Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar

At sixteen, Ariadne recognizes the danger that lurks in her future should she continue living in Athens. She and her brother, Theo, flee to their father in Corinth and it is there that she discovers her father steals from the city's corrupt, elite citizens. Blessed with a love of running and athletics, Ariadne determines to partner with him and revels in the heists. But her secrets undermine her relationships with her brother, Theo, and her love interest, Justus. When Paul, a Jewish rabbi, enters their lives, everything begins to change. Unfortunately, a powerful man discovers their secret and Ariadne finds her future in jeopardy. Read more in Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar.

In my opinion, Thief of Corinth is in the top three books that Tessa Afshar has written. Between Ariadne's determination, tense relationships, and dangerous situations, I found myself constantly eager to read more of the story. I liked that the author did not fully explain Ariadne's plans for her heists ahead of time. It was nerve-wracking (in a good way) to read some of Ariadne's adventures and one of them was laugh out loud hilarious.

As expected, Ariadne grows and changes throughout the story. Ariadne's character is not only vibrantly written, but her character development is complex and beautiful – one of the story's greatest strengths. I also appreciated the themes of forgiveness, honesty, and empowerment.

In Thief of Corinth, Tessa Afshar returns to the first century, the same time period of her book, Bread of Angels. There is a brief tie-in between the two novels, but Thief of Corinth is a stand-alone novel.

I recommend Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar to anyone who enjoys Biblical fiction, man or woman. My husband also read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. While Ariadne is sixteen at the beginning of the book, I would categorize this as Christian Fiction, not Christian Young Adult (YA).

Read an excerpt from Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar on Tyndale Publisher's website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Summer Reading Suggestions from Sheila Gregoire!

One of my favorite bloggers, Sheila Gregoire, at To Love, Honor, and Vacuum, posted a Summer Reading List on Twitter and I'm re-sharing it here. 

What should you bring to the beach to read this summer? As my email subscribers may know, a few Fridays ago I sent out an email with links to some posts about the problems my daughters … https://t.co/Hzl9tg4XZ0

— SheilaGregoire (@sheilagregoire) July 18, 2018

Disclaimer: Like I said, Sheila is one of my favorite bloggers, but I do not share all her views on Christian fiction. In fact, I love Christian romances! However, I am always looking for book recommendations that expand my reading boundaries and Sheila's list is certainly worth noting. Now, without further ado....

The only ones I've read that made her list are Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion Series and Jane Austen's books, Emma and Persuasion.

I would really like to check out Catherine Ryan Hyde's novels as I recognize the name, but haven't read any.

And I have a friend who has recommended Agatha Christie novels for years.

That being said, I still have my stack of novels that I posted about last week: (minus The Prayer Box, which I read this past weekend)

So, I think I have plenty of reading to do.  And that makes me happy!

(P.S. - I have no idea why there are two different fonts in the post and I can't seem to resolve it... Sorry!)

My TBR Stack...

My current TBR stack:

I'm planning to read at least one of these fabulous sounding books this weekend. 

Probably The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate as it was this month's pick for the book club I attend. 

I received Tessa Afshar's Thief of Corinth in the mail just today and I am really looking forward to reading that one.

Actually, I'm really looking forward to all of these books....  😁

What I Found Today...

Look what I found today at the little used book store in my local library branch:

The Girl From the Train and The Centurion's Wife were on the BOGO shelf, so I paid $.54 ($.50 price, plus tax) for those two and The Vow was also $.54.

That's three books for $1.08!

I haven't read any of them, nor have I seen The Vow film, so they are all new to me. 

365 Trivia Twist Devotions

365 Trivia Twist Devotions: Fun Facts and Spiritual Truths for Every Day of the Year from B&H Publishing Group is a year-long devotional filled with simple and practical perspective on a plethora of topics. Each devotional topic is somehow related to an event that happened on a particular day. Bible verses, additional trivia tidbits, and related illustrations supplement the devotional text.

Our family has been using 365 Trivia Twist Devotions every few days over the past few weeks. My two year old is uninterested. My six year old is interested and likes hearing the devotionals read, but sometimes the content matter is above her comprehension level and she's wiggly by the end. My husband and I enjoy reading the trivia and usually have a brief discussion of the devotional's content.

Thus far, I like 365 Trivia Twist Devotions. I haven't had the opportunity to read every page, but what I have read has been interesting and various topics are presented. Who knew June 18^th is International Picnic Day? Or that June is World Juggling Month? Trivia topics cover politics, historical events, inventions, sports, food, etc. The devotional entries address priorities, relationships, personal responsibility, sin, forgiveness, and more.

Occasionally, I didn't personally agree with the author's perspective on a topic. However, the devotional still provided a good start for conversation about why we do (or don't do) certain things and why we do (or don't) subscribe to a particular idea. Example: My six year old likes looking at the illustrations that accompany some of the trivia. She was quick to notice that the page for February 3^rd, shows a man with a pipe. Since we have taught her the dangers of smoking, she questioned why this man was smoking. It was a good way to start off a conversation about smoking – Why do people do smoke? What effects does it have on your body? How do we treat people who engage in this activity? (Side Note: The devotional does not advocate smoking. It is only an illustration of Normal Rockwell smoking a pipe as he paints.)

In conclusion, I like 365 Trivia Twist Devotions and will continue using it. Once I finish it, I plan to keep it and reuse it when the kids are older. If you plan to use it with your kids, I'd recommend it for ages eight and older. This book can be used by a single reader. It does not have to be done in a family setting.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Together Forever by Jody Hedlund

Marianne Neumann's job as a placing agent for the Children's Aid Society affords her a measure of independence and the opportunity to covertly search for her missing sister. On the eve of her first placing out trip, Marianne is caught snooping for information by Andrew (Drew) Brady, a handsome man who happens to be her fellow agent for the trip. Between her instant attraction to him and his propensity for flirting, she finds herself strongly drawn to him. However, both Marianne and Drew harbor painful secrets. When a tragedy renews a painful past and separates them, their fledging relationship is unexpectedly tested. Will Drew and Marianne learn the ways of a love that is sacrificial, yet steadfast? Read more in Together Forever by Jody Hedlund.

Together Forever is the second novel in Jody Hedlund's Orphan Train series. Although this novel can work as a stand-alone story, I strongly recommend reading the series in order (including the prequel).

Reading Together Forever by Jody Hedlund was a treat. The opening scene hooked my attention and the story held my interest until the end. The novel is well-written and the unfamiliar setting of an orphan train intrigued to me. Themes such as sacrificial love, personal responsibility, and the importance of family feature prominently through the novel. Drew Brady was the perfect combination of thoughtfulness, humor, and flirtation. I enjoyed observing Drew and Marianne's sweet, flirty relationship develop into something much deeper and steadfast. Overall, I found this novel to be immensely satisfying and I expect to read it again in the future.

I recommend Together Forever by Jody Hedlund to fans of Christian romance. If you liked With You Always (Orphan Train #1), you will likely enjoy Together Forever (Orphan Train #2).

Read an excerpt from Together Forever by Jody Hedlund on the publisher's website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."