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Hymns of the West #2
Be Thou My Vision
The church was empty when I dragged myself out of the pew and headed out the door. As I opened the door, the corner of my eye caught a flicker of movement which I chose to ignore. I walked down the steps and was nearly bowled over by two wild boys. With arms grown strong and quick from man-handling two brothers growing up, I grabbed the two boys before they had a chance to escape me.
Anna Stuart is comfortable with her life. She may be a 30 year old spinster, but she has her routine and enjoys taking care of her father and older brother. One letter shatters all her routines, comfort, and enjoyment. After learning of her brother’s death, Anna feels like her life will never be the same again.
Then she meets two motherless boys. Did God place them in her life to lead her to a new vision of life? Can she trust God to give her the desires of her heart before she even knows what they are?
Note from the Author: Even though this book is the 2nd in the series, reading A Mighty Fortress is not essential to reading Be Thou My Vision. That being said, some things in A Mighty Fortress would help you to further understand some of the backstory in this book.
Amazing Grace is now available and is an exciting continuation of Caleb's story.
Anna Stuart is comfortable with her life. She may be a 30 year old spinster, but she has her routine and enjoys taking care of her father and older brother. One letter shatters all her routines, comfort, and enjoyment. After learning of her brother’s death, Anna feels like her life will never be the same again.
Then she meets two motherless boys. Did God place them in her life to lead her to a new vision of life? Can she trust God to give her the desires of her heart before she even knows what they are?
Note from the Author: Even though this book is the 2nd in the series, reading A Mighty Fortress is not essential to reading Be Thou My Vision. That being said, some things in A Mighty Fortress would help you to further understand some of the backstory in this book.
Amazing Grace is now available and is an exciting continuation of Caleb's story.
269 pages, ebook
First published October 26, 2014
585 people are currently reading
719 people want to read
About the author
Faith Blum
44 books269 followersFaith Blum is a wife, mom, administrative assistant for the Author Conservatory, author, and pianist. She’s published 30+ adventurous historical fiction books featuring realistic romance that strengthens your Christian faith. She has received an honorable mention in the Reader’s Favorite awards. When not writing, you can find her cooking from scratch, reading, spending time with her husband, or chasing her toddler.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
December 26, 2015
After reading the first book in the series, I was highly skeptical and extremely disappointed. When this book was downloadable for free, I decided to give it a try, fully expecting to have to set the book down and stop reading. To my extreme excitement, that was not the case. This book was so well written and it had a thoroughly engaging plot. I enjoyed it very much. Well done, Faith!
March 23, 2017
Originally posted on Reveries Reviews
As you know, I didn't really enjoy A Mighty Fortress, so I was a little nervous when I began this book.
Lots of my friends on Goodreads really like this series, so I was going, "I hope I don't offend anyone ..." I even know the author to a certain extent ... and I really do hate giving bad reviews regardless. I decided I would just start the book, and if I didn't like it, I'd put it down and say I didn't finish it.
But, long story short, I did end up really enjoying this book. It had some ups and downs, but there were mostly ups.
Plot: 4/5
Very good. I was captivated in some places, and it never slowed down too much. The story as a whole really appealed to me.
The only thing I find somewhat unbelievable is that the whole church was unwilling to welcome Anna and insisted upon believing she was trying to 'ensnare' Miles. Surely there'd be one or two true Christians in a whole town, right? Why would everyone believe that terrible gossip? Makes no sense to me.
Also, you'd think someone would think to help out the pastor with his little boys after his wife died.
Characters: 3/5
I think the book actually would have benefited by adding in a couple more people from the church/town, but otherwise, the characters and character development were fairly good. My take on a few of the characters ...
Anna: really a sweet girl! It's cool how she sought out God without any encouragement from her family ... or anyone else, really. However, her transformation happened very fast ... and after it she was an amazing Christian. How did she do that so fast?! I want to know her secret to insta-Christianity.
James: so sweet. <3
John: isn't he the awesomest little troublemaker? :)
Miles: such a good guy! I really enjoyed his sense of humor. A time or two he moved to slowly for my taste, but he eventually did what I was trying to convince him to do the whole book long.
Setting: 2/5
The setting did need a lot of work. I would have liked to see more description of the characters and of the area around them. I was rarely sure about what stuff looked like. I had to use my imagination a lot, though, which is an upside. :P
Writing: 3/5
My only nit to pick is the POV switches. Most of the book was in first person, Anna's perspective. However, occasionally the author would switch to third person in a different character's perspective. This was confusing and made the book feel a little choppy. Otherwise, it was well-written.
Theme: 4/5
Loved it! Strong Christian content is oftentimes missing in contemporary fiction, so it was great to see this here. I admit I did skim through some of the overly-long prayers and Bible quotations, though. I know I should probably read the Bible more (even reading through the Bible in a year as I am, I can skip days), but that's just not the way to get me to read it, apparently. ;)
Content: 2/5
Language: n/a
Violence: mentions of Mr. Stuart being cruel to Jed and beating him. Mentions of outlaws, thievery, murders, etc. No details. John gets in a fight with one his schoolfellow at one point.
Sexual: people claim that Anna is pregnant and that's why she and Miles are marrying. It's briefly mentioned that Anna's mother died in childbirth.
Good for all ages. Parental guidance suggested for children under 12 because of the gossip about Anna.
Overall: 4/5
A great book with just a few things that lowered the rating one star, Be Thou My Vision is a great story for upper middle graders and teens alike.
~Kellyn Roth, Reveries Reviews
As you know, I didn't really enjoy A Mighty Fortress, so I was a little nervous when I began this book.
Lots of my friends on Goodreads really like this series, so I was going, "I hope I don't offend anyone ..." I even know the author to a certain extent ... and I really do hate giving bad reviews regardless. I decided I would just start the book, and if I didn't like it, I'd put it down and say I didn't finish it.
But, long story short, I did end up really enjoying this book. It had some ups and downs, but there were mostly ups.
Plot: 4/5
Very good. I was captivated in some places, and it never slowed down too much. The story as a whole really appealed to me.
The only thing I find somewhat unbelievable is that the whole church was unwilling to welcome Anna and insisted upon believing she was trying to 'ensnare' Miles. Surely there'd be one or two true Christians in a whole town, right? Why would everyone believe that terrible gossip? Makes no sense to me.
Also, you'd think someone would think to help out the pastor with his little boys after his wife died.
Characters: 3/5
I think the book actually would have benefited by adding in a couple more people from the church/town, but otherwise, the characters and character development were fairly good. My take on a few of the characters ...
Anna: really a sweet girl! It's cool how she sought out God without any encouragement from her family ... or anyone else, really. However, her transformation happened very fast ... and after it she was an amazing Christian. How did she do that so fast?! I want to know her secret to insta-Christianity.
James: so sweet. <3
John: isn't he the awesomest little troublemaker? :)
Miles: such a good guy! I really enjoyed his sense of humor. A time or two he moved to slowly for my taste, but he eventually did what I was trying to convince him to do the whole book long.
Setting: 2/5
The setting did need a lot of work. I would have liked to see more description of the characters and of the area around them. I was rarely sure about what stuff looked like. I had to use my imagination a lot, though, which is an upside. :P
Writing: 3/5
My only nit to pick is the POV switches. Most of the book was in first person, Anna's perspective. However, occasionally the author would switch to third person in a different character's perspective. This was confusing and made the book feel a little choppy. Otherwise, it was well-written.
Theme: 4/5
Loved it! Strong Christian content is oftentimes missing in contemporary fiction, so it was great to see this here. I admit I did skim through some of the overly-long prayers and Bible quotations, though. I know I should probably read the Bible more (even reading through the Bible in a year as I am, I can skip days), but that's just not the way to get me to read it, apparently. ;)
Content: 2/5
Language: n/a
Violence: mentions of Mr. Stuart being cruel to Jed and beating him. Mentions of outlaws, thievery, murders, etc. No details. John gets in a fight with one his schoolfellow at one point.
Sexual: people claim that Anna is pregnant and that's why she and Miles are marrying. It's briefly mentioned that Anna's mother died in childbirth.
Good for all ages. Parental guidance suggested for children under 12 because of the gossip about Anna.
Overall: 4/5
A great book with just a few things that lowered the rating one star, Be Thou My Vision is a great story for upper middle graders and teens alike.
~Kellyn Roth, Reveries Reviews
March 19, 2015
Age Appropriate For: 10 and up for very mild romantic themes
Best for Ages: 10 - 18
While the last book I read by Faith Blum, A Mighty Fortress, had many short comings, the message touched my heart, so I decided to give her next book a try.
In skills in writing, Faith has come a long way. This book was far better written and laid out. There weren’t confusing scenes, rambling dialog, and pages and pages of scripture. I can tell that she worked very hard between the books to improve and listen to constructive criticism.
Before I get to some of the things I liked about the story, let me get some of the short-comings out of the way. Anna goes from being a non-believer to a mature Christian far too quickly. You really don’t see her struggle with any real issues, even the anger or sorrow you would expect from some things that happened in her early life. But then, most of the characters were a bit one-dimensional.
Showing, not telling was probably the biggest issue with this book. Instead of showing the changes within Anna or the other characters, the narrator or other characters tell us. The story jumps ahead several times and tells what changes took place, instead of showing. It got a bit irritating at times, but not so much that I hated the book.
I did love Blum living up to the highest ideals of courtship. Yes, at times that made it seem a bit fake. I think far too often, in attempt to be real, we think that those ideas are silly. While maybe the reality of love, courtship, and life is messier than this story and some books make it out to be, treasuring high ideals is important. There wasn’t even a kiss in the story.
I also really loved how Anna took the two motherless boys under her wing and loved them. Seeing not only a problem but being willing to do something about it had me cheering. The challenges with helping the boys was probably one of the best written parts of the book.
Even though the book was fairly simplistic, it was very engaging. I listened to it while on a car trip and wasn’t very happy when I was only a little bit from the end of the story and the trip was at an end. I had to wait until the next day to finish it.
I recommend this book to those who like very clean romance, westerns, and good, Christian morals.
Best for Ages: 10 - 18
While the last book I read by Faith Blum, A Mighty Fortress, had many short comings, the message touched my heart, so I decided to give her next book a try.
In skills in writing, Faith has come a long way. This book was far better written and laid out. There weren’t confusing scenes, rambling dialog, and pages and pages of scripture. I can tell that she worked very hard between the books to improve and listen to constructive criticism.
Before I get to some of the things I liked about the story, let me get some of the short-comings out of the way. Anna goes from being a non-believer to a mature Christian far too quickly. You really don’t see her struggle with any real issues, even the anger or sorrow you would expect from some things that happened in her early life. But then, most of the characters were a bit one-dimensional.
Showing, not telling was probably the biggest issue with this book. Instead of showing the changes within Anna or the other characters, the narrator or other characters tell us. The story jumps ahead several times and tells what changes took place, instead of showing. It got a bit irritating at times, but not so much that I hated the book.
I did love Blum living up to the highest ideals of courtship. Yes, at times that made it seem a bit fake. I think far too often, in attempt to be real, we think that those ideas are silly. While maybe the reality of love, courtship, and life is messier than this story and some books make it out to be, treasuring high ideals is important. There wasn’t even a kiss in the story.
I also really loved how Anna took the two motherless boys under her wing and loved them. Seeing not only a problem but being willing to do something about it had me cheering. The challenges with helping the boys was probably one of the best written parts of the book.
Even though the book was fairly simplistic, it was very engaging. I listened to it while on a car trip and wasn’t very happy when I was only a little bit from the end of the story and the trip was at an end. I had to wait until the next day to finish it.
I recommend this book to those who like very clean romance, westerns, and good, Christian morals.
May 19, 2017
Timeframe: About 1876-77
Location: Farming town in Tennessee
Rating: G, very clean, not even any kissing, little violence between boys, and unfounded gossip of unmarried pregnancy (does that make it PG?).
Christian factor: Excellent. Gospel is shared, someone accepts the Lord, and scriptural lessons throughout.
This book follows A Mighty Fortress after one of the main characters was executed. Main characters in this book are:
- Anna is a 30-year-old single woman who gave up married life to take care of her father and brother. She's also the sister of the man executed in the previous book.
- Caleb is her other brother, not a major factor in the story but definitely adds levity.
- Iain is her father, a miserable man since the death of his wife years nearly 20 years before.
- Miles is the pastor, and father to James and John, motherless little boys who take an immediate liking to Anna.
After Anna's mother died their family pretty much became the recluse family of the town. They didn't associate with anybody nor did anyone reach out or associated with them, and they never went back to church. Consequently the town didn't think very highly of them. After a letter from her brother explaining how he was saved before he died, Anna decided to go back to church, possibly to get some questions answered. No one approached her so she approached two little boys who were playing by themselves, and befriended them. One of them was mute and she was delighted to learn some sign language.
After learning these were the pastor's children, Anna tried helping them on a daily basis with their manners and behavior because she could see their father was too busy for the time they needed. Of course rumors circulate by old biddies, especially ones who never particularly liked her.
Anymore than this would be giving away the story. And it was a sweet one; the only conflicts being her grumpy father who threaten to kick her out at one point, and one particular older woman who was just mean, and wanted to spread gossip.
Romance factor was mild. Not even sure it could be called romance. Some people would consider this a really boring book, but I've read worse. This can just be called sweet.
Location: Farming town in Tennessee
Rating: G, very clean, not even any kissing, little violence between boys, and unfounded gossip of unmarried pregnancy (does that make it PG?).
Christian factor: Excellent. Gospel is shared, someone accepts the Lord, and scriptural lessons throughout.
This book follows A Mighty Fortress after one of the main characters was executed. Main characters in this book are:
- Anna is a 30-year-old single woman who gave up married life to take care of her father and brother. She's also the sister of the man executed in the previous book.
- Caleb is her other brother, not a major factor in the story but definitely adds levity.
- Iain is her father, a miserable man since the death of his wife years nearly 20 years before.
- Miles is the pastor, and father to James and John, motherless little boys who take an immediate liking to Anna.
After Anna's mother died their family pretty much became the recluse family of the town. They didn't associate with anybody nor did anyone reach out or associated with them, and they never went back to church. Consequently the town didn't think very highly of them. After a letter from her brother explaining how he was saved before he died, Anna decided to go back to church, possibly to get some questions answered. No one approached her so she approached two little boys who were playing by themselves, and befriended them. One of them was mute and she was delighted to learn some sign language.
After learning these were the pastor's children, Anna tried helping them on a daily basis with their manners and behavior because she could see their father was too busy for the time they needed. Of course rumors circulate by old biddies, especially ones who never particularly liked her.
Anymore than this would be giving away the story. And it was a sweet one; the only conflicts being her grumpy father who threaten to kick her out at one point, and one particular older woman who was just mean, and wanted to spread gossip.
Romance factor was mild. Not even sure it could be called romance. Some people would consider this a really boring book, but I've read worse. This can just be called sweet.
September 7, 2015
"Be Thou My Vision" began at a pivotal point: Iann left with the challenge of raising his three children alone. It quickly advances to when the children are in their thirties (this being the second book) and follows the life of Anna.
This being the fourth of Faith's "Hymns of the Series" that I've read (yes, I read them completely out of order), it was like being reunited with dear friends. I enjoyed reading Anna's side of the story (Book 1 being Jed's side and Book 3 being Caleb's) and getting to know her struggles and victories.
My favorite relationship in the whole book was Anna and James--their meeting was so sweet and it was adorable how James (and John) came to Anna's defense.
A few random things I appreciated:
~Pastor Jenkins' salvation message--bold and clear.
~I felt that Faith did a good job of showing romance in a way that it is focused on God and not emotions.
~Quote: "I am hiding by going through the motions of attending church and reading the Bible."
I didn't particularly care for Anna's familiarity and boldness with the pastor upon their first moments together. It seemed as if the focus was more on teasing than developing a simple relationship.
As for writing style, this is definitely improved from Faith's first book! I found the "head hopping" (changing from Anna's first-person perspective to others' third-person perspective) a little annoying but other than that, it was a very enjoyable read!
This being the fourth of Faith's "Hymns of the Series" that I've read (yes, I read them completely out of order), it was like being reunited with dear friends. I enjoyed reading Anna's side of the story (Book 1 being Jed's side and Book 3 being Caleb's) and getting to know her struggles and victories.
My favorite relationship in the whole book was Anna and James--their meeting was so sweet and it was adorable how James (and John) came to Anna's defense.
A few random things I appreciated:
~Pastor Jenkins' salvation message--bold and clear.
~I felt that Faith did a good job of showing romance in a way that it is focused on God and not emotions.
~Quote: "I am hiding by going through the motions of attending church and reading the Bible."
I didn't particularly care for Anna's familiarity and boldness with the pastor upon their first moments together. It seemed as if the focus was more on teasing than developing a simple relationship.
As for writing style, this is definitely improved from Faith's first book! I found the "head hopping" (changing from Anna's first-person perspective to others' third-person perspective) a little annoying but other than that, it was a very enjoyable read!
April 1, 2018
The audiobook version is great and I look forward to releasing it soon!
September 12, 2019
I enjoyed this book more than the first one, even if it did make me tear up at the very beginning. I could relate to Anna in certain ways and am developing a bit of a soft spot for Caleb, which I expect will be strengthened in the next book. ;) It was also interesting to see Jed's backstory from their perspective, even though it was so sad.
I really appreciated the fact that we got to see more of Anna's growth than just leading up to the moment of her salvation; getting to witness her further learning and maturing made for a nice, well-rounded message. And I loved watching her with James and John! <3<3<3 The only thing that I didn't like plot-wise is that one very significant conflict is left hanging at the end. Not sure if we'll get more of that in Caleb's story, but it did leave me feeling a little confused.
The only thing that really distracted me from the story was that some of the word choices, expressions, etc. felt very modern and not really representative of the period. Also, there was one scene given in third person (the rest is first-person from Anna), that really jolted me out of the rhythm for a minute. But I really enjoyed seeing Anna's growth and getting to know the boys, Miles, Wilma, and Hester, and I'll be interested to get the rest of Caleb's story in the next book. :D
3.5 stars
Content--from the previous book, mentions of various crimes and a man being hung for them and mention of a woman being violated (no details); mentions of fights and beatings and resulting injuries; mentions of drinking and drunkenness; mentions of deaths and a child being blamed for his mother's death; various nasty rumors spread
I really appreciated the fact that we got to see more of Anna's growth than just leading up to the moment of her salvation; getting to witness her further learning and maturing made for a nice, well-rounded message. And I loved watching her with James and John! <3<3<3 The only thing that I didn't like plot-wise is that one very significant conflict is left hanging at the end. Not sure if we'll get more of that in Caleb's story, but it did leave me feeling a little confused.
The only thing that really distracted me from the story was that some of the word choices, expressions, etc. felt very modern and not really representative of the period. Also, there was one scene given in third person (the rest is first-person from Anna), that really jolted me out of the rhythm for a minute. But I really enjoyed seeing Anna's growth and getting to know the boys, Miles, Wilma, and Hester, and I'll be interested to get the rest of Caleb's story in the next book. :D
3.5 stars
Content--from the previous book, mentions of various crimes and a man being hung for them and mention of a woman being violated (no details); mentions of fights and beatings and resulting injuries; mentions of drinking and drunkenness; mentions of deaths and a child being blamed for his mother's death; various nasty rumors spread
April 16, 2016
I enjoyed this book, the second Hymns of the West novel, and the third I’ve read in that series. It was interesting how its time span overlapped with Amazing Grace, and the overlap seemed to run smoothly, Be Thou My Vision’s focusing on Anna Stuart’s romance, Amazing Grace on her brother Caleb’s.
It was a pleasant and relaxing read, and Anna’s romance with Pastor Jenkins was engaging, unique, and, I felt, realistic (what I really liked was how they didn’t fall madly in love but were able to evaluate their courtship without their emotions overwhelming them). At times I felt the characters didn’t act completely in character and sometimes their reactions didn’t make sense one hundred percent. But I enjoyed all the characters, especially Anna and Caleb and their sweet relationship with the two Jenkins boys. I would also have liked more description of the setting. But as it was the characters shone through and grabbed all the attention! All in all an uplifting read that I would recommend.
It was a pleasant and relaxing read, and Anna’s romance with Pastor Jenkins was engaging, unique, and, I felt, realistic (what I really liked was how they didn’t fall madly in love but were able to evaluate their courtship without their emotions overwhelming them). At times I felt the characters didn’t act completely in character and sometimes their reactions didn’t make sense one hundred percent. But I enjoyed all the characters, especially Anna and Caleb and their sweet relationship with the two Jenkins boys. I would also have liked more description of the setting. But as it was the characters shone through and grabbed all the attention! All in all an uplifting read that I would recommend.
March 25, 2015
What a wonderful reminder that God never forgets about us and His plans are always better than our plans!
It takes a strong woman to stand up to busy-bodies who love nothing better than to criticize others when they do not know the truth of the matter. I was reminded of a number of people who spread rumors when they judged matters based on what they saw, rather than what was true.
I saw so many life lessons in this book, many I have experienced and I am certain other readers would be able to relate as well.
Wonderful characters and storyline in a setting that works well.
It takes a strong woman to stand up to busy-bodies who love nothing better than to criticize others when they do not know the truth of the matter. I was reminded of a number of people who spread rumors when they judged matters based on what they saw, rather than what was true.
I saw so many life lessons in this book, many I have experienced and I am certain other readers would be able to relate as well.
Wonderful characters and storyline in a setting that works well.
dnf
May 12, 2025I hated that you used to beat me and my brother let you and my sister just cried. But it's all okay not because I found Jesus." THAT DOES NOT MAKE CHILD ABUSE OKAY! I haven't cleared the first chapter, but apparently this kid's mom died in childbirth and then we had at least a fourteen year time jump and his dad just hated him and resented him and beat him for all of those fourteen years. I'm not interested in reading whatever half-baked redemption we get out of this because we're forgiving child abusers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2016
This is a 3.5 rating. 'Be Thou My Vision' is a sweet very Christian story that tells the story of Jed's family (from 'A Mighty Fortress') and shows them receiving the letter he wrote before he was hanged. This letter helps prompt twenty-nine year old spinster Anna to begin going to church again and from thence her life changes. It was interesting to meet this family of Jed's who let him down so badly and to hear why they didn't intervene more to protect him.
This gentle book focuses on Anna reaching out to two motherless boys, one who is mute, and then develops into a sweet, clean romance. There was only one long sermon this time and overall this was a lighter, more enjoyable book than the previous one.
There were some unusual author decisions here such as switching from third person to first person and some telling that could have been shown (eg Anna talks about being short tempered but we don't really see this, certainly not with her dad). Also Anna had an inexplicably quick adoption of Christian language/concepts saying words like "wait patiently on God's leading".
However, I was engaged enough to enjoy this book, care about the characters and want to read the next book in the series which is Caleb's story.
This gentle book focuses on Anna reaching out to two motherless boys, one who is mute, and then develops into a sweet, clean romance. There was only one long sermon this time and overall this was a lighter, more enjoyable book than the previous one.
There were some unusual author decisions here such as switching from third person to first person and some telling that could have been shown (eg Anna talks about being short tempered but we don't really see this, certainly not with her dad). Also Anna had an inexplicably quick adoption of Christian language/concepts saying words like "wait patiently on God's leading".
However, I was engaged enough to enjoy this book, care about the characters and want to read the next book in the series which is Caleb's story.
Read
November 23, 2015I'd read both the first and third book in the series before this one and I was excited to get to read Anna's story. She is such a figure of strength in her family and I really think Faith portrayed that well. She is also very courageous in so many different aspects of her life: To be able to take a step of faith and learn more about God and what it means to be a Christian, to help two motherless boys who need someone in their lives, and to move towards a point where she worries more about helping others than worrying about what others might think of her.
My favorite characters in this book were James and Wilma. I thought they had such great personalities and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them especially! I also really like how Faith handles Da and the subtle changes in him throughout the series.
If you enjoyed A Mighty Fortress, then you'll love this book as well as the third in the series.
~ I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review ~
My favorite characters in this book were James and Wilma. I thought they had such great personalities and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them especially! I also really like how Faith handles Da and the subtle changes in him throughout the series.
If you enjoyed A Mighty Fortress, then you'll love this book as well as the third in the series.
~ I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review ~
April 3, 2016
This was my first novel in The Hymns of the West series, and I really enjoyed it!
It's a lighthearted read focusing on a young woman struggling to find God after her brother's death. I loved Anna and felt that her struggles and hopes were very realistically portrayed. I enjoyed seeing her grow in her faith and just as a character through the book. Miles was also great, and the two boys were so cute! They kept me smiling and even threatened to make me cry at one point.
The story is sweet and simple. Faith has a really engaging voice that kept me flipping pages. Even though I started with book 2 in the series, I don't feel like I missed anything. I'll definitely be checking the rest of the series out when I have the chance. The Christian element was well done. I never felt preached at, something I appreciate.
Recommended for anyone who likes historical fiction, Westerns, and stories of faith.
It's a lighthearted read focusing on a young woman struggling to find God after her brother's death. I loved Anna and felt that her struggles and hopes were very realistically portrayed. I enjoyed seeing her grow in her faith and just as a character through the book. Miles was also great, and the two boys were so cute! They kept me smiling and even threatened to make me cry at one point.
The story is sweet and simple. Faith has a really engaging voice that kept me flipping pages. Even though I started with book 2 in the series, I don't feel like I missed anything. I'll definitely be checking the rest of the series out when I have the chance. The Christian element was well done. I never felt preached at, something I appreciate.
Recommended for anyone who likes historical fiction, Westerns, and stories of faith.
July 13, 2017
I absolutely loved Be Thou My Vision by Faith Blum! Her writing style was so fun, and I enjoyed the first person point of view. The characters were so real and their emotions were portrayed nicely as well. I loved James! Faith's portrayal of the sweet, little boy was very well done! I've always loved the hymn Be Thou My Vision, so that made the story extra special as well. I'm already reading the next book in the series, Amazing Grace. Thank you, Faith, for another inspiring story!
November 28, 2015
Very nice. Clean, relatable, excellent standards. Recommended. :)
June 13, 2019
This book was very captivating; I almost read it in one sitting. I loved the characters, and the plot was really good. :)
Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Recommended for ages 12 and up.
April 13, 2021
An Excellent Inspirational Romance
This story caught my eye with its title. Be Thou My Vision is one of my favorite traditional hymns. I thought writing a series of inspirational romances based on old hymns was the most clever idea I'd seen this year.
I'm happy to say it was exactly what it should be. I was invested in the stories and the characters and though I didn't start with book 1, I didn't find it hard to get into the story.
I only noticed a couple of typos. So that's a plus. The way the characters respected each other and responded to each other was spot on. The dialog and setting were well-written, too.
Overall, this book was a joy to read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys inspirational historical romance stories.
This story caught my eye with its title. Be Thou My Vision is one of my favorite traditional hymns. I thought writing a series of inspirational romances based on old hymns was the most clever idea I'd seen this year.
I'm happy to say it was exactly what it should be. I was invested in the stories and the characters and though I didn't start with book 1, I didn't find it hard to get into the story.
I only noticed a couple of typos. So that's a plus. The way the characters respected each other and responded to each other was spot on. The dialog and setting were well-written, too.
Overall, this book was a joy to read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys inspirational historical romance stories.
February 19, 2017
Good book, underdeveloped characters
I had a little trouble getting into this book, afraid it was going to be "preachy." Before I knew it though I was hooked & finished the book in one day. The story made me cry as it hit home regarding grief.
I did feel that there wasn't enough detail about the main characters' romance, almost like it rushed them from friends to having feelings without developing those feelings or revealing them to the reader.
I'm glad there are more books in the series but it looks like they are the same story from another character's viewpoint, so I'm not sure I will read them.
I had a little trouble getting into this book, afraid it was going to be "preachy." Before I knew it though I was hooked & finished the book in one day. The story made me cry as it hit home regarding grief.
I did feel that there wasn't enough detail about the main characters' romance, almost like it rushed them from friends to having feelings without developing those feelings or revealing them to the reader.
I'm glad there are more books in the series but it looks like they are the same story from another character's viewpoint, so I'm not sure I will read them.
January 29, 2024
Be Thou My Vision is the second book in a series by Faith Blum (Hymns of the West #2). The first is titled A Mighty Fortress which I read almost a year ago. I could see how these two books coincided by featuring certain characters attempting to survive living in the "wild west," namely Montana. Without going into details and spoiling the stories for those who haven't read them yet, the main idea was to point out how two different families lived, one was a Christian family and the other turned their backs on the Lord, yet eventually return to practice their Christian faith in God. I would certainly recommend this series for those who enjoy reading Christian fiction.
August 24, 2018
Interesting second installment told mostly from a first-person POV. Anna's life hasn't been easy, and at thirty, she's reconciled to being an old maid cooking and cleaning for her father and brother. Then a letter from her runaway brother open's her eyes to God's love. She takes on the challenge of caring for two young boys who need a woman's hand to keep them from running wild while their father, the local pastor, tends to his flock. Sweet story of the transformation of new Christians into the family of God.
July 25, 2020
Anna Stuart is a 30 year old spinster who seems comfortable with her path in life. Suddenly she receives news of the death of her younger brother Jeb she had loved and mothered after her own mother’s death. Jen’s letter urges her to put Christ as the center of her life. Anna begins to study her bible and returns to church. Her attention is captured by young John and James, the motherless sons of the Pastor. Determined to make a Christian gesture Anna offer to help care for them despite resistance and rumors from the community. A nice easy to read historical fiction book
January 25, 2018
Good read.
Really enjoyed this book. To write about a girl who gave so much and receive so little; how she went to church and met two young brothers. They formed a bond, and the brothers happened to be the sons of the widowed pastor. Good storyline. I was somewhat disappointed with the ending. In my opinion the ending was too abrupt. Loose ends needed to be tied up. I recommend reading this book.
Really enjoyed this book. To write about a girl who gave so much and receive so little; how she went to church and met two young brothers. They formed a bond, and the brothers happened to be the sons of the widowed pastor. Good storyline. I was somewhat disappointed with the ending. In my opinion the ending was too abrupt. Loose ends needed to be tied up. I recommend reading this book.
February 6, 2019
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the Christian novel Hymns of the West book 2: Be Thou My Vision by Faith Bloom and this review was given freely.
A sweet Christian romance starting at the point where Jed's family learns of his death and chronologs his sister Anna's and brother Caleb's return to God as well as their budding romances. The story is enriched by the characters of the local Pastor and his sons, the new neighbor Wilma, the Butcher's wife, and the local busybody.
I purchased a copy of the Christian novel Hymns of the West book 2: Be Thou My Vision by Faith Bloom and this review was given freely.
A sweet Christian romance starting at the point where Jed's family learns of his death and chronologs his sister Anna's and brother Caleb's return to God as well as their budding romances. The story is enriched by the characters of the local Pastor and his sons, the new neighbor Wilma, the Butcher's wife, and the local busybody.
August 24, 2019
I decided to try this free Kindle book because of the title. "Be Thou My Vision" is one of my favorite hymns, and I wanted to see how the author used it in her book. I liked this good, clean read. The storyline is good. I did feel that there could have been more development of the characters, but I enjoyed the interaction with the young boys. Better development of the characters, better development of the setting, and better development of the plot would help this novel.
September 2, 2019
Too Many Loose Ends
Don't start this book if you want a nice clean ending. I guess the author wants you to buy the next books in the series. I don't mind when a book leaves some unanswered questions but this book felt like it was building up to something and then it just ended.
Also for a period it was supposed to be written, it didn't feel like it was written for that period. Some words that were used by the characters just didn't fit with the time.
Don't start this book if you want a nice clean ending. I guess the author wants you to buy the next books in the series. I don't mind when a book leaves some unanswered questions but this book felt like it was building up to something and then it just ended.
Also for a period it was supposed to be written, it didn't feel like it was written for that period. Some words that were used by the characters just didn't fit with the time.
October 29, 2019
I love historical novels and this book set in the late 1870's in rural Tennessee farming country was right up my alley. I am a Christian and the struggle of Anna Stuart in her life from being 9 years old to her 30th birthday became very enlightening. Her character was a strong but comforting woman. She loves with a big heart. I would read this again. Looking forward to reading the next story regarding Caleb.
September 6, 2017
Inspired
What a marvelous way Faith Blum has found to put into a novel a message of hope, inspiration, and salvation. Any person who has ever dealt with loss, disappointment, and questions about God's role in life's circumstances will find many answers within the pages of this fictional work.
What a marvelous way Faith Blum has found to put into a novel a message of hope, inspiration, and salvation. Any person who has ever dealt with loss, disappointment, and questions about God's role in life's circumstances will find many answers within the pages of this fictional work.
September 19, 2017
Lovely read
A sweet story about overcoming. A wonderful example in our world today. I enjoyed this one and felt the way Anna went through her trials could be a great lesson to real life problems. The only part I was unable to understand was her and Caleb's inability to stand up for their little brother. How could they not hate their Father? Seemed a bit unrealistic.
A sweet story about overcoming. A wonderful example in our world today. I enjoyed this one and felt the way Anna went through her trials could be a great lesson to real life problems. The only part I was unable to understand was her and Caleb's inability to stand up for their little brother. How could they not hate their Father? Seemed a bit unrealistic.
May 20, 2018
Fun light Christian romance.
With the stress that comes along with moving to a new location it was the best kind of relaxing book to enjoy. A short novel with a lot of hallmark style romance, yes the girl who figures she’ll never get married find the most eligible man who happens to be the new pastor and becomes good friend which buds into a courtship to a nice marriage.
Nice and light.
With the stress that comes along with moving to a new location it was the best kind of relaxing book to enjoy. A short novel with a lot of hallmark style romance, yes the girl who figures she’ll never get married find the most eligible man who happens to be the new pastor and becomes good friend which buds into a courtship to a nice marriage.
Nice and light.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2019
Review
I have truly enjoyed this book and the prelude to book2! I found so much in the book that applied to myself, my beliefs, and my feelings! It has much in it that can be applied to each of us in some form. Thank you for sharing your spirit and talent. You certainly have not hidden your talent under a basket 👍
I have truly enjoyed this book and the prelude to book2! I found so much in the book that applied to myself, my beliefs, and my feelings! It has much in it that can be applied to each of us in some form. Thank you for sharing your spirit and talent. You certainly have not hidden your talent under a basket 👍
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