I’m an avid reader.
My favorite genres are nonfiction memoirs as well as books on religion/spiritual topics and getting lost in the works of Nicholas Sparks, Brian Freeman and select other fiction authors. I’m not a fan of romance. I prefer divine romance and for that, I open my Bible.
I just finished two new releases that I feel are worthy of recommending.
The first is The Road Is Good by Uzo Abuda. You may recognize her from her seven-season stint in Orange is The New Black Netflix series where she brought the character Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” to life.
From the publisher: “A powerful, timely memoir of Black immigrant identity, the story of an unforgettable matriarch, and a unique coming-of-age story by Nigerian American actress Uzo Aduba.”
You can read the book jacket blurb to see what else the publisher said. I found it an interesting, educational, and inspirational read by a strong black woman. Her journey as an actress required perseverance. She didn’t quit after countless rejections. She knows who she is and I admire her tenacity during the lean years leading to where she is today.
I highly recommend this memoir if you want to finish a book feeling like you spent time in the company of a famous actress and her Nigerian family whose courageous transparency is inspiring.
My favorite quotes from her story:
“Caregiving is not only your responsibility; it’s the highest currency.” Uzo Aduba
“Never again will I be small for someone else’s comfort or someone else’s disguise. Self depreciation is a tough habit to shake.It’s neither healthy or gracious when we diminish ourselves, especially about things we know to be true.” Uzo Aduba
“Prayer was, for my mother, such a powerful form of care: Even when her children were no longer under her roof, she could always reach us.” Uzo Aduba
The other book I finished this autumn now that gardening season has ended is Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks. Sparks writing is famous and his storytelling crawled into my heart with Message in a Bottle back in 1999.
Here is how the publisher describes this story: Tanner Hughes was raised by his grandparents, following in his grandfather’s military footsteps to become an Army Ranger. His whole life has been spent abroad, and he is the proverbial rolling stone: happiest when off on his next adventure with zero desire to settle down. But when his grandmother passes away, her last words to him are find where you belong. She also drops a bombshell, telling him the name of the father he never knew—and where to find him.
Tanner is due at his next posting soon, but with his curiosity piqued, he sets out for Asheboro, North Carolina, to ask around. He’s been in town less than twenty-four hours when he meets Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mom. They both feel an immediate connection; Tanner knows Kaitlyn has a story to tell, and he wants to hear it. Tanner is mysterious and exciting to Kaitlyn but also possibly leaving in just a few weeks.
Meanwhile, nearby, eighty-three-year-old Jasper lives alone in a cabin bordering a national forest. With only his old dog, Arlo, for company, he lives quietly, haunted by a tragic accident that took place decades before. When he hears rumors that a white deer has been spotted in the forest—a creature of legend that inspired his father and grandfather—he becomes obsessed with protecting the deer from poachers.
As these characters’ fates orbit closer together, none of them is expecting a miracle . . . but that may be exactly what is about to alter their futures forever.
What I enjoyed most about Counting Miracles was the surprise ending I never saw coming. I will not spoil this story for you, but readers fascinated with the thought of spotting a white deer will love what transpires.
My post You’re God’s Dear Deer has garnered 19,000 thousand views since I wrote it in 2016 telling me readers are not only dreaming of deer, they are fascinated with the meaning behind seeing deer.
Sparks’ choice to employ the imagery of a solitary white deer in his recent novel was smart.
Check out both of these recent releases at your local book retailer, local library, or online seller. While you’re here, check out You’re God’s Dear Deer detailing my dream about deer and learn the spiritual significance. You’ll be glad you did!
Categories: Book Reviews Books deer Fiction
Kathryne
Christian author and truth teller whose words make darkness tremble. Author of two non-fiction books at https://www.instagram.com/tattooedking_book/
Kathryne Leach 
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