A Review: "Miracle in a Dry Season" by Sarah Loudin Thomas

"Miracle in a Dry Season", the debut novel from Sarah Loudin Thomas, takes place in Wise, a tiny hamlet in the mountains of West Virginia. Casewell Phillips is a well-respected member of the community. He harbors a deep desire to marry, but hasn't found the right woman yet. Perla Long came to Wise with her daughter, Sadie, to reside with her aunt and uncle in order to escape her past, but finds it to be difficult to leave it all behind. Circumstances bring them together, particularly a severe drought which brings the community together in ways they would never have forseen.

The novel was full of likeable characters and some interesting sub-plots. The theme of sin, forgiveness, and God's grace ran strong through this novel. The story is mostly told through Casewell, which brings an interesting twist that isn't found in many Christian fiction novels. The characters are well-developed and the descriptions of life in this tiny Appalachian town are wonderful. This book was a nice debut novel and provides high hopes for future novels from this author.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from Bethany House Publishers through the Book Blogger program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)

A Review: "The Family Project" by Glenn T. Stanton and Leon C. Wirth

"The Family Project" by Glenn T. Stanton and Leon C. Wirth is a companion book to the 12-session small group curriculum created by Focus on the Family. With the idea of family in such disarray and under attack in public arenas, this book brings some clarity, definition, and meaning to "family". The book is divided into four sections which seek to lay a Biblical framework for family and marriage. Each chapter concludes with a reflection statement which sums up the main idea from each chapter, as well as a number of reflection questions for digging deeper into the ideas presented in each chapter.

I found this book a little hard to digest on my own, but believe it would be an excellent resource for a small group to go through together. There were a lot of theological ideas presented, which can make for heavier reading at times. The main points were presented clearly and each chapter built well on the previous ones. Overall, this is a good resource for bringing added definition and clarity to what family means.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)

A Review: "The Berenstain Bears: God Shows the Way" by Stan and Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain

"The Berenstain Bears:  God Shows the Way" by Stan and Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain is a slim volume that contains three separate stories. "Faith Gets Us Through" focuses on how faith can help see us through any difficulty that may come our way, as evidenced by a Scout pack exploring a cave. "Do Not Fear, God is Near" helps readers understand that with God, we have no reason to be afraid, a lesson Sister Bear learned to help conquer her own fears. "Piggy Bank Blessings" instructs about the value of saving money, as well as generosity toward others.

My boys rather enjoy stories about the Berenstain Bears, and this volume is a great one--not only because it contains three books, but also because the faith lessons taught in each story are ones that I am eager for my boys to internalize. Having stories like this that help reinforce certain faith concepts are fabulous. They have already been requesting re-reads of the stories!

(I’ve received this complimentary book through the BookLook program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)