My Summer Bucket List by Deana Dick

There are so many books I want to read but I will narrow them down to four for my must read summer list.

Summer Storms by Amy Clipston. I saw this book on Amazon and instantly knew I had to read it. I know it will encourage me and I always feel good after reading one of her books .

The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck because she is an author that consistently writes beautiful and memorable stories.

The Blessing by Wanda Brunstetter because each book in this series brings characters from different walks of life and shows unconditional love, grace and friendship.

Hurricane by Janice Thompson because I love her writing. I found this book through another blog and ordered it right away. It talks about the hurricane from 1900 that devastated Galveston, Texas. I live about an hour away and knew that Janice would write a story with historical details and characters that I will fall in love with.


Golden Dreams by Darlene Franklin . I have come to love her books so much. I am amazed at her stories that come to life and I feel like she puts readers right in the era she writes about. She has a gift and I hope to read more from her.

The Gift of Love by Amy Clipston, This story I have wanted to read for awhile. It has been on my TBR pile and I have decided it is time to read it. I know it will bring tears, joy and grace as I get lost in an inspiring story.

Well I have so many more books I wanted to add and I know that I said I would only list four. It is hard for me not to mention some of the gifted authors I have come to love.

This project was for Amy Clipston Bakery Bunch Challenge.

STEPHEN : UNLIKELY MARYTR by KATHERYN MADDOX HADDAD

I always get excited when I start to read a book from this author. Her writing shows how much research she has done and makes the characters so vivid. I didn't know much about Stephen but was so mesmerized by the story I couldn't put it down. The beginning of the book is hard to read but an important part of Stephen's life. It is  hard for him to understand the torture that his friend is enduring. He cries out in agony for his friend and can't watch as the brutal treatment continues. I do remember reading in the Bible about many people who were ridiculed, beaten and tortured because they would not back down from their beliefs. It is hard to understand why people would be tortured for their beliefs.

The author has brilliantly written Stephen's story and helped me to understand him better. I loved how he was always concerned for the safety of his parents. As the family travels on a ship, the description of the sea made me feel like I was standing beside Stephen feeling the waves crash and the wind blow as the storm became fierce. I loved reading how Stephen honored his parents and respected them as they tried to keep him safe on the ship. It must have been hard fir the family to live on the meager food they had.

I enjoyed the talk between Stephen and his father. Stephen witnesses how the Jews are treated in the city they have come to. Ezekiel in his wisdom encourages his son to always stand up for his beliefs. Even though Stephen has seen friends lose their  life, Ezekiel explains that he must not get discouraged. It made me think of all the people today who are in foreign lands spreading the Word of God. They have chosen to be martyrs  no matter the cost. This is a lesson that Stephen will come to embrace. I loved reading how he grew in his faith and matured into an adult who wouldn't back down. He does have a stubborn streak at times  and  his actions cause riots to break out.

As you can see I completely lost myself in the story and loved the history that the author provided . Stephen is a true martyr and his actions were not unnoticed. He is a strong man who stands up for the rights of everyone and let's everyone know how much he loves God. The author writes his story with knowledge, grace and great compassion. I look forward to reading the next book from her.


I received a copy of this book from the author and The BookClub Network. The review is my own opinion.