What Am I Reading - March

Another month is just about over and done with.  It's hard to believe we're already heading into the month of April and that a 1/4 of the year is over with already.  I would say "Where has the time gone" but I guess I've spent a good portion of it with my nose in a book ;)

Burning Proof by Janice Cantore

After months of investigating the brutal homicide of a young girl, Detective Abby Hart finally has the evidence she needs. But when the arrest goes terribly wrong, Abby begins to doubt her future as a police officer. As she wrestles with conflicting emotions, old questions about the fire that took her parents’ lives come back to haunt her.

“There is proof.” PI Luke Murphy can’t stop thinking about what Abby’s former partner, Asa Foster, mumbled just before he died. When he uncovers a clue to the murder of Abby’s parents and his uncle, he’s reluctant to tell Abby, despite his growing feelings for the beautiful detective.

This book was a real treat for me, as I just happened to coincidentally live in the area where this book takes place.   The second book in the Cold Case Justice series written by Janice Cantore, this book follows the story of Long Beach Detective Abby Hart and Investigator Luke Murphy. This was the first time I have read anything written by Cantore and I really did enjoy this offering.   While this is the 2nd book of the series and I had not read the first book (Drawing Fire), I was able to follow the story without the prior knowledge of what the first book contains.   I did find that some areas were a bit confusing, like at one point a character was being called by his first name (Bill) and then by his last name and then switched back to his first name, without warning, which made me go "Who is Roper?" until I figured out what was going on, but this didn't distract too much from the story other than being just a minor inconvenience.    Cantore does a great job with character development as well as with setting descriptions (she hit the nail on the head while discussion how unreal the wind is here on a regular basis.   Without a doubt, I will be finding the first of this series soon and will purchase the third book when it becomes available.



A Gift For All People by Max Lucado

The Gift for All People is a celebration of God's gift of salvation wrapped in a collection of inspirational

stories. These stories will help Christians comprehend and treasure the assurance of their salvation and will help non-Christians realize and embrace the gift of abundant, eternal life in Jesus Christ. The concluding story, written especially for this book, urges readers to give their lives to Jesus Christ and shows them how to do so. This book will provide Christians with a unique, warm, and attractive presentation of the gospel to give to non-Christian family or friends.More than anything, God wants you to be with Him. The God who designed your world, the God who placed you on the planet, simply wants you home with Him. And to bring you home, He offers you a gift...the gift of eternal salvation. 


Well,  if you've been following my blog and my book selections for any period of time, you know that I absolutely love Max Lucado. This book is no different.  Once again, Max does a wonderful job explaining Christian doctrine in simplified terms that anyone can understand.    However, this book isn't necessarily geared towards the believers of Christ or those who have previously read Max's books. Instead this book is geared towards non believers or new believers who could use a gentle nudge in the right direction .   Using personal stories of grace and forgiveness, Max explains how Christ gave the ultimate gift of Love and Sacrifice to ALL of us.  

This book is an extremely easy read and is a great introduction to Max's style of teaching for those who might not be previously familiar with him.  If your a fan of Max's, like I am, and you've read many of his previous books, many of the stories in this quick read will be familiar to you.  These are the more "feel good" stories of his previous volumes, stories that focus more on Jesus's love and grace to us then on scripture teaching.  This would make a great book to give as a gift following a baptism.

Risen by Angela Hunt 

Epic in scope, yet deeply personal, this novelization offers a unique perspective on the story of the resurrection. Roman Tribune Clavius is assigned by Pilate to keep the radical followers of the recently executed Yeshua from stealing the body and inciting revolution. When the body goes missing despite his precautions, Clavius must hunt it down.

His investigation leads him from the halls of Herod Antipas to the Garden of Gethsemane and brings him in touch with believer and doubter alike. But as the body still remains missing, Clavius commits to a quest for the truth--and answers that will not only shake his life but echo throughout all of history.

I was really excited to get my hands on this book as I had seen the previews for the movie but I know I'll have to wait til it comes out on DVD before I get the opportunity to see it.   In a way, that might spoil the movie for me, since this is a novelization based on the screenplay as opposed to the movie based on the book.  However, I was very pleased with the book, non the less.  This book tells the story of Clavious, the Royal Tribune under Pontius Pilate and of  Rachel, a Jewish Widow.  Through these two characters as well as other Biblical characters that they come in contact with, both come to realized the truth about Jesus (Yeshua) and it forever changes their lives.

Hunt does a great job in really immersing the reader into the Biblical setting of Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion.  While I've never read any of her previous writings, it is very aparent that she is very knowledgeable in Biblical history. This was a great read and I enjoyed it very much.

Undaunted Hope by Jody Hedlund

Running from the mistakes of her past, Tessa Taylor heads to the uppermost reaches of Michigan, planning to serve as the new teacher to the children of miners. She quickly learns the town had requested a male teacher, but Percival Updegraff, superintendent and chief mine clerk, says she can stay through winter since it's too late to replace her. Tessa can't help but thank him and say she is in his debt. 

Determined to make herself irreplaceable once spring thaw arrives, Tessa throws herself into her work, and soon two students have decided Miss Taylor is the right match for their grieving father. At the same time, charming assistant lightkeeper Alex Bjorklund makes his interest known, surprising Tessa, who has never had men fight for her hand before. But not all is well as she feels that someone is tracking her every move, and she may not be able to escape the trap that has been laid for her.

This book caught my attention mainly because of the setting taking place in the Keweenaw Peninsula of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.   My husband and I spent time living just south of Eagle Harbor, in Calumet, and really enjoyed learning about the Copper mining that took place in the late 1800s, so when I saw that this book was a historical set in that time and place, I knew I wanted to read it..

Undaunted Hope is the third book in the Beacons of Hope series by Jody Hedlund.  I was familiar with Jody Hedlund and the Beacons of Hope series already as I had previously read Out of the Story, a novella written as part of this series. However, you can easily read this book independantly from the others of the series.

 The Beacons of Hope serious all center around the various lighthouses found on the Great Lakes of Michigan.  This particular book focuses on Tessa Taylor, a teacher who has made some mistakes in her life and is looking for a clean slate.   Finding herself in rather difficult situation with her employment situation as well as a love triangle between two brothers, Tessa's new start is anything but a clean slate.

Jody Hedlund is very skilled at character development and in tying this story together, as well as tying previous books into the story..    Overall, it's a great read and I'm looking forward to the fourth book of this series to hit the shelves.  

What Am I Reading? (Book Reviews)

This month I've had the opportunity to read and review some wonderful books, both fiction and non fiction alike.. There's almost always a huge stack of books beside my bed that I debate which one is next and then rotate on to the next one..     Here's the ones that happened to find their way into my hands this month :)

ICB, Princess Bible, Hardcover, PurpleInternational Children's Bible

First up, the Princess Edition  International Children's Bible from Thomas Nelson Publishing.  I was looking for a more "girlie" themed Bible for my youngest daughter as her brother had a new Bible on the way so the Princess Edition ICB looked like the perfect option.. This is a sturdy hardcover Bible with purple, pearl, glitter and holographic accents was perfect for my extremely girly girl.   This Bible is in a newer translation designed especially for children in mind, putting concepts into natural terms younger children can understand, with modern measurements and geographical locations being used as much as possible throughout.    The first few pages contain an index, explanation of the translation and an index of key verses for various topics such a Kindness, Patience and Respect.   Following the book of Revelations, there is a useful dictionary, an index that shows scriptures that relate to specific Biblical persons such as Jesus, Abraham, Peter and Moses. Another index shows suggested memory verses for young girls to take to heart and incorporate into their lives.    24 full color pages offer quick information such as the names of the 12 disciples, a list (including verses) of the miracles of Jesus, maps from Biblical times, time lines and prayer suggestions. Also included is a ribbon bookmark to make your current reading.

Over all, I found this to be a nice Bible for my 7 year old daughter.  The font size appears to be a 12 point font and is easy to read. The Bible itself is smaller in size and easy for smaller hands.  My only complaint is the textured glitter accent on the bottom quarter of the top cover can begin to become an irritation to small hands after a short bit of time.

The Prophetess (Daughters of the Promised Land Book #2): Deborah's Story 

by Jill Eileen Smith

Jill Eileen Smith is a Christian author I am very familiar with as I have read a number of her other

books, including the "Wives of King David" series. This particular book is the 2nd of Smith's "Daughters of the Promised Land" series and while I did not previously read the first book about Rahab, you can easily pick up any book in Smith's series in any order.

The Prophetess is the story of Deborah, the only female prophet in the Bible.   Very little is known about Deborah but as this is a work of fiction based on a Biblical figure, Smith takes liberties to weave an amazing story about this woman God used to help defeat the cruel and oppressive enemy of Israel, the Canaan General, Sisera.   The story also weaves historical facts into the fictional account of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite.

Smith always does such an amazing job pulling the reader into the story. This book was no exception. While Smith admits that very little is known about Deborah other than what is written in Judges 4 and 5, she presents a vivid picture of what might have been going on behind the scenes beyond Deborah and Barak's fight against Sisera.  I highly recommend this book, along with any of Smith's other writings. 

21 Seconds to Change Your World:  Finding God's Healing And Abundance Through Prayer

by Dr Mark Rutland with Forward by Mark Batterson

Many of us have recited both the Lord's Prayer as well as Psalms 23 many times in our lives, but how

often do we really think about the words we are saying?  Mark Rutland presents both of these familiar texts in depth as well as presenting amazing stories of people who's lives were changed as they applied both of these verses to their lives. 

At under 200 pages, this book is a very quick read but Rutland does an amazing job presenting information without bombarding the reader with too much technical details.  The book is divided into two parts  dedicated to David as the author of the 23rd Psalm and to Jesus as the author of the Lord's Prayer, as well as showing the parallels between the two.   Each line of their scriptures is then broken down and explained in layman's terms. Rutland then shows how now only are there parallels between David and Jesus, but also between the 23rd Psalm and the Lord's Prayer. 

I liked this book and I found  much of the information interesting.  My own complaint is that I am of the belief that Jesus meant exactly what he said, we should pray "like" the Lord's Prayer.  I think when we just recite his example, or the 23rd Psalm, it becomes routine and habit and the true meaning is left out.  Even if it's just 21 seconds, I feel those 21 seconds should be used to wholeheartedly speak with God in the way Christ suggested, not recite his example.  Other than that complaint, however, I do recommend this book. 

Raising Uncommon Kids:  12 Biblical Traits You Need to Raise Selfless Kids

By Sami Cone

As a mom raising children in today's society, I'm probably like every other parent in hoping that my children will not grow up to be like many of those you hear about in the news.  We want to teach our children to be strong in character and morals, to try to always do what is right, to follow Biblical principles and teaching and to apply all of these things to peer pressure situations they will find themselves in when not with us.    Because of this, I really wanted to read this book in the hopes of maybe finding some gems to help make the the spiritual vs secular fight a bit more fair. 

While I did enjoy reading this book, in all honesty, I found it to be more about common sense.  I already know that in order to raise children who display the traits I wish for them to have, I must first display these traits for them to observe and learn.   Children learn by example and it is our job as parents to present that example.. Cone does a great job going into detail about the 12 various traits we should display for our children (love, forgiveness, wisdom, humility, compassion, ect) and gives examples of how exactly we can show these traits to our kids.   Each of these traits have their own dedicated chapters so if one was to want to work on one particular trait at a time, it would be easily managed.

I really liked Cone's writing style - she doesn't beat around the bush and is pretty straight forward but she is also very engaging and entertaining.  While I didn't find any earth shattering revelations (maybe that just means I'm doing a better job that I originally thought at raising these kiddos), I did find it a great read and a great reminder as to what is important in raising kids of character. 

Waiting for Morning ( Book Review)

If you've been following my blog for any amount of time, you would know that I am a huge fan of Karen Kingsbury. Between her and Max Lucado, I've probably read every book they've written.  I was given the opportunity to review the latest paperback release of Waiting for Morning which is book one of Kingsbury's Forever Faithful Series.  This book was actual a re-read for me as I had read it previously when it originally came out in trade paperback format. 

ABOUT WAITING FOR MORNING

“I’m afraid there’s been a car accident…”As Hannah Ryan waits for her family to return home from a camping trip, she realizes she has everything going for her—a husband other women admire, two charming teenage daughters, and a loving Christian home. As the sunny afternoon turns into twilight, her uneasiness grows along with the shadows. Then a car pulls into Hannah’s driveway, bringing two police officers…and devastating news that shatters her life forever.

In the days that follow, Hannah struggles with unspeakable feelings of sorrow and rage—feelings that fuse into one chilling purpose for living: revenge against Brian Wesley, the drunk driver who has caused all her pain.

In her fury, Hannah shuts the Lord out of her life. She’s determined not to forgive Wesley or the God who allowed this tragedy to happen. Can two caring people help Hannah rediscover her faith…before bitterness destroys her?

What I Thought?

Occasionally you read books where the entire time, you're really finding yourself hating the main character. This book is such a case where Hannah Ryan doesn't have many redeeming qualities throughout the book.  If you're a parent, there are going to be many occasions where you really wish you could reach into the pages and just slap some sense into Hannah and her lack of compassion or observation in regards to Jenny, the daughter who lives through this tragic  accident. As Hannah falls deeper and deeper into the depths of her hatred, she leaves behind her faith, God and her daughter to the darkness that consumes her. This nearly costs her any chance of repairing the relationship with Jenny.  Even when Hannah finds her way back to her faith, the darkness in her heart still holds fast until she finally is able to see that only forgiveness can bring complete peace.

The characters in this book are extremely well developed.  You'll find your heart breaking for poor Jenny as you experience the pain of losing her father, her sister and her mother.  You'll find yourself completely disgusted with the slimball lawyer for the defense. You'll find yourself in a whirlwind of feelings for Brian Wesley, the drunk driver on trial for First Degree Murder.

As all Kingsbury's other books, this is an excellent read from one of the true masters of storytelling in Christian Fiction.  Kingsbury has such an amazing way of pulling scriptures into her story and helping the reader understand the meaning of the words.  I highly recommend this book and it's message about forgiveness and the faithfulness of God, even in difficult times in our lives.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KAREN KINGSBURY is a USA Today and New York Times best-selling author, with nearly twenty million books in print.  Dubbed the “Queen of Christian Fiction” by Time magazine, Karen has written more than forty Life-Changing Drama, which encompasses the Redemption, Firstborn, and Sunrise series, as well as stand-alone novels such as Like Dandelion Dust, When Joy Came to Stay, and This Side of Heaven.  Karen and her husband, Don, live in the Pacific Northwest and are parents to six children, including three adopted from Haiti.  Visit her Web site at www.KarenKingsbury.com

Book Review: Refining Fire

I've enjoyed Tracie Peterson's books in the past and I really wanted to like this one especially since the synopsis on the back of the book sounded very interesting. Unfortunately, the back of this book is extremely misleading as the two main characters turn out to be secondary characters who's stories really are not developed very well. All the mystery surrounding both characters pasts are resolved and solved in 1 quick conversation in the middle of the book. Most of this book is dedicated instead to Abrianna and Wade's feelings for each other, Abrianna's charity works, Abrianna's courtship with the protagonist of the story, Abrianna's family crisis, Abrianna's devotion to God, Abrianna's .. well, you get the point.

What makes this even worse is while Militine is a truly interesting character with a past that really could have been felt out and made into a very worthwhile story, Abrianna is a smug, self righteous brat who seems to think her devotion to God makes her so much better than everyone else. She's very critical of everyone and far from a likable character. As most of the spiritual aspects of this book come from the thoughts or conversations from Abrianna, it almost feels as if the message is being beaten over the readers head and instead of being an uplifting message, it feels forced and snarky. 

This book would have been so much better had Mrs Peterson had concentrated on Militine and Thane, developed their stories much more in depth and let Abrianna and Wade's story develop more in the background, since her third book seems as if it will be dedicated to them. 

Book Review: The Friends of Jesus

"What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! "

So many times when I was young, we would sing this hymn during worship service. I never really gave much thoughts to the words back then, being a young teenager who was worried about so many more things going on in my life.  However, these words came rushing back to me many times while reading Karen Kingsbury's latest publication "The Friends of Jesus".

 Karen Kingsbury is without a doubt one of my favorite authors and she didn't disappoint with this latest addition. Karen is a true master of bring a story to life and she has been given such a wonderful gift to bring stories of faith to her readers. "The Friends of Jesus" is the second book in the "Life Changing Bible Story" series, the first being "The Family of Jesus" which is equally wonderful.

 Much like the first book of this series, Karen takes Biblical characters and weaves a story together that really digs deep into who each of these characters were and how their lives intertwined with Jesus.  While she takes many liberties in doing so, she adheres to Biblical facts and doesn't change what the Bible tells us but instead builds a story revolving around what we already know.

This particular volume covers the stories of 6 well known people - Simon the Leper, Martha (sister to Lazarus), Jarius (the Leader of the Galilean synagogue), Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John.  Each narrative lays out these peoples faults for all to see, only to turn around and show how Jesus's compassion and friendship with each one changed their lives. The love that the Savior had for each one of these people, each whom he held dear to his heart, displays the love he has for each of us even thought we are all flawed, just as they were.  You can't help but be able to identify with at least one of the characters when reflecting on your own faith.

If you love the Bible and want to dig deeper, this is a great way to immerse yourself. There is also a Bible study at the end of the book for personal reflection or to provide a launching pad for a group study that coincides with each character.

Book Review: The Wood's Edge

Have you ever picked up a book and put off reading it because of the sheer length of it?  I admit, I did it to this book without giving it it a chance.  I received it in early June along with a few other books to read and being that this one is almost 400 pages long, I put it aside and instead read the shorter books on my list.  Two night ago, I finally picked it back up: the synopsis intrigued me and I knew I wanted to at least get a few pages into it.

What ended up happening is that I spent the next two days reading it straight two nights in a row, staying up til the wee hours of the morning because I was so enthralled with this book.  When I got down to the last 60 pages, I actually wished that this book had at least another 200 pages because it was that good.

Synopsis:

At the wood's edge cultures collide. Can two families survive the impact?

The 1757 New York frontier is home to the Oneida tribe and to British colonists, yet their feet rarely walk the same paths.

On the day Fort William Henry falls, Major Reginald Aubrey is beside himself with grief. His son, born that day, has died in the arms of his sleeping wife. When Reginald comes across an Oneida mother with newborn twins, one white, one brown, he makes a choice that will haunt the lives of all involved. He steals the white baby and leaves his own child behind. Reginald's wife and foundling daughter, Anna, never suspect the truth about the boy they call William, but Reginald is wracked by regret that only intensifies with time, as his secret spreads its devastating ripples.

When the long buried truth comes to light, can an unlikely friendship forged at the wood's edge provide a way forward? For a father tormented by fear of judgment, another by lust for vengeance. For a mother still grieving her lost child. For a brother who feels his twin's absence, another unaware of his twin's existence. And for Anna, who loves them both--Two Hawks, the mysterious Oneida boy she meets in secret, and William, her brother. As paths long divided collide, how will God direct the feet of those who follow Him?

My Thoughts:

It is very rare for me to give a 5 star rating for a book but in this case, each star is well deserved.

From the first page, this story captures your attention and manages to hold it through to the last page and leaves you wanting more (and luckily, Lori Benton decided to make this a series and is scheduled to release the second book in 2016).  This is the story of love, rejection, grief, guilt, hate, and about forgiveness through God's love.

Lori Benton excels as a writing, weaving a beautiful story.  While this book does follow multiple characters and their personal stories, Benton succeeds at making each character a relevant part of the story, each contributing a piece of the overall puzzle.  None of these characters are lily white and each have their flaws and secrets that makes them believable.   There are a few occasions one might read a particular passage and think "Why is this in here? Get back to the main story!!" and then later those interactions come back to add something important to what is going on.

It is also obvious that Benton had thoroughly researched the Oneida people and the historic events that surrounded them at the time this book takes place.  The Native people presented in this book are not "stereotype" but instead the reader is given the opportunity to see their interactions from an everyday family life standpoint rather than savages.  The Native culture is presented with respect to the people and Tribal customs, which is always a plus in my book (being of Native American heritage).  

I highly recommend this book to everyone.  But be warned, once you read it and then finish it, you'll be waiting for A Flight of Arrows, the second book of the Pathfinder series, to be released next year.

Book Review: Love Arrives in Pieces

Overview:

For so long, Stella was known for her beauty. Now, with her heart stripped bare, she must discover who she really is.

Former pageant queen Stella Varland doesn’t trust beauty anymore after her divorce. Her appearance betrayed her and led to her brokenness—so instead of being beautiful, now she tries to make beautiful things, but always falls short. So she keeps her passion for her secret art to herself and focuses on her interior design work. But if she doesn’t get another job soon, she’ll be stuck living with her parents.

Contractor Chase Taylor is determined to live a life of no regrets after losing his fiancée in a car crash. Now he lives life at full speed, striving to see how much he can accomplish. He knows if he slows down, he’ll fall apart. So he returns home to Bayou Bend to renovate the town’s old theater, and is shocked to learn former flame Stella is the designer for the project.

Forced to work together, Chase and Stella battle their chemistry and their pasts as they struggle to compromise and come together on a vision for the theater. Chase doesn’t understand why Stella is such a subdued version of herself, while Stella doesn’t get Chase’s constant need for productivity and speed. Their wills clash as they attempt to hide their brokenness—and their unresolved feelings for each other—until Chase breaks through Stella’s walls and convinces her to enter her mosaic tile art in a contest.

A near catastrophe, a fire, and a small-town gossip mill finally force both Stella and Chase to realize that they have a choice—to hold on to the shards of their pasts, or surrender their fragmented pieces to the One who makes a beautiful masterpiece from the broken.

My Review:

I wasn't too sure if I was going to like this book before I started it but I was very pleasantly surprised.   St. Amant does a great job bringing both Stella and Chase to life on these pages.  Stella is indeed a broken character who's feeling the after affects of a failed marriage while Chase, also dealing with his own loss after his fiancee died is as well. The author digs deep into the aftershocked of the pain and betrayal of broken relationships as well both present and past.  There is a lot of emotion in this book and you get involved in how these characters feel throughout the book.  

Stella is not the typical independent, strong woman you find in most books.  As said, she's a broken individual who's emotions typically overwhelm her, causing anxiety and panic attacks.  She also makes somewhat rash decisions that has consequences.  She has a supportive sister but her mother.....

Stella's Mother drove me absolutely bonkers at times.  Stella being an ex pageant queen seemed to be the only thing the mother seemed to care about and every time she said "A pageant queen doesn't..." I just wanted to reach through the page and slap her.. LOL   Here's a girl who's husband left her for a younger woman and the mom can't seem to understand that her daughter is hurting. It's like she kept driving the knife deeper.   Ugh!! 

Chase is a great character who also has made bad choices in his past but has really turned his life around for the better.  He's a good guy overall, caring and compassionate.  He oozes confidence on the outside but inside he is a broken mess much like Stella.  

One minor complaint. While the characters are well written and well developed, the plot seems rather weak.  For example, the book constantly refers to the past relationship between Stella's sister and with Chase and how wrong he was to ask out Stella while dating Kat.  However, as many times as this is brought up in the book (and the apparent animosity of Stella and her family towards Chase even from the start), the backstory here really doesn't reflect the serious grievance that occurred.  I felt more was needed to really develop this aspect of the story so that you could really understand and feel why they feel the way they do.  Instead of developing the story, the author spent more time developing the characters and the relationships but I would have liked to have seen equal time spent on developing the story so that it doesn't appear to be on the backburner. 

Overall, I really found this book to be a wonderful read and I am sure I will enjoy more of St. Amant's books in the future. 

The Midwife's Tale - A Book Review

When you've read as many books as I have in my lifetime, it's very hard to start a book and not be able to have it basically figured out within the first few chapters. It seems most books follow a very set pattern and once you've learned that pattern, you basically know the structure of the story. Granted, each author weaves their characters and the details of their lives differently from each other but the general formula for fiction seems to be straight forward. 

Beautiful Cover Art

This book, however, left me unsure how things were going to end right until the very end. Even then, as I read the last chapter, I knew that I wanted to see a sequel to this story. While the book left many unanswered questions that I want to see answered, it wasn't because the author did a poor job of writing. Instead, Delia Parr does a masterful job of creating both primary and secondary characters who the reader can get invested in so that when this particular chapter of their lives are completed, you want to know what happens beyond the last page. You know there's more story to tell and you want to read it - a sign of a great author. 

Martha Cades' story weaves several themes throughout the book: faith, forgiveness, trust, betrayal and the gifts that life offers us and how we must recognize them as such even when they aren't the gifts we would want for ourselves. Set in Western Pennsylvania in the 1830s, Martha is a widowed midwife who's independent, kindhearted and loyal. She also has her faults, however - she can be prideful and stubborn and has made many mistakes in the raising of her daughter. Each of these faults plays a part in this story and endear Martha to the reader as she herself is the one who reveals these faults in her own self reflections rather than by the reader viewing her actions. It allows the reader to see the growth Martha makes as she discovers these faults and how she chances them.

The lessons learned from this book if the reader is willing to open their heart and mind to them is so plentiful; this book goes way beyond just telling a simple story but instead taps into Christian theology much deeper than others. Luckily, these concepts and ideas are not preachy and in your face but instead are very subtly mentioned and require the reader to reflect deeper on their own for the full understanding of what the author is trying to portray. It's almost as if there are actual layers to this story; the basic words on the page that anyone can read and then the real story if you actual think beyond the page. That's not to say this isn't an easy, enjoyable read, it absolutely is and I would highly recommend this book to anyone as Delia Parr is an excellent writer who weaves a story seamlessly and with such skills that you become immersed in 19th century Pennsylvania. 

It's very rare that I give a book a 5 star rating but this particular novel, I think a 5 star is warranted. With superb story telling, complex characters and ideas beyond just what is on the surface, this book will really get you to think. It is not just a mindless read to pass the time but is indeed an experience and I look forward to reading more books by Delia Parr in the future. 

To Win Her Favor - A Book Review

Synopsis

An Irish-born son far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He’s come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and start a farm, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he’d wagered, especially when Maggie Linden’s father makes him an offer he shouldn’t accept yet cannot possibly refuse.

Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the annual Drayton Stakes at Nashville’s racetrack––the richest race run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance, and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder, Maggie’s father––aging, yet wily as ever––makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail––Maggie must marry a man she’s never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself. 

My Thoughts

Prior to reading this book, I was unfamiliar with Tamera Alexander and any of the her past writings so this book turned out to be a great introduction to her writing style for me. I found this book to be a very immersive trip into 1869's Nashville, a time of hardship for the Southern Aristocracy who found themselves losing the life they had always known and where previous slaves fought to fit into a society who did not want them and refused to accept them as equals, much less human. It's also the story of the racism directed towards the Irish immigrants who risked their lives to come to this country, looking for a fresh start but finding a less then warm welcome once they were here.

Mrs Alexander weaves so many details into her writing that one cannot help but to live through the heartbreak and grief that these characters go through. The reader builds a close attachment to her characters and feels invested in their lives, even right down to the dog, Bucket. Cullen and Maggie are not your perfect characters, both have their faults which make them more believable. Together they face many difficult situations, from the hatred that Cullen faced due to his Irish heritage to racial tension from the world around them.

This is a story of loss, mistakes, redemption and being found on various levels. Mrs Alexander brilliantly guides the reader through the layers of each character's journey from loss to triumph. This is also a story of breaking through the walls of stereotypes and gender boundaries; where a woman can train a prize winning Thoroughbred mare and shatter misconceptions regarding the "lesser sex" in a man's world.

I did find some discomfort in the repetitive use of the word "n*gger" but I do understand that in the terms of the time frame this book takes place, these would have been words typically used and accepted in those days. It's a very harsh wake up call to the unfortunate realities of that time and serve to show how far we have come with today's society.

Some other reviews I have read in regards to this book mentions that this book is too intimate, that there are very descriptive bedroom scenes that take place. I did not find this to be true - there are moments of intimacy between the two characters (who are married) but there are no descriptions of sexual acts. The characters kiss, they hold hands, they occasional hold each other when they need support and they do look longing at each other from time to time, all things perfectly healthy and normal in any marriage.  While yes, there are moments of intimacy between a husband and a wife far beyond what you would find in a children's book, I promise you that you will find much more detailed descriptions of intimacy in the Bible, such as in the Song of Solomon.

Overall I found this to be a wonderful book and I am glad I had the opportunity to read it.

*I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review, which I gave. My opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way*

Shadow of the Mountain - Exodus by Cliff Graham

Description from the Authors Website

Two men were brave enough to tell the truth about what awaited the liberated Hebrews in the Promised Land. This is their story. From the slave pits of Egypt to the efforts of an eighty-five year-old Caleb as he battles the last of a race of fearsome giants, Shadow of the Mountain is a vivid portrait of two of God’s chosen champions, and a meditation on masculine mentorship and the challenges and blessings of growing older.

Exodus, the first volume of Graham’s Old Testament saga, begins with Caleb as he prepares to attack the fortified city he has claimed for his inheritance. He refuses to spend his twilight years resting, and instead is driven to claim the victory the Lord promised him decades previously. Capturing Caleb’s early days as a mercenary for Pharaoh in Egypt watching the Hebrews suffer under the yoke of slavery, through a desperate fight with Anakite giants in the dark forests of the Israelite hill country, this is a story filled with the epic battles, gritty intensity, and supernatural events that made Graham’s Lion of War series a hit. Shadow of the Mountain is destined to ignite a love for the Scriptures in popular culture.

My Thoughts

 This is manly man's book.. There's lots of fighting, military techniques, description of violence and lots of blood and gore.  There are chariots crashing into walls, torturous military training that leaves men dead and ambush attacks.  This book is every man's dream...

I am not a man...

But guess what?

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!!    The descriptions are far from over the top and aren't thrown in for shock value like many authors often try to do.  Instead, they fit the context of the story perfectly and do not distract but add to the story. And what a story it is!

I have never read anything by Cliff Graham before. Honestly, prior to this review, I had never even heard of him but he is indeed on my radar now.  The character development that he put into Caleb is probably some of the absolute best I have ever seen. I really got a feeling for Caleb, who he was and how his life made him who he was.  Yes, Graham takes many, many liberties in order to weave a story around a very obscure character from the Scriptures but he does it in such a way that it is very believable and does not take away from what we know of him from the Bible.  Caleb is not without his faults  and is not the perfect hero which makes him that much more real.

Graham also weaves a wonderful character out of Pharaoh, from a young man wanting to prove himself as a warrior all the way through the story of Exodus.   By making Caleb a member of Pharaoh's Royal Guard, The Red Scorpions, Graham allows us to view the story of the Exodus and each of the plagues from the viewpoint of the Egyptians rather than the Hebrews.

The entire time I was reading this, my teenage daughter, who had read the synopsis on the back cover, was bugging me to let her read it. No sooner had I finished it, it was in her hands and she was reading it. It's that good.

This book is the first of a new Series by Cliff Graham and I must say, I am looking forward to the second book.

About the Author

Cliff Graham is the author of the "Lion of War" series of novels based on King David's Mighty Men, soon to be a major motion picture franchise. He was an officer in the United States Army and veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Cliff speaks around the country, and he and his wife Cassandra live in the mountains of Utah with their children.

Disclaimer

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Finding Me by Kathryn Cushman – A Book Review

What would you do if you learned your life was a lie? 


 
All her life, Kelli Huddleston has been told the story of a fire–a fire that killed her mother and two siblings when she was an infant. After her father’s death though, she uncovers evidence of a different story, including clippings about a boat accident that killed a young father and his infant daughter. And Kelli quietly realizes the story of her life has been a fiction.

How far would you go to discover the truth?

 
Armed with only a few pictures of what she thinks might be her family, Kelli crosses the country to Tennessee, determined to uncover the truth about what happened over twenty years ago in a small southern town. When the trip threatens to open doors to the past better left shut, and her plans for the future are jeopardized, Kelli is faced with an agonizing choice that will change her life forever.
 
My Thoughts

We open the story with a very brief look into the mind of David Waters/Don Huddleston prior to the “accident” that this entire book revolves around.  This glimpse into David’s thoughts is the only time we see anything from his point of view but his thoughts and actions of that moment has a lasting impact on lives of so many people 25 years later when he dies in a car accident.

While cleaning out his belongings, Kelli finds an envelope that contains her father’s biggest secret – that he had faked his and Kelli’s death and walked away from a wife and two other children. Kelli is determined to meet this family she never knew existed and find what about her mother would excuse what her father did all those years ago.

Right out of the gate, this book captured my attention.  Kelli is a likable character and is well developed.  The author does a great job of bringing the reader through the many emotions that Kelli is feeling; fear, elation, love, respect.  The other character who is well developed is that of Kenmore, David Water’s business partner and friend.  I really enjoyed getting to know Kenmore and I found he acted almost like a guide for Kelli.

There are a number of other characters throughout the book but I felt the most attachment to these two particular characters. Unfortunately, there are a few very critical characters to this story that I just could not get a feel for, one being Allison, Kelli’s biological mother.  Luckily, there’s enough “meat” to this story to allow this to slide.  A couple of other minor characters such as Miss Birdyshaw just didn’t seem to be needed in this story and served as a distraction more than anything else. Other minor characters, such as Opal, would have been great except again, they were never developed for us to really understand them and a few we see one time and never hear anything about them again.

The romance between Kelli and Shane is also an aspect that seems to distract from the story. Either the romance should have been developed more or left out entirely; as it stood it seemed to be only a filler, as if the author needed to throw it in there to make a certain set of readers happy. I always say, if you can take it out of the book and the story doesn’t change, then it’s not needed. That was indeed the case with this particular situation, especially the two moments where Amy, the girl from Shane’s past, enters the story. Those pages would have been better dedicated to maybe developing Allison a bit more.
 
Overall, the book is a wonderful read that hits on themes of family, atonement and redemption, as well as not repeating the mistakes of the past.  I’d easily give this book a 3.5 out of 5.
 
I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Love Inspired Series by Harlequin - A Review

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE bookworm. On average, I read approximately 40-60 books a year. and I usually am reading at least 5 books at any given time (At the time I'm writing this, my Goodreads shows I'm currently reading 9 books).   One of my favorite genres to read, without a doubt, is romance. I absolutely love vegging out in a nice warm bath after the kids go to bed and immerse myself into a great romance novel.  I really enjoy historical romance novels but I find myself skipping over what my friends refer to as "the juicy parts".. Ripping bodices and heaving breasts just don't do it for me - to me that's not romance.

So it was with great surprise when I found that Harlequin, the biggest publisher of romance novels, had a "Love Inspired" series of books for people like me who want all the romance but not the sex.  Love Inspired books provide wholesome, faith based books that follow Christian values.

Each month Harlequin releases 6 new titles for their Love Inspired series. These stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives. The six monthly books have a shelf life of only that month and then they are no longer available through Harlequin.   I received May's six selections (which will be on sale from April 21-May 28 )  to read for the purpose of this blog.  

Straight out of the box, the first thing I noticed is the covers of all 6 books.. No shirtless man with his muscles flexed and his arms wrapped around a scantly clad female in the throws of passion. Instead, each cover had couples who looked like every day normal people.

Skimming the back of the books, it was really hard to pick one particular book to read for this review, they honestly all looked pretty interesting.  After a good "ennie meenie minnie mo"  I chose "Winning the Teacher's Heart" by Jean C. Gordon.  It's the story of retired motocross champion Jared Donnelly and his return to his hometown to rebuild his family’s tarnished reputation and to help troubled children in the community by giving back and building a motocross riding school on a parcel of property he inherited.  He is re-united with Becca Norton, a single mother of two who's husband left her and her children for another woman and who's ex-inlaws do everything to make her life miserable.

I really enjoyed reading this book and it was so wonderful not to have to skip over pages of throbbing body parts and other nasty tidbits.  There were a few questions left unanswered but as this appears to be Book 1 of a series entitled "The Donnelly Brothers", I guess I will have to look for Book 2 to get answers ;)

This is easily a series of books that I am happy to have been introduced to and I would also be more than comfortable allowing my teenage daughter to read these.  The story lines are well developed, the characters faith in God is apparent and real romance is the forerunner, not sex.

GIVEAWAY

Would you like to meet Jared Donnelly and read his story for yourself? Or maybe meet any of the other characters in these 6 books? Then I've got great news for you:  One lucky winner will receive the same set of six (6) Love Inspired books!  They would make perfect Mother’s Day gifts! Enter through the Rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway will run from  04/19/2015 until 12:00am 04/26/2015 This giveaway is open to residents of the United States and Canada.

But first, the important legal stuff:

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway