No Ocean Too Wide - Carrie Turansky

Between the years of 1869 to 1939 more than 100,000 poor British children were sent across the ocean to Canada with the promise of a better life. Those who took them in to work as farm laborers or household servants were told they were orphans--but was that the truth?

After the tragic loss of their father, the McAlister family is living at the edge of the poorhouse in London in 1908, leaving their mother to scrape by for her three younger children, while oldest daughter, Laura, works on a large estate more than an hour away. When Edna McAlister falls gravely ill and is hospitalized, twins Katie and Garth and eight-year-old Grace are forced into an orphans' home before Laura is notified about her family's unfortunate turn of events in London. With hundreds of British children sent on ships to Canada, whether truly orphans or not, Laura knows she must act quickly. But finding her siblings and taking care of her family may cost her everything.

Andrew Fraser, a wealthy young British lawyer and heir to the estate where Laura is in service, discovers that this common practice of finding new homes for penniless children might not be all that it seems. Together Laura and Andrew form an unlikely partnership. Will they arrive in time? Will their friendship blossom into something more?

Inspired by true events, this moving novel follows Laura as she seeks to reunite her family and her siblings who, in their darkest hours, must cling to the words from Isaiah: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God."

My Review: We are introduced to the McAlister family in No Ocean Too Wide. When their widowed mother is admitted to the hospital due to illness, the 3 children (twins Katie and Garth, and 8-year-old Grace) remaining at home are placed into what they expected to be a temporary home. By the time the oldest sister finds out, the children have become among many British Home Children being sent to Canada. This is Book 1 of a trilogy and the focus is on Laura, the oldest, and Katie. 

The characters in the book are endearing, and sometimes frustrating with the decisions made at times, but this makes the story that much more relatable. The storyline of the British Home Children is one that seems unbelievable... yet it happened. The idea was built on a genuine concern about the best way to help children, but greed and evil also played a role in the lives of too many of these kids. There is also the matter of what was the cultural attitude of the early 1900s, including separation of classes. Laura is strongly attracted to the son of her former boss, but also has a distrust of wealthy young men. Andrew's interest in the child emigration program brings them together and provides a romantic, hopeful element to the story.

Author Carrie Turansky can be depended upon to develop characters you love and want to get to know better. The only thing I dislike is that... I want more of the people I met in this book but have to wait until the other books come out. I do recommend this heartwarming story of struggle, faith, love, and hope.

I received a free copy of this book as part of the WaterBrook Multnomah Launch Team. I was not required to write a positive review.

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CSB He Reads Truth Bible

The CSB He Reads Truth Bible includes robust, well-crafted theological extras to draw the reader back to Scripture, increase biblical literacy, and foster a growing affection for God and His Word. Color-coded by genre, each book of the Bible features detailed book introductions, a reading plan with supplemental passages for deeper understanding, and full-color maps, charts, and timelines by the He Reads Truth team. In addition, the CSB He Reads Truth Bible features 66 key verses, artfully lettered to aid in Scripture memorization. This Bible invites every man to count himself as part of the He Reads Truth community of “Men in the Word of God every day.”

Features include: 66 hand-lettered key verses, 17 full-color timelines, 21 maps, 122 charts (including infographics and lists), and 4 illustrations, reading plans for every book of the Bible, one-year Bible reading plan, detailed book introductions, key verse list, smyth-sewn binding, two colored ribbon markers, and wide margins for journaling and note-taking.

The CSB He Reads Truth Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others.

My Review: If you are looking for a new Bible for yourself or a special man in your life, I definitely recommend the CSB He Reads Truth Bible! There are timelines, background history, reading plans, key verses, and maps. If you are a note-taker, the wide margins will please you. The additional features included invite you to dig deeper into God's Word and develop a greater understanding of what was happening and how the stories may connect in other books of the Bible.

The only 2 problems I had are not going to be an issue for most. The print was a little smaller than I prefer, but it's a personal preference. Each page can be easily read for most people. The other difficulty for me is that the book weighs 3.90 lbs. I could hold it in my hand to read, but it was a bit heavy. (Of course, if it had larger print, that would have meant more pages and added weight.) 

The good, however, far outweigh the things that I had slight problems with, though. It's an excellent study Bible that will hold together through years of use. It would also make an outstanding FATHER'S DAY GIFT!


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The Logic of God - Ravi Zacharias

The Logic of God: 52 Christian Essentials for the Heart and Mind by Ravi Zacharias is a weekly offering on the topics that are important to Christians on why the Bible and God are still vital, relevant and life-changing. Ravi says, "I am convinced that Jesus Christ alone uniquely answers the deepest questions of our hearts and minds." Each week's reading provides Scripture, questions for reflection, and some practical application steps that apply to your life.

The book itself is a beautifully bound hardcover that is meant to be used frequently. It's not necessarily one you would normally read straight through but to be used in either your own quiet time and study or as part of a small group. Some of the topics are going to make more of a personal impact than others, but each is important as part of your faith-walk. I rushed through much for review purposes although some did cause me to linger a bit. I look forward to reading the book again as part of a weekly devotion. As always, Zacharias uses rational thinking, courtesy, intellect, and humor to challenge the reader to seriously consider the topic. 



I received a copy of this Zondervan published book from BookLookBloggers at no cost to myself for review purposes. I was neither influenced or required to write a positive review.

Ravi Zacharias website is RZIM.org.
FaithGateway.com 
Zondervan 
Thomas Nelson books
Amazon

Becoming Us - Robin Jones Gunn

Five young women, including beloved Gunn characters Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen, gather for a simple Christmas party and soon become unlikely best friends. Told from the viewpoint of Emily, a timid young mom going through a difficult season of life, the regular gatherings provide the much needed community she's longed for. As the women begin sharing their life stories in Becoming Us they are endeared to each other and find ways to challenge, encourage, and help each other become the nurturing mothers they wished they'd had when they were growing up. They see themselves as Haven Makers and unite to be remembered for what they do and not for what was done to them. (Amazon description)

Becoming Us by Robin Jones Gunn brings together 5 young mothers who connect and form a close bond with one another. The story is told mostly from the POV of Emily who has recently moved from North Carolina to California with her husband and young daughter. Unlike the others, Emily's child is not a baby or toddler, so that plus being in a very vulnerable season in her life causes her to be hesitant about forming friendships within the group. When an unexpected event thrusts her into a shared experience, however, she allows herself to be pulled into the group.

The transformation of Emily from a shy, lonely, timid woman who has allowed family to shape her life into a person emerging from the shadows strong in faith, confident in herself, willing to take risks, and determined to do what is best for herself, her husband, and her child is an encouraging story for anyone who struggles to find herself. Both Emily and her husband Trevor make strides to lean less on their own thoughts, understanding, and indecisiveness and to trust fully in God... which also is a lesson observed and adopted by daughter Audra.

For the fans of Christy Miller and Sierra Jenson, it will be a treat to revisit them in "Haven Makers" series. I know Robin Jones Gunn through her "SisterChicks" books, but now I want to read more. I give Becoming Us 5 stars and look forward to reading future books about these friends.

I received a copy of this book at no cost to myself as part of the WaterbrookMultnomah Becoming Us Launch Team. All opinions are my own.

RobinGunn.com
WaterbrookMultnomah.com
Becoming Us on Amazon

Breakthrough

BREAKTHROUGH is based on the inspirational true story of one mother’s unfaltering love in the face of impossible odds. When Joyce Smith’s adopted son John falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope seems lost. But as John lies lifeless, Joyce refuses to give up. Her steadfast belief inspires those around her to continue to pray for John’s recovery, even in the face of every case history and scientific prediction. From producer DeVon Franklin (Miracles from Heaven) and adapted for the screen by Grant Nieporte (Seven Pounds) from Joyce Smith’s own book, BREAKTHROUGH is an enthralling reminder that faith and love can create a mountain of hope, and sometimes even a miracle.

Breakthrough is directed by Roxann Dawson and stars Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, Topher Grace, Mike Colter, Marcel Ruiz, Sam Trammell and Dennis Haysbert.

My Review: The film is a well-made telling of an incredible story that is based on actual events. An excellent cast has already propelled the film into the Top 20 of Christian films with a theatrical release. Chrissy Metz is amazing as Joyce Smith... a mother with a strong faith in God and love for her only son. Topher Grace brought charm and humor to the story as the family pastor and the friendship that developed between him and Joyce touched me as they put aside personal differences to join together in a common cause. Dennis Haysbert gives a stellar performance, as usual. Each member of the cast is to be commended for their portrayals.

I loved the music, production was outstanding, and I give the movie an A in all areas. This is one I will be buying on DVD when released.

Psalms For Little Hearts

Psalms for Little Hearts written by Dandi Daley Mackall and illustrated by Cee Biscoe is a rhyming paraphrase of 25 of the best-loved Psalms.

Features:

• 25 rhyming Psalms are written just for your little one
• Topical table of contents helps you find the right Psalm for every occasion
• Beautiful, kid-friendly, four-color illustrations throughout make Scripture accessible
• Scripture from the original Psalms bring you and your child back to the Bible

My Review: A small but powerful package that is sure to delight any child in your life. I love the size (5.5 x 6.625) because it is perfect to hold in one hand while cuddling one of my great-grandkids in my lap. The kids love looking at the pictures (and I do too!) but still listen to what I am reading to them. This is wonderful for both morning devotions and bedtime prayers. The selected Psalms focus on Joy, Hope, and Praise; these are perfect for teaching our little ones about the love God has for them and why we praise Him. Whether using snippets from each chapter or using a whole Psalm... this book can be used for years. It is adaptable to use with toddlers on up to children who can read it for themselves. I highly recommend it!

 

DISCLAIMER: Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. I was not asked to give a positive interview and all opinions are my own.

 

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Tyndale Kids

Dandi Daley Mackall  

Cee Biscoe

So Much the Better - Megan Means

So Much the Better by Megan Means is a children's chapter book that engages the interest of an elementary school-aged child through the adventures of "Ari," a lion cub who is separated from his mom and the rest of his tribe during a terrible storm. Ari meets Eliezer, a golden eagle promises to guide him as he tries to be reunited with his mother.

As he travels through the forest there are times Eliezer is out of sight, but he has assured Ari, "Even when you don't see me you must have faith I am close." The eagle also advises the cub to stay near the stream.

Along the way, Ari meets many other animals. Some are friends and some are not. But he continues to grow physically and with wisdom as he and those who become his companions finally reach his homeland. But, this is not the end of his journey: hard times and fierce enemies threaten the pride. Ari must use the lessons he has learned as he faces his hardest battle.

This story reminds me of Pilgrim's Progress in many ways and the parables Jesus shared. I love the Biblical truths that are spread throughout the book and the way they can connect with children through unforgettable characters and adventures. 

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

Discover more at MeganMeansAuthor.com