The Longing in Me by Sheila Walsh

I have read a number of Sheila Walsh’s books, and this one struck me as the best of the bunch. Sheila draws wonderful parallels between her life and that of David, both in triumph and in trial, and she fills in some blanks a reader may not even have realized were missing, dating back 20+ years. For the first time, she talks about some of the foundational reasons for her psychiatric hospitalization and reveals some of the circumstances of her life that she has never mentioned publically. Sheila also talks about more recent events that were implied but not revealed during her talks at Women of Faith. These two areas of revelation really bring Sheila’s life into focus for the reader, and they help readers know they are not alone in facing great, and even current, trials. Sheila tells how the longings in us for, among other things, protection, control, the past, and happiness all indicate a deep longing for God, and she talks about how each of these longings are met in God. This is Sheila’s most open and honest book. It is impossible not to identify with her when she talks about the longings in us. This is a book to revisit repeatedly for the encouragement it offers. The author did an outstanding job of weaving stories together with Scripture to offer encouragement. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

Where the Light Gets In by Kimberly Williams-Paisley

The author’s mother was diagnosed in 2005 with a less-common form of dementia that results primarily in language loss. This book is the story of the author, her parents and two siblings through the still-ongoing battle to support Linda, who is now living in an assisted facility. The journey has been excruciating, changing the relationships of everyone with Linda. Kimberly Williams-Paisley writes with great honesty into the changes she experienced, grieving her hopes and expectations of Old Mom and learning to not just live with but join and celebrate New Mom. It has been anything but easy every step of the way. The book is well written; the author is articulate and insightful, a combination of traits that allows the reader to easily understand and sympathize with the family’s journey. She is also gracious and kind. The author is a well-known actress, but that is a tangential fact in the book’s approach. This book would be well worth reading no matter the author. I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my review.

The Water-Saving Garden by Pam Penick

I have a water-saving garden, having replaced the lawn on our corner lot a few years ago. I used a landscaper for guidance on plants and planting, and, while I am satisfied with the results, I was interested to read my first book about such a garden. Pam Penick’s work is an excellent resource, as it starts with the rationale, descriptions and illustrations of well-established water-saving gardens in different parts of the country. Section two describes the process of designing the garden, including planning for water retention, use of proper materials, how to irrigate and choose soil and/or mulch, and where to add windbreaks in the form of trees, hedges, walls and fences. The last three sections concern choosing plants and when to plant them, as well as how to create the illusion of water if that is desired. This book is an excellent overview of the why and how of a water-saving garden. Having been through the experience of planting one, I found this book thorough but not overwhelming. I recommend it highly. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Remnants: Season of Glory by Lisa T. Begren

I chose this book because I loved this author’s writing 20 years ago, when she wrote romantic fiction aimed at women. To say the least, she has since shifted gears. Season of Glory is the third and final book of a series. That alone made for a challenging read, as this book picks up where the last left off, with no background given about time, place or people. I gathered that this series is aimed at adolescents or young adults, as the writing consists of much more dialogue than the average novel does. I never did understand much about the time, place or people, although it was evident that it is an imaginary place. The culture was unique, as demonstrated by the language used about it. For example, where we might say a couple was engaged, the characters said they were “bound”. There are knights and royalty involved, so you know it’s a hierarchical society. There are places such as a Citadel, so you know there’s a military system in place. The cause is called “the Way,” and “the Maker” is authoritative. There is a love triangle where two men are interested in one woman. The dialogue itself is rather stiff, as if it’s a Star Trek script. The characters say such things as, “She communicates with our enemy. Stop her from doing so again, would you, my brother? I will address the emperor.” I think only those who start with the first book of the series and enjoy it will want to read Season of Glory. It’s not for everyone. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

A Fifty-Year Silence by Miranda Richmond Mouillot

The author’s maternal grandparents, Anna and Armand, met in 1936, married in 1944, separated a few years later and never spoke again after 1955, although Anna lived until 2010 and Armand until 2015, she in America and he in Switzerland. Mouillot felt the silence between her grandparents as a heavy shadow, in part because she was close to her grandmother, incorporating the rift as part of her personality. From her teenage years on, the author came to know her grandfather through periodic visits. Eventually as a young adult, Mouillot lived in an abandoned house in France which belonged to her grandparents and made it her quest to piece together the history of their life together, tracing their meeting, their mostly separate journeys through World War II and what little she could unearth about their marriage and subsequent life. Anna appears to have been an open, grateful, and expansive woman, while Armand comes across as guarded, defensive and even crotchety. While the differences in their personalities may well have driven them apart, the back cover of the book says, “As she reconstructs the overwhelming odds her grandparents braved together and how the knowledge Armand acquired at Nuremberg destroyed their relationship, Miranda wrestles with the legacy of trauma, the burden of history, and the complexities of memory.” The book is as much about Mouillot’s own life and her journey toward uncovering what she believes to be the whole story as it is about her grandparents. It makes for an uneven pace, as chapter after chapter serves as foreshadowing. There were times when I felt as if I was deeply into the book with little movement toward the truth of the situation. It is not until page 240 of this 267-page book that the first mention of the trials at Nuremberg appears. Suddenly, like the accelerated pace of adding the last pieces of a puzzle, the author ties her theory together that Armand’s role as a translator at the trial affected him so deeply that it drove a permanent wedge between Anna and Armand. By that time, the reader has been so steeped in the narrative of the differences in their personalities and perspectives, it seems coincidental that Armand’s job was traumatic to him, and it is almost hard to imagine that his role had that great an effect. Because of what felt like a very rushed ending, the story felt unsatisfactory to me, leaving me with a different perspective than probably the author intended, which was that the grandparents’ marriage was on shaky ground from the start--the author acknowledges that no one really knew why they married; even the grandparents themselves were not clear--so any challenge might well have driven them apart. This is not a book I would recommend, as its very uneven construction results in the story feeling uneven also. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Paris Street Style - Zoé de las Cases

This fabulous coloring book features mostly fashion sketches and Paris scenes. The sketches are so well done and charming you almost don’t want to color them. But when you do, you find that the paper quality itself lends to the wonderful experience of coloring, making you feel like an artist. You will love this book if you like fashion, the whimsical, and quality. It is one of my favorite books ever. The black cover feature drawings in gold is simply elegant. The book has a ribbon bookmark and an elastic band to hold the book shut. It is the finest coloring book I have seen, and I am eager to see more of Zoé de las Cases’ work I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Forgiving My Daughter’s Killer by Kate Grosmaire

In March 2010, the author’s 19-year-old daughter, Ann, was shot at close range by her boyfriend, Conor, someone beloved by her family. He left her and drove around for 45 minutes before turning himself in to the police. After four days, she was removed from life support and died within a few minutes. The book takes a deep, tender look at Ann and her family, detailing the mature way in which her parents dealt with the whole traumatic situation, from the moment they were notified. They aimed constantly to see things from God’s perspective and to obey what He said to them. This caused them to choose forgiveness. Their reasons, based on the Bible, are clearly stated, and Scripture quotations are included, helping the reader understand their decisions and experience. The forgiveness offered was not simple or easy. They explain how it has been and even still continues to be a process, and series of choices. The author makes it clear that she does not forgive Conor for his sake but for hers; she does not want to spend her time and life cloaked in bitterness. The path the family chose was restorative justice, a concept and process detailed thoroughly in this account. This approach to crime is diametrically opposed to our current criminal justice system, as it places the victim and family squarely in the middle of the process, allowing for healing and growth. Much of this book is about this approach, including how and why it was applied for the first time to this first-degree murder case in Florida. There is much in this book to contemplate. It is thoughtfully written and addresses the hard issues. Everyone in this story is quite human, and their strengths and weaknesses are included. This sobering book is well worth reading. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.