christian fiction Archives

Book Review, Books, Children's fiction, Christian publishing, Christian Writer, Jesus, Kingdom books

BOOK REVIEW: The Place of Endless Lights, by Katy Hollamby

November 15, 2025November 14, 2025 joymargetts

‘The Place of Endless Lights’ (For ages 7-12yrs, Christian Fiction, colour illustrations)

Author: Katy Hollamby

ISBN: 978-1915034526 RRP £14.99 (Paperback pp269)

Front cover image of the book with the text The Place of Endless Lights in gold, on a background of a dark night sky, with a hand painted illustration of children running along a roof top.

THE BLURB

Aria Nightingale knows one thing for certain: she can never stop running.

Sharp-clawed tunnellers have seized her town, imprisoning everyone in a fear-filled sleep. Desperate to keep her little brother safe, Aria flees.

While her brother dreams of finding the fabled Place of Endless Lights, Aria’s not sure it exists. But when desperate events force them to accept the help of the mysterious Trailmaker and a collection of talking animals, everything Aria knows unravels. The Trailmaker promises a way out, but can he be trusted? Is there truly a place where fear loses its power?

Perfect for readers aged 8-11, The Place of Endless Lights takes readers on a beautifully illustrated, faith-inspired adventure to find courage, kindness and the lights that never go out.

THE REVIEW

You know when you have been waiting a long time with great expectancy for a book to be published? You have seen it advertised, heard it spoken about, got excited to read it for yourself? That feeling is even more pronounced when you have met the author and got to know her heart, when you have seen the beautifully evocative artwork that she produces. I couldn’t wait for Katy Hollamby’s The Place of Endless Lights to be available and I was so thrilled to get a copy as soon as it was!

Weird and wonderful

With all that excited anticipation, I was not disappointed by this book. Far from it. Written for 7-12 year olds it is an imaginary tale with lots of the weird and wonderful that small children love. Think CS Lewis, or Roald Dahl! But this is more than an exciting adventure story, it is an allegory with a deep meaning, a beautiful exploration of what it means to be trapped by fear, to run and not know where you are heading. About how the smallest glimmers of hope can speak to your heart, and about finding that place of peace and joy with the One who has all the answers. I know this book was inspired by some of the author’s own experiences and is more meaningful as a result.

Vivid and compelling

The text is beautifully written, the descriptions vivid and compelling, the characters believable. Added to that are the illustrations. They are stunning. I purchased a pre-order copy with colour illustrations, and I am so glad I did! The story draws you in as you journey with the group of travellers (children and talking animals) as they try escape the encroaching darkness threatening them, as they meet the mysterious Trailmaker and learn to trust him. I loved the gentle portrayal of the Trailmaker – it was definitely Holy Spirit inspired. I won’t give away any spoilers, but there is a happy ending, a beautiful, satisfying and thought-provoking conclusion that I found deeply moving. Although I for one hope this isn’t the end – Katy definitely needs to write more!

Hand painted illustration of children sitting around a fire with a man, squirrel and hedgehog. Tall trees and a starlit dark sky surround them.

A beautiful book for children

I do really hope this book does well. If you have small children in your life, or even if you don’t, I think you should buy it. I can’t recommend it highly enough. If they enjoyed the Narnia stories, they will love this.

You can get a copy of The Place of Endless Lights direct from Katy’s publisher, and this is the only place you can get a copy with the coloured illustrations

The Place of Endless Lights

Can I also encourage you to check out Katy’s website to see and maybe even purchase her artwork, and read a bit more about her

https://www.katyhollamby.com

She has also written two non-fiction devotionals. More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Front cover of Releasing Janet by Alex Banwell

Book Review, Books, christian fiction, Christian publishing, Christian Writer, Kingdom books

BOOK REVIEW: Releasing Janet, by Alex Banwell

October 11, 2025October 11, 2025 joymargetts

‘Releasing Janet: can the truth set her free?’ (Benny Series Book 2)

Author: Alex Banwell

ISBN: 978-1915034649 RRP £12.99 (Paperback pp283)

THE BLURB

Janet’s identity is drawn from her role as Benny’s mother. Her epileptic son has needed her all his life, to the detriment of Janet’s own needs. Yet, she lives in the shadow of a childhood secret that her family never speak about. Not her distant parents, nor her rarely seen older brothers. Her husband and children? They don’t even know she holds it.

When Benny’s blossoming independence creates a chasm in Janet’s heart, it’s time for the secret to come out. Will she find the reasons for her parents’ rejection so many years ago? Is there hope for healing – for her to be more than Benny’s mother?

MY REVIEW

Secrets, we all have them. Some things we keep secret by choice, because of shame, or guilt, or perhaps because of the fear that, if revealed, that secret knowledge could harm us, or hurt someone we care about.

What if we carried a secret so huge, so painful, that although buried deep it affects our whole lives? It holds us captive, without us even realising. This is the theme that the beautifully told story in Releasing Janet explores.

Engaging Characters

Alex Banwell writes so insightfully, creating characters with thoughts and feelings that we can easily relate to. These characters draw you into their stories and it becomes hard to put the book down, as you journey with them. The author uses her own experiences to inform her writing, particularly in the area of disability, and how that can affect both an individual and their families. She introduced us to Benny in her first novel, Just Benny. Plagued by severe epilepsy since birth, he has been coddled, smothered and spoilt by his over-protective, sometimes over-bearing mother, Janet.

Releasing Janet reveals the truth of why she is this way. The devastating family secret that Janet only has a child’s perspective of, and yet affects every relationship in her life. Her obsession with protecting Benny drives a wedge between her and her husband, Ola. It also adversely affects her relationship with her daughter, Emma. She lives estranged from her own parents and siblings. Beneath it all is an unspoken fear. And fear has the power to control our lives, affect how we view ourselves and those we love. Hers is a broken family, one that needs healing, one where only facing the truth will set them free.

Great scene setting

Alex expertly divides the narrative between Janet and her family’s present reality and flashback memories into Janet’s childhood. Both time periods are well imagined with period detail added to authenticate the settings. The book is set around Christmas, so is a great book to read at this time of year.

A faith-building read

It is a gently told tale but so powerful, and Jesus is there throughout. Benny’s own growing faith stirs a distant memory in Janet of her own once easy, childlike relationship with God. We meet other godly characters whose influence on Janet is profound. Bit by bit, as the truth comes to the surface, as past hurt is remembered and dealt with, Janet comes to a place of peace, healing and freedom. And Jesus is right there with her in it all.

Releasing Janet is Alex Banwell’s second novel featuring the Wellander family, but it can be read as a standalone story. I was pleased to be asked to take part in the Blog Tour for Releasing Janet, and can heartily recommend it as a really lovely, encouraging and faith-building read. It would also make a great gift to give to someone who is exploring faith, or who is wounded by their own past.

Releasing Janet can be purchased in paperback or kindle edition via Amazon, in paperback or special edition hardback from the publisher, Broadplace Publishing.

For more information on Alex Banwell and her writing, do visit her author website at www.alexbanwellauthor.com

Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power. Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. ‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022, and her third novel, ‘The Bride‘, published on 20th October 2023. Her first non-fiction book, an Advent Devotional, ‘Christ Illuminated‘ was published in September 2023.

‘The Stranger‘, her fourth full length novel was published 22 November 2024 by Broad Place Publishing and her second non-fiction book, a Lent Devotional, ‘Because of the Cross‘ was published in February 2025

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Bible, Book Review, Books, Christian publishing, Christian Writer, Kingdom books, The Word of God

BOOK REVIEW: The Wanderer’s Legacy, by Natasha Woodcraft

August 25, 2025August 23, 2025 joymargetts

The Wanderer’s Legacy. Book 3 in ‘The Wanderer Series’

Author: Natasha Woodcraft

ISBN: 978-1915034953 RRP £16.99 (Paperback pp533)

THE BLURB

Adah lives trapped between the life she longed for and the life she chose. She’s failed to produce an heir for her once devoted husband. As Lamech becomes increasingly unpredictable and domineering, Adah seeks refuge in legends about the mysterious Wanderer.

Then Lamech takes another wife. Adah flees to her family home, where freedom causes hope to rise once more. But her body hides a secret that will propel her back into danger. Can a legend come to her rescue? Or does someone else hold the power to help her dwell in safety?

The Wanderer’s Legacy is a standalone story in The Wanderer Series, exploring the tale of Lamech and his two wives from Genesis 4 in Biblical Historical Fiction. If you love fresh spins on ancient Bible stories and diving deep into the human condition, then you’ll love The Wanderer’s Legacy.

MY REVIEW

How do you live a good life in a world that is becoming increasingly godless? How do you see hope for anything better, when culture is full of corruption and people all around you are being pulled into a way of life that is increasingly cruel and depraved? What if that advancing evil threatens to pull you in and overtake you, if the only way to make a stand for what is good, true and life-giving, is to risk abuse and personal persecution?

The Wanderer’s Legacy, the third and latest book in Natasha Woodcraft’s Wanderer Series, explores all these themes. Although set in ancient times and based on the lives of some of the earliest inhabitants of earth, it explores issues that are surprisingly relevant to us today. We meet Adah, one of the wives of Lamech (mentioned only once in scripture) and through Natasha’s imagination we are taken on a journey with her as she lives her life through increasingly dark and dangerous times.

The characterisation is so good that we are drawn into Adah’s world, we grieve with her, we flinch at every blow she suffers. We wonder, with her, if the heroic stranger, her ancestor Kayin (Cain), or ‘The Wanderer’, still follows after Yahweh, Elohim, the creator God. If he, and those struggling to hold onto the faith of their ancestors, carry the only hope that she has of escaping the life that has imprisoned her.

The author has proved in this series that she can take a small and obscure bible reference and with her God-given imagination create a story around it that loses none of the intent, or the truth, of the Word of God. It is biblical fiction at its best. The Wanderer’s Legacy paints a vivid and realistic picture of a pre-flood world, where the worship of gods other than Yahweh is already taking hold. Where His standards for living are already being chipped away at. Where men are choosing to break the covenant bond of marriage to take second wives… I found Natasha’s descriptions compelling and believable. Her handling of what life in that time might have looked like well imagined.

The other characters are also well drawn. Lamech especially, as we see an ordinary man enticed by the lure of power and influence, into a life of godlessness and idolatry. We meet his second wife Tzillah, his henchman Azurak, and evil brother-in-law Barsabas. We also meet Adah’s faithful, and faith- filled friends, the kind elder statesman Chanoch (Kayin’s son), and Eliana and Ruhamah.

But it is Adah’s personal story that keeps you reading, and it isn’t a short book! It should be a dark and depressing read, but it isn’t. All through the book there are glimmers of light in the darkness – laughter, kindness, the joy of children, finding friends in unexpected places, love even. And the redemptive arc plays out beautifully with a well written and deeply satisfying end (no spoilers!).

The Wanderer’s legacy is a beautiful piece of writing, and probably my favourite of all of Natasha’s books. I struggled to put it down, wanting so much for Adah to meet the Wanderer, to have her questions answered, and ultimately to meet Yahweh for herself. It’s not a spoiler to tell you that she gets all that she has hoped for, and in God’s great mercy, much more besides. A highly recommended read!

The Wanderer’s Legacy is available direct from the author at natashawoodcraft.com, via the publisher at broadplacepublishing.co.uk or from Amazon in paperback and kindle versions.

‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022, and her third novel, ‘The Bride‘, published on 20th October 2023. Her first non-fiction book, an Advent Devotional, ‘Christ Illuminated‘ was published in September 2023.

‘The Stranger‘, her fourth full length novel was published 22 November 2024 by Broad Place Publishing.

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

christian fiction, Christian Writer, Devotional thought, Kingdom books, Lessons from life, The Word of God

‘ER AR OO?’

November 28, 2024November 24, 2024 joymargetts

A couple of weeks ago we had the joy of going away for a few days with the children and grandchildren. All weekend the son-on-law was quipping about things he was doing, or we were discussing, ending up in my blog. He was right, but this one isn’t about him. I’m not sure if he will be pleased or disappointed about that! His time will come. My family are a source of endless inspiration for my blog it seems.

Photo of a small boy and small girl sitting on the fender of an old railway engine

No Escape

Being with two small people 24 hours a day is great fun but also exhausting. It was tiring enough when we were fit young parents. Now that we are not so fit and not so young, it is doubly exhausting. And there is no escape. We had forgotten that. No room is off limits to inquisitive toddlers – not our bedroom at 7 am in the morning, or the bathroom it seems.

‘Er ar oo?’

‘Nana, ‘er ar oo?’ the little one called from behind the locked bathroom door. ‘I’m here!’ I replied, hastening to finish what I had gone in there to do. There was a pause of quite a few seconds, in which I though she had given up and gone away. In fact she had gone for reinforcements – her brother – and then there was a crash of toy diggers against the door, and the repeated refrain, a little louder this time. ‘Nana, ‘er ar oo?’ .

‘I’m here’, I said, also a little louder, and resigned myself to the fact that I had been discovered in my temporary hiding place. I paused before opening the door – it was necessary, to save everyone embarrassment – and in the moments it took for me to make myself relatively decent, the voice came once more, and even more insistently. ‘NANA, ‘ER AR OO?’

Just behind the door

I love my grandchildren with a fierce intensity. I love that they want to be with me, and that a closed door is no barrier when they decide to find me. We will remember that sweet little question for a long time. It made my heart swell to hear it. I wondered afterwards if she asked the question repeatedly because she couldn’t hear my reply through the locked door. Or was she just making sure that she had my attention – making sure I knew she was there and looking for me? Wanting me to come out and love on her … and play toys.

Where are You God?’

I wonder if there are times when you go to our Heavenly Father, and call out to Him. Repeatedly perhaps. Have you ever felt that there is a locked shut door between you and Him? Or perhaps you have been listening out for His answer and not hearing it? I have experienced that. When life gets tough sometimes we become more aware of God’s presence and peace. But sometimes in those difficult times, it actually feels like He has hidden Himself away. We knock and knock, but He doesn’t seem to be listening.

I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

The Stranger

My latest book, The Stranger, was inspired by a time in my life where I felt I had lost contact with the God who had always been there for me. I couldn’t feel His presence, I couldn’t hear His voice. There seemed to be a barrier between us, and it was awful. Despair came calling and the temptation to abandon all that I have ever believed in was very real. Where are You, God? I called. Why aren’t you stopping this pain? Why have you left me here in this pit? Do You even care?

Just behind the door

I wrote The Stranger because I want to spread hope. The central character, Silas, goes on the same journey as I did all those years ago. God might have seemed silent and distant at the time, but I think now that He was answering my cries and I just couldn’t hear Him. Or wouldn’t hear Him. There was a huge solid wall between us. One that I had built. A seemingly closed door made up of accusation, fear, doubt, disappointment, anger and grief. When I stopped banging and yelling. When I repented for the case I had built against Him, then gently the door began to open. I began to hear Him again. First through the words of loving friends, then through the truth of His Word, and finally in the depths of my being – that still small voice that I long remembered and held dear.

I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matt 28:20

He had never abandoned me. He was just the other side of the door calling out, ‘I’m here, beloved, I’m here’.

If you would like to read Silas’ story in The Stranger, you can now buy a copy where all good books are sold, in the UK and the US. Or via my website at www.joymargetts.com.

‘The Stranger‘, her fourth full length novel was published 22 November 2024 by Broad Place Publishing.

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Blog Tour, Book Review, Books, christian fiction, Christian Writer, Kingdom books

BOOK REVIEW: DOWNSTREAM by Maressa Mortimer

July 3, 2024June 30, 2024 joymargetts

I was thrilled to be invited to be part of the Blog Tour for Downstream by Maressa Mortimer.

Image shows front cover of the book 'Downstream'. It depicts the outline of the back of a young man's head and shoulders against a watercolour blue background, with the title in white.

BLURB

Radio signals have been picked up that might reveal the location of Downstream. Macia longs to find her mother there and tries to persuade her friends Gax and Caecilia to join her in the search. But is it a dangerous mistake or a mission from God? Many difficulties await them and they will need to trust God as they encounter darkness and danger, reaching out with the Light.

Downstream is the third book in the series of the Elabi Chronicles, fiction aimed at young adults but suitable for anyone teen and above.

REVIEW

The first book Walled City introduced us to Elabi, a dystopian world set sometime in the future, where society is strictly controlled, emotions are frowned upon, and faith actively prohibited. Gax, a young man on a mission to share his faith, infiltrates the city for a time and becomes frustrated at how little he can seemingly do to make a difference. But he has made a difference – to at least one young girl’s life. When Gax is forced to leave Elabi, he takes Caecelia with him.

The second book in the series, Beyond the Hills, shows just how much a legacy Gax actually left. In the form of a few thin pages torn out of an ancient book. Macia, the daughter of a council member is aiming for the highest class status she can achieve, but inwardly she is struggling. She finds a letter containing a bundle of thin pages from a now barred book. Reading those life-giving words changes her heart, but also sets her out on a dangerous path.

DOWNSTREAM

In Downstream we are re-introduced to Gax, Caecelia and Macia. Now safely away from Elabi they are free to explore and grow in their faith. But there are people they have left behind that they just cannot forget. When a friend picks up a radio signal from a place called Downstream, Macia knows she has to go and find the source. Downstream is a foreboding place – a place where those deemed no longer useful in Elabi are sent – never to be seen again. And it is where Macia’s mother and baby brother went when she was a small child. Overwhelmed with the urge to seek out her mother, she determines to find her way to Downstream, and Gax and Caecelia offer to go with her.

The journey is not easy. They have to travel through difficult terrain, fight off wild animals, and escape evil in the form of sinister masked men and the looming dark waters of the stream. But they also carry the Book with them, and the Breath of Life within them, and they experience God’s protection and deliverance, as well as making true friends along the way.

The end of their journey is not what they hoped for, but amidst the pain and disappointment they see God do the miraculous. And it is more than their own lives that are changed for the better,

A KINGDOM STORY

I did enjoy Downstream. It did help that I had read Walled City and Beyond the Hills first, but it does stand alone as a very readable and compelling story. I found myself drawn into the journey which, as it is told in the first person is fast paced and immediate. There were some sections, particularly in the jungle setting, that I found a little confusing and repetitive, but the character portrayals and the sense of danger were well done.

I particularly loved the ending. The power of the Breath of Life to overcome evil and to restore and redeem was beautifully demonstrated. This is a Kingdom Story with Jesus very much at the centre.

LINK TO BUY Amazon

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Maressa grew up in the Netherlands, and moved to England soon after finishing teaching training college. Married to Pastor Richard Mortimer they live in a Cotswold village with their four children. She is a homeschool mum, enjoying the time spent with family, travelling, reading and turning life into stories, she wants to use her stories to show practical Christian living in a fallen world.

You can find out more about Maressa and her writing here:

Website

http://www.vicarioushome.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/vicarioush.ome

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Book Review, Books, Christian Writer, Faith, Kingdom books

BOOK REVIEW: THE PERFECT COMPANION by Jo Sheringham

March 27, 2024March 13, 2024 joymargetts

Image of front cover of The Perfect Companion, showing a silhouetted figure pushing another figure in a wheelchair, against the outline of a cathedral facade. Colours are muted pinks and greens.

A BEAUTIFUL BOOK

Sometimes a book comes across your path that is just so beautiful, that you feel honoured to be able to read it. And when you get to read it before most other people do, it is even more of an honour. I was asked by my publisher to read and potentially endorse Jo Sheringham’s book, and I was so pleased I said yes. I loved what Jo had created and this is what I wrote to endorse The Perfect Companion.

‘It is a gifted writer who can write a book that is both gentle and soothing and yet also profound and deeply soul stirring. With The Perfect Companion Jo has done just that. Amongst her lyrical descriptions of cathedral spires and nesting falcons are carefully crafted believable character studies. She takes us inside the minds and hearts of her main protagonists; we live out the challenges to their faith walk with them, we learn from the scriptures they learn from, we see the things God reveals to them, both in the supernatural and the natural, and we share their doubts and uncertainties. This is a beautiful book, about ordinary people bring called by God to live out their faith more openly, to rely on Him more closely, to open up their hearts to those in need around them and to see God respond when they step out. I believe this book is God inspired. It speaks to us all, when we get bogged down in the ordinary, to not forget just how extraordinary we can be in God.’

ORDINARY OR EXTRA-ORDINARY?

It is a quiet kind of book. A story of an ordinary spinster woman, and those whose lives connect with hers. Of a clergyman stuck in his own ordinariness. And of a moment where God breaks in and gives them both a glimpse of something extra-ordinary, that has life-changing implications for both of them. The power of the story is that it is so relatable, and so touching. The characters are so real, you half expect to meet them walking down the street. People like you and me, going about our every day lives, with problems to face, and joys to experience. And yet always with that gentle call to live more aware of what God can do in and through our lives.

Image of back page of book with blurb text

DEEP AND PROFOUND

Although this is a fictional tale, it includes some beautiful passages that share deep and profound truth. The book is constructed around a familiar liturgical blessing that begins ‘Go forth into the world in peace’. In the chapter headed ‘Hold fast that which is good,’ Maggie the central character has a revelation. Whilst imaging that goodness (in this world) was something fragile that she had to fight to keep hold of she suddenly saw it differently

‘Goodness was not a trail of fraying fabric, worn out and past its best, but rather a solid handrail, pinned into rock, with practical hand grip-holds; more than enough to climb a mountain or bridge a gap. Goodness would not fail because she did. That which was good in her life was from God.’

This spoke deeply to me. God is good. All good comes from Him. Maggie could trust her handhold on goodness, because God is unfailing in His goodness. It was He she was holding on to.

It is my privilege to highly recommend this book to you.

The Perfect Companion. Published by Instant Apostle on 15 March 2024.

Available where all good books are sold, and direct from the author at https://www.josheringham.co.uk/

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Christian blog, Christian Writer, Devotional thought, The Word of God

THE STAIN THAT ONLY I CAN SEE (FORGIVING MYSELF)

February 10, 2024February 9, 2024 joymargetts

BAD AT LAUNDRY?

I’m not very good at doing the laundry (or washing as we call it). I collect the dirty clothes, and throw them into the washing machine, sometimes remembering to empty the pockets first. I select the program (one of two, despite the fact that the machine has about 12), tip in the detergent, and press start. I rarely pre-soak items, or pre-treat stains. Which is why I don’t think I am very good at laundry. Despite all the claims of the detergent ads, my washed clothes often still come out of the machine bearing stains. My excuse is that my physical limitations mean that I often don’t have the energy to do more when it comes to the laundry. That my family get clean (and sometimes even ironed) clothes in exchange for their dirty ones, is an achievement in itself.

Image shows a hand reaching into on open washing machine to remove items of laundry

EFFECTIVE STAIN REMOVAL

So why am I talking about washing out stains in a devotional blog? Actually the link to what scripture says is perhaps quite obvious. Isaiah tells us that God takes our filthy rags, our scarlet stains, and makes them white as snow (Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 1:18). We are washed, made clean, completely clean, in the precious blood of Jesus. Our sins stains are removed completely. That is a wonderful truth, but it struck me that sometimes we fail to live in the truth that our sins are completely and eternally forgiven. That they are gone, leaving no mark behind.

STAINS THAT ONLY I CAN SEE

I was thinking about this the other day when dejectedly examining another favourite top that had come through the wash still bearing the fat stains from a spitting frying pan (I’m not good at wearing an apron in the kitchen either!) Actually, I decided, those stains were small enough that nobody but me would probably notice them. Especially if I wore a strategically placed scarf.

You see I think we look at ourselves sometimes, knowing that we have been cleansed and forgiven by God, and insist on seeing stains still. Those stains that no-one else sees, but we know are there. Stains of secret shame, unforgiveness towards ourselves, disappointment in the choices we might have made in the past. The sheer inability to forget what God has already forgiven.

FORGIVING OURSELVES

In my novel, The Pilgrim, I explored the whole subject of how living with shame, and not being able to forgive yourself, can become like a heavy burden, a yoke around our necks. My central character, Brother Hywel, has come to the cross, repented and found forgiveness from God, but he needs to take a step further. There are things he has done in his past that he is so ashamed of that he can’t let go of the guilt. It is the story of another character’s inner healing that speaks truth into Hywel’s life.

Image of front cover of the book The Pilgrim by Joy Margetts

‘I realised that I too was still punishing myself, in my mind at least. I knew God had forgiven me, but I had not been able to forgive myself, brother. That is what weighed me down. As I laid down to sleep I prayed earnestly that God would give me the grace to forgive myself, and to perhaps see myself as worthy to be loved by Him. I asked Him to take away that final part of the burden that I was still choosing to carry.‘

PERFECTLY STAIN FREE

Romans 8:1 tells us

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

If we belong to Christ, then we are no longer condemned. Every stain is gone. If God does not condemn me, than neither should I condemn myself. There is a call to walk according to His Spirit, to not knowingly sin of course. And we need to be truly repentant for our mistakes. But once we have come to the Cross and received His forgiveness, it is a done deal. Accepting and receiving God’s forgiveness in all of its fullness means letting go of our guilt and self-condemnation once and for all. The stain is gone. He no longer sees it, and I don’t need to go looking for it.

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

Bible, Blog Tour, Book Review, christian fiction, Christian Writer, The Word of God

BOOK REVIEW: BENEATH THE TAMARISK TREE by Rob Seabrook

February 3, 2023February 3, 2023 joymargetts

I am so pleased to be able to commend a new Biblical fiction author, Rob Seabrook, to you. I love Biblical fiction, and am in awe of the authors who bring the stories of the Bible alive, using their God inspired imagination. Rob Seabrook recently released his debut novel Beneath the Tamarisk Tree and I am honoured to be invited to be a part of his blog tour.

Image of the front cover of Beneath The Tamarisk Tree

The Penitent Thief

How do you base a whole novel around a character that only appears for the briefest of moments in the biblical record? Someone that scripture tells us very little about – apart from a few words he spoke through the agony of his brutal execution. That is what Rob has done. He has taken for his inspiration the penitent thief, who appears Luke 23 : 39-43. His dying words to Jesus, and Jesus’ words in reply, are famous. They echo through history, and have given hope to many.

“Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

A story of hope

Beneath the Tamarisk Tree is a story of hope. But it is also a tough to read portrayal of a lost life. Rob does an amazing job of imaging a very believable past life for the penitent thief. He poignantly describes a boy growing up knowing that he was unwanted, and worse, unloved. Who finds himself scrabbling together a life on the streets of a dangerous city. Stealing to survive. Learning to feel nothing to protect his heart. Finally finding himself in the hands of the authorities and facing a death he actually welcomes.

Then he meets Jesus. He is not saved from his torment in this life, but a good part of the book explores his reunion with Jesus in heaven. How he is healed, redeemed and set free as he does indeed enter Paradise. It is a beautiful story.

Three crosses silhouetted against a sunrise

Love and Mercy

I particularly love the way Rob portrays Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Love is the overriding characteristic of both. Rob also describes heaven, it’s landscapes and atmosphere. It is easy enough to picture as his descriptive writing is particularly good. Whilst I appreciated his interpretation of heaven, I found his descriptions of the city life of Jerusalem most impactful. There is a warning here, the author also describes the torture and crucifixion of Jesus and His companions in great detail. Not easy reading, but relevant to the story in comparison to the peace and joy of paradise. Not to mention the glorified resurrected Jesus.

I enjoyed Rob’s story very much. I believe it can speak hope to all who read it. And it shows Jesus, His love and mercy, so clearly and beautifully. The One who in His final moments of agony opened His heart and His heaven to a penitent thief. Our beautiful Saviour.

Ask the Author

I had some questions for Rob, and he kindly answered them for me.

‘Why did you title the book, Beneath the Tamarisk Tree?’

I mention Tamarisk trees a couple of times in the book, as they capture the imagination of the main character. In the Bible, Abraham plants a Tamarisk tree to represent peace, especially his peace with God, and one of the scenes show the main character finding Abraham’s Tamarisk tree in heaven, and discovering a sense of peace and joy from the Holy Spirit as he dances beneath the tree. So it seemed a good focus for the book – finding peace and joy under the canopy of a Tamarisk tree.

‘How did you come up with your description of heaven?’

This is a tricky area, because of course none of us will know that heaven is like until we get there, and no doubt what we imagine now is going to be far from the amazing reality that we will find. But I had to write about it somehow, so I began with the Bible, and expanded on the hints and glimpses that it offers. I also took some inspiration from the natural world that we see around us, which after all was created by God and so may be a reflection of His heavenly creations, and I then expanded on them. I tried to challenge the reader a bit and but hope that my descriptions can inspire the readers’ imaginations.

‘You chose to make the main character a street child living in abject poverty in Jerusalem. Was this something you researched, or purely from your imagination?’

A bit of both really. I was able to research what first century Jerusalem was like, for example the horrors of life under Roman occupation or the difficulties of poverty. I read that the average life expectancy for men was about 30, so it meant that many must have died in infancy or childhood, and anyone living on the streets would have had a fairly low chance of getting to adulthood. I also have some experience of childhood trauma, from being a foster carer, and have seen the impact of neglect on the mental health of young people. So I could bring in to the story some of the likely behaviours that would be seen by a child living on the streets, devoid of love. This was then coupled with me imagining the scenarios, the experiences, the difficulties and circumstances that may lead someone who was being executed as a thief, to still have just a small glimmer of faith in a Saviour, that would bring him to a point of salvation in the final moments of his life.

Beneath The Tamarisk Tree was published by Malcolm Down Publishing, Nov 2021. ISBN 978-1915046017 and is available via all good booksellers, or direct from the author himself.

Author website www.robseabrook.com

Rob is also kindly offering a free giveaway of a copy of his book to five people who subscribe to his newsletter here www.robseabrook.com/email-list/

Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power. Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. Joy has also self- published a short novella, ‘The Beloved‘ as both a companion to ‘The Healing‘, and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available to buy on Amazon Kindle.

‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here www.joymargetts.com

Bible, Blog Tour, Book Review, christian fiction, Christian Writer, The Word of God

BOOK REVIEW: ‘The Wanderer Reborn’ by Natasha Woodcraft

November 28, 2022November 27, 2022 joymargetts

The Wanderer Reborn: Book 2 in The Wanderer series

I was absolutely thrilled to be invited to kick off the Blog Tour for Natasha Woodcraft’s much anticipated second novel. The Wanderer Reborn. Natasha burst on to the Biblical Fiction scene earlier this year with her debut novel, The Wanderer Scorned. In her first book she set out to retell the story of Cain and Abel and did so with such godly imagination, that even though we know the outcome of that familiar story, it was a riveting read. You can read my review of The Wanderer Scorned here.

Image of front cover of The Wanderer Reborn, showing a young girl with dark hair and eyes, against a background of barren hills and a moody sky.

The Wanderer Reborn is a sequel, picking up the story after Kayin kills his brother Havel. It explores the grief, loss, and anger brought about by one of the most famous crimes in history. How does a family recover from the loss of two beloved sons? Especially when one has taken the life of the other? Is forgiveness and reconciliation possible? How would you react? Natasha explores all these themes with great sensitivity.

Grief, loss, forgiveness and reconciliation

The story is focussed on Awan, Havel’s twin sister. On one fateful day, Awan loses the two men she loves most in the world. The book describes her grief and loss, how the years go by and she watches her siblings grow up and experience the things that she once dreamed of. Bitterness threatens. And then one day God asks her to embark on a physical journey, which will also become a journey of forgiveness and reconciliation. Confronted by temptation and her own sinful nature, Awan realises the power of forgiveness, and that nobody Is beyond the scope of God’s great love and redemptive power.

This is an imaginative and evocative retelling of a story that scripture only hints at in Genesis 4 and yet is utterly compelling and so hope-filled. It drew me in from the very start and left my soul deeply encouraged. The descriptions of the early earth are believable, the characters sympathetic, and the message is eternal – that there is hope for everyone, even the worst of criminals, and that the scorned one can be reborn to new life.

Composite image of the front cover of the book against a background image of cliffs lake and trees.

Highly recommended

Although there is no scriptural basis for the story of hope retold here, The Wanderer Reborn is so full of the love, mercy and grace of God. It is also full of scripture, as yet again, the author uses her song writing skill to convert familiar passages of lament and praise into songs that Awan sings. It is a beautiful book and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Except that – I would encourage you to read the first book first, to get the whole redemptive story.

The Wanderer Reborn will be officially published on 3^rd December and can be pre-ordered now direct from the author at natashawoodcraft.com/books/

Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power. Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. Joy has also self- published a short novella, ‘The Beloved‘ as both a companion to ‘The Healing‘, and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available to buy on Amazon Kindle.

‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here www.joymargetts.com

Book Review, Books, christian fiction, Christian publishing, Christian Writer, Faith

BOOK REVIEW: The Continued Times of Isabella M Smugge, by Ruth Leigh

October 13, 2022October 13, 2022 joymargetts

The book, The Continued Times of Isabella M Smugge, displayed with scented candles, flowers and soft material as background.

I am thrilled to be invited to take part in the blog tour for The Continued Times of Isabella M Smugge, the third book in Ruth Leigh’s Isabella M Smugge series. Thrilled because like many others I have been longing to read another witty, well written book from this author’s extraordinary imagination, and to catch up on Isabella’s progressing story.

But I am also thrilled because now that Ruth has become a dear friend, I have been privileged to watch from the side-lines as this book was written. She herself would admit that it has been a hard book to write, and only exists because God enabled her. With the help of lots of prayer and encouragement from others. I have seen some of the pain this book has caused in being birthed. So to see it delivered safe and whole has brought joy to my soul!

Laugh out loud funny

As in her previous books Ruth has done an amazing job in creating Isabella’s world. She has spent hours researching what things are trending in the world of those who care about these things. The book is funny. There are laugh out loud moments, with hysterical hashtags and clever references to things ‘on trend’. Like this dig at the ever developing trend for giving paint colours pretentious names, that made me giggle,

‘We are staying in a smart twin ensuite room painted in Belle Peinture’s top selling shade, Gauzy Gutter’

‘Gauzy Gutter’? Perfect nonsense. Brilliant!

Deeply Moving

Apart from being funny, this book is also deeply moving and the story engrossing. There is no doubt that Isabella M Smugge is changing. Oh, she is still a renowned social media influencer, with a bestselling book series, and blogger awards galore. Her elegant home is still being featured in magazine photoshoots and she has numerous companies clamouring to engage her to endorse their products – from teething rings to self plumping pillows.

Back cover of book with blurb description

But her life in reality is definitely less glamourous. Now she is a single parent to four children, including hormonal pre-teens and a teething infant. Issy’s mother, with whom she has a fractious relationship, is now also residing with them following a stroke. Add to that a cheating husband trying to wheedle his way back in, her arch enemy Lavinia Harcourt still causing trouble, and a plethora of other family dramas and secrets coming to light. Life is far from dull, and not always in good ways. Our heroine has to admit she can’t do perfect anymore – not alone anyway.

Thankfully the village community she once looked down her nose at has now become her place of refuge. Her fellow school mums, the vicar and his wife, the church community, they are all there to help, support and understand. What’s more Isabella has found the joy of giving and serving. The scenes where she shepherds a flock of nit-ridden angels for the church nativity, and runs around with hairspray and bun nets as a dance show chaperone were hysterical, but also strangely moving. This is a new and more selflessly genuine Isabella, doing things she would once never have dreamt of doing.

Changed by Love

Perhaps the most powerful aspect of this third book is Isabella’s growing personal experience of God. The church draws her, the Holy spirit touches her, and prayer becomes more natural. Isabella finds herself learning to forgive, wanting to rebuild broken relationships, becoming a much more empathetic and insightful person, and even finding the strength to address some of her own past demons.

‘At church… I once again found myself a sobbing mess, just because they sang a hymn we had at Daddy’s funeral. Honestly! I tried to pull myself together but I was as if something huge and slippery and uncontrollable had risen from the very depths of my being and was calling out for attention…’

Front cover of book against a background of cut flowers

I have had the pleasure of being able to blog review all three of Ruth Leigh’s ‘Issy’ books. The first, my first ever book blog review, on The Diary of Isabella M Smugge, you can read here. The second, on The Trials of Isabella M Smugge, you can read here. Do you have to read the first two #Issy instalments to enjoy the third? No. But why wouldn’t you? The books are so funny, so entertaining, but also so relatable. I would encourage you to read them all. But for me the third is definitely the best one yet. Why? because I really love what Ruth has done with Isabella’s character, turning her from a self absorbed snob into a open hearted, kind and generous individual. Can a person be changed like that in real life? Actually yes. Faith- filled friends and a loving God can do that for a person.

I have to admit I didn’t like Issy much at all in book one. By book two, I had warmed to her considerably, but still wouldn’t have had much in common with her. By the end of book three I loved Isabella. I wanted to spend time with her, laugh and cry with her, and get to know even more of the real person beneath all the fluff. Which is why I really hope there will be a book four. Over to you Ruth!

Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. Joy has also self- published a short novella, ‘The Beloved‘ as both a companion to ‘The Healing‘, and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available to buy on Amazon Kindle.

‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here www.joymargetts.com