Freedom!: The Gutsy Pursuit of Breakthrough and the Life Beyond It by Jennifer Renee Watson

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Title: Freedom!: The Gutsy Pursuit of Breakthrough and the Life Beyond It

Author: Jennifer Renee Watson

Genre: Christian Living/Nonfiction

Audience: Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

Brokenness has become a buzzword. We wear it like a badge, proudly showing off the shattered pieces of our lives--while still fighting the same desperate battles. But brokenness was never meant to be the destination. Or your identity. It was meant to be the catalyst for breakthrough.

Inspiring, vulnerable, and powerful, this new book from Jennifer Watson helps you take your eyes off the idol of brokenness and experience the God of breakthrough. She shows how breakthrough is really hope moving forward, even when life hurts. And she gives you practical, uncomplicated ways to: 
- stop feeling shame and emptiness
- leave the victim mentality behind 
- experience lasting restoration in your story and your soul
- and more

It's okay to not be okay for a little while. But Jesus has a plan to see your scars become success stories that reflect his glory to the people around you.

~ MY REVIEW ~

**3.75 stars**

I picked up Freedom!: The Gutsy Pursuit of Breakthrough and the Life Beyond It by Jennifer Renee Watson because I'm tired of me telling myself that I'm broken and I can't move beyond it. (And, to be honest, the cover is quite gorgeous!) I enjoyed it, and, overall, feel like it had a truly great message!

God is not the voice in your head shaming you, saying you are not enough. God is telling you that He is enough. That He is the great I AM. Who He is inside of you is more than enough to take care of whatever you are facing today or what you will face in the future. Jesus is not tired of you. Jesus is waiting and unafraid of your questions. (Freedom! pg. 66)

For real, a lot of us Christians ... perhaps especially women ... willingly live in brokenness. We take on the victim mentality and try to survive each day and do the right thing and please all the people. Freedom! is here to tell you that it's time to pursue freedom! In Christ, we can move into deeper freedom than we ever thought possible. We can stop listening to that negative, nagging, dark voice in our head that tells uswe'll never be good enough. This book hit on some important topics and gave me another boost in my journey of freedom & wholeness in Christ.

A couple things. For some reason or another, this book wasn't as easy of a read as some. Some chapters took me awhile to get through. Also, there was just a bit of that You Deserve It!, You're a Strong, Kick-Butt Heroine stuff mixed into the message. And that tends to rub me a little wrong. But it wasn't overpowering, because the biggest thing I got from this book was that I don't have to stay broken, and Jesus Christ is my everything - He will help me break through.

Your safe person is always Jesus. He alone can mend and do what no person or soul sister can do. (Freedom! pg. 96)

Your grateful soul was what motivated you to service. You were too busy pleasing God to concern yourself with pleasing others.(Freedom! pg. 151)

So, Freedom! wasn't a five-star read for me. But it still had some really, really good points in it. Paragraphs and prayers that brought just a little more healing to my heart. God is so good. Thank you, Jennifer Renee Watson, for writing this book. I look forward to growing in freedom and grace together, even though we may never meet. God bless you!

I received a complimentary copy of Freedom! from Bethany House Publishers. This review is honest and completely my own.

Book Review: Far Side of the Sea by Kate Breslin

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Title: Far Side of the Sea

Author: Kate Breslin

Series: Standalone

Genre: Historical Romance

Audience: Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

In spring 1918, Lieutenant Colin Mabry, a British soldier working with MI8 after suffering injuries on the front, receives a message by carrier pigeon. It is from Jewel Reyer, the woman he once loved and who saved his life--a woman he believed to be dead. Traveling to France to answer her urgent summons, he desperately hopes this mission will ease his guilt and restore the courage he lost on the battlefield.

Colin is stunned, however, to discover the message came from Jewel's half sister, Johanna. Johanna, who works at a dovecote for French Army Intelligence, found Jewel's diary and believes her sister is alive in the custody of a German agent. With spies everywhere, Colin is skeptical of Johanna, but as they travel across France and Spain, a tentative trust begins to grow between them.

When their pursuit leads them straight into the midst of a treacherous plot, danger and deception turn their search for answers into a battle for their lives

~ MY REVIEW ~

**3 stars**

Fans of World War I historical fiction, you're going to want to check out Far Side of the Sea by Kate Breslin! With much attention given to historical detail, this book is full of intrigue, suspense, action, and a lively dash of romance.

This fourth novel of Kate Breslin's focuses on a side character from Not By Sight, and a plucky young woman with a shadowy past. Together, the forge through danger and drama amidst the war to find family, faith, and love.

I have really enjoyed some of this author's other books, but Far Side of the Sea didn't make the favorites list for me, personally. The beginning was quite promising ... but after a time, for some reason or another, I started to lose interest. I still finished this novel, and enjoyed it overall! But I felt there could have been more depth to the characters and the faith theme. And some of the historical detail was a bit overwhelming for me.

I think some readers will really love this book! It simply wasn't  exactly my cup of tea.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of Far Side of the Sea. These are my personal, honest thoughts.

Little Life Update! (at last)

Hello, readers! I'm coming to you today with some photos, some books, some ... stuff. A little bit of a life update! I hope you all have been doing well and are living with purpose as we begin this third month of 2019. ^_^

So, it's been awhile! Let's begin with Christmas 2018. I had an absolutely beautiful Christmas Day with my family. Even my older brother was there, as he was able to fly out and join us last minute! It was such a sweet time & very blessed.

Living room after some cleanup has happened. *winks* Christmas morning we all gathered here and opened gifts.

Some puzzle time!

Fun gifts from family! Of course, my seven-year-old, little sister gives me her torn-up copy of Deborah because I love books! Hehe.

A beautiful Christmas Day. I went outside with my book, a journal, and red nail polish.

All ready for the festivities with relatives!

Going to town.

In the beginning of January, I went to an awesome conference. Read about it HERE.

Bible study on Wednesday night. My group just started a new book called Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations.

Started reading through the Bible again. The NKJV this time.

Shopping at Goodwill. Yes, ma'am!

Coffee because I had a gift card. I'm not a big coffee-drinker, but I have to say that Starbucks' coffee tastes much better than Dunkin' Donuts. In my opinion. *winks*

Writing blog posts & reading at Starbucks. Their coffee is good. They have healthy snacks. And it's just the perfect place to write. So quiet and cozy and relaxed.

Some of my cousins came to visit for about ten days! We had lots of fun. Always love seeing those dear-hearts. *winks* *hugs*

Had a burst of energy after work and decided to spring-clean my room!! (A little early, haha). It was great. Although, after about three hours of being on my feet and cleaning, I was aching all over. My bones, my joints ... they have issues. :p

I found this pretty shirt at Goodwill for half-off. ^_^

***

So yes! I got a job! ^_^ In childcare again. I'm really enjoying it! This time, it's only part-time.

... Which is okay, because I'm still working on getting healthy! My last doctor left his position, so I'm going to a new naturopathic doctor/chiropractor who has helped some of my relatives &  family acquaintances. I'm already starting to see improvement!

Back on my crazy, anti-inflammatory diet where I can't have - in addition to gluten, dairy, peanuts, coconut, & flax seed - eggs, beef, turkey, tuna, pork, almonds, black pepper, kidney beans, apples, grapes, oranges, avocados, carrots, cabbage, oregano, and so on and so forth.

Plus, I'm trying to stay away from sugar because that's obviously inflammatory as well ... and just bad for you in general.

I'm doing a little bit of working out about three days a week. Goodness, am I ever out-of-shape! :p We're working on it, folks.

I went back to the amazing bookstore that I went to for my birthday! Traded in books I didn't want for about $30 of pretty, new books!! (Maybe I should do a Book Haul Youtube video one of these days. Hmm.)

I'm going to meet my seventh younger sibling in May! So excited for this sweet baby to arrive! <3333 What a precious blessing.

I've been meeting new people, deepening friendships, experiencing new things, and continually finding God faithful. He, the Lover of my Soul, is always so close. I'm amazed at the way He comes through in even the little moments. <3

***

Recently Watched:

Like Arrows - my Mom bought this and we watched it around Valentine's Day. It wasn't quite as good as I was hoping it'd be, but still a worthwhile watch ... and a needed message! Some really poignant moments.

Play the Flute - decided last-minute to go and see this in theaters with my sisters and a friend. It was good! Surprisingly well-acted!

Counting On: Season Nine: Episodes 1 & 2 - I just love this family. So much excitement going on this season.

Currently Reading:

The First Love by Beverly Lewis

Grown-Up Faith: The Big Picture for a Bigger Life by Kevin Myers

Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations by Jimmy Scroggins, Steve Wright, and Leslee Bennett

1 Kings

Luke

Latest Lady Grace Blog Post:

Politics, the Medical World, and More

***

Anyway, that's all for now, peoples! Let me know what's been going on your life. How are you doing? Anything I can be praying about for you? Blessings! <3

Book Review: When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin

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Title: When Tides Turn

Author: Sarah Sundin

Series: Waves of Freedom #3

Genre: Historical Fiction

Audience: Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

Tess Beaumont is tired of being thought of as just a pretty face. Eager to do her part for the war effort, she joins the Navy's newly established WAVES program for women. Perhaps there she can convince people that there is more to her than meets the eye.

Lt. Dan Avery has been using his skills in the fight against German U-boats and hoping to make admiral. The last thing he wants to see on his radar is a girl like Tess. Convinced that romance will interfere with his goals, Dan is determined to stay the course, no matter how intriguing a distraction Tess is.

But love, like war, is unpredictable. When Dan is shipped out at the peak of the Battle of the Atlantic, he finds himself torn between his lifelong career goals and his desire to help the beguiling Tess root out a possible spy on shore. Could this fun-loving glamour girl really be the one?

~ MY REVIEW ~

**5 stars**

Absolutely amazing and well worth the wait! Filled with adventure, friendship, faith, romance, hard lessons, emotion, and a bit of danger, When Tides Turn made me so in love with reading. ❤ 

I'm always excited to dive into another book from Sarah Sundin. She brings the 1940s and World War II to life, and sucks me into the lives of her sweet, dear characters. Quintessa Beaumont was quite lovable with her vibrant personality. It was exciting to get her story, and watch her work through life issues, recognize her faults, and become such a beautiful person. And Lt. Dan Avery! I just loved him. And it was so adorable how Tess brought out the color in him. I feel like Sarah Sundin did such a great job bringing to life the uniqueness and complexity of these two characters, and their relationship with each other.

I love how these books center on one family. Seeing Mary, Jim, Lillian, and Arch again was amazing. So sweet.

The historical aspect, the mystery, the character growth, the humor, the friendships, and romances ... What can I say? Stunning, as usual. 

A thoroughly enjoyable, lovely, and meaningful finale to the WAVES OF FREEDOM series. Can hardly wait to read more of this author's work!

Book Review: Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green

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Title: Between Two Shores

Author: Jocelyn Green

Series: Standalone

Genre: Historical

Audience: Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval finds it is easier to remain neutral in a world that is tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the fray against her wishes when her British ex-fiance, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel asks her to help him escape, claiming he has information that could help end the war.

Peace appeals to Catherine, but helping the man who broke her heart does not. She delays ... until attempts on Samuel's life convince her he's in mortal danger. Against her better judgment she helps him flee by river, using knowledge of the landscape to creep ever closer to freedom. Their time together rekindles feelings she thought long buried, and danger seems to hound their every mile. She's risked becoming a traitor by choosing a side, but will the decision cost her even more than she anticipated?

~ MY REVIEW ~

**4 stars**

Between Two Shores was a very unexpected but very beautifully-crafted story. Set during the 1750s, it follows the life of Catherine Duval ... daughter of a Frenchman and Mohawk woman. After losing her mother, Catherine leaves the Mohawk village to join her father in his trading business. And life is anything but easy as she struggles to find her true identity. Though this book had some shocking twists and turns that I'm not sure I was ready for, Jocelyn Green is quickly becoming one of my newest favorite authors!

I love the historical depth and authenticity of Jocelyn Green's books. Exploring 1700s Montreal, the French and Indian War, and native American tribes was fascinating, if not heartbreaking. There was lots of adventure and emotion. Catherine and all the other characters were wonderful. Untangling the lives and emotions of Catherine Stands-Apart, her brother and sister - Joseph and Bright Star, Samuel, Thankful, and all the others was a worthwhile journey. Oh, how dear many of them became to me!

The unexpected twist ... still not exactly sure how I feel about how that played out. But I appreciate Jocelyn Green spotlighting themes of singleness, healing from heartbreak, godly friendship, and finding one's identity in Christ! Truly powerful.
To fall in love, and have your heart denied, is a very damaging thing. My heart aches for certain characters. But thank the Lord, there is healing even from tragic events. And this book showed that. Even though some of the characters could have possibly made different - better - choices, there was healing, hope, honor, and forgiveness. Which is quite beautiful.

So yes. Different, but good. There were at least two powerful scenes that squeezed my heart and brought out all the emotion. I applaud Jocelyn Green for penning a tale that isn't what we expected (or perhaps initially hoped). *bittersweet smile*

I received a copy of Between Two Shores from Bethany House Publishers, and this is my honest opinion.

Most Popular Posts on Lady Grace

Hello, friends! I'm sorry my posting has been a little sporadic again. I have some new life updates, and hope to do a blog post about that very soon! *smiles*

For now, I wanted to share about a few posts from my Lady Grace blog that are generating the most interest.

If you read follow Lady Grace (or even if you don't), feel free to comment below and let me know what topics you'd like me to write about!

What Am I Feeding My Mind?

Continuing the Modesty Conversation

Church a Light?

Submissive Women?

I'm an INFJ - Embracing Your God-Given Personality

My God is Good

I Was Created For ...

What is Beauty?

Idols and Sin

Finding Joy in the Lover of my Soul

Book Review: Unbreakable by Sara Ella

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Title: Unbreakable

Author: Sara Ella

Series: Unblemished #3

Genre: Fairy Tale/Contemporary

Audience: Young Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

Eliyana Ember is stranded in a foreign country in the Third Reflection with no passport, the inability to mirrorwalk, and zero clue where the nearest Thresholds back into the Fourth or Second might lie. Her mind is a haze, her memories vague. She knows a wormhole from the Fourth sent her here. She remembers her mom and baby brother Evan. Makai and Stormy and Joshua ...

Deep down El realizes she must end the Void once and for all. Is there a way to trap the darkness within its current vessel, kill it off completely? To do so would mean sacrificing another soul—the soul of a man Joshua claims is a traitor. But he’s lied to her before, and even El senses Joshua can’t be fully trusted, but one thing is certain ...

The Void must be annihilated. And only the Verity—the light which birthed the darkness—can put an end to that which seeks to kill and destroy.

~ MY REVIEW ~

**unrated**

I finally finished this book! Unfortunately, this third and final book in the UNBLEMISHED series by Sara Ella was not a worthwhile read for me. Unbreakable was confusing, unsatisfying, and just seemed to drag on with nothing important happening.

The first two books, Unblemished and Unraveling, were very intriguing and caught my attention for sure. They are a mix of fairy tale and fantasy, with a lot of original content. I did have a few issues with them ... namely the love triangle and a scene or two that I deemed inappropriate. And the whole Void vs. Verity aspect, which I wasn't sure where it was headed.

So, in Unbreakable, the romance(s) and some relationships that were central in the previous two books were nearly non-existent. Eliyana was separated from her true love for nearly the entire book ... and considering all they have gone through from the first, the conclusion of this series was not at all satisfactory when it came to the romance.

The characters and plot seemed to wander around for the entirety of the book. The ending had some exciting scenes. But overall, I felt disconnected. Like I wasn't in the story anymore. It feel flat. It took me maybe a month to finish this book - I had to put it down at one point, and then finally just picked it up again and half-skimmed the rest of the book.

Even if it had been more interesting, I feel like the conclusion of this series confirmed that it's not something I, personally, like to read. I thought there was a bit of a Christian allegory with the Verity vs. Void (light vs. darkness) theme ... but it ended up being so confusing and twisted that by the end of Unbreakable that I was more confused than ever about who and what was good and who and what was bad.

The theme really seemed to be about self-love and how if a really bad person is loved, they might magically become good. And about us choosing to be good of our own strength and will. But the truth is, human love can't fix things. It can help, but ultimately, it is the sacrificial, immortal love of Christ that truly changes. We cannot choose goodness and light apart from Him.

So, maybe that's not how the author wanted her message to come across. But, if I'm understanding correctly that she's a Christian, the themes of her books just rubbed me a little wrong. That is my personally, honest opinion. Someone else might feel differently!

This series has a lot of promise, but it didn't end up being for me. I'm sorry to write a negative review.

I received a copy of Unbreakable from BookLook Bloggers Review Program in exchange for my honest review.