Christian Shelves

Oh, how I wanted to read books that opened my eyes this month, particularly due to it being Black History Month along with Chinese and Lunar New Year. However, this book ended up hurting my heart more than anything. While I've read various ethnographic accounts from marginalized communities, I did not expect this book to vilify the Christian faith as much as it did, making it a book I wish I didn't take the time to finish after I encountered some initial barbs. What a lesson as this book affected me for days, if not weeks after finishing it, and not in a good way 😣 Buried Seeds by Alexia Salvatierra and Brandon Wrencher was not a book about resilience so much as it was about resistance, even resistance against God and His people, Word, and ways. Book Synopsis This book demonstrates how two overlooked ministry models—base ecclesial communities of the Global South in the late twentieth century and hush harbors of the US antebellum South—offer proven strategies for the twenty-fi...

This is a book that I've been eagerly anticipating based on how many crossover characters there are, making it more than worth the wait! It absolutely does not hurt that its publication date was also moved up, making it already available instead of having to wait until May 😀 A Second Chance for a Dancer by Carolyn Miller is the third book in the Three Creek Ranch series , which I have a soft spot for based on where it's set along with the heart behind the stories. Plus, look at that stunning cover designed by her daughter! Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Poppy James is on the brink of attaining national fame, just like her friend and fellow dancer Bailey Donovan, when a blast from the past leads to a devastating injury. Now, instead of applause and acclaim, she’s tucked away in the confines of Three Creek Ranch, struggling to come to terms with a very different future. ...

I've had the pleasure of revisiting my love of poetry through reading poignant and touching collections of Christian poetry that I've been introduced to on Instagram. I'm grateful that Breath of the Almighty by Shay McNally came at just the right time for me, tugging on my heart and my mind through verses that point back to God in every breath and poem. Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : SA Book Synopsis Breath of the Almighty is a debut collection of free verse, confessional Christian poetry born from a life that's seen both deep wounds and deeper mercy. These poems move through topics such as family, grief, soul searching, healing, love, marriage, calling, spiritual warfare, prayer, forgiveness, and the ordinary places where Christ shows up when we least expect it. Each poem is rooted in Scripture and lived-in faith, and grounds lofty theology to an eve...

I've been curious about Kimberly Keagan 's books for some time, so I was delighted to see her name pop up on LibraryThing! The premise of Risky Business sounded so interesting that I didn't hesitate to request this title. This English aristocracy tale takes us across the pond and touches on caregiving and found families in a loving and sensitive manner. Many thanks to the author 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 An American heiress. A British barrister with a need for speed. And a London season destined for trouble. The last thing department store heiress Lena Dennison wants is to travel to London to meet the grandmother who snubbed her family for thirty years. But her youngest sister begs to go, and soon Lena is navigating British nobility’s social expectations—with Bron Jeffers, a handsome barrister and celebr...

With Chinese and Lunar New Year taking place this month, I've been excited to share about this book as it's written by Asian author, Joy Crain , and features Asian main characters. The Trials of the Title  is the second book in The Royals of Andelar series and is a royal adventure that combines amnesia and God's sovereignty in a beautiful cultural story (while making you want to travel!). Content to be aware of : a few beach scenes where touch is involved, a kiss while betrothed Book Synopsis Three years ago, Princess Saraphina’s life changed forever when her older sister was stripped of her title and banished for daring to love a man their abusive father didn’t approve of. Unwilling to make the same mistake, or any mistakes at all, Sara fades into the role of heir thrust upon her. The last thing she wants to do is make her abusive father angrier. But now he’s dead, and she is determined to be a very different kind of ruler. With one month before she’s crowned and forced i...

What a joy to read about how God continues to transform the lives of His children.  The Devil Can Only Lie by Kylie Kirkegaard is a memoir that inspires and calls readers to a life of devotion and holiness. It truly points back to Jesus Christ, giving Him all the glory for how He can turn things around when it is most bleak in our lives. Content to be aware of:  sexual sin (non-descriptive); political statements around the pandemic that readers may be sensitive to; spiritual practices such as words of prophecy Book Synopsis The Devil Can Only Lie unpacks the biblical reality that it is our responsibility to choose either the truth of God's Word, or the lies of the enemy. What we feed ourselves in the natural will always impact the spiritual, and this book is an important key to understanding all that God has for us as His Children, and how to arm ourselves so we cannot be easily deceived. The Devil Can Only Lie… and You Can Only Choose. Every battle you face in life begins w...

It's always a pleasure to discover new Christian fiction to me, especially historical fiction that helps me learn more about how people persevered during difficult times and were able to overcome their circumstances through God's help.  Home on the Range by Taryn Oakley  is a story that falls into this setting in late 19th century Kansas amid the bustling growth and travels along the railway. Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis In the land of promise, can two lives fulfill one legacy with love? 1891. Lenna Adler—destitute but not desperate—becomes the prize bride in a drunken poker game to one of Chicago’s lecherous men, a man who will stop at nothing to collect what he’s owed. In a hastened escape, Lenna boards the Atchison, Topeka, and Sante Fe Railway to Verona, Kansas determined to carry out her parents’ dream, with or without God’s help. The reputation at the Elton Hote...

I'm in the middle of purging books (how ironic!) and have had quite the past month in eliminating questionable Christian materials, so in a way, I am fulfilling the mandate of this book's title. Make Room by Jennifer Ford Berry is sadly a book I cannot recommend due to how New Age practices and thinking have infiltrated what I had hoped would impart a Christian worldview. Yes, we can make room for God to work in our lives, but no, it does not involve manifestation or speaking our dreams aloud and willing them to happen. Book Synopsis Stuff. We have too much of it. Clothing, kitchen gadgets, electronics, home decor. And more of it arrives on our doorstep all the time. Our stuff takes up an incredible amount of our space, time, energy, and money. But do all these possessions truly make us happier? Certified professional organizer and bestselling author Jennifer Ford Berry says no. Rather than living for our stuff, what actually gives us joy is knowing and living out our purpose ...

Just in time for the Winter Olympics, this book is the perfect accompaniment to the games, especially if you're a fan of hockey and speed skating. Living in Canada, I felt right at home among the crowds in Love on Ice by Carolyn Miller , the second book in the Original Six Hockey Romance series that features "guts, grit, and grace." What a delight to catch up with familiar players and their friends again! Book Synopsis She’s focused on winning gold. He wants to lose the player tag. Can a fake relationship become something real? Aussie short track skater Holly Travers has one goal—make the Vancouver Games, no matter what it takes. She has no time for distractions, even if they come in the handsome form of her Canadian best friend’s twin brother. This hockey player may say he’s not a player, but can she trust him? Brent Karlsson has one goal—make his sister’s best friend realize he’s a changed man and she should give him a chance. When a set-up in Hawaii helps these two o...

I acknowledge that it's easy for me to fall into a spiritual rut and treat walking with God like a checklist. I fall into these bouts knowingly and unknowingly, so I was quite keen to read The Rekindled Heart by Mark Y. Yarbrough as both a refresher and a reminder of how to energize my spiritual life again. This book was just what I needed and it's one that I will continue to reflect on in the coming days and weeks. Many thanks to  Moody Publishers  for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Sometimes our faith needs to be revived. You started your spiritual life with a burst of joy, feeling deep gratitude to Christ for saving you. You rejoiced with a sense of belonging in the family of God. And likely, you couldn’t wait to open your Bible, to worship, to share your faith with others. But somewhere along the way, your passion for the Lord faded. Your spiritual journey became a slog. The Rekindled Heart was ...

The third book in A Healing Kind of Love series, The Risk She Takes by Ella Marie is the much-awaited story of Robyn Lahey, a driven professional who isn't waiting for a relationship to take place. It's refreshing to encounter someone I can relate to and to see how God has been working in her life when she doesn't fit into the mould of her friends. This book releases on February 18, 2026 and will have you wanting a French pastry, or two, to enjoy with it 🥐 Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis For Robyn, singleness isn’t some tragic waiting room for real life to begin. By the grace of God, she’s built a life she genuinely loves, one that doesn’t require a man in the equation. Especially not a man like Lucien Monet, her insufferably—and apparently—charming French coworker who has an uncanny talent for pulling the rug out from under her at every turn. Lucien crossed an oce...

One of the reasons why I've been spending more and more time offline has been due to seeing so much generative AI infiltrate the creative space. I won't necessarily repeat my previous Thoughts on AI blog post where much of what I shared in 2023 still holds true today regarding ethics, discipline, and discernment. Little has changed for me as I continue to refrain from utilizing these tools and instead rely on my own visual and written abilities, flaws and all. However, the difference between its emergence a few years ago and now is astounding where over half of what we see online is generated by artificial intelligence (source:  Over 50 Percent of the Internet Is Now AI Slop, New Data Finds ). I'm not one for fear-mongering or sensationalism; however, I am concerned for the effects this may have on my short-term enjoyment of the Internet and my long-term walk as a disciple of Christ and my cognitive skills. First, I have found it difficult to enjoy being online when a lot ...