Book Review: Inescapable by Nancy Mehl

About the Book:  Lizzie Engel is used to running away. At eighteen, she left her Mennonite hometown, Kingdom, Kansas, with plans never to return.

But five years later, the new life she built is falling apart. Lizzie knows she's being followed, and she's certain the same mysterious stranger is behind the threatening letters she's received. Realizing she'll have to run again, the only escape Lizzie can manage is a return to the last place she wants to go.

Once she arrives in Kingdom, Lizzie is confident she'll be safe until she comes up with a new plan. In reacquainting herself with the town and its people--especially her old friend, Noah Housler--she wonders if she judged her hometown and her Mennonite faith too harshly. However, just as she begins to come to terms with her roots, Lizzie is horrified to discover the danger she ran from is closer than ever.

No longer sure who to trust and fearful for her life and the lives of those around her, Lizzie finds she has only one place left to run--to the Father whose love is inescapable.

My Thoughts: Due to my own Mennonite heritage (though not Old Order) I was definitely intrigued by this book!

There were so many angles to this storyline - the suspense over who was following her and who was sending her the notes and was it the same person or were two different people involved, two possible love interests, dealing with faith and fear, dealing with forgiveness and bitterness, the relationship between Lizzie and her father, the relationship between Lizzie's parents, the relationship between grace and law, the relationship between Lizzie and Noah, the relationship between Lizzie and Charity's father, Lizzie's struggles as a single mom, the relationship between Lizzie and God.  I'd say relationships permeated the story, which enriched it and made it full, vibrant and realistic.

I really loved all the different characters in this novel - so many different types of people, from old to young, quirky to sensible, funny to serious and almost everything in between.  The only character I found slightly unrealistic was Lizzie's daughter, Charity who seemed just a little too sweet and cherub-like to be real, at least in my own experience with our 4 kids.

All in all, a great read with a satisfying ending.

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for organizing this tour and providing me with my complimentary review copy.

July Photo Challenge Day 16 Revisited

My sister pointed out to me that a self-portrait should really be a picture I took of myself, not one someone else took of me, so here's Day 16 revisited.

I took this shot today after getting back from my special day with Olivia today - her optometrist and dentist appointments, Olive Garden for lunch, pedicures for us both and a manicure for her, and a couple of errands, ending with slurpees.

Happy now, Andrea? ;)

July Photo Challenge Day 19 - Hobby

Today's assignment: Hobby

This is a bit of a tough one because though I do have several hobbies, I haven't actually made much time to do many of them, other than reading.  My other hobbies that I used to do more often (and often goes in spurts) are playing piano, crocheting, knitting, and sewing.

Tomorrow's assignment: Something you Drew

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July Photo Challenge Day 18 - Written Word

Today's assignment: Written Word

Jacob writing his own name, copying my example as I showed him how to do it.  He's 4 1/2 now and likely should be able to do a better job than this but the fault is entirely mine and the fact that he's child # 4. 

And if you can't put 2 and 2 together on that one, you were likely child #4 as well. ;)

Tomorrow's assignment: Hobby

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July Photo Challenge Day 17 - Trees

Today's assignment: Trees

We literally have no trees at our house yet, so this is a picture of the trees in my best friend's front yard where I and the younger half of our children enjoyed lunch while the older half is at camp this week.

Tomorrow's assignment: Written Words

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July Photo Challenge Day 16 - Self Portrait

Today's assignment: Self Portrait

Nathan took this picture of me last weekend when we went out to celebrate our 16th anniversary (The Keg, the bookstore, the movies - Amazing Spiderman).  That's a chocolate brownie sundae sitting there in front me, in case you're wondering.  Hmmmm, chocolate.

Tomorrow's assignment: Trees

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July Photo Challenge Day 15 - Your weakness

Today's assignment: Your weakness

Well, this was a no brainer.  

 Yup, we've practically got a store in our pantry :)

Chips combined with....

= impossible to resist!

The worst are Pringles - it's far too easy to just pop those babies open, grab a few chips to munch and then almost effortlessly reseal them by simply closing the lid.  Easy access to chips = major danger alert!

Tomorrow's assignment: Self-portrait

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July Photo Challenge Day 14 - Favourite Colour

Today's assignment: Favourite Colour

My favourite colour is blue, so here's a picture of us from our most recent cruise with me in a blue dress (though technically more aqua marine).  There were no official rules posted about this challenge, so I'm not entirely sure whether or not I'm cheating by using a picture taken on a different day, but whatev's!  

Here's another dress I wore on the cruise - a more true blue...

On a side note:  even though I always say my favourite colour is blue, and I do have several blue outfits, according to my closet, my favourite colour is actually black. 

Tomorrow's assignment: Your weakness (this is gonna be an easy one!)

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July Photo Challenge Day 13 - Water

Today's assignment: Water

Ok, ok, this is a bit of a stretch, but there's water in the vase :)  Flowers from Nathan for our anniversary one week ago today.  And yes, I see that the vase obviously needs cleaning.  And I must admit that I seriously considered cleaning it... just for this picture.  I know, sad, right?  But I decided to keep it real instead.  Cause that's how I roll.

Tomorrow's assignment: Favourite Colour

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July Photo Challenge Day 12 - Where you ate breakfast

Today`s Assignment: Where you ate breakfast

Today`s assignment couldn`t have come on a more perfect day, because yesterday we finally had our new table, chairs and bar stools delivered - which means that this morning was the first time we had breakfast - the kids at at the bar on the new bar stools (love Sophia`s dorky face)....

and I ate my breakfast sitting at our new dining room table - which I absolutely love!

It was also Olivia`s last meal with her cast on!

Tomorrow`s Assignment: Water