April 2022 Reading Recap & May 2022 TBR

My April 2022 Reads: 

I read my first ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ fiction book of 2021: Turn to Me by Becky Wade! I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed it. Reviews and ratings are below. Overall, it was a good reading month.

1. Turn to Me by Becky Wade - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review to come.


2. The Scandal of Holiness by Jessica Hooten Wilson - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


3. A Piece of the Moon by Chris Fabry - ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ - Read my review.


4. Driving Force by Lynette Eason & Kate Angelo - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


5. All That It Takes by Nicole Deese. - ⭐⭐⭐½ - Read my review. 

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Expected May 2022 Reads:

1. A Healer's Promise by Misty M. Beller.


2. Drawn by the Current by Jocelyn Green.


3. The Finder of Forgotten Things by Sarah Loudin Thomas - My local book club's selection for May.


4. Willow by Ronie Kendig.


5. Curtain Call by Lyneta Smith - Currently reading.

What will you read this month?

Book Review: All That It Takes by Nicole Deese

About the Book:

When the ever-cautious Val Locklier moves cross-country with her son for a secure job, everything she'd planned unravels within the first week. After Val reluctantly agrees to rent an apartment from her best friend's brother, an unexpected chance at an elite filmmakers' mentorship ignites fresh hope for a dream career. But as Val's community begins to expand, so do her insecurities, especially those heightened by her growing attraction to a certain friendly landlord.

Pastor Miles McKenzie returns home from a short-term mission trip to discover that not only does he have an intriguing new tenant living upstairs, he's also been reassigned to a local ministry on life support. Disillusioned and restless, he distracts himself by throwing his energy into a host of new projects--not the least of which is pursuing Val--without stopping to consider the future.

As Val struggles to stop hiding behind the camera and Miles wrestles with shattered expectations, they'll find that authentic love and sacrifice must go hand in hand.

Read an excerpt from All That It Takes by Nicole Deese on the publisher's website.

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My Thoughts:

Theoretically, All That It Takes by Nicole Deese lines up with my bookish ideals. The flowing prose evidenced the author’s skill with words. The novel bravely tackled heavy topics (disillusionment, unplanned pregnancy, sharing one’s story, etc.) with compassion. Occasional wisdom-filled statements made me stop and consider a spiritual truth. Yet, it took me over three weeks to read All That It Takes. The plot felt slow to me. I didn’t connect with Val until around page 200, when she explained partial details surrounding her pregnancy to both Miles and the reader.

All That It Takes by Nicole Deese possessed positive qualities and concluded with a stunningly beautiful ending. I know many fellow readers love this book, but it is not a favorite of mine. 3.5 Stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Book Review: The Scandal of Holiness by Jessica Hooten Wilson

About the Book:

Reading Great Literature as a Spiritual Discipline. 

How do we become better people? Initiatives such as New Year's resolutions, vision boards, thirty-day plans, and self-help books often fail to compel us to live differently. We settle for small goals--frugal spending, less yelling at the kids, more time at the gym--but we are called to something far greater. We are created to be holy.

Award-winning author Jessica Hooten Wilson explains that learning to hear the call of holiness requires cultivating a new imagination--one rooted in the act of reading. Learning to read with eyes attuned to the saints who populate great works of literature moves us toward holiness, where God opens up a way of living that extends far beyond what we can conjure for ourselves. Literature has the power to show us what a holy life looks like, and these depictions often scandalize even as they shape our imagination. As such, careful reading becomes a sort of countercultural spiritual discipline.

The book includes devotionals, prayers, wisdom from the saints, and more to help individuals and groups cultivate a saintly imagination.

Read an excerpt from The Scandal of Holiness by Jessica Hooten Wilson on the publisher's site.

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My Thoughts:

Reading The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints by Jessica Hooten Wilson felt like revisiting my college English major days, but better. Through her examinations of literary texts, the author shows that reading and considering literature aids the believer in the calling of being a saint (see 1 Corinthians 1:2 NKJV). Although I previously read only one of the books discussed, I never felt confused because the author summarized each literary work as she conveyed her thoughts about spiritual issues. I did learn some plot spoilers.

I enjoyed each chapter in The Scandal of Holiness, but Chapter 3 (Creation Care as a Holy Calling) rated as my favorite. Chapter 8 (Ars Moriendi) impacted and challenged me the most as it addressed the concept of dying well. This topic and the points presented stuck with me. The end of each chapter included a devotional section with Scripture, book quotes, prayers of the saints, reflection questions, and suggestions for further reading.

The Scandal of Holiness by Jessica Hooten Wilson focuses mainly on modern works of literature. A few examples: Ernest Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying, C. S. Lewis’ That Hideous Strength, Georges Bernanos’ The Diary of a Country Priest. The author explained in the introduction that she incorporated works from various faith traditions (Protestants, Roman Catholics, Orthodox Church, etc.) Stories from the Catholic tradition seemed the most common, and I found them interesting. The author expounded her thoughts clearly and without antagonism for opposing opinions. Even when I disagreed with a point, I respected and considered her view, in part due to the excellent presentation.

The Scandal of Holiness by Jessica Hooten Wilson is the type of book I could read annually. I enjoyed and learned from it. My personal take-away was that reading and considering well-written literature can influence a believer’s perspective and spur him or her forward in pursuit of the calling to be a saint (1 Corinthians 1:2 NKJV). The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints by Jessica Hooten Wilson receives five stars from me.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Book Spotlight& Giveaway: Turn My Mourning Into Dancing by Henri Nouwen

 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Turn My Mourning Into Dancing by Henri Nouwen, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Turn My Mourning Into Dancing 

Author: Henri Nouwen 

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Release Date: March 8, 2022 

Genre: Christian, Spiritual Growth, Grief 

How do you find hope in hard times? Why is it important to have hope during difficult times? Turn My Mourning into Dancing will help you survive the difficult seasons and learn how to live a full life in the midst of them and beyond. With practical advice, Henri Nouwen will gently point you towards a way of life that is grounded in God’s constancy and rooted within eternal hope. 

In this updated edition, Turn My Mourning into Dancing discusses five movements we experience during hard times: 

 • From Our Little Selves to a Larger World 

 • From Holding Tight to Letting Go 

 • From Fatalism to Hope 

 • From Manipulation to Love 

 • From a Fearful Death to a Joyous Life 

Healing begins with taking our pain out of its diabolic isolation and seeing our sufferings in communion with all humanity, and all creation. Nouwen teaches us that our little lives participate in something much larger. Turn My Mourning into Dancing is a must read for: 

 • men and women looking for growth and insight on life 

 • anyone going through the grief process and searching for real solutions 

 • anyone who has experienced a loss, betrayal, or hard times 

Everyone grieves differently. It is a process, not a science experiment. Mourning shouldn’t last forever. Do you want the kind of life that allows you to dance even in the middle of the darkest night? Get the answers and find hope within your hard times with Nouwen’s works on spiritual growth.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub

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EXCERPT

From Holding Tight to Letting Go.

For years I have loved watching trapeze artists. The love began when my then- eighty- nine- year- old father came for a visit. Let’s go to the circus, we decided one day. That evening we watched five South African trapeze artists—three fliers and two catchers. They danced in the air! The fliers soared and all was dangerous until they found themselves caught by the strong hands of their partners. I told my father that I had always wanted to fly like that, that perhaps I had missed my calling!

I am constantly moved by the courage of my circus friends. At each performance they trust that their flight will end with their hands sliding into the secure grip of a partner. They also know that only the release of the secure bar allows them to move on with arcing grace to the next. Before they can be caught, they must let go. They must brave the emptiness of space.

Living with this kind of willingness to let go is one of the greatest challenges we face. Whether it concerns a person, possession, or personal reputation, in so many areas we hold on at all costs. We become heroic defenders of our dearly gained happiness. We treat our sometimes inevitable losses as failures in the battle of survival.

The great paradox is that it is in letting go, we receive. We find safety in unexpected places of risk. And those who try to avoid all risk, those who would try to guarantee that their hearts will not be broken, end up in a self- created hell. C. S. Lewis wrote in The Four Loves,

To love at all is to be vulnerable…If you want to make sure of keeping [your heart] intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket of your selfishness. But in that casket— safe, dark, motionless, airless— it will change. It will not be broken—it will become unbreak-able, impenetrable, irredeemable…The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from the danger of love is Hell.

In so many ways, the more we insist on control and the more we resist the call to hold our lives lightly, the more we have to deny the reality of our losses and the more artificial our existence becomes. Our belief that we should grasp tightly what we need provides one of the great sources of our suffering. But letting go of possessions and plans and people allows us to enter, for all its risks, a life of new, unexpected freedom.

How can we live with greater willingness to let go? Another step in turning our mourning into dancing has to do with not clutching what we have, not trying to reserve a safe place we can rest in, not trying to choreograph our own or others’ lives, but to surrender to the God whom we love and want to follow. God invites us to experience our not being in control as an invitation to faith.

Taken from “Turn My Mourning into Dancing: Finding Hope During Hard Times” by Henri Nouwen. Copyright 2001 Estate of Henri Nouwen. Preface Copyright 2001 Timothy Jones. Used with permission from Thomas Nelson Publishing. www.thomasnelson.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932-1996) was the author of With Open Hands, Reaching Out, The Wounded Healer, Making All Things New, and many other bestsellers. He was the senior pastor of L’Arche Daybreak in Toronto, Canada, a community where men and women with mental disabilities and their assistants create a home for one another.

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive two print copies of Turn My Mourning into Dancing (one to keep, one to give!)!

 

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 26, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 3, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Author Interview & Giveaway: Forever on the Bay by Lee Tobin McClain

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Forever on the Bay by Lee Tobin McClain, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Forever on the Bay 
Series: The Off Season #6
Author: Lee Tobin McClain
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: April 26, 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Clean & Wholesome

Safe harbor and new beginnings await on the Chesapeake Bay… 

Pleasant Shores cop Evan Stone has worked hard to become a man of his word, overcoming the alcoholism that sent him down the wrong path in his youth. So when his late best friend’s sister asks for his help, he doesn’t hesitate. He promised he’d watch out for Cassie, and the cottage next to his will be a perfect short-term refuge for her and her dog. The other half of that promise—to stay away from Cassie romantically—is harder to keep. 

Sheltered for years because of a childhood illness, Cassie is ready to reach for what she wants. And despite her family’s warnings and her own fears, Cassie’s heart wants Evan. As the return of his estranged son puts his sobriety to the test, Cassie and Evan are drawn together, finding strength through what they’ve each weathered. She knows Evan would risk anything to protect her, but are they willing to risk the price of loving, now and forever?

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | BookBub

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MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Lee Tobin McClain is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels. A professor-turned-writer, she finds inspiration in her beautiful and brilliant daughter, her goofy goldendoodle, and her aptly named cat, Trouble. Learn more about her books at www.leetobinmcclain.com.

CONNECT WITH LEE: Website | Facebook | Instagram

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Q: What was the inspiration behind Forever on the Bay?

Lee: So many different inspirations! The Chesapeake Bay in all its beauty was primary. I also love the “best friend’s younger sister” trope, and I thought it would work perfectly for my hero, Evan Stone, a small town police officer from previous books in the series. My characters tend to have complicated histories. Evan has struggled with alcoholism. Cassie, the heroine, had a childhood illness that kept her somewhat isolated, which in turn made her a creative person—she makes dolls for children with chronic illnesses.

Q: How long did it take you to write this novel?

Lee: About three months, although the book was stewing in my head for quite awhile before I started writing.


Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this novel? 

Lee: Here’s a quote from early in the novel, and an image that shows what inspired it: I have a dog who loves adventures and stands up like a person, too!

Ace, her big apricot-colored labradoodle, jumped his front paws to the windowsill beside her, standing like a person to look out.

“We’re going on an adventure,” she whispered into Ace’s shaggy ear, and he nudged her with his nose as if to say he was excited, too.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from Forever on the Bay?

Lee: That it’s possible to overcome troubles and trauma in the past, build a new life, and find love.

 

Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers would not know?

Lee: Even though I write about the Chesapeake Bay, I suffer from motion sickness, so I’m very cautious about taking a boat trip as research.


Q: What are you reading now?

Lee: The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey. It’s the start of a new mystery series and takes place in 1920s India. It’s fascinating.


Q: How many bookcases are in your home?

Lee: Just three, but they’re overflowing.


Q: What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Lee: Walking my goldendoodle on local trails, spending time with my college-student daughter, and, of course, reading!

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a copy of the first five books in The Off Season series and a $20 Amazon gift card!

 

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 25, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 2, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Book Review: Driving Force by Lynette Eason and Kate Angelo

About the Book:

He’s the last client she wants to protect…

Elite Guardians bodyguard/former sniper Christina Sherman has protected uncooperative clients before—but this time, well her client is bossy, headstrong and occasionally eats off the floor. Yes, he’s a highly trained military working dog, but certainly her skills could be put to better use, right?

Not according to former Special Forces Air Commando Grey Parker. He needs her help to protect his dog while he undergoes an experimental surgery that could restore his ability to walk. He just needs someone to keep his canine partner safe. Most of all, Grey wants back on his feet so he can track down a deranged scientist known as The Scavenger who unleashed a nerve agent that left Grey sidelined in a wheelchair.

When an attempt is made on Grey’s life, and dead bodies begin piling up—with evidence the same toxin is responsible—suddenly Christina is tasked with keeping both dog and soldier alive…and with them, the secrets that could stop a terrorist attack.

But this time, even Christina might be in over her head.

Dive into the exciting ignition to the Elite Guardians Collection.

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My Thoughts:

Driving Force by Lynette Eason and Kate Angelo offers a highly entertaining story with plenty of suspense and mystery. The novel’s plot clips along from the beginning and held my attention throughout. Having a wheelchair bound hero (Grey) and a military dog (Boss) set this book apart from others in the romantic suspense genre. Grey and Boss felt especially unique and admirable. Boss proved to be amazing in many ways – his loyalty, intelligence, training, and intuition.

While Driving Force piles on the tense moments, Grey and Christina both have spiritual and emotional issues to deal with. The characters struggle with the answers they find, and that process added a depth that I appreciated. As expected, the action of the story takes center stage, but the character development enhances the story with its presence.

Driving Force by Lynette Eason and Kate Angelo stands as the first novel in the Elite Guardians Collection from Sunrise Publishing. This series spins off from Lynette Eason’s Elite Guardians Series, which I have not read. It was easy to guess which women were part of the former series, but sometimes difficult to keep all the side characters straight. Driving Force works as a stand-alone novel and gives this new series a strong start. I look forward to reading the forthcoming novels in the Elite Guardians Collection. Four stars!

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.