Helping You Find Stories that Matter
Stories shape us. They challenge our faith, stir our compassion, and remind us who we are. On Read It or Not, I share honest, thoughtful reviews to help you discover books that are truly worth your time — stories that inspire deeper love, stronger faith, and purposeful living.
Routed to Heaven by Julie Bonn Blank
This is Deep, Holy Work
Routed to Heaven by Julie Bonn Blank is not just another collection of testimonies about near-death experiences. It is saturated with the presence of the Holy Spirit in every page. Julie weaves her own powerful encounter with Jesus together with deeply moving stories of others who have glimpsed eternity and returned transformed. What makes this book different is that it does not simply allow you to read about someone else’s experience. It invites you into your own. Each chapter includes thoughtful Reflection, Potential Block, and Pause and Ponder sections that gently but courageously address struggles, fears, and spiritual hurdles you may be carrying. This is not a quick or light read. It is devotional, intentional, and designed for discovery.
Julie writes with authenticity and spiritual authority, grounded in years of established advocacy in abuse recovery and faithful ministry. Her voice is genuine, compassionate, and unafraid to go deep. She does not rush the reader past hard places. Instead, she walks you through them, creating space for healing and breakthrough. This book calls you higher, challenges you honestly, and reminds you that Heaven is real and God is near. If you are willing to do the work, Routed to Heaven will not simply inspire you. It will change your life
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/49r7dlk
You can also learn more on the Heaven, Hope.& Healing Substack: https://www.heavenblog.org/p/my-trip-to-heaven-and-back
One Last Summer by Becky Sue Harwood
A Beautiful, Life-Affirming Story That Will Stay With You Long After You Turn the Last Page
One Last Summer by Becky Sue Harwood is a deeply moving and life-affirming story that stayed with me long after I finished the final page. While it tenderly portrays the reality of Alzheimer’s and the daily heartbreak that can come with it, this novel is about so much more than illness.
At its heart, this is a story about legacy — the kind measured not in accomplishments, but in love. It reminds us that the seeds of love, faith, and devotion we plant throughout our lives truly matter. The harvest of those seeds is seen in the lives we touch and the faith we nurture in others.
Ruth’s steadfast, lifelong faith is beautiful to witness, especially as her illness challenges her husband and ultimately deepens his own faith. Their journey feels honest and deeply human. This isn’t just a book for those who fear dementia in their future; it’s a story for anyone who wants to live with greater purpose and love others more fully and unconditionally.
I wholeheartedly give this five stars. It’s a powerful reminder that a life rooted in love leaves an eternal impact.T
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/4ctMeBw
The Long Journey to Jake Palmer
Author: James L. Rubart
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: August 9, 2016
Genre: Christian Fiction – Fantasy/Supernatural
Amazon Link: Buy on Amazon
Back cover summary:
What if there was a place where everything wrong in your life could be fixed?
Corporate trainer Jake Palmer coaches people to see deeper into themselves—yet he barely knows himself anymore. Recently divorced and weary of the business life, Jake reluctantly agrees to a lake-house vacation with friends, hoping to escape for ten days.
When he arrives, Jake hears the legend of Willow Lake—about a lost corridor that leads to a place where one’s deepest longings will be fulfilled.
Jake scoffs at the idea, but can’t shake a sliver of hope that the corridor is real. And when he meets a man who mutters cryptic speculations about the corridor, Jake is determined to find the path, find himself, and fix his crumbling life.
But the journey will become more treacherous with each step Jake takes.
Read it? Yes!
Why it’s worth your time:
Jake Palmer seeks a hidden corridor on Willow Lake where he hopes to find physical healing. He is spending a summer vacation with lifetime friends, each of which encourage and support him in their own way. He’s also given advice by a new friend, Leonard, who is cryptic about what the Corridor may hold for Jake. There’s also an unexpected guest at the lake, a beautiful woman that makes Jake long for the man he used to be.
James Rubart is a great writer and an amazing storyteller. You won’t have trouble turning the pages of this book. This particular story spoke to me because, like Jake, I have a physical condition that holds me back from doing some of the things I want to do. The core of the story though speaks to a need we all have – the need to know who we really are, and to be emotionally healed from the wounds of our past.
The Journey to Lake Palmer is both a physical and spiritual journey, full of suspense, heartbreak, and healing truth that brings freedom. I highly recommend it.
My favorite line:
“How tragic to live a life where you are loved for what you are instead of who you are. You were given freedom from that curse – if you chose to live in it.”