Title: Birdsong: Stories of Promise and Hope
Authors: Sara Davison, Deb Elkink, Stacy Monson, Cathe Swanson, Chautona Havig, Eleanor Bertin, and Milla Holt
Series: The Mosaic Collection, book 12
Major Themes: Bookstores
Synopsis: Seven diverse stories portray hurting people finding hope and peace in God’s love.
Once again, I was offered the opportunity to read an advanced copy of one of the Mosaic Collection anthologies. Because I have loved every one I have read, I jumped at the chance to read Birdsong. These collections always contain quite a varied group of stories, and there are always one or two that stand out, as well as a couple that I could do without. This collection, though, had more than the usual number of outstanding stories!
Publisher’s description:
From unexpected journeys into the future and the past to a life-changing weekend, a spontaneous road trip, family trauma, the birth of a bookstore, and a potentially disastrous wedding, the men and women in these stories must deal with everything life is throwing at them. Which is a lot.
- The Weekend – Sara Davison
- Aloft – Deb Elkink
- Misguided deVotion – Stacy Monson
- Rainbow Valley – Cathe Swanson
- Once Upon a Parlor – Chautona Havig
- Call Me Birdie – Eleanor Bertin
- Sunday Best – Milla Holt
The turmoil and craziness challenge each of them to believe the promise of God’s timing—that every winter, no matter how dark and cold, will be followed by a season of birdsong.
BirdSong is a collection of seven stories about finding promise and hope in a world that’s often topsy-turvy.
My thoughts:
I can’t pick a favorite from among these seven novellas. Rainbow Valley, Once Upon a Parlor, and Sunday Best all stand out to me. Cathe Swanson kept me guessing in Rainbow Valley as she revealed tiny bits of John and Dawn’s traumatic backstory. I loved this account of healing from a childhood in a hippie commune! Once Upon a Parlor is just plain fun, in Chautona Havig’s unique style! I loved some of the book quotes included in it. It’s part of the Bookstrings series, and she has hinted that there will be spin-off stories to follow! Sunday Best is very different. I found it one that made me really think. What happens when a person does everything with the thought of how he/she appears to others? To what depths will they fall when they can’t admit to their sin but must keep it covered to preserve a good public image? What an amazing story.
The Weekend is quite good, as well (actually, they all are—it’s just that not all of them gripped me in the same way). A man realizes that he has allowed himself to become too busy for the people he wants to be in his life—can he change that before it’s too late? In Aloft, a woman must come face-to-face with her past so she can make sense of her present and make the right decisions. Misguided Devotion has some very funny scenes. It was my least favorite of the books in the collection, but I did still enjoy most of it. The story included a little too much romance for my liking.
I recommend Birdsong for anyone who loves Christian fiction with a message. These stories are not merely entertainment; there are real-life lessons included in them. As with all the Mosaic Collection anthologies, these are wonderful for those times when a short read is what is needed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: In The Weekend, there is a savage fight and a kiss. In Misguided Devotion, gosh appears once.
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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