Not Your Typical Governess

The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E. Ladd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Governess of Penwythe Hall caught my eye as I had read several other books by author Sarah Ladd which I had enjoyed greatly. I was also seeking something a little more light-hearted and fun to read. This book fit both categories.

The Governess of Penwythe Hall is your basic Christian Regency romance. This book stands out because the governess is not your typically naive, innocent young lady who is trying to earn a living. Instead, the governess is widowed and fleeing a secret from her past. This secret provides a slight mystery element to the book. Ladd does a nice job of providing some clues but yet not giving away the secret until near the end. There are several twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. Beyond the suspenseful, mystery aspect, The Governess of Penwythe Hall follows the basic plot readers of this genre will recognize. As this book does feature a governess, I enjoyed that the characters of the children in the book were somewhat developed and played a role in the story instead of being invisible. I look forward to additional volumes in this series.

I received a complementary copy of this book via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review.

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Add Library Extension to your favorite browser!

If your book buying habit is out of control and you need to be thrifty, you need Library Extension in your life. Library Extension is a great little App that lives in your browser. Any time you are looking at a book via Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GoodReads or any other site, Library Extension will show you if that book is available at the libraries you have added to your list and includes a link to Borrow the book which allows you to pull up the book in the catalog and find the call number or request it.

For example, I have my Library Extension set up to look for books at the library where I work, the public library in my community, and the academic library consortium I utilize. I just discovered that my public library's consortium is now included in Library Extension as well so I've added that as well. When I see a book mentioned, I can look it up and borrow on the spot or add to my "to request later list" instead of purchasing. Until recently, Library Extension was only available in the Chrome store but now this great little tool is available for FireFox as well. Now you can use Library Extension where ever you like.

Conversations within the Church

Too often in our churches, we come to service, maybe attend a class or Bible study or small group, but never actually stop to have real heart-felt, honest to goodness conversations about topics that are impacting our church, our community, and our nation. Or maybe if you do have the rare opportunity to engage in conversation, you worry about saying something that others may disagree with even when it is a topic that there may be multiple Christian viewpoints. In his most recent book How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church, C. Christopher Smith has written a resource which blends theology, spiritual disciplines, and communication theory into a must-purchase book.

Smith roots his book in a marvelous discussion of the Trinity. He emphasizes that the Trinity is a model for Christian community and that community doesn't happen without conversation. Smith provides numerous examples of churches that engage in conversation most specifically the congregation in which he is a member. He is able to speak from experience regarding concerns that individuals may have regarding "what abouts" and "what ifs" for beginning this practice and provides three specific models for conversation. The discussion on the three conversational models is useful not only for churches but for any organization. Moving on from "how-to," Smith focuses on why churches should have conversations and emphasizes this practices is a spiritual discipline. The final section provides information on positive outcomes that may emerge from this practice as well as how to work through potential conflicts.

This book is highly recommended as a resource for ministers and church leaders to read and implement. Beyond churches, anyone who is interested in communication or spiritual disciplines or works with groups in any way will find this an interesting and useful book to read as well. Many may feel intimidated by the idea of having a church conversation that doesn't have a specific agenda or outcome in mind but How the Body of Christ Talks provides a a roadmap for implementing this important discipline.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book How the Body of Christ Talks via NetGalley. 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.

Looking for a Bible Study?

102 Fascinating Bible Studies on the New Testament is exactly what the title says. Written by Dr. William H. Marty, recently retired from Moody Bible Institute, each study includes an introductory article and then multiple questions where the reader engages with scripture. What makes this study different is that instead of being straight through the New Testament or even a specific book of the Bible, it takes a chronological-topical approach. For example, when studying the birth of Christ the study questions engage with all of the birth narratives. For various topical studies, several passages are used to study the topic instead of just one passage. I had mixed feelings about this approach. I liked how Dr. Marty pulled numerous passages together demonstrating how scripture works together and exposing readers to a variety of passages. However, there were times when moving from passage to passage and pulling out a specific verse was troubling as the reader was unable to study the verse in context.

102 Fascinating Bible Studies on the New Testament would be a good study for newer believers and could be used as an individual or group study. Dr. Marty does make it clear in the study that he does not believe in baptismal regeneration. I also found his discussion of immigrants in his study on Philemon off-putting and a stretch. Beyond those sections the study is straightforward. This study is a good follow-up to the previously published 102 Fascinating Bible Studies. I hope there will be a 102 Fascinating Bible Studies on the Old Testament as well.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book 102 Fascinating Bible Studies on the New Testament via NetGalley. 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.

Intriguing Prequel

Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Martha Hall Kelly writes a riveting story which not only has a marvelous story line but is written in a way that draws in the reader. Each chapter of Lost Roses is told from the point of view of one of the three main characters--a wealthy American woman, her friend a Russian princess, and a Russian peasant. This rotating viewpoint allows Kelly to both further the story but also to provide information that helps to paint a fuller picture of what is happening. Many times information shared by one character would provide insight into something that happened to another character or would foreshadow a future event. As the characters had diverse backgrounds, Kelly was able to realistically portray both sides of the Russian revolution and how it was perceived by outsiders.

This book is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and particularly anyone who enjoys reading about Russian history. I may just need to add a non-fiction book about the Russian revolution to my reading list to explore this topic further. Individuals familiar with Kelly's previous work Lilac Girls will enjoy this prequel. If like me, you hadn't read it yet you will wish to add it to your list as well.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Lost Roses via NetGalley. 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.

Redeeming Your Memories

When was the last time you paused to really think about your memories? Everyone has them and our memories--both good and bad--are so important to who we are. However, many times we do not stop to think about all of the stories that make up our past and impact our future. Casey Tygrett's new book As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life published by InterVarsity Press sets out to change how you interact with your memories.

Frequently, we only wish to engage with our happy memories. The warm fuzzies of life or the mountain top experiences are important, but sometimes we benefit from or learn more as a person from the not so great memories. Often, the times when we completely blew it are the memories that God uses to teach us and help us grow. Tygrett uses psychology and spirituality to show how memories help us to grow as a person and a Christ-follower. He particularly emphasizes the importance of redeeming our memories instead of pretending they do not exist. Tygrett uses a wide variety of imagery to refer to memories and frequently uses the motif of shells and collecting seashells. Another image which particularly resonated with me was drywall and that you can't put up new drywall over a mess without cleaning it up first."

Casey's strengths as a spiritual director and Bible teacher shine in his book. Throughout the book, Tygrett moves easily from psychology topics and brain research related to memories to Bible teaching and spiritual exercises. Along side these researched, teaching portions, he transparently shares many stories of his own life and memories as well as stories from his ministries. His tone is very conversational even when referencing researched sections. His writing style and sharing from his own life experiences creates a very readable and engaging book that you might be tempted to read straight through. However, failure to stop and put the "Pauses" that included at the end of every chapter into practice would be a huge mistake. These spiritual exercises help you to process the content and truly serve to help you redeem your memories to further your spiritual walk.

As I Recall is a marvelous book you will want to add to your collection. You will wish to dip back into the riches frequently and will find it useful to engage in the "Pauses" on a regular basis. Individuals who work as counselors or spiritual directors will wish to encourage others to read and work through this book. Small groups who know each other well and are willing to be vulnerable with each other may find this book helpful to read together as well.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book As I Recall via NetGalley. 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. I am also privileged to have known and interacted with the author while he was a student.

Good parenting tips

Parenting Beyond the Rules: Raising Teens with Confidence and Joy by Connie Albers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Parenting Beyond the Rules: Raising Teens with Confidence and Joy focuses on the importance of relationship rather than rules when parenting teens. Author Connie Albers emphasizes that taking the time to listen to your teen and get to the heart of the matter is more effective than a strict emphasis on rules and behavior. Throughout the book, Albers provides numerous examples from her own experiences as a parent of teens. I found this book was a good reminder of parenting advice but did not contain much in the way of "new information." It is a fairly fast-paced book and recommended to parents who are entering the teen years. Parenting Beyond the Rules would also be a great book to read and discuss with a group of parents.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Parenting Beyond the Rules via NetGalley. 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.

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