1. Miracle in a Dry Season
    Sarah Loudin Thomas
    Bethany House / 2014 / Trade Paperback
    Our Price$16.00
    4.6 out of 5 stars for Miracle in a Dry Season. View reviews of this product. 63 Reviews
    Availability: In Stock
    Stock No: WW212253
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  1. Julie
    Louisville, KY
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    Simply Charming!
    August 22, 2014
    Julie
    Louisville, KY
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    Quality: 4
    Value: 4
    Meets Expectations: 5
    Miracle in a Dry Season is simply charming. The novel unfolds in a small mountain community of Wise, West Virginia, in the year of 1954. As the people of the small Applachain town experience a lingering drought, they become, even more than before, judgmental and condemning toward the newcomer Perla. Perla is the young niece of the local general store owners, Robert and Delilah Thornton. With a child beside her, and no husband, she continues to embrace the very people who condemn her. However, in the midst of the drought -stricken town, Perla finds redemption and healing of her own heart. The same forgiveness and love trickles down into the driest of hearts in Wise as it transforms circumstances and lives.

    A delightful novel exposing the true uniqueness of the mountain community of West Virginia is sure to capture its reader. The story of redemption is woven throughout the chrarcters' lives to create a reality that begs the heart to forgive and be forgiven. I recommend this book to readers that are expecting to be taken back in time to a place where a dry season resulted in refreshed hearts.

    I received a complimentary copy of Miracle in a Dry Season, a contemporary fiction book, by author Sarah Loudin Thomas, from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group for my honest review.
  2. mountains
    Alberta Canada
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    A delightful read!
    August 22, 2014
    mountains
    Alberta Canada
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    Quality: 4
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    I loved the cover with its simplistic picture filled with so much hope and promise. That's exactly what this book leaves with you.

    The story of Perla and Casewell infiltrated my heart with its simple but profound message. We are all forgiven. *If we choose to accept it.*

    The characters in the story were well rounded individuals. I enjoyed them all - even crusty ol' John. He grows on you as he travels his own journey of understanding and accepting the greatest gift of all. But truly my favorite was the little child, Sadie. I flipped the last page of the book still believing she was the true miracle in the story. Now I hope those aren't spoilers. All that to say Loudin Thomas did a marvelous job of introducing fine characters that came alive within the story, growing in their struggles and in their faith.

    That brings me to the next praise - the faith of the story. Loudin Thomas is not shy in her display of God in this book. Some might criticize this, but not me. I love a book that digs deep into the heart of God and the faith journey of the characters. Yet, the message remains simple - forgiveness is available to all, no matter what you've done.

    The setting of the story did not stand out, but was woven nicely through the story with the dialogue and the characters.

    This delightful story takes the reader on a journey of acceptance and understanding. The plot moves like a gentle flowing stream. Unlike the premise of the story, the plot does not dry up! Although it isn't the type of story that kept me up late at night, reading into the wee hours of the morning, it pulled my reader's heart through page after page to find the sweet ending.

    Overall, a very pleasant and encouraging read! Check it out!

    Thanks to Graf Martin, Bethany House Publishers and the author for my free copy of this book. I received it in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to review it positively.

  3. Heart2Heart
    Victorville, CA
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    Hope can always be found even in the darkest of storms!!
    August 21, 2014
    Heart2Heart
    Victorville, CA
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    Quality: 4
    Value: 4
    Meets Expectations: 4
    Sometimes miracles are right in front of our faces we fail to see them as what they truly are. Such is the case in Sarah Loudin Thomas' novel, Miracle in a Dry Season. Set in the mid 1950's in Wise, West Virginia, the small town believes that it will rain soon like it does every other year. Even though there isn't any clouds on the horizon and the temperatures remain hotter than usual, Casewell Phillips, a cattle farmer's son, wonders if this year might be different than all the others from the past.

    His father, John was what you might call a man's man. Strong, determined and not afraid to speak his mind. His plans include getting his cattle to birthing a few calves and then when spring comes, sell of the more sturdy of the herd and keep a handful to repopulate his existing herd. Even though he isn't afraid to speak his mind, he believes that he needs to tell his son, how he feels. Yet Casewell would love to hear from his father's lips that just once he was proud of him and that he loved him, but that isn't about to happen anytime soon.

    Casewell helps his father when he can, but his real love is found in creating furniture from the wood he has and it has been enough to support himself. He keeps busy with the orders from the Talbot sisters, Elizabeth and Evangeline. The small town of Wise has the small town appeal and flavor and establishes its spiritual roots with Pastor Longbourne, whose fire and brimstone sermons put more people asleep than rouse them to action. When Perla Long and her daughter Sadie come to visit, both are attracted to Casewell, but keep their distance. Perla has been running from her past, and hopes that this town might just accept her and the decision to keep Sadie despite not being married.

    When the drought in town grows more severe than anyone imagined, the Pastor warns the town that someone in town needs to repent before God will open the skies with much needed rain. He knows exactly who he is referring to when he makes that announcement and Perla realizes once again that this town is more than ready to condemn her like all the others even though God has bestowed upon her a gift of multiplying anything she prepares to feed any number of people, much like Jesus did when He fed the 5000. But Pastor Longbourne warns the town that they are being bewitched by Perla's witchcraft and anyone who eats what she has prepared is feasting on the devil's works and not blessings from God. What will happen when the drought continues? Will anyone survive or will they see that Perla's gift is a miracle in a dry season?

    I received Miracle in a Dry Season by Sarah Loudin Thomas compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. I think the author conveys a powerful message, one of judging books by their covers, and one of the redemptive power found in forgiveness despite what we may feel. There is a mindset of double standards running in the minds of most of the town's residents and show how condemnation can drive wedges into the hearts and minds of people who see someone as different then themselves. I love how redemption is found by the close of the novel and that restoration is only as far as we the limits we set upon our own hearts. I rate this novel a 4 out of 5 stars and is the first novel in the Appalachian Blessings series and is Sarah's debut novel. I can't wait to see if more of the characters we find in this novel will be showcased in the remainder of her series. One can only hope!
  4. Teddy G
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    Forgiveness Abounds
    August 5, 2014
    Teddy G
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    Perla Long arrives in 1954 Wise, West Virginia with a daughter, no husband, and a mysterious gift with food. The fatherless daughter raises eyebrows and turns some backs, but when the town experiences a horrible drought, can they allow themselves to see Perla's gift as a miracle, or will they continue to suspect the devil's work? Can Casewell Phillips see past his initial judgement of Perla to the woman she is and the lessons she can teach if he's willing to open his heart to the God of forgiveness?

    I've been in a book slump lately, picking up several books and not getting more than a chapter or two into them before setting them aside. This novel, however, didn't get set down much at all in the day and a half it took me to read it. While Perla's gift with food should seem illogical, it fits within the book and serves as a catalyst to change for so many of the characters, bringing healing and forgiveness and opening doors long since closed. As she says at one point in the book, "All too often sorrow and joy come skipping into your life holding hands." This could be the summary statement for this book; even as the town withers away within the drought, miracles happen, lives are changed, love is found, and fresh chances are given.

    I loved how the author not only weaved together so many stories of characters needing forgiveness, but she used unusual folks to deliver the messages they needed to hear. For instance, the town drunk, long left alone, turns out to have his own story to tell, and forgiveness to both extend and receive. As a reader, I felt invested in this small town, its people, and their need for a healed community to move forward. The circumstances of a drought forcing them to rely on each other and to get past their misconceptions gave depth to a story and intriguing cast of characters.

    I give this story 4 stars. I'm excited that it's the first in a series, and I look forward to reading more from this author!

    I received a copy of this book from Bethany House publishers, in exchange for my honest review
  5. An Old Fashioned Girl
    Minnesota
    Age: 25-34
    Gender: female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    A tale of judgment and forgiveness
    July 27, 2014
    An Old Fashioned Girl
    Minnesota
    Age: 25-34
    Gender: female
    Quality: 4
    Value: 4
    Meets Expectations: 4
    Sarah Loudin Thomas' debut novel focuses on an imperfect community full of imperfect people, as a drought descends on the Appalachian town. 1954 starts out hopeful for Perla Long, arriving in Wise for an extended visit at her aunt's, with her young, fatherless daughter in tow. She quickly makes the acquaintance of Casewell Phillips, an upstanding bachelor and elder of the church. However, rumors soon fly about her unmarried state, and her hopes about a clean start are quickly dashed. Then, when drought descends, her peculiar gift of making miraculous quantities of food further separates her from the town. Will the community band together, or will it crumble like dust?

    Unlike in most historical fiction I've read, the heroine of this story - Perla - actually takes a backseat to the hero. The majority of the story is told from Casewell's point of view, with Perla filling in only occasionally. Through it, we can really see the changes in Casewell's heart. Though he tries to avoid gossip - a plague that runs rampant in the town - Casewell starts out disappointingly self-righteous and judgmental. He forgets to show mercy and extend God's grace. Then, too, when the preacher admonishes the congregation to repent from their sins, he willingly prays yet can't think of a single thing he has done wrong . . . While it is frustrating to observe his blindness in regards to his own spiritual state, what make it even more difficult is how close it hits home - how easy it is to fall into the same traps as Casewell. However, God works in Casewell's heart, and he becomes a worthy hero; He can do the same for us.

    Whatever we may think about how a child was conceived, children are a blessing from God; I'm so glad Perla sees her daughter as a blessing and not a damaging mark of shame that others view her to be. I really enjoyed the tale of the Talbot twins; though Casewell and Perla's story is no parallel, they have much to learn from the fun old ladies. The author drives home several good points on judgement and forgiveness, and she strongly encourages us to examine our own hearts. It is hard to remain dry-eyed through this tender story.

    Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for providing an e-copy for the purpose of review; I was not required to make it positive, and all opinions are my own.
Displaying items 56-60 of 63
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