Two on Tuesday | Quick Reviews

Claim Your Crown by Tarah-Lynn Saint-Elien

In a world full of harmful standards of beauty and womanhood, Tarah-Lynn Saint-Elien offers a means of reorienting toward the truth. God loves each of His daughters unceasingly and desires her to embrace the fullness of her identity in Him. To help her readers do so, Saint-Elien offers great reminders of biblical promises, translating them into applicable takeaways for everyday living. I enjoyed my time with this book, soaking in all it had to speak to me on living out my true identity.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book

Yes Sisters by Angelia L. White with Erin Keeley Marshall

What an uplifting book! Angela L. White (with Erin Keeley Marshall) works through the importance of being surrounded by people capable of encouraging and speaking truth. The older I get, the more I have realized the importance of having such a community to cheer me forward—and being willing to return the support—so the content of this book resonated with me, offering me the space to reflect on the nature of friendship, saying “yes,” and doing it all well.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book

I received complimentary copies of these books and the opportunity to provide honest reviews. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Three on Thursday | Quick Reviews

Saints by Addison D. Bevere

Austin Bevere explores what it means to be a saint, a word commonly used to describe followers of Christ in the New Testament. It is a word with a rich meaning and context—not the perfection and elitism often ascribed to it today—and it offers an incredible invitation toward understanding God-given purpose, identity, and love more fully. A challenging, insightful, uplifting, wise exploration, this book left me full of hope and with a lot to ponder.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book

In Want + Plenty by Meredith McDaniel

Meredith McDaniel’s book takes readers on a journey with the Israelites in the desert, relying on and trusting in God’s provision. It is not always easy to depend on Him and recognize this provision, taking unwanted or unexpected forms, and yet, it can be incredibly beneficial to do so. It felt freeing to read McDaniel’s words of reminder and encouragement and delve into the deeper considerations she prompts. For me, it definitely proved a worthwhile read.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book

Managing Worry and Anxiety by Jean Holthaus

Therapist Jean Holthaus blends her expertise, research, and faith to deliver exactly what the cover promises: practical tools for dealing with worry and anxiety. She writes in an easy-to-read way meant to heighten understanding and facilitate application. As I read, everything she explains felt useful and relevant. I had a lot to consider as I finished, and I intend to revisit this book in the future. It is easy to recommend this book to readers struggling with worry and anxiety, as well as those simply hoping to understand the issues better.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book

I received complimentary copies of these books and the opportunity to provide honest reviews. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Five on Friday | Quick Reviews

Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

There's complicated drama aplenty when Willow Lamott's best friend, Ashton Keller—also an accused murderer—returns to their small town. Mystery, suspense, danger, and of course, romance fill Langdon's story as the pair works to reestablish their friendship and discover what exactly happened all those years ago. It's a fun, intriguing, spooky-ish read.

Goodreads | Amazon

In 27 Days by Alison Gervais

When one of her classmates commits suicide, Hadley Jamison gets the opportunity to rewind twenty-seven days and try to rewrite the future. As I read, I worried about the commentary Gervais would make regarding suicide, but in the context she creates, the message of Hadley's experience is well delivered. All in all, it's a great story of friendship.

Goodreads | Amazon

It Started With Goodbye by Christina June

In a refreshing retelling of the Cinderella fairytale, Tatum Elsea's summer looks nothing like she expected: wrongly accused of a crime, at odds with her best friend, distrusted by her father and stepmother. Everything may seem hopeless at first, but her story plays out with great humor and heart, including lessons of self-discovery, friendship, and forgiveness. It's a definite recommendation from me.

Goodreads | Amazon

One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank

Against her wishes, Sophie Brooks is sent to spend a summer in Paris with her father. She'd rather devote her time to practicing piano, but it's clear she has some important growing to do in her familial relationships. With some adventure and romance, too, it's a cute story (that reminded me of Anna and the French Kiss at times), and I heartily enjoyed it when I read it.

Goodreads | Amazon

The Thing With Feathers by McCall Hoyle

Emilie Day has spent years protecting herself from the world, thanks to her epilepsy. Now, as she begins to attend public school again, she must confront her fear. With moments of friendship, romance, and discovering that everyone has challenges to overcome, this was exactly the type of good-hearted YA I needed when I read it. I loved it.

Goodreads | Amazon

So, what books have you enjoyed reading lately?

Thanks to Blink YA Books, I received complimentary copies of these books and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Quick Reviews | January

January seems to be the perfect month for a bit of blog-related change... I've decided to start sharing "Quick Reviews," monthly discussions of the many books I read but wouldn't otherwise review. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comment section below.