I have spent my summer doing a lot of reading. The house has been empty except for me most days due to everyone else having obligations. So, in the quiet solitude, I have read. It has been wonderful!
The Thief of Corinth was an unexpected joy for me to read in one sense. I usually do not like biblical fiction. I feel we should just let the Bible speak for itself and not try to add to it. This book, however, was not trying to add to a Biblical account despite the fact that the back cover mentions Paul. The author does use Corinth as its main setting and Paul does show up in the book. However, the storyline is purely fictional. The part of the story where Paul interacts is written in a way that seems very possible for Paul to have actually lived, but does not try to take a Biblical account and add fictional ideas to it. I will say that I was beginning to wonder how the author was going to solve the final dilemma while keeping Christian morals. I am still contemplating the "justification" as I can definitely see what the author was aiming for, but I struggle a little with the process. I know we see all kinds of shady things taking place in the Bible where GOD's people act in situations in what appears to be ungodly ways to reach an end goal. (For example, Tamar. I mean really. How much more shady can you get?) This is just such a fine line. The following is an excerpt from the book during this dilemma. Don't worry. I left out anything that might make it a spoiler. "What if God has heard the cries of the many who are being pressed and trampled under...and is using our predicament as a means of releasing them?" Yes, I believe the LORD uses our situations for His good. But what must occur for the "release" to come in this situation is questionable. I'm just still wrestling with it. Because of this issue, I would only recommend this book to a strong Believer. Our society uses the "ends to justify the means" so, so much. I realize that most believe that "all is fair in love and war" and the conflict the author undertook in the final part of her book could be looked at as war.. but... I find it difficult to swallow that the LORD would ask someone to do something wrong in order to make a right possible. Other than this issue, I really enjoyed the book. It is well written and I enjoyed the dialogue and writing style very much. The characters were likable, even despite their flaws (which every good character has some). I am anxious to read what must be coming next as the author hinted in her final notes that one of the main characters would not be left here. But, I will do so with caution. Blessings, The Mother
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I really was not expecting a lot from this book. In fact I didn't even know this was the author's first finished manuscript (which probably explains one of my criticisms.) But as I read the book I found my most favorite female character EVER for this genre...Em. Just Em. Plain Em.
Caleb wasn't bad either, but he didn't top my favorite male character, Drew, from A Bride Most Begrudging. A few months ago Susan (this blog's real author) and I had a discussion about our favorite male characters from this genre. (Hers is Artham from The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson, but in this genre it is Gideon from Head in the Clouds by Karen Witmeyer.) At the time I couldn't pin down my favorite male. I hold a soft spot in my heart for The Messenger by Siri Mitchell so Jeremiah is a favorite, but he is a little too "wounded soul" to be my absolute favorite character. Then a few weeks after our discussion I picked up Bride to reread for like the third time. Afterwards I handed it to Susan and said, "You may like Gideon, but read Drew. THIS is my favorite." But, on to THIS book's review. My main criticism for The Hope of Azure Springs is the dialogue. It just doesn't always flow really well. It sometimes feels choppy and short. Rushed almost. When I finished the book and discovered this was her first finished manuscript, it made more sense. I am not a writer but I have often heard from my son who would love to be one someday that dialogue is a hard thing to get a good grip on. So, maybe as we see Rachel Fordham publishing more books, we will see a more flowly dialogue emerge. But even this small flaw could not keep me from loving The Hope of Azure Springs. This book made me cry, ya'll. Two or Three Times. Something about the storyline and Em just resonated with me where I am right now. On the more formal review side, this book is very clean. The romance factor is the way I prefer...kissing saved to the end and the author conveys that they care for each other without telling us all about their tingling feelings. I just can't suggest books like that to unmarried girls, especially. And although the storyline was somewhat predictable, it wasn't entirely. So, I didn't feel like I was rereading all the other books but with a new cover. Speaking of the cover, I think this book is beautiful. It may not look like anything special on the computer screen, but there is something about the cover that when I received it in the mail, I thought it was amazing. I don't know if it is the colors (yellow and green together are my favorite color combo) or her dress/shawl combo or what. But, I do love the look of the cover. And I love this book. I so hope Mrs. Fordham continues to perfect her craft and is able to finish another manuscript because I, for one, am looking forward to her next publication. Blessings, The Mother Minding the Light is the second in Fisher's Nantucket Series. I have not read the first book, however, I do not think that mattered at all. I never felt lost or unsure of characters or events. I believe this book could well be a stand alone. Although, I do plan to read book one and any remaining books in this series as they are published. I believe this is my first time to read Fisher's work and I truly enjoyed it. Although this is a Historical Christian Romance, the romance was not "heavy." I would have no problem suggesting it to a young girl just beginning her journey into adult fiction. Many books in this genre, even though they are Christian, I believe make the romance too much. Yes, I enjoy reading the romantic parts, but let's face it: Our real life husbands don't need us comparing them to fictional characters all the time. Real Men have real world situations that don't always work out beautifully in the end. If I am comparing my husband to a great fictional hero then Hubby will probably fall short every time. That is why I appreciated this book so much. I felt I could enjoy the book without getting so caught up in the romance that I lost my way in the real world. Plus, as a mother of an unmarried young adult woman, I love to find books I can pass on to my daughter without putting undue pressure on her and her desires to find a mate.
Overall, I really enjoyed the storytelling and written art of Minding the Light. It was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more of Suzanne Woods Fisher's work. Blessings, The Mother This is my first review for Revell books. I received this free copy for the blogger review program but am in no way required to give a positive review. |
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October 2019
Book Review
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