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Review: The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley

I know I have a divergent opinion from the vast majority of readers, so I'm only sharing these thoughts on my blog and nowhere else. I'm pretty bummed that this clean fiction book did not land for me, and was probably the most surprised that The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh was such an opposite experience from what I expected. Book Synopsis She’s out to prove that there’s no such thing as choosing happiness. Isadora Bentley follows the rules. Isadora Bentley likes things just so. Isadora Bentley believes that happiness is something that flat-out doesn’t exist in her life—and never will. As a university researcher, Isadora keeps to herself as much as possible. She avoids the students she’s supposed to befriend and mentor. She stays away from her neighbors and lives her own quiet, organized life in her own quiet, organized apartment. And she will never get involved in a romantic relationship again—especially with another academic. It will be just Isadora and h
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Review: You're the Reason - Home to Heritage #1

That feeling when one of your favourite book series gets more books added to it—what a lovely surprise to hear the announcement about the Home to Heritage series after completing the Restoring Heritage series a while back! An even lovelier surprise has been seeing additional authors join this series, such as with You're the Reason by Susan May Warren with Tari Faris. Book Synopsis She never intended to return to Heritage. When an injury sidelines her, Grace Howell leaves her life as a ballerina and returns to Heritage, Michigan, to heal. Teaching dance is just a temporary gig, until she finds herself unexpectedly charmed by small-town life and her growing attachment to Seth Warner, a man from her past with a troubled history of his own. He’s back in Heritage as a changed man. The last place Seth thought he’d return is Heritage, but a felony record has narrowed his options, compelling him back to a community that hasn’t forgotten his transgressions. Dreams of starting a Ninja Gym

Review: Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy

I'm grateful that I was able to listen to Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop, while also following along with the ebook. It provided an enriching experience as I could read through and listen to the Psalms in a way that brought them to life even more. Book Synopsis Lament is how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting God’s goodness. Lament is how we bring our sorrow to God―but it is a neglected dimension of the Christian life for many Christians today. We need to recover the practice of honest spiritual struggle that gives us permission to vocalize our pain and wrestle with our sorrow. Lament avoids trite answers and quick solutions, progressively moving us toward deeper worship and trust. Exploring how the Bible―through the psalms of lament and the book of Lamentations―gives voice to our pain, this book invites us to grieve, struggle, and tap into the rich reservoir of grace and mercy God offers in the darkest moments of our l

Review: The Lost Daughter's Irishman - Our House on Sycamore Street #12

What a fun title to say! The Lost Daughter's Irishman by Carolyn Miller releases on October 11, 2024 and has been a great introduction to this series for me. I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis She wants to find a way to live again; he wants to close a deal and move on. Until sparks fly and these opposites attract in this contemporary romance filled with heart and humour. For Kara Browne, hiding out in Eden Cove provides a chance to heal after her life fell apart. Now, without a family or career, she juggles jobs while trying to find her feet again, thankful for this tiny community that has taken her to their heart. When a handsome Irishman appears in Eden Cove with his plans to take over the local luxury hotel where she works, his obvious wealth combined with a series of unfortunate events convince her that they’re worlds apart. Which they soon will be, seeing she’s already booked her ticket t

The Greatest of These

I love how God speaks to us through the Bible and the preaching of His Word. I recently heard a sermon at church and was reminded of the importance of 1 Corinthians 13:13 which says, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." There were three lessons that came to mind the more I dwelt on this topic: I am very quick to forget that God is love ( 1 John 4:16b ). I misplace love by focusing on what I love rather than who I love. Nothing I do is of value if there is no love. As a fallen human being, I am incredibly guilty of all of these things. In forgetting that God is love, I tend to do this most by reducing love to an abstraction or a concept. Translating that God is love from head knowledge to an actual practice in my life is a challenge when I don't always feel that love or reflect on what the immensity of it means. While I know it as intrinsic truth, I have a harder time seeing this extend to my behaviour and actions. Love is

Review: The Color of Home

A book about an interior designer and her heart for ministry? Count me in! The Color of Home by Kit Tosello paints a beautiful picture of home and the people who add those vibrant hues to our lives. Many thanks to Revell and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary physical copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on  LibraryThing . Book Synopsis Audrey Needham, Bay Area interior designer to the rich and pretentious, is down to her last nerve. Her boss is impossible to please, her future is in jeopardy, and her great-aunt Daisy needs support as her husband descends into Alzheimer's. When Daisy enlists Audrey's help preparing for a move to assisted living, Audrey risks her career to return to the idyllic small town of Charity Falls, Oregon, the summer stomping grounds of her childhood. But Charity Falls was also the place that broke her heart when her father was killed in a tragic fire at the Sugar Pine Inn thirteen years a

Review: No More Christian Nice Guy

I've been wanting to share a review of No More Christian Nice Guy: When Being Nice–Instead of Good–Hurts Men, Women, and Children by Paul Coughlin for quite some time after having shared a review of the female counterpart  earlier this year. However, I thought it would make the most sense for my husband to share his thoughts rather than me, so I'm excited that he took the time to write out what he calls "a book report" 😄 Book Synopsis Recovering nice guy Paul Coughlin points the way for all men who yearn to live a life of boldness and conviction--like Jesus. Using anecdotes from his own life, powerful and poignant stories, and vivid examples from our culture, Coughlin shows how men can say no to the "nice guy" syndrome and yes to a life of purpose, passion, and vitality. In this revised and expanded edition, Coughlin adds vital insights on the changes he's seen in churches and the greater culture in the decade since No More Christian Nice Guy was firs