BookLoverAmanda

  Every Woman a Theologian - Phylicia Masonheimer - 5 Stars  I picked this up as part of my friend's Christian book club read this month and I am so glad I read it!  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and rated it 5 stars! Phylicia covers the fundamentals of Christian theology and this book serves as a valuable resource for addressing many questions and topics believers may have. It has become a go-to reference for me, especially when discussing faith-related questions with my husband. I appreciate the author's inclusion of information on various denominations, beliefs, and their historical context. I believe every woman should read this insightful book, as it will encourage and strengthen their faith and provide guidance for many aspects of one's faith journey. Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5879810663 Amazon:  https://amzn.to/47y4ogb Baker Book House:  https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/481517 YouTube Review:  https://www.you...

  Joy in Christ's Presence by Charles Spurgeon - 5 Stars  I read Joy in Christ's Presence as part of a group readalong with some lovely ladies and I am so glad they chose this book for the non-fiction November read. This book has been highlighted, written in - and in my top 5 of the year. It left such an impact on me. It was my first Spurgeon read too and I love the way he wrote and explained things. This is a timeless masterpiece that will continue to resonate with readers today and will offer a profound exploration of the joy that stems from a close walk with Christ. Spurgeon's rich theological insights and engaging writing style make this book a valuable resource for anyone seeking a deeper, more joyful connection with Jesus.  What more can I say? Any believer in any season of their faith walk will find themselves captivated by Spurgeon's words and inspired to deepen their relationship with the Lord.  Be ready for the tears when you pick this up - so beautiful! Go...

The Juliet Code - Pepper Basham - 4 Stars - Book 3 in the Freddie and Grace Mystery Series  I really enjoyed being back with Freddie and Grace in another adventure together! In book 3 of the series, we see our couple finally reach their honeymoon destination in Italy! However, as things would have it, they are back to sleuthing in a new mystery that needs to be solved.  This series is always a fun time and full of adventure and makes for a great romantic mystery with some nice faith content along the way. As usual with Pepper's books, the characters truly make the story SO great. I love Freddie and Grace and their interactions together are top notch. Add a little humor and mystery and you have a great story! While The Mistletoe Countess remains my favorite in the series, books 2 and 3 have been an absolute blast as we followed their journeys in Egypt and Italy! We see them traveling through Venice when they meet up with a friend, Detective Jack Miracle. Jack is investigating a...

  To Spark A Match by Jen Turano | 3 Stars | Book 2 in the The Matchmakers Series  I really enjoyed book one in this series. It was one of my favorite books this year. This one, unfortunately, fell a bit flat for me for some reason. I was not able to connect with the characters or the plot really, and there was quite a bit of dialogue in this that made the story drag on for me personally. That being said, I think I am the unpopular opinion, as many people have enjoyed the second book of the series. I definitely plan to continue on in the series as I generally love Jen’s writing and banter between characters, the humor etc. This book was not bad, it just wasn’t my favorite. In this book, we have Miss Adelaide Duveene Who is a bit unconventional. I liked her character, but just couldn’t connect with her overall. In this story, she is determined to remain a spinster forever. One day she stumbles upon Mr. Gideon Abbott Who is engaged in a covert activity, and she gets involved in ...

  Dear Henry, Love Edith - Becca Kinzer - New FAV Christian Rom-Com! Ya'll, this is the CUTEST Christian rom-com!! I finished it in less than 24 hours! This would make the best movie too! So heartwarming and funny! We have Edith who needs somewhere to stay and as circumstances would have it, Henry has an extra room available but they each think the other is an elderly person! They never have the chance to really meet due to schedule conflicts so they start writing notes back and forth in the kitchen for each to read -- SO CUTE. The letters were the best. I loved how genuine, open and honest they both were! The best part is they end up meeting, not knowing who the other is, while they each in town and they start to like each other. It is SO funny to see how it all plays out and the side character misunderstandings made me laugh out loud so many times! LOVED that! I appreciate how these characters were in their 30s (like myself) and they were so relatable. The small town was so great...

  The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton - 4 to 4.5 Stars  WOW - what a WILD ride with this CRAZY story! I am so glad I pushed through and finished it! This was one I had to really sit with and think about as I read it and I took notes for the first part of it, at least the 1st 8 chapters. This is a very complex story and hard to explain but I am going to try! I had the best time sharing my thoughts with my friends Holly, Chrissie and Lindsay too! Quick takes: - Blackheath Manor is our location. -  You spend each day in the body of a different character from another's POV - so it's like a "repeat the days events each day but in the body of someone else each day" kind of thing to see all the events that occurred from the other characters POV. - When I first started this, I wasn't sure exactly who the character was or what was happening but by chapter 8 I realized and things start to get explained. - The synopsis basically tells you about the host occ...

   The Santa Suit - Mary Kay Andrews - 4 Stars  What a super cute Christmas read! Overall clean (closed door) with minimal language. This book is all about newly divorced Ivy Perkins who buys an old farmhouse sight unseen and is looking for a fresh start in life. The Farmhouse needs a lot of work but she is optimistic about the change. Ivy finds an old Santa suit that appears decades old and finds an old note that appears to be from a child many years ago for their Christmas wish of their father to return home from the war. This discovery has Ivy on a mission to figure out who the Santa suit belonged to and who wrote the note and about those who owned the house. We see Ivy start to make friends, help others with their businesses (since she is a Marketing expert), and a little bit of romance with the guy next door, Ezra.  So many Christmas vibes in this books! I loved the details with holiday candy, food, decor, new beginnings with a bit of mystery and romance! Some p...

The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson Super cute Christmas read ya'll!  I love a good story with a grandmother figure and Joy, one of main characters who is 85 years old, does NOT disappoint with her humor and spunk! She tells her neighbor Miranda that she plans to drive an old RV decked out in christmas decorations from Chicago to her new retirement home in Phoenix. Miranda goes with Joy in fear of what she might find out on the road in the dead of winter by herself and the trip becomes a very interesting one as they help others during Christmastime along the way! The romance at the end, I could have done without, a little bit instalove but not too bad. I did like the guys little girl as I always love a good single Dad finding love again trope so it wasn't too bad :) My favorite part of this was the friendship that Joy and Miranda form together. It really goes to show you can find true friendship, no matter your ages. Joy will filled with wisdom and this was a delight to re...

  Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing - Matthew Perry  I've decided not to rate memoirs anymore but I hearing about his life and story was so thought provoking. I truly hope people will continue to become free from addiction after reading his struggles. I never knew how much he went through with his addictions, especially when he was on the show Friends. Friends was show my family and I would watch all the time growing up. It was a staple in the household, as I am sure it was for many of you. But Matthew Perry didn't want to first be remembered as Chandler Bing - he wanted to be remembered for helping others living in their addictions to get clean. I have read many have checked into rehab after reading his book and I am so glad to hear that. His discussions about how God saved him from his addictions were very interesting to hear about. Some of what he stated with the use of language in regards to God were not exactly what I felt was appropriate but I hope and pray he t...

In A Far-Off Land - Stephanie Landsem - 4.5 to 5 Stars This book took me THROUGH it!  This book is a heartbreaking but beautiful prodigal daughter story - THAT ENDING has me in tears! The good kind. Minerva goes to Hollywood from the Midwest in an effort to make it big to make money to help her sister and father from their debt so they don’t lose everything they own. She finds herself on the streets, making mistakes and with the wrong people very quickly. She meets Max and things get better as he is helping her figure things out along the way….until she ends up waking up next to a dead film star and being blamed for the murder. She finds herself hiding out in Oscar’s (Max’s Cousin and a Mexican Gardner in danger of deportation) home while Max and Oscar battle their past together and try to help Minerva’s name get cleared and keep the family safe. Minerva went through such hardships in Hollywood. So much sadness, hurt and she made some really bad decisions. But God was with her the ...

  Return of the King - J.R.R. Tolkien - Book 3 in the Lord of the Rings trilogy 4.5 stars What an epic conclusion to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This book is a masterful conclusion to a story that has truly captured the hearts of so many - including myself. Tolkien truly had the best storytelling, world-building and character development in his stories and I see why this series is a favorite of many generations, one that people of all ages can enjoy. We see Frodo and Sam's journey to Mount Doom with many emotions as they grapple with the weight of the ring and the toll it takes on their friendship and their very selves. Sam is a true hero in this story - we see how much he cared for Frodo as his friend and would do anything to keep him safe and finish the journey they set out to do. Specifically, the moment he says how he may not can carry the ring, but he can carry Frodo - my friend Lindsay noticed this was Christian allegory moment and I am so glad she mentioned this to me bec...