkey. Though utmost secrecy was kept about the whole matter, Christine Luis remembers too much about her near-death experience and seeks out her savior. When they meet, they realize that there are evil plots afoot, endangering themselves and many of those around them. Can they uncover the truth in time to save the lives of many others? And what about Cross’ past—can he hide his lie to his congregation forever?

When I first heard about the book, I wasn’t too excited about it. But that changed over the course of the first few chapters. The pace started fast and rarely slowed down throughout the book. There were many points I appreciated. Though it doesn’t give a theological explanation in the book, Cross made a stand against killing. Similarly, it doesn’t tell the gospel message as such, but it shows the result of turning to Christ; seeking forgiveness for wrongdoing and a complete turnaround from the old man to the new.

I did not agree with the stand taken in the book on several levels. First of all, after his conversion, he repressed his conscience at several points in the story as far as “borrowing” cars went in order to get to where he needed to go. Another thing I would like to mention is his level of violence. He would not go so far as killing someone—or so he told himself. But a point that was brought out in another book I read recently was that “the road to gross sins is walked with small steps.” Like I mentioned before, he had made a vow against killing which I respect (as much as one can when referring to a fictitious story!) but I still do not like the lead in that direction taken in the story. As a final point, I didn’t appreciate the position of pastor he took in the light that he was just a new Christian. 1 Timothy 3:6 speaks on this subject. I believe that it clearly states that a young believer should not be put in a position of authority in the church. This is a general point, I will admit, not a blanket statement. If a new believer has matured enough in their Christian life I see no problem with him taking the position of pastor. But godly caution should be exercised and I personally think Cross took the position too early in his Christian life.

I appreciate that though he lived a lie throughout the story, he faced up to the truth when it did come out. And the congregation showed a good attitude when they accepted his apology and forgave him.

I was impressed with the story overall. The weaving of the story-lines is masterful and (if you are like me) as soon as you start the book, you won’t want to put it down until you have finished it.

Buy your own copy here, or…

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There is a giveaway going on right now, too! Enter below for your own chance at a copy of this story.

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I’m looking forward to getting back to writing more regularly again! It seems like far too long. For now, what are you reading or have been reading lately? I’ve read some other great books the last while besides this one, so hopefully I can share them with you soon, too!

Book Haul!

October 17, 2019 // Esther Filbrun 2 Comments

Several weeks ago, perhaps a month ago now, one of my brothers came home from examining the “treasures” at our local green dump (read green very loosely; that’s what it’s supposed to be, anyway!), and told me there were some old books left there. One was even an old fairy tale book! A day or two later, I took my normal walk around the block, and then we stopped to look at the books. What a treasure trove! If I had known what there was, I would have gone down earlier—but even so, I am pretty tickled with what they found!

The one of the most interest to me was an old 1880s or 1890s copy of Dr. Chase’s Last Receipt Book and Household Physician. I had never seen a book quite like this before, and there are some interesting recipes in here as well as some fascinating (if not scary!) advice. It’s also interesting to see some of the “new” ideas mentioned here, such as the discovery that milk keeps better if it’s chilled down in ice as soon as it has been milked out—what an amazing invention! 🙂

Book Haul 03 — The top is captioned “A Modern Dairy Scene”. Left bottom is the “recent” Swedish discovery (that is really Yankee!), and right bottom is a method to make butter in hot weather…which I think would make some foul-tasting butter!

Also of interest was an old self-pronouncing dictionary. I was sad that the front cover and front pages are missing, but it’s still interesting to look through the definitions.

Book Haul 04 — I love the old page ends on this one!

Then there’s Lily at her Grandmama’s, a delightful old-style picture book, and Northland Heroes written by the author of Haiawatha and containing a story of Beowolf as well as at least one other old story. The “fairy tale book” ended up being a newer (1950s) reprinting of Alice in Wonderland—I’m looking forward to reading this; I’ve been wanting to for a long time! And another newer book called The Whole Person in a Broken World (an interesting title, at least!), which promises to be good if I ever sit down to read it.

Book Haul 05 — Far right-top: “Waltham School Standard 2 A. Special Prize Awarded to Mavis Palmer for Neatness.”

I just love the illustrations in Lily at her Grandmama’s!:

Book Haul 06 — “…He has entangled his line in the tree, and I do believe he has caught the hook in his own finger.”

The other three books I got that day were not quite as interesting to me, but a friend of mine is interested in them—an old Latin Lessons book, a Latin Primer, and Henri Bué First French Book! Unfortunately, I never learned anything about either French or Latin, but I have a friend who has studied both and taught her daughter elements of both languages, and she’s interested in taking them into her own collection.

We gathered all the books we could find, and stuffed them into a reusable yellow shopping bag to carry home. It’s funny how you forget how heavy some things can be—and books must be among the heaviest!—but thankfully it wasn’t too far to haul them home. 🙂

The day after our dump find, then, a bag of several different books was given to us, and at the bottom of the stack was a very old English Bible! It was printed in 1855, and Mom surmised that it must have made a trip across the ocean in the bottom of someone’s sea chest at some stage. There are fascinating old documents in here—I’ll include a few pictures for you.

“Arthur Hayworth. From his affectionate Mother. Surfolk(?), June 8th, 1868.”

Bible inserts — Left: A prayer to be prayed in England and Wales, and the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed (isn’t that a neat name!?) on 12th August, 1866, because of the cholera and cattle plague. Top right: Several sheets of hymns for gospel services. Bottom right: A Sunday School paper, with the front page a picture of Greenlanders.

In all, this was quite the book haul, and I’m quite pleased about some of the finds we have. Keep your precious old books. You never know what a treasure they might be for the next generation!

What’s the oldest book you have ever owned? Have you rescued books from a dump before?

Haven of Rest: Blog Tour and Giveaway!

October 3, 2019 // Esther Filbrun 2 Comments

Today, I get to share with you a book from a series I’ve really been enjoying lately: Haven of Rest! It’s book #4 in the Tales of the East series by Faith Blum, and guys. I think this has to be my most favorite set of books I’ve seen from Blum so far. I’ve really appreciated her other books, but this series has something special about it that I love. She shares the Biblical world in such a matter-of-fact, yet interesting way, with some intriguing plots. (If you’re interested in reading my review of book #1 in the series, Trust and Obey, go here.)

The funny thing is, I really don’t know why I love them so much—just that I do. So when I saw the opportunity come up to review this one, I knew I wanted to do that, too. And here we are!

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links. Your purchase through these links doesn’t cost you any extra, but goes toward keeping this blog going. Thank you! Also, I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. I did end up buying my own copy, but thought you might want to know anyway…. 🙂

About the book:

Ignored by her father…

Adah was neglected by her abba and her brother. She must do something. All her previous plans have failed, but she won’t slip up this time. Since her abba is King David, author of many songs, what better way to gain his attention than pulling off a concert featuring twelve of his daughters?

As she plans, Adah’s discontentment grows. She throws herself into the work but worry edges into her heart anyway. Can Adah learn to rest in Adonai as her father? Will she learn contentment in all things?

Click here to get your copy!

My review:

It’s so hard to sum up a book you both enjoyed and didn’t! I’ve loved the whole series so far. The plots are fairly simple, but definitely enjoyable. I love Faith Blum’s perspective on what the Biblical times would have looked like, and that admiration has stayed fairly steady throughout the series.

This book, though, was both good and challenging. I loved how music—a central element to King David’s life—played a major role in the first part of this book. I also loved seeing the main character work through accepting a decision she didn’t agree with, and learning to yield herself to the Lord’s greater plan.

Unfortunately, I struggled to see an overarching theme in this book—I can see how they go together, in a way, but it felt like you were all set up for one thing to happen and all of a sudden the story took an unprecedented turn in another, completely different, direction. Also, the way the characters related with each other didn’t seem very likely to me—the wives of David seemed to be portrayed as living in their own spaces (huts or assigned rooms, I’m not sure which), and not interacting much at all. Cooking separate meals, working on separate projects inside their own rooms, etc. I believe as part of David’s family, they would have had a lot more interaction, living in more of a communal lifestyle—the values and ways of living life are quite different than portrayed here (or maybe I just picked it up all wrong—I have no idea!).

In saying that, I still enjoyed the book. There were some good thoughts in here. It just wasn’t one of my top favorites of the series. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next book holds!

About the Author:

Faith Blum is a small-town Wisconsin girl. She has independently published over 25 books in over five years. Most of her books are Christian Historical Fiction with an emphasis on Westerns. During an eBook sale, she was #1 in Christian Westerns and Christian Western Anthologies on Amazon. During that sale, she sold over 3,000 copies.

Faith currently resides in Central Wisconsin with her husband and their cat, Smokey. When not writing, you can find her cooking food from scratch due to food allergies, doing dishes, knitting, crocheting, sewing, reading, or spending time with her husband. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to contact her on her website: https://faithblum.com.

Blog Tour Stops:

Comment on these to get extra entries in the tour giveaway!

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 21
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 22
All 4 and About Books, September 23 (Author Interview)
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 24
Wishful Endings, September 25 (Author Interview)
A Reader’s Brain, September 26
Inklings and notions , September 27
Through the Fire Blogs, September 28
Mary Hake, September 29
Lukewarm Tea, September 30 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, October 1
Purposeful Learning, October 2
janicesbookreviews, October 3
Just the Write Escape, October 4

Giveaway!

And, finally, the giveaway! This looks like a very fun set to win.

To celebrate her tour, Faith is giving away a themed basket with two plastic canvas heart bookmarks, a paperback copy of the book, and a crocheted doily (I’d love to see how the doily is made…I’ve been dreaming of making one sometime soon when I can get the right thread)!

Be sure to comment here and on the other blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Go here to enter.

What Biblical historical fiction have you been reading lately? Who is your favorite author that writes in this genre? (I think mine is probably Connilyn Cossette at the moment, but Blum is a close second!)