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Review: A Better Way to Think, by H. Norman Wright

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A Better Way to Think, by H. Norman WrightA Better Way to Think, by H. Norman Wright (Revell, 2011)

Our minds can be a scary place to dwell, but that’s where we live—and often not with the kinds of thoughts we were designed to entertain. A Better Way to Think does a good job of helping readers stop and notice our thoughts. When we notice, we can evaluate. When we evaluate, we can see where we need to intentionally change our thinking.

The book’s subtitle is “Using positive thoughts to change your life,” and it offers biblically-sound advice on how to do just that, with both thoughts and self-talk. One of the key points it raises is that we can’t change our thinking in our own strength. We need to rely on the power and help of God. And we need to give it time.

I was challenged by Dr. Wright’s statement that talking to ourselves is

“a habit you’ve cultivated… hundreds of statements you can play at will… The more these play, the more we begin to believe them. We think, This is reality! This is true!” (p.79)

The early chapters prompt us to pay more attention to our thoughts—our self-talk—to discover its origins, observe the damage it’s doing, and decide to change. The biblical mandate to “take every thought captive to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) is difficult at the best of times, but it’s impossible if we’re not aware of those thoughts.

I found these early chapters clinically sound, but I kept wanting to see faith-based strategies for addressing the problem. Those come later in the book, so if you have the same reaction, read on.

The author uses brief case studies to reinforce what he’s saying, and they make the concepts much easier to understand and remember. Just recently I was driving, late for an appointment, and I remembered his illustration of two men in the same traffic jam and how each one’s thoughts affected their individual experiences. That helped me choose calm thoughts instead of berating myself for not leaving earlier.

The case studies also reflect how one person’s negative thought life can affect his/her relationships. Later chapters focus on defusing this, specifically in marriages.

As the author points out, our negative self-talk has been building up for a long time, so it will take time to replace it with healthier thinking. Time and prayer.

This is one of those books I’m glad to keep on my shelf, and I’ve found myself talking about it in numerous conversations. God has been challenging me about my thinking, probably most of my life, but in the last year or so I’ve finally been ready to hear Him. A Better Way to Think is one of the tools He has used in my life for growth and healing, and I highly recommend it.

H. Norman Wright is a licensed Marriage, Family and Child Therapist and the author of more than 70 books. For more about the book, visit the Revell website, which includes a link to read an excerpt.

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Review: Rules of Murder, by Julianna Deering

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Rules of Murder, by Julianna DeeringRules of Murder, by Juliana Deering (Bethany House, 2013)

Drew Farthering: From the tip of his black Homburg to the crease in his cheviot trousers, he’s the epitome of a stylish 1930s English gentleman. His only problem? The body he just discovered. (from the back cover)

Drew is charming, urbane, and he wants more than the party circuit that absorbs many of his peers. He and his best friend Nick (son of the family butler) enjoy mystery novels, so what better sport than to investigate this crime? Except when the second victim appears, the deaths become personal.

Madeline Parker makes a delightful third member of the sleuthing team. Newly arrived from America, she catches Drew’s heart at their first meeting. But in a house of mourning, it’s not a good time to explore their mutual attraction.

Rules of Murder has the delightful tone and setting of a Golden Age English house party murder mystery, worthy of Agatha Christie herself. It has a gentle thread of faith, as Drew begins to wonder about the God he thought he outgrew.

The title comes from Father Knox’s Decalogue: The 10 Rules of (Golden Age) Detective Fiction, regularly quoted by Nick in the novel. Drew and Nick – and author Julianna Deering – know the rules, but this case wants to break each one.

I’m not much for villains who give a full explanation at the end, although in this case I’m not sure how else readers could have had our questions answered.

Rules of Murder is a satisfying mystery novel notwithstanding, with well-developed characters, layers of meaning and splashes of humour. I’m looking forward to the next Drew Farthering Mystery.

Julianna Deering is the pen name of historical fiction novelist DeAnna Julie Dodson. Check out this excerpt from Rules of Murder (the first paragraph convinced me to settle down and enjoy this book) and the author Q&A with Julianna Deering. You can read another interview with the author at Divine Detour.

 [Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.]
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Review: Mrs. B Has Cancer, by Glynis Belec

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Mrs. B Has Cancer, by Glynis M. BelecMrs. B Has Cancer, by Glynis Belec (Angel Hope Publishing, 2013)

Tristan has a bit of trouble learning in school, but his tutor, Mrs. B, makes learning fun. Now Mrs. B says she has cancer, and she won’t be able to teach him for a while.

That means less homework, which is great. It means school will get harder. Not so great. Worse still, his grandfather had cancer, and he died. Will Mrs. B die?

In this chapter book for early readers, Tristan and his friends ask a lot of questions. They also decide to do something to help: they’ll hold a “Cancel Cancer” party to raise money for research and encourage Mrs. B.

Cancer is something we don’t talk a lot about, especially to children. But when it affects a loved one, kids’ questions and reactions may be different from adults’. This story looks at the issue from a child’s-eye view and is designed to take away some of the fear.

Although Mrs. B Has Cancer is fiction, it comes out of the author’s personal journey through ovarian cancer and some of the material is drawn fairly closely from real life.

This is a book to benefit any school library or family bookshelf. No cancer in sight? So much the better. That’s a safer time to explore the subject.

Canadian author Glynis Belec has also written for adults about her cancer experience in the anthology, A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider. She’s the author of the children’s picture books Jailhouse Rock and Jesus Washes Peter’s Feet, as well as a number of other anthology pieces for adults. To learn more, visit Glynis M. Belec on the web.

[Review copy provided by the author.]
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Review: Raspberries and Vinegar, by Valerie Comer

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Raspberries and Vinegar cover artRaspberries and Vinegar, by Valerie Comer (Choose NOW Publishing, 2013)

What happens when three 20-something single Christian women buy a farm in northern Idaho and set out to demonstrate their beliefs about sustainable living?

The farm is called Green Acres, but unlike Lisa from the classic TV show, Jo Shaw and her friends Claire and Sierra have done their research and are up to the task.

Mostly up to the task. There’s the small matter of a mouse infestation in their temporary dwelling, but Jo’s sure they can handle it.

She’s not so sure she can handle their attractive neighbour, Zach. He’s only home to care for his parents’ farm until his father’s health improves, and he can’t wait to get back to the city. The girls see all the pluses of rural living, but he sees only minuses. They eat ethically-sourced food; he’ll hit the drive-thru any chance he gets. Jo doesn’t think she stands a chance with him anyway, against her friend Sierra’s charms.

Jo, at 25, is only beginning to see the world’s not as black and white as she thinks. And she knows her subject so thoroughly, she forgets the average person doesn’t share her knowledge. When she remembers, she tries to fully educate the person on the spot.

Author Valerie Comer does a great job making Jo a likable character instead of the opinionated shrew she could have been. Jo’s just like any of us: passionate about something that matters to her. And like us, she sometimes reacts first and regrets later. She’s a vulnerable character, despite her spunk.

As a boy, Zach loved the farm but hated the low income level. He’s a newly-qualified veterinarian, looking for a lucrative city post with civilized hours and no cows. Somewhere along the way, his faith has been pushed to the side. Coming home may get him thinking about it again.

Something about these characters connected with me. Maybe it’s Jo’s second-guessing herself, or how she’s so quick to compare herself to others (always to her loss). Maybe it’s Zach’s trying to be an honourable man in his own strength. Maybe it’s both of them, carrying loads they were never intended to shoulder alone.

Like Zach, I don’t know much about “walking gently on the earth,” and I found lots to think about in this book. The information flows organically (couldn’t resist that pun) as the story unfolds, and it doesn’t stop the forward motion of the plot.

The novel’s humour offsets Jo’s serious nature, and there are some heart-tugging moments too. This is a longer romance than you’d see from Love Inspired, so the author had more room to explore her characters and readers can get to know them on a deeper level. Definitely a plus, in my view.

My favourite line (said to Jo by Zach’s grandmother):

“God loves your zeal, I’m sure, but He wants your heart.” [Kindle Location 3528]

Jo does love God, but—like many of us—she has a few control issues. So does Zach, for that matter, and one of the novel’s threads is how they’re each confronted with the need to let go of control and let God be God.

Canadian author Valerie Comer is quietly passionate about food, faith and fiction. Raspberries and Vinegar is the first in a three-novel farm lit series called “A Farm Fresh Romance.” She also has a geo-caching romance novella in the collection, Rainbow’s End. For more, visit Valerie Comer’s website. Or click to read a sample from Raspberries and Vinegar.

This week only, buy a print copy of Raspberries and Vinegar and get bonus material:

Book blast details: Raspberries and Vinegar

[Review copy provided by the author.]

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Review: Theology in Aisle Seven, by Carolyn Arends

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Theology in Aisle Seven by Carolyn ArendsTheology in Aisle Seven, by Carolyn Arends (Christianity Today, 2012)

One of the things I most appreciate about Carolyn Arends’ writing is her honesty. If she’s exploring a question or a doubt, she does it with transparency. If she’s sharing a life lesson learned, she invites us into the story to experience the lesson too. If she’s praising God, it’s authentic. And it’s all beautifully written. Songwriters and poets, more than most, develop the art of evocative words.

Theology in Aisle Seven is a collection of 25 of Carolyn Arends’ monthly columns in Christianity Today. I had read some of them online before buying the book, and they’re just as good on a second reading as they were on the first. I’ll be reading it again, one brief article at a time, so I’ll have time to better digest it. As the introduction says, it would make a good daily devotional book.

Mark Galli, senior managing editor of Christianity Today, describes the book as “an overview of the Christian life in 25 snapshots.” [Kindle Location 90]

The book’s subtitle is “The Uncommon Grace of Everyday Spirituality.” It’s an easy read in a conversational style, but there’s a lot to chew on. Chapters range from deep spiritual topics like the love and wrath of God, being peacemakers, and mortality to more earthy things like laughter, fitness, neighbours and grief.

And the title? You’ll have to read the particular chapter that birthed it, but I can tell you it relates to how we try to organize and compartmentalize our faith to be neat and tidy.

Here are a few of my favourite lines, to pique your interest:

If the psalmist is right—that there truly is nowhere we can go to flee God’s presence—why do we act like his attendance is intermittent? And why do we assume it’s dependent on us? [Kindle Location 153]

At the end (and only at the end) of the human rope is strength and peace beyond compare. [Kindle Location 214]

Humility not only helps us in the offering of our prayers. It is also essential to recognizing their answers. [Kindle Location 840]

Canadian author Carolyn Arends is perhaps best known as an award-winning singer/songwriter. Her most recent album is Love Was Here First. She’s the author of Wrestling With Angels (another book I highly recommend) as well as a variety of online and print articles. I hope Theology in Aisle Seven will become the first in a series of her collected short works.

For more about Theology in Aisle Seven, click the link in the title to visit the author’s website. You’ll find a list of chapters, a brief description, and links to order. The book is only available in ebook format, but where the chapters are short, if you don’t have an e-reader or tablet you could easily read them on your computer with the free Kindle or Adobe Digital Editions (for everything other than Kindle format) downloads.

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Review: Dolled Up to Die, by Lorena McCourtney

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Dolled Up to Die, by Lorena McCourtneyDolled Up to Die, by Lorena McCourtney (Revell, 2013)

Cate Kinkaid is a private investigator—assistant PI, she’s quick to point out, which means she’s not allowed to carry a gun. Not that she should need one, since Belmont Investigations doesn’t take cases involving violence. Somebody should tell the criminals that last bit, because Dolled Up to Die is Cate’s second encounter with murder.

Cate wants to find out who killed her client JoJo’s ex-husband before the police decide it was JoJo herself. JoJo designs custom-made, child-sized dolls. She may talk about them as if they’re real, and she may have a donkey for a watchdog, but she’s not a killer… is she?

The Cate Kincaid Files books are cozy mysteries, with interesting characters and more focus on solving the crime than on frightening the reader. Even when Cate’s in danger, the suspense isn’t over-the-top. Cate is lovably impulsive, a bit too sympathetic for her own good, and not so sure of herself, but she’s enjoying this PI gig and she’s still alive to tell about it.

This story has a bit more Christian content than the previous one, because one of the characters professes to be able to discover facts about people’s “past lives” and when she encourages Cate’s boyfriend, Mitch, to try it out, he’s uncomfortable enough that he blurts out his Christian view of the subject in self-defense.

Octavia the deaf cat is back in this book, occasionally trying her paw at assisting the assistant PI. Octavia isn’t as adept as the cats in Lilian Jackson Braun‘s The Cat Who… series, but she occasionally points Cate in a useful direction.

You don’t have to have read the first book, Dying to Read, to enjoy this one, but if you plan to read them both, do it in order to avoid spoilers. New York Times best-selling author Lorena McCourtney is perhaps most widely known for her Ivy Malone series, where “LOL” means “Little Old Lady.” If you like Ivy, or you like mysteries with a bit of humour, check out Cate Kincaid. You can read an excerpt of Dolled up to Die, or view the readers group guide if you’ve already read it, by clicking the links.

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

Review: Undercurrent, by Michelle Griep

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Undercurrent, by Michelle GriepUndercurrent, by Michelle Griep (Risen Books, 2011)

In late-tenth-century Norway, Alarik regains consciousness to discover his cousin bleeding and his brother dead by Alarik’s own blade. With no memory of the fight, Alarik must flee or be executed.

Meanwhile, in the present day, Cassie Larson is a career-oriented professor and linguistics expert shepherding a group of university students on a tour of historic islands in England’s Northumberland Strait—until she falls over the side of the boat and surfaces beside Alarik’s small vessel.

Alarik’s cousin, Ragnar, is their village’s only Christian, who longs to convince his people of his Saviour’s reality and Alarik’s innocence. He’s often ridiculed, and his disfigured face keeps him unmarried, yet he dreams of a woman speaking a strange language, who will love him.

In some ways Undercurrent is a historical romance, filled with rich details of Alarik’s place and time. It’s also a time-travel fish-out-of-water story as a self-sufficient woman of our day learns to function in a primitive, male-dominated Viking society.

I enjoyed the characters, the peek into this period in history, and the occasional humour. Ragnar’s sincerity of faith is a good challenge to present-day Christians who may not feel our roles as ambassadors quite as strongly as he does among his people.

Michelle Griep has a fast-moving writing style that drew me in and made me care about the people and their circumstances. You can learn more about Michelle Griep at her website and her blog, Writer Off the Leash. She’s also the author of Gallimore and A Heart Deceived.

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Review: Knowing God, by J. I. Packer

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Knowing God, by J.I. Packer

Knowing God, by J. I. Packer (InterVarsity Press, 1973)

In this collection of material previously published in his columns in the Evangelical Magazine, J. I. Packer emphasizes the foundational importance of knowing God—and challenges readers to learn who the Bible says God is instead of going with who we think He is. As we come to know God’s character and attributes, we can trust Him. It’s hard to trust someone whose character you don’t know.

The book explores key attributes of God, including such things as His majesty, wisdom, truth, love, justice, wrath, goodness and severity, and His adequacy. It’s not meant for a casual read, but to be considered, pondered and prayerfully ruminated on. There is much in its pages to nourish Christians.

The writing style is scholarly and includes references to teachers and hymn writers whose names may be unfamiliar to contemporary readers. Taking the time to Google these names would introduce us to many stalwarts of the faith. Knowing God  is a valuable resource, and I’d love to see an updated edition for today’s readers. I think the deep content would be easier to process without textbook-level delivery.

Dr. Packer writes from a solidly Protestant/Evangelical point of view, and my Roman Catholic brothers and sisters won’t agree with his chapter about images of God. I’m not sure what to make of it, myself, but the chapter includes a challenge to examine one’s mental image of God to be sure it’s whole and true, and I found that very helpful.

Despite finding the book a hard read, I think it’s one that will benefit any Christian who takes the time to prayerfully work through it. For me, it’s a keeper that I’ll refer back to again.

Dr. Packer is a well-respected theologian and Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College, Canada. In 2005, TIME Magazine listed him as “one of 25 most influential Evangelicals in America.” [Influential Evangelicals: J.I. Packer]

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Review: Tadeo Turtle, by Janis Cox

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cover art for the book Tadeo TurtleTadeo Turtle, by Janis Cox (Word Alive Press, 2012)

Tadeo (TAD-ay-OH) Turtle loves who he is—until he starts comparing himself to others. Suddenly his beautiful shell feels like it’s holding him back. Without it, he’d be faster, leaner, more agile.

One night he dreams of life without his shell. Freedom! Or is it? When a hungry cat spies him, he’s not so sure he likes being unprotected.

Tadeo Turtle invites children to think about how they’re different from their friends, to recognize their friends’ positive attributes and to discover the value of their own individual skills and abilities.

In a society where so many people think poorly of themselves or of others, this little book is a good way to encourage respect for diversity. I appreciate the way it acknowledges God as the designer of our differences and thanks Him “for making me so wonderfully complex” (Psalm 139:13-14, NLT).

Children and adults alike will enjoy the whimsical watercolour illustrations as well as the story’s simple rhyme. The book includes a few easy craft activities, with more available online at Janis Cox’s Creative Saturdays page.

Author-illustrator Janis Cox is a former teacher who’s now concentrating on painting and writing.  For more about Tadeo Turtle, including a spot for children to share pictures of their turtle-related crafts, visit Tadeo’s page on the author’s website.  There’s also a Facebook page for Tadeo Turtle.  Best way to get to know the little guy? Read my Interview with Tadeo Turtle.

[Review copy from my personal library.]
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Review: Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman

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Seraphina, by Rachel HartmanSeraphina, by Rachel Hartman (Doubleday, 2012)

What’s a young woman to do when she needs to be anonymous but has a musical gift that won’t stay hidden? Seraphina is an outsider. She doesn’t fit in, and she can’t risk letting anyone close enough to discover her secret. But her new job is to assist the court composer, direct the orchestra in his absence, and teach harpsichord to Princess Glisselda.

The story world has a mediaeval European or British feel, with kingdoms, castles and knights. And dragons who can look like humans. The dragon/human war ended in a truce almost 40 years ago, but there’s still deep distrust between the two sides. As the anniversary celebrations approach, hostilities are increasing.

Seraphina herself is a half-dragon, and that’s the source of her (and her father’s) shame. She looks human, except for a few scaly spots that she keeps hidden. She’s a biological impossibility, and an offense against both laws and morals. But the very things she thinks disqualify her from belonging may be the gifts she brings to keep the peace.

Because she understands both perspectives, she finds herself drawn into preventing a crisis that could plunge the world back into war. This means working closer than she’d like with Princess Glisselda and the handsome Captain of the Guard, Prince Lucian Kiggs. The more Seraphina cares for them both, the harder it is to deceive them about her true nature.

Seraphina is one of those rare books that I wanted to read slowly to make the story last. The characters, setting and plot weave a rich and enjoyable tapestry. They feel real, despite being so clearly not of our world. This is a novel I will read again.

Rachel Hartman has done a beautiful job of letting the characters struggle with issues many of us know intimately: belonging and truth. There’s no sense of a forced agenda or message-driven plot. The characters, especially Seraphina and Kiggs, live their questions in front of us, and we can relate.

There’s much more to the novel than I can describe in a review. If you’re at all fond of fantasy or historical novels and you’re not threatened by a quirky fictional religion, give it a try. And prepare to lose yourself in the pages. It’s a young adult novel by nature of the characters’ ages, but it’s a satisfying read for adults as well, especially those who may struggle with belonging or who love music.

Seraphina is, unbelievably, a debut novel. I’m glad there’ll be a sequel. You can learn more about Rachel Hartman and about Seraphina on her website.

[Review copy from my personal library.]
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