The Bible Companion Book 9 by Karen Westbrook Moderow

 

About the Book

Book: The Bible Companion Book 9 Hosea–Malachi The Minor Prophets

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Non-fiction, Bible Study

Release Date: February 19, 2026

Are you overwhelmed by the evil and suffering around you?

In the time of the Minor Prophets, evil seduces and overpowers God’s people. The Bible Companion Book 9 Hosea–Malachi tracks what happens and why. A simple one-chapter-a-day format lets you engage with Scripture without the pressure of schedules, homework, or heavy reading loads. Short daily readings and thought-provoking questions connect your story to God’s Word. For personal, group, or homeschool Bible study.

As God’s disobedient people race toward destruction, the prophets do all they can to stop them. The sins and problems they address still plague us today. But their visions of a day when God deals with Satan and makes all things new gives us hope. Evil is a reality we cannot escape apart from God’s grace. If we have drifted, the prophets show us the way back. If we are holding to the Lord, they show us how to endure dark times with optimism and purpose.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

I continue to be impressed with the amount of useful information contained in this series. There are informative charts and asides such as an informative one on covenants. Moderow has included a timeline to help readers understand the context of each book. She gives an overview of the book and then goes through it, chapter by chapter. She gives many spiritual insights and asks thought provoking and practical application questions. There are even more charts and information at the end, in the resource section. I highly recommend this series.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

 

About the Author

KAREN WESTBROOK MODEROW is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She holds master’s degrees in theology and creative writing and loves introducing others to Jesus through the stories told in God’s Word.

 

More from Karen

Throwing Jonah Overboard

Jonah is a minor prophet with a big story. The tale of a runaway prophet who is swallowed by a big fish is the perfect analogy for many of life’s upsetting circumstances like the one my minister friend is experiencing.

He had to report his boss for ongoing unethical behavior. The church leaders listened and are now verifying facts, a process that could take weeks. In the meantime, the board asked my friend to stay in his role and submit to his boss with kindness and respect while they decide how to proceed. Because he loves the Lord, the church, and its leaders, he wants to comply. Yet he feels like he’s been thrown overboard. How can he maintain a good attitude while working daily under someone who has hurt him and the ministry so deeply?

I immediately thought of Jonah. God commanded him to go Nineveh and warn people of coming judgment. Jonah did not want to go. For good reason. The Ninevites had raped, pillaged, and burned their way through his home territory multiple times. So, instead of obeying, Jonah boards a ship heading the opposite direction. But the Lord sends a violent storm that threatens to sink the ship. When the crew cast lots to see who brought this calamity on them, the lot falls on Jonah. He tells them to throw him overboard and they will be saved. Not wanting to take a life, the sailors delay but ultimately toss him into the sea.

We may identify with Jonah if our choices have put others at risk. Or perhaps we’ve felt like the sailors, caught in the consequences of someone else’s action. In my friend’s case, his courageous decision to speak up intensified a storm already brewing. Now he bears the brunt of it.

Storms take us to the depths. The discomfort of tense relationships can feel as confining and foul as the belly of a whale. But Jonah’s story gives us a needed perspective. The crisis was never just about the prophet. As the pagan crew wrestled with fear and guilt, God was working in their hearts. After He calmed the sea, they offered sacrifices and made vows to Him. Jonah’s crisis led to their salvation and proved a major theme of Scripture—God is in control.

In the book of Jonah, God doesn’t reveal truth through the words of the prophet but through the man’s pitiful example. His life is a mirror. We see his rebellion, his anger, his submission (of sorts), his obedience (of sorts), and see ourselves. The contrast between us and Jesus couldn’t be sharper. The Father sent His Son into enemy territory too, but Jesus didn’t run. He loved us. Died for us. Saved us. And now He calls us—just as he called Jonah—to rescue others.

We are God’s messengers and He will reveal Himself through us one way or another. So we should not be surprised to find ourselves in situations where our survival depends on Him. Being thrown overboard does not mean abandonment. It’s the opposite. Whether we jump or are tossed in by others, we fall into the hands of the living God. Jonah 1:17 says, “Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah.” That fish—as scary as he must’ve been to Jonah—saved him from drowning. It’s often the same for us. The dark place looming before us can be our deliverance.

Jesus used the story of Jonah to describe His death and resurrection: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40). Unlike Christ, Jonah was guilty. Bad choices got him to the point where sacrificing himself was the only way to save his shipmates. To his credit, he went willingly. And at that moment, Jonah became Christ-like—choosing death so others could live.

God’s plan always includes others. In the vortex, they too will make choices that affect their character and eternal destiny. But whether we or those in the boat with us act out of honor, necessity, or maliciousness, God remains Lord of the storm.

As it rages, God may call us to return to the very ones who hurt us and show them the mercy Christ showed us. We may sit in the belly of the whale for a season engulfed in grief or confusion. Yet even that dark space has its blessings. Jonah used his “time out” to confess his need, express gratitude, and commit to obeying the Lord. We can do the same.

One of the many lessons in Jonah is this: God never gives up on us. He will track us to the end of the earth—not only to restores us to Himself but to make us effective messengers. He wants everyone around us to know that Jesus saves, that He is sovereign, and that there is no cause for fear. “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps” (Ps. 135:6). Even if life throws us overboard, we are never abandoned. Never adrift. God is in control and our lives are in His hands.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 8

Lots of Helpers, September 9

Girls in White Dresses, September 9

Simple Harvest Reads, September 10 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 11

Texas Book-aholic, September 12

Artistic Nobody, September 13 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 14

She Lives To Read, September 15

Guild Master, September 16 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 17

Fiction Book Lover, September 18 (Author Interview)

Because I said so adventures in parenting, September 19

The Bookish Ledger, September 20 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, September 21

Giveaway

 

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/0YRWn/the-bible-companion-book-9-hoseamalachi-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Clean Slate by Brianna Labuskes

About the Book:

Death pays well for Olive Hunt, a crime scene cleaner who channels her childhood traumas into erasing the suffering of others. After nearly ten years, she’s seen it all. Nothing rattles her anymore.

Until now.

Two back-to-back suicides. A seedy motel. An upscale Atlanta hotel. No connection―except that Olive discovers the same strange item at each scene. Then a third body drops. Olive knows what the police refuse to see: These aren’t suicides. They’re murders staged to perfection.

Then the roses arrive. A vase of bloodred blooms on her doorstep. An anonymous note: Thank you.

She’s found him. A serial killer who’s been leaving breadcrumbs only she can see. A killer who’s been cleaning up his work―knowing she’ll clean up after him. A killer who wants her to follow.

And follow she must. No matter how terrifying the trail becomes.

My Review:

This novel got off to a slow start with much early information. Once a police overlooked clue is found by Olive, the plot picks up. She becomes an amateur sleuth, not in addition to her job but because of it and because of her childhood experiences. The characters are well drawn, including the friends and the villain. The psychological suspense is good as it seems the killer is purposely leaving items for Olive to find. There is a good deal of suspense included.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Brianna Labuskes is the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Amazon Charts best-selling author of psychological thrillers and historical fiction. Her books have been translated into several languages worldwide. She grew up in Pennsylvania, lived in Washington D.C. for many years and now calls Asheville, N.C. home. She enjoys traveling, hiking and spending time with her pup. For more: visit her at briannalabuskes.com.

Thomas & Mercer, 315 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

A Body in the B&B by Katie Marsh Book Review

About the Book:

When sisters Jennifer and Lizzie Christie inherit their aunt’s dilapidated B&B, in the beautiful Lake District village of Lupton Water, the only thing they have in common is how much they hate their housemate, Declan Moss.

The two of them fell out thirty years before, and now they’re mid-life, mid-menopause, and about to be mid-disaster. And not just because Jennifer’s cat Clementine and Lizzie’s dog Gizmo have taken an instant dislike to each other.

Because when Declan’s body is found in the bathtub, the sisters go straight to the top of the suspect list. Can they – and their pets – bury the hatchet long enough to find out who the killer is? Or will they become the next victims?

My Review:

This is a delightfully entertaining mystery. While the estranged sisters, as main characters, are good, it was the animals that stole the show. Periodically a chapter was written from either the lumbering dog or persnickety cat's viewpoint. That added some fun and humor to the novel. But there was also a good bit of humor included in general. It was surprisingly pleasant.

The sisters had had a terrible row thirty years ago and their being forced together now was painful for both of them. They decide they must work together when a murder happens in the old house they inherited. The police on their heels, they have to discover the murderer before one of them gets arrested for the murder. Throw in a bunch of quirky characters and the meddling cat and dog and you have an entertaining mystery. And maybe, just maybe, the sisters will agree to reconcile. I do hope so because I would like to see them in a sequel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Katie Marsh is the bestselling author of 'How Not To Murder Your Ex'. After writing romantic fiction, she turned her hand to cosy crime novels packed with humour and unforgettable characters. Her debut novel was a World Book Night pick and her books are published in fourteen languages.

She lives in the English countryside and loves strong coffee and pretending to be in charge of her children. She spent every childhood summer in the Lake District, which is the setting for her new cosy crime series, The Christie Sisters Mysteries. The books feature a dilapidated Lakehouse B&B, two sisters who haven't spoken for thirty years and a warring cat and dog. The first book in the series, 'A Body in the B&B' is out now.

Katie loves chatting on Instagram when she should be writing - come and say hello @katiemarshauthor.

Boldwood Books, 283 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Until She Dies by Kendra Elliot Book Review

About the Book:

Detective Noelle Marshall and FBI Agent Max Rhodes unearth bodies and secrets as they become targets of a serial killer in a chilling novel of suspense by a Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

When a search dog locates a mass burial ground in the Oregon forest, Detective Noelle Marshall is plunged into a hunt for a killer who’s hiding in plain sight. The key to her case lies in a decades-old secret: a lone survivor who escaped and is still out there, living in fear. The murderer is a phantom who left behind a collection of victims with nothing in common but their final resting place.

As pressure mounts to identify the bodies and find the killer, the investigation draws in FBI Agent Max Rhodes―Noelle’s partner in work and in life. They’ve hunted monsters before, but this one has spent years preparing for this moment, and he craves revenge. As the search narrows and the clock tightens, Noelle and Max must confront a predator who knows the terrain―and their weaknesses―better than they do.

My Review:

I have read many of Elliot's mysteries because they take place in Oregon, next to my own Washington State. I have enjoyed them, especially the Columbia River series. For some reason, this novel just did not seem as good as her earlier novels. It did not seem as tightly plotted as what I have come to suspect. And there is a great deal of hurt that happens, even to important characters. There is a dating section in this novel that did not seem well written. I like the investigative scenes Elliot writes much better than the dating ones.

I do have high standards for Elliot as I have thoroughly liked her novels. While I didn't think this one was up to what I have come to expect, I still liked it and will be watching for her next novel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author:

Kendra Elliot has landed on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list multiple times and is the award-winning author of the Bone Secrets series, the Noelle Marshall series, the Callahan & McLane series, the Mercy Kilpatrick novels, and the Columbia River novels. She’s a three-time winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award, an International Thriller Writers Award finalist, and an RT Award finalist. She was born and raised in the rainy Pacific Northwest but now spends most of her time in sunshine. Visit her at www.kendraelliot.com.

Montlake, 331 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Dwelling in Christ by Jonathan R Bailey

About the Audiobook:

Like many Christians, you may feel as if you're living in a cycle of fits and starts, seeking to grow closer to God but feeling disillusioned in your faith. In a culture of hustle and hurry, maybe you long to trade a transactional faith for a transformational relationship with God.

In Dwelling in Christ, Jonathan R. Bailey reintroduces the Threefold Way―an ancient, time-tested path of Christian spirituality. Moving beyond quick fixes and performance-based faith, this well-worn path offers a practical movement through three stages for growing in Christlikeness over a lifetime.

Discover anew how to walk the Threefold Way:

•  Purgation: Learn to release the harmful and unloving things that pull you away from God.
•  Illumination: Dwell more deeply in God's presence as you intentionally and gradually align your heart more and more with his.
•  Union: Experience an ever-deepening friendship with God that increasingly transforms you into Christlikeness from the inside out.

Aided by the wisdom of ancient monastics, contemporary theologians, and thoughtful reflections on his own spiritual journey, Bailey invites you to trade the illusion of control for the reality of love. In continuity with spiritual voices such as Dallas Willard and Richard Foster, this book offers a hopeful and practical way of life through retrieving a framework reaching back into the earliest centuries of the church. With Dwelling in Christ, be free from chasing quick fixes and enter the steady, lifelong journey of becoming like Christ.

My Review:

I really like this book. Bailey clarifies how we usually see spiritual growth, as transactional. We do this thing and we expect a certain result. He tried again and again but his best efforts led to frustration. He advocates growth that is transformational. It is a slow process and will take a lifetime. We never finish because we are always becoming. We never will arrive until we see Jesus face to face.

I like how Bailey has investigated the experiences of Christians over the centuries. He goes through the three fold path, explaining how each transforms us. By his own admission, he has not come into the union stage. That in itself may take the rest of his life.

This is a great book for every Christian frustrated by the usual means of growth. Bailey's personal way of explaining what he has learned makes for a very good listening experience. I highly recommend this book. There are additional resources at the book's website.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

About the Author/Narrator:

Jonathan R. Bailey writes about Christian spiritual formation and the slow work of becoming like Christ.

He is the author of Dwelling in Christ: Discover the Threefold Path of Spiritual Transformation, a book that draws from Scripture and the wisdom of the Christian tradition to explore how God forms us through the ancient path of purgation, illumination, and union.

Jonathan is the creator of the Three Weekly Lights newsletter, a Ministry Team member with Renovaré, and co-founder of Dwell, the audio Bible app.

He is especially interested in what Christians from the past can teach us about following Christ in the present.

He lives in Texas with his wife, Kori, and their three children.

InterVarsity Press, 6 hours 1 minute.

I received a complimentary digital audio of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Silence at Mystery Bay by D D Black

About the Book:

Private investigator Thomas Austin is enjoying a relaxing holiday vacation in picturesque Port Townsend, Washington, accompanied by an intriguing new friend. But his tranquility is shattered when the nearby community of Mystery Bay is rocked by the death of a revered musician at an infamous counterculture festival: The Rabbit Hole.

The Rabbit Hole is an annual gathering of musicians, gamers, techies, and political radicals who revere music, art, technology, and—perhaps most highly—mind-altering substances. Bound by an unspoken code of silence, festival goers refuse to aid police in their investigation, raising tensions between law enforcement and dozens of tight-lipped witnesses.

Desperate, the local sheriff enlists Austin and the Kitsap Sheriff's Department to penetrate the stonewalling witnesses and unearth the truth. Navigating the unconventional beliefs and simmering conflicts permeating The Rabbit Hole, Austin nears a breakthrough. But as he does, the festival takes a deadly turn no one saw coming.

In this community bound by defiance and dark secrets, Austin faces his most challenging case yet. A case that will leave him questioning everything he's ever been sure of, even his own sanity.

The thrilling eighth installment in this acclaimed mystery series immerses you in a suspenseful journey into a quaint small town and a futuristic festival so strange—and so deadly—you'll have to read it to believe it.

My Review:

This adventure for Thomas Austin is a little different as it takes place at a drug infused celebration. There are some really strange characters who do some really strange things. But there is also a murder and Austin is on the case.

I did not like this novel as well as some of the others. I think because of the weirdness of the drug scene. Some of the dialogue was beyond me, but then, so were some of the actions. One fellow said we create our own reality in our minds and there was some strange reality created here. I really like this series though, so will move on to the next mystery.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

D.D. Black writes crime fiction set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He is the author of the Thomas Austin Crime Thrillers and the FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. series. When he's not writing, he can be found strolling the beaches of the Pacific Northwest, cooking dinner for his wife, and throwing a ball for his corgi over and over and over. To learn more, check out my website, where you can join the VIP Reader Club for discounts, news, and more corgi photos than you ever knew you needed. You can find out more at https://ddblackauthor.com/ 

Independently Published, 254 pages.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Art of the Margins by D J Williams

About the Book:

This countercultural manifesto calls us back to creating not for platform or praise but to restore beauty where it’s been fractured, speak truth where it’s been blurred, and rekindle hope in a weary world.

The moment we exchange our soul’s call to create for our culture’s demand to be seen, joy gives way to exhaustion. We stop chasing rhythms and melodies, words and ideas, light and color. We’re too busy checking the charts, the clicks, the views, the endorsements. But true creativity is not sustained by visibility. It is forged on our knees in the presence of our Creator.

Art of the Margins calls creatives to embrace obscurity as the sacred birthplace of purpose. Across thirty cinematic chapters, D. J. Williams blends personal story and biblical wisdom to reframe hidden seasons as holy ground. This guide propels us to create from conviction, live from calling, and have lasting influence―even when we’re unseen.

Creativity not only belongs in galleries, studios, and pulpits. It belongs in the forgotten places where we may feel invisible. It belongs in the margins.

My Review:

This book is full of encouragement for those called to creativity. Williams shares his own experiences as he explores those forgotten places, the margins. He reminds us God often starts with the unseen, the overlooked, giving examples from the Bible. Jesus was born in the margins. He writes about facing fear and being willing to venture into the unknown. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to have certainty. Just take a step.

“Creativity is worship,” Williams writes. (181) My favorite saying from this book is “We weren't made to follow someone else's path.” (120) Each of us was made to be an original. If you are called to journey the creative path, your own original creative path, this book will give you much encouragement along the way. You were made to be an original. It is time to step out, even if the outcome is unknown.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

With the DNA of a world traveler, D.J. Williams was born and raised in Hong Kong, igniting an adventurous spirit as he ventured into the jungles of the Amazon, the bush of Africa, and the slums of the Far East. His global travels submerged him in a myriad of cultures, providing a unique perspective that fuels his creativity.

As a fresh voice in mystery, suspense, and YA fantasy, his novels have climbed the charts ranking as high as #1 on Amazon Hot New Releases. His books The Auctioneer and Hunt For Eden’s Star have received stellar reviews from Kirkus Reviews, the most trusted voice in book discovery. Williams has also been featured in Publishers Weekly and Writer's Digest.

Currently living in Los Angeles, D.J. is always on the hunt for the next story.

David C Cook, 256 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Faithfully Dissident Daughters by Chelsea Kim Long

About the Book:

For centuries, patriarchal Christian spaces and interpretations of Scripture have distorted women’s understanding of God, their bodies, and their place in the world. Faithfully Dissident Daughters invites anyone who has felt unseen or diminished by their faith tradition to reimagine and reclaim what it means to love God and embrace themselves.

Raised in evangelical churches, Chelsea Kim Long had a clear vision of the Christian woman she was born to be: a doting wife and mother, filled with the joy of the Lord and love for her family. But after suffering a traumatic birthing experience, postpartum depression, and further reproductive loss, she found that vision―and her faith in a God who would mandate that singular role for women―shattered.

Working through the pain of these deeply feminine experiences opened her eyes to the broader ways the patriarchal Christian worldview undermined not only her but womanhood in general. The faith she’d been handed had no room for questions or nuance and even less room for the bodies, feelings, or the spiritual authority of women’s lived experience.

Through raw personal narrative and rich theological reflection, Chelsea explores the false limits the church has placed on women and how the demand for unquestioning obedience silences women’s natural intuition and erodes self-trust. Chelsea shares her search for and embrace of feminine expressions of the Divine, uncovering long-neglected images of God as Mother, Wisdom, and Spirit that have always lived within the Christian tradition. Steeped in Scripture and diverse, historic Christian traditions, this book will inspire and empower readers to become faithfully dissident by stepping into a faith that feels honest and whole through honoring women’s bodies, emotions, experiences, and innate wisdom.

My Review:

Long writes on the difficult topic of remaining faithful to Christ while being against practices in Christianity that harm people. She investigated the role of women in Christianity. She reminds readers that theology as we understand it today has not always been so clearly defined. She also reminds us of the idea of the Spirit as feminine and the fact that Wisdom is portrayed as female in Proverbs. A surprise to me, a life long Calvinist, was her well researched argument that the heart is not “desperately wicked.”

This is a good book for readers who want to remain in the love of God and the way of Christ while dissenting from distorted expressions of Christian faith. (5) Long draws from a number of Christian traditions with refreshing results. This is a thought provoking book and I recommend it.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Chelsea Kim Long is a writer, lay theologian, and meditation teacher exploring Christianity through the lens of women’s embodied experiences and contemplative spirituality. Her work invites readers to reimagine Christianity beyond patriarchy and toward a more expansive and inclusive expression of faith. She lives in San Diego with her husband and three kids, where she co-leads an intentional neighborhood faith community grounded in belonging and justice.

Westminster John Knox Press, 212 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)