"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...

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"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.