Bookshelf Friday - Paint Chips by Susie Finkbeiner

I had the pleasure of sitting with Susie at a recent writer's conference we both attended. It was one of those amazing moments where you realize how small God's world is. We both sat at a table in Dallas, complete strangers, only to discover with our first get-to-know-you question that we lived maybe 20 minutes apart. When I found out she'd published a book recently, I knew I had to read it. So I tucked it away until my recent vacation when I pulled it out to dive into. Here's the beautiful cover and blurb, and we'll chat about it on the other side!

What lies beneath the layers of hurt?

Though haunted by her troubled past, Dot has found a safe haven. She has a fierce protector and a colorful collection of friends...but sometimes she wonders if her life will ever be normal again. Though college and romance await her, embracing them requires a new kind of strength one she isn't sure she has.

Emerging from years of confusion, Cora struggles to latch hold of the sanity she needs to return to the real world. She yearns to find a place of peace...but first she must deal with the ghosts of her past.

Can this mother and daughter overcome abuse, betrayal, abandonment, and the horrors of sexual trafficking, and make it back into each others arms?

Facing the past is never easy. But as they chip away the layers, they might just find something beautiful beneath the mess.

After closing the last page of Paint Chips, I didn't quite know what I'd write. Deeply moving, it's a hard read with such a great reward. God's love shines through this book, his redemption of broken lives...his hope. At times I was near tears, at others I was awed by the forgiveness and renewal for the characters in this book. It is a story that showcases God's healing power at its best. There is truly no hurt that cannot be healed and no past that cannot be forgiven. There is no life God cannot make new. Paint Chips shines with these truths.

If you haven't had a chance to read this book yet, I encourage you to add it to your TBR pile (to-be-read) and find the time to read it...with a kleenex or two beside you perhaps:)

And here's a little about Susie herself. (note: I am insanely jealous of her huge blue eyes. BEAUTIFUL!)

Susie is a wife, mother of three, and avid reader. She enjoys time with her family, coffee dates with her good friends, and quiet moments to read and write. A novelist and short story writer from West Michigan, her first novel "Paint Chips" released in 2013. Her second novel "My Mother's Chamomile" releases February 1, 2014. She worked with WhiteFire Publishing on both novels. Currently, she is working on her third novel.

If you'd like to know more about Susie or her next release, My Mother's Chamomile, you can visit her at her site: www.susiefinkbeiner.com. And, if you live in the West Michigan area, Susie will be at Baker Book House on November 19th  from 7-10 for a book signing and give-aways. 

Have a great weekend, friends!