This book is fourth in the Sons of Encouragement series. In this series, Rivers writes a Biblically based, fictional account of some of the lesser known men in the Bible. The Prophet is the story of Amos. Reading the book was encouragement for me to re-read some of the minor prophets, like Amos and Hosea. Rivers stays true to the message that God gave Amos, and also uses the story to explain the culture and times that Amos was living in. This book would be excellent to read in conjunction with an in-depth study of Amos.

A retelling of Rapunzel. I enjoyed it right up until the ending. Rapunzel’s escape from the tower was strange, and didn’t really fit with the rest of the book. However, the story leading up to the tower was very good, and as with Before Midnight, the characters were interesting and not at all like the traditional ones.

I love a good fairy tale retelling. I stumbled onto this one while browsing at my library, and was pleasantly surprised. The author brings new life to the Cinderella story and adds her own spin on the motives and magic behind the characters. It’s part of the Once Upon a Time series, and I’m looking forward to some more entertaining tales.

Rae Gabriella has just moved to the small town of Justice, Illinois. She’s hoping to leave behind the trauma of her former job as an FBI agent, and instead, to work with her ex-boyfriend as a private investigator. However, as soon as Rae gets to town, women start dying and Rae finds herself in the middle of a dangerous investigation once more.

I know, I know, the plot is gripping! I actually enjoyed this book, in spite of the cheesy story. I listened to it on CD while I was painting our bathroom, and it was good company.

This is another fabulous book by Hosseini. I absolutely loved his first novel, and his second is just as good. A Thousand Splendid Suns is set in Afghanistan, starting in the early 1960’s, and continuing to present day. It traces the stories of 2 women–Mariam, an unwanted girl, and Laila, a victim of war violence.

Afghanistan is a country of sharp contrasts, and Hosseini writes very movingly about them:

The violent Taliban and those who seek peace through the Koran.

The wife beaters and polygamists and those who love their spouses more than life.

The war and violence, and the peaceful country homes.

The cruelty and violence towards women, and the love and respect they are shown.

Hosseini writes about the history of his country in such a way that makes you recoil at the violence, and yet want to visit it to see the places and people he describes. But in the end, Hosseini’s book is mostly about people finding their place in life, and learning that the greatest gift is the ability to give love to others, and receive love in return.

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