Liz Curtis Higgs has been a favorite author of mine for years.  I have only heard her speak once, but am very excited that she is coming to my area next year.  (To be fair, she has been in Hershey, PA twice recently...I think about my due date with Little Sister and maybe on Brother's birthday this year.  It just couldn't work.)  She will be with Women of Faith in Philadelphia, but I don't intend to go to that.  Instead, I intend to go to see her at a more intimate speaking conference that is rather close.    Liz is a great speaker because it doesn't matter your age or any other "demographic"...she'll speak to your heart and make you laugh out loud.

Liz writes children's books and Christian fiction, but she is likely best known for her Bad Girls of the Bible series.  I have recently read two of her books and want to share them with you today.

The Girl's Still Got It: Take a Walk with Ruth and the God Who Rocked Her World
What is this "it" that Ruth has?  It is value, significance, vibrancy, and worth.  As Liz points out, we each have something valuable and of significance to offer...no matter our past.

Liz takes us line by line and verse by verse through the book of Ruth, offering us her insight and knowledge gained from much history study and Bible study.  She looks to the Bible and the various translations of it give us a fuller picture of each verse, while explaining the original language and text, too.  Liz makes the reader feel like she is right there with Ruth and Naomi and really shows why it's so amazing that Ruth, a Moabitess, is the great grandmother of King David and a descendant of Jesus.  This is the story of Ruth's redemption...and we can all see a bit of ourselves in Ruth.

This really proves to be amazing research told in a way to inspire us all!!  Typical in Liz's style...personal and amusing...while pulling at the heart.  (I would suggest reading the first chapter online if you aren't sure if you'd like her style.)  I really appreciated this book, and especially giving more thought to Naomi and her sorrowful experience.  I read along with Liz, one chapter a week, on her blog as we studied Ruth together through this Bible study.  Thank you, Liz, for sending me an ARC for review purposes!

One thing that will remain with me for a long time is how Ruth said she would go with her mother-in-law...and she did.  Without complaint.  It kind of hit home for me that if my husband were to need to move across the country, I too, should do such a thing.  Without complaint.

A Wreath of Snow: A Victorian Christmas Novella
I read this in just a few hours (spread over a few days).  I honestly knew nothing about it when I began reading it other than Liz wrote it.  That's not true.  I think I knew it was a Christmas story set in Scotland long ago...and I knew a train was on the cover.  It is a fun (and sometimes serious) little read about Meg story of forgiveness and a difficult family restoration.  Meg meets the man who changed her life for the worse twelve years before meeting on the train.  We see how these characters lie to protect themselves...to protect others...but only hurt everyone.

A Wreath of Snow was a very enjoyable Christmas read that transported me to another time and place.  I definitely enjoyed it and recommend it for some light Christmas reading.  I really enjoyed how Liz placed us in Scotland...in a home filled with unhappiness and bitterness, but the final page leaves us with hope because Truth is brighter than the darkness.  Thank you, Blogging for Books for my review copy!

~ Annette {This Simple Mom}