Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Told You So by Kristen Heitzmann

Today's post is hard-fought, y'all.

The book was a great read and so easy to write a raving review for, but my own words were hard to come by. Lately I've been struggling hardcore with depression, something that comes and goes in my life, but the last few days, it's been intense. All of this was then amplified by feeling super inadequate as an emerging book blogger after stumbling upon a SUPERB blog with a similar focus. (Check out Carrie Schmidt's fantastic blog HERE).

Funny thing about depression? The more you think about your circumstances, the more entrenched in it you become. What I've been reminded of recently (and this book is a great example) is that God has called us all to use our unique gifts for His glory, and that is what we are to focus on. There will always be someone better than I at any given thing that I put my mind to, so I have to let go of my competitive, perfectionist streak and simply do what I feel He wants me to.

God is faithful. He is good. He will use us if we are simply willing to step out in faith. That doesn't make it easy, or mean that we won't sometimes fail, but He can work even our mistakes out for His great purposes. Whatever it is that God has called you to do, I encourage you to take that next step, and watch him work. Remember to rejoice in everything, knowing that we are already victors through our wonderful Savior.



Told You So (Told You, #1)Told You So by Kristen Heitzmann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It has been a long time since I've read a romance novel that has challenged me intellectually, so I was thrilled to find Told You So. The thing I love most about Kristen's books is that they are written above a 5th grade reading level. The vocabulary had me reaching for a dictionary a time or two, and the construction of sentences and plot were masterful.

Told you so is fast paced and witty, the beautiful antagonism between the characters keeping you on your toes at all times. I loved their clever banter and sophisticated insults. Devin is oddly likable - he's got that tortured artist thing going for sure, and Grace is a force to be reckoned with. Their dialogue is perfection and their creative force "the zone" will definitely have your pulse spiking.

I love that Kristen's characters don't live in a Christian bubble. They are Christians in the world. As strange as it may sound, I love the theme of uncompromising failure in this book. When character's fall (as all must at one point or another), it is heartbreaking, but they stay true to their essence.

Definitely one of the best books I've read in the genre, I can hardly wait to get this review written before jumping into the next book in the series Told You Twice.

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