Christian book reviews, Rob Seabrook, Recent Reads

Sins of Fathers – Michael Emmett

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting Michael while we were both guests on the same podcast, Things Unseen, talking about…

The Language of Rivers and Stars – Seth Lewis

Seth rightly points out that for many people, being in the natural world, surrounded by beauty, is often a way for us to feel…

The Veil – Blake Healy

This is a book that is so far from anything I have read before, so profoundly revelatory, that it brings about a complete change…

Where the Light Fell – Philip Yancey

Philip’s book, What’s So Amazing About Grace, is one of the first Christian books I read. A classic that opens up truths about the…

Understanding Trauma – Dr Steve Midgley

With the particular focus on helping us as churches to understand how trauma can affect individuals, this is a practical resource that will help…

Just Benny – Alex Banwell

Just Benny is a story of reconciliation, and how the power of love can break in to repair brokenness, especially in relationships. Initially the…

Bound by Blood – Shawn D Brink

Firstly, let me address the issue of the genre that this book finds itself in, that of ‘Christian horror’, as I am not sure…

The Folded Lie – Mary Graf

Fraud and scams can happen to anyone, whoever we are, whatever our beliefs and however clever or educated we think we are, and it…

Finding Jesus in the Wilderness – Rachel Yarworth

For those who find themselves in the midst of a wilderness season, who need a dose of friendly encouragement, some truths spoken over them…

Keep On Keeping On – Mark Rutland

“This book is not for the young,” Mark Rutland declares, jokingly. He is right, kind of. It is for the older generation to read…

Nun’s Drift – Sheila Jacobs

A delightful novel, set in the typically English village of Nun’s Drift. It follows the stories of four individuals, across a year in village…

The Grace Note – Jaqi Anderson

This is a delightfully written book, following the story of five main characters whose lives are unknowingly intertwined, but brought together by circumstances and…

And the Truth Shall Set You Free – Nikki Nhyira

The point of this book is to help others. To share on a subject that is so important for us to be educated about….

The Stranger – Joy Margetts

Once again, Joy delights the reader with some great storytelling, immersing us in the medieval world of monasteries and monks. Although this novel is…

The Songs of a Sinner – Norm Cairns

This is a short collection of poems, mostly written in the form of sonnets, inspired by the author’s faith. Some is based on Biblical…

The Perfect Companion – Jo Sheringham

No one has an ordinary life. What from the outside may look like a mundane existence or an uneventful life, discounts the individual. It…

Untaken Too – C O Wyler

Untaken Too is the sequel to Untaken, which I reviewed here at the start of last yar. This instalment now follows the next 12…

Deep Roots, Good Fruit – Kristin Elizabeth Couch

In the Bible, the book of Galatians has that well known passage “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,…

The Supernaturals and the Miracle Dream – Andy Robb

This is a book that will encourage children, probably in Christian families, that life as a Christian, following Jesus, is a life full of…

He Is Faithful in Every Season – Julia Rose

A lovely selection of uplifting poems, with each one encouraging the reader to reach into a deeper relationship with God. Some are like Psalms,…

Light Through the Cracks – Joanna Watson

Light Through the Cracks is a compilation of ten true stories, from ordinary people who have seen the miraculous touch of God working through…

The Pale-Faced Girl – Cath Hensby Worboys

With the guidance of the pale-faced girl, Jack finds himself on a quest to uncover the dark forces that threaten to bring danger to…

Polished Arrows – Jenny Sanders

Polished Arrows poses the question “what does it take to become a ready arrow in God’s hands?” An arrow that is intentionally formed and…

Vice Cop To Vicar – Derrick and Ann Wilks

This is the extraordinary story of Derrick’s career and family life, detailing his time in the UK police force, exposure to some of the…

Highway 35 – Chris and Denise Arthey

With a move to Texas, Chris and Denise had the chance to fulfil a lifelong dream – a motorcycle road trip across the USA….

The Fall of Lucifer – Wendy Alec

This is not my usual sort of read, but I had been told a while ago that some of my own writing reminded the…

Thank God it’s Monday – Mark Greene

The topic of work – how we see it, how we can use it, how we can be a part of God’s Kingdom and…

Braver – Deborah Jenkins

This is lovely, gritty novel, focusing on characters who experience tough circumstances and difficult lives. It is well written, switching between the stories of…

Practicing the Way – John Mark Comer

Discipleship means different things to different people, often with unhelpful connotations. But stay with me. This book is about being a disciple, which John…

The Divine Proverb of Streusel – Sara Brunsvold

Another delightful novel from Sara Brunsvold. This is a story of Nikki, who suffers what can be best described as a relationship crisis –…

Those Who Show Up – Andy Flannagan

At different times in my life, at local and national elections, I have voted for all three main UK political parties as well as…

Maggie – Charles Martin

Thankfully I read the last few chapters of this book on my own, considering how much I wept! Packed with emotion, this sequel to…

Forgotten Followers – Elaine Ricker Kelly

The focus of this book is to paint a picture of Biblical times through the eyes of a few of the key women around…

And Their Numbers Grew – Naomi Craig and Donna E Lane

This is a series of four intertwined short novels about the early Church, creating an effective way to build a deeper understanding of what…

Still Crazy – Adrian Plass

This seems to be a book about everything and nothing. But what on the surface may seem like random ramblings, in fact are observations…

The Advent of Glory – R C Sproul

R C Sproul was a much respected Bible teacher, writer and broadcaster whose legacy lives on in the work of Ligonier Ministries that he…

Christmas Uncut – Carl Laferton

Christmas Uncut presents a less sugar-coated version of the Christmas story than we might normally see or hear, explaining what actually happened when Jesus…

The Bride – Joy Margetts

The Bride is an opportunity to once again jump back into medieval Wales, to discover a little more of the story that was told…

The Jesse Tree Anthology – Rachel Yarworth

Firstly, a confession … I had the honour of contributing a chapter to this book. And I am so glad to have had that…

Rain – Dana McNeely

The story of Elijah is one of my favourites. Full of high drama, incredible faithfulness, the highs and lows of a ministry. Although this…

God’s Big Promises – Carl Laferton

Ideal for younger children, this book takes 92 stories from the Bible and presents them in an enjoyable, fun way, easily understandable, sensitively presented…

The Dead Don’t Dance – Charles Martin

I only got halfway through this novel before I placed an order for the sequel. Charles Martin writes so well and I knew it…

The Artist’s Page – Debra Rufini

For all creatives, whether artists, writers or performers, it is so encouraging to have others adore our works. It may not be the reason…

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs Kip – Sara Brunsvold

Facing death can present Christians with difficulties. It is an inevitability, as it is for everyone, accompanied by grief, pain and loss. But if…

Nourishing Narratives – Jennifer L. Holberg

This is a well-written collection of thoughts on why words, language and stories are so central to our own narrative. I believe that creativity…

Eye Can Write – Jonathan Bryan

Every so often a book comes along that is truly astonishing. This is one of them. The introduction, written by Jonathan’s mum, shows the…

Nobody’s Child – John Robinson

This is a truly amazing and inspirational story. John’s childhood experiences of deep rejection, that framed his early years and led him down a…

The First Phone Call from Heaven – Mitch Albom

What a fascinating concept … this story is of a few residents of a small, uninspiring and unsuspecting town, begin to receive regular brief…

Wake up to Wonder – Karen Wright Marsh

An unusual devotional, taking an aspect of influence from significant people of faith through history, theologians and thinkers, and applying modern day examples of…

The Persistent Road – Tim Bishop

Through a series of life changing circumstances and loss, Doug, our main protagonist in this novel, is led to a point where he needs…