In June, my Relevant Fiction Reviews comprised several reviews on the theme of love, war, and sacrifice. This month, the novels all examine what in Saving Amelie is referred to as “costly grace” (in reference to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s theology). This is the sacrificial love that, in the books below, requires giving up an ultimately destructive relationship, sacrificing romantic love for a higher calling, and risking freedom and maybe life to preserve the lives of others. Continue reading →

Occasionally, I’ll be sharing some of my reviews here, under Relevant Fiction Reviews. I don’t review every book I read. Not even close. So these are hand-picked selections that I either loved or struck a chord with me. Maybe some time I’ll even sneak in a little nonfiction. Three of my recent reviews follow, all very different books but with similar themes.

I read two novels in one weekend, both of which dealt with the suffering endured by Iraqi and Afghanistan war vets. Both are, at their essence, love stories. One was a romance, the other was literary fiction. In both, the protagonist struggles with PTSD and the age-old question of how a loving God can allow evil. In both, we learn God’s love can heal our hurts. (A longer version of my review of Wounded Healer will appear at CatholicFiction.net.) Continue reading →