We break the mold a bit with this episode and rather than reviewing a book, we chat about adapting literature for the stage and we review the touring stage show of The Screwtape Letters presented by Fellowship for Performing Arts. This is an extremely well-done adaptation of the C.S. Lewis classic that we encourage you to check out. Also in this episode is Nicole's Fact which covers a few things you may not have known about C.S. Lewis and JD's Tip is something he's never done before: a reading challenge to the listener.


Download Episode 27

The Appetizer

Rare Children’s Books Digitized by the Library of Congress (Article on Smithsonian)
A little pretty pocket-book by John Newbery
Full Collection at the Library of Congress

Review: Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson
Review: Deathworld 1 by Harry Harrison
Review: Enclave by Thomas Locke
Harbingers series completed - Cycle Four: The Pursuit (Piercing the Veil, Home Base, Fairy, At Sea) Cycle Five: The Finish (Through a Glass Darkly, Interesting Times, Into the Blue, and End Game)

The Review

The Screwtape Letters adapted by Max McLean and Jeffrey Fiske, presented by Fellowship for Performing Arts

Check out the FPA website for The Screwtape Letters performance dates and cities

Download the Playbill

Read "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" - written by Lewis for The Saturday Evening Post

Check out The Screwtape Letters book on Amazon

The Set Before the Show

The Set After the Performance Ends

Max McLean does an Audience Q&A

Nicole’s Bookworm Fact

...is a few things you may not have known about C.S. Lewis

JD's Bookworm Tip

...is an encouragement to diversify your reading AND the following quotation:

"You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was Dostoevsky and Dickens who taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who ever had been alive." -- James Baldwin, novelist and playwright

Today's episode is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30-day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/bookworm.

Get in touch with us!
Email: feedback@bookwormbanquet.com
Feedback Line (text or voice): 623-688-2770

Don't forget to subscribe to the show!

Border Son by Samuel Parker
JD's Rating: 4.5 out of 5 bookmarks

What a wild ride this book was. It starts off just a tad slow, but once it gets the momentum built up, it never stops! With wonderfully genuine characters in constant peril and facing some very real internal and external dilemmas, Border Son is a roller coaster of emotions that I truly didn’t want to end.

One of the elements of the story that pulled me in so completely was the “out of the headlines” sort of plot and the vivid characters that were so plausible and believable. We’ve got drug cartels, gang violence, coyotes smuggling people into the US, and the tension of all those coming together in one small little town on the Mexican side of the border. Living in the Phoenix Metro area and having traveled down south to some of the cities near the border on numerous occasions gives me a perspective on the setting of this story that I don’t think all readers will have. My knowledge of this area just made the story that much more real.

The main characters of Ed and his son Tyler are so realistic. I found myself drawn to Ed and empathizing with his pain, uncertainty, and the full scope of emotions he goes through in the story. Even though Tyler is a quintessential prodigal, I also felt some affinity with him at certain moments as well. And I believe this is a testament to the author’s ability to paint so vividly with his words.

And indeed Parker does have a way with words. As I also alluded to in my review of his previous book, he knows exactly how to set a scene in a most compelling way that pulls the reader in. There were several elements of the story that were a bit predictable, but because I was so engrossed in the characters and their world I didn't really mind. I was just enjoying the ride.

Given the nature of the story setting, there is a fair amount of violence, as you might expect. There are multiple murders, including a few that are quite gruesome and which are described fairly explicitly. There are many mentions of drug and alcohol use as well. The environments that are being presented in this story are not pretty ones, but they are very real ones and although this book, being a novel, is not necessarily trying to offer solutions or advise on how to handle them, it does shine a light on them which I think is important.

Given all the points mentioned above, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Border Son and will certainly continue to follow Samuel Parker's work in the future. When asked what he hoped readers would gain from reading the book, Parker said that he hopes they will think about "how we treat people and our duty to love people, even when it's not in our best interest to do so." I would say that he's achieved his goal with this reader.

I'd recommend this book to readers of suspense and thrillers who are 18 and up due to the abundance of violent depictions. This is a well-written, gritty novel that I think many many readers will enjoy diving into.




J.D. Sutter is the producer and host of the Bookworm Banquet podcast and editor of the blog. He is the founder of Porchlight Family Media.










Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

The Refuge by Ann. H. Gabhart
Lilian's Rating: 3 out of 5 bookmarks

Well, this was certainly an interesting book to read! I had never heard of Ann H. Gabhart before reading this book, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Turns out the book has both positives and negatives which are both quite equally balanced in my opinion.

The Refuge is about a community of Shaker people. I'd also never heard of Shakers prior to picking up this book. Some people might be set off by the Shakers' beliefs (the biggest one coming to mind is their "no marriage" rule, where men and women act like brothers and sisters), but I honestly really enjoyed the book because seeing how they lived and what their beliefs were like made it so much more interesting. I also really enjoyed the writing style--it made the book a real page-turner and it's definitely one of the reasons why I'd pick up another Ann H. Gabhart book.

Like I said though, there are negatives to this book--mainly unsavory content. One woman, married, acts as a seductress/creeper character. [Highlight with your mouse to read this slightly spoiler-y content warning.] In one scene, she waits, unclothed, in bed for another character (not the character she's married to). I would definitely call this scene descriptive (although not graphic) and would personally skim through it if I were to read the book again. A character also poisons someone purposefully, several times, and there's also a scene where a young child is deliberately frightened by someone at night. While this isn't exactly unclean content, it did really damper my enjoyment of The Refuge.

Overall, I would give The Refuge 3 bookmarks out of 5. It was an excellent book as far as writing, most characters, dialogue, and more, but I had to take two bookmarks off for the previously mentioned, awful content. I personally wouldn't recommend reading this book because of that, but I will be checking out more of Gabhart's books.




Lilian S. has been a hardcore bookworm since the tender age of 7 and a book reviewer for a couple of years. She is currently a student and in her spare time enjoys singing, graphic designing, and interacting with other Christ-minded readers. A couple of her favorite genres in both books and movies are: Christian contemporary, fantasy, and dystopian. She occasionally enjoys science and historical fiction and likes a good suspense novel as well. Lilian is also an athlete (Ultimate Frisbee, anyone?), a blogger at Green Tea With Books, and founder at reviewer site Stellae Books.



Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

God Gave Me Grandma by Pamela Kennedy
Illustrated by Xenia Pavlova
Stephanie's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

My favorite part of God Gave Me Grandma is the pictures!

This board book, for children ages 2-6, is written in small, rhyming vignettes. Each open fold of pages is one large picture of a cute pair of animals with one as the child and one as the Grandma. They are engaged in some normal "life" activity that is described on the page in rhyming verse. Each set of pages contains the phrase, "That's why God gave me Grandma," or "I'm glad God gave me Grandma" - a repeating phrase is always great for small listeners as they can anticipate its coming and actively participate in the book.

This book was just plain fun to read, and even MORE fun to look at and discuss the pictures! I looked back through the book to decide on my favorite pair of animals, and was delighted all over again at way too many to pick a favorite!


I like how this book encourages children to look for, and find, and be thankful for the everyday activities of life that are made special by the care and attention shown by a loved one. It's a great tool for learning, "In everything give thanks"!

I would recommend this book to parents and grandparents of small children. Have fun exploring the pages together!





Stephanie Garrett is a busy homeschooling mom of three who somehow always finds time to read. She has been a voracious reader since childhood and even won a bicycle in elementary school for having read the most books! She enjoys learning and growing and never turns down an opportunity to try something new. Her first love is the Lord and service to Him, second is family, and third...is reading. She believes that anyone who learns to read with comprehension can go anywhere and do anything! She also enjoys music, theatre, sewing, and mathematics.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

Living Lies by Natalie Walters
Sarah Grace's Rating: 4 out of 5 bookmarks

Living Lies, book one in the Harbored Secrets series by debut author, Natalie Walters, instantly grabs your attention and, like a good suspense book, doesn’t let go. I became so attached to these characters that even after the story was over I still wanted to keep reading.

In her debut novel, Walters tackles subjects that I haven’t seen many fiction authors take on: depression and suicide. And she does so with great diplomacy and eye-opening realisticity. Lane Kent is just struggling for a ray of hope after her husband’s traumatic death, but instead, she finds herself tangled up in a web of deadly deceit. The “new guy in town,” former Marine-turned-sheriff’s-deputy Charlie Lynch is tasked with discovering the truth behind the murder that has rocked the small town of Walton, Georgia. Both of these characters are struggling with their own demons, and are so real you can’t help but relate to them. The addition of 5-year-old Noah, Lane’s son, was very sweet, and I loved seeing his interactions with Charlie, as he and Lane find themselves drawn to each other.

There isn’t boatloads of action throughout most of this story, but the twisty plot definitely keeps your attention. I had a few guesses as to how the story would play out, but for the most part, I was surprised. I greatly enjoyed Walters’ writing style; it’s not overly wordy, but it smoothly draws you into the story, and you can’t stop reading.

All in all, I think Natalie Walters is an author to watch. I look forward to reading book two of the Harbored Secrets series in November! I highly recommend this novel to fans of suspense with a touch of romance.




Sarah Grace is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called “Life”, she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a woodstove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things, and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. When not reading, spending time with her ever-growing family, or buried in a textbook, she can be found painting, playing the piano, producing music and audio dramas, web designing, fangirling with her sisters and friends, or discussing technology with her brothers. Sarah Grace inhabits the State of Great Lakes and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

The Screwtape Letters, the classic apologetics book written by C.S. Lewis, author of the Chronicles of Narnia, was first published in 1942 and has thrilled and informed readers for decades. The satirical novel which is comprised of letters from a senior demon to his nephew has spawned numerous sequels by other writers and has been adapted into comic book form, a full-cast audio drama, and as a stage play for the first time in 1961.

Screwtape and his underling, Toadpipe Image Credit: Jeremy Daniels

Enclave by Thomas Locke
JD's Rating: 4.5 out of 5 bookmarks

I had never come across any books by Thomas Locke before, but when I saw the cover of Enclave and read the back cover copy, I was immediately intrigued. The cover design is fabulous as is the interior layout of the book. The publisher, Revell, has put together a very handsome looking volume here. But none of that really matters if the story doesn't live up to it. So let's get into that.

Enclave is a dystopian thriller set in an America far in the future. The country is a nearly unrecognizable version of our current society save for a few of the place names. Life in this world is full of perils and lawlessness is everywhere. Most citizens have reverted to primitive means of transportation and the barter system is the dominant means of exchanging goods and services. It is right in the middle of this chaotic world that the reader is dropped with the first sentence of this book.

Book synopsis, courtesy of Revell:

Nearly one hundred years have passed since the Great Crash. What was once America is now a collection of enclaves, governed at the local level and only loosely tied together by the farce of a federal government.
Catawba, one of the largest and most affluent enclaves in the southern region, is relatively stable. It maintains successful business relations with nearby enclaves. But when a new vein of gold is discovered beneath the feet of its citizens, it's only a matter of time before trouble finds them.
Now Catawba's fate depends on an untried young trader named Caleb. Could his plan help secure the enclave's future?
Yet Caleb is keenly aware that if his secret were exposed, he would not live to see another dawn.

Deathworld 1 by Harry Harrison
JD's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

Book synopsis, courtesy of Orbit Books:

The planet was called Pyrrus...a strange place where all the beasts, plants and natural elements were designed for one specific purpose: to destroy man. The settlers there were supermen...twice as strong as ordinary men and with milli-second reflexes. They had to be. For their business was murder... It was up to Jason dinAlt, interplanetary gambler, to discover why Pyrrus had become so hostile during man's brief habitation...

I am not a huge science fiction fan, but I really enjoyed this classic sci-fi tale. There is lots of action as well as plenty of standard sci-fi fare such as interesting gadgets and gizmos and interplanetary travel. There are interesting creatures on the various planets, some who are like pets and others who are beasts of burden, but there are also many other species of animals that are hostile towards the human occupants.

The most compelling part of the book to me was the great characters, especially the protagonist, Jason. He's a fascinating character that I really liked getting to know. Kerk, Meta, and others were also fascinating characters.

Despite the ominous sounding title, the book is not as dark as one might expect. The title is mainly a reference to the large number of animal species that are a continual threat to the humans on the planet of Pyrrus. There is some violence and there are several deaths with a couple being a bit graphic, but not egregiously so. There is a small romantic element, though it doesn't go much past flirting and a couple of kisses.

This is really a character-driven story with some really interesting ideas that are explored. I look forward to reading the next books in this trilogy. I'd recommend this to any fan of sci-fi and to the general reader who really likes stories with interesting characters and themes that get you to think.

Deathworld 1 is the first of a trilogy. The three volumes were also followed by a short story. Here is a complete list of the works:

Deathworld 1 - originally simply Deathworld, first published in 1960
Deathworld 2 - originally titled The Ethical Engineer, first published in 1964
Deathworld 3 - originally titled The Horse Barbarians, first published in 1968
The Mothballed Spaceship - short story, first published in 1973




J.D. Sutter is the producer and host of the Bookworm Banquet podcast and editor of the blog. He is the founder of Porchlight Family Media, a network of quality audio programming and review blogs based in Phoenix, AZ.

Easter Is Coming! by Tama Fortner and illustrated by Wazza Pink
Stephanie's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

Easter is Coming! is a children's board book newly released in time for Easter! This book makes no references to bunnies and eggs and Spring dresses. It is a chronological look at the Biblical events leading up the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - the real Easter message! The author has done an excellent job using age-appropriate language and encapsulating an entire story into three to four sentences that clearly show the connection to Easter. Every story section ends with the phrase, "Easter is coming!" My young nonreaders enjoyed joining in on that last phrase at the end of each story. This was an enjoyable retelling of the joy and promise that is Easter!

Blurb copy, courtesy of the publisher, B&H:

Mommy and her little ones are settling in for story time, and this time it’s the biblical story of Easter that she’s telling. As the youngsters hear God’s tale unfold with its sometimes somber notes about sin and death, they are softly and continually reminded, “But Easter is coming!” By the end of the book, the anticipation has built and the children can celebrate the ending and the glory of Easter Sunday.
In a time when children’s Easter excitement often focuses on only egg hunts and candy, this book offers a different—and true—reason for joy and expectancy. It's designed to be read and reread on the days leading up to Easter, telling the greatest story and building a sense of anticipation and celebration in little hearts.

Sample Page Click to enlarge

This sturdy board book has delightful spring colors and interesting pictures. I would recommend it for children aged 2 - 7.

On a personal note, the artist has depicted Jesus and a few disciples with long hair which is not my personal preference. It doesn't detract from the story, but it was a source of irritation for me.

This book is a great way to bring the message of Easter back to a beautiful holiday.

NOTE: The back cover states that there is bonus content for this book at bhkids.com, but we could not find anything for this title.





Stephanie Garrett is a busy homeschooling mom of three who somehow always finds time to read. She has been a voracious reader since childhood and even won a bicycle in elementary school for having read the most books! She enjoys learning and growing and never turns down an opportunity to try something new. Her first love is the Lord and service to Him, second is family, and third...is reading. She believes that anyone who learns to read with comprehension can go anywhere and do anything! She also enjoys music, theatre, sewing, and mathematics.



Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson
Rebecca's Rating: 4 out of 5 bookmarks

Editor's Note: This review is a guest post by Rebecca Grzybowski.

What an interesting book. The mix of history with the modern was fun to read. I really enjoyed how the author incorporated letters from a journal into a modern story. I was pulled into those journal entries and almost, almost skipped ahead just so I could keep reading the entries! I loved how relatable the characters were. They were both down on their luck, poor, and struggling with their own financial issues.

I loved how the author was able to accurately capture Millie’s emotions in dealing with her grandmother, her financial state and how she coped with it all. I found Millie relatable and her coping methods familiar.

Ben, a security guard by trade, is a history-loving academic who wants to fix the problem his mother caused. He wants to make restitution and working three jobs seems the only way he can, until he catches Millie in an area she is not supposed to be. When she offers him a cut of a mysterious treasure, it almost seems too good to be true. His character is strong throughout the story and I love how the relationship between him and Millie progresses.

Grandma Joy is what a grandmother ought to be—full of timeless wisdom. While she isn’t a major character, I loved every time Millie interacted with her. Toward the end, she gives Millie some advice and I just have to share it:

“You’re sure quick to give up on love for someone who reads so many romance novels...Don’t you think that true love is patient and kind and it doesn’t hold a grudge? What kind of drivel is in those books you read if they’re not showing you that kind of love? Real love isn't love because it’s easy or always feels good. It’s love because you choose not to be self-serving.” (Johnson, p. 324).

How true is this?! My husband and I have been married for a little over a year, and while the first year was amazing (I can say that because I still consider myself a newlywed!), we still had our ups and downs. Love isn’t all butterflies and roses, it’s working at staying connected and invested and loving the other even when it is hard. It is picking up the dirty socks left all over the house and all those other little things that make up life.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book, the history and the real-life relationship advice it gave. I would recommend this book to romance lovers ages 16+. If you like a little bit of mystery mixed with a sweet romance, this is for you.




Rebecca Grzybowski is a lover of good books, adorable owls and adventures. Whether contemporary romance, historical fiction, or a good fantasy novel, she can be found reading with a chai latte in hand during her free time. She lives in the gorgeous Mitten State with her handsome hubby and newborn baby boy.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

JD is joined on the show by author and Bookworm Banquet blog contributor, Victoria Lynn, as Nicole is still out on assignment. Victoria reviews the latest release from Jaime Jo Wright and JD reviews a suspense thriller by an author he discovered via an ebook newsletter. Also in this episode is JD's Tip about accessing the world's largest library and Victoria steps into Nicole's shoes again and brings a Bookworm Fact about a book that you read out of order.


Download Episode 26

The Appetizer

Are Audiobooks As Good For You As Reading?

Forgotten Treasures // Isabella Alden

The Reviews

Victoria's Book

The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright
Purchase The Curse of Misty Wayfair on Amazon

Jaime's Website

Victoria's Rating: 5 out of 5


JD's Book

Fear Has a Name by Creston Mapes
Purchase Fear Has a Name on Amazon

Creston's Website

JD's Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Nicole’s Victoria's Bookworm Fact

...is about an out of order book.
Full Story
Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar on Amazon

JD's Bookworm Tip

...is WorldCat, your gateway to the largest library network in the world.


Giveaway Links
Listen to the episode for the details of the giveaway.
Entries close end of day on April 15th.
Email notifications | Review post
Today's episode is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30-day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/bookworm.

Get in touch with us!
Email: feedback@bookwormbanquet.com
Feedback Line (text or voice): 623-688-2770

Don't forget to subscribe to the show!

Isabella Alden is an author that I have no idea how I first discovered. Her books captured my attention and my heart when I was in my early teens and I have read them numerous times since then, each time getting something new, deep and spiritually encouraging. Alden wrote with a heart to see the world changed and I was blown away by the amount of conviction that was incredibly evident in her books.

Isabella Macdonald Alden was an American author. Her first book, Helen Lester, written for a contest, was at the age of 20. She wrote approximately 75 Sunday school books, and a number of volumes of fiction for older readers, as well as The Prince of Peace, a life of Christ. She wrote on the subjects of love to God and love to her fellow-men. Alden dedicated her work to the advancement of the Christian religion in the home life and in the business life. She served as president of the Missionary Society, superintendent of the primary department of the Sunday School, identified with the Chautauqua assemblies, and prepared the Sunday School lessons for the "Westminster Teacher".

Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green
Stephanie's Rating: 4 out of 5 bookmarks

Well, this is a challenging review to write. Instead of being "Between Two Shores", I am between two minds!

A lot of historical research was obviously done in preparation for the writing of this novel. As a historical novel, it is an excellent specimen! The placement of rivers, cities, and battles, movements of porters, trappers, and troops, and the intertwining of alliances, hostilities, and nations is breathtaking in its magnitude. The reader can certainly feel the mood of the era, that is, if you take the time to read all the detail. As a self-confessed speed reader, I found myself often skimming large passages of explanation of trade routes and names of rivers and their intersections. If you are a history buff, you would enjoy the description immensely as it is very well written, just not in my interest range.

The plot line is very intricate and makes use of going backward in time to recount events and then jumping back to present time to build on those events. Again, for me, this is no problem, but I do know readers who do not care for this style and get confused with who did what when!

Book Synopsis, courtesy of Baker Publishing:

The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval would rather remain neutral in a world tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the Seven Years' War against her wishes when her British ex-fiancé, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel claims he has information that could help end the war, and he asks Catherine to help him escape.
Peace appeals to Catherine, even if helping the man who broke her heart does not. But New France is starving, and she and her loved ones may not survive another winter of conflict-induced famine. When the dangers of war arrive on her doorstep, Catherine and Samuel flee by river toward the epicenter of the battle between England and France. She and Samuel may impact history, but she fears the ultimate cost will be higher than she can bear.

Between Two Shores is not a light read and is much more realistic in its presentation of life than I have found many novels to be. The main character, Catherine, faces a life filled with hardships, decisions, and consequences of decisions. The first half of the book has a deep undercurrent of anger, bitterness, and a struggle to be loved. I feel deeply when reading, so I was bothered by the continual grating pain that influenced every conversation, remembrance, and choice. I began to feel Catherine's struggles and wonder if she would ever see the light of day in her spirit. The book had a bogged down, sluggish feeling at this point. The second half of the book gets going again and provides the context for Catherine's deliverance from her inner pain, and I was glad to find that she finally came to a calm acceptance of all life had been. The book certainly does not have the tidy happy endings that I have come to expect from most novels, but it did portray a realistic ending that should resonate with many.

Jocelyn Green © Double-Wide Design

In summation, this is a deep book. There are no easy answers or clear paths laid out, but there is an eventual peace that does come. Read with the knowledge that you will be challenged and may not particularly "like" every part when it doesn't go the way you may wish!

I would recommend that those under the age of 18 not try to digest this novel for the familial strife, drunken violence, descriptions of battlefields, and torture practiced by Indian tribes. Though well written and never intentionally crude, these topics can never be made pretty.

Between Two Shores is an excellent and thought-provoking historical fiction novel. Just to be clear, I would not call this a romance novel at all. I give it 4 out of 5 bookmarks merely because I didn't particularly relish the detailed geographic descriptions and because it drug through so much back story before really getting going.





Stephanie Garrett is a busy homeschooling mom of three who somehow always finds time to read. She has been a voracious reader since childhood and even won a bicycle in elementary school for having read the most books! She enjoys learning and growing and never turns down an opportunity to try something new. Her first love is the Lord and service to Him, second is family, and third...is reading. She believes that anyone who learns to read with comprehension can go anywhere and do anything! She also enjoys music, theatre, sewing, and mathematics.




Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

Convergence by Ginny L. Yttrup
Sarah Grace's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

Ginny Yttrup is the award-winning author of several women’s fiction novels, but her newest release, Convergence, published in March of 2019, marks her debut into the suspense genre. I had never even heard of this author until I found Convergence, but wow, I think I’ve been missing out. I was completely floored by this book. This is one of the most complex stories I've read in a really long time.

Book Synopsis:

A psychologist paralyzed by fear.

A mother propelled by love.

A stalker bent on destruction.

Psychology professor Dr. Denilyn Rossi contends that the past is either a shadow that haunts us or a force that propels us. The choice is ours, she tells her students. What she doesn’t tell them is that her own past is a shadow she can’t seem to shake. Fear has immobilized her and is taking a costly toll.
Adelia Sanchez, however, has embraced Dr. Rossi’s teaching. She is ready to confront fear and render it powerless—using the trauma of her past to propel her to entrap the man who stalked and brutally attacked her.
As Denilyn’s past and Adelia’s present converge at the Kaweah River, a dangerous man bent on destruction threatens them both. Will he uncover the secret Deni and Adelia have fought so hard to protect?

Dr. Denilyn Rossi is a psychology professor, but she still deals with debilitating fear and PTSD over events that happened eight years ago. This character is so incredibly multi-faceted, it takes the length of the entire book to unravel all her complexities. And there are loads of plot twists along the way. Despite how intricate her character was, I was still able to relate and empathize with her on many levels throughout the book. I feel that in suspense novels, characters and their development can tend to get lost in the plot and action of the story—which is always disappointing for this character-driven reader—but not so in Convergence.

Regarding the plot, I don't even know where to start, or what I can say without giving too much away because, as I mentioned above, this novel is so complex. However you think this story is going to go, you’ll probably be wrong. There will be a multitude of twists and turns before you reach the end, and the suspense keeps you turning pages. From page one, it grabbed my attention and I did not want to put it down until the end.

As I mentioned, I have not read any of Yttrup's previous books, but I greatly enjoyed her writing style and will definitely be checking out more of her work. The themes of fear and faith she weaves throughout this story were masterfully done, touched my heart in so many ways, and really makes the reader think.

Overall, Yttrup pens a complex and unique novel of suspense and faith and knocks it out of the ballpark. I highly recommend Convergence to lovers of suspense novels filled with faith and solid characters.




Sarah Grace is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called “Life”, she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a woodstove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things, and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. When not reading, spending time with her ever-growing family, or buried in a textbook, she can be found painting, playing the piano, producing music and audio dramas, web designing, fangirling with her sisters and friends, or discussing technology with her brothers. Sarah Grace inhabits the State of Great Lakes and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

A Tender Hope by Amanda Cabot