Fiction Books
available from HeartThoughts
Pearl of Beauty: Becoming Maidens of Purity
Edited by Natalie Nyquist
Once Upon a Time...
Fair princesses, knights on mighty steeds, acts of chivalry and love. In the tales and fables of centuries past come truth and virtue with power to touch the hearts of today's virtuous maidens. Stories communicate with an impact like no other...often each re-reading will yield fresh insights and encouragement.
Now some of the most beloved writings on purity and virtue are collected into one volume. Opening with the powerful allegory of "The Three Weavers," this compilation also includes classic gems like "The Legend of the Bleeding-Heart," a fairy tale of love and selflessness; "Hidden Pearls," the parable of a young lady and her wedding gown; and other timeless selections from Louisa May Alcott, Gene Stratton Porter, Annie Fellows Johnston, and George MacDonald.
This book is more than simply a treasury of inspiring reading. Parents and mentors are encouraged to use this as a tool in nurturing their daughters through the reflection questions, discussion ideas, and other activities. All will be refreshed and challenged by the beauty of these timeless stories.
Looking for the Resource list referenced in Pearl of Beauty? Click here.
Softcover; 190 pages; $10.99
Journey of the Heart
by Jeannie Castleberry
From the back cover: "Janet, twenty-two years old, has matured and grown in the Lord. She has many longings, struggles, and questions that she must face with the help of the Lord and her parents. Will anyone ever want to court her? How should she handle her desires for a husband and family of her own? When she finds herself attracted to a young man, what should she do? This is the very honest account of a young woman who is still waiting on the Lord."
One thing I could not get over was how real it was. What a treat to get to read this book, this glimpse into your own heart. Journey resonated with honesty. I liked how her parents interacted with her; I thought that was excellent. I appreciated that her struggle is so real--it does not instantly go away when she tells her parents about it, yet telling her parents was obviously the right choice. Janet comes full circle and though her struggles aren't over, she knows Who strengthens her. - Natalie Nyquist, age 22
Softcover; 150 pages; $8.50
Waiting for Her Isaac
by Mr. and Mrs. Castleberry
Sixteen year-old Beth Grant is quite happy with her life and has no desire for any changes. But God has many lessons in store before she is ready for courtship. The story of Beth's spiritual journey toward godly womanhood is told along with the story of her courtship.
"A cheerful, lively family. A daughter happy with her life just as it is. A flurry of unforeseen, and -- to 16-year-old Beth Grant -- unwelcome, changes robbing her of the pleasantries she's used to, and slowly shifting her focus to what's truly important . Her own imperfection makes the ensuing events, and her struggles and victories throughout, particularly encouraging . . ." - From a review in HopeChest Magazine, Aug/Sept 1997, p. 17.
Softcover; 150 pages; $8.50
I Will Follow
by Clare Cook & Bethany Patchin
From the back cover: "Meg Atwell, age sixteen and three-quarters, is a young woman with principles. Romantic principles. She’s never been kissed and never been on a date. She’s also never traveled far from her home in Wisconsin, so she’s apprehensive about embarking on a five-week missions trip to Mexico. Little does she know what joys and challenges await her—in the heart of Monterrey, in the faces of its children, and in the eyes of a young man."
I Will Follow struck a deep chord for me. It is the most challenging, heart-wrenching, convicting, and inspiring novel for young women I've ever read. I literally could not put it down, and yet, when it ended, the next step was mine--because the story is similar to each of ours and we can write the ending. I laughed, I squirmed, I sighed, and I cried. But there was no escaping the message--follow Christ, above all else. It's not a happily-ever-after story. It's real life, hard work--and the hardest of all, it challenges us so deeply with the truth that we have to face it just as Meg does.
I highly recommend the book to every teen girl or single young woman I know. It is a challenge we each need; yet it is an encouragement to know that we are not alone and others face the same things we do. But in the end, we are inspired to choose as Meg did--to follow the Lord instead of her own wants and desires. The authors wrote in such a way that you knew they had been there, facing the same things in their own lives. But they didn't give their story a nice, comfortable and romantic ending--they left off right where each of their readers are, leaving them to write the next pages in their own lives.
-Gretchen Louise Glaser, age 18
Softcover; 300 pages; $12.99
More encouraging purity fiction coming soon!