New giveaway! Now I'm giving away Springtime of the Spirit by Maureen Lang!

To enter for a chance to win this book simply post a comment that answers the following question... How would you feel if you were pulled into a war and were told you needed to fight for your country, but you soon discovered the war you were in was not so much about freedom as it was about something that just didn't seem worth fighting for? 


I will pick a winner next weekend using the Randomizer program. Best wishes to you all.





About the book:

By the fall of 1918, the Great War has ended and the world is at peace, but there is little to celebrate in Germany. After four years of fighting for his homeland, Christophe Brecht returns to find there is little left of what he once called home. So when family friends ask him to travel to Munich to bring back their runaway daughter, Christophe agrees. 

When he finally locates Annaliese Duray, he discovers she is far different from the girl he once knew. Headstrong, idealistic, and beautiful, she is on the front lines of the city’s political scene, fighting to give women and working-class citizens a voice in Germany’s new government. 

As the political upheaval ignites in Munich, so does the attraction between Annaliese and Christophe. With an army from Berlin threatening to squash everything Annaliese has worked for, both she and Christophe are forced to choose between love and loyalty.


My review:

Springtime of the Spirit was difficult to put down. I read the story in just a few days, and it's not a short book. I think this is Maureen Lang's best book. I enjoyed the previous book in the Great War series, but this even tops that one, probably because of the communist versus socialist theme during that time period.

I've always found it tragic that Europe has gone through so many wars and so much bloodshed. It's even more tragic when countrymen kill each other with the hopes of making the country better, only to make things worse. The developing emotional relationship between Annaliese and Christophe was incredible to witness. While drawn to each other, they fought closeness for many different reasons. I worried for their safety but also admired them for their bravery and commitment to what mattered to them.

The spiritual arc in this story was impressive, too. It came out naturally but it also made a lot of practical sense. It's so true that we each need to find a relationship with God for ourselves. Sometimes that's hard to do when we want to please someone else. In fact, that may influence things to the point where it's not the result of a true desire to know God, but more like the desire to have a connection with the person you don't want to lose. That was very well done.

I could go on about all of the things I loved about this book, but I'd have to say that true Christian compassion and sacrifice really struck me as the main theme in this story. Forgiveness played a part, but it was showing Christian love that hit home for me. There is something in every book that Lang writes that reaches my heart. This one was no exception.

Springtime of the Spirit was published by Tyndale and release in March 2011. An advance review copy of the book was provided by the publisher for me to review. :)