Be Still, My Soul

Mysteries of the West, Book 1

De: Faith Blum

Narrado por: Brantley Brumley

"Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour." - Ephesians 4:28

When Carsten Whitford is arrested for a robbery he didn't commit, he struggles to clear his name that's already stained by his father's arrest from four years ago. Carsten is the sole supporter of his mother and he works the farm he has lived on his whole life.

The day after his arrest, Carsten's mentor gets him released until the trial. Carsten and his three friends work together to prove he didn’t rob the store since no one, especially the town marshal, seems interested in finding out who is truly guilty. The townspeople assume he is guilty because of his father’s past, including the girl Carsten wants to court.

Will Carsten and his friends find out who truly robbed the store or will they find something more sinister that could even lead to their own deaths?

©2023 Faith Blum (P)2024 Faith Blum

Simplistic Yet Engaging

I am fairly new to the audiobook world and was excited to listen to my first western!

The first thing that caught my attention when I started listening was the simplistic yet engaging writing. There is a kind of innocence that you feel when you’re listening, which was a nice change of pace from what I’ve been reading lately. The narrator has a nice voice that matches what I imagine Carsten would sound like, which heightened the audiobook for me. It’s like he’s telling his own story, which was really neat.

I do wish the narrator would’ve had a bit more emotion behind his voice. A lot of the time I felt like it felt flat and devoid of emotion, though I know Carsten and other characters conveyed many emotions throughout the story. I also had a hard time keeping the different narrators straight, as the narrator did not change his voice enough to make the different characters distinctive, at least for my ear.

It is clear that Carsten is a sweet soul but because of the sins of his past no one will let him prove that he is a changed man no matter what he does. This to me was so frustrating as I was listening. Who wants to have their sins constantly held over their heads, especially when they have repented? I do feel like despite the conflict this was a surface-level story and would’ve liked to have seen more internal thoughts and emotions explored.

Carsten with his group of friends were some of my favorite moments. I love the light, witty banter and seeing how they support Carsten is a nice juxtaposition to the other townsfolk that are suspicious and judgmental of poor Carsten. There is a moment where grace is acted out and it was my favorite moment and something I always appreciate in stories like this.

I left this audiobook with a pretty sweet message. Trusting God and others when things seem bleak can be one of the hardest things to do, but boy oh boy can God do some amazing things when you do.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.

Good Read

I really enjoyed this book! I started listening to it on my own and then turned it on during my drive time in a roadtrip. Immediately my husband was engrossed and we had to start over so he could understand the story. We were both enthralled!

I really enjoyed the redemption arc of the story as Carsten learned how to live a wholesome life once he learned that the things his father taught him to do were not appropriate. His work to live a wholesome life was inspiring and enthralling. The book has a touch of mystery as well.

Disclosure statement: thank you to the author for the advance copy of this book. A positive review was not required.

A wholesome YA redemption story

“Be Still My Soul” is a wholesome redemption story about a boy raised in thievery who grows into a changed young adult who tries to prove himself better than his past.

Even though my introduction to teen Carsten Whitford is as he attempts to steal a necklace from a churchmate’s home, I can’t help by like him. With the knowledge of how he was raised, it’s easy to empathize for and root for him. Years later, 18-year-old Carsten is a changed man, but he struggles to prove his innocence when he was arrested for a crime he didn’t commit.

I enjoyed the faith aspect in this story. Carsten’s relationship with God is inspiring and his prayers feel genuine and sweet. I love a good redemption story, and this one has elements of mystery and suspense as well.

The narration of the audiobook version, by Brantley Brumley, is a bit wearisome for me in the beginning. As the story progresses and I become more immersed in the story, the “reading” feels a little more natural, though I’m still well aware I am being read to. (The narrator could use a bit more inflection.) Still, the story is interesting and engaging, and I’m curious about the rest of the series.

First Line (Prologue): Trying to live in two worlds was near impossible.
Series: Mysteries of the West, book 1
Genre: Christian Western, Mystery & Suspense, YA
Author: Faith Blum
Audio Length: 3 hours and 57 minutes
Page Count: 198
Reading Age: YA

#CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are 100% mine.

great western

Be Still, My Soul was the first book I have read written by Faith Blum, and it will not be the last. Though westerns are not my primary genre, I have read a few the last month and I have thoroughly enjoyed them. It contained just enough mystery to keep me on my toes. It was well written and kept the reader engaged.

The character development was great. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the heart change in Carsten as he grew up with a thieving outlaw father and was taught to do the same. But seeing his heart change and the effort he was putting forth helping others was heartwarming. His relationship with God was so encouraging and beautiful. Seeing him grow closer to God and depend on Him when things were hard was encouraging. The reminder that not everyone is who they seem to be, and judging someone from outwards appearance isn’t right.

The faith message is the best part

Carsten is seeking to live an honest life after being raised by a thieving father. Despite his track record since turning to the Lord, the people in town are still somewhat distrustful of him, and when he is falsely accused of stealing, too many are quick to believe the report.

Since the sheriff won't do anything to prove his innocence, Carsten and his friends set out to run their own investigation. Along the way they discover there's more to this crime than first meets the eye. Will they be able to take down a whole network of criminals?

I've seen other reviewers mention this is a young adult story, though it's not marketed as such as far as I can tell. A young adult audience makes sense, as the storyline is rather simplistic, and characters are decidedly either good or bad. There are also consistency issues in the narrative that took away from my enjoyment of the story.

However, the best part of this novel by far is the way Carsten earnestly desires to obey God and turns to Him regularly through Bible reading, prayer, and putting God's Word into practice. This is a valuable example to readers no matter their age.

If you enjoy western stories with a strong faith theme, I recommend Be Still, My Soul. The audiobook is done well and it's easy to imagine this is Carsten's own voice telling his story.

I received my copy of the audiobook from JustRead Tours. All thoughts in this review are my own.