All That Glitters is Not Gold

This spring has seen a bumper crop of great books released. I still feel like I'm trying to get my head above water from the bounty I received both at the Expo as well as through my regular opportunities for review.

One such book is Stephanie Grace Whitson's A Claim of Her Own. This is a great tale of a twenty-year-old girl, Mattie, whose brother has gone ahead of her to the gold fields of South Dakota and written of the great success he has had. When she travels out to join him on his claim, however, she only discovers his grave. Mattie's unflinching determination to work the claim herself puts her at odds with a street preacher who speaks of laying up treasure in heaven and turning the other cheek. Unfortunately, most of Mattie's experiences with preachers involved the ones she knew back home who lectured on Sunday and then "gambled on Monday like any other low-down varmint." And yet there's something about this preacher that draws her to him. And when trouble from her past arrives, Mattie must decide whether some things are worth more than gold.

I read this book shortly after reading and reviewing Randy Alcorn's The Treasure Principle. What a delight to find an acknowledgement in A Claim of Her Own thanking Randy for allowing the street preacher's words to come from his book.

I enjoyed this book. The additional sub-stories of Mattie's new friends woven throughout the book added depth and an interesting layer. Life was tough physically and emotionally in these early years of our nation's development, but many of the issues we deal with today were the same struggles they had back then - love, trust, faith, and family.

BOOK SUMMARY:
Determined to put the unspeakable circumstances of her past behind her, twenty-year-old Mattie O'Keefe travels to Deadwood, South Dakota, in search of her brother, whose letters boast of making a fortune in the gold fields.

Once in Deadwood, Mattie is soon convinced that gold mining will be the key to her future happiness. When a handsome street preacher speaks out against storing up treasures on earth, Mattie turns a deaf ear... until circumstances force her to decide for herself where true riches lie--and what's worth dying for.

You can read an excerpt here.

AUTHOR BIO:
Stephanie Grace Whitson, bestselling author and two time Christy Award finalist, pursues a full-time writing and speaking career from her home studio in Lincoln, Nebraska. Her husband and blended family, her church, quilting, and Kitty--her motorcycle--all rank high on her list of "favorite things". You can learn more about her at her website.





Happy Reading!