Book Review: Daring to Hope

Last year, I read a great book called Kisses for Katie, about an 18 year old girl who moved to Uganda and, by the time she was 23, had adopted 13 girls. I was moved and challenged by that book, and so I was thrilled to be able to review her second book, Daring to Hope.

Whereas the first book told the story of how she arrived at Uganda and how she ended up adopting all her daughters, this book tells of what her life was like after all the excitement settled down. She began to face many difficult things, encountering illness and death and loss, which is why the subtitle of this book is "Finding God's Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful."

Reflecting on these challenges, Katie writes, "And I did not know that in the middle of much pain and grief and loss, I would experience a joy and a peace that far surpassed human understanding... The Lord would take the darkness and make it my secret place, the place where I knew Him more intimately and deeply than I had ever fathomed possible. In the middle of the hurricane that surrounded me, I would experience a true Comfort so deep, so clear, that it simply could not be denied. It was Jesus. He was near... No, He didn't make the pain easy. But He made it beautiful."

Katie's writing, once again, challenges and inspires me. I see myself in her words, as I wrestle with many of the same things. For instance, later in the book, as she is helping an addict, she is struck by a realization of her own insufficiency as God brings conviction to her heart: "I am the addict and doubt is my drug, this ugly lack of trust, the place I turn when I am weak. It is my lifelong Jacob wrestle, my unwillingness to lay a dear one on the altar and trust that the Lord will provide." Through her beautiful illustrations and openness in sharing her struggles, Katie continually points the reader to the Answer to our problems, the Source of our joy. I look forward to watching what God has for her future.

You may learn more about the author HERE.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: The Masterpiece

Roman Velasco, a rich, successful artist needs a personal assistant. Grace Moore, a struggling single mom, needs a job. When these two are thrown together, they begin to learn that they aren't so different from what they first thought. Both have secrets in their past: from tragic childhoods, to illegal activity, to a failed marriage. If they let Him, there's only One who can mend their broken pasts and show them the Masterpiece He's working in their lives.

I already love several books by Francine Rivers, so I was excited to read this book! The book did not disappoint, and it held me captive as I retreated into its pages for an entire day. My laundry and kitchen need cleaning, because I was too busy reading to take care of things! The story is well written. The characters are well developed with real flaws, and the story shares Truth without getting preachy. As I mentioned before, the book captivated me. The author skillfully melds the stories of different characters, easily going back and forth between past and present.The ending is satisfying, a necessary conclusion to (shall I say it?) a Masterpiece of a book. 

To learn more about the author, click HERE. 

I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers for this review.

Book Review: The Empowered

A mysterious death. A former lawyer, Trevor Black, is on the case. Black has an uncanny gift. He is able to sense demonic forces. As Black travels to New Orleans to investigate, things quickly unravel. His daughter disappears, with evidence that she may be connected to the case and Black is suddenly named one of the top suspects. He has to solve the case and rescue his daughter while fighting evil forces before time runs out.

Unfortunately, I was not able to finish this book. The writing style stumbles a bit, leading me to yawn rather than drawing me in. The more dramatic scenes, rather than causing me to hold my breath, had me giggling and rolling my eyes. The author also chooses to have a southern character overuse the word "y'all." Unfortunately, the supposedly southern character uses "y'all" as a singular word, when every southerner knows that "y'all" means "you all," and is a plural word. The result is that this novel is dramatic, boring, and simply unbelievable.

To learn more about the author, click HERE. 

I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers for this review.

Book Review: A Force So Strong: Mao, Truman, and the Birth of Modern China, 1949

This book chronicles the political maneuvering that occurred in 1949 as the leadership in China changed. I have family members who live in China, so this book looked interesting to me. Author Kevin Peraino manages to make a dull topic interesting as he skillfully describes the people involved and describes their physical appearance and emotions. I did get lost a bit in the politics, which bore me, but I still learned a lot from this book and gained a deeper understanding of history, and that's a big reason to pick up a new book and read, isn't it?

You may learn more about the author HERE.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.