Reveiw of Bathsheba

 

From the back cover...

 



One of Ancient Israel's Most Famous Women--As You've Never Looked at Her Before

One of the Bible's most misunderstood and misjudged women, Bathsheba comes to life in this new biblical reimagining from Angela Hunt. Combining historical facts with detailed fiction, this is an eye-opening portrait that will have you reconsidering everything you thought you knew about her.

After receiving God's promise of a lifelong reign and an eternal dynasty, King David forces himself on Bathsheba, a loyal soldier's wife. When her resulting pregnancy forces the king to murder her husband and add her to his harem, Bathsheba struggles to protect her son while dealing with the effects of a dark prophecy and deadly curse on the king's household.

My thoughts…

I absolutely LOVED this book! Out of all the books I’ve reviewed lately, this is my favorite so far!

As the story of Bathsheba and David can be somewhat controversial and hotly debated in the Christian world, I would recommend reading the author’s note at the end of the book, before diving into the story. Here Angela Hunt explains why she wrote certain aspects of the story the way that she did (I'm trying not to give away any spoilers, but if you've read the Bible, then you've already got a pretty good idea. ;) ). Bottom line to keep in mind with Biblical fiction is that we have no way of knowing the real thoughts, emotions, and driving forces behind their decisions. This is one person's take on the story, as well as the lessons God revealed. It's always best to keep an open mind with Biblical fiction unless the author is not following the Biblical account. That being said, anything that was told a specific way in the Bible was absolutely, 100% written that way in this story.

The story is told through Bathsheba's and Nathan the prophets perspectives, and it is written in first person, which I absolutely love! I think a part of me was expecting this story to be much sadder then it was, but despite the heavy subject matter, I found it to be quite uplifting. The pages overflowed with Biblical insights that just blew me away!

Personally, I think I've always romanticized the story of David and Bathsheba. In a, "the king falls in love with a peasant girl" kind of way, in an attempt to ignore the harsh reality of the story. I love what Angela Hunt said in the author's note at the end of the book: "Are we so enthralled with the man 'after God's own heart' that we cannot see that he was as fallible as any other human?" Angela did an amazing job of capturing David's imperfections, lusts, and failings, as well as his love for God, repentant spirit, and passion. I walked away from this book with a new look at David.

Nathan's story was very intertwined with not only David, but with Bathsheba as well. It was an interesting twist that added so much depth to the story. It was the perfect way to write some of the scenes instead of everything being from Bathsheba's perspective.

Bathsheba was an amazing character. I could relate with her, cry with her, and learn with her. As a baby, Bathsheba had a powerful prophecy spoken over her in the story. It made Bathsheba the perfect heroine who struggled with God's call, fought God's call, and worked towards God's call - something I think all of us can relate to ourselves!

I was desperate to read Bathsheba after reading Esther, book one in the Dangerous Beauty Series. This novel did not disappoint, and I can't wait to read the last book in the series, which is about Delilah. What else can I say? I loved this book! Before I even finished reading it, I was recommending it to friends and family. Buy this book!!!

I received a copy of Bathsheba by Angela Hunt from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

See you guys on October 1st! God bless! :)

V. Joy Palmer

Review of Last Chance Hero

From the back cover...

What happens when your heart is intercepted before you even know it's in play?

The folks in Last Chance, New Mexico, could not be more pleased. Dr. Jessica MacLeod has opened an office right on Main Street and Andy Ryan, the best athlete the little town ever produced, has come home from the NFL to coach the high school football team. Unfortunately, Dr. Jess immediately gets off on the wrong foot with this football-obsessed town when she admits that she's never seen a football game, isn't really interested in doing so, and in fact doesn't know a first down from a goalpost.

Despite having little in common, Jess and Andy find themselves drawn to each other. But when a disagreement over the future of an injured player puts them both on the defensive, it begins to look like this game is over . . .

My thoughts...

I really liked Last Chance Hero! It was easy reading and the pages flew by. I had a Mexican food craving for days after reading this book (But that could be the power of suggestion coupled with strong pregnancy hormones!). Regardless, the green chili sauce described in this book made me want to hit every Mexican restaurant within the state. The small town was charming, but the secondary characters did not overwhelm the main storyline.

I could relate to the heroine, Dr. Jessica "Jess" MacLeod, in that I've very little interest in football. (For those of you who have the urge to throw something at me because of that statement, please don't aim for the face. :) ) However, there is a Friday Night Lights/Facing the Giants/Remember the Titans quality to the story that will satisfy football fans, but isn't overdone for those of us who are "weird."

Andy Ryan was a sweet hero. He's the football hero from Last Chance's Glory Days. Due to injury, he retired early and is now coaching the high school football team. Between the town putting tons of pressure on him to reignite the Glory Days and demons he hasn't dealt with from his past, Ryan has quite a bit on his plate.

I was slightly surprised at how easy Jess and Andy's relationship seemed to go until they disagreed over the treatment of one of the football team's stronger players. Even that though seemed to be resolved relatively easy. In my opinion, it was mostly wounded pride that pulled them apart. Which isn't a bad spin because really, if we can get over our wounded pride, more rifts could be resolved.

My only real critique to the story is the spiritual journey for the characters. Most of the reviews that I've read where the reviewer complains about this, they says there was too much. I felt like it was the opposite. Andy's spiritual journey was good, but I just felt Jess' journey wasn't a complete look at the questions and struggles that Christians and non-Christians alike face. She's not a Christian when she comes to Last Chance, and despite the fact that Andy and the majority of her friends are, there are not a lot of conversations about God, and there's not a lot of soul searching on Jess' part regarding this. So it fell like all of a sudden at the end of the book, she understood without having the reflections or the questions that we all go through. A point in the pros column is that the story isn't preachy, which is great because who likes that? That is a helpful quality for new Christians or non-Christians.

Last Chance Hero is the fourth book in the A Place to Call Home Series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand. The story works well on it's own. The bonus of reading the first three books is that you see the previous character's turn up, and that's always fun!

I received a copy of Last Chance Hero by Cathleen Armstrong from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

God bless you guys! See you on September 20th!! :) (Oh, my goodness! Where did September go???)

V. Joy Palmer

The Power of Fiction

You guys might have gathered that I read.

A lot.

I haven't counted in a few years, but back then I had well over 500 books. I have a personal goal to have a home library that rivals the Library of Congress. I know that's not really possible (did you know the Library of Congress has a copy of every book printed in the United States?). It's just my way of saying I want a big, huge, multi-level library.

And I love to read fiction.

A lot.

A high percentage of my book collection is fiction.

Here's the truth, I've felt some judgment from people about my love of fiction over nonfiction. I've been made to feel like the books I read are of lesser value because everything is fake. Like the importance of what I'm learning means nothing because it's "dumbed down" because of romance, sword fights, or imaginary places. Like it's just not as good.

I have nothing against nonfiction. Those of you who follow me know that I also write on Snack Time Devotions, a daily devotional blog. As a Christian, I spend a lot of time reading a nonfiction book called the Bible. ;)

The truth is, there is power in fiction. I have a collection of authors who write compelling/funny/realistic stories in such a way that I stop and am in awe of how profoundly they've hit exactly the issue I'm struggling with without having laid eyes on me. I love how God can use a fictional story to change someone's life!

I like this quote about books that I happened across...

If you can read a book that breathes God's love and life into you, then it's a good book. If you've found a story that speaks to the heartache in your soul, then keep reading. If you've got an author who understands the enormity of their ministry in linking words together in a way that makes you tear up in wonder, then who has the right to judge? If you can walk away from a story with hope, love, renewed purpose, vision, healing, joy, or a better understanding of our awesome God, then that book is phenomenal!

Different stories do it for different people. Don't ever let someone look down on you if you, like me, are a fiction fanatic. God created you to find purpose in the story.

God bless you guys! See you on September 10th!

V. Joy Palmer

Review of Not by Sight

 

 

From the back cover:

With Britain caught up in WWI, Jack Benningham, heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, has declared himself a conscientious objector. Instead, he secretly works for the Crown by tracking down German spies on British soil, his wild reputation and society status serving as a foolproof cover.

Blinded by patriotism and concern for her brother on the front lines, wealthy suffragette Grace Mabry will do whatever it takes to assist her country's cause. When she sneaks into a posh London masquerade ball to hand out white feathers of cowardice, she never imagines the chain of events she'll set off when she hands a feather to Jack.

And neither of them could anticipate the extent of the danger and betrayal that follows them--or the faith they'll need to maintain hope.

My thoughts:

My expectations for a historical romance are different from that of a contemporary, young adult, or even a dystopian novel.

That being said, Not by Sight lived up to my expectations!

I had forgotten how much I enjoy historical romances. There's a certain amount of charm that comes from being swept to an enchanting era, while knowing full well that when you close the cover you still have access to modern plumbing.

It's the simple things in life. ;)

I really liked Jack's character, and I thought he was well developed. He was egotistical and wounded, with a touch of brooding. I love that combination for a hero! I liked Grace, too. She was obviously meant to be the strong, shining example, but there were times I wished she had been a little more reckless. That seems strange to say, but we are all human, and sometimes act rash. I think that would have made her a teensy bit more relatable, but I honestly thought the author did an excellent job with Grace's character.

While Grace needed to remain strong in her faith towards the end of the story when her world fell apart, it was really Jack who needed to learn to live by faith and not by sight. A few chapters into the novel, you learn that Jack has lost his sight while in service to his country. He truly has to live his life relying on everything but his sight. However, he has trouble living by a faith that's failed him. The title, Not by Sight, was quite fitting for this story!

Grace is an aspiring writer, and when Jack finds out during their time together, he uses Grace as his "eyes." Jack has an uncanny ability to navigate his surroundings despite his blindness. He hires Grace to be his driver, has her drive to the middle of nowhere, and then describe the scene to him. Long descriptions of their surroundings were instead used as dialogue. As a writer myself, I enjoyed this little trick that the author used. :)

Not by Sight was a very enjoyable story. While I still had some questions at the end, I quite loved the resolution between Jack and Grace. I highly recommend this book!

I received Not by Sight by Kate Breslin from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

See you guys on September 1st! God bless you guys!

V. Joy Palmer

Review of Hope Harbor

From the back cover:

Tracy Campbell never wanted to leave Hope Harbor, Oregon, or the idyllic three-generation cranberry farm where she grew up. But life--and love--altered her plans. When tragedy strikes and changes her plans yet again, she finds herself back in her hometown with a floundering farm to run and a heartbreaking secret. Romance is not on her agenda. Nor is it on Michael Hunter's. The visitor from Chicago has daunting secrets of his own. But when Tracy recruits him to help save a struggling charitable organization, the winds of change begin to sweep through Hope Harbor, bringing healing, hope, and love to countless lives--including their own.

My thoughts:

Not every book written by every author is for every person. This wasn't my favorite book. I didn't realize that both Tracy and Michael had suddenly lost their respective spouses. That's not a favorite storyline for me - generally because it's too awful for me to even think about - so I generally avoid stories like this. Hope Harbor dealt a lot with grief, pain, regret, and trying to forgive themselves for the mistakes they had each made in their previous marriages.

However, just because this wasn't a story for me doesn't mean that it wasn't well-written, with a message that a lot of hurting people need to hear.

Or read in this case. ;)

The book was a little slow for me, and I was surprised that Tracy and Michael were not the only points of view in the story. Michael strolls into town with the mission to disappear during his two month leave, but God has other ideas. When his lodging plans go array, the town shut-in, Anna Williams, spontaneously offers him lodging because Michael has an uncanny resemblance to her estranged son, John. Anna becomes entwined in Tracy and Michael's lives, and is a key element in the plan God has for them.

When Michael sends Tracy crashing to the curb, he tries to make up for his part in her bicycle accident. This soon leads to a lot of extra volunteering on his part, mostly to be around Tracy.

I thought it was cute how the book was set on a cranberry farm, and I liked how the answer to saving the floundering cranberry farm was right under their noses. I found the ending to be pleasant, with a happy resolution for all the characters.

I received a copy of Hope Harbor by Irene Hannon from Revell in exchange for my honest opinion.

See you guys on August 20th! God bless!

V. Joy Palmer

The Little Writer That Could (I sold a book!)

Hey everyone! I got to tell you, rejection is the hardest thing in the world to handle.

I also have to tell you, that you can't escape it.

*Insert sad, little sliding flute sound that I couldn't find a clip of anywhere. The internet has failed me.  :\  *

I can tell that was just the news you all want to hear today. I know, not very uplifting. And in the life of a writer, it's one of the hardest things to accept. I have met writer friends who have spent years trying to get published. Manuscript after manuscript.

Heart wrenching rejection after heart wrenching rejection.

Then we get told that it will all happen in God's time.

"Well, I'm looking at my watch God, and I think it's time. If you don't, get a new watch."

That line doesn't go over so well.

There are about a billion things in life that don't come easily. It requires a lot of hard work. Followed by a few rejections, ice cream, a treadmill, and then trying again.

"But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

You can't stop believing. You can't stop going. Lying in bed eating chocolate only helps for a little while. Then you start to break out, and you are still in the same place you were before.

Keep going!

I have a very motivational book for you to read. I think it's one you are all familiar with. (And if not, then I feel old.) Get it. Read it. Even now, many years later, I still remember the message. The main character had to fight insurmountable elements to make it to the top.

The Little Engine That Could!

There's a lot to learn from this. Mostly, never give up. Never surrender. You can do it! God has given you wind and wings and a dream! Keep going until you are soring!

For a writer, it doesn't stop the moment you sign the dotted line. but you keep pressing forward. Eventually you come to trust God with the details.

I pitched my first novel, and I got a good response to it. I sent it out to editors and agents. I checked my e-mail more times then I'd care to admit.

And I waited.

I kept writing. Rewriting. Plotting. Re-plotting.

Then some rejections started to come.

It crushed me. Like I said, rejection isn't easy. For awhile I felt like God had let me down. (Thankfully, He's got big shoulders!) I moved past that.

I kept going.

Then I got an e-mail.

One that filled me with a hope and stopped my heart all at once.

My book was going to committee the next day! And thus began the longest day of my life. A day spent in prayer. Seeking God's will. And truly knowing it would be okay, no matter the outcome.

It was a yes! I signed a contract with WhiteFire Publishing! I am beyond excited!

I'm the little writer that could, you guys.

See you guys on August 10th! :) God bless you!

V. Joy Palmer

Review of The Choosing

 

Okay, guys. We have to talk about this book because it's awesome. Here's the description for The Choosing:

Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.

But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within.

Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.

Nice, right? The Choosing is dystopian, with some romance, and a little bit of crazy serial killer all mixed into a swirl of words, paper, and ink.

The book starts right in the thick of everything! As I read, I thought, "Wait, back up! Explain!" But there was no backing up, so I was immediately pulled into the story as Carrington's worst nightmare literally took place. After all her hard work, after following all the rules, after living her life perfectly for the Authority, her entire future and worth as a person is determined by some guy basically not picking her to dance at a grand ball. Okay, so it's a little more complicated then that. Then Carrington is sent to the lowest level of society to serve for the rest of her life. She can never marry. She can never see or speak to her family again. When Carrington is given a way out of the life she never wanted, she takes it not realizing this may be a worse fate.

Remko is devoted to the Authority. However, despite his best intentions, he falls in love with Carrington. After witnessing treachery and manipulation among the Authority, Remko begins to question everything he's held in such high esteem. Even though he comes a long way, Remko's story is far from done. I can't wait to see the challenges he overcomes in Book Two.

I loved how Rachelle Dekker also had these "Histories" included in the book. They explained how society got to this point, and I was disappointed when they ended.

What I loved most about this book was the message.

Your worth.

I want to make all the girls in the youth group read this book because this message is so important. Carrington had been taught her entire life that her worth was determined by a guy thinking she was marriage material at that exact moment. She comes to realize that none of that is true. Her worth comes from God. He loves her for her. She is beautiful in His eyes. Despite everything she has been taught, she is priceless. I know of no message girls and women need to understand more. Their worth is not determined by a man or by society. It comes from God alone, and because of that, you have all the worth in the world.

On top of everything else, you see people fighting to share "the truth." It felt so reminiscent of early church/apostles sharing the Gospel. I loved that. There were poignant conversations and deep spiritual questions that Carrington and Remko had to face. There was even a moving scene where one young lady died for God's truth.

I loved the ending. I love how Remko and Carrington choose the one thing society has denied them. Their choice.

And they choose each other.

This really was such a great book you guys. A lot of dystopian books are sold as Young Adult novels, and while they are all still AMAZING, The Choosing read differently. Maybe it's because of the spiritual meaning. Maybe it's because of the serial killer theme. Regardless, The Choosing was deeper then the average dystopian novel.

The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker is A Seer Novel, and is thankfully the first book in what is sure to be a promising series.

Great talking to you guys today! Check out this book, and then come tell me how much you love it, too! See you again on August 1st!!! :)

V. Joy Palmer