Book Review: "Indelible" by Kristen Heitzmann

I just finished reading Kristen Heitzmann’s newest novel, Indelible.  I enjoyed the reading adventure!

It is the mountain town tale of Trevor MacDaniel, an adventurer and rescuer.  Other main characters include a brilliant sculptor, Natalie; a blind painter, Fleur, and several family members.  Each is challenged to overcome a challenge, and must lean on others to regain strength.  The tales are woven together by a lost adversary who has the entire community on edge with his cruel ways.

I was captured by the weaving of Heitzmann’s stories.  I completely enjoyed the art and the adventure.  I was inspired by the way the characters sought to overcome tragedy by pursuing hope.  I was encouraged by the way friends joined together to support one another through hardships and trials.  I appreciated the way each of the main characters used his/her unique skills and talents to contribute to the community.  Readers are sure to identify with at least one of the characters, and receive a subtle invitation to change paradigms and actions based on the characters’ growth.

Heitzmann goes back on forth between the light and dark characters, choosing traditional narrative for the good guys and more of an archaic prose to represent the bad guy’s thoughts.

If you enjoy small town mysteries mixed with culture and romance (clean romance!), you will enjoy this book.  I’ll be watching for future books from Heitzmann.

Disclaimer:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to give a positive review; they just wanted me to share honest feedback.

10 Minutes Together: Points for Life

Between full-time jobs and running a household, sometimes the best we can do as parents is to squeeze in ten minutes of quality time with our kids! These quick-and-easy “Ten Minutes Together” lessons are designed to help parents and kids on-the-go make the most of their busy lives together.

 10 Minutes Together: Points for Life: A budgeting and planning game that will get kids excited about their future!

(This is an activity that Susan Ragsdale and Ann Saylor wrote for ParentFurther.org.  They have a zillion tools and ideas for parents, so take time to visit their site!)

10 Minutes Together: Tracking Your Savings Goals

Life Lessons for Busy Parents

Between full-time jobs and running a household, sometimes the best we can do as parents is to squeeze in ten minutes of quality time with our kids! These quick-and-easy “Ten Minutes Together” lessons are designed to help parents and kids on-the-go make the most of their busy lives together.

10 Minutes Together: Tracking Your Savings Goals : A quick lesson in goal setting, tracking, and celebrating!

(This is an activity that Susan Ragsdale and Ann Saylor wrote for ParentFurther.org.  They have a zillion tools and ideas for parents, so take time to visit their site!)

Historical Fiction Review: How Huge the Night

How Huge the Night is a historical fiction novel that gives readers a glimpse into daily life in southern France as the Nazi's were coming into power.  Written by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn, this book captures the tale of young boys facing the realities of war, and realizing that their actions can make a difference in the lives of people around them. 

The story offers timely opportunities to explore values as characters face fear, deception, racism, gender discrimination, poverty and inequality.  Readers will identify with their struggles with bullying, revenge, isolation, helping others, earning respect, gaining responsibility and developing friendships.  There are powerful contemplations about faith, as characters vocalize and wrestle with questions, such as, "Is God real?", "Does God really care about me?", "How does God expect me to love my enemies?", "Where is hope in a dark world?", and "Is life worth living?". 

The story is a great reminder that we all have unique skills and resources to help others - whether that is paying a train fare for a desolate child, guiding a boy to visit his sick sister, or sharing food with a hungry neighbor.  Every ordinary person has the potential to be a hero, if only we keep our eyes open to the happenings around us. 

The text is slow-moving at times, but the characters are well-developed and the lessons learned are well worth the time reading.  I would especially recommend this book for home school students, Christian schools, and readers who want an inside view of life during World War II.

Disclaimer: The publisher sent me a copy of this book in exchange for providing my honest review of the product.  I was not required to give positive feedback, but was asked for my honest opinions.

Book Review: "A Reluctant Queen: The Story of Esther"

I totally enjoyed reading A Reluctant Queen: The Story of Esther, by Joan Wolf.  It is not the straight-up Bible story you might expect to hear, because Wolf has taken liberties to weave it into a fictional tale.  But if you looking for an opportunity to get into the mind and heart of Queen Esther, you will very much enjoy Wolf’s rendition of this classic tale.  She did a great job capturing the Persian culture, complete with the traditions, home life, rituals, religions, gender roles, aristocracy and racial tensions.   I feel like I have a more complete understanding of Esther’s story after reading this novel.  It is enlightening in regards to the huge sacrifice Esther made to enter the king’s competition, the ever-present struggle between following culture or following God, and the courageous counter-culture choices Esther made to save the Jewish people.  And as always, Esther’s story reminds me that we have been designed, fashioned and created for “such a time as this”, but it’s our choice to stand up and follow the calling God places before us.  I love reading Christian fiction like this book because I find more reminder’s of God’s truth entering my mind and heart throughout the day, as I ponder on the text.  I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!

Disclaimer: The publisher sent me a copy of this book in exchange for providing my honest review of the product.  I was not required to give positive feedback, but was asked for my honest opinions.

10 Minutes Together: Taste Test

Between full-time jobs and running a household, sometimes the best we can do as parents is to squeeze in ten minutes of quality time with our kids! These quick-and-easy “Ten Minutes Together” lessons are designed to help parents and kids on-the-go make the most of their busy lives together.

10 Minutes Together: Taste Test : A quick lesson in money management, value shopping, and nutrition!

(This is an activity that Susan Ragsdale and Ann Saylor wrote for ParentFurther.org.  They have a zillion tools and ideas for parents, so take time to visit their site!)