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Jenni Clark Dickens

@uplifting.books

1.1K

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2361

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Reviews of clean fiction & nonfiction books that soothe our souls, stir up joy, and inspire us to embrace hope. Wife, mom, follower of Christ.

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A vibrant splash of color against a stormy background. My breath catches with a wistful yearning for something I can’t name, coupled with a serene sense that all will be well. I often encounter something similar when immersed in a story.

Step into my library, your refuge from a wearying world. I’ll share glimpses of books that have nourished my soul as together we seek lasting hope and joy.

From enchanting fantasy and inspiring fiction to collections of heartfelt wisdom, each of these books can open our hearts to hope. Join me on the journey…. by @uplifting.books

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2 years ago

What to Expect from my Bookstagram 📚

💕Swoon but no spice! Clean, closed-door books with an uplifting vibe
(No explicit content. There may be passionate kissing, physical contact, yearning, and emotional intensity. Culmination of intimacy may be implied, but never detailed explicitly. Some books may contain violence, minimal coarse language, or trigger warnings.
I’ll state these in my review.)

Wide Range of Fiction Genres
📚All genres except horror
📚My faves are Fantasy, Historical fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Classics & Literary Fiction
📚Some are faith-based, some are not, but all are clean and uplifting

Nonfiction
Most of the nonfiction I read is Christian
📚Christian living
📚Apologetics
📚Devotionals
📚Memoirs
I do sometimes read nonfiction that is not faith-based, but it must be uplifting and clean

All Age Ranges
📚Clean adult
📚YA
📚Middle grade
📚Childrens’ books
I read more clean adult and YA books, but I do sprinkle in middle grade fiction and childrens’ books

Traditional and Indie Authors
My current favorites include:
📚Andrea Renae
📚Sarah Clarkson
📚CS Lewis
📚Helena Sorensen
📚Malcolm Guite
📚Megan Schaulis
📚JRR Tolkien
📚Patti Callahan Henry

Content Includes
📚Honest, Spoiler-Free Reviews
📚Favorite Bookish Quotes and Tropes
📚Bookish Photos and Reels
📚Bookish Giveaways! by @uplifting.books

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21 days ago

Have you ever read a book that left you feeling down, worried, or unsettled? We get enough of those emotions in real life. Reading should be different.

I focus on books that are uplifting. That doesn’t mean they’re boring! They may be thrilling, or hilarious, or swoony. They may deal with deep or painful topics.

But by the end of the book, you feel buoyed by a sense of hope. Hope that light still shines in the midst of darkness, and that darkness will not overcome it.

I’m a Christ follower, but you don’t need to be a Christian to be welcome here. Some of the books I read are faith-based. Others are not faith-based, but have a positive worldview. My goal is that you can find something here to uplift and inspire you, whether you are searching for truth, secure in your own faith, or somewhere in between. I don’t have it all together (not even close), and I want to be honest about that. But maybe the first step to peace is moving just a little closer to the light. Join me here as we seek, together, to be uplifted.

Jenni Clark Dickens
@uplifting.books by @uplifting.books

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a month ago

Congrats to @whatrmen2rocksandmountains for winning my 1K Follower Giveaway! She chose Choice #2. Yay!!🎉
I’ll probably include Choice #1 (the Green Ember: Arrow books & Activity Set) in another giveaway at some point, so if you’re interested, stick around! 💕 by @uplifting.books

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6 days ago

👒 GIVEAWAY and BOOK REVIEW! 👒

I’m excited to be on the JustReads giveaway tour for The Sisterhood of Unlikely Friends by Sara Brunsvold, published by Revell.

👒 My Review:
Authenticity. If I could describe this book in one word, that would be it. It’s all about being real — with ourselves, with others, and with God. The book centers around four women, of different ages and backgrounds, who are drawn into an improbable fellowship.

Jess is forty-two years old and starting her life anew after some poor choices. I was easily pulled into her story and found myself rooting for her early on. But Jess has some issues with trust and vulnerability. She was raised to be doggedly independent. What will that look like as she strikes out on her own?

I found this book engaging and inspiring. The writing was crisp, the characters authentic, and the storyline encouraging and convicting. It challenged me to take a good look at my own life and evaluate how well I’m living out the Biblical concept of community. Highly recommend!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

👒 Full book blurb in comments, quotes in slides

👒 Win This! 👒
🌷1 reader will win a copy of the book & $25 Bookshop.org gift card

👒 Here’s How to Enter:
            🌷 Follow me @uplifting.books @sara_brunsvold @revellfiction @justreadtours
            🌷 Comment “Enter me to win”

👒 Extra Chances to Win:
            🌷 Tag a friend who would enjoy this story (up to 5 friends)
            🌷 Each tour post you comment “Enter me to win” on counts as a separate giveaway entry

👒 Important Details
            🌷 Find the tour schedule at @justreadtours. US only. Giveaway ends October 13, 2026 at 11:59pm ET.
            🌷 This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram.

👒 QOTD: What’s your favorite way to spend time with your friends?

Women’s Fiction | Sports | Female Friendships | Inspirational Story | Christian Fiction
#TheSisterhoodofUnlikelyFriends #SaraBrunsvold #RevellBoooks #justreadtours by @uplifting.books

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8 days ago

Entries for my 1K Follower Giveaway end tonight at midnight! I’m posting as part of ANOTHER giveaway tomorrow (Saturday), so make sure to check my page!
Winner for my 1K Follower Giveaway will be announced in my Stories on Monday, and winner will receive a DM.
Happy Friday 🌻 by @uplifting.books

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9 days ago

Just look at all these fun goodies I won from @esthers.cottage.library through her recent giveaway! I encourage you to follow Esther, who is relatively new on Bookstagram. She cultivates an inviting and encouraging space focused on goodness, truth, and beauty in books. She shares her musings on motherhood, home life, and Christlike living. Her aesthetic is gorgeous, and the quotes and thoughts she shares have inspired and blessed me greatly. Take a look at her page @esthers.cottage.library

Here’s the blurb for the book she sent me, Girls’ Club: Cultivating Lasting Friendship in a Lonely World by Sarah, Sally & Joy Clarkson. I’m excited about it! You can connect with the authors @sarahwanders @sally.clarkson @joynessthebrave

“Discover the gift of friendship!

“In a time when many women feel lonely and isolated, Girls’ Club calls us to embrace the delight and comfort that can be found in life-giving friendships with women― and to cultivate relationships that not only offer emotional affirmation and acceptance, but also inspire, educate, and stretch us to live out our God-given potential.

“Told through stories and encouragement based on the authors’ experiences―Sally, a seasoned mother and well beloved author; her daughter Sarah, an Oxford scholar and new mother; and her youngest daughter Joy, a professional young woman pursuing her doctorate―Girls’ Club will speak to the importance of cultivating deep and lasting friendship at every stage in life. Join Sally, Sarah, and Joy as they explore the power, difficulties, potential, beauty, and satisfaction of friendships that help us live purposeful, Godly lives and that satisfy our longing for meaningful and intimate companionship.“

#christianbookstagram
#goodnesstruthbeauty
#cultivatingfriendship by @uplifting.books

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11 days ago

Book Mail! 📚📫
My order of Joanna Davidson Politano’s signed double bundle came in! It includes her new release, When Winter Came to Dunn Cottage, and her release from the spring, The Life She Forgot, both signed by the author. I’m beyond excited to read these!! I’ve heard amazing things about The Life She Forgot. It’s the first in her series titled The House on the Edge of the Cliff. When Winter Came to Dunn Cottage is a novella in the same series. I’ll post the blurb for When Winter Came to Dunn Cottage below, and the blurb for The Life She Forgot in the next slide. You can connect with the author @joannadavidsonpolitano

When Winter Came to Dunn Cottage
“A stranger is wearing her missing father’s coat.
And he isn’t saying why…

“The last place Rosalyn Snow expects to find her father’s coat is beneath Exeter’s old Exe Bridge.

“Especially not on the back of a man fleeing the police.

“Convinced the stranger holds the truth she’s spent years searching for, Rosalyn brings him home for Christmas. But Simon avoids giving answers, and what little he reveals only deepens the mystery.

“As Dunn House fills with glittering guests, whispered ambitions, and holiday celebration, Simon moves through society as though he belongs there... yet he’s just as at home among the vagrants on the docks. And when Simon’s carefully guarded past reaches Dunn House during the Twelfth Night celebration, the fragile peace of the estate begins to unravel.

“What has become of her father?
And who is the man wearing his coat?

“Bringing Simon Balfour home might unravel Christmas.
Discovering who he is will make it unforgettable.”

Blurb for The Life She Forgot:

“He promised to help her reclaim the memories she lost—no matter what they found.
Until she remembered another man.

“Cornwall, 1913

“For three years, Merryn has lived without a past—no family, no history, no home that truly feels like hers.

“When the threat of being locked away for her own “protection” looms, she takes a desperate chance on AJ Winthrop—a charming stranger who offers a hasty marriage of convenience and a promise: he will take her back to Cornwall and help her uncover the truth about who she once was.

“But along by @uplifting.books

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13 days ago

Giveaway Closed.

🎉 WINNER’S CHOICE GIVEAWAY!!🎉  Choice #1: Middle-grade Fiction Prize Package Win a new “Green Ember: Archer” 3-book series & Activity set
🏹 Includes 3 books, 1 activity book, colored pencils, bookmark & sticker 🏹 See slides for more info!
 OR
 Choice #2: No-spice Adult Fiction Prize Package Win 3 gently used no-spice books released in 2026, with bookmarks and bookish stickers
🌲Chase the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher
🌟Twelve Days and Twelfth Night by Sarah Sundin
🦮 Guarding the Child Witness by Sharee Stover (signed by author)
📚The books are gently used (read once by me). The Stover book has a little wear on the back cover. The other two are pristine enough for you to give as Christmas gifts (in my opinion). 📚See slides for more info!
 HOW TO ENTER: 📚Follow @uplifting.books and stick around! 📚Like, save, and repost this post 📚Comment whether you’d like to win Choice #1 or Choice #2
📚Tag a friend who’d like these books  BONUS ENTRIES: ⭐️ Share to your story and tag me, then come back and drop a 🍁 in the comments. You can do this DAILY until the giveaway ends.
⭐️ Tag unlimited friends, one per comment (each tag gets an entry).
⭐️ 3 EXTRA ENTRIES: Go to my pinned post titled “What to Expect from My Bookstagram,” scroll through and read/skim the slides. Then either comment on the post OR repost it (your choice). Come back to this post and drop a 💕 in the comments.  🇺🇸 Open to US residents only, due to shipping costs
⏰ Giveaway closes at 11:59pm EST on Friday, October 9, 2026
🥳 Winner announced Monday, October 12 in my stories
📦 Prize will be shipped the week of October 19

Winner will be contacted by DM and must be willing to share mailing address. If winner doesn’t respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected.

Neither I nor the authors will contact you asking for any type of payment information or personal information, other than mailing address. I will only contact you by DM from this IG account.

This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Instagram or Meta. No purchase necessary. Must be 18 years of age or older. Winner will be chosen at random. Void where prohibited.

#nospicegiveaway by @uplifting.books

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14 days ago

Check back TOMORROW (Sat, Oct 3) for my GIVEAWAY to celebrate 1000 followers!

September Reading Wrap-up
Details and recs on the books I read in September…

📚Physical books (my preferred format):

👧The Sisterhood of Unlikely Friends by Sara Brunsvold @sara_brunsvold
👧Contemporary Christian Women’s Fiction
👧Review coming soon!

🏰 Storm at Nottingham Castle by Ann Elizabeth Fryer
🏰 No-spice Historical Fiction
🏰 Mixed feelings on this one

🌺 Healing on the Horizon by Heather N Justice @heathernjustice
🌺 Nonfiction Christian Living Devotional for healing of emotional abuse (I was gifted a copy by the author to read and write a review. I am NOT a victim of emotional abuse.)
🌺 Review coming!

📱E-books:

⛸️ Elle’s Magical Shoes by Carla Reighard @carlareighard
⛸️ Middle-grade fantasy
⛸️ Full review on my page!

🍫 One Does not Simply Date Kade Kahele by Heather Griffin @theheathergriffin
🍫 No-spice Romance Short Story
🍫 Clever, funny, and free with signup to the author’s newsletter

🌸 Live Loved by Sarah McClelland @sarahemcclelland
🌸 Devotional, not yet released
🌸 Encouraging and well-written

🌮 Food Peace Reset by Stacey Millecan with Forever Fit Mind and Body @foreverfitmindandbody
🌮 Simple tool for peaceful, healthy eating
🌮 Short but helpful in reinforcing mindful, positive eating habits

🎧Audiobook:

🐲 Rapunzel’s Gambit by Mary Mecham @marymecham_author
🐲 No-spice fairy tale retelling
🐲 Review coming!

#nospicebooks
#inspiringreads
#upliftingbooks by @uplifting.books

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16 days ago

Happy re-launch day to Elle’s Magical Shoes!

Thanks to my cover reveal/ARC/Launch team.

@tatteredpharey
@absolutelyabby.reads
@southerncreativesoul
@reneeknightauthor
@uplifting.books
@ashley_s88

I kept my book launch low key. I appreciate the team sharing my book on their pages. I also really appreciate their reviews. Every bit counts for making a book successful.

Do me a favor ? Read and review Elle’s Magical Shoes?
Thank you,
Carla by @uplifting.books

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17 days ago

If you enjoy contemporary women’s fiction with a dash of no-spice romance, this might just be the book for you! A light, fun read with just enough suspense to keep you turning the pages, it addresses themes of emotional healing, personal growth, and relational trust.

Introverted and unsure of herself, Natalie Adams is battling loneliness. After the death of her dad, she and her mom have no other close family, and her only real friend is her male co-worker Jonas.

Then Natalie takes a DNA test and is surprised to find a half-sister, Alexandra. After Natalie seeks her out, Alexandra invites her on a vacation touring Scotland. On the trip, mishaps happen to Natalie that can’t be explained away. Can she trust her new sister?

The relational interaction in this book is fascinating. The sisters have such distinct personalities, and I really enjoyed watching their relationship unfold over time. The romance is sweet, the suspense kept me guessing, and the setting is immersive. I mean, how could you not enjoy reading about a trek through Scotland?

The best part of the book for me was the growth of so many of the characters over time — emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. There’s a strong faith element with actual prayer spelled out on the pages at appropriate times. All of this, for me, was icing on the cake of a great story.

You can connect with the author @amylynn_walsh or on Facebook at Wisdom, Whimsy, and Wordsmithing. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. I was not asked to write a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

#cleanreads
#Christianfiction
#inspiringbooks by @uplifting.books

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19 days ago