Take This Cup by Bodie & Brock Thoene

Take This Cup by Bodie & Brock Thoene is a gripping tale of the adventure of a young boy named Nehemiah who is given the task of carrying a sacred cup to Jerusalem.  It begins with his life in a shepherd camp in what used to be Eden and ends with the Last Supper.  Part legend of the Holy Grail, part coming-of-age and woven throughout with rich symbolism and memorable characters, this book is gripping.


This book is a continuation of the Jerusalem Chronicles series (the second book in the set).  Even though I didn't read the first book, I had no trouble jumping right into this book.  I feel it can easily stand on its own.  I have read many of the Thoene's books and even recognized characters from some of their other stories. 


One of my favorite things about the stories the Thoene's write, including this one, is how they take scenes and characters from the Bible and expand them to include details not given in the text.  They bring them to life in a way that is consistent with the Scripture and teaches while it entertains.  Whenever I read one of these stories, I feel like the Bible is brought to life and I want to go back to it and read the stories again. 


This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

Let There Be Light by Archbishop Desmond Tutu

I have two preschool-aged children, so when I saw the beautiful cover of Let There Be Light by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and illustrated by Nancy Tillman, I couldn't resist it (for their sake as well as my own).  The book did not disappoint.


This is a beautifully illustrated picture book for children telling the story of creation through its whimsical and almost magical illustrations.  The colors are vibrant and the text on each page is short, which allows the children to really enjoy the pictures.  The story chronicles Genesis 1 fairly accurately, with the artist's illustrations perhaps a bit simplistic, but beautiful nonetheless.  My children truly enjoyed looking at the pictures.


The only fault I could find with the book was that instead of Adam and Eve on the sixth day, just "people" were created and the illustration shows a group of children.  This is not scriptural but rather a generalization and I don't really have a problem with it, as my children have heard the story of Adam and Eve being the first people created but it is a variation from the Scripture. 


Our family enjoyed this story and I imagine most families would.  It would also make a wonderful gift for a new baby as it is absolutely beautifully illustrated.

The Sinners' Garden by William Sirls

I enjoyed reading The Reason, William Sirls' first novel and so I quickly snatched this book up.  Another story that requires the reader to think outside the box and make allowances for the supernatural, The Sinners' Garden, does not disappoint those looking for an unusual story and weaves another story of redemption, love and lessons learned.


In the small town of Benning Township, mysterious happenings bring about reconciliation and healing in the lives of those who have believed lies and wrestled with questions about their respective pasts.  A benevolent stranger dressed in black has been leaving gifts in the night, a supernatural garden grows near an abandoned factory and the mystery of a past murder begins to unravel all while the characters face unanswered questions they have been dealing with for years.  A police officer doubting her ability to confront evil, a past drug-dealer looking for redemption, a teenager dealing with the disfiguring burn from his childhood, a wise pastor and a mother who blames herself for the growing distance between her and her son all come together as they learn lessons of God's love and forgiveness.


While I did not find this book to be quite as suspenseful or thrilling as The Reason, I again enjoyed Sirls' ability to develop characters and make them believable and I also loved his ability to bring about a plot twist right at the end.  A thoroughly enjoyable read!