Monthly Bookshelf Review- July 2021

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I expected July to be a generally quiet month with plenty of time at home, and so it was. Just not in all the ways I'd expected! A vacation our adult kids had planned was cancelled, a home improvement project that was scheduled had to be postponed, some activities had to be rescheduled, and we even have had to quarantine for awhile! Here are the books that helped keep me entertained during the month.

July's Books Completed and Reviewed

The Scarlet Pen by Jennifer Uhlarik - Emma is charmed into a hasty engagement but eventually finds it hard to remain loyal when a secret service agent's investigation of counterfeit money and violence keeps trailing Stephen's path. (Read my full review HERE)

Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette - Lukio has returned to his Philistine homeland and built a successful life there, and then he crosses paths with the Hebrew girl he'd once loved and lost. (Read my full review HERE)

The Inviting Life by Laura Calder - a charming little guidebook for making a comfortable and functional home that can be a welcoming place for entertaining guests. (Read my full review HERE)

The 5-Minute Visual Guide to the Bible by Michael Wittmer - A beautiful full-color guidebook to help you understand the major themes and stories of the Bible. (Read my full review HERE)

A Grave Matter - Anna Lee Huber - Kiera and Gage investigate a series of unusual grave robberies, and consider the possible next steps for their relationship. I'll soon need to get working on the next in the series as I re-read with the Lady Darby Read-Along group on Facebook.   (Read my full review HERE)

During July I started reading:

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict - The novelized story of Hedy Lamarr, a fascinating and very intelligent lady.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell - I'm finally reading this classic as part of an online book club. It's a long one, and I won't finish on time, but it's so good!

 

Britfield & The Rise of the Lion, Book II by C.R. Stewart - I had plans to review and promote this second book in the series for young readers, but there were delays in receiving my copy. I'm currently reading the Kindle version, and the book has already released, so my review will be coming later on.

Coming Up in August!

A Study in Death by Anna Lee Huber

Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds by Michael Knowles

An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn

   

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Walking the Bible (DVD)

What I'm Reading - July 12, 2021

And on HS Coffee Break:

Five Minute Friday posts

I Spy #29

Share Four Somethings - July 2021

Dream Destinations - Cultural Geography

I Spy #28

Dream Destinations - Europe

The Inviting Life - Book Club Update

I Spy #27

Online Book Club: July Theme - Dream Destinations

Currently . . . July 7th

I Spy #26

June Photo Album

Online Book Club - Wrapping Up June: Beach

This post will be linked at the July 2021 Monthly Wrap-Up Round-up Link-up and Giveaway hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction; and at the weekly reading list meme hosted at Book Date.

 

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. 

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

Walking the Bible (DVD)

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

Walking the Bible: A Journey By Land Through the Five Books of Moses (DVD) - A couple of months ago, I read a review of the book by the same name, and thought it sounded interesting. I was able to find the DVD through my library and decided to watch instead of read about the author's journey.

Bruce Feiler, a best-selling New York Times author, set out on a quest to see the places where the first five books of the Bible took place. The trip is both a journalistic search for information and insight, and a personal faith journey for him. The journey is in three episodes spanning many locations in the Middle East and Egypt, and includes interactions with the local people and with various experts.

He begins in Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization, and traces the creation story, the early accounts of humans in Genesis including the flood of Noah's day, up to the time of Abraham. His guide takes him to Turkey to climb Mount Ararat, traditionally viewed as the site where the ark came to rest. The scenery is varied and breathtaking, whether desert, lakes, or mountains.

In the second episode, Feiler focuses more on the Biblical accounts of Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph. He explores locations in Egypt and how the culture of ancient Egypt intersected with the stories of these Biblical patriarchs. And in the third episode, Feiler traces a route out of Egypt and to the land of Canaan, or present-day Israel. He speculates on the possible locations of the Red Sea crossing and the forty years of wilderness wanderings. The highlight in this episode, in my opinion, was his stay at Saint Catherine's Monastery at the traditional site of Mount Sinai. The beautiful monastery and church have been here for about seventeen centuries. 

Throughout the series, Feiler provides commentary of his own personal reflections and questions, and his emotional and faith connections to the places and experiences are significant and often thought-provoking. The insights of the local people he encounters are interesting as well, as they reveal the historical and cultural connections and traditions of these people to the land and to the stories of Abraham and Moses. 

Personally, I didn't care for Feiler's narration, finding his commentary repetitive and his voice rather uninteresting to listen to. The landmark places he visited - Mount Ararat and Mount Sinai - were the traditional sites, for which there is little evidence other than tradition, so if you're hoping for new archaeological discoveries or tangible evidence, you'll be disappointed. That isn't to say that visiting these locations isn't valuable or insightful, of course, but it's the context of seeing the land and the connections of the local people to the land and history that is striking. At least to me.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - Pray for Each Other

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

~James 5:13-16~

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake.

Amen.

(Compline from the Book of Common Prayer)

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I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea's Photos 'n Scribbles.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - A Grave Matter

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera has returned to her family home near the Borders and is cautiously entering into some social functions. She and her brother Trevor are in attendance at a Hogmanay Ball when the news arrives that an elderly caretaker has been murdered and a grave disturbed at the nearby abbey. The grave robbers have removed only the body - which would have been only bones at that point - but none of the valuables that had been in the grave. Very unusual indeed, and without any obvious clues to lead to the murderers, it is decided to call in Sebastian Gage to lead an investigation. Kiera is both excited and anxious about facing Gage again, as their relationship is at an awkward stage.

It turns out there have been a couple of other similar grave robberies, with a ransom demanded for the return of the bones, so Kiera and Gage start following the leads they have. Figuring out if there's any motive other than the money, and what it is that connects the victims proves very tricky, and they come to some odd twists and some dead ends before they're sure they're on the right track. As the investigation continues, Kiera also picks up her paintbrush again, and tries to make sense of her feelings for Gage. And tries to discern his feelings for her. Their exchanges are often awkward in their emotional charge, and they both make many stumbles in their growing romance.

The interactions between Kiera and Gage, and sometimes between Kiera and her brother, drive this particular installment more than the mystery, in my opinion. There is a murder to be solved, but it's one that was coincidental to the grave robberies, so it doesn't carry the tension. The resolution of the case was not completely satisfying to me, but with a clear lead-in to the fourth novel in the series, there's the sense that an unanswered question may well be addressed in that book.

(Check out the Lady Darby Read-Along group on Facebook if you're interested.)

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter (from my first reading in 2014), A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows. Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - Rock of Refuge

In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

deliver me in your righteousness.

Turn your ear to me,

come quickly to my rescue;

be my rock of refuge,

a strong fortress to save me.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,

for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,

for you are my refuge.

Into your hands I commit my spirit;

deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

But I trust in you, LORD;

I say, "You are my God."

My times are in your hands;

deliver me from the hands of my enemies,

from those who pursue me.

Let your face shine on your servant;

save me in your unfailing love.

~Psalm 31:1-5, 14-16~

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Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea's Photos 'n Scribbles.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The 5-Minute Visual Guide to the Bible (Review)

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

The 5-Minute Visual Guide to the Bible by Michael Wittmer - The Bible contains lifetimes of wisdom and teachings about God and his plan for the world, but its story is simple enough for even a child to understand. Still, modern readers in western civilization often need help with the chronology, historical context, geographical settings, and cultural background of the Biblical narrative. This colorful guide does that in an easy-to-understand and visually appealing way. 

The guide works through the Bible chronologically, beginning with Creation and the foundational concepts of God's creative power, temple imagery, how humans are the crown of God's creation, and even the Biblical concept of marriage. The Fall and its consequences are similarly explained, then the remainder of Genesis and the historical books of the Old Testament are covered in detail in the chapters Israel and Exile. The Exodus, the giving of the Law, the significance of wilderness and covenant are explained. The major characters of Israel's history are introduced, and readers will see where characters like Ruth and Job fit into the historical timeline. The wisdom and poetry books are explained as well.

In the Exile section, you'll learn about the divided kingdom and get an overview of the kings and prophets during this time period and how they fit in. 

The section titled Jesus dives into the four gospels and breaks down what the gospel writers tell us about Jesus' birth and life, his miracles and teachings. To understand the context, it's helpful to know some of the other characters like Herod, the Pharisees, and the Saducees, and you'll get that info here. Near the end of the section are a couple of pages explaining the Christian doctrines surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection, and how we can be saved. Right there, simply explained, in the context of the story of Scripture. 

Following is another section of history, The Church, that discusses the events of Acts and how the early church developed. Paul's conversion and his missionary journeys and letters are explained. And finally, the last few pages explore Jesus' Return and the hope and promise of righteous judgment and the new heaven and earth.

I admit this beautiful full-color guidebook would take much more than five minutes to read cover to cover, but each page of valuable information takes five minutes or less to understand. You may wish to linger a little longer over some of the artwork, or pause to ponder some of the insights as well. I was absolutely delighted with the brilliant photos, beautiful artwork, and clear concise summaries of important events and teachings from Scripture. This is a book that is a valuable quick reference for personal Bible study, an introduction to the Bible for family reading, or as a guide to beginning an in-depth Bible study. 

From the publisher:

Want to read the Bible but find it daunting?

Wish there was a guide to simplify the overall storyline?

Think it would help to "see" the people, places, and events?

The 5-Minute Visual Guide to the Bible is designed to make scripture easier to approach . . . and come alive when you do. This brand-new guide keys beautiful, full-color illustrations - classic paintings, landscapes and artifact photos, maps and charts - to a helpful chronological time line of God's Word.

Inside, you'll find clear, succinct descriptions of

• events
• people
• places
• doctrines

of God's Word, along with numerous related references if you'd like to study further.

The 5-Minute Visual Guide to the Bible will point you to the most important, interesting, and inspiring aspects of scripture, helping you to get more from your time in God's Word.

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

What I'm Reading - July 12, 2021

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next! Although the Book Date link-up happens weekly, I don't manage to post that often. I aim to post and link about once a month, although I sometimes link up my monthly summary as well. 

I finished reading . . . 

 Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber - Although I'm a little behind the pace, I am so enjoying the re-reading of this series along with many other fans and the author as we 'count down' to the release of the next Lady Darby novel. (Find the Lady Darby Read-Along group on Facebook if you're interested.) This is the second in the series. Kiera is able to reconnect with a family friend who had been her drawing master. He had been wrongfully held in an insane asylum for many years, and now is being accused of murder. Kiera teams up with Gage to find out the truth. (Read my full review HERE)

The Scarlet Pen by Jennifer Uhlarik - A young woman's hasty engagement becomes tenuous when a Secret Service agent investigating counterfeit money discovers a connection to a string of violent murders, and both are connected to her fiance. Based on the true story of a serial killer! (Read my full review HERE)

Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette - Lukio ran away from his adoptive Hebrew family to return to Philistia, where he has become an elite fighter. His climb to fame and success falters when he realizes his childhood sweetheart, a Hebrew girl, is a slave to the princess he's about to marry. (Read my full review HERE)

The Inviting Life by Laura Calder - I finally received this book from the library that was supposed to be part of my May theme reading! I've just started it - it's about hospitality and includes practical tips for things like spring cleaning. (Read my full review HERE)

The Beachcomber's Companion by Anna Marlis Burgard - finished as part of the June Online Book Club but haven't reviewed here yet. Will do that this week! In the meantime, see: Online Book Club - Wrapping Up June: Beach for a summary.

I'm currently reading . . .

A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber - As mentioned, working on a re-read of this series! In this third book, Kiera and Gage investigate a grave robbery.

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict - finally got back to this novelized biography of Hedy Lamarr.

The 5-Minute Visual Guide to the Bible by Michael Wittmer - Watch for my review of this colorful overview guide in a day or two!

Hike Maryland: A Guide to the Scenic Trails of the Free State by Bryan MacKay and Easy Weekend Getaways from Washington, DC: Short Breaks in Delaware, Virginia, and Maryland by Jess Moss - I'm not really reading these so much as browsing through them a bit more, after having already browsed through them for my June online book club post. (See it here: Online Book Club - Wrapping Up June: Beach) I'll try to remember to post reviews here as well, but no promises!

   

Next on the stack... 

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell - provided I can find my copy!

A Study in Death by Anna Lee Huber

Britfield & The Rise of the Lion, Book II by C.R. Stewart

Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds by Michael Knowles

An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn

     

     

     

What I'm Highlighting . . . Along with a few blogging friends, I'm participating in an Online Book Club that is a little different. Instead of all reading the same title, we'll be reading books that have a theme in common. That way readers of all ages, homeschoolers or not, can participate. Our theme for July is Dream Destinations. Stop by HS Coffee Break to find out more.

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Wordless Wednesday posts

Monthly Bookshelf Summary - June 2021

A Bible Study Journal for Women (Review)

And on my "first cup blog", HS Coffee Break:

The Inviting Life - Book Club Update

I Spy #27

Five Minute Friday - Summer

Online Book Club: July Theme - Dream Destinations

 Currently . . . July 7th

I Spy #26

Five Minute Friday - Deserve

June Photo Album

Online Book Club - Wrapping Up June: Beach

Five Minute Friday - Quiet

Share Four Somethings - June 2021

An Air Force Museum PhotoJournal

Five Minute Friday - Lift

What are you reading?

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.