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There are too many books I haven't read, too many places I haven't seen, too many memories I haven't kept long enough. ~Irwin Shaw
Too many books I haven't read certainly describes my year! I thought I'd have plenty of time to do a lot of reading during the year, but I was lacking motivation and then once I started working I was lacking time as well. Or perhaps lacking time management! Anyway, I'm keeping my monthly bookshelf review as short as I can this month, and not just because I don't have a whole lot to report. More because I don't have a great deal of time, and I also need to do a recap post about the reading challenges I attempted during 2023 and I thought it would be cumbersome to combine that with my usual monthly recap.
December's Books Completed and Reviewed
Kingdom of Love by Tracie Peterson - This is a trilogy of three romantic novellas set in medieval England. The first two have a distinct fairy tale feel to them, with castles and dukes and arranged marriages. The third is set during the time of the Black Death but also has a sweet romance developing during the sorrow. (Read my review HERE.)
During December I started reading:
The Crumbs Off Heaven's Table by D.M. Griffin - I'm reading the ARC of this novel based on the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman who begged Jesus to heal her daughter.
Where My Books Took Me in December . . . On Budget Tales Book Blog, there was a monthly meme about "Places My Books Have Taken Me" along with a one-word summary or review of the book. I haven't seen a link-up for it recently but maybe I'm just missing it. It's still a fun summary to do though! Here's where I've traveled through the pages during the month, along with One Word to sum up the ones I finished.
Kingdom of Love is set in medieval England.
One Word: Hope
The Crumbs Off Heaven's Table takes place during the first century in the middle East.
Coming Up in January!
The Juliet Code by Pepper Basham - Just received this one to review!
Voice of the Ancient by Connilyn Cossette - Has been "next" on my stack for way too long!
Wimpy Weak and Woke by John L. Cooper - Arrived in my mailbox right before Christmas!
What I'm Highlighting . . . I mentioned a book I recently started reading, The Crumbs Off Heaven's Table, and I'm excited to be on the launch team! I love historical fiction, and historical novels based on Biblical stories are especially interesting to me. This one explores the brief account in the Gospels of Jesus responding to a Gentile woman's request for healing for her demon-possessed daughter. I'm partway through and getting to know the characters that the author has created.
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Here's the publisher's summary: A life targeted by the forces of evil since the beginning but protected within the fold of a love she was afraid to embrace and couldn't fully understand. Not as a Gentile at least. Separated from her parents, Serene became a servant who learned not to expect much out of life. Constant fear kept her in hiding, satisfied with the little provisions that her master allowed.
Yet she couldn't hide from love forever. When a certain man from Rome came into her life, Serene's heart began to open in love. Divine intervention mingled with circumstance until Serene was introduced not only to the love between a man and woman, but the love between her and her Creator.
With this powerful love also came an enemy. Would Serene's fragile faith and low self-esteem be able to battle the forces that were beyond herself? Would desperation drive her to seek the One who could truly send the demon possessing her daughter back to the Abyss? How would one encounter with the Son of God test her faith and reveal her true identity as a daughter of the King?
You can pre-order from Amazon now, and the book will be available in January.
You can also visit the author's website to find out more: Devoted Steps
On my blogs recently . . .
Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:
On Homeschool Coffee Break:
And on A Fresh Cup of Coffee:
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It sounds like you are really enjoying The Crumbs Off Heaven's Table so far. Good luck with your January reading and happy new year!
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