Good Reads & Views

In this Mountain by Jan Karon 
CD Book Karon, Jan 

Father Tim is back for the seventh installment of the Mitford series by Jan Karon.  Timothy Cavanaugh returns to Mitford with his wife Cynthia, the famous children’s book author.  After spending time as an interim pastor in the tiny island parish of Whitecapa, in the outer banks of North Carolina, they return to Mitford and the next phase of their lives.  Cynthia works on her next Violet book while Father Tim deals with some health issues and a feeling of dissatisfaction with retirement.  The themes of this book are grace and forgiveness.  It is another wonderful story in the series.  The audiobook narrator, John McDonough, is a delight to listen to.  

The Jewel of Medina: a Novel by Sherry Jones
FIC Jones

At the age of nine, A’isha bint Abi Bakr is married to the Prophet Muhammad. Through her determination, she overcomes political struggles and the jealousy of her sister-wives to become one of Muhammad’s closest and most trusted advisors. The author’s first novel could benefit from re-writes of some sections, particularly the romance scenes, but it is still an engaging story full of captivating characters and vivid descriptions of medieval Arabian life. Like its predecessor, The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie, The Jewel of Medina is not the first instance in which a work with Islamic themes has generated controversy, threats of violence, and calls for censorship - the original publisher cancelled its publication.

Angel Light: An Old Fashioned Love Story by Andrew M. Greeley
FIC Greeley

According to Uncle Toby’s will, he has left his nephew Toby one million dollars on the condition that he wins the heart of his third cousin, Sara, and marries her within a month’s time. Sara lives in Ireland, so Toby reluctantly travels there with help from a guardian angel named Raphaella, who is a female and very modern in her ways. The trouble is Toby is not interested in the money or in getting married to anyone.

Out to Canaan by Jan Karon 
CD Book Karon, Jan

This is the 4th title in the Mitford series narrated by John McDonough.  Father Tim is enjoying married life and the adventures continue in the little town of Mitford, North Carolina with his foster son Dooley Barlow and a host of other characters both new and old.  The decision to retire does not slow down the 63 year old rector.  He continues to be there for anyone with a word of advice or to lend a helping hand.  Author Jan Karon creates a feeling of warmth and coziness with the story and her characters. 

These High Green Hills by Jan Karon 
CD Book Karon, Jan

This is the 3rd title in the delightful Mitford series which again is wonderfully narrated by John McDonough.  Father Timothy Cavanaugh marries his neighbor Cynthia Coppersmith and they keep their homes, the rectory and the little yellow house next door.  Barnabas, the dog, and Violet, the cat live separately.  Faith, family and friends continue to be the central theme in the series.  This is another enjoyable chapter in the story.  

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
FIC Brooks, Geraldine

In a fictionalized account of events surrounding the survival through six hundred years of an unusual Jewish prayer book, the Sarajevo Haggadah, which really was salvaged in recent years after a Bosnian library was ransacked during the 1992 conflict with Serbia, Brooks tells the story through the eyes of a young Australian rare book conservator who finds clues in the binding such as an insect's wing and a wine stain.  Her research helps her trace the transmission of the book from Sarajevo back to Vienna and then to Venice and Seville where it was created in 1480 with illuminated illustrations not usually found in such Jewish books.  Along the way, Brooks provides vivid glimpses of the life, trials, and triumphs of the Jewish people through the centuries.

A Light in the Window by Jan Karon 
CD Book Karon, Jan

The 2nd title in the Mitford series is again wonderfully narrated by John McDonough.  Father Tim, a lifelong bachelor rector, is falling for his neighbor Cynthia, but is stuck between love and retreat.  His dog Barnabas, Dooley, Edith Malory, Puney, a new cousin from Ireland, and many others continue to entertain the reader.  It is a lovable cast of characters.  It is a thoroughly enjoyable installment in the Mitford Series.       

Unashamed by Francine Rivers 
FIC Rivers, Francine

This is the 2nd novella in the author’s Lineage of Grace series that are based on the lives of 5 women in the bible who are mentioned in the lineage of Jesus Christ.  Unashamed is the story of Rahab from the book of Joshua.  Rahab was the prostitute who assisted Israel’s spies when they came to Jericho and was chosen by God to demonstrate great faith.

Unspoken by Francine Rivers 
FIC Rivers, Francine

This is the 4th novella in the author’s Lineage of Grace series that are based on the lives of 5 women in the family tree of Jesus Christ.  Unspoken is the story of Bathsheba and David.  It addresses issues that are relevant today including the corrupting influence of power, adultery, and the need for forgiveness.  It shows the power of God’s love for people who make the biggest mistakes and how Bathsheba received his unlimited Grace.   

Saving Erasmus: A Novel by Steven Cleaver
FIC Cleaver, Steven

Saint Benedict, Saint Hildegard, Saint Francis of Assisi, and Saint Patrick…meet Harpo Marx, Curly, Lucy, Lou Costello, Mae West, and…um…John Wayne. Freshly graduated seminarian Andrew Benoit forgoes a prestigious assignment to St. Expuery’s and instead heads to the small in-the-middle-of-nowhere town, Erasmus. Just outside of town he is visited by the Angel of Death, who is climbing out of a washing machine at a laundromat. Death informs Andrew that he is the prophet who can save the inhabitants of Erasmus, which is scheduled to be destroyed at the end of the week. Andrew then encounters the wrath of Mrs. Primrose Davenport, who both owns and runs the town. In addition to the mystics (who have taken the names of comedians, almost), he meets a Knight Templar and many peculiar townspeople. Will Fate, or Faith, prevail?