Over the Water by Deborah Raney

I have not read anything by Deborah Raney before. I tend to pull titles off the public library shelf and see if I like it. This was a pretty decent story and a quick read. It was not the kind of book that would require tons of thought, but it was a comforting story about how following God’s plan for your life is the best thing for you.

I especially enjoyed the descriptions of Haiti. I have never been there, but it reminded me of the one week I spent in Guatemala. The wide spread poverty and yet joy is an amazing thing to experience. At the beginning of the book, the main character, Josh, dies serving as a doctor for orphanages in Haiti. The rest of the story explains the chain of events that occur in the heart of his father, Max, and a girl that is called into missionary service named Valerie. You always pray that God works like this in real life. It would be great to see a follow-up to see what happens after this book ends. Many unanswered questions…

Nothing fantastic, but an enjoyable interlude.

Uncharted by Angela Hunt

I must admit that this book was much more than I had anticipated. I have found that Angela Hunt is very diverse in her topics, settings and plot. Every book seems to have a little different twist. I would say that this is my favorite so far! This book has made me think much more than I had ever intended when I started the book.

The story in a nutshell, without giving away the ending, is about 6 college friends that met while selling a book. Most are very successful after 15 years apart. They are reunited after one of the six dies. Hunt did a great job in developing each of the characters. You knew what motivated them to come to the funeral and finally to go on a mission to build an orphanage in memory of their now dead friend.

The ending was not what I expected. If you have a chance, this is a book I would add to any book list. It is fairly easy to read and would make a great book for a book study. The discussion would be great.

Thanks for reading

Cyndee

At home in Mitford

The first book of this series is an introduction to all the characters in the town of Mitford. It seems to set the stage for the adventures that lay ahead for the pastor.

This is the story of a well-loved, over worked pastor that loves his congregation and town. His life is turned upside down when several unusual things occur in his personal life as well as in the hearts of those in his church. This reminded me of of the writings of Laura Ingalls Wilder. It just describes the town and all the interactions of the people that live there. If you are looking for a book with a lot of action, this is not the book for you. I found the characters to be real with real problems. It was a great change from what I was reading before, so it was enjoyable.

Thanks for reading

Cyndee