book review- pages for October!
It can be a challenge finding extra time to dive nose first in a book- but I find October is the perfect month for reading! Partly because the weather gets a little chilly and the season invites a curl up session with a blanket and a good book-but also because it's a great activity for me to do on the couch next to my hubs while the football games are on!
More recently, I've been on the hunt for fiction books that provide a sense of escape, while also pointing to significant truths about life and faith. In other words, I like reading books that lift me up rather than bring me down. I came across the corporate mission of the publisher Tyndale House and I think it says it perfectly. Their desire is to "minister to the spiritual needs of people, primarily through literature consistent with biblical principles." I really enjoy reading books that align with that mission & here are a few I've read recently!
1. A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers
Love, love, loved reading this one! I was immediately invested in the main character, Hadassah, a young Jewish woman from Jerusalem who has become a Christian. The setting takes place in Jerusalem, Rome, and Ephesus not long after Christ's death- as Hadassah struggles to live out her faith in a culture that constantly persecutes it. The culture of that time is brought to life in this book, and while I felt transported back to the past, I also related to the struggles and desires of each character. There's a sense of timelessness that follows human nature, and that connection is evident in this book. The biblical truths intertwined with a fascinating story left me feeling inspired to better actively live my beliefs, and to be more aware of what true love looks like.
It's a long read (around 500 pages) but I couldn't set it down! As soon as I closed the last page I ordered the sequel on Amazon (An Echo in the Darkness). I'll let you know how that one is!
2. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Francine did it again with this book, carefully crafting characters and settings that also transported me back to an older era (this time California gold country, 1850). Her use of biblical symbolism and story lines to communicate God's love for us has a lasting effect (at least it did on me!)
This story is symbolic of the book Hosea in the Bible, where God asks Hosea to marry a prostitute and love her unconditionally. Meant to reveal how God loves us unconditionally no matter where we come from or what we have done, this book will leave a mark. The most challenging part of reading this was my frustration with the main character (how the heck can Angel just not get it together and accept this unconditional love from a really great man?!!) This book obviously intends for the reader to feel that frustration, as we realize we ourselves constantly turn our attention away from and refuse a perfect, unconditional love given to us from God. I highly recommend this one!
3. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
I mostly read this because I already owned a copy from when I was younger and had never finished reading it. Plus, the movie is set to premier in 2018, starring Reese Witherspoon & Oprah! While a short and simple read with a bit of an abrupt ending- I couldn't put it down. Once I was connected to the mystery I just wanted to see what happened. I was also intrigued by the imagery the author uses to weave together ideas and symbolism of science vs. faith, light vs dark, and good vs. evil. I definitely recommend this one if you are looking for a quick read- and if you plan on seeing the movie next year!
4. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle
Gosh, I love this book. It was one of my favorites in my teen years and I probably read it two or three times in middle school (not as much for the story line as for the descriptive elegance)! Not to mention the Disney Channel Original movie that was made from it with Mischa Barton... gives me all the feels! I just read this again as an adult, and I still have this on my list of books to recommend.
The main character, Vicky, is fifteen ( & in my opinion, her thoughts are way advanced for a fifteen year old) but because of that I think any age, whether teen or adult, can relate to her in this story. The book focuses on Vicky and her family who are spending the summer on an island surrounded by the Atlantic ocean. The book focuses primarily on themes of death, life, and faith; & it poses some deep questions. The depth of these questions coincide with the depths of the sea, as Vicky is able to befriend a wild dolphin named Basil. Maybe it's just the name of the dolphin (lol), but I find the whole story really sweet and inspiring. The ending is also a bit abrupt and there is a funny love triangle thing going on, but for a young adult novel and considering the depth of the themes running throughout- I think it's charming, thought-provoking, and well worth the read!
