First of all, it's worth noting that Joyful Surrender is a re-publishing of Discipline first released by Elliot in 1982. So perhaps I am caught in a generational gap when reading theses pages and trying to find some point of connection (although Elliot does not seem big on relevance either).

Honestly, I did not and will not finish this book. She talks of grace and love but leaves no room for diversity. Night owls do not belong to the kingdom they are merely undisciplined. Physical illness/mental illness you need to connect with God not man. I'll be honest our family is filled with amazing friends and family with special needs many since birth. 

I read Elliot's words and see her passion for the church. I recognize her desire for the necessary place of discipline in a believer's life. However, when that discipline ignores scriptures which tell us of God's plan or tries to stamp out the uniqueness of the body for a unified organism I start to wonder how isolating her gospel was.

2 out of 5 stars

I received this book through the Revell Reads Book tour in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E Ladd

Delia Greythorne has been followed by tragedy and what an interesting premise she makes for a main character. Ladd has given readers two solid main characters around which her story gravitates through widowed governess Delia and her charges guardian Jac Twethewey. You can tell where Ladd has done her research with Delia fitting in well with her era and locale. I appreciated the acknowledgements of her unique space as governess and the consideration of her place in life, fleshed out in her conversations with her brother, regarding how her experiences had changed her views from the common goals within her family.

Jac, himself, was the typical male lead as the well-liked underdog attempting to save the family land. Fans of the genre will probably find Delia, Jac, and Penwythe pleasantly familiar company as they ferret out the trauma of Delia's past and try to save their future. There really aren't any twists and turns for those readers who want a nice comfortable afternoon escape.

As far as concerns go, I did find the pacing a bit slower on this novel compared to Ladd's other works. Admittedly, my own health and mental space may have added to this but the pacing just felt off with all the drama and tension of Delia's past, the current grief, and the growing affection with Jac falling aside to many moments of contemplation and reflection. Now, don't get me wrong, these all still showed Ladd's gift for the English language with her strong command of words and grammar, I just yearned for a little more adventure.

I also felt like the role and presence of the children were underutilized. The children were a natural bridge and connection for Delia and Jac and, I confess, only Sophy's name came easily to me memory.

Overall, this was a solid read thanks to its strong concepts and Ladd's obvious skill within the English language. However, it fails to be as memorable  as some of Ladd's previous offerings with its odd pacing and under incorporated characters and emotions.


3.5 stars out of 5

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.