Review: Inspirational and engrossing.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 21, 2013
Finding Grace tells the story of Grace Martin's search for God, a search guided by the hand of her mentor, Mrs. Pettermint.  The story opens with Grace in an empty courtroom preparing herself for the battle over her inheritance, awaiting her friend Sunny and her lawyer, Michael, and contemplating how the millions at stake would free her from God and from the weight of her responsibilities.  Such doubts and feelings of abandonment by God drew me in right away.  Looking at the cover of the book and the description, Grace was supposed to be a religious leader, yet here she was doubting everything.From this point, the story backs up and becomes the story of the younger Grace Martin. A child who questions everything, a child forced into fearing a God who would allow even his most devout followers to be haunted by devilish night terrors.  If they weren't protected, then what chance had Grace?  Fortunately for her, though, she meets Mrs. Pettermint, a woman who takes a keen interest in her well-being at an early age and encourages her to come to her own conclusions about God and how she wants to live her life.  Unconditional, unjudgemental love were unknown to Grace before she met Mrs. Pettermint and she soaks up the attention, often asking her mentor what she should believe and whether she was doing the right things.  But Mrs. Pettermint, while always a supportive friend, holds tight to the belief that each person must find God through his or her own path and refuses to sway Grace in any direction.Though not one to read inspirational or spiritual books as a rule, I must say I simply love this one.  The story is told with an eye for the inner journey, with a focus on personal growth, societal expectations, and picking oneself up after tragedy strikes.  While God and spirituality are central to Grace's story, she isn't perfect. Her faith is tested, and she doesn't always pass the exam, but still, she finds the strength to carry on.The main premise of the book is that God means something different to each person, and who can really say which belief is the right one.  The important thing is to be true to yourself and to your beliefs, to listen to your heart and find the good in all things.  No matter which religion one follows, I think there is a truth to this.  Now, at the same time, the story does lean towards a new age way of thinking that isn't always flattering to traditional Christian religions, so some may not find the ideas presented in this book to their liking, but the book doesn't force the issue.  It simply tells the story of Grace and shows how her personal journey affects her views on God and on spirituality.  As emphasized by the wise Mrs. Pettermint, it is up to each of us to find our own path to God.Overall, I loved this story for both its message and its narrative.  Grace's journey is interesting and well-presented, and the spiritual message, while central, is not forced upon the reader.  I would recommend this book to those who enjoy inspirational stories and different perspectives. However, I must remind prospective readers that Finding Grace does present a non-traditional approach to spirituality that some may not find to their liking, and while I loved the story, I cannot speak for everyone.I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.