Merry Christmas!

by Andrea Renee Cox

As we gather with our families to celebrate our Savior, Jesus Christ, let us remember our heavenly Father's divine design to bring us back home to His Presence.

The Fellowship

"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him;

male and female He created them."

Genesis 1:27

"And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day."

Genesis 3:8a

Imperfect Justice by Cara Putman

by Andrea Renee Cox

Wow! I want to reread this book immediately, but I don’t have the time. Imperfect Justice was so complex and interesting. From stalkers to murders to grief, domestic violence, and custody battles, this book pretty much had a little of everything. Don’t let that intimidate you, though. These things were all balanced out by faith and clean romance. The fact that domestic violence and fighting for folks stuck in those scenarios were featured made this an especially great read. The encouragement to get out of unsafe relationships was well presented, with heart, compassion, and experience. For those who are in the position of being abused, I pray this book will provide hope that you can survive and find joy in a brighter tomorrow.

Notes for a New Year (One Word & Reading Challenges)

by Andrea Renee Cox

Before you heckle me for jumping straight over Christmas, let me assure you, I am not forgetting this most special of holidays. I'm already brainstorming an article for the week of Christmas, which I'll most likely post on that Sunday, since the twenty-fifth lands on a Monday this year.

This article, though, is to give you a heads-up of what's heading your way in the new year.

Firstly, let's talk about One Word. This year was my first experience with it, and I feel like I wasn't as intentional about it as I had intended to be. That's something I'm planning on working on for 2018, to be much more intentional about applying my One Word for the year.

During 2017, my One Word was see. Throughout the year, I gained a new perspective on many things. I learned that God has already been moving in mighty ways in my life, and He opened my eyes to see much more than I had imagined when I put up my new calendars last January first.

Deadly Proof by Rachel Dylan

by Andrea Renee Cox

Note: I normally don't post negative reviews on my blog, because I would rather share with you about books I enjoyed and think you might also like. However, when I signed up to review this one, I agreed to post my review on my blog, whether or not I enjoyed it. Please consider this review my personal thoughts and concerns about this book. Feel free to read the book and decide for yourself.

When I saw the endorsement on the front cover of this book, I knew I wanted to read it. How could I not when it’s touted to “rival a John Grisham novel”?

I wish I had a bunch of positive things to say about this book, but I cannot pretend I enjoyed it. This is an extremely difficult review to write, because I dislike being negative about any author’s hard work. I know how many hours and emotions and commitment go into writing a novel, and I appreciate the passion and effort and time that go into every book I read, even those that weren’t a good fit for my reading taste.

Warning: There are plot spoilers ahead.

Not two chapters in, I was disappointed by the predictability of this story. That trend continued throughout, only truly surprising me twice in over 300 pages. The plot, which had great potential, seemed simplistic with not much suspense or action driving it.