Invisible - by Ginny L. Yttrup

In Invisible, Ellyn, Sabina, Twila are all women struggling with issues that they think that nobody else can see.  Well, except maybe Ellyn, who thinks that the only thing people see when they look at her is her weight.  Sabina has come to Ellyn's town ostensibly to heal, but is she looking to be healed or merely trying to hide?  Twila has a gift from God that allows her to sense others struggles, but what about her own struggles with her father and how that relationship has manifested itself upon her life and health?  These three women are fighting separate battles, yet they find their paths and lives woven together and may find that helping each other leads to healing within their own lives.

I was eager to read a second book by Ginny L. Yttrup, and while the first book I read may have impacted me more deeply, this one did not disappoint.  The depth of the relationships and how the author weaves them together so seamlessly, so that each woman is integral in the healing of the other two was engaging and felt honest and vulnerable.  The individual characters are so deep and layered that they quickly become people that the reader will care about.  Ellyn's struggles with not only her weight, but with the voice in her head that tells her that she doesn't deserve more in life, is understandable.  Twila's insight into other people and her courage to face her fears knowing that she is created in the image of God is unexpected, refreshing, and adds depth to the story.  Sabina's own struggles with depression, even though she has her doctorate in psychology, gives her a base from which to help her friends, but it also makes her vulnerable, imperfect, and allows others to show her the love of God.

As in the first book I read, Ms. Yttrup uses a single author's quotes, in this case Saint Augustine, to open each chapter.  The quotes lend an extra weight of thoughtfulness to the story, and the continuity of a single voice gives a cohesion to the journey of the characters as they discover their need for God's healing.

Perhaps the strongest theme from this book that will stick with me can be echoed in a character's thought: "I don't have to be all things to all people.  I'm not the only person God will use in someone's life."  Each of the characters within this book, even the "minor" ones had a very real impact on the lives of those they touched.  It's a wise thought to keep with us as we interact with those in our own lives.

I give this book 4 stars.  It was well-written, with depth and insight that will continue to make me think.

You can find more about the author HERE.  (I certainly plan to keep up with her upcoming novels!)

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.