My Lighthouse

I recently discovered this song, and it may just be a new favourite. It is certainly about one of my favourite things.

Reading Challenge Update 6

Just one more book to add this time, but that means I have only one book left to complete the challenge!!

• Hear Me When I Call by Charles Swindoll

was the book I finished this time, which puts me at 17 out of 18!

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There is also just one for the Bingo Challenge this time:

• Takes place in your favourite time period: My Brother's Crown by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

It has taken me a long time to figure out what my favourite time period is, but with this book I finally worked it out.

What I really like are books that combine contemporary and historical. These usually involve the exploring of family history and having the stories from ancestors intertwining with current events. This is just such a book.

For me, it doesn't really matter what the historical period is - this one was set in the 1600's; others have been set much later. I think I like this combination because I am very much interested in my family history (although I have not really been able to research it).

If you would like to read my book review for this book you will find it here.

Until next time ... happy reading.

ACRBA Tour - Same by Katrina Roe

5 - 9 October

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is introducing

Same
(Wombat Books 1 July 2015)

By

Written by: Katrina Roe Illustrated by: Jemima Trappel

About the Book:

When Uncle Charlie comes to visit, Ivy keeps her distance. He seems different from other people she knows. Can Uncle Charlie find a way to show her that he is not so different after all?

Same is a touching true story about love, acceptance and finding common ground.

Katrina Roe’s debut children’s book Marty’s Nut-Free Party was shortlised in the Speech Pathology and CALEB awards. Same helps a child relate to what is actually the same, in someone who seems so different.

About the Author

Katrina Roe is an author and radio presenter.

Most recently she was host of the morning show on Sydney’s Hope 103.2 radio (www.hope1032.com.au) before leaving to have her second baby. 

Katrina also has a successful parenting blog (www.frommouthsofbabes.wordpress.com). 

Marty’s Nut-Free Party was her first children’s book, followed by Emily Eases herWheezes. Emily was listed as a notable book by CBCA in 2015. Same is her latest book, and is scheduled for release in July 2015.

Katrina has also contributed to two inspirational anthologies, All Creation Sings: Psalms of Everyday Christians and a book about miscarriage called In God’s Hands: Overcoming Miscarriage in a Broken World.

In 2009, she completed her Masters in International Relations, just for fun!  Katrina also likes kayaking, bushwalking, reading novels, taking holidays, listening to music and hanging out with friends.  She’s adamant that tea should always be made in a pot and she has a definite weakness for soft cheese.
She lives in Sydney with her three young daughters and her husband Chris.

Jemima is a Sydney-based artist and illustrator who enjoys riding her bicycle. Like many illustrators she was born holding a pencil and uses it frequently to bring words to life. 

She decided to make a career out of her passion, and in 2012, after five years at the College of Fine Arts and the University of NSW, she emerged with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (with honours), a Bachelor of Arts (a combined degree) and the ability to converse in French.

Same by Katrina Roe, is her first book with Wombat Books. Prior to this, Jemima illustrated Wonderfully Madison (2013 – winner of the children's book category in the Caleb awards that year) and Fearlessly Madison (2014) by Penny Reeve (published by Youthworks Media). She is also the illustrator of the short comic, A friend in need, by Karen Bielharz (part of the self-published Kinds of Blue anthology, 2011), and is the linework artist for the short animation Money Tree (2011), written and directed by Hawanatu Bangura. 

My Thoughts:
This is a beautifully illustrated story and is very true to life. Both children and adults have the same reactions as Ivy did in the story when someone who is "different" appears (although adults don't generally run away). This story is a good reminder to look for something that we can have in common with everyone; and such a good way of teaching children.

I'll be donating my copy to the after school care program where I work, so that those children can learn about finding something the same in everyone they meet.

Book Review - My Brother's Crown by Mindy Starns Clark & Leslie Gould

One of the great things about books is that you learn some things about yourself while you read them. For the Bingo Reading Challenge that I've been doing this year, one of the squares was for a book that 'Takes place in your favourite time period.' I had been racking my brain for ages trying to figure out what my favourite time period actually is, and in reading the book I'm about to review I found it (more on that in my next challenge update).

My Brother's Crown

Cousins of the Dove #1

by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

(Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for my copy.)

Back Cover:

Women of Uncommon Courage

France, 1685

Catherine Gillet knows her brother, Jules, wants to protect her from the sinister threats of the French crown. But Jules is involved in a potentially deadly enterprise, one connected with an encoded document. When his actions put the whole family at risk, will Catherine find a way to save them?

Virginia, present day

Rene Talbot, a direct descendant of Catherine's, is fascinated by the document that's been part of her family legacy for more than three centuries. Certain its pages hold hidden secrets, she takes a closer look - and makes a shocking discovery. But when memories of a childhood trauma are rekindled, she's forced to seek answers of a different kind. Inspired by the faith and bravery of Catherine, can Renee find the truth and face her deepest fears at last?

From the authors of the Christy Award-winning The Amish Midwife comes an epic story of two women, centuries apart, each discovering her own hidden bravery, standing for what she believes in, and finding love in unexpected places.

Authors:

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 20 books (over 1 million copies sold) including fiction and non-fiction. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, John, and their two daughters. Connect with Mindy at www.mindystarnsclark,com.

Leslie Gould is a bestselling author of 20 novels. She received her master of fine arts degree from Portland State University and lives in Oregon with her husband, Peter, and their four children. Connect with Leslie at www.lesliegould.com.

My Thoughts:

Mindy and Leslie have beautifully woven the stories from these two time periods together. It is a wonderful thing to know your family history and it certainly plays a part in what you do in your life now and why - this was true for Renee as she reflected on the life Catherine lived.

While I had heard of the Huguenots, I was not very familiar with why they were persecuted (not that I really understand persecution in any form - it just should not be, but then we haven't reached heaven yet). The persecution of these people, was yet another example of religious persecution - something that has shown itself in many different forms, during every century.

Faith is at the centre of both of these women's lives. One thing that challenged me, particularly from Catherine's story, is how essential it is to know what you believe and why you believe it.

While there is completion to this book, there are also many questions raised and threads of both stories yet to be unravelled. I look forward to reading the next book in this series: My Sister's Prayer.