40. The Joy Luck Club (Historical, #7)

As a mother of a daughter, although neither of us is Chinese, I loved this book and the portrayal of frail human emotion. It was a good story--engaging and uplifting.

38. The Shack (Fantasy, #8)

Very inspiring read! I loved the representation of the Holy Spirit and the concept of fractal (as I often feel my life is just a big ol' mess, but it's beautiful to Him/Her--God). The only part I didn't like was (of course) the part about the daughter. Make it through the first four VERY DEPRESSING and TRAUMATIC chapters, and the rest is great.

48. The Poisonwood Bible [re-read] (Historical, #8)

This is a re-read. Yet I gleaned so much from the reading of it a second time. It has been about 10 years since I read this novel. It was about time for another reading of it.

The book tells the story of a Southern Baptist preacher missionary and his family (wife and four daughters) who head to the Belgian Congo in the late 1950s. What I love about this book is that it subtly but effectively mocks imperialism, self-righteousness, and the hypocritical Christian. The narrative alternates between five viewpoints: the four girls and their mom.

It was definitely worth the first and second readings!

Dawn's Light (Fiction Series, #10)

Wow. All I can say is, I applaud the authors who write books in series. This final book in Blackstock's Restoration series truly completed the set. It was heart-wrenching, yet satisfying. It was NOT predictable as the rest of the books had been! It was so incredibly sad, it felt like real life. This, to me, is the mark of a good novelist. When I can read about these characters and feel that they are alive, I know it is a good novel. When I start to think I must keep reading, or something terrible might happen to them, I know it is a good novel.
Also, because I am a girl, a wedding at the end of a book is always pleasant for me.
Blackstock is an excellent author and I enjoyed reading this series of books by her!

69. True Light (Fiction Series, #9)

More happenings with the Branning family, as the power is still out, and now a shooting of a friend has taken place. Another friend of the family, Mark, is suspected of shooting the boy. Although anyone can see he is being framed! But, by whom?

This third book in the Restoration series was intriguing enough for me to keep reading, but really I just wanted to get through it to see what was next for the characters in (what I knew to be) the fourth and final book in the series.

68. Night Light (Fiction Series, #8)

The second in the Restoration series, this book focuses on four children who are surviving on their own. The Branning family takes them in and sends word to their grandparents. Meanwhile, the community begins to work together during the power outage. Yet evil is still abundant, and must be fought off--with prayer!

I liked this second book in the series, although it didn't pull me in as much as the first one had.

67. Last Light (Fiction Series, #7)

The first of Blackstock's Restoration series, this book grabbed me in seconds. It is a science fiction type account, a What If? world where technology ceases to work. Airplanes crash in mid-flight. Cars don't work. Even digital watches fail. People are forced to walk or bike where they need to go. Electricity is a thing of the past. Even running water doesn't work.
Crime begins to escalate. One family struggles to survive.
A murderer is on the loose...

Great book! And there are three more where that one came from!