BookLoverAmanda

  Honest Faith - Charles H. Spurgeon - 5 Stars Wow, another great Christian Non Fiction by Spurgeon. Always a great read. So glad Tiffany, Deea and Chrissie have done this readalong this month. This is a compelling exploration of faith. Spurgeon always has great metaphors that really make you think. The way he represents the struggles of the Christian walk and maintaining our faith in a world filled with uncertainty - absolutely amazing. The writing is poetic and understandable at the same time.  I love how this really challenged me while reading to really sit down and think about what he was saying and confront my own faith journey. Highly recommend for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of their faith.  Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6867481925 Amazon Kindle Version (Free as of this review):  https://amzn.to/3C0pd94 *Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

  The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens 4 Stars  Fans of Agatha Christie will enjoy this one! 1956 England - Naomi Stephens weaves an intricate and atmospheric mystery in The Burning of Rosemont Abbey. The story centers on Louisa Everly, a young woman determined to uncover the truth behind the smoldering ruins of the abbey and the disappearance of her twin brother, Paul. Everyone in the village accuses her brother of being the arsonist but Louisa is certain of his innocence - as she felt as though her twin died before it was set ablaze. This book was so engaging to me - they mystery really reminded me of a classic Agatha Christie like story. Lots of side characters and small-town dynamics, where suspicious spreads like wildflower. Louisa stands out as a determined woman to figure out what happened with her brother, balancing possible grief with her unwavering devotion to prove his innocence.  The setting of Rosemont Abbey felt like gothic ruins with mysterious history and wil

  The Fight for Female by Lisa Bevere - 4 Stars A very important and well needed book for today's world. Lisa dives right into the ongoing cultural, spiritual and society challenges in today's world. She goes through many things the enemy is doing to distort and twist biblical truths and gives us messages of hope. It calls for women to unite, embracing their God-given identity. She emphasizes the need for open, honest conversations, both with God and within communities to find solutions that are rooted in truth. "The Fight for Female" is a compelling call to action, urging women to rise up and fight for the very core of their identity, not only for themselves but for the generations to come. Really enjoyed this one. Not a favorite of all time, but really glad she published this at such a time when what she talks about is needed. Thank you to Revell for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Goodreads Review:    https://www.goodreads.

  The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright  5 Stars  WHAT A GREAT STORY YALL! Jaime Jo does it AGAIN! I am always so invested in her stories. She knows how to write a great book to keep the reader engaged, and I love that. The Premonition at Withers Farm is a great blend of mystery, suspense and historical intrigue. She seamlessly weaves together two timelines that keep you hooked from page 1. Jaime Jo always has dual timeline in her stories and I LOVE how she interconnects the characters in each timeline. I also love how she combats the supernatural type elements with faith in God in her books. Very well done here! In this story, we have present day - Molly Wasziak - who, alongside her husband Trent, moves to a remote farm in the countryside, hoping for a fresh start after a series of miscarriages they have experienced. However, the Withers Farm holds dark secrets and Molly's discovery of a connection to a series of unsolved murders from a century ago sets the stage for

  Mistletoe Season by Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller and Pepper Basham - 4 Stars Overall 3 Christmas Novellas Overall, these 3 novellas are charming and heartwarming holiday romances that perfectly show the magic of Christmas. I really enjoyed each of these, with Kathleen and Sheila being new to me authors! Looking forward to reading more by those authors. Pepper is one of my favorite authors and her's was my fav because we had Luke show back up! :) Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller - 4 Stars This was a unique Christmas romance between two characters in their 40s. I really liked that because you don't see those ages of characters portrayed much.  In this one, we have Emmy Banks, who is fully rooted in her community with her antique shop. Set in Mistletoe, Missouri, the shop add an extra layer of charm to it. Kieran O'Neill has spent years abroad, renovating an old Irish castle, but returns to Mistletoe for his mother's 70th birthday. We see him reconnect with Emmy

   Tea with Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn - 4 Stars  This story is a heartfelt journey of friendship, faith, and self-discovery that takes readers on an emotional safari through the stunning landscapes of Africa. Centered on the friendship sister bond between Fern Espinoza and Lily Graden, the book truly captures the essence of a long-term friendship that has weathered the trials of time and distance. This is a Christian contemporary women's fiction story that I truly felt connected to. I loved the writing style, faith content, travel elements and the characters. This book opens up to the teenage years of Fern and Lily, who first connected while  volunteering in Costa Rica. 20 years later, here they are, embarking on a long-awaiting trip to Africa - a dream trip that they talked about many years ago. This trip soon becomes one of emotional growth as each woman carriers their own struggles. The author intertwines their personal stories well with the beautiful backdrop of Africa.  We