Hey everyone! Instead of the boring "writing tips" post that I had planned for you guys this week, I am excited to be reviewing Kellyn Roth's new release, Beyond Her Calling, as part of the her blog tour. This was a beautiful book and I loved pretty much every part of it. Let's get to it, then!
Beyond Her Calling
"At twenty, Ivy Knight feels as if she hasn't accomplished anything of worth. Her life stretches on before her, empty and pointless. Though her faith in God and her mental abilities have strengthened, she still doubts herself. Does God have a purpose for a socially awkward, often confused and frightened young woman?
Jordy McAllen has just returned to Scotland after his education in London. Though he has accomplished a lot for a farm lad such as himself, he fears that what everyone has always said about him may be true: he won't really make a good doctor. Determined to prove himself, Jordy snatches up the opportunity to become the doctor in the village of Keefmore near his parents' farm.
Helping Jordy with his work at Keefmore seems like the perfect opportunity for Ivy. Still, she doubts herself. Is there a purpose to Ivy's life?"
My Review
Beyond Her Calling is nestled in 1800s Scotland and follows Ivy and Jordy as they try to realize God's plan for them. Both struggle with past experiences that cause them to think less of themselves - which was a very relatable theme within the book. It was really sweet to watch them grow together, both in their faith and as people just stepping out to discover their place in the world.
If you noticed somethin' a wee different about the quote above, I'd also like to add: some of the characters in the book speak in a Scottish accent (obviously, since Keefmore is located in Scotland). In my opinion, accents depicted in books can go either way - either they're perfectly executed or they're horrible. Beyond Her Calling falls into the former category - perfectly executed. I could hear the brogue when I was reading it, which was an especial treat.
Beyond Her Calling also deals with a lot of topics near and dear to my heart, involving disabilities and mental health. For this I commend the author -- not many books are willing to "go there" in a healthy, respectful manner. This book touched on anything from the minor to jarringly dark when it comes to mental health, and it did so with grace and balance. The darker end of the spectrum usually deals with Violet Angel, a mutual friend who accompanies Ivy and Jordy on their journey. Likewise, the balance occurs with Ivy, who deals with her own mental health diagnosis and being seen as "different" but on a lighter level at this point.
I also love that the book discusses healthy boundaries: being there for others but not letting them drag you down, knowing when to help someone and when to give them space, as well as a variety of boundaries appropriate for the time era. It's evident that this was thoroughly researched.
What else is there to say about this book without giving away a lot of spoilers? The romance felt reasonably well-paced and appropriate for the era as well as for Christian fiction; the mental health and diagnoses aspects were realistic and not overdone or made light of; the book has wonderful themes about finding one's place in the world, following God's calling even if it seems absurd, and many others -- and did I mention the Scottish brogue? I thought that this book was beautifully written and I look forward to reading more about Ivy and Jordy!
About the Author
Kellyn Roth lives on an Eastern Oregon ranch with her parents, little brothers, border collies, cats, and a few dozen cows and chickens. Always a lover of a good story, and especially of telling one, she's been writing since she was seven and published her first novel at fourteen. Now a homeschool grad, she divides her time between penning her next Christian historical novel, creating professionally silly articles at kellynroth.blog, and her actual life. Actual life plays second fiddle sometimes, though.
Find out more on her website: https://kellynrothauthor.com
Giveaway!
You don't want to leave without entering the giveaway! Ms. Roth is giving away a signed paperback of Beyond Her Calling, which you can enter to win by clicking HERE!
This book is available for Kindle and paperback formats now -- make sure to click HERE to snag a copy. If you plan to read it, make sure to shelf it on Goodreads HERE!
Make sure to check out the Facebook group as well as the rest of the tour - lots of great posts!
Saturday, October 20th
Intro Post // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries
Author Interview // Molly @ A Sparkle of Light
Review // Lisa @ Inkwell
Review & Character Interview (Jordy) // Amie @ Crazy A
Character Interview (Ivy) // Jo @ The Lens and the Hard Drive
Book Spotlight // Annie @ Letters from Annie Douglass Lima
Sunday, October 21st
Theme Day // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries
Guest Post by Character (Ivy) & Review // Grace M. Morris
Book Spotlight // Erika Messer @ Maiden of the Pages
Author Interview // Angela R. Watts @ The Peculiar Messenger
Monday, October 22nd
Ivy Day // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries
Character Interview (Ivy) // Loretta Marchize @ Just Writing
Review // Andrea Cox @ Writing to Inspire
Character Interview (Jordy) // Liz @ Home with the Hummingbirds
Author & Character Interview (Violet) // Julia @ Julia’s Creative Corner
Review & Character Spotlight (Ivy) // Caroline Kloster @ Inside the Autistic Life
Tuesday, October 23rd
Jordy Day // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries
Author Interview // Faith Blum @ Bookish Orchestrations
Review & Guest Post // Cara @ Jessie Bingham
Guest Post // Lindsi @ One Beginner To Another
Character Spotlight (Ena) // Shannon McDermott @ Shannon’s Blog
Wednesday, October 24th
Violet Day // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries
Guest Post // Germaine Han @ The Writing Mafia
Review // Jana T. @ Reviews from the Stacks
Thursday, October 25th
Real Life Day // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries
Book Spotlight // Gabriellyn Gidman @ PageTurners
Author Interview // Sara Willoughby @ Th!nk Magazine
Review // Michaela Bush @ Tangled Up In Writing
Guest Post by Character (Violet) // Peggy M. McAloon @ Peggy’s Hope 4U
Friday, October 26th
Future Day // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries
Review // Abigail McKenna @ Novels, Dragons, and Wardrobe Doors
Review // Gracelyn Buckner @ Literatura
Review // Katherine Brown Books
Review // Bella Putt
Saturday, October 27th
Wrapup Post // Kellyn Roth @ Reveries
Character Interview & Spotlight (Jordy) // Kaylee @ Kaylee’s Kind of Writes
Book Spotlight // Abigail Harder @ Books, Life, and Christ
And be sure to check out the Facebook party every day this week for exciting updates!
0 comments:
Post a Comment