Books for Christian Girls: "Messina" by Liz Galvano

About this book:

“Ominous words from the stone-faced physician at the temporary hospital greet her: “Welcome to hell, Miss James.” No description could be more accurate. Earthquake, tsunami, and fire have razed Messina, Sicily. In a single night in 1909, one hundred thousand people never wake up. Physician Lucille James is determined to help despite horrendous conditions, almost non-existent medical supplies, and the opposition of the medical community she worked so hard to join. Giovanni Castello, the man facing her now, stands as her biggest opponent. Surrounded by blood and death and pushed to the edge of exhaustion, Lucille relies on God as her only option. When God gives a gift, after all, a person must use it. Will she have the strength, courage, and faith to do so?”

Series: Book #1 in “The Casa Bella Chronicles” series.

Spiritual Content- Romans 8:28 at the first chapter; Many, many, many Prayers & Blessings over food (and calling on Jesus & Mary); Bible reading; Many Scriptures are mentioned, quoted, read, remembered & prayed; Many talks about God, faiths, religions, forgiving, believing, trusting, strength & gifts; Most ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Witnessing to Giovanni; Giovanni doesn’t believe in God, but is an atheist and mentions Darwin’s theory (he still wonders why Lucy believes in God after everything that happens. *Spoiler* He prays & decides to follow God about 60% in. *End of Spoiler*); At one point, Henry wants what he wants, not what God wants; A priest & a nun; A family crest & about its Christian origins; Many, many mentions of prayers & thanking God; Many mentions of God; Many mentions of Heaven; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of cathedrals, chapels & churches; Mentions of Saints & being called one; Mentions of prejudice against Catholics; A few mentions of crossing & rosaries; A few mentions of those in the Bible; A few mentions of heathens; A mention of a miracle;

*Note: Talks about & mentions of Darwin’s theory; Mentions of mythology & a story about martyrs; “This place is hell” and “Welcome to hell” are both said one-to-two times each.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘dumb’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘sissy’, and three ‘stupid’s; Giovanni takes the Lord’s name in vain by saying “Dio mio!” [“My God!”] (the priest & nun aren’t happy about it); Pain & Blood (semi-detailed); Vomiting, Cholera & Diarrhea (up to semi-detailed); Nearly All About helping hurt/dying people, so filled with mentions of bodies, corpses, blood, bruises, broken bones, injuries, deaths, sawing off limbs, & surgeries (up to very semi-detailed); Mentions of killing a thief, shooting him & a victim (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of illnesses & vomiting; Mentions of kidnappings; Mentions of smoking, tobacco, cigars & cigarettes; Mentions of gossip; A couple mentions of unpleasant things a doctor sees; A couple mentions of wolves eating bodies & shooting them off (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of slaughter houses & butchers; A couple mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of dead animals; A couple mentions of the color or poo brown.

Sexual Content- five hand/finger kisses, fourteen cheek kisses, a nose kiss, thirteen head/forehead kisses, two not-detailed kisses, four barely-above-not-detailed kisses, eight semi-detailed kisses and a boarder-line semi-detailed // detailed kiss; Remembering cheek & forehead kisses (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Nearness & Dancing (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Staring; a ‘harlot’, a ‘virile’ and five forms of ‘whore’; A man grabs Lucy’s arm & tries to get a kiss, but is pulled away before that happens; Mentions of flirting, crushes & blushes; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of reputations; Mentions of labor & getting a baby out (semi-detailed); Mentions of a gentleman not looking a woman when she’s changing or at her bare leg; Mentions of men leering & staring at Lucy; Mentions of men using & abusing women; Mentions of showering & being naked; Mentions of waiting for a wedding night, wanting more but staying pure while waiting for the gift of that night; Mentions of an examination to see if a woman is still a virgin (no details, just embarrassment); Mentions of purity, being chaste & virgins; A few mentions of consummating a marriage; A few mentions of men only wanting one thing from women and some not taking advantage of women; A mention of a report of rape; A mention of not fornicating; Love, falling in love & the emotions:

*Note: A couple mentions of nude statues (Lucy adverts her eyes); Mentions of naked bodies & people; A couple mentions of unmentionables; A few mentions of women’s weights.

-Lucy James, age 26

-Giovanni Castello, age 34
P.O.V. switches between them, Henry (7x) & Father Dominic (3x)

Set in 1908-09
319 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Add ½ star for older girls interested in a medical field.}

Well, this was a roller coaster of emotions! I really liked Lucy & Giovanni, and overall this was a sweet book with some humor to help lighten some a hard time period and a swoon worthy romance. I do wish I could give a bit of a higher rating due to Giovanni being such a gentleman and all the great Spiritual Content, but due to more stuff near the end, I can’t. I can see, however, fans of Lisa T. Bergren enjoying this one. I’m not a large fan of her books due to content and I would say that this book made me feel the same way I felt like after I had read “Waterfall” by Lisa T. Bergren…slightly torn because I enjoyed the overall plot, but there were quite a few parts I didn’t like.

See y’all on Friday with a new review!