The Best Christmas Ever by Sarah Morgan

★★★★★ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
This is one of the best stories I've read in a long time, though some of the morality is not mine. Engaging characters, the premise - getting stuck in a snowstorm - predictable but believable, and the unfolding plot was a joy. I'm not sure why it resonated as plausible and delightful as it did - but from front to back, I couldn't wait to see what happened next. 

The interpersonal conflicts and hopes will draw you in, whether you are a mom or dad with young kids, the parent of adult children, or wary of relationships. There's wise advice and sound counsel for those doing their best but feeling pressured by others' expectations or estranged by personal failures. 

Highly recommended. Even if it's not Christmas when you pick it up.

Path of Divine Beginnings: Embracing God's Guidance from Exhaustion to Inner Peace by Bob Chisholm

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
This 13-week devotional is appropriate for groups or individuals. With quotes from trusted writers, explorations of scriptural stories, and overviews of meditations for the week, Chisholm draws the reader into the Presence.

I recommend this for those who are experienced in their faith as well as those who are starting their journey of discipleship. Following Jesus means beginning where we are and moving with "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" into one new season of maturity after another.

Highly recommended for those who like a method or structured approach to scripture and discipleship.

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen

 ★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
How does one process an unexpected family revelation? How do you deal with surprises from a DNA kit? In the news, this dilemma is increasingly "a thing," explored here by Quindlen. 

Loved the story. Felt deeply the emotions of the characters. And entered a world I didn't know about. Those are enough reasons to recommend the book to readers who love family sagas, those who are interested in the moral and personal repercussions of technology and media, and others who just want a good novel to immerse themselves in.

Come Away and Rest by Alyson Pryor

★★★★★ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Wonderful retreat textbook. I have recommended this book to students, friends in ministry, leaders of non-profits, and those being mentored. In addition to exploring the benefits of time away, Pryor outlines five scenarios. Each retreat is intentional, whether for rest, recovery, transition, grief, or discernment. Yet each is customizable to other situations.

The timelines are geared for short and longer getaways. Deep questions and resources challenge us, whether we are alone or with a group. The preparation, the retreat itself, and the debrief at the end are provided. This is both a practical and a spiritual invitation to meet Jesus, to be refreshed, and to gather strength for the next season.

Recommended without reservation.

The Secret Thread by Eve Chase

 

 ★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Descriptive and well-paced, this mystery will draw you in. Two siters, torn apart by society, circumstances, and crisis, are destined to meet again. Glamour, the high life of design and desire, and family secrets unravel. It's a page-turner, as beautifully written as it is surprising.

Recommended if you love mysteries, women's novels, and the thrill of discovery.

Some People by Parini Shroff

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
If you had to take care of your difficult, eccentric, and almost-ex mother-in-law, what could happen? This was a surprising, insightful, and hilarious story. I got into the story and couldn't put it down. 

You'll get pulled in by opposing cultures, gasp at family expectations, chuckle at practical solutions like avoidance and alternative problem-solving, and have fun with the unfolding drama.

I recommend it if you're living in an intercultural neighborhood, work at a company with a variety of employees, or have wondered what it's like to live in someone else's world. You'll laugh aloud as I did and groan between scenes.

The Lost Perfumes of Paris A Novel by Christine Wells

 ★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
A feminist manifesto, a romance, and family drama play out in the context of Europe. I enjoyed this one because it offered historical and geographical insights and a glimpse of the perfume industry. I was drawn to or repelled by the characters - Wells shows a deep understanding of human longings and human nature.

If you like Paris and all things French, if you dab on perfume before you leave the house, and especially if you like a good story, you'll enjoy this one.

Recommended when you want to be immersed in another world, whether that's a bedtime story, an alternative to a boring commute, or a vacation treat for yourself. (This is my second round of this book.)

Ordinary Altars: How to Love the World (Even When It Breaks Your Heart) by Sarah Bessey

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Sarah Bessey is an off-center worshipper and follower of Jesus. You may or may not agree with some of her theology but she is passionate about her love for Jesus and others.

The thoughtful observations on the Presence, beyond encountering God in church and at religious events, are worth pondering. You will likely catch yourself worshipping at an Ordinary Altar after the encouragement Bessey offers.

Recommended for those curious about a life with Jesus, new followers, and those who feel their relationship with God has grown stale. "Remember your first love," could be an alternate subtitle.

Was a First Alto in the 1980s: Poems by Deborah Garrison

★★★★★ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
I'd never met Garrison before. How pleased I am to meet her now, through her writing. This is an utterly lovely scattering and gathering of words and recollections. Her images resonated with me. I laughed, remembered, and sighed at how good the days are and were.

Living in the present, coloring between the lines of the past, Garrison has mastered the poem as song and memories. I enjoyed her poetry and highly recommend it to be read aloud in a book group, by those who need sweet comfort, or someone who wants the fragrance of watchfulness in an ordinary life.

Annie Knows Everything by Rachel Wood

 ★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

Hilarious and terrifying in its fake-it-until-you-make-it descriptions of what's normal today. Annie typifies the know-it-all who has life in hand until everything falls apart. Her pluck and grit made me smile.

A fun read for young adults and those trying to understand GenX to Y. Just don't make Annie your role model!

Work in Progress by Devon Rodriguez

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
 I've followed this young artist for a few years, marveling at the talent he's shaped with perseverance and practise. Rodriguez writes with honesty and grit about his difficult beginnings and the challenges of his neighborhoods. 

He became known for the portraits he gifted people on the streets of New York but has picked up sketching and landscapes in his travels. I'm fascinated by the joyful acceptance he offers those who are marginalized or have chosen the fringes of society. Though he's been recognized in high societal circles, he remains humble and open to new things.

For everyone who thinks their background determines their future, please read this engaging story.

Mistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women ... edited by Jessica Bacal

 

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★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
If you don't have mentors or role models at work, read this. If you are ambitious to climb the corporate ladder, get a copy. If you're not sure you have what it takes to be a woman in business today, you definitely need to read it - and you can probably charge it to your educational expenses.

Highly practical, thoughtful, and personal, the women who have contributed expose their journeys to success - through hard work, failure, relationships, and defining what matters to them.

Recommended for young women in the workplace as well as those who are mid-career.

The Empty Nest of Juliette Bouchette by Susanna Sauveterre

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

Utterly engaging and heartwrenching at the same time. Juliette is "all grown up" and her family has changed. Her children are adults. Her marriage is settled. Yet she has to negotiate the complete change of season and what gives meaning to her life.

I recommend this for those trying to understand midlife and how women process and transform as their homes and work shift. Would be an excellent book club choice.

Manufacturing a Duchess by Tracy Wise

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
This was amusing and interesting. Beyond historical details and cultural expectations, Wise tells the story of a woman who refuses to be anyone but herself. The novel took me along in various settings. I liked and loathed characters - which is a sign of absorption in the tale. 

I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to get lost in an Austin-like story. Though the perspective and observations were from a modern perspective, the demands of British society came through loud and clear. Reading it is not demanding but was engaging at many levels.

The Lost Perfumes of Paris by

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

A tale of ambition, talent, and culture that affect women, even today.  This story touched me with its constant striving to overcome the barriers that women face, whether in progressive or traditional cultures. 

I could smell and taste the novel through vibrant descriptions. I got to know (and dis/like) the characters from the interactions. I'd recommend this one for a women's book group, for girlfriends looking to discuss their challenges, and for readers who want a book to immerse them in history and destinations.

Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer

 

★★★★★  

At a time when I'm balancing my husband's healthcare, increased hospitality, and a change of service, this book was very meaningful. 

Comer asks why so-called disciples of Jesus are content not to follow his words or practises. Does comfort and cultural patterning determine how we live out our faith? Or do we align with Jesus' words and actions, with his requests and commands to those around him?

With practical, encouraging examples, the reader is immersed in new ways of discipleship. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will recommend it to my students in classes on Spiritual Formation.

Sunrise by Téa Obreht

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Another one of those stories where you don't know what's coming. If you like suspense, historical fiction, and a nail-biter, you'll enjoy the town of Sunrise, where mysteries of 100 years ago live on. When you survive a plane crash, have no idea how to take care of yourself, and your cellphone is hurled at a bear, what comes next?

This is one for a long commute or a plane trip, as long as you know you'll spend a few extra hours reading instead of sleeping.

A Novel

By 

Sunrise by Susan May Warren

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

When the heroine plunges into the Alaskan wilderness, it's up to an old friend to find her. Echo is determined to rescue a fellow researcher, but can Dodge reach her in time to save her life?

Suspenseful, romantic, descriptive of Alaska ... this is one to keep you reading to the last chapter. 

The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny and Melissa Fung

★★★★★  Louise Penny is one of my favorite authors. This book, the first I've read apart from the Inspector Gamache series (which I love), was a shock from start to finish. The imagination, understanding of American and Chinese culture and politics, and the thriller storyline captured me.

Because I don't have the context of Chinese names and places, I had to pay attention beyond a casual read. Once I understood who was what or where, the story came alive. I was gripped until the end.

Definitely recommended if you lean toward complex characters, mystery and suspense, culture, or modern politics. Any of those interests make it a must-read.

Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Juno's ready for a new start when her friend Min pulls her into a new season. Her new team is a surprise and a challenge. If you are ready for an adventure that keeps you guessing, you'll like this one.

Tuck it into your beach bag, add it to your carry-on, or pull it out of your briefcase when you have a long commute. Good summer reading.