Christian Shelves

What a treat to be able to visit Trinity Lakes for the first time! I loved my time there with Only You Can Love Me by Carolyn Miller and am excited to return there for some earlier stories in this series now. If you've had the blessing of reading books by her, you'll enjoy seeing the intertwined nature of her characters and how their worlds collide. I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Wanted: someone hardworking, honest, humble, with a sense of humor, who can appreciate the simple things in life. Who loves God, loves family, and loves animals. Genuine seekers only. Dr. Jess Martin—Doc Martin to her local community—might be used to solving the veterinary problems of rural south east Washington, but she can't solve the problems of her lonely heart. When a dating app specializing in rural connections comes her way she figures she's got nothing left to lose. Especially when she's al...

After reading James Finke's Christian non-fiction work, I was excited to dive into this amazing Christian fiction debut that is just as compelling to read. Dear Judas embodies a form of narrative apologetics that is winsome and thoughtful—wonderful companions for a book that will challenge Christians to take their faith beyond this realm seriously. If you're interested in the origin story of this book, please check out the author's blog article ! I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis From the moment Tommy Finch's heart stopped beating, his life would never be the same. A successful medical device salesman thriving in a high-pressure corporate world, Tommy had no need for God—until a near-death experience shatters his disbelief and forces him to confront a new reality. As he grapples with the complexities of life, love, and faith, he unwittingly becomes the target of dark forces determ...

I had the pleasure of getting to read this book quite early on and was delighted by the storytelling and the message. A Noble Comfort  by Katja H. Labonté is a nonmagical Christian fantasy that is part of the Cornerstone series, and from what I've seen and heard, all of the bonuses that accompany this book are worth the full experience 😊 I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis As lady-in-waiting to the crown princess, Thalassa d’Acton is used to hectic palace life. The bustle is a good excuse to avoid thinking of the insecurities that plague her. But when a usurper takes over the throne, Thalassa finds herself and her princess imprisoned in a lonely tower—and with all the time in the world to worry. Outlawed Azaziah has roamed the land for years with his band of Inseparables. Playing knight errant was a God-given task, and helps him bear the knowledge that evil is spreading over his land unopposed....

I don't know if anyone else feels the same way I do when it comes to reading Christian fiction, but you'll probably notice that I seldom reference what I read as being closed door. This is mostly because I tend to review Christian books where my natural assumption is that any sexual ethics conveyed within the book stems from a Christian worldview. Obviously, I can't always take this at face value as some books that are being promoted as being Christian by publishers or book reviewers may contain content which could either push the boundary or outright cross the line of what should be biblical and God-honouring. While I do sometimes share reviews of books that fall into this category on my blog in the spirit of transparency and helping other believers, I try for the large part to avoid books where sin may come across as being glorified. It helps when I can check reviews on Goodreads or from trusted reviewers on Instagram. At the same time, "closed door" or even ...

What a joy to continue with another Freddie and Grace Mystery, especially as the title, the cover, and the synopsis were all so compelling! The Juliet Code by Pepper Basham lives up to all of the mystery promised, along with plenty of swooniness along the way. Many thanks to Barbour Books  and  NetGalley  for providing a copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : mentions of ghosts Book Synopsis Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and explore the beauties of the historic city of Venice. To their surprise, their friend, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of art heists starting at the house of eccentric millionaire, Laraby Covington. Drawn into a world of boat races, mysterious houses, and parties of the rich and unusual in Venice, Frederick and Grace learn of the existence of the Juliet paintings, Renaissance paintings featuring Shakespeare’...

Growing up, some of my favourite poets were Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and John Donne. Though it's been years since I've revisited their words, I am most appreciative of the opportunity to be able to immerse myself in poetry once more through both words and artwork in Breathing Statues by Lyndi Brey. I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis In her book Breathing Statues , Lyndi Brey extrapolates the relationship between mental illness and faith. The collection of poems exhibited in Breathing Statues captures a unique and creative representation of mental health and faith- gathered from firsthand experience. Her poems- which speak of (dis)order and chaos- are skillfully actualized in illustrations and color. By the end of her book, you will understand not just what it looks like, but what it feels like to have an anxiety disorder. Lyndi says, "The title Breathing Statues ...

Ella Marie is a newer-to-me author whose Christian faith in her recent books is clear, well written, and thoughtfully expressed. The Class She Skips is the second book in her A Healing Kind of Love series, which explores how the healing we receive from Jesus can be carried into the relationships we have with others. 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 : stretches that may be construed as originating from yoga, though the author has confirmed that yoga is not meant to be promoted and has carefully constructed the scene to omit references to it Book Synopsis Enzo’s life is carefully constructed—any time not spent working is devoted to his daughter, teaching her what it means to live as a true Christian. So when he accepts a temporary teaching position at his old college, he doesn’t expect to run into the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen—again. Charlie, the coffee shop culprit who taught h...

I recently heard a sermon at church that left me pondering what my time on earth could look like, especially after I am no longer here. One of the phrases that was used that made the strongest impression on me was "not much left" and it was in the context of a family member who had passed away and didn't have many material goods to disperse to their descendants. What impacted me most was that this family member was so invested in the lives of other people for eternity's sake that what remained was just the bare essentials and some good books that could be passed on. Ever since I heard these three little words, I've been thinking about what I want to leave behind. The idea of there not much being left seems like such a gift rather than having lots of material possessions that others have to organize and make decisions on. I touched on this thought a little earlier on when I wrote about how finding books is like going on a treasure hunt , but since that time, I...