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egbella's reviews
212 reviews
Take Flight by T. E. Price
4.0
This book was an adventure!
Caveat that I don't read much in this genre (contemporary), and though I was initially wary of the sensitive subject matter, I can honestly say it was very worth the read! Was it perfect? Of course not - but instead, I found it to be a powerful reminder of how God can use our works, our talents, our lives...and tell an incredible story that reveals His heart.
In Take Flight , Price has done a fantastic job of crafting an honest, gripping, and moving tale, and the further I read, the more engrossed I become. Her characters were nuanced and interesting, and the antagonist brought chills. There were many times I thought I could anticipate what was going to happen next, but each time a new twist would appear and keep me turning the pages. One of the reasons I don't read much contemporary fiction is that I'm often bored by the 'everyday' surroundings and occurrences in the stories. However, this wasn't the case in Take Flight . Price excellently balanced the relatable and common daily events in her characters' lives, with the fascinating and unexpected, effectively gluing me to the story.
And as for what I feel is the most important of any fiction, but particularly fiction labeled as Christian - the story's theme/s, I wasn't disappointed. The messages of faith, fellowship, strength, and especially putting our trust in God no matter how difficult, are ones that the world really needs today. I certainly needed to be reminded of them, and that's just one reason I appreciated this book.
This story will stick with me for quite a while. I definitely recommend it for anyone seeking an engrossing, thought-provoking tale giving an example of what it truly means to trust God.
** I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed are my own, and I wasn't required to write a positive review.
Caveat that I don't read much in this genre (contemporary), and though I was initially wary of the sensitive subject matter, I can honestly say it was very worth the read! Was it perfect? Of course not - but instead, I found it to be a powerful reminder of how God can use our works, our talents, our lives...and tell an incredible story that reveals His heart.
In Take Flight , Price has done a fantastic job of crafting an honest, gripping, and moving tale, and the further I read, the more engrossed I become. Her characters were nuanced and interesting, and the antagonist brought chills. There were many times I thought I could anticipate what was going to happen next, but each time a new twist would appear and keep me turning the pages. One of the reasons I don't read much contemporary fiction is that I'm often bored by the 'everyday' surroundings and occurrences in the stories. However, this wasn't the case in Take Flight . Price excellently balanced the relatable and common daily events in her characters' lives, with the fascinating and unexpected, effectively gluing me to the story.
And as for what I feel is the most important of any fiction, but particularly fiction labeled as Christian - the story's theme/s, I wasn't disappointed. The messages of faith, fellowship, strength, and especially putting our trust in God no matter how difficult, are ones that the world really needs today. I certainly needed to be reminded of them, and that's just one reason I appreciated this book.
This story will stick with me for quite a while. I definitely recommend it for anyone seeking an engrossing, thought-provoking tale giving an example of what it truly means to trust God.
** I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed are my own, and I wasn't required to write a positive review.
You Were Made for Love: Embracing the Life You Were Meant to Live by Philip Carlson
5.0
RTC. Highly recommend!
The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers
4.0
Full RTC. Definitely darker subject matter, and while some aspects of the book weren't my favorite, overall it was a deep and moving story that kept me turning pages. Something I really appreciated was the way Rivers didn't take the stereotypical "Christians are the good guys and people with other opinions are the bad guys" approach. The characters felt diverse, real, and complicated to me, and they all made very real mistakes.
Intended for Pleasure: Sex Technique and Sexual Fulfillment in Christian Marriage by Ed MD Wheat, Gaye Wheat
4.0
Obviously a book to read with discretion and prayer due to the (very detailed) content, but a valuable resource for soon-to-be, new, or married-for-a-while couples. This was part of our pre-marital counseling, and provided necessary questions, resources, information, and conversation starters. Most of all, I appreciated how this is a Christian book. It made all the difference.
Preparing for Marriage God's Way: A Step-By-Step Guide for Marriage Success Before and After the Wedding - Second Edition by Wayne R. Mack
5.0
My fiancé and I each purchased a copy of this book to use in our pre-marital counseling classes, and found great benefit from it! While we didn't answer every question (there are LOTS, some more applicable than others, depending on the couple), and skipped around depending on our officiant's topic for the week, everything we did was helpful. There were many good insights, conversation starters, opportunities to learn about the other person - and ourselves! - in a deeper way, and truly prepare more in-depth for a strong, healthy, God-honoring marriage.
It covered many topics, from communication, fighting, intimacy, finances, family/in-laws, work, household duties, hobbies, children, and more, and often asked us to search and study a variety of Scripture verses that dealt with each topic. We both appreciated the practical, God-centered advice, and would highly recommend it to new couples!
(There are also sections in the back that we haven't done yet, such as a 1st year check-up, etc.)
It covered many topics, from communication, fighting, intimacy, finances, family/in-laws, work, household duties, hobbies, children, and more, and often asked us to search and study a variety of Scripture verses that dealt with each topic. We both appreciated the practical, God-centered advice, and would highly recommend it to new couples!
(There are also sections in the back that we haven't done yet, such as a 1st year check-up, etc.)
Lyddie (91) by Paterson, Katherine [Paperback (2004)] by Paterson
5.0
(I can't find this book listed on Goodreads with the correct cover...is it really that uncommon?)
'Lyddie' by Katherine Paterson is a small but surprisingly deep story that I read numerous times when I was younger. It took me far too long to realize that she'd also written 'Bridge to Terabithia' (another of my favorites during childhood), but I apparently appreciate her approach to storytelling.
'Lyddie' is very easy to get invested in. I appreciate the focus on family, hard work, difficulty fitting in, and the main character's strong morals, even in atrocious circumstances. There isn't a 'happy' ending, but it's a hopeful and very realistic one. For a book that would likely be considered middle-grade, it takes on and honesty tackles very tough topics, such as slavery during that time period, SA (very tactfully hinted at), infidelity, pregnancy outside of marriage, and mental health.
It's not a fairytale, feel-good story, but it is very real, and I like to read it every now and again for that reason. I would hope that in similar situations, I could manage to conduct myself with as much strength, honor, and courage as the main character does.
'Lyddie' by Katherine Paterson is a small but surprisingly deep story that I read numerous times when I was younger. It took me far too long to realize that she'd also written 'Bridge to Terabithia' (another of my favorites during childhood), but I apparently appreciate her approach to storytelling.
'Lyddie' is very easy to get invested in. I appreciate the focus on family, hard work, difficulty fitting in, and the main character's strong morals, even in atrocious circumstances. There isn't a 'happy' ending, but it's a hopeful and very realistic one. For a book that would likely be considered middle-grade, it takes on and honesty tackles very tough topics, such as slavery during that time period, SA (very tactfully hinted at), infidelity, pregnancy outside of marriage, and mental health.
It's not a fairytale, feel-good story, but it is very real, and I like to read it every now and again for that reason. I would hope that in similar situations, I could manage to conduct myself with as much strength, honor, and courage as the main character does.
Mandy by Edwards, Julie (November 1, 1999) Paperback by Julie Edwards
4.0
This was one of my favorite little books when I was younger, and it has stood the test of time. I love the cute writing style, the many different characters and how likeable they are (mostly), the 'Boxcar children' vibe of Mandy and her cottage, and the growth that happens in several of the characters. There is really no villain, only unhappy circumstances, and even those are resolved quickly, leaving a feel-good, cute little story about a plucky orphan that finds families where she didn't realize she had them.
Generations 2: The D.C. Gambit by Kenny Sargent
5.0
A step outside of my typical genre with this political thriller, but I'm so glad I gave it a shot! It had enough action to keep me interested, enough meaning and deep themes to leave an impact, and enough focus on the characters and their growth to make it memorable. I thought I knew where a certain plot twist at the end was headed, but turns out, I was completely wrong - and happily so!
The Christian themes were well-done, without being too pushy or cringe-y, or the opposite, too vague to even call a Christian novel. It covered a large number of heavy and difficult topics with grace and truth, and even handled some controversial spiritual aspects in writing (such as directly hearing from God and the occasional spiritual vision) carefully, and in such a way that even I, who normally greatly dislikes those aspects included in fiction due to their trickiness, felt they were done in a biblical way.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and hope to go back and read the first one. I recommend it!
The Christian themes were well-done, without being too pushy or cringe-y, or the opposite, too vague to even call a Christian novel. It covered a large number of heavy and difficult topics with grace and truth, and even handled some controversial spiritual aspects in writing (such as directly hearing from God and the occasional spiritual vision) carefully, and in such a way that even I, who normally greatly dislikes those aspects included in fiction due to their trickiness, felt they were done in a biblical way.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and hope to go back and read the first one. I recommend it!
Like a Ship on the Sea by Kellyn Roth
5.0
I was not expecting to read this entire novel today, but after receiving my ARC from Kellyn this morning I thought I'd read a little bit right away...and one sitting and several hours later, here we are. No spoilers ahead, don't worry!
This is the first book of Kellyn's that I've read, as romance is a step outside my usual genres. However, between the Irish influences and all the good things I was hearing about it, I couldn't resist giving it a try. I'm so glad I did - I loved it!
Like I said, I've never read any of the other stories involving some of these characters, and I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to catch everything because of it. But that wasn't the case at all. I never felt like I was missing or couldn't understand anything, and the story introduced them all to me very well. The characters were my favorite part, overall. I love how Kellyn gave each of them real and relatable passions, struggles, desires, thoughts, and dreams. There weren't any that fell flat or didn't seem real. I could relate to almost all of them, and quickly became attached.
The settings were beautiful and precise, and I don't have a clue how Kellyn kept all of the spot-on historical details straight, but they all made perfect sense to me. Her descriptions were vivid, and I could picture each of the locations easily. I enjoyed the change of 'vibes' and aesthetic that I could feel as I read. Each place felt different and interesting.
As a rare romance reader, I can't comment on how it compares to typical romance genre books, but I enjoyed it. There were a couple of decisions that the protagonist made early on that I admittedly didn't agree with, but as the story continued on, I could see why that was actually the right choice, and admired her for it. I was more than ready when the true romance of the story came about, and found them extremely cute and well-made for each other.
Besides the characters and how real they were, my other favorite aspects of this book are the Christian themes. They were prominent from the very start of the story, but not obnoxiously so. I am a Christian and want to read more fiction that simply and unapologetically contains Christian themes and morals, without also trying to shove them onto the reader whether they fit the story or not. This story was wonderful about that, and I could respect and relate to the characters' faiths without cringing at how it was portrayed, like many Christian books, unfortunately.
I also appreciated the few deep and heavy topics that Kellyn covered in this story. They hit very close to home, personally, and I felt she portrayed them accurately and gracefully. Real life isn't neat and easily resolved, and she did a great job communicating that, while also interlacing hope that comes from Christ.
Overall, I'm very glad I received the opportunity to read an early copy of this story, and will stay tuned for the future installments! If you're a fan of historical, Christian, Irish, English, or romance fiction, I'd recommend checking this book out. You might just find a new favorite.
**I received an ARC copy of this book, but was not required to leave a positive review. My thoughts are my own.**
This is the first book of Kellyn's that I've read, as romance is a step outside my usual genres. However, between the Irish influences and all the good things I was hearing about it, I couldn't resist giving it a try. I'm so glad I did - I loved it!
Like I said, I've never read any of the other stories involving some of these characters, and I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to catch everything because of it. But that wasn't the case at all. I never felt like I was missing or couldn't understand anything, and the story introduced them all to me very well. The characters were my favorite part, overall. I love how Kellyn gave each of them real and relatable passions, struggles, desires, thoughts, and dreams. There weren't any that fell flat or didn't seem real. I could relate to almost all of them, and quickly became attached.
The settings were beautiful and precise, and I don't have a clue how Kellyn kept all of the spot-on historical details straight, but they all made perfect sense to me. Her descriptions were vivid, and I could picture each of the locations easily. I enjoyed the change of 'vibes' and aesthetic that I could feel as I read. Each place felt different and interesting.
As a rare romance reader, I can't comment on how it compares to typical romance genre books, but I enjoyed it. There were a couple of decisions that the protagonist made early on that I admittedly didn't agree with, but as the story continued on, I could see why that was actually the right choice, and admired her for it. I was more than ready when the true romance of the story came about, and found them extremely cute and well-made for each other.
Besides the characters and how real they were, my other favorite aspects of this book are the Christian themes. They were prominent from the very start of the story, but not obnoxiously so. I am a Christian and want to read more fiction that simply and unapologetically contains Christian themes and morals, without also trying to shove them onto the reader whether they fit the story or not. This story was wonderful about that, and I could respect and relate to the characters' faiths without cringing at how it was portrayed, like many Christian books, unfortunately.
I also appreciated the few deep and heavy topics that Kellyn covered in this story. They hit very close to home, personally, and I felt she portrayed them accurately and gracefully. Real life isn't neat and easily resolved, and she did a great job communicating that, while also interlacing hope that comes from Christ.
Overall, I'm very glad I received the opportunity to read an early copy of this story, and will stay tuned for the future installments! If you're a fan of historical, Christian, Irish, English, or romance fiction, I'd recommend checking this book out. You might just find a new favorite.
**I received an ARC copy of this book, but was not required to leave a positive review. My thoughts are my own.**