A Castaway in Cornwall

A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen


My most recent fiction book whisked me back to the rocky shores of Cornwall, but this time with author Julie Klassen. A Castaway in Cornwall has an enjoyable mixture of mystery and romance. As if often true of these novels, the main character has an interesting living situation in that she lives with family that isn't family by blood and is thus not always treated kindly. Laura is also looked down upon by locals as not being "from Cornwall." She spends a great deal of time looking for retrievable items from shipwrecks, otherwise being useful, and making the best of her situation. When there is another shipwreck, she nurses a survivor in their home. The mystery is partially who is this survivor and why was he on the ship? The appearance of another survivor creates a dangerous situation requiring they flee for safety. In the midst of the danger, Laura also uncovers information about her blood family. A Castaway in Cornwall is a light, enjoyable read. The story pulls you in and has you rooting for the characters.

I received a complementary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley. I am not required to leave a positive review.

POW Camp in Minnesota?

When one thinks of World War II, most often you think of Europe or the Pacific theatre. One rarely thinks about the POW camps that were right here in the United States. Things We Didn't Say, a debut novel by Amy Lynn Green published by Bethany House, focuses on just such a POW camp set in Minnesota.

Green uses a series of letters written between the various characters to tell the story. This unique device serves the two-fold purpose of both moving the story forward and also creates the body of "evidence" when lead character Johanna Berglund is accused of treason. The bulk of the letters are between Johanna, who serves as a translator at a German POW camp in her hometown, and Peter Ito, a Japanese-American who is teaching Japanese to future intelligence officers. Johanna, whom one might describe as "too big for her britches," is frustrated at being back in her home town rather than at the university. Her frustration at being in her small town combined with treating the German POWs as human beings creates conflict between Johanna and others in her town. However, her true test is still to come. The last few chapters of the novel were quite tense as you wonder what will happen and if Johanna will be found guilty or not.

While published by a Christian publishing house, I found that Things We Didn't Say does not contain several of the hallmarks of Christian novels. Prayer is mentioned frequently, but given calls for prayer during war time and the time period that was not unusual. The events in the story do cause Johanna to re-embrace her childhood faith towards the end of the story but not in an overt manner. As such, this book could gain a larger audience than it might otherwise. Overall, I enjoyed the book and found it well-researched. Others who enjoy historical fiction will enjoy it as well.

I received a complementary copy of Things We Didn't Say via NetGalley from Bethany House. I'm not required to give a positive opinion.

Micah 6:8 Exploded

If someone asks me my favorite Bible verse, Micah 6:8 is a very close contender for favorite. This verse, while very simple and to the point, is also very complex. You can spend a great deal of time exploring what it means to "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." Rusty George does that just that in his newest book Justice. Mercy. Humility. A Simple Path to Following Jesus.

Rusty George uses Micah 6:8 as a springboard for several important theological concepts in this book. He explains the Trinity and who the God with whom we are to walk humbly is while also providing a great birds-eye view of the Bible. After laying this foundation, George goes on to thoroughly explain what justice, mercy, and humility are and how these qualities should be lived out in the life of a Christian. He does a superb job of connecting the exposition of this text, theology, and practical application. Numerous illustrations demonstrate the concepts. A variety of scripture passages from the Old and New Testament as well as the original Greek and Hebrew words are used to really dive into the text. While writing for a general audience, George definitely did the academic groundwork for the book. While the content and examples given are appropriate for believers who have been following Christ for a long-time, the book would be a great resource of new believers.

Each chapter has a section of suggested things to do which help readers apply the concepts as well as a list of discussion questions. Having both items allows this book to be used in numerous settings. Justice. Mercy. Humility. would be an excellent resource for a small group study or Sunday School class. Groups could choose to read each chapter individually , practice the concepts, and then come back to discuss or could read and discuss the chapter together and put the concepts in practice together as a group. This book could also form the basis of an all church study with sermons related to the topics. Beyond these group settings, this resources is great for personal reading and study as well.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Love. Justice. Humility from Bethany House 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.

Note: I selected this book due to the title, as justice is a passion of mine, and because Micah 6:8 is such an important verse. I was not familiar with Rusty George as an author beyond the information that he pastors a large church in California. I hadn't read very far into the book before the author mentioned the name of another minister with whom I was familiar and had heard speak before. This sent me on a mission to learn about Rusty George. I was delighted to find that he is a graduate of both a Bible College and a Seminary that are "sister schools" to the institution where I work as a librarian. While I would have enjoyed the book regardless, the connection of knowing some of the same people increased my enjoyment of the book.

Playing the Part

Jen Turano's newest book Playing the Part is a light, enjoyable read in the Christian historical genre. Actress, Lucetta Plum, must leave New York quickly and takes on a new identity in a hidden location, hence the name of the book. Under her new identity, she and her companions have all sorts of crazy mishaps and the identity of several characters is revealed. In addition to hidden and mistaken identities, a dash of romance and mystery is added along with several other plot twists. Readers must stay on their toes to keep up with the crazy antics.

Playing the Part is the third in a series of books titled A Class of Their Own. Readers familiar with the other books in this series will already be familiar with some of the characters. However, Turano does a good job of introducing the characters to new readers sufficiently enough to move the plot along and to encourage readers to pick up the earlier novels. The two main characters are developed just enough to pull you into the plot and to be satisfied with the conclusion but not so much that you clamor for a sequel. Likewise, the plot demands the reader pay attention but is light-hearted. The characters' faith is incorporated into the story as part of their daily life but doesn't move the plot along significantly.

Overall, this book is a quick, fun read for individuals who like Christian inspirational literature. Appropriate for teens and older.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers. 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.”