Angel Sister

Angel Sister tells the story of a family in small town Kentucky in 1936. Dysfunctions of a previous generation weigh heavily on this family, as the father drowns his sorrows in alcohol, the mother trying to make ends meet, while the children grow up in their own unique ways. Into this mix, a young girl, cast away by a family passing through town searching for employment in the midst of the Depression, is adopted, making her mark on the family and the larger community.

This wasn't a book that I riveted me, but neither did I felt I was slogging though the story. The frequent flashbacks seemed sometimes lengthy and out of place. However, what I really liked about this book was how it seemed to strike the right balance between how the characters applied Scripture to their situations: not being too preachy as the characters struggled with their own faith, yet not presenting Christianity as something that doesn't impact your life. By the end of the story in some way I felt as if I had been a part of the family for the summer, sharing in their trials and joys.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available now at your favourite bookseller from Revell House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The Heart Revolution

Sergio de la Mora provides a 40-day journey of the heart to bring healing from pain, forgiveness, and restoration to an individual. He illustrations his points from his own storied past, as well as others he has encountered in his journey. He paints a compelling picture of why we need a change in heart and gives hope for a new start to life. He touches on practical aspect of everyday life, including money, sex, anger, and leadership, as he shows the effect of a change of heart on oneself, friends, and family.

I found the book a little too polished for me. I'm sure his experience is valid, but I found I just didn't relate all that well with his examples.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available now at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

If God, Why Evil?

Norman Giesler discusses the question of how can there be a God if evil exists. How can an infinitely good and infinitely powerful God allow evil to exist? He looks at this from many facets, ranging from the nature of evil, to its purpose and why it persists, and to whether evil is eternal.

Although I think Christians need to understand their faith more, including the nature of evil, this book is probably too inaccessible for the ordinary person. It reads more like a textbook than a story book. It is very logical and structured, sometimes too much so. And I found some of the arguments were too terse: I found them hard to follow. Some of the appendices seemed to be tangentially related to the subject and I wondered how they helped illuminate the main theme of the book. So, although I think the subject matter is important and the content presented was good, how this book presents its material will limit its audience.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available now at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.