Christian Shelves

This is not an easy topic to write about, so I give a lot of credit to Kelli Galyean for tackling abortion in the church in How Can It Be?  Not only is it addressed in a loving and truthful way in this book, I also give credit to how the church is portrayed in coming alongside women facing this trauma in their lives. I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : abortion, social drinking in multiple settings Book Synopsis As a college student, Mia Browning shared a carefree weekend with drummer Ryan Blackstone. Soon after, Mia learned she was pregnant, a fact her politically-ambitious parents would not allow to stay true. A forced abortion left her broken and alone. Ten years later, Mia has found healing and embraced a new life in Christ. Mia arrives at church one Sunday, to find that the new worship minister is none other than the blue-eyed drummer of her past. Seeing Ryan again after all the...

I am so thankful that I first spotted this book at the local bookstore as Holy Sexuality and the Gospel by Dr. Christopher Yuan is one of the most insightful books I've read on this particular topic. I love that the author references himself as a "Bearer of Christ" as this is a very apt conclusion after finishing this book. Many thanks to  Multnomah  and  NetGalley  for providing a copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis From the author of Out of a Far Country, which details his dramatic conversion from an agnostic gay man who put his identity in his sexuality to a Bible professor who now puts his identity in Christ alone, comes a gospel-centered discussion of sex, desire, and relationships. Dr. Christopher Yuan explores the concept of holy sexuality—chastity in singleness or faithfulness in marriage—in a practical and relevant manner, equipping readers with an accessible yet robust theology of sexuality. Whether you ...

What a treat to read about libraries as a former library worker! From the catchy title to a celebration of all things literary, An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon in her new Checking Out Love series is a gentle exploration into the topic of alopecia for women. Many thanks to  Bethany House Publishers  and  LibraryThing  for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing. Book Synopsis Can a librarian's matchmaking mischief lead to a love that rewrites their stories? If the covers of every romance book ever published didn't convince librarian Evangeline Kelly that she isn't heroine material, her fiancé calling off their wedding when she lost her hair to alopecia did. But what's a girl head over heels for love to do when her feelings are unrequited? Matchmake, that's what. Armed with library patrons' check-out histories, she's determined to make at least one lo...

I love researching and recently looked into Harlequin's Love Inspired line's submission guidelines to find out if there were certain parameters in the stories they accept and publish. One of the lines that stood out to me was: "Mandatory faith element that is integral to story and shows rather than tells, avoiding didactic, preachy tone or doctrinal language." This had me thinking about one of the cinematic attributes I've heard over the years between British and American movies and television, where one tends to show the story and have people reason it out, whereas the other can get into further detail, eliminating the need to piece things out as much when watching a story.  I wish I could find the source for this thought as it's shaped how I view and compare a lot of mysteries and dramas (I confess that I may be a tad too shy for British comedies)—broadly speaking, of course. As a result, I can understand how didactic language isn't always pleasant to s...

I had the opportunity to read all of Hannah Foster's published works recently and have enjoyed all of them, so it's no surprise that after reading Falling for the Preacher , I had to read about Austen's sister as well in Falling for the Farmer . What great introductions to such a gentle series! I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Eleanor Handson has thrown herself into serving and loving single moms and children. Marriage has long since become a faded dream, ever since Austen Stuart walked out of her life—not that she ever really planned to marry him in the first place. Austen Stuart is invested in church ministry while he interns under his pastor. Eleanor Handson has barely crossed his mind for the last twelve years—maybe a little on purpose. When Austen is called upon to ask for Eleanor’s help in the aiding of a young woman, they’re forced to work together. Can two estranged friends be...

It's unfortunate that in the world we live in, one of places that is meant to offer sanctuary can become the same place that disrupts it and steals it away from its members. The Church in Dark Times: Understanding and Resisting the Evil That Seduced the Evangelical Movement by Mike Cosper immediately caught my attention and kept it as it extols the need to critically evaluate what is happening in our churches today. Many thanks to Brazos Press  and  NetGalley  for providing a copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis We expect evil to appear in obvious forms: malice, cruelty, and contempt. We also expect to find villains at the helm of evil movements and organizations, leaders with dark impulses and motivations. But all too often, malevolence is more subtle, hiding behind our own best intentions. In The Church in Dark Times , cultural critic Mike Cosper unveils this dynamic in the growing crisis of abuse and other failures in...

I love that I had a bit of time last month to enjoy some Christmas novellas I had been waiting to dive into all year, including Love, Laughter, and Luminarias by Jaycee Weaver. Not only was this a fun book, but it helped make the Christmas season—and likely any season—even brighter with its fun story. Book Synopsis He has his books. She has her fandoms. They've always had their friendship. Could this be the season that sparks feelings neither knew were there? Surprisingly successful action-suspense author Garrett Wilson is struggling to write a summer novel in December. That is, until he witnesses his best friend, Nina, chase down a shoplifter and realizes that maybe his tough, attractive heroine might not be based solely in fiction. Geeky-chic Nina Trujillo finds herself contemplating a God she’s never believed in after her brush with danger taking down a thief. That one decision could change the whole course of her life, and quite possibly, her feelings for the one guy she’s nev...

Self-forgiveness is a funny topic for me because I don't actively practice or think about it, though I have wondered about it as a concept from a Christian perspective. For some reason, I've been coming across it more and more in Christian fiction lately. It seems to either be a plot device or a teaching that's shared with main characters who think they've done something unforgivable and cannot move ahead in their life. I'm sure I've seen it referenced before, so it's probably only sticking out in my mind right now after reading a slew of Christmas novellas over the winter break. Though this question has arisen from more current reading, I'm more curious about it as a theological question. I've seen read some books that denounce this teaching by stating that God alone forgives sin (Mark 2:7), which I can somewhat understand, though it's the teachers of the law who express this common belief, with Jesus correcting them about how the Son of Man can...

You might have seen me rave about The 80s Rom-Com Club by Mikal Dawn, Bell Renshaw, Jennifer Rodewald, Betsy St. Amant, Teresa Tysinger, and Jaycee Weaver not that long ago. Well, not only was I blessed to be able to get a copy of that book, but one of the authors kindly let me know that she expanded her original story quite a bit. I'm sure glad that I scooped up Sure About You by Jaycee Weaver in a heartbeat to read more about Pax and Isley! Content to be aware of : clothing-optional beach (nothing graphic portrayed and the characters are not implicated), situations of temptation, mentions of drinking Book Synopsis She'd had her future perfectly planned. Now? She's not so sure. Isley: Three things I love—quality food, eighties rom coms, and my custom-made planner. Three things I loathe—internet trolls, traveling, and Walter Paxton. Anita runs our online news site DFW Daily, and she’s dangling my dream job like the proverbial carrot. Now my weekend getaway to finally mee...

This is one of the books that I will need to get a print copy of due to how incredible its content was in helping me better understand some of the Bible passages it covered. Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Richard James is a must-read when it comes to cross-cultural knowledge and biblical application. Book Synopsis The Bible was written within collectivist cultures. When Westerners, immersed in individualism, read the Bible, it's easy to misinterpret important elements―or miss them altogether. In any culture, the most important things usually go without being said. So to read Scripture well we benefit when we uncover the unspoken social structures and values of its world. We need to recalibrate our vision. Combining the expertise of a biblical scholar and a missionary practitioner, Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes is an essential guidebook to the cultural background of the Bible and how it should inform our reading. E. Randolph ...

Now this is a a fun book that I have been intrigued by since its title was announced! Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham contains the characteristic humour, charm, and delight that I've come to expect from the author, so it was a treat to read this just before the holidays. Many thanks to  Thomas Nelson  and  NetGalley  for providing a copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis She lives her life on the fly. His heart is double-knotted to home. Can two different souls create a life together? Popular travel writer and podcaster Katie Campbell roams the world collecting other people's stories. She's built a career as "Miss Adventure," known for saying yes to anything new--country, food, or experience--and predictably finding those adventures taking a downward turn into misadventures. Offered the chance to explore her ancestral roots through a three-week Edwardian experience, Katie finds herself immersed in the beauty and ec...

In reflecting on what it means have accounts on various platforms as I enter 2025, I was struck by the thought that whatever content I'm sharing online and however I am doing so, it is "not my own." Of course, this can be quite literal as there are all types of disclaimers included when agreeing to use such platforms. There's also the spiritual sense in that whatever I'm writing and sharing doesn't quite belong to me as things will pass away, including my time on this earth. Ultimately, when I think about how God led me to start Christian Shelves back in 2023, it really has been the work of His hands and something I need to commit to Him continually. What does it mean that these accounts are mine to access but not to own? First of all, I need to hold things very loosely. I have seen so many people lose everything due to AI or online providers indiscriminately shutting down accounts, and it's devastating to think that the hours of work and the creativity po...

Welcome to another year of the  2025 Clearly Christian Readathon ! Updated materials have now been shared with new graphics for this upcoming year. Christian Books and Coffee , Devoted to Hope , and I are so grateful to be able to continue this Readathon so that we can keep featuring Christian authors writing clearly Christian books. There are plenty of resources available in the Clearly Christian Readathon Goodreads Group if you'd like to check it out! Thanks for journeying with us for the second year of the Readathon. We can't wait to see what God has in store with such incredible stories to be told 😀