Tag: Book Reviews

Another book I wasn’t “required” to read, God’s Smuggler has been on my list to read for probably five years. My older sister has had the book for years…and I finally got around to it. Why did I wait so long?!

About the Book
As a boy he dreamed of being a spy undercover behind enemy lines. As a man he found himself undercover for God. Brother Andrew was his name and for decades his life story, recounted in God’s Smuggler, has awed and inspired millions. The bestseller tells of the young Dutch factory worker’s incredible efforts to transport Bibles across closed borders-and the miraculous ways in which God provided for him every step of the way. Revell and Chosen now reintroduce this powerful story with two new releases: a 35th anniversary edition and The Narrow Road, an expanded youth edition. Both contain a new foreword and afterword. The youth edition also features information about ministry to the persecuted church today, including country profiles, quotes from Christians in underground churches, “what if” scenarios based on real-life threats they face, and stories from others who have participated in Brother Andrew’s Bible-smuggling work. Brother Andrew’s story remains as inspiring today as it was thirty-five years ago, and with these new releases it will motivate a whole new generation to risk everything to follow God’s call.

My Review
Wow! This is an amazing book! There are really no words to describe it other than Brother Andrew simply living in obedience to God. But how encouraging and faith-building it is to follow years of his ministry! Some people think of doing grand things for Christ, but often, Brother Andrew was just THERE…giving hope to the persecuted Christians that there is someone else in the body praying for them. Reading this book will raise your awareness of persecuted Christians and the struggles they face. It is not graphic at all (not even close to “Tortured for Christ”), but shows the seriousness and struggles of believers in closed countries.

A quote that really stood out to me;
“You can’t use strong-arm tactics against the Church without strengthening it. It’s always been that way. Under persecution a man looks to his faith to see if it’s worth fighting for, and this is a scrutiny Christianity can always withstand. The real danger comes with an indirect attack, where a person is lured away from the Church before he has a chance to become strong.”

Buy on Amazon: God’s Smuggler

This week, I didn’t have any books I had to review…and actually, I haven’t finished a book since two Saturdays ago (perhaps I’ve been a bit busy). I’m stuck on an orphan train research book. While it has a lot of facts, that’s just what it has: facts (that are a little dry to swallow a lot at a time). But! Here’s an orphan train book that I recently read and really enjoyed–I give it five stars.

My Thoughts
So much information is packed into this short book. Warren paints a very detailed picture of the situations and circumstances different orphans faced. Warren follows the true story of one orphan, Lee, and adds historical references. I thought the book was very well-rounded. Though I’ve researched the orphan train saga, I learned a lot from these 72 pages. 

I would say that this is acceptable for all readers. There is one sentence that states that some orphans were physically and sexually abused, but other than that, I didn’t notice anything unacceptable. Some younger readers may not like the very real, dismal picture painted of the hopelessness of orphans in that time period.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and found it helpful for research.

About the Book
Between 1854 and 1930, more than 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children were sent west on orphan trains to find new homes. Some were adopted by loving families; others were not as fortunate. In recent years, some of the riders have begun to share their stories. Andrea Warren alternates chapters about the history of the orphan trains with the story of Lee Nailling, who in 1926 rode an orphan train to Texas when he was nine years old.

After reading about 1/4 of the book, I decided not to finish it. I am not a big romance fan, and from chapter one, Tessa was engrossed with Alex’s rippling muscles and drowning in his cobalt blue eyes. Just mentioning that doesn’t quite bother me, but when it goes on and on, chapter after chapter, her clearly lusting after this man, it just was too much (one quote that is very mild, “He was a beautiful specimen of manhood. She honestly had no desire to take her eyes off of him, even though she knew she was ogling inappropriately in front of the children.”).

About the Book
“I’ll never forgive him – never!”

Chuck Kincaid made a vow of hate the day his father walked out, and he still keeps it ten years later. His sister’s bad choices, his mother’s drug addiction – he knows who to blame for all of it.

But when Susanna and Kelly get their lives turned around by Jesus, Chuck doesn’t know what to think. And why is the rich stranger with the scarred face so interested in being his benefactor?

Failure and restoration. Hate and forgiveness. What is broken can be put back together, one small piece at a time.

(This book is recommended for ages 12 and up due to themes such as divorce and drug addiction.)

About the Book

The Shadows Over This Olive Grove Hide More Than Just the Truth

Lillian Porter has always wanted to fulfill her mother’s dream of going west, so when she hears about a nanny position in Angels Camp, California, she defies her grandfather and takes a chance on a new future. But she quickly wonders if she made the right choice. Murky rumors swirl around Woodward Colton, her new employer, but the gossip doesn’t match the man Lillian comes to know.

Still, something dark did happen in the family’s past. Lillian’s seven-year-old charge hasn’t spoken in over a year. Gently, Lillian tries to coax him out of his shell, hoping he’ll one day feel safe enough to share what scared him. But the Colton olive farm is no longer a safe place. Lillian encounters suspicious characters on their land and mysterious damage done to the farm. When the housekeeper is brutally attacked, the town once again suspects the worst. Will discovering the truth help Lillian clear the name of the man she has come to love–or will it endanger her even more?

I wasn’t so sure what I would think of “Beyond the Silence” when I first got into it. After all, Lillian left her grandfather’s home against his wishes. That little part, I’m still not sure about. But beyond that, wow! I laughed out loud for several parts in the book and, if I were the crying type, it would have made me cry too.

Woody is a man ostracized by his town because of rumors that he murdered his wife. Lillian is the nanny who felt God leading her to California to help a little boy who hadn’t spoken since his mother’s death. Jimmy is the boy who witnessed his mother’s murder. And Darwin is the murderer–on the loose because everyone blamed Woody. All were believable characters whose lives I could easily envision. Plus there were Carla (who made me laugh in the first chapter–I could have seen more of Carla in the book), Mrs. Goodman (Woody’s housekeeper and grandmotherly woman), and Harry. Oh Harry. I loved that character! But I’ll let you meet him on your own.

I found the “Christian” part of the book to be solid and strong. The characters openly prayed to God, fell into faults, made things right, and were portrayed as genuine Christians. There was also a very open message about gossip and tale-bearing and the ways it can ruin a person.

There was a lot about this book I liked. I liked the Western feel (yes, even the brutal wickedness of Darwin–only because it was realistic), the family feel, that the romance was NOT ultra “feely emotional,0 and I liked Harry. (Or did I mention that already?) Having not read a book by Tracie Peterson (and Kimberly Woodhouse) before, I was happily pleased.

Younger readers probably won’t want to read this because of murders, scare tactics, and cruelty. Like I said, there was also some romance, but it was mainly towards the end and no scene more than kissing referred to.

*I received this book for my honest review from Bethany House Publishers*

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana. Learn more at www.traciepeterson.com.

The Whole Coconut cookbook definitely has so much about coconuts crammed into one small book! Beyond just having recipes, I learned a lot about coconuts and the different parts and uses of it. The very first part of the cookbook was my favorite, as Frasie explained how to process the different parts of the coconut yourself instead of buying it all.

About the author
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