Review: There You'll Find Me

Originally posted to Esther's Ever After; some edits made for this posting.

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
Release Date: October 4, 2011
Thomas Nelson
ISBN13: 9781595545404

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a small cottage house in rural Ireland, Finley discovers she can no longer outrun the past.
When Finley travels to Ireland as a foreign exchange student, she hopes to create a new identity and get some answers from the God who took her brother away and seems to have left her high and dry.
But from the moment she boards the plane and sits by Beckett Rush, teen star of the hottest vampire flicks, nothing goes according to Finley's plan.
When she gets too close to Beckett, a classmate goes on a mission to make sure Finley packs her bags, departs Ireland-and leaves Beckett alone.
Finley feels the pressure all around. As things start to fall apart, she begins to rely on a not-so-healthy method of taking control of her life.
Finley tries to balance it all-disasters on the set of Beckett's new movie, the demands of school, and her growing romance with one actor who is not what he seems. Yet Finley is also not who she portrays to Beckett and her friends.
For the first time in her life, Finley must get honest with herself to get right with God.

There You'll Find Me is a supreme example of good contemp Young Adult novel; it has everything you're looking for, from endearing characters, real problems, to sweet romance.

Reasons to Read:

A fascinating, strong main character:
Finley is such an interesting girl, who has gone through some extremely trying times and just wants to figure out how to move on. After her brother is killed in a terrorist attack, she feels a great sense of loss and is desparate to figure out how to let him go. So she comes to Ireland, a place he loved, to try and mourn his loss and move on. Her grief feels so very real and raw, and the problems she develops because of it are ones that many people will be able to identify with and I appreciated that these issues were dealt with.

Sweet, perfect teenage romance:
The best part for me when it comes to romance is the build up; it's all about the anticipation and the crush stage of the relationship. And the way Finley and her interest come together is so exciting and they were just an absolute breath of fresh air. It isn't constantly about sex for them (and in fact, I will say that they keep things quite clean and innocent between each other) but they feel like a genuine couple trying to figure things out together. Now, for a Christian novel I would have liked to have had more clarity regarding Beckett's faith, because to me that seemed glazed over. I wanted to know whether Beckett was the kind of Christian guy that Finley should be involved with, and while it was hinted at it was never discussed in detail.

A stand alone novel:
I get so tired of series all the time, with book after book coming out. And while this book actually is a companion novel to Jenny B. Jones' other book, Save the Date, you really don't need to read both to appreciate either book. Save the Date will give you a better sense of the backstory in There You'll Find Me, but it stands on its own two feet quite well!

Faith:Finley struggles with God and his interference (or lack of) in her life; and it comes to a head in There You'll Find Me. But it was so refreshing for me to read about a girl going through typical teenage doubts and questioning things she has always taken for granted. Because that is normal, and I am so happy to have read a book that deals with this and handles it appropriately.

For those who really enjoy contemporary Young Adult, this is one that you should look into and consider reading for its simplicity and characters you can instantly like. I can definitely say that I'm going to be recommending this one to friends.

Review copy received from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation received.

Grace for the Good Girl

Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life by Emily P. Freeman
Release Date: September 1, 2011
Revell
ISBN13: 9780800719845

Originally published at Esther's Ever After on September 26, 2011.

Goodreads Synopsis:
For those of you who have been following my blog for a while now, you'll know that while I mostly read YA I also branch out at times. I am Christian, so once in a while those books include Christian fiction or non-fiction books. Grace for the Good Girl is a Christian non-fiction book.

Words completely fail me for this book. I have no clue how to convey to those of you who may be interested in this book, exactly what it means to me. I will say that when I was only halfway through the book that I went onto Amazon and ordered eleven more copies. ELEVEN. Why would I want eleven more copies of a book I already have? Because I couldn't count 6 people off the top of my head who I felt would love this as much as I love it. And it's the kind of book I want to have extra copies on hand, just in case I come across other people who are interested in it. And by the time the books arrived, I already knew of two other people who I was going to give copies too. THAT'S HOW MUCH I LOVE IT.

Maybe this book just came to me at the right time. Because I can tell you, I needed to hear what Emily had to share. I needed reminders of the promises God has given to us in the Bible. And I needed someone to meet me head-on and be honest with me; it's okay to be scared. It's okay to not have everything put together all neatly. Frankly, it's okay to be a bit of a mess. And I don't have to be pretend to be perfect because everything will be okay.

Well, thank goodness. If you're like me, you need to hear this. In between all of the school work and house work and relationships with those I care about and church involvement and professional school applications... well what else is there? And what if I don't measure up? Emily has something to share with us then:
That's okay. You don't have to all of this on your own.
And that's where I breathe a loud, exhaustive sigh of relief.

This book isn't going to be for everyone; but when it comes to those of Christian faith, I think it is going to have widespread appeal. Emily is so honest and encouraging, and it's perfect for those "normal" people who don't have anything drastic or exciting to share in their testimony. And for those who might have something a little more unique in their story? Well, it's for you too. I know it was definitely for me. And if only one person finds this book and decides to read it and finds something uplifting in it... well, then my job is done. I'm satisfied.

In fact, I'm going to pick it up and read it all over again. One chapter at a time, just the way I read through it before. I want to answer every question, I want to commit verses shared to memory because the last thing I want to do is finish reading this, put it on my shelf, walk away and forget.

I can't thank Emily enough for being the messenger and having the bravery to write this. And thank you so much to Graf-Martin for providing me with a review copy. This one's a winner.

Break out the road maps, find a place to go with your girlfriends and get together for a weekend. Challenge each other and open up to each other. Break through those masks! Curl on a sofa infront of a fireplace or a beach with this book, friends like sisters, and some hot chocolate. You won't regret it.

Review copy received from publisher in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation was received.
Many of us believe that we are saved by grace—but for too many, that's the last time grace defines our life. Instead of clinging to grace, we strive for good and believe that the Christian life means hard work and a sweet disposition. As good girls, we focus on the things we can handle, our disciplined lives, and our unshakable good moods. When we fail to measure up to our own impossible standards, we hide behind our good girl masks, determined to keep our weakness a secret.
In Grace for the Good Girl, Emily Freeman invites women to let go of the try-hard life and realize that in Christ we are free to receive from him rather than constantly try to achieve for him. With an open hand and a whimsical style, Emily uncovers the truth about the hiding, encouraging women to move from hiding behind girl-made masks and do-good performances to a life hidden with Christ in God.

Lion of Babylon

Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn
Release Date: July 1, 2011
Bethany House
ISBN13: 9780764209055

Originally Posted to Esther's Ever After on July 20, 2011.

Goodreads Synopsis:
After finishing this book, all I can say is, "Wow". I was truly moved, and to be honest it's pretty difficult to explain that.
Do you believe that one Person can change others? That one Person can influence people to make a change? That one Person could change politics? What about the situation in the Middle East, and as this book looks at, the political instability of Iraq? Can one Person bring enemies together in peace to now call each other "brother"?

That's exactly what Lion of Babylon is about. I'm going to be honest and say that some people (in fact, most people) won't be able to buy into this premise. But I can, and if you are one of those people who are able to, then this book will absolutely impact you.

It's an adventurous thriller, and while Christian, it isn't forced on you. The faith in it is subtle in its own way, which is what makes it so beautiful. Marc and Sameh don't walk around talking about being a Christian; they LIVE and BREATHE it. Their actions are so much louder than any words they could ever speak. And it works- people are drawn to them like bees to honey. But they don't keep the glory for themselves and instead they point it right back where it belongs: to that one Person, Jesus.

My favourite part of the story was reading how these unlikely friendships grew. An Iraqi Christian, a Muslim religious leader, an American Christian, and a Muslim Iraqi police officer all learn to work together regardless of their differences. Bunn tells the story of Iraq in such a way that we really see how skewed our perception of these Middle Eastern countries and their people can be. These are not our enemies; and we can't stereotype them as such. Reading the friends these men became and seeing how they worked together in perfect harmony moved me to tears, at the simplicity of this beautiful change. What wouldn't we give to see something like this really happen in real life? And all of this is woven between the lines of a secret, dangerous mission and personal growth for each of these characters! Bunn masterfully balances multiple facets of his book to tell this story that can really change how you think and feel about others.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group". 
Marc Royce works for the State Department on special assignments, most of them rather routine, until two CIA operatives go missing in Iraq—kidnapped by Taliban forces bent on generating chaos in the region. Two others also drop out of sight—a high-placed Iraqi civilian and an American woman providing humanitarian aid. Are the disappearances linked? Rumors circulate in a whirl of misinformation.
Marc must unravel the truth in a covert operation requiring utmost secrecy—from both the Americans and the insurgents. But even more secret than the undercover operation is the underground dialogue taking place between sworn enemies. Will the ultimate Reconciler between ancient enemies, current foes, and fanatical religious factions be heard?

By the way, I first want to say that I took this book on vacation with me and lent it to my grandpa before I read it- and he enjoyed it as much as I did! It's nice to see a book with widespread appeal such as this one.

Rumors of God

Rumors of God: Experiencing the Kind of Faith You've Only Heard About by Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson
Release Date: July 19, 2011
Thomas Nelson
ISBN13: 9781595553638

Originally posted to Esther's Ever After on July 23, 2011.

This book is basically a call for revival in America (and I think it's fair to extend this to the rest of the Western World as well, particularly Canada). And Whitehead and Tyson hit every nail in the head along the way.
Some times it can be so easy to get bogged down in feelings of despair and hopelessness; where is God in all of this? Why is there such wickedness? Why doesn't God do anything?

Rumors of God raises a better question: why don't WE do anything about it? Why do we sit passively by and watch these events unfold yet do nothing to combat it? Isn't that what we're here for?

It's written to an individual, but can easily be applied to groups as well. As individuals we are called to be a part of the body of Christ and to work together as a community. We can do this in so many different ways, and each chapter goes over the different ways whether its love, grace, faith, or justice.

The authors use real life stories to bring their points home, but more importantly they do not found their ideas on these experiences. Their beliefs are founded on Scripture, which is what keeps it solid throughout the book. They share changes they've seen in the lives of others and changes they've experienced personally.

It's convicting to read, and it's inspiring. A new must-read for those hungering for change in our modern day churches and individual hearts.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. 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.” "

Welcome!

Welcome to Honey Book Reads!
This is a new project of mine, as I was beginning to notice that there was very little interest for Christian books on my original book blog, Esther's Ever After, which has a focus on YA fiction.

And for anyone who was interested in Christian literature, I realized it would require a fair amount of sifting through other books they are not interested in before they could find the appropriate books for them.

Thus, Honey Book Reads was born! I bring my experience with book blogging over here, along with a strong interest in providing my readers with informative book reviews and book-related news regarding Christian books.

I expect the full transition to take a few weeks to a couple months, and in the meantime reviews of Christian books will be posted on both blogs to ensure full exposure is met for them. I will also be copying my previous reviews for Christian books over here to get started.

Please do not hesitate to e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns.