Book Review: The Hardest Thing To Do – by Penelope Wilcock

Book: The Hardest Thing To Do
Author: Penelope Wilcock
Publisher: Crossway
Date: July 2011
Genre: Christian historical fiction
Pages: 255
Price: $12.99, paperback
My Rating: A wonderful read! .. engaging and inspiring.

I received an ARC (advanced reading copy) from Crossway through LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.

The Hardest Thing To Do is the first of three sequels to the Hawk and the Dove trilogy which takes place early in the fourteenth century. I had not read any of the books before this one so I didn’t know what to expect, but I am very glad to have been given the opportunity to review it. What a wonderful read!

The story focuses on a monastery in a time of change and struggle as the monks welcome their new abbot. At the same time that his new role begins, Abbot John is faced with a troubling challenge. A man – a monk from another house – comes to them seeking refuge, a man they consider to be their enemy but who is now in dire need, his life in danger. No one trusts or even likes him and the brothers have to deal with issues of forgiveness, bitterness and trust as they take him in while deciding what to do about him in the long-term. The question that insistently stands before them is, “What would our Lord have us do?”

Penelope Wilcock presents the lives and events in the monastery through a journal style of writing. It is an easy book to read, very interesting, captivating, and pulled me in from the first page of the story. The believable characters stay on the reader’s mind as they are followed through their daily routines, their anxieties, joys, fears, and deep desire to walk with Christ. A lovely point in this is that the author had several of the monks discover things that were “the hardest thing to do” for them.

Having not read any other books in this series I am now keen on doing so. If you enjoy historical fiction, then there is a very good chance you will thoroughly enjoy this one. A review that does not give away too much of the story can hardly give the book justice, but The Hardest Thing To Do is well worth the read.

You can find The Hardest Thing To Do listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: Rumors of God: Experience the Kind of Faith You’ve Only Heard About – by Darren Whitehead & Jon Tyson

Book: Rumors of God: Experience the Kind of Faith You’ve Only Heard About
Authors: Darren Whitehead & Jon Tyson
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date: 2011
Genre: Religion
Pages: 189
Price: $15.99 US
My Rating: Inspiring, informative, encouraging for anyone seeking to be inspired, informed, encouraged in their Christian life.

I received this book from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

The authors, both from Australia, received a revelation new to them, that “God’s strategy for redemption on the earth was to be carried out by the church.” They were moved to prayer, relocated to the USA where “the future of the Western church is hanging in the balance”, and set into place in ministering to hearts and lives as part of that strategy. In this book, Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson share their vision in a clear and sincere, heartfelt manner. They include wonderful teachings, stories, and insights, which reveal “God’s kingdom coming to earth.”

Rumors of God is divided into ten chapters, each with a subtitle.

The Sculptor’s Shop: Rumors of Abundant Life
Hostages of the Mind: Rumors of Another Dream
The Great Reversal: Rumors of Generosity
The Faith You’ve Only Heard About: Rumors of Love
Getting the Gospel in Order: Rumors of Grace
Giving Up Your Rights: Rumors of Freedom
The Radical Individual: Rumors of Commitment
Loving Beneath the Surface: Rumors of Community
The Greenroom: Rumors of Justice
Our Burning Revolution: Rumors of Hope

At the back of the book is a section with questions based on each chapter, good questions to make the reader think and soul search. What could be a problem, though, is that the scriptural references they use throughout the book are mostly just noted in the back and not written out in full in the text of the book. This could prevent many from getting the full impact intended.

A comment that I was surprised to read was one written in chapter 5 about when the woman who was caught in adultery was brought to Jesus. The author said that Jesus “continued finger painting in the dust”, dismissing the seriousness of His meaningful action as a frivolous idle moment.

It was unclear to me as to whether the authors were always referring to church as being “church” – the organization under man’s leadership in works, or “Church” – the Body of Christ under the spiritual headship of God and from which relationship the works come.

There are some other things to watch out for, but Whitehead and Tyson made some excellent points and provided interesting – and surprising – stories to express their enthusiasm. It is a good read. On the whole Rumors of God is a book of encouragement to those who seek to be inspired and motivated in their faith.

You can find Rumors of God: Experience the Kind of Faith You’ve Only Heard About listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Book: Magic Under Glass
Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Date: January 2010
Genre: Fantasy (paranormal)
Pages: 225, hard cover
Price: $16.99 US
My Rating: Intriguing, entertaining, hard to put down

I first learned of Magic Under Glass in a writer’s chat room where I ‘met’ the author. Enthusiasm for this book was high so I added it to my long list of “must reads.” I don’t regret it. Once I started reading this novel it didn’t take long to make my way through it. Why? I didn’t want to quit until reaching the end!

The story is about Nimira, a young dancer and singer who left her own country to make her fortune elsewhere. As is often the case, she fell on hard times instead, but eventually she is approached by a wealthy gentleman (who happens to be a sorcerer) who has better plans for her – an offer she is willing to chance. From that point the author swept me into a fantastical adventure of mystery and magic, murder and mayhem, but also love and loyalty and hope.

Nimira is hired to sing as the accompaniment to an automaton that is rumoured to be haunted and that plays music on a keyboard. What Nim discovers impacts her life and draws her into the power struggle between good and evil, fairies and men, hope and impossible love.

For the reader who enjoys paranormal and fantasy, Magic Under Glass isn’t overly involved and has a bizarre side to it that is quite inventive.

I enjoyed this novel, the first I’ve read of its kind, but – yes, there is a ‘but’ – it ends so abruptly I was taken aback. I was so into the story that I was expecting another chapter, at least. It left me asking, is there more? Is there another book to finish this? So, well done, Jaclyn Dolamore!

You can find Magic Under Glass listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: Mother Earth Father Sky – by Sue Harrison

Author: Sue Harrison
Publisher: Doubleday
Date: June 1990
Genre: prehistoric fiction
Pages: 313, hardcover
Price: US $19.95, CD $24.95
My rating: An amazing, startling, satisfying read.

Mother Earth Father Sky is the first book in a trilogy that takes us into the lives of an ancient North American people in Alaska. If that sounds boring, don’t be fooled.

To be honest, I hardly know what to say about this book. At the writing of this review, having just finished reading it I’m barely back to the here-and-now, and the story of Chagak is still fresh in my mind. To say that Sue Harrison wrote an amazing prehistoric fiction novel scarcely describes what she masterfully accomplished. Over the course of nine years she studied, researched and lived in her creative mind the tale of a long ago culture in Alaska, focusing on one Aleut woman’s struggle to survive and overcome a very harsh reality. That woman, Chagak, lived in a primitive time consisting of warrior tribes, legends, crude customs, myths, and magic, but also love, family ties, and community. The author made it all come alive through the power of the written word in a very easy-to-read style. I was held from the beginning of this book to its last page – left wanting to read more about the people I had come to know.

This book is not newly released but was published in 1990. I was fortunate to be gifted a copy and I’m so glad to have received it. If you come across Mother Earth Father Sky and you are not offended by the cruel reality and graphic descriptions of the belief system of prehistoric man, then do grab the opportunity to read this book.

(my apologies for the less than ideal image of the book)

You can find Mother Earth Father Sky listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask – by Darlene Foster

Book: Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask
Author: Darlene Foster
Publisher: ireadiwrite publishing
Genre: juvenile fiction, adventure
Date: November 2010
Pages: 108, paperback
Price: $8.95
My rating: A very good read and a great little book that educates while entertaining.

This little book is the first in an adventure series for children. It is an enjoyable way to learn about the UAE – the United Arab Emirates – without being there to do it.

Canadian author Darlene Foster has written an entertaining and educational book that gives the reader insight into life in the UAE. She has created a believable character, twelve-year-old Amanda Ross, whose desire to travel leads to the amazing opportunity to leave Canada for a month’s vacation with relatives living in the far away Arabian country. Not long after her arrival, Amanda purchases a perfume flask that mysteriously was saved just for her. She soon discovers why as she is thrust into an exciting adventure on a secret mission she will never forget.

This story was written for preteen readers, but is one anyone would enjoy. Darlene writes vivid pictures, masterfully delivering descriptive insights into the lifestyle of the people of the United Arab Emirates with its rugged desert regions, while drawing the reader into a memorable adventure.

This may be the book to start a child on a journey through the written word, especially since it is the beginning of a series. The second book is just out, but start with this one. And be sure to read it for yourself!

You can find Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and .. Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me: A memoir … of sorts – by Ian Morgan Cron

Book: Jesus, My Father, the CIA, And Me: A memoir… of sorts
Author: Ian Morgan Cron
Genre: Biography, Christian
Pages: 257, paperback
Price: $15.99 US
Released: May 2011
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
My Rating: Oh my! Captivating, even in the hard places.

I received a copy of Jesus, My Father, the CIA, And Me: A memoir… of sorts from Book Sneeze in exchange for a review.

This book was hard to put down even when I absolutely had to. It was with caution that I started reading, not knowing what to expect after having read someone’s introduction – but by the time I was into chapter two there was no stopping.

Ian Cron writes with such seeming honesty and transparency that the reader can feel his grief, his triumphs, his struggles. I winced in places, feeling sorrow for his pain, and laughed out loud where he unexpectedly injected humour.

He writes about his tumultuous growing up years – as he remembers it – with his secretive alcoholic father and his proper, lovely mother who tried to protect him. He writes about his own fall into a life of addiction, patterned unwittingly after his father. And he writes about his deep love for God, his anger toward Jesus when all he wants is for his own father to love him, and the discoveries of the truth about both his father and Jesus. Truths that change his life.

What bothered me about this book was the author’s flippant attitude toward God, his apparent lack of reverence as if God owed him something. I’m not sure what Ian Morgan Cron was attempting to do, but knowing that he eventually became a priest caused me to feel alarm about the negative way he talked about the Bible and Jesus. My hope is that he was simply expressing the feelings he had early in his spiritual journey, which are probably the questions of many in their search for Truth.

Having said that, this is a story that pulled me in and held me there right to the end; such an enjoyable read that is different from any out there.

Do you like reading biographies? This one is a definite change of pace.

You can find Jesus, My Father, the CIA, And Me: A memoir… of sorts listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: Money and the Prosperous Soul by Stephen K. De Silva

Book: Money and the Prosperous Soul – Tipping the Scales of Favor and Blessing
Author: Stephen K. De Silva
Genre: Religious; Christian stewardship
Pages: 182, paperback
Price: $14.99 CND, $12.99 USD
Released: September 2010
Publisher: Chosen Books
My rating: An excellent book on stewardship and supernatural provision, well worth one’s time and study.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book from Library Thing in exchange for a review.

Had I realized what was in store for me on its pages, I would have read this book much sooner. Stephen De Silva writes the truths I have been needing to find, confirming some things I have understood but haven’t seen or known how to set in motion. He makes it very clear about prosperity and the lack of it – and why – especially dealing with the spirits of Poverty and Mammon.

Chapter titles are:
Purpose
Trouble With Money
Spirit of Poverty
Trust and Faith
Dreaming
Bound in Spirit
Spirit of Mammon
Dominion
The Art of Purpose

This is an excellent book, easy to read and understand. Stephen De Silva teaches biblical truth in a comfortable, sincere manner, explaining the spiritual problems that underlie financial ones. It is not the secret to immediate gratification, but lays out the steps to understanding the financial benefits explained in the Bible and how to get there.

For anyone struggling to handle their finances, or simply wanting to know how to live in the provision of God, this book shows the way. Money and the Prosperous Soul is also very suitable for group study.

This is a book I recommend if you want help in becoming financially successful.

You can find Money and the Prosperous Soul – Tipping the Scales of Favor and Blessing listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂