Forever Friday by Timothy Lewis

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This book typifies why I am thinking about phasing out reviewing "Christian fiction". Putting the label "Christian fiction" on a book does not make it so. There's nothing "Christian" about this book. Smoking, drinking, immoral behavior, a so-called "guardian angel" while almost no talk of God Himself, much less anyone even TRYING to live a godly life makes for a very poor book indeed.

The story line itself had some great promise, and there are some very sweet moments, but these are cheapened by the lack of any type of real Christianity, the selfishness of the two main characters--especially Huck--and a gratuitous attempted rape scene (which wouldn't have even happened if Huck had just been honest with her husband!). This is supposed to be a grand love story, but it falls very short. Huck and Gabe are so wrapped up in having a deep, loving, lasting marriage that is really becomes to the exclusion of all others. I also had an issue with the fact that their first "date", which was really all day and night, occurred while Huck was engaged to another man!

If you're looking for a secular love story, this might work great for you. If you're looking for a Christian love story, I'd advise you to look elsewhere.

I received a copy of this book from Waterbrook Press through "Blogging for Books" in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

GIVEAWAY TIME!! 3 Copies of "Shades of Mercy" to Give Away!

I have a treat for you!  River North sent me a copy of "Shades of Mercy" to read and review, as well as 3 extra copies to give away!!  I'm not only going to give these away through a Rafflecopter giveaway, but I would like any of the winners that are interested to review the book for me in as a guest reviewer!!  Make sure you enter today for your chance to win.  Winners will be picked randomly through Rafflecopter January 1st, so not a whole lot of time to get your entries in.  Have fun!!

 

"It's 1954 and the world-even the far Northwoods of Maine-is about to change. But that change can't happen soon enough for fourteen-year-old Mercy Millar. Long tired of being the "son" her father never had, Mercy's ready for the world to embrace her as the young woman she is-as well as embrace the forbidden love she feels.

 When childhood playmates grow up and fall in love, the whole community celebrates. But in the case of Mercy and Mick, there would be no celebration. Instead their relationship must stay hidden. Good girls do not date young men from the Maliseet tribe. At least, not in Watsonville, Maine. When racial tensions escalate and Mick is thrown in jail under suspicion of murder, Mercy nearly loses all hope-in love, in her father, and in God himself."

 

 

*I reserve the right to edit any reviews sent in for length or continuity only if necessary.  I will NOT post said review until the reviewer ok's any edits.

Little Book of Great Dates by Erin Smalley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great little book of ideas for dates for you and your spouse! Ideas of things to do, tidbits on improving your marriage, and even questions you can ask each other. Some things are so super basic that it did affect my rating a bit, but there's some good stuff in here. I like how it gives you an activity idea (or a list of ideas to choose from, sometimes an alternate activity, and then questions. For instance, for "A New Year's Date", it's suggested that with the idea of new goals and new beginnings you switch it up and have a breakfast date, or some other morning activity such as maybe taking a hike together. The questions to ask each other are "What are some positive goals we can set for our marriage over the next six months? The next year? How can we work together to achieve these goals? Is there a specific area you feel God wants us to work on together, as a team, to make our marriage the best it can be?" This is a nice little book for anyone wanting to strengthen their marriage, or just keep it strong.

I received a copy of this book from Tyndale House for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Staying Alive: A Love Story by Laura B. Hayden

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I was interested to read the story of how this woman dealt with the unexpected death of her husband at a very young age. This is listed as a Christian book. It is not. The author is Catholic, and the beginning of it just made me feel worse and worse as she seemed to have no hope. Yes, I would be devastated if my husband died, but I also know I will see him again in Heaven. The book made me think of the verse in the Bible that says "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [dead], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." (1Th 4:13). What finished the book off for me was her not just swearing, but actually using the 'f' word!! I was horrified that this was listed as a "Christian" book! I did a super fast flip through the rest of the book and while the pages were flipping saw at least two more swear words. Needless to say, I did not finish this book. If I could give it no stars, I most certainly would. No only can I not recommend this book, I heartily recommend that you do not read it!

I received a copy of this book from BookCrash for my honest review. I also contacted them per the issues above before actually writing this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I originally thought this was a biography of Saul/Paul when I first requested the book. I was somewhat disappointed to find out it was a mix of modern day and a fictionalized time that we know little about, but decided to keep an open mind. It started out fairly well, and I was enjoying it. I was taken aback that Scriptures set in Paul's time weren't from the King James Version. The modern language did NOT fit with the time and their way of speaking. Unfortunately, it got a lot worse after that. The modern day times were okay, but I definitely enjoyed the sections from Paul's time less and less. Originally, even though it was a fictionalized account, I felt that the character shown could very well fit with what we know of Saul/Paul. I had a definite issue with the whole issue of Naomi and Paul years and years later ending a day of preaching and service for God with tears over a lost love given what the Scriptures teach us, especially having Paul call them his "adulterous yearning". That frankly made me sick and--honestly--somewhat angry with the author. When they started changing the Bible I was ready to pitch the whole book and only finished it as I was so near the end.

This book has Paul being with (though not an actual member)of the Sanhedrin during Christ's time and the sole person to bring about the death of Stephen. The Bible says "Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord..." but the book has only Saul crying out and giving all the instructions on how to kill him instead of just laying their clothes at his feet However, the Bible clearly calls Saul a "young man" at the time of Stephen's death. According to the book he would be well over 30, and at 30 he would be considered a "man" and lose the distinction of "young man". There is no way the Sanhedrin would follow a young man in such weighty matters.

I can deal with a poorly written book, a book that just isn't my cup of tea, or even a character or characters I don't care for. Call me a fanatic, purist, Bible-believer (I'll thank you for the compliment!), but DON'T mess with God's Word!! I try to be generous in my reviews even with books I don't care for or actively dislike, but I will not be gentle with someone twisting or changing the Bible. That alone dropped this from a probably 3 star to a 1 star (I can't give it no stars) review.

I received a copy of this book from Worthy Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blood, Tears & Joy by Bill D. Hallsted

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a heart-wrenching book!! Andrew started life as a healthy, happy child, but at the age of two, Andy suffered his first seizure. This began a journey of doctors, medicines, prayer, heartache, bitterness and--finally--joy.

As a mother, this book was very hard to read at times. My mother's heart broke along with these parents as I read of the struggles and anguish they went through. I ached as with brutal honesty the author told of his bitterness and how he not only gave in to it, but cultivated the bitterness, not allowing himself to let go of any slight, real or imagined, each wrong diagnosis, each hurt or resentment. I loved the way God finally got through to him--in the middle of a sermon on forgiveness that the author himself was preaching! Oh, the joy that followed the rooting out of bitterness!! No, Andy wasn't miraculously healed and life didn't suddenly get easier, but the joy from God was now there and they could lean on Him for each trial in life.

I received a copy of this book from BookCrash.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wishing on Buttercups by Miralee Ferrell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Beth has struggled through the years with the scars on her body that she's not even sure how she got. She doesn't know where her family is or what happened to her. After some bullying as a child, she has ceased to trust pretty much anyone. Jeffrey has secrets of his own, but is drawn to the quiet young woman at his boarding house. Will their secrets keep them apart?

Too many secrets!! That was my overwhelming thought after finishing this book. Communication is so important and pretty much NO ONE communicated much of anything in this book until the end. It ended up quite frustrating as so many moments of anger, hurt feelings, distrust and so forth were easily fixed with a little communication or even just paying attention to the other person. This made for a book that was hard to read at times.

I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Road Trip to Redemption by Brad Mathias

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After discovering their middle daughter had been molested, the Mathias family heads out on a seven-thousand-mile trip across the country in a desperate attempt to reconnect their family. This book tells their story.

Road Trip to Redemption, unfortunately, is an accurate description of a lot of "christian" families today. Parents who are so busy with their lives they aren't spending the time with their kids they need to, unchecked behavior from children, playing at church and christianity and expecting it to be enough to ground the kids in the faith...the list goes on. While I may or may not agree with the way he may do things with his family, just realizing the fact that going to a "hip" church once a week is not the way to grow you and your family spiritually is something that many still don't grasp. Your kids need a PERSONAL walk with the Lord. They need to see you living for Him and not just going through the motions at church and doing your own thing at home. I appreciate the honesty of the author that many of the issues in the family were his "fault" and not trying to pass the blame along.

One thing about this book that really got to me was the fact that they were strongly urged not to take legal action against the guy who molested Bethany for her "mental and emotional sake" and so nothing was done. It isn't clearly stated in the book exactly what was done to her, but that mindset is one reason so many sexual assaults aren't reported and these guys get away with it again and again. I had to wonder how many other girls this guy has assaulted and will assault in the future do to their inaction.

I really enjoyed the journal entries at the end of the road trip chapters that show the kids' different perspectives of the day. As a mother of four, I know that each child is different and will look on things differently. What one child may see as horrible or very boring, another may love it. One may see the small things--the eggs in the nest or the sun glinting off a leaf in a particularly gorgeous way--while another may be content to sit down and enjoy the awe-inspiring vista as a whole.

I was expecting this book to be more about the road trip itself, but the book was nearly half over before the trip ever began. The "back story" was way too long and drawn out. I appreciate the fact that some of it was needed, but it was drawn out so long that the trip that was supposed to be the whole point of the story felt incredibly rushed. I'm sure it felt like it in real life as well. For someone who is trying to do something to draw his family closer, nine-hundred-mile-a-day drives seems more than a bit odd, especially since he clearly states that they don't do well on 3 hour trips! I really felt sorry for his family. Their map-reading skills were another story. To look at a map and think you can drive from Sioux Falls to Rapid City in two hours made me laugh out loud. I drove that road many times when we lived outside of Rapid City, and you're lucky if you can make it in 5 to 5 1/2 hours--it took them six.

The trip descriptions were very disappointing as well. "Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is a nice town...or so I've heard. We didn't stay long enough to find out." Mt. Rushmore was barely described, Yellowstone was deemed "amazing", but very little description of the places they visited there and he seemed rather unimpressed with the Grand Tetons at all.

This book had some great possibilities, but instead it felt drug out for the first half, and seriously rushed for the last half. The trip itself that he seems to be pushing for families to do is well outside the budget for a lot of families. $300 to $450 per day might as well be $1,000 per day to many families. The "insights" at the end, while true are pretty basic. Don't be a hypocrite--live what you teach. Look for changes in the heart, not just behavior, pray, don't be guided by fear. You don't have to go on a super long, super expensive trip to learn this lessons. Get into God's Word and draw close to Him and let HIM lead you as you lead your family.

I received a copy of this book from Tyndale for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Critical Pursuit by Janice Cantore

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Officer Brinna Caruso has an obsession with missing children since she was once a missing child herself. She has built up a reputation as the one to call when a child goes missing and will stop at nothing to find them.

Jack O'Reilly chooses to move to patrol as he isn't ready to return to homicide after his wife and unborn child were killed by a drunk driver and is partnered up with Brinna--something neither one of them is happy about.

I enjoyed the storyline is this book very much. Much of it felt realistic, some didn't. Jack's super quick turnaround from being considered on the edge of insanity from anger and bitterness and close to being kicked out of the department was just a bit too quick to feel realistic. I loved Ben's character and wish there would have been a little more of him. It was great to see a friend of Jack's who is a christian as well, but doesn't give up on Jack when he turns his back on God.

You can tell this is not a stand alone book as there are questions left at the end of the book. The main storyline is wrapped up pretty good, but lots of loose ends in the characters lives are screaming "sequel".

I liked this book, but I can't say I "loved" it. I would like to see what a sequel would do with these characters, though, so I'm keeping an open mind for the next book.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Trapped by Irene Hannon

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read a lot. I also really love mystery/suspense books. The downside to that is that it takes a lot for me to give a really great rating for this kind of book. I don't like predictable, and this book was pretty predictable for me. It's kind of funny that the only thing that surprised me was the lack of this author's normal "send the hero out of town/state/country just in time for the heroine to do something stupid and get caught by the bad guy" kind of twist. It looked like everything was being set up for that to happen again, but thankfully she ditched it this time.

Laura is a really nice woman who has been thrown in over her head after taking in her teenage half sister who has been pretty much doing what she wants up until now. She really cares about people and has a heart of gold. Darcy deep down has a good heart, but is pretty much of a brat in the beginning. She's gotten used to doing what she wants, and doesn't appreciate the boundaries Laura is trying to put into place. Dev is....I never could quite make up my mind. I never really trust the guy who dates a new woman every few weeks and suddenly turns into a one woman kind of guy as soon as he meets "the one" who, of course, is the anti-thesis of his "type".

As the wife of a former police officer, I really appreciated Dev staying inside the law (mostly) and the frustration of knowing something was wrong, but legally not being able to do anything about it. That felt very real. The story line had great possibilities, and I really liked Laura and, eventually, Darcy. They brought my rating up to 3 stars.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Journal by Beth Harlow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A nameless confederate soldier is given a journal by his fiance when he goes off to fight in the war. The journal changes hands multiple times throughout the war through different circumstances, and even crosses the battle lines more than once. It is an interesting look at the Civil War through many eyes.

This is a short little book--only 62 pages--but quite interesting. You get a little peek into several lives throughout a terrible time in US history. I enjoyed the different "writers" throughout the book. It was frustrating at times to not know the end of some of their stories, but that also brings authenticity to the book. It bothered me reading of these men getting baptized to "wash away their sins" knowing that baptism is nothing more than a symbol--it does NOT save you. Other than that, I really enjoyed this little book.

I received a copy of this book from BookCrash.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wishing on Willows by Katie Ganshert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Robin Price loves Willow Tree Cafe. She poured her heart and soul into creating it after her husband died, and now a developer is trying to make her sell so it can be torn down to make room for new condos. Robin's life is wrapped up in her son, her music and her cafe. She is devastated that not only does this developer want to tear down the block of buildings that includes her cafe, it also means losing a ministry that is close to her heart, and a good portion of the town seems for it. Even her sister-in-law seems to be betraying her, befriending the cute developer. It doesn't help that she seems to be falling for him in spite of herself. Ian has been given the job of developing the new condos in Peaks, Iowa, and he doesn't want to disappoint his dad. However, things get harder and harder as Robin weaves her way into his heart. Neither are interested in giving--both want to win.

I'll be honest, I wanted to read this book because Robin was pretty much the only character I liked from the first book. I really wanted to read the rest of Robin's story. I, once again, really liked Robin's character. At first, Ian was somewhat of a puzzle to me, but the more his story unfolded, the more I liked him. He and Robin really were a perfect match. Bethany is still not my favorite character, and I found myself really disliking Amanda.

Over all, this is a pretty good book. It is a definite improvement over the first book, and I would tentatively recommend it.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/blog/2...

http://katieganshert.com/

That Summer by Jo Huddleston

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jim has had all he can take of his father's abuse and poverty on the farm, so he runs away to get a job in town and live his own life. He "forgets" his mother's advice, and strays from the Godly teaching he was brought up with. He falls for two very different girls, and things get complicated from there.

The story begins well, showing the abuse and lack of love Jim's father shows not only him (though he bears the brunt of the physical violence), but to his entire family. His flight away from the farm and new life in town begins a new story. The majority of his decisions are wrong from the start. He lies about his age to get a job (he's only 17 and the mandatory age is 18), quits church immediately, treats friends badly.....the list goes on. Louisa is the godly young girl Jim loses his heart to, but then there's Caroline who he loses his willpower with.

About three quarters into the book, things go downhill. 20 years is skipped with barely a mention. The "twist" in the book can be seen coming a mile away. The boy's reaction to the twist about ruined the whole book for me. I even took it to my husband to see if maybe I was looking at it through a woman's eyes and it was just a "guy thing". Nope. He thought it was pretty weird, as well. It seemed as though the last little bit of the book was rushed and more concerned with setting up the next book than finishing the first. New story lines are just barely started and left hanging, and current story lines feel rushed. This book had great possibilities, but failed to fully carry them through. I still gave it three stars as I did like most of it, and maybe the second book will improve.

I received this book from The CWA Review Crew and author Jo Huddleston for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rescued by Brian Brown

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pilot and firefighter Brian Brown, his wife and younger daughter head out in his plane for a weekend with the older daughter. Unexpected, severe weather sends the plane into the side of the mountain. Injured, cold and with little provisions in a remote area, they question if they will make it off the mountain. Then God intervenes.

This is an amazing story. A plane like this flown into a mountain just doesn’t equal survivors, but the plane hits in the only way it could hit and not kill everyone. There is a weak, intermittent cell phone signal where none should exist. Over and over you can see the hand of God intervening and bringing about the survival and rescue of this family.

The book is written from multiple viewpoints, which is good and bad. The story, of course, begins from with Brian narrating up until they unexpectedly realize they have a signal for their cell phone. At that point the 911 dispatcher takes up the story and it goes from person to person throughout the rescue effort and then returns to Brian for the end of the story. This is great in that you get the "whole story", so to speak. The downside is that you start a chapter in one person's point of view and it will take you to say where Heather, the daughter, is being lifted into the chopper. It then cuts to the next person in the story and you get their background (how they ended up in the position their in--firefighter, pilot, etc--and possibly even some rescue story in their past before picking up in THIS story and you may just get another perspective of the same section of the story or it may be further along in the story. This made the narrative somewhat disjointed at times. The other possible negative (depending on how it strikes you personally) is the complete transcripts of some of the radio conversations. Personally, I feel the story would have flowed smoother had the basics of the conversation been written and not every single word spoken.

I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley.com. I hope that before it is released officially, the Kindle edition will have been much improved. Many times I would have to scroll through multiple empty pages (not counting the ones with place holders for pictures that weren't there) before finding a page with writing. Conversely, many of the first pages of the chapters were repeated as many as 15-20 times before the second page of the chapter showed up. That got annoying pretty quick. As I said, hopefully this will be fixed before its release.

All-in-all, this is a great book that I highly recommend.

I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sorry I've been absent so long!

I just realized when I posted the review below how long it has been since I've been on here!  Wow!!  Sorry about that!  We've had multiple health issues, restarting homeschool and a myriad of other things that have kept me so busy I've slacked off lately on my reading.  I apologize and hope to get right back into it.  I have a small stack of books (it's been so crazy I haven't even been requesting books lately!) that I need to dive right back into, so hopefully I'll have more reviews soon.

Happy Reading!

Dreaming of a Father's Love by Sharon A. Lavy

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to fall in love with this book. I've met some German Baptists and know a little of their history, so I was excited to read this book. However, it didn't turn out like I expected. I could NOT read this book. The characters didn't interest me, and the story line seemed to drag along. I actually tried several times to read this book thinking maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it that day, but each time it just could not keep my attention. I know this book has some really great reviews, so don't let it turn you off that it didn't work for me. You may truly fall in love with the story and characters. I really hope you do.

I received a copy of this book from BookCrash for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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"A Tailor-Made Bride" by Karen Witemeyer

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Hannah as dreamed of owning her own shop where she can design and make clothes for others. J.T. hates anything to do with fashion since his mother deserted the family for a rich man able to supply her with all the latest fashions. Will they ever be able to find a middle ground?

I had read Witemeyer's "Short Straw Bride" and it was okay--a way to kill a couple of hours. I was exhausted and just wanted some fluff to pass a little time. This took "fluff" to the extreme!

Hannah is portrayed in the first part of the book as a quiet, meek girl who barely answers when questioned, but after being left a store in another town to open her own dress shop, she's suddenly this strong, confident spit-fire. Let's be honest, J.T. is basically a total jerk throughout a good portion of the book. He resents Hannah as he thinks pretty dresses turn all women bad, and he wanted to buy that store to help out the laundry woman next door, and keeps his sister in dull, drab clothes to make sure she doesn't turn out like their mother. That sub-plot is beyond ridiculous! When J.T.'s sister spills her secret love for a man in town that never notices her, Hannah not only makes her a new dress, but puts her on a diet and exercise regime to slim down. Yes, Hannah has a whole, exercise routine (not just getting in a good walk, though that is included) she does daily, and it's talked about a LOT in the book. It leaves you with the message that if you don't slim down and dress your prettiest, you'll never get your guy.

The story line is ridiculous. Typical hate-turns-to-love theme with the heroine constantly falling into the hero's arms, her life put at peril so he can save her and realize his feelings for her, and a "bad guy" that is portrayed as turning that way due to bullying and low self-esteem because of his birthmark and unrequited love for J.T.'s sister. (There is a subtext that the two were always together because of his birthmark and her chunkiness and lack of good looks, so he expected them to get together as no one else would look at her.) It even tries to "rehabilitate" him in the end.

I would not recommend this book to anyone. I like an occasional "fluff" book, but this was beyond ridiculous.

"Short-Straw Bride" by Karen Witemeyer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Meredith Hayes has loved Travis Archer for years since he saved her from a trap when she was a girl. She never sees him, though, as the Archers stay on their land and no one steps foot on Archer land unless they want to risk their lives. That's exactly what Meredith does, though, when she hears a plot to burn them out. Meredith, however, is injured while helping them and her reputation is left in tatters. Four brothers, four straws, one bride. Will they find true love?

This is one of those kinda cute, kill-a-couple-of-hours kind of books. Parts of it had me rolling my eyes, but there was some laughter and a few sweet moments as well. Not a great book, but kind of cute.

"Deployed" by Mel Odom

Deployed by Mel Odom
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Bekah Shaw is a single mother divorced from a serious low-life she should never have married in the first place. She joined the Marine reserves, never expecting to be deployed, but has spent six months each in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the opening of the book, Bekah gets into a fight in a bar with a man much larger than her who starts beating her friend. Everyone (including said "friend"), agrees with the aggressor, saying Bekah started it unprovoked and she is arrested. While she's waiting for her trial, she is once again called to active duty, this time to Mogadishu.

I knew this was going to be a hard book to review going into it due to my personal views on women in the military--especially combat, but I worked hard to set that aside and go into it with an open mind. I know some have said a woman would not be leading a fire team, but I did some research and found out that there are actually women marines (or at least one that I know of) that are fire team leaders.

The story felt rather disjointed for the first part of the book as character after character is introduced, but then finally starts to coalesce when they all end up deployed together. I'm not military, so I couldn't speak as to the reality of the combat situations, but it felt very realistic and well done.

That said I'll move on to what really dropped this review in my opinion. This book is marketed as "Christian Fiction". I beg to differ. The book starts with Bekah in a bar for beer with friends. Pretty much everyone introduced in the book is either blatantly non-Christian or the subject is ignored. God is barely mentioned through almost the entire book. A few remembered Bible verses from childhood and an "epiphany" during battle that maybe this moment is why God has you here accompanied by a prayer that you can make that perfect shot does not a Christian book make. I kept waiting for a Christian character to show up, one of the characters to remember enough from childhood to get saved, or even for salvation to just be mentioned! Nada. As a military fiction book, I think it's pretty good. As a Christian fiction book, it fails miserably. Very, VERY disappointed!

"Wings of Glass" by Gina Holmes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Penny runs away to marry the man of her dreams, she has no idea that it will turn quickly into a nightmare. Seventeen and sheltered, she is drawn under Trent's spell, not realizing what he is truly like until it is too late. Years of abuse follow, dragging her down, as she sees no way out. An accident at work injures Trent, forcing Penny to find work and, unexpectedly, friends as well.

This is a very well written book covering a sensitive topic--domestic violence. Penny's youth and innocence is heartbreaking as she spirals into depression due to the hopelessness of her situation. Trent's accident helps snap her out of her depression as there is somewhat of a change in him for the better. The fulfillment of a long awaited dream--a child of her own--helps bring some joy to her life. Trent's returning eyesight, however, brings back his normal abusive self. Circumstances spiral to the point the Penny finally has to face the truth and find the backbone to save herself and her son. This is a poignant telling of an all-to-familiar story. I would definitely recommend this book.

"Congo Dawn" by Jeanette Windle

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

There are very few books in life that I just absolutely cannot read. Unfortunately, this was one of them. I struggled and struggled through the first few chapters, putting it down then picking it up again over and over. I finally threw up my hands in defeat. I wanted to like this book, and wanted to read it. The characters fell flat for me--they didn't draw me in and make me care at all. I was fascinated by the idea of the book, I just couldn't make it work for me.

"A Ranger's Trail" by Darlene Franklin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Leta Denning's husband is murdered at the start of the Mason County War, and all she wants is revenge. Buck Morgan is a Texas Ranger sent in to find the truth. Trying to show Christ's love, he starts helping Leta out at her ranch, becoming close to her, her son and her brother. Life gets more complicated as he finds those close to him on both sides of the war. Can he stay impartial, and will Leta stay fixed on revenge or learn forgiveness?

Book 4 of the Morgan Family series is just as good if not better as the other three. Historical fiction based on fact is a favorite genre of mine, and this one delivers. Bits and pieces from newspapers at the time, letters and more start each chapter, which was a very nice touch. There is a little romance in the book, but it doesn't interfere or over-run the main story line. This is a historical/western/adventure book first and foremost, and I am very excited to read the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. I am not required to give a postive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"The Quarryman's Bride" by Tracie Peterson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Emmalyne is weeks away from marrying the man she loves when tragedy strikes and her father invokes "the tradition" forcing Emmalyne to stay home to care her parents and cancel her wedding. Tavin reacts in anger at Emmalyne's refusal to run away with him, and the lovers are separated. Can they find their way back to God from the bitterness of their situations, and is there any hope for their future?

This was a very different book. Frankly, I wasn't sure I cared for the first half of the book. The storyline was dark, and many of the characters so unlikeable. The author managed to craft a story that turned towards light without stooping to unrealistic happenings. I thoroughly enjoyed Emmalyne's discussions with her pastor and the way some of the characters turned around. It felt very realistic and well done. There were a couple of bits of the story (I'm not going to give spoilers) that I really could have done without, but over all it was well written and I enjoyed it.

I received a digital copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"A Bride for Noah" by Lori Copeland

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A nice, light read from Lori Copeland. Evie partners up with a "kindly, older gentleman" and heads out west to make her way in the world. There she meets Noah who has gambled everything on a fresh start in life. Noah as been badly hurt by a woman before, so he is less than happy to see Evie show up--but he can't stop thinking about her.

I love that the book is based on real people. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline of building a new settlement in virgin territory. Evie was really irritating for the first half of the book. Yes, she had gone/was going through some rough time, but her actions ranged at times from slightly annoying to totally obnoxious. Thankfully, she matured some and became a much more likeable character later in the book. Miles, Evie's partner, starts out a kindly man and ends up being a royal pain throughout most of the book. I enjoyed most of the other characters in the book--let's face it, you're not supposed to like some of them! The storyline was great, but things just seemed to wrap up so perfectly in just a chapter or so which detracted from the book somewhat in my opinion.

I received a digital copy of this book from Harvest House through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Once Upon a Prince" by Rachel Hauck

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Susanna Truitt is scrambling to rebuild her life after being dumped by her boyfriend of twelve years. Prince Nathaniel is taking one last holiday as his father is terminally ill and he knows he will be king within a year. Neither expected to fall in love.

I'm having a hard time reviewing this book. It is such a mixture of laugh-out-loud funny, eye-roll silliness, some please-don't-tell-me-you-really-went-there groans and a few sweet moments all rolled together into one book. There are some great characters in this book, and a really lovely story line. I had a real issue with Susanna waiting for twelve years through military training, multiple deployments and all being a military girlfriend entails and then so quickly "realize" that you didn't really love him, it just was a "safe" plan that you got caught up in. Major issues keeping Nate and Susanna apart are magically fixed up with ease with plot "twists" that you see coming a mile away. Like I said, I liked the characters and the idea of the book was nice, it all just gets mucked up by some really over the top plot "twists" that nearly ruined the book for me. If you're looking for a super light read, this might be just what you're looking for.

I received a digital copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"The Fourth Fisherman" by Joe Kissack

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Five fishermen set out in a small boat for a few days' fishing trip. They run out of fuel and are carried out across the ocean. Two of the fishermen don't make it, but three survive the nine months and are heralded as a miracle when they are rescued thousands of miles from home.

Joe Kissak has it all--or so he thinks. In the race to get ahead, he actually starts a downward spiral to nearly losing everything through drugs and alcohol before "finding God".

I have to admit, I was very disappointed in this book. I was expecting a book on the fishermen's story--with God as the "fourth fisherman", and maybe a couple of chapters or so relating how the story affected the author. It was so very not what I was expecting! Out of forty chapters (not counting the epilogue), only SIX were about the fishermen's story. They were mentioned some later in the book, but very little. The book was mainly focused on the author and his story and the two really didn't seem to relate. Everything was about Joe Kissack and, frankly, he struck me as a very self-centered man. Nearly half the book is about his struggle to connect with the men and get them to sign the papers giving him the rights to their story so he could make a movie out of it--which still has yet to me done.

This story was supposedly about faith, but the "faith" talked about was very vague. Joe's "salvation" experience had nothing to do with the salvation of the Bible: no repentance, no trusting in Christ and his death, burial and resurrection--just a feeling of peace. "Christianity" is reduced to anyone who talks about God, and nothing of his family's view of God or religion is even mentioned that I noticed.

I really, really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, it left me frustrated and annoyed wanting the fullness of the fishermen's story and not so much of Joe.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/blog/2...

http://www.thefourthfisherman.com/

"Limitless: Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life" by Nick Vujicic

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nick Vujicic knows there is no greater hope than trusting in God’s plan for your life. Born without arms or legs, Nick has experienced both the peak of hope and the depth of despair. But he has overcome his circumstances and physical limitations by clinging to his faith and understanding the limitless love and power God has for every person.

Now he wants you to experience that same reassurance of hope and the power of God, everyday. In these fifty inspirational devotions, Nick shares his most compelling, hard-earned wisdom to help you face obstacles with confidence and courage and point you toward God. Whether you struggle with faith, relationships, career challenges, anger, health concerns, self-esteem, finding balance, or doubt in your dreams, Nick’s biblical encouragement and positive attitude will transform your life and show you that you can be limitless because God is limitless.

The biggest thing this book did for me was make me want to read Nick's other books. I've seen bits and pieces of his story on the internet, and that along with the teasers in this book make me want to sit down and read his entire story. Nick is a fascinating man who chooses to trust in God instead of letting bitterness and anger at his physical limitations take over his life.

The only caveat I have with this book is the multiple Bible versions. I realize that I am somewhat in the minority when it comes to being King James only, but it always bothers me when people use multiple versions. It feels like they are picking and choosing which verses they like in which versions to suit themselves instead of just taking the Word of God as it comes. That is a personal opinion, but it did cause me to drop the review one star.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/pdf/Sn...
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalo...

DON'T FORGET THE GIVEAWAY ON MY KITCHEN BLOG! :-)

Don't forget to enter to win a new copy of "French Classics Made Easy" by Richard Grausman!!  Just 5 days left to enter.  Click here to go directly to the blog.  http://sandraskitchennook.blogspot.com/

Good luck!

"The Survivor" by DiAnn Mills

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Karissa Walker agrees to write the story of the brutal attack on Amy Garrett when she was a child in novel form, but someone doesn't want that book to be written. Karissa and FBI agent Santiago "Tigo" Harris broke off their relationship prior to the opening of the book, but are thrown back together as danger seems to stalk Karissa. Will Tigo finally give in to God? Will their relationship be put back together? Has Karissa gotten in over her head--again?

I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline of this book, but it had what seemed to me some major flaws.

Karissa Walker is an interesting character. Having gone through so much and been so close to death in the previous book, you'd think she'd have a little more wisdom and caution about her. No, that would make the book too boring, I guess. Never mind she and her sister and baby niece have been run off the road, someone is sending threatening emails, Amy's brother is threatening her and, oh yeah, someone has shot and grazed her as well, within less than 24 hours she's going stir crazy sitting in a hotel room, feeling like she's in prison. So let's up the ante and kill two more people and within 48 hours she's trotting off to a gun range to practice shooting by herself--no security. What an idiot!

Amy Walker is supposed to be a great Christian counselor and person, but lies, is rude, puts people in danger to fit her own agenda staying pretty much unlikeable throughout the book.

I really enjoyed Tigo and Ryan's characters. Ryan is a Christian--imperfect, but trying to win his partner to the Lord. Tigo is struggling with faith, but due to a promise to his mother and the desire to have Karissa in his life is still searching--not sure if he's willing to believe in and trust God, but not willing to give up yet. He also struggles throughout the book trying desperately to keep Karissa safe as she constantly makes boneheaded and dangerous decisions.

It was an unusual move to make most of the characters--including most of the victims/victims' families--rather unlikeable. There were precious few in the book that I really cared about by the end. I just wanted most of them to go away! Not the way I want to feel about a book! All in all, I'd have to say I really can't recommend this book. If the above things don't bother you, this just might be your cup of tea. Unfortunately, it definitely was not mine.

I received a digital copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Behond These Hills" by Sandra Robbins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's 1935, and Laurel Jackson fears the life she's always known is about to become a memory. The government is purchasing property to establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and nearly all the families in Cades Cove have decided to sell. Laurel is determined to save the land her family has lived on for a hundred years.

Andrew Brady, the son of a wealthy Virginia congressman, arrives in the Cove to convince the remaining landowners to sell. Sparks fly when he meets Laurel, the outspoken young woman who is determined to thwart his every effort. Will they ever be able to put aside their differences and accept what their hearts already know?

I really enjoyed this book, especially as I live by the area it is set in. The characters feel real, like people I would enjoy knowing. They are not portrayed as perfect christians, always making the right decisions, but rather as flawed human beings with a deep love for God and desire to follow Him. This really draws Andrew both the to family and ultimately to God.

I had one definite issue with this book. When Laurel's mom and brother are having an argument in the kitchen and the dad walks in the mom says they're just having a difference in opinion. As they've been yelling at each other, the dad asks what it's all about and the mom actually says, "It's nothing for you to worry about, Matthew." His son is yelling at his wife--I would definitely call that something for him to worry about!! That dropped my review to only 4 stars.

I received a digital copy of this book from Harvest House through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Tangerine Morning" by Rita Garcia

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jezzica has returned to Serenity Cove, a place of childhood memories, to recover from murder of her husband. His death is still an unsolved case leaving Jezzica with a bad opinion of law enforcement, which makes it hard going for Zack as he tried to draw her out. Jezzica's sister, Catylen, is battling her own issues while helping her sister get settled into a new life.

Serenity Cove draws you in and makes you want to move there! Great people, beautiful setting--it sounds like a little paradise on earth! A little romance, a little mystery and a nice cast of characters make for a pretty enjoyable book.

However, there are some downsides. The end of the book seems rushed. There are some hard times in the book for some of the characters, but then everything seems to fall in place for Jezzica, her sister and her nieces in a matter of pages. Zach and Jezzica go from basically one date to a proposal in hardly any time at all. I realize some may not agree with me, but crazy name spellings are a negative for me when I'm reading a book, especially if it's a major character. It's as distracting as if I'm reading a book filled with typos.

I received a free copy of this Ebook to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

I'LL BE BACK! :-)

I'll be out for a couple of weeks as a loved one is having surgery and I'll be helping take care of them.  I'll still be reading, though, so I should have several reviews to post when I return.  If I can get some good internet, I'll try to post as I can.

Happy Reading!!

"Not Guilty" by Teresa Pollard and Candi Pullen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Carrie Shepherd has everything going for her. She's a pastor's daughter, college senior and engaged to the man she loves with plans to go to Africa as a missionary after their marriage. Everything comes crashing down around her when she is attacked by a masked assailant on her way home from college one day, and brutally raped. Traumatized, she hides the fact from everyone until she discovers she is pregnant. Now this secret could tear apart everyone she loves along with her future.

On the whole, this is a well-written book. The trauma and emotions feel very believable. Some of her parents reactions when faced with a daughter who is obviously severely upset yet not pushing to find out what happened to her were a little less believable. Carrie decides not to tell anyone she doesn't have to about the rape even after finding out about the pregnancy, not wanting to deal with the shame. Unfortnately, that was not a good decision, and had far-reaching consequences.

The biggest negative to this book for me was the epilogue. On one hand, it's nice to know what happened to these people later in life, but it felt very fairytale-ish in that out of the 27 people covered, only about 3 of them were negative as far as how their lives played out from that time forward. That dropped this review down to 4 stars out of five. I understand it's fiction, but I prefer an underlying line of reality in this type of fiction.

This book is recommended for teens and young adults.  There is a section of resources and one of discussion questions for each chapter in the back of the book.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Cookbook giveaway!!

For those of you who may not know, I actually have two blogs.  My second blog is "Sandra's Kitchen Nook" and is a cookbook review blog.  I love cooking and cookbooks and wanted to share that love with others.  I'm giving away a beautiful copy of "French Classics Made Easy" by Richard Grausman.  Just go to http://sandraskitchennook.blogspot.com/ and enter using the rafflecopter.  This giveaway starts at midnight.

Good Luck!!

"Dandelions on the Wind" by Mona Hodgson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Maren Jensen took a job on Elsa Brantenberg’s St. Charles, Missouri farm, she never expected to call the place her home. As she grows to love Mrs. Brantenberg and her granddaughter, Gabi, Maren is transformed from a lonely mail-order bride-without-a-groom to a beloved member of the Brantenberg household. But when Gabi’s father, Rutherford “Wooly” Wainwright, returns to the farm unexpectedly, everything changes for Maren. Despite the failing eyesight that caused her suitor to reject her, she can see that Wooly desperately needs to reconnect with the family he abandoned when his grief sent him running toward the army—and into the Civil War. She also senses there could be something more between the widower and herself, if either can move beyond their past hurts.

Comforted and counseled by the wisdom of the women in her beloved quilting circle, Maren begins to discover the cost such decisions demand of her heart. Are her choices in obedience to God, or is she running from His plan? Is it too late for love to be stitched into the fabric of her life?

I was really disappointed to find this a novella. This could be fleshed out into a full-size novel easily, and I think the story would be better for it. It seemed to skim over the top of the characters and not dig down deep, and that kept most of the characters feeling more two dimensional. I've only read one other of Mona Hodgson's books, and I loved it. This one just felt lacking to me.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Long Trail Home" by Vickie McDonough

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a young girl, Annie is forced by her father to steal becoming an expert pickpocket. When her father finally abandons her in Waco, TX, she comes across a school for the blind and decides to pretend to be blind to have the safety and love the children there know.

Fast forwarding a few years, Riley Morgan returns from the war to find his parents dead and his fiance married. Taking a job at the Wilcox School for the blind, he finds himself becoming more and more interested in the pretty, blind young woman that works there.

This is book #3 in the Morgan Family Series, a series which I am thoroughly enjoying reading. I like the characters and the story lines. However, this one dropped a star for trying to convince you that for all of these years, Annie has been able to fool everyone in town except the two women who work at the school. Incident after incident should have completely given it away, especially to Riley. That was just unbelievable. Over all, though, it was a good story that I enjoyed reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Wisdom to Know" by Elizabeth Maddrey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*Possible Spoiler near the end!*

Lydia Brown is the classic preacher's daughter daughter gone wrong. She's pretty much made every terrible choice she could possibly make, and now her life is out of control. A single car accident brings everything down around her.

Kevin McGregor has been in love with Lydia since high school and truly believes that she is the woman God has for him. Now he has to deal with all of her secrets, and he's not sure he can forgive them all.

This book deals with a myriad of issues from inappropriate relationships, to drug abuse to abortion. I wasn't sure about the book in the beginning, but it drew me in and I began to care for the characters and what happened to them. It was good to see characters that weren't perfect--that didn't always have the right reactions or words to say--but people that were trying to live for God and do what they should.

There were a couple of negatives to the book. It was never explained why Lydia felt she never measured up in her parents eyes to her sisters. When she realizes she is pregnant, she feels she can't tell her parents as there would be yelling, tears and looks of disappointment. Okay, the last two make sense, but the way her parents are portrayed throughout the book, she had to know they wouldn't yell at her. I'm not sure if that was just an excuse to not tell them, or a mistake by the author. *POSSIBLE SPOILER*!!! Finally, the last few pages felt rushed. From not talking to each other to marriage in 12 pages was a bit much. The book was only 237 pages long, so it's not like it was a terribly long book that had to be rushed. I wish the author would have taken a bit more time with that aspect of the book.

All in all, I felt this was a good book dealing with sensitive issues, and I would recommend it. I realize some thought the abortion was glossed over with no description of her decision, thoughts, doubts, etc. but I felt that was covered quite well when Lydia talks with Becky in the hospital. All she was thinking of was that she couldn't hide the pregnancy, she couldn't marry quickly as she was no longer with the father, disappointing her parents and best friend, so she did it quickly--on purpose--before she could think about it too much and change her mind. Unfortunately, I'm afraid so many do the same thing, rushing into it without letting themselves think about it hardly at all. That felt pretty realistic to me.

I received a copy of this book from Hope Springs Books through BookCrash.com for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Secrets" by Robin Jones Gunn

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Jessica is running away to hide in the small town of Glenbrooke, Oregan in the Willamette Valley. Her plan to slip in quietly crashes quite literally when she loses control of her car and ends up in the ER. Things go downhill from there.

This book is full of completely unreal scenarios such as the woman in the emergency room hounding her for her id, contact person and insurance information right after they get her into the ER. I've been in the ER multiple times whether we drove there or in an ambulance and they NEVER asked more than once while everything was happening, and the trip in the ambulance they didn't even ask. They were more concerned with treating me than with paperwork.

In her big plan to escape, Jessica only brought about $300 with her (trying not to give spoilers, but that was unrealistic, too), so after paying her ER bill, she's left with $10.27. A chunk of the book is about her trying not to starve while waiting for her paycheck, which of course is delayed due to her file not being up date. She gave the school one name, while the principal that hired her (who is, of course, now in the hospital due to a stroke) listed her real name. The whole grocery deal was unrealistic, too. Who buys a loaf of bread for $.39?!? Even day old bread is a lot more than that normally.

The biggest problem I found in this book is that during all this financial trouble, Jessica is practically forced into accompanying a group from the church (which she doesn't attend) on a missions trip to Mexico as another chaperone. Really?! Churches are very careful who they have chaperone their kids, especially on an out-of-the-country missions trip. A woman they barely know and that no one has even tried to find out her spiritual state would NOT be a good choice. There were a lot more unrealistic situations (anyone know of a chiropracter giving a MONTH of free treatment to a total stranger?), but these cover enough to give you an idea about the book.

I really liked Teri. She was friendly, helpful, but not so perfect. I loved how she witnessed to Jessica, apologizing if she pushed too hard, but showing how she cared. "Please try to hear my heart and not my clumsy words" was probably my favorite line in the book. I have felt that way before when trying to witness to someone without pushing too hard, but trying to show my heart and how much I cared. We could use more Teri's in our lives.

All in all, this is a bit of fluff writing for killing a few hours as long as you don't mind unrealistic plots and no depth.

I received a copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah through Blogging For Books for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Stealing the Preacher" by Karen Witemeyer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Crockett Archer is on a train on the way to candidate for a church that he feels is God's will for his life. Before he gets there, the train is held up, but instead of stealing valuables, they want the preacher that is riding the train. Seems the only thing the head of the hold-up party's daughter wanted for her birthday was a preacher. Joanna Robbins is horrified that her father (a former outlaw) stole a parson for her! Trying to right the wrong, she asks that she be allowed to take a walk with the preacher alone, and then he be sent on his way. During the walk, she opens her heart to the parson that her mother on her deathbed passed to her daughter the charge to always pray for her father an continue to plant seeds that he might someday come to Christ. Their church lost their pastor to a larger town a few years before, and her desire is for a preacher to bring the church back to life. She extracts a promise that he will help her find a pastor for the church, then goes on his way. Neither expected things to turn out how they did!

I went into this book fully expecting a light, fluffy book with unbelievable circumstances. To be honest, I was guilty of judging a book by it's cover/title. I didn't expect to give it above 3 stars, and for that I apologize to the author and readers alike. I loved this book!! Joanna is a sweet girl with yearning to see her father saved, and to have a church again as a light in the community. Crockett is a man's man, a true cowboy, that gave up ranch life to follow God's calling to reach the lost and help the hurting. There's not your usual long, drawn-out misunderstanding caused by the vixen and taking up half the book (or more). Though he gives her the benefit of the doubt, Crockett sees through her immediately. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, plot and writing. I will be reading more of this author!

I received a digital copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Reflections of Rosalyn: A Life of Victory" by Theresa Franklin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The story of Rosalyn and the events that shaped her life. The book starts as Rosalyn faces life without her beloved husband who she just lost to a long illness. It jumps back and forth between the present and her past. Unfortunately, that's where the author lost me. I've read books in this style before and, while not my favorite, they were okay. This book seemed very choppy and disjointed. It would take me a minute to figure out which time we were in. Many times the switches made no sense--they didn't flow at all--while other times something she was facing in the present would bring a memory of the past. I felt like the book never really came together. Some of the story line felt forced, as well. Other than a couple of bad incidents, things seemed to just constantly fall into place in Rosalyn's best interests which seemed very unreal. This book had a lot of promise, but I felt it didn't quite live up to it.

I received a digital copy of this book from the author through CWA for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Jennifer" by Dee Henderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After finding God and falling in love, life is good for Dr. Jennifer O'Malley. But can her faith--and her family--survive the challenges ahead?

A sweet, short prequel to the O'Malley series. I really enjoyed this book. It was so nice to get Jennifer and Tom's back story that is only touched on in the other books. Jennifer is a lovely girl, a doctor working with the sickest kids who really puts herself and her heart out there with her kids. I appreciated that Jennifer as a new christian didn't take the bad news well with lots of trust in God initially. You see her hurt that the God she just trusted in is allowing this terrible thing to happen to her.

Tom is a wonderful man who gently witnesses to Jennifer, falls in love with her and determines to stand beside her no matter what--even when Jennifer tries to push him away.

This is a lovely story that makes me want to re-read the O'Malley books again to finish her story.

One caveat I have is at Jennifer's baptism where Tom clearly says in part that the baptism is for the forgiveness of her sins. The Bible clearly teaches that it's repentance (which is not mentioned) that saves us, not baptism. I realize there are many that don't agree with me, but I provide an honest opinion--not always a popular one--and that is the reason this dropped to four stars out of five.

I received a free digital copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing through NetGalley.com for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Secrets Over Sweet Tea" by Denise Hildreth Jones

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Secrets can be funny things. We think they keep us safe, but more often than not, they spill out when we least expect and make a mess out of everything. It’s a truth Scarlett Jo Newberry knows all too well—a truth Grace Shepherd and Zach Craig are about to learn the hard way. As the lives of this boisterous pastor’s wife, polished news anchor, and beleaguered divorce attorney intersect in the tree-lined streets of Franklin, Tennessee, scandal threatens to topple their carefully constructed worlds. Grasping at survival, they embark on a journey of friendship and courage, desperate to find a way back to laughter, love, and life.

I was so excited to see this book up for review. I live in Tennessee where sweet tea is a part of life, and the characters from the blurb sounded great. Unfortunately, it did not live up to expectations. Scarlett Jo, the pastor's wife, is more of a caricature than a character. Now, I do not subscribe to the notion that a pastor's wife has to be perfect. Having been a pastor's wife I know full well that we are human beings with all our own faults and failures. However, she is just over the top loud, boisterous, crude and unsubmissive (more than once her pastor/husband tells her not to do something or to wait before she does it and she immediately goes and does is anyway). She bites back a cuss word at one point. Her husband "asked her to stop cussing since Jack was a baby, and she did okay most days." They even allow their younger boys to each say a cuss word at one point because they want to, saying that Jesus looks on the heart and that, basically, if there's no evil intent in the heart it's not sin. It is justified that even though we're clearly taught in the Bible not to take the Lord's name in vain, it's actually a worse sin to be mean to people. Are you kidding?!? There are no degrees to sin in God's eyes. Sin is sin!

I loved Grace's character. Her pain in her situation and the choices she has to make are so clear. You really root for things to turn out for her. Zach is unlikable in the beginning, but he really grows and develops leaving you rooting for him as well in the end. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they were not enough to save this book, though they did bump it up to two stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Captive Trail" by Susan Page Davis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Taabe Waipu has run away from her Comanche village and is fleeing south in Texas on a horse she stole from a dowry left outside her family's teepee. The horse has an accident and she is left on foot, injured and exhausted. She staggers onto a road near Fort Chadbourne and collapses.

On one of the first runs through Texas, Butterfield Overland Mail Company driver Ned Bright carries two Ursuline nuns returning to their mission station. They come across Taabe who is nearly dead from exposure and dehydration and take her to the mission.

With some detective work, Ned discovers Taabe Waipu's identity. He plans to unite her with her family, but the Comanche have other ideas. Through Taabe and Ned we learn the true meaning of healing and restoration amid seemingly powerless situations.

After reading the first book in the Morgan Family Series, I couldn't wait to read Billie's story. I was not disappointed. Though many captives were assimilated into the tribe and didn't want to return to their families, Billie was not one of them. Through twelve long years, she never felt completely a part of the tribe and longed to return to her family. Twelve years is a long time when you're captured at such a young age, and when Billie finally escapes, she can no longer remember much of her early years or even how to speak English. This is a sweet book that tells of her struggle to escape, her work to re-learn English and remember her former life and the battle to keep her freedom. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next installment of the Morgan Family Series. The only issue I had is the predominence of Catholicism which just a mention of "Protestants and Catholics worship differently" though Billie was raised Christian. No mention of salvation was made at all.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Whispers of a New Dawn" by Murray Pura

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

The year is 1941 and Jude and Lyyndy, with their adult daughter, Rebecca, are summoned to far-off, exotic Honolulu where Rebecca, a flyer like her father, meets a likeable young pilot. The two enjoy a friendship that seems to be turning into something more serious.....until Sunday, December 7, 1941 dawns on the Hawaiian Islands.

This book can't make up its mind what it wants to be. One minute it seems pro-Amish, the next anti-Amish. It goes back and forth through the whole book like that with little bit of everything thrown in. I have seen the trend this book seems to take more and more in Christian fiction lately--we all serve the same God (or Jesus), just in different ways. That may sound good, but it's totally against what the Bible teaches. It also leads to confusion (of which there's a LOT of in this book when it comes to anything to do with God), and God is not the author of confusion.

I had a hard time liking Becky, the heroine. She's very impulsive, immature and highly selfish a good portion of the time. Unfortunately, I can't really give examples or I'll spoil the book.

Overall, even though this book is listed as "Christian Fiction" and God and the bible are mentioned fairly often, it doesn't feel very christian. Couples are making out all the time, staying out til 4 in the morning at times (this is in the 30's and very early 40's and yet the parents--supposedly christian parents--are totally fine with it?!?), worldly music, dancing boogie woogie, having the boyfriend carry you into the water to get wet and cool so you have an "excuse" for him to hold and cuddle you at night alone on the beach til all hours, rotten attitude to anyone who doesn't agree with you.....the list goes on and on. I was highly disappointed in this book and would not be able to recommend it to anyone.

I was given a free digital copy to read and review by Harvest House Publishers through NetGalley.com. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"The Moses Quilt" by Kathi Macias

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Moses Quilt is a contemporary novel that bridges racial and generational divides. With a realistic and compassionate look into a twenty-first-century dilemma, multiple award-winning author Kathi Macias introduces readers to a confused and apprehensive young woman, Mazie Hartford. Facing major decisions about the love of her life and her future, she must also wrestle with a nagging question about her family's past. She finds the answer to her questions in a most unexpected way—her great-grandmother's Moses quilt. As her great-grandmother begins to explain how each patch represents a story of courage and freedom, Mazie must decide if she has the courage and freedom to overcome her own personal fears and prejudices.

This is very slow-moving book. It starts with Mazie unable to give her boyfriend, Edward, an answer to his proposal. This was frustrating for me as on the second page it says, "Still, how could she give him an answer when she was sure about how the unknowns of her past might impact their future?" There is one big problem with that statement. At that point, according to everything I read in the book, there should have been no "unknowns" that she could know about that would give her pause in answering him. I went into this book "cold" (I was offered 3 books to review with nothing but titles and author's names), so I didn't know it was about inter-racial relationships before I started it. That made it frustrating because the author is lauded for taking on possibly controversial topics, but won't just come out and say that they are an inter-racial couple. You have to deduce that for yourself. I guessed fairly early on, but it was later in the book before it was finally confirmed. Mazie's mom and grandmother, Mimi, both love Edward and want them to get together, and HIS family is for it, too. It ended up leaving me irritated with Mazie. She obviously didn't have too much of an issue with his race or she wouldn't have been dating him in the first place. I just wanted to shake her and snap her out of whatever her problem was! Edward spends the book trying to love her and woo her, and trying not to admit that Mazie could have some prejudices down deep keeping her from accepting him, but at the end, he ends up having to over come HIS issues before they can move forward.

Mimi was the saving grace of this book. She was a jewel and I fell in love with her immediately! I grew up in the south and around quilting, so the portions of the book with Mimi, the quilt and Harriet Tubman's story I loved. The rest was just slow, sometimes boring and the rest of the time just frustrating! Mimi and the history of the quilt makes this book 3 stars.

I was given a free copy of this book by New Hope Publishers to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Sisters of Mercy Flats" by Lori Copeland

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

"Over the top." I think that is about the bestway to describe this book. Unfortunately, I do not mean that in a good way. The author employs my least favorite technique to try to keep your interest, and that is having constant, ridiculous, usually over-done experiences.

The three wily and beautiful McDougal sisters can swindle a man faster than it takes to lasso a calf. But their luck is running out, and they're about to be hauled off to jail. When the wagon carrying them falls under attack, each sister is picked up by a different man. Unfortunately for Abigail, she's grabbed by a twit of a shoe salesman, Mr. Hershall Digman. She steals his horse and rides off to the nearest town, not giving him another thought...until she discovers those secret papers in his saddlebags. Could Mr. Digman be a Confederate spy?

As if to prove it, the man who comes storming after her is no shoe salesman, but a handsome captain who wants his papers back...at any cost. And Abigail wants a ride back home. Together they embark on his mission, determined not to trust each other...or the God who won't seem to let them go.

Unfortunately, Abigail is unlikeable for the first half of the book, and only tolerable at best the rest of the book. Mr. Digman isn't much better. Most of the characters feel flat and/or forced. It's sad, but I found myself not caring about Abigail and Mr. Digman. I kept having to stop myself from just skimming the last half of the book or skipping it all together. I was more interested in what happened to her two sisters than the rest of the story. I just felt the story was poorly done overall.

I received a digital copy of this book from Harvest House through NetGalley.com to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Echoes" by Robin Jones Gunn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Crazy things always seem to happen to Lauren Phillips, but even she wasn't expecting her fiance to break their engagement. Hoping to lift her spirits, her brother Brad gives her a new computer--along with a few suggestions for how she can improve her social life online. Soon Lauren connects with a mysterious man who identifies himself as a fellow God-lover...someone she only knows as K.C.

As she takes tentative steps into a new life, Lauren increasingly enjoys her new online friendship with K.C. But she can't bring herself to hope for something more and risk relinquishing the safety that distance provides her bruise heart.

After a year of corresponding, Lauren finally has an opportunity to meet K.C. Is she willing to risk everything, including more heartache?

I've known people like Lauren. They are the embodiment of Murphy's Law--If something can go wrong, it will. I had fun reading about her many mishaps. The rest of the book, not so much. The little side bits with Justin and especially Garry were a mess. I felt they detracted from the story overall.  Most of the characters in the book felt pretty two dimensional, and Lauren seemed pretty immature throughout the whole book.  The last half of the book I could guess what was coming a mile away, and it just didn't really keep my interest at that point. Not a terrible book, but not a great one, either.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

http://www.robingunn.com/
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/workid.php?work=72900

Missing in Action

I realize this blogger must seem to be MIA.   I haven't posted since last week, and it will be Thursday afternoon at the earliest before my next review gets posted.  I had the opportunity to travel out of state for a visit with my parents and my sister and her new husband who are on deputation to go to Botswana, Africa as missionaries.  Shocking as it may seem, I didn't bring books with me, and I'm not posting reviews while I'm here! :-P  I finished a book right before I left, so I'll be posting a review of it when I get home.  Until then....

Happy Reading!!

Noah Webster: Father of the Dictionary" by Isabel Proudfit

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a gem of a book!! This is a great book on the life of Noah Webster, writer of the famous "blue book" speller, the Noah Webster Dictionary and many, many other books. This book seems to be focused on the age level of older children, but very enjoyable, even for adults. I had never read a biography on Noah Webster, and was amazed at the sheer volume of books, essays, articles, etc that he wrote during his lifetime. He had a stick-to-itiveness that is sorely lacking in our generation today. He had a burning desire to learn, and then to help teach others, and didn't let anything stop him from doing the work he believed he needed to do. Our lives are so much richer due to the work he completed in his lifetime. I heartily recommend this book to all.

A copy of this book was sent to me to read and review by Bradford Press through BookCrash.com. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Past Darkness" by Laurel Woiwode

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I was soooo incredibly disappointed in this book!! It's listed as "christian fiction", but there is swearing and crude language. Maybe not lots of it--to be honest, I didn't finish the book as the language was a turn-off--but one swear word is one too many in a "christian fiction" book! This story had so much potential, and the language was not even necessary!! Very disappointing!

"Life: In Spite of Me" by Kristen Jane Anderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kristen Anderson wanted to die---but God had other plans. Recounting her miraculous survival of a suicide attempt in which a train severed her legs, Kristen shares how her newfound faith in God helped her overcome severe depression and shame, as well as the challenges of permanent physical disability. Discover how she found fulfillment serving God!

What a great story of hope! Reeling from the death of her beloved grandmother and three of her friends as well as another "friend" raping her, Kristen decided to end it all. God had other plans for her as is shown by the simple fact that as far as science is concerned, she should have died that night. What a blessing to read how God drew her to Him. I greatly appreciated the clear plan of salvation being given, instead of just saying she "found God" or "gave her life to Jesus". She didn't stop there, though, but continued to grow, acting on a clear desire to really KNOW God, not just know about Him. Kristen really wanted a close relationship with God, and acted on that desire giving her life to Him to do whatever He would ask her to do--even if it meant going outside of her comfort zone. This is a wonderful story of hope, forgiveness and a life lived to the fullest for God.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

http://www.reachingyouministries.com/

http://multnomahemails.com/wbmlt/pdf/...

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/blog/2...