Book Review - Love in Disguise by Carol Cox

Can she solve the crime before they uncover her true identity?

Jobless and down to her last dime, Ellie Moore hears about a position with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and believes it's the perfect chance to put her acting skills and costumes to use. Reluctantly, the agency agrees to give her one assignment, one chance to prove herself. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie travels to Arizona to begin her investigation. When the need arises, she also transforms into the dazzling Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.

Mine owner Steven Pierce is going to lose his business if he can't figure out who's stealing his silver shipments. In his wildest dreams, he never expected to receive help from a gray-haired widow...or to fall in love with her beautiful niece.

Then the thieves come after Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Should she give up and reveal her true identity? What will Steven do when he realizes the woman he's falling in love with doesn't really exist?

Spunky, Feisty, Determined.  Three good adjectives to describe main character, Ellie Moore.  Insecure, Stubborn, Desperate.  Also three good adjectives to describe Ellie.

Author, Carol Cox, did an excellent job in creating the character, Ellie Moore.  Ellie is someone who desperately wants to be acknowledged for being good at something.  She has always been in the background, but desperately wants to stand out.  Some people are comfortable being in the background and never being noticed.  Ellie is comfortable in the background, but longs to be able to come forward and have someone say she has something, but she doesn't think she has anything worth noticing.

The story, itself, was somewhat slow for me; however, I did enjoy the book. The story is solid.  The descriptions are quite good, and I did like the characters.  It was easy to figure out the plot and the twists in the story, so I focused more on the main character.  It was fascinating to see her adapt from a large city like Chicago to a small town in Arizona where everyone is usually in everyone's business.  I also liked the side character of little Billy Taylor, the boy who would be a spy.  I think we now know how James West the character from "Wild, Wild West" might have gotten his start.

Although this is not a two-reader for me, it is definitely a book I will pass along to my friends and recommend.  I look forward to more novels from Carol Cox.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers' Book Review Program for providing me this book free of charge.

Book Review - The River by Michael Neale

“You were made for The River . . .”

Gabriel Clarke is mysteriously drawn to The River, a ribbon of frothy white water carving its way through steep canyons high in the Colorado Rockies. The rushing waters beckon him to experience freedom and adventure.

But something holds him back—the memory of the terrible event he witnessed on The River when he was just five years old—something no child should ever see.

Chains of fear and resentment imprison Gabriel, keeping him from discovering the treasures of The River. He remains trapped, afraid to take hold of the life awaiting him.

When he returns to The River after years away, his heart knows he is finally home. His destiny is within reach. Claiming that destiny will be the hardest—and bravest—thing he has ever done.

I WAS GYPPED!!

This was my first thought when I finished this book.  The author couldn't have finished it there.  There was so much more I wanted to know.  Did the character get married, did he have kids, did he end up owning the business?  Come on!  You can't just stop there!

This was a good, solid book.  For Michael Neale's first published book, this was a good beginning.   Let me begin by giving kudos to the publisher, Thomas Nelson.  For those of us who have not gone over to the dark side of e-readers (I kid, I kid), the esthetics of this book are outstanding.  The cover of the book has an old leather look and feel to it that makes it a joy to hold.  The pages are reminiscent of older books with the uneven edges.  It's the kind of book that makes you sigh in satisfaction just from holding it.

Then comes the story.  Written in a style reminiscent of Andy Andrews, who happens to write an endorsement on the back, this book is written in allegory form with a sometimes meandering, winding, and peaceful, but other times forceful, rushing, in-your-face description of God's presence in Gabriel's life.  How circumstances that seem beyond his control were actually put into motion to eventually move him to the place he needed to be for God to redeem and heal and to show Himself constant in all things.

I will not lie, there were a few times in this book that were a little slow moving, where it felt I was trudging through, but I am a firm believer that it's how you finish the story that is the proof.  If you leave me wanting to know more about the characters, then you have more than done your job.

I look forward to more books by Mr. Neale, and maybe, hopefully, a sequel to The River?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Submerged by Dani Pettrey

Score One for Alaskan Courage

A sabotaged flight. Two murdered divers. A single clue—a grainy image of sunken treasure.

Baily Craig vowed never to set foot in Yancey, Alaska, again.  She has a past, and a reputation-and Yancey's a town that doesn't forget.  She's returned only to bury a loved one killed in the plane crash, but then dark evidence emerges and Bailey's expertise becomes invaluable for the case.

 

I picked this book to review because of the description, and because it was the first book in a series.  This was a plus for me because I keep choosing books that are middle or end books in series, which usually ends up costing me money. :-)

 

When I got the book, I saw the endorsement from Dee Henderson on the front cover and was intrigued. 

 

After I read the book I was hooked. 

 

For most people, when you read this book, I think you will see a little similarity to Dee's style of writing.  Maybe it's just the same type of genre, mystery, action, fiction, and solid Christian faith.  It could also be because Dani Pettrey has been mentored by Dee Henderson.  (She is mentioned in the acknowledgements at the end.)

 

There were some parts of this book that were a little predictable, but I think that is something she will work out in time.  There were also quite a few times that I actually got a little caught up in the secondary characters and wondering where their stories would go.  I have ideas in my mind, and I can't wait to see if Ms. Pettrey will go in the same direction.

 

The book had a solid plot and good detail.  I loved the historical story woven throughout.  I felt for the character as she dealt with the past and her the after-effects of her choices.  The underlying theme of God's grace and redemption woven throughout the story show how it's not God who can't forgive, it's we as people who can't forgive ourselves.

 

All in all, I think this is a good solid book and definitely recommend that you put it on your TBR list.

 

As a follow-up the second book in the series will be out in February 2013.

 

http://www.danipettrey.com/books/

 

This book was provided to me free of charge by Bethany House Book Reviews.

 



Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

Before Reading - Put on your Combat Boots!

It's not for fighting purposes.  It's purely self-preservation as your toes get stomped all over. 

I wasn't prepared.  I really wasn't. 

This is another book that I've had for about a year.  I was actually supposed to do the review by a certain date, which as you can tell I did not make.  I got this book right around the time I was changing jobs, dealing with a whole lot of anger and resentment with my former job, and I just didn't want to read anything about God's plan for my life.  Besides, my puppy used the book as a chew toy, so I couldn't read it...right?

About three months ago, after a lot of effort on God's part, and a lot of fighting on mine, I began to want to get back to where I had been.  I had those niggling little sensations in the back of my head telling me that really deep down I wanted more of God.  Then about 6 weeks ago, He lit a fire under my behind again.  I wanted to read and blog again, something which I haven't done a whole lot of in the last year, but I really wasn't prepared for this book..

When given the opportunity to review Max Lucado's Outlive Your Life, I signed up for a couple of reasons.  One, my husband has always enjoyed Max Lucado, so I wanted to see for myself why he liked him.  The second, was I could say I actually read Mr. Lucado's next book before my husband.

SPOILER ALERT! 

If you don't want your life changed, leave this book alone.  If you are happy being selfish, content with focusing on your own wants, wishes, and needs, then you won't like this book.  BUT...if you are looking for someone to challenge you to get out of your own way and let God perform supernatural feats through your mustard-seed size faith, this is the book for you.

This book will  make you want to match up with the character examples that Max gives.  People like Mother Theresa who gave up everything to love Jesus through the poor in India or the little boy who challenged his father, his pastors, and his church to give money to build clean water wells in a third-world country.

Max Lucado does what I've come to understand is quite normal for him.  He mixes humor, examples from the Bible, and examples from people he knows to quite literally, hit you over the head with a baseball bat, and try to wake you up to the life that is lived outside of your own existence.

One thing I would recommend is to read it twice.  The first time, just read.  Let yourself smile at the picture of the man with the new ox and cry with the story of the Turkish pastor who lost his life for not recanting his belief in Jesus.  Enjoy the way Mr. Lucado brings life to some of the stories from the Bible you've heard time and time again.

Then, after you've absorbed everything, go back through with the study guide provided at the back of the book and really let God teach his lessons through this book.

I think it's a book you will thoroughly enjoy and be challenged to "Outlive Your Life".

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Final Hour - Andrew Klavan

The Homelanders are attacking—and it's Charlie's last chance to stop them.

Charlie West was an ordinary high school kid who went to bed one night and woke up in the clutches of terrorists and wanted by the police for murder. He also woke up with no memory of the events of the last year.

His memory is returning now and has brought the terrible realization that he knows when the terrorists are going to strike next.

Whatever it takes, Charlie knows he can't give in or give up until they're stopped . . . even when the final hour is ticking away.

If you are a fan of the television show "24", then this is the book for you.  The Final Hour was a deviation for me.  If you'll look at my previous posts or at my favorites list, you'll see the genre of books that I usually read.  I do like suspense books, like Dee Henderson, but I usually stray towards the solid stories with romance, which is unusual because I am not an overly romantic person...but, I digress.  

The Final Hour was one of the first fiction books available to me from Thomas Nelson Publishers, so I ignored the fact that I don't usually read action-thriller books and jumped right in to review it.  

I did discover one problem.  This was the fourth and final book in a series.  Whoops!  That didn't stop me, though, and I actually found, with all the remembering that was done in the book, it filled in the gaps for me and made me want to go back and read the first three books.  In fact, I recently purchased them, and they are in my TBR (To Be Read) pile.

I will admit, I read this book a little like I watch 24 (which I am currently in the process of watching because I've only seen the last 2 seasons), through my fingers at some of the gruesome parts.  There are also some parts, much like 24, that seemed a little far-fetched, but in some ways that just adds to the story.  It is fiction after all.

All-in-all, I thought it was well-written, and have actually recommended this series to my 15-year-old, who loves this sort of thing.  The fact that the main character is relatively young, I thought would be a plus for her.

I think the moral of this review would be to jump outside your comfort zone and take chance.  It's like the commercial said, "Try it.  You'll like it."  :-)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review - Prize of My Heart (Lisa Norato)

I posted a small review of this book on my Facebook page right after I finished reading it, but I wanted to post it here.

I took this with me to my daughter's softball tournament.  I tend to have  2-3 hours of downtime during each day, so I figured I could start on reading this.  Ummmm, Wrongo Ringo!  I couldn't put this down.  I even was sneaking reads when the innings changed during her games, sometimes going a little too long and getting caught by my husband when my daughter was up to bat or made a play that I missed.  :-)

This was an excellent read, a captivating story, and I highly recommend this book.  The characters were vividly developed, and you found yourself going back and forth sympathizing with first one side, then the other.  The conclusion was just as it should be.

Add this to your TBR (To Be Read) List.

Book Description
An unsolved mystery separates ex-privateersman Captain Brogan Talvis from his lost son--his only living relation, his only family. Shortly before her tragic demise, his wife abandoned their infant to strangers, refusing to reveal the child's whereabouts. Now, three years later, Brogan has discovered the boy at the home of a shipbuilder's daughter, Lorena Huntley.

Lorena guards a dark secret about her young charge. She finds herself falling for the heroic captain who has come to claim his newly built ship, unaware his motive for wooing her is to befriend the boy he plans on reclaiming as his own--until the day another's evil deceit leaves her helplessly shipbound, heading toward England.

As the perfect opportunity to reclaim his son unfolds, Brogan is haunted by thoughts of Lorena in her dire circumstance, and he is forced to make a heartrending choice between his child and the woman who has begun to capture his heart. But only his unselfish sacrifice can win him the greatest prize of all--love.

This book was provided to me by Bethany House Book Reviewers.

Review of Dee Henderson's New Book - Full Disclosure!

IT'S HERE!!! IT'S HERE!!  IT'S FINALLY HERE!  Well, almost.

The new Dee Henderson book, Full Disclosure is getting ready to release in October, but thanks to the wonderful people at Bethany House Publishers, I was able to secure an Advance Readers' Edition.  This has made my year! 

My first thought when I finished the book was, I need to read it again, which is pretty typical for her books, and I was glad she was holding true to form.

The story of Ann Silver, Midwest Homicide Investigator, who hands off a lead on a cold case to FBI Agent, Paul Falcon, is masterfully told.  You will absolutely fall in love with Midnight, Ann's dog, who made me smile and laugh out loud on several occasions.  There are many plot twists that happen right up until the last chapter.  Ones that I was not expecting.

I want to be careful and not give any spoilers, but if you're a Dee Henderson fan, you are going to love this book.  I'm not sure if it was meant this way, but to me, this book might actually give us a glimpse into Dee Henderson, the person.  Maybe, because I have been searching and waiting for a new book for so long, I'm just projecting my thoughts of who she is into this book.

Dee once again brings extreme attention to detail to her characters and allows us to see behind the scenes into some of our favorite old characters.  If you haven't read some of her other books, take the time between now and October and read through them again.

This one gets a big THUMBS UP from me. 

The Butterfly Effect - Andy Andrews

Everything You Do Matters.  

Every Move You Make, Every Action You Take...MATTERS

I was supposed to have reviewed this book last year.  I was given a link to an E-Book by Thomas Nelson Publishers and I had some upheaval in my life and just didn't have time to read it and then it expired.  I was so bummed.  I love just about everything Andy Andrews writes, and couldn't believe I just blew a chance to read this.  Then someone was kind enough to give me a Barnes and Noble Gift Card and I used it to purchase the book.  It was worth it.

This is one of those little Coffee Table books, or in my case, a Book Case book.  I brought it to work and put it on my bookcase that holds all my binders of meeting minutes and important ongoing projects.  I did this so I could remember that Everything I Do, Matters!

If you have never read Andy Andrews, most of what he writes is in allegory format (a truth wrapped inside a story).  This was the way Jesus taught most things for a reason.  Stories stick with us.  I love Andy because he shares little tidbits of history, which I love.  One of his favorite people in history is Joshua Chamberlain, a 34-year-old college professor turned Union Army Colonel.  This man was given one task during a battle that ultimately changed the course of history for the U.S.  Mr. Andrews has given us some of his story in some of his other books like "The Traveler" and The Noticer", but I don't remember him going into as much detail, and I have to tell you, he has turned into one of my favorite historical characters.

This book is not a hard read.  It took me about 15 minutes to read it cover-to-cover, but it is a book that everyone should read once, and then again and again as a way to remind ourselves that what we do matters, not just to us or our family, but could have long lasting impact that we can't even see.

I also want to encourage you to put Andy Andrews in your To Be Read list.  Motivate yourself and others around you to make everything you do count.  It's up to you...Do Something!

Yep! She did it again! - Another Dawn by Kathryn Cushman

I had to look through my older posts, and I found, as I suspected, I had done a review for a Kathryn Cushman book. Yep! She wrote it in first person, which I think all of you know my views on, and Yep! I still liked the book, despite that.

Another Dawn tackles a couple of very difficult subjects. The first of which is who is in control of your life, and on the flip side, who is actually better to be in control of your life. (This particular subject is not one of my favorites. Possibly because it's one I struggle with frequently.) :-) The other is how our decisions affect people around us (both known and unknown), whether we want them to or not.

Grace Graham has basically been given an ultimatum. Her sister said come take care of dad or you're not in the family. The timing works outs because things are getting a little hard for Grace with her job and her fiance', and this is her M.O. Things get hard, so it's easier to run. So she packs up her four-year-old son and heads back home for a couple of weeks. However, when decisions she made years ago begin to come out and affect people in the small town of Shoal Creek, Tennessee, what will she do? Will she face the consequences and stick it out or will she run away again?

I found myself being swayed for and against the heroine, Grace, several times. I could understand this point of view. I couldn't understand why she did this or that. I love books that can do that.

There's a couple of plot lines I would have liked to see develop a little more, like her fiance's roll in the story, and her dad and mom's history within her life, but all in all, I think it's a good book.
I don't know that this book will make it to my must read over and over shelf, but I could probably read it again and still like it.

I would definitely recommend this as a read you will enjoy.

This book was provided to me for review by Bethany House Publishers.

The Final Summit

Humanity is coming to its end in a self-destructive pattern. The mission, whether he accepts it or not, is for David Ponder (formerly of The Traveler) to lead the final summit of all travelers from all times to come up with the solution.

Andy Andrews, comedian, keynote speaker, and author of such books as "The Traveler", "The Noticer", and "The Butterfly Effect", has given us a glimpse, once again, into David Ponder's life. David Ponder was introduced to us in the book, "The Traveler", were he learned through time travel, the 7 Decisions to a successful, meaningful life. Once again, David Ponder is able to confer with other travelers, men and women who changed the course of history, to come up with a declaration for mankind that will put them back on the right track. While it is not necessary to read "The Traveler" prior to reading this book, I highly recommend that you do as you will get some insight into being a Traveler.

This book is written in an allegorical (parable) style that is very easy to read. The stories that you will read will move you as you get a glimpse into the lives of extraordinary people. If you love history, this book will knock your socks off.

I have only recently discovered this author and have loved every book I have read by him, anxiously awaiting each book that comes out. I have a hard time reading non-fiction, but can zip through fiction, and Mr. Andrews books allow me the best of both worlds. I get the lessons I need from non-fiction in a style I am willing to read over and over again.

This is a book and author I highly recommend. It is also great for book groups with directional questions at the end of the book.

This book was provided to me for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Book Review: Jungle Warfare by Christopher Cunningham

Those of you who know me, know I don't do non-fiction well. Maybe it was all the textbooks I read as a student because I was bored, but now non-fiction is not my favorite genre. JungleWarfare was a unique book for me. Christopher Cunningham is a leading sales rep in the medical field who brings his expertise in sales and combines it with his love for Christ and his desire to live a life filled with integrity and honor.

The book is a 22-day "Battle Plan" designed to help you recenter your world where it belongs, firmly rooted in God. It takes the Basic Field Manual given to his grandfather when he enlisted in 1943 and breaks it down in small, bite-size lessons for you to digest on a daily basis. This is a book that, while geared for those in sales, is a definite must-read for anyone. It will definitely help you focus your life and position yourself for what God has designed and equipped you to do.

This is a book that will stay in my library, and will try to make it one of my annual re-reads. It is written simply and does not overcomplicate anything. It was truly enjoyable.

This book was provided to me for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Book Review - Hatteras Girl by Alice J. Wisler

At the beginning of the year, I resolved to do my best to post at least one book review a week. I had a stack of books I had promised to review for publishers and friends. I felt very bad seeing this stack of books, knowing that I loved to read, but was not accomplishing what I said I would. So this year, I made a RESOLUTION! Resolved: To read and post one book review a week.

The first two books went quickly and easily. I finished last week's on Monday. It was great. That left me a whole week to re-read a book by one of my favorite authors, Lori Wick, and still complete my book review book. I read my Lori Wick book and started my book review book. After a few chapters, I picked up the next book in my Lori Wick series, The Californians, and finished that one. Then I read a few more chapters in my book review book, and picked up the next book in the Lori Wick series, and the next. Then I realized I really needed to get my book review book done, so I picked it up and pushed through to finish it.

Hatteras Girl is centered on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The main premise of the story is about a single Korean-American girl who has two dreams. One to be married, and one to be the owner of The Bailey House with her best friend, Minnie. Both were childhood dreams, and it looked like they were going to come true and be intertwined. What more could a girl want?

Well, for starters, a girl might want a main character who put a little more thought into her life. While Jackie Donovan (a good Korean name) is very easy to relate to, she seems a little shallow. There does not seem to be a lot of depth to her, except when it comes to Bailey House, but even then it's still not that deep. You are left to assume she has a relationship with God by the fact that she goes to church and there is one page where she and her good friend, Buck, talk about God. Other than that, she seems to leave God out of every decision.

There are other parts of the book that are fairly predictable. I figured out who she would end up with early in the story, even though they never really had but one time of really close interaction. The plot itself had a lot of holes in it for me. We never really got below the surface of anything. Even when she ended up with her man, it was a little unexciting for me.

All this to say, I really didn't hate the book. I am still not a great fan of first-person stories, and this one was a prime example, but I found myself liking the character if I did want to yell at her a couple of times. I was very intrigued by her roommate, and would love to see a story about Minnie and her young son, Zane, as they heal from the loss of Minnie's husband and find life and joy again. I thought the book had a lot of potential, I just wished that it had more depth to it.

All in all, I think Ms. Wisler shows promise and will definitely follow her to see how she grows in further books.

This book was provided to me for review by Bethany House Publishers.

Book Review - A Rush of Wings by Kristen Heitzmann

Twenty-three-year-old New York socialite, Noelle St. Claire is running. From who or what she's not sure. All she sees are images here and there, but she knows she needs to hide to be safe. As her father and fiancee' wait back home, will she find the answers she needs at the ranch nestled in the Colorado Rockies? Will she find the safety and love that she desires?

Then there's Rick Spencer, the owner of the ranch where Noelle St. Claire ends up. Can he break through her shell to help her find God and see that only He can heal her hurt? Will his faith stand up to everything that is coming?

It is very rare for a book to grab my attention from the very first page, but the flight of Noelle St. Claire did just that. Kristen Heitzmann is a master of descriptive phrases and leaves nothing out in any of her settings. The characters were well developed, letting you into their lives quite easily. There were a couple of scenes where I thought the characters went a little quickly into the situations, but all-in-all it was a very-well told story. I look forward to following one of the secondary characters, Morgan, in his book, "The Still of the Night".

This book was provided for review by Bethany House Publishers.

Book Review - Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce

With rejections piling up, she could use just a little INSPIRATION...

Amy Inspired could almost be described as a coming of age novel except the main character is 30 years old. Amy Gallagher is a 30-year-old College Professor who teaches Freshman English and Creative Writing at a small college in Ohio to support herself while she pursues her real passion, writing. With an eccentric roommate, off-the-wall professor friends, and a love-sick freshman surrounding Miss Gallagher the story will make you smile and at times just shake your head.

Amy is forced to examine her past to see how it affects her present circumstances and future decisions. She learns that maturing means adding experiences not changing who you are. Bethany Pierce does a wonderful job of weaving this story. It took me a couple of chapters to actually get into the story, but give yourself some time and let the characters come alive. After reading the author's notes at the end, I wonder how much of this story is actually autobiographical.

All in all, this was a good solid book with good characters.

This book was provided for review by Bethany House Publishers.

Book Review - Beguiled by DeeAnne Gist & J. Mark Bertrand

From the picture on the front cover, I thought I was getting ready to read a story set in the 1920's or 1930's set in Charleston. I know, I know, if only I had read the back cover, I would have known, but very rarely do I read back covers preferring rather to be surprised by the story. Surprised is a pretty accurate term when I started reading about Rylee Monroe as she unclipped a leash from a dog collar. Wait, this story is about a dog walker? Did they have dog walkers in the 1920's. As I kept reading, my dog walker had roller blades, so I finally figured out it was set in present day.

The story is set in a wealthy neighborhood in Charleston, South Carolina. Rylee Monroe is a sweet, caring dogwalker who's only ambition is to make sure the needs of her ailing grandmother are met. She surrounds herself with her family of dogs and is quite content until she becomes unintentionally involved in a string of robberies committed by an unusual burglar. Who the burglar is and why he/she is doing what they're doing is the premise of the book, and just where does the mysterious newspaper reporter, Logan Woods fit into the whole picture.

I must say that this book had me guessing a couple of times, which is a good thing and most books are not able to do. I have to say, though, my favorite part of the book was the Authors' note at the end. It was very charming and actually made me want to visit Charleston even more than the book did.

I would highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to reading more books from each of these authors individually and hope they will collaborate again.

This book was provided to me to review by Bethany House Publishers.

Book Review - Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate

I opened this book to the first page, read the first sentence, and said to myself, "Oh no, it's a first person book". I've said this before, but I really don't like books written in first person because most of the time the way the character is acting or reacting is against my personality or character and I just get so frustrated. I end up wanting to beat the main character in the book. However, this is a book given to me to review so I push through to Chapter 2 and...

"Oh rats, there's two main characters." That's it, I basically told myself to give up because not only was the book written in first person, but there were two main characters who were so totally opposite of me that I knew I was going to hate this book.

I love surprises! Ok, no, I don't really, but that's an entirely different subject. This book actually surprised me. I found myself slowly, but surely getting drawn in to the characters. There were a couple of slow parts where I really found myself wondering did I need this much detail, but it turned out in the end, I did.

The story follows two characters, an older southern belle from Daily, TX, Donnetta, on her way to take a cruise with her two friends, and Kai, a drifter who has never put down roots in one place too long, a trait she got from her daddy. There are twists and turns as these ladies attempt to outrun a hurricane, meet up with some good ol' Cajuns from the Texas bayou (which I didn't even know there were any bayous in Texas), and then try to rebuild after the storm.

I also liked the way the author through in a free lesson about telling those you love how much they mean to you on a daily basis. That was unexpected, but we can all use that reminder.

All-in-all, I would be happy to recommend this book to any of my friends and welcome the opportunity to read more books by Lisa Wingate.

This book was provided to me for review by Bethany House.

Book Review - Not a Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols

Have you ever wished you could run away from your past? Have you wanted to hide out and just pray that it never finds you? Mary Bridget Washburn needed desperately to get out of the life she was currently living, but can you really reinvent yourself when you're on the wrong side of the law? Once given the opportunity, will she be brave enough to take it and do what must be done? Can God really use someone with her past to heal the hurts of a family in crisis?

Not too far away is a father who is caught between secrets from his past and a congregation that is divided in whether he should be their pastor; a daughter at the beginning of her teen years, who is scared and desperately wants someone, anyone to show they care; and twin babies who just need someone to love and care for them.

This book is a powerful reminder of the power of intercessory prayer, God's grace and mercy, and the way God can use his people if we'll just get out of His way. Linda Nichols seamlessly weaves all these truths throughout this book. You will find your heart racing as Mary runs for her life, pray with the intercessors when Satan is trying his best to wreak havoc in different situations, cry when they cry, and laugh when they laugh.

Not a Sparrow Falls will warm your heart in many ways, and leave you wanting more.

This book was provided to me by Bethany House Book Reviewers.

The Power of Respect by Deborah Norville

The concept of this book is fantastic. If you want to go farther in life, get along with people, harmony in your home, remembering to respect those around you will go along way. Remembering that the woman checking you out at the grocery store is a person just like you, more than likely, with the same problems that you have will go a long way to helping you show respect and making her day, and yours, go a lot smoother. This principle is true in every facet of any relationship you have no matter how small or insignificant or how great and dynamic. This is a concept that has definitely gone by the wayside for many people. In today's society there are only a handful of people that are willing to remember there are others around them that are just as important as they are.

My only complaint about this book is that the author, very eloquently said it all in the first chapter or two. Every other chapter was the same concept presented in a slightly different way, but ultimately saying the same thing. It has taken me almost 9 months to muddle my way through and I actually couldn't bring myself to finish it. I felt like I was literally beating my head against a wall hearing the same thing over and over.

If you have not heard this concept before, you might thoroughly enjoy this book, but for those who practice respect on a daily basis, it will probably not be anything new.

The Silent Gift by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley

Imagine your life lived in a cocoon not penetrable by sound, or for that matter, much of anything. Now, imagine your life as the mother of a little boy, whose less-than-ideal entrance into the world, left you with a love so strong that you would do absolutely anything to protect that little boy, but not strong enough to break through his silent cocoon.

In this book, Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley bring you immediately into a time of desperation and confusion in the height of the Great Depression as the mother of a little boy who is deaf and mute, but endowed with a gift far greater than either one of them can comprehend. You will go through the ups and the downs of their lives; from the palace to the prison and back up again. You will be brought to the brink of desperation and cheer with them as their lives begin to make sense. You will be brought to tears at the hard and lonely times of this little family as time and time and time again they have to fight for everything they have only to end up exactly where God wanted them with the maximum amount of lives being touched.

This book was provided to me free of charge as part of Bethany House Book Reviewers.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

This Insight Edition of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen was a blast to read. I have to admit, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. At first, I thought all the little sidebars were a little annoying, but as I got further and further into the book, I found myself actually looking forward to them.

This book is a classic written in the beautiful prose of the 18th Century writer, Miss Jane Austen. I can't remember the last time I had read one of her books, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book. It even inspired me to rent the 1995 movie with Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant in it. I love the contrasts between the two sisters, the overly dramatic, romance-seeking Marianne, and the calm, steady, level-headed, Elinor.

I look forward to seeing more books like this from Bethany House. This is a great way to get re-acquainted with the classics.

This book was provided to me free of charge as part of Bethany House Book Reviewers.