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The Incredible Winston Browne–“the baseball-loving sheriff”
The Incredible Winston Browne
by Sean Dietrich
I am not a very emotional reader, but that was certainly my response to The Incredible Winston Browne. This fictional work is populated by people in the small town of Moab, Florida, in the 1950’s who will fill your mind and heart as they go about their lives reacting to their circumstances the best way they know how. Sheriff Winston Browne went off to war, came back to his home town, had his heart broken, and became a quiet leader in a place where there was little crime but a lot of needs. Winston becomes the father to the town and the coach of its popular Little League baseball team, the Dodgers, named after the professional team adored by the town.
While dealing with his own failing health, he steps in to encourage Eleanor, a strong woman who, though active in the community, has remained firmly rooted in the past like most of Moab. She is frustrated by the lack of a relationship commitment by Jimmy, Winston’s best friend. Winston also is instrumental in the future of Jessie, a ten year old girl who escapes from a religious cult. He stands by Buz, a teenage boy with a single, polio-afflicted mom and an alcoholic grandfather. Buz and his mom lack the financial basics even though both of them work, and Buz needs guidance to become the man Winston knows he can be.
Broken into fairly short chapters, the book initially takes the reader back and forth between the Moab setting and Jessie’s trip to freedom while pursued by members of the Temple Community of Sanctified Brethren who consider her an abomination. Each part is well written and engaging. Readers will want good things for the main characters whose personalities are gradually revealed by their actions as the tale is told. Jessie, in particular, is fascinating as she experiences the wonders of life outside the cult. Winston is a true hero as he quietly helps others.
The is the first book I have read by Sean Dietrich, who writes about life in the American South both in novels and in periodical columns. In this book he adds a homey touch by occasionally including a column from the local paper that is a rundown on the local gossip including who escorted whom to the movies or dinner in Pensacola and where the newlyweds went on their honeymoon. The columnist is careful to include several times that this is the second marriage for the groom. Tidbits like this one give the reader a feel for Moab and provide a little relief from the tension in the main threads. Dietrich regularly describes settings in such a way that they become real: “The county roads couldn’t have been any bumpier if they’d been manufactured by the National Washboard Company.” I will be looking for more of Dietrich’s works as he is an author with literary skills that encompass technical excellence and the passion of a storyteller.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction
Notes: 1. Clean
2. Great set of questions at the end of the book that our book club found very helpful in stimulating our discussions about symbolism and themes.
Publication: March 2, 2021—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
Doctor’s offices were their own kind of purgatory. He’d endured gunfire in muddy European trenches, and he’d captained teenagers across acres of farmland littered with antipersonnel mines. But he was frightened by a little old man in a white frock coat.
It was only a practice, but people in Moab came out to see the boys play three times a week because they were bored small-town people and they would have come out to watch paint dry if there had been nothing good on the radio.
There wasn’t a boy in Moab who didn’t respect Sheriff Browne. Even the hoodlums. Everyone like the baseball-loving sheriff. Some boys even worshipped him. To disappoint this man was like disappointing Abraham Lincoln and Gene Autry at once.
Abscond–more than a coming of age story
Abscond
by Abraham Verghese
If you have heard of award winning Abraham Verghese’s books, but are not sure you want to invest the amount of time that it would take to read The Covenant of Water, for example, then I encourage you to sample Verghese’s work by reading the short story “Abscond” which features a thirteen year old boy. It is amazing what Verghese can do with either a full length novel or a short story. You will meet fascinating characters that you care about and visit a culture that is probably different from your own.
This short story focuses on resilience and rituals that help get us through times of grief. We learn to just sit with someone who is grieving. Although “Abscond” is about the death of a character, because of its themes and the author’s approach, it is not a sad book.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Short Story, Fiction, Multicultural
Publication: July 1, 2025—Amazon Original Stories
Memorable Lines:
He wanted to retreat to a time before he knew his father, a time when he was buffered from the world and its sorrows by his mother, spared any sound but the drumbeat of her heart, a time when memory had not existed, and so loss could not.
Billy had offered Ravi the thing he most needed: his quiet, silent presence.
“…maybe all these rituals are to help me figure out how to go on. Because right now, I have no clue.”
The Peacemaker–Amish mystery
The Peacemaker
by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Many of the books I read are either cozy mysteries or Amish romances. The Peacemaker is a well-conceived mix of the two.
Ada is a young Amish woman who works in a greenhouse in Belleville, Pennsylvania, but has hopes to one day get married and have a family. Ephraim, originally from the same area, lives in Bird-in-Hand in Lancaster County, where he takes care of his grandmother. Ada and Ephraim grew up together, connected by Ada’s best friend Rosa who has disappeared. Rosa was Ephraim’s “aldi” or girlfriend. When she disappears after they had an argument, Ephraim is briefly accused of murdering her. Even after the charges are dismissed, those in the local community still look on him with suspicion. Ada had always been attracted to Ephraim, but did not express that to anyone because of loyalty to her friend Rosa.
The reader watches the emergence of the gradual attraction between Ephraim and Ada along with family upheavals including other romances, childbirth, and a heart attack. Always in the background is concern for Rosa. Is she dead? Did she run off so she wouldn’t be pressured to join the Amish church? The answers to those questions are not found in The Peacemaker, but perhaps will be in the followup novel, The Pretender, which is set to be published on August 1, 2025.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Romance, Mystery
Notes: Because of a mislabeling in my notes, I read this book in the Mifflin County Mystery series first. As #2, it was adequate as a standalone, but I plan to go back to the first one because I enjoyed this one and want to fill in some blanks. I want to know more about the characters I met in this book.
Publication: March 1, 2025—Barbour Publishing
Memorable Lines:
A sense of dread had soured his stomach like spoiled milk.
Although she did not receive the miracle that she had hoped for, Elsie returned to the house thankful that she’d been able to bless a stranger in need on this freezing-cold Christmas evening.
Susan knew he was a bad influence and being in his company inclined her to do things she wouldn’t normally do. She couldn’t get enough of him, though.
Letters of Wisdom–forgiveness
Letters of Wisdom
By Wanda E. Brunstetter
Long known as a writer of Amish themed novels, Wanda E. Brunstetter has recently turned her hand to writing some books with very serious themes. Although they still focus on the Amish and how characters face situations, the problems are consequential with multi-generational results. Sadly, the stories such as this one originate in Brunstetter’s personal experiences.
Irma Miller suffered traumatic physical and emotional abuse inflicted by her stepfather on her only, not on his biological children. She is reluctant to share these experiences until she sees herself morph into the monster her stepfather was. Her surprised husband insists she get help in the form of therapy with a Christian counselor. Her mother-in-law and the bishop’s wife also provide childcare for her children. Healing is not an instant process. Letters from her friends helped. She had not been able to deal with her three children rationally and a fourth is on the way. Irma finds she has to confront the trauma head-on, granting and accepting forgiveness. Her mother and step brothers and sisters needed to be a part of that process too.
The characters, other than the stepfather, are likable. They are all caught up in a web of pain. The extent of the abuse is not evident in the first part of Letters of Wisdom, but becomes apparent later. Prayer and forgiveness are essential parts of the healing process, but Irma’s path is a difficult one and hard to witness.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. #3 in the Friendship Letters Series, but can be read as a standalone.
2. This book has a frank and realistic view of abuse in the family. If that is a trigger for you, you might want to give it a pass.
Publication: March 1, 2024—Barbour
Memorable Lines:
She sensed the real emotions that remained in this house from Homer’s cruel treatment of Irma while she’d lived here, but none of the other children had ever talked about it.
She’d grown to hate him over the years. And even now, knowing he was dead, her soul filled with animosity thinking about all the terrible things he’d done to her.
“…it’s in the past and we must live in the now and do better in the future. We have all made mistakes that we can not erase. So, in order to live a happy, fulfilled life, we must confess our sins, turn our fears over to God, forgive our own shortcomings, and make every effort to behave in such a way that others will see Christ living in us. Only then will our hearts be filled with peace.”
The Divine Proverb of Streusel–family roots
The Divine Proverb of Streusel
By Sara Brunsvold
My first reaction to the title of this book is “What an odd title for a book! What will it be about?” Amazingly, it is about negotiating the river rapids of dysfunctional families and relationships. It is about trusting God to bring something good out of bad things that happen. It is about love and forgiveness.
When the school year ends, high school literature teacher Nicki Werner should be riding on a high. Instead she finds herself emotionally overcome by actions of her father who leaves his family with no regard for anyone else. When Nicki finds herself driving aimlessly to escape her pain, she ends up across the state at her father’s family homestead, now occupied by his brother Wes. This uncle takes Nikki in giving her space and time to process the chaos in her life.
As she seeks distance from her father, she finds herself immersed in learning about her heritage from the people of the town and from a handwritten notebook she finds that contains proverbs and other thoughts, each section followed by a recipe reflecting her German ancestry. For example, the recipe for Scalloped Cabbage (Kohl jus Eddner) begins with “You can either look at what you don’t have and yearn, or you can look at what you do have and give thanks.” Working through the recipes, attending church, talking to her uncle, and getting acquainted with her grandmother’s sister through emails all shed light on her father’s background and gives her some understanding of why he is the way he is.
There are other subplots along the way. Nikki’s sister and mom are hurting too. Nikki’s inability to open up to her boyfriend and her sudden departure cause a rift almost as big as the Grand Canyon. Uncle Wes may be a retired soldier, but fear seems to overtake him when he gets near a certain woman from his younger years. They are clearly attracted to each other, but this is one conflict Wes wants to avoid.
The Divine Proverb of Streusel is a good book to read if you enjoy a Christian book that deals with the problems people have and throws in some romance. Along the way, you get some good advice, read some Scriptures, fantasize about some great cooking, and perhaps find that you are a better person for having internalized some of the proverbs.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Christian, Women’s Fiction
Publication: January 16, 2024—Revell
Memorable Lines:
“There’s a big fat zero percent chance that her showing up at your door was a coincidence. What’s that Bible verse about God comforting us in our pain so that we can comfort others? You have been specially selected for an important role in this season of her life precisely because you understand.”
This world gives enough reasons to fret. Be not one of them. Be the help. Smile to coax a smile from others. Laugh to stoke hope. Extend a gift of butter baked in sugar to invite friendship to grab hold. As the sun melts away the storm, so shall your help bring life into the vale of grief, and warmth into the shivering sounds of the weak.
No joy could be brighter than that of forgiveness received—and given.
Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
with A Guide to Reading and Reflecting by Karen Swallow Prior
What do you think of when you hear the word “Frankenstein?” For many, that name conjures up an ugly monster pieced together from the flesh of others. A quick Internet search of images associated with that name bring up iconic pictures that are a part of our popular culture. Many movies have been made of the book Frankenstein as well as versions and spin-offs of the Gothic novel. In truth, Victor Frankenstein is the name of the scientist who created the monster who was never named in the book, but may be referred to as “The Creature.”
Clearly a classic, Frankenstein, was the creation of 18 year old Mary Shelley as a result of a dreary day’s writing contest with a small group of men, that included her husband the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. The little group fought to overcome the ennui of the season. Mary Shelley won and her story was first published anonymously.
The structure of the story is initially a little confusing, but it becomes clearer as the tale progresses. Captain Robert Walton’s narrative frames the story with his recounting, as his ship headed to the North Pole, of the sighting of an unknown creature and then the rescue of a man who was pursuing the creature. Much of the book is epistolary as Walton shares the story of Victor Frankenstein’s life with his sister in England.
The reader is also given the Creature’s viewpoint. At eight feet tall and very different looking, he is viewed as a threat. At times the reader might feel some sympathy for him as he wants love and acceptance, but he also reveals a murderous side. When he realizes he will never be integrated into human society, he approaches Victor with the idea of creating a woman to be his wife. This request ignites another ethical dilemma for Victor who has already ignored his moral obligations when he gave life to the Creature and then abandoned him. His bad decisions turn his life and that of his loved ones into tragedies.
The editor of this volume, Karen Swallow Prior, is a Professor of English and Christianity and Culture. She states that the major themes of Frankenstein are “creation, creator, guilt, ambition, reason vs. emotion, nature vs. nurture, friendship, sexuality.” She points out that Shelley does not write from a biblical point of view, but that these themes are timeless. This is obviously a complicated book and important in terms of its effects on our culture. The editor Prior attempts to make it more accessible in her introduction and in the background she presents about the time in which it was written. Not an easy read, Frankenstein offers a lot of food for thought. The reader will probably argue with the characters over their motivations and actions and will be hard pressed to find a likable character among them. Victor Frankenstein, in particular, proves over and over again that he is self-centered. His own happiness and a fulfilled ego are so important to him that his emotions swing wildly and greatly affect his health while he disregards how his actions hurt others.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Gothic, Classic, Christian
Notes: 1. The editor ends each section (volume) with Reflection Questions which are a wonderful resource for individuals or groups studying Frankenstein. She also includes Questions for Further Reflection which address the whole book.
2. The appendix adds the introduction to the 1831 edition.
3. Prior has helpful footnotes on the appropriate pages to define words that are unfamiliar to readers in the twenty-first century.
4.Frankenstein is subtitled The Modern Prometheus pointing to the tension between a creation and its creator.
5. Although Frankenstein is not a Christian novel, Prior’s goal is to show readers how to approach it from a Christian viewpoint and to the glory of God
6. Prior has a series of classics that she has edited in a similar way. I have read several of these with my Book Club. Some have been more enjoyable than others, but all have resulted in good discussions.
7. This was written during the transitional period from Enlightenment to Romanticism.
Publication: 1818—Original publication
2021—(as edited by Prior) B&H Publishing
Memorable Lines:
I entered with the greatest diligence into the search of the philosopher’s stone and the elixier of life. But the latter obtained my most undivided attention: wealth was an inferior object; but what glory would attend the discovery. If I could banish disease from the human frame, and render man invulnerable to any but a violent death!
I was benevolent and good: misery made me a fiend. Make me happy and I shall again be virtuous.
“Hateful day when I received life!’’ I exclaimed in agony. ‘’Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance. Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and abhorred.”
The Start of Something Wonderful–Lake District of north west England
The Start of Something Wonderful
by Jessica Redland
Sometimes people have to go through some hard times before they are ready to make changes in their lives. At some point they also begin to appreciate what they already have. Such is the case for Dane whose divorce is pending and for Autumn who loses her job as a greeting card illustrator while she is grieving for her grandfather and coming to grips with a past failed romance.
The Start of Something Wonderful is about Dane and Autumn as they literally bump into each other. In the process of their meeting, we learn so much about their pasts and their hopes and dreams. They do not start out looking for romance, but in their efforts to begin again with their lives, they discover a friendship and a kinship that draws them close together.
The setting is one the author is quite familiar with—Derwent Water in the Lake District National Park in north west England near Keswick. The beauty of the area and the feel of community in the small towns nearby are inspiring to Autumn as are her visits to Hill Top Farm and the legacy of her personal heroine, Beatrix Potter. She wants to take her inspiration from Potter and the area without copying her.
Rosie is an important character in that she was Autumn’s penpal from age eleven. Neither had a lot of friends in school and family needs kept each close to home. Thus they became confidants through the rest of their lives. When Autumn goes to meet and visit Rosie for a fortnight in the Lake District where Rosie manages a stable and teaches riding skills, a new stage of life begins for both women.
The main characters are quite likable along with several others who contribute to the plot. There are also a few who are despicable, especially Autumn’s ex-boyfriend. The romance is gentle and slow and suited to the story and the needs of the characters. Several events were quite touching, and I enjoyed the whole book. Redland is a good writer. I have enjoyed everything I have read by her, and I am excited for this new series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: #1 in Escape to the Lakes
Publication: July 17, 2023—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
“You really think certain people are meant to be in your life?” “Of course! I think they appear when you need them and we’re the living proof of that.”
We really were kindred spirits, neither one us willing to travel far from home because we had a loved one to look out for, and neither of us having a friend who we could pour our hearts out to in person. It was no wonder we’d become so close as penpals. There’d been nobody else to turn to.
It was my grandparents’ home and I needed my own space. It was full of memories, but selling it wouldn’t take them away. They were in my heart and my head and would remain with me wherever life took me. I didn’t need to own their house to remember them.
The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse–charming
The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse
by Charlie Mackesy
A short book.
A quick read with much to ponder.
With delicate ink drawings, evocative watercolors and bold calligraphy type, it speaks of dreams and love and kindness, but mostly of kindness and its interplay with love.
This book is a gift—a gift to the reader and a gift the reader will want to share with loved ones.
The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse is a philosophy of life sprinkled with humor and told through simple words and graceful illustrations.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Philosophy
Notes: A book to be savored and reread and reread.
Publication: 2019—Harper One
Memorable Lines:
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” “Kind” said the boy.
The Path to the Last House Before the Sea–sad secrets
The Path to the Last House Before the Sea
by Liz Eeles
Alyssa has come to Heaven’s Cove to start life over, changing her name and her profession while harboring a big secret. She lives in a small wooden caravan on Magda’s property. Magda owns an ice cream parlor and returned a number of years ago to be close to her best friend Penny and husband Stan. Magda has her own secret that is eating away at her despite the happy face she presents to the world. Jack is taking a hiatus from his work to help out his dad Stan in the town’s only grocery store, a tiny place that the community depends upon. Their lives become intertwined as an unlikely romance develops between visionary Alyssa and nerdy Jack.
A major thread is Alyssa’s search for clues and information about a 300 year old tale of a missing couple and a smuggling ring. Her search for the truth puts Alyssa and Jack’s lives in danger. Meanwhile Jack is dealing with his soon-to-be ex-wife, her boyfriend, and his beloved adopted son.
Author Liz Eeles weaves all of these threads into a background of a wedding in Heaven’s Cove that the whole community is involved in. The setting is beautiful and the town’s residents are both kind and gossipy at the same time. If you like an interesting plot and characters in a clean novel, The Path to the Last House Before the Sea would be a great choice.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: #5 in the Heaven’s Cove Series, but can be read as a standalone. There are characters from previous books who make cameo appearances, but each book in the series has new characters who are the focus of the current book.
Publication: May 18, 2023—Bookouture
Memorable Lines:
A hot wash of shame flooded through him. When had he become so…? He turned into the lane that led past the village green, unable to settle on the right word for his behaviour. Arrogant, maybe? Ignorant? Boorish?
“Three point one four one five nine…” he began to mutter under his breath. Reciting the mathematical constant pi from memory, as far as he could go, always calmed him down. The number was beautiful. It was fixed and unchanging—unlike his life right now.
Alyssa crossed her fingers, just in case, and watched seagulls—tiny white dots—swooping over cottage roofs, and a child’s lost red balloon floating into the sky. The village looked like a spider’s web from up here, with paths going in all directions and the church in the centre.
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus
by Nabeel Qureshi
Nabeel Qureshi was an intellectual raised in a Muslim home who devoted years of study and fellowship with his best friend David, a Christian intellectual. They argued, researched, prayed, and maintained their friendship as Nabeel sought the Truth. Was he to find it in Jesus or in the teachings of Islam? This book is perfect for anyone who wants to:
—approach the Bible analytically
—prove or disprove the claims about Jesus Christ
—learn more about the beliefs of Muslims, their culture and how the two are related
—learn about the history of Islam
—understand the difference in approaches to Islam in the East and in the West
—learn some basic Islamic terminology
—witness a true Christian/Muslim friendship
—see how a Christian can share Jesus with others by example as he lives out his beliefs in Jesus through his actions
—learn how to disagree respectfully
—understand the Trinity
—gain an understanding of what a Muslim gives up when he converts to Christianity and the consequences of a conversion
—comprehend the claims and arguments against and for the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus
—read truths about Muhammad and the Quran that imams don’t share with their followers.
The Foreword of Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus summarizes the book quite well: “This is the riveting story of one man’s quest to set aside his preconceptions and pursue answers to the most pressing issues of life and faith, despite enormous pressure to maintain the status quo.”
Rating: 5/5
Category: Memoir, Christian, Religion and Spiritual
Notes: The author describes the book as a “narrative biography,” and one of the contributors to the lengthy appendix which expands on the topics in the book calls it Qureshi’s “spiritual autobiography.”
Publication: August 21, 2018—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
The culture clash of immigrant parents with their Western-born children is especially common during the emotionally stormy teenage years, and it serves to illustrate a vital fact: Muslim immigrants from the East are starkly different from their Muslim children born in the West.
Effective evangelism requires relationships. There are very few exceptions.
Because of hadith and tradition, Muslim religion, culture, heritage, and identity all find their core in the person of Muhammad. This is why Muslims see an attack on his character as equivalent to a personal attack on them and everything they stand for.
These are the costs Muslims must calculate when considering the gospel: losing the relationships they have built in this life, potentially losing this life itself, and if they are wrong, losing their afterlife in paradise. It is no understatement to say that Muslims often risk everything to embrace the cross.
education pathways 