Call the Canaries: three estranged sisters confront their past and reconnect

Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow is the story of three estranged sisters who reconnect and face an unresolved past. Savannah was only four years old when her twin sister, Georgia, went missing from their small Louisiana town. Twenty-eight years later, she convinces her older sisters, Rayanne and Sue Ellen, to honor their pact and retrieve a time capsule from their old backyard. Going home would mean confronting their painful past and their stubborn grandmother. As they sift through the artifacts from the capsule, they come across a photograph and see a familiar face in the background. Savannah believes this woman could hold the answer to what happened the day Georgia disappeared. Old tensions, rivalries and memories resurface, each sister must confront what they remember about that day, what they know about each other and themselves. Will they finally learn the lesson that Meemaw has been trying to teach them? That family is everything. 

Touted as “a heartfelt novel about family, grief, secrets, and forgiveness” I expected Call the Canaries Home to be a profoundly emotional story of sisters, the past and family. Unfortunately, it was not as profound as I expected. The story is told from the perspectives of the three sisters in the present and Meemaw in the past. The plot itself was not interesting with twists and turns that were left wanting. The sisterly drama dragged on and seemed without real resolution. I couldn’t identify or feel for any of the sisters. I feel the author really didn’t give any reason to care for these sisters who had lived through horrible situations. The setup was about the mysterious disappearance of their sister and then it became an afterthought and a disappointment when the mystery is solved. Overall, this story was drawn out with way too many points of view to follow. I do not recommend Call the Canaries Home. 

Call the Canaries is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Jesus Christ, His Life and Mine: reconnecting with Jesus and his teachings

Jesus Christ, His Life and Mine: The Story of Jesus and How It Applies to Us in the Twitter Era by R. Christian Bohlen is a book that walks the reader through the life of Jesus and hopes to connect them with Christ as never before, especially in this age of social media and online lives. Mr. Bohlen asks the reader to imagine being a witness to Jesus’s life, from his birth to resurrection and ascension, what would you think about him? Would you believe in him? Would you be skeptical or immediately follow him like the disciples did? Through the use of powerful visualization and practical life applications, readers can build a more personal connection with Jesus, grow their faith as well as be energized in their spiritual lives. 

Jesus Christ, His Life and Mine is a fresh and easy to read, step by step guide through the life of Jesus Christ and why he is the Savior to all. Through the book, readers will be reenergized why Jesus is still the greatest story ever told. I particularly liked the final chapters as Mr. Bohlen walks through common questions from believers and nonbelievers. The book could easily be used as a Bible study as each section and chapter opens with questions that the readers can answer. Although, I would have put these questions at the end of the chapters instead of in the beginning. I recommend Jesus Christ, His Life and Mine to all Christians, old and new, as they will experience Jesus Christ as never before. 

Jesus Christ, His Life and Mine: The Story of Jesus and How It Applies to Us in the Twitter Era

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook