Comforting Devotional by Joni Tada

A Spectacle of Glory by Joni Eareckson Tada

Joni Eareckson Tada, founder and CEO of Joni and Friends, writes honestly about life and suffering.  In her down to earth way, she encourages the readers to let God’s light shine through them every day.   Focusing on a daily scripture verse, her devotionals begin with a common word picture or experience and draw the reader into the heart of her point.  She closes with a heartfelt prayer.

The book is well-written and grounded in God’s word. It accomplishes the goal of encouraging readers to glorify God despite their suffering.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading the daily entries and heartily recommend this book to anyone wanting some encouragement through life’s difficult journey.     

A Story of Life and Death by Billy Coffey

Some Small Magic by Billy Coffey

Abel Shifflett is a most unusual child, but he feels overlooked by his peers and is picked on by the school bully.  Because of his latest plot to take revenge on Chris, the bully, he has exasperated his mother.  Shortly afterwards he unwittingly thwarts her only plan to be able to pay a few bills and finally get a bit ahead.  He feels guilty and hopes to change their situation.  On the basis of a word he received from a traveling healer, he decides to find his missing father.  On this journey with his friend, Dumb Willie, and a hobo he names Dorothy, he learns much about life and death.

I appreciate the author’s writing style.  Coffey’s novels are set in the small southern town of Mattingly, with a glimpse of the supernatural in them, and this one is no exception.  His prose is easy to read.  His convoluted plot keeps readers guessing and reading.  He gently leads the reader along and reveals the story layer upon layer.  His characters are richly drawn and flawed yet lovable, which was a bit surprising once all is revealed in this novel.  This book was absorbing and thought-provoking.  If you are looking for a different kind of southern fiction, this book is one that you will enjoy.     

Romantic Suspense by Colleen Coble

Twilight at Blueberry Barrens by Colleen Coble

(A Sunset Cove Novel)

This book is Coble’s third in the Sunset Cove series, however, she gives enough information regarding the characters’ pasts to enable the reader to enjoy the book.  Kate Mason, the main character, has returned home to care for her family’s blueberry barrens.  She happens upon some hard times and must resort to renting out a cottage for additional income.  Drake Newham, in town with his two nieces, is investigating his brother and sister-in-law’s untimely deaths.  He agrees to rent the cottage and their lives become entwined through their search for truth.

Although Colleen Coble is an author in her own right, fans of Karen Kingsbury will find much to like in this novel.  The characters are people you might like to have as your neighbors (even though they are all either handsome or beautiful.)  The story is well-paced and keeps the reader’s attention through a few plot twists.  The ending was satisfying, although not entirely unexpected, but left enough unanswered questions for the next book.  All in all, it was an enjoyable read, but a little less suspenseful and full of more romance than I usually prefer.  I’m sure many readers will enjoy it and want to read the complete series.

The Knife-Edge Balance Between Ministry and Family

Of Stillness and Storm by Michele Phoenix

This book recounts the story of Lauren’s life and marriage.  Her journey to becoming the mother her son needed and the wife that her husband didn’t expect.  Her journey startled me.  It caused me to rethink God’s calling and how a family responds to that.  It caused me to see the knife-edge balance that the called must walk between vocation and family.  I wanted desperately for this beautifully written story to have a happy ending, but it didn’t.

The story rang true on many levels.  The author captured the pain of a wife who had lost her husband to God’s call.  It clearly expressed the pain a mother experiences when her child turns against her.  It paints a desperate picture of a child in agony.  It also showed the single-mindedness of a man who ignores his family in pursuit of God.

This is an eye-opening story.  I am sorry for the shattered lives it represents, but glad that the author had the courage and the grace to recount this story.  It is a worthy read and one that those in Christian service should consider reading.  I received this book free from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

  

Novel with a Grim Financial Warning

The Domino Effect by Davis Bunn

Davis Bunn’s novel warns readers of a coming financial collapse. The main character, Esther Larsen, child prodigy and now grown-up stock market analyst makes a horrifying discovery.  Using her intellect and experience in the stock market, she begins to warn others of her concerns.  The question is:  can one person do anything to prevent the coming crash?

Bunn’s writing was clear, but the story seemed a thinly veiled excuse for a warning.  The characters weren’t as developed as I would have liked, and the plot wasn’t one that kept the reader guessing.  I got lost in much of the financial gibberish.  This is not to say that a more financially savvy reader wouldn’t have appreciated the book more than I did.  However, I was reading for the literary value and not the underlying warning.

I made myself finish the book and was glad I did because it did have a hopeful outcome.  However, I don’t think I would be eager to read a sequel.  This is not to say that he is not a good author, but one whose writing style didn’t click with me.  I received this free book in return for my honest review, which I have given. 

Riveting crime/suspense novel by Carrie Stuart Parks

When Death Draws Near by Carrie Stuart Parks

This book was compelling.  I could not stop reading and I couldn’t seem to read fast enough!  The main character is Gwen Marcey, a forensic artist that Parks introduced in a previous novel.  She is sent to investigate a murder in Kentucky, which leads to her undercover involvement in a snake-handling and poison-drinking church.  Someone is murdering the parishioners.  Gwen must solve the murders to protect the innocent.  She must also stay one step ahead of those wanting to make sure she doesn’t live to reveal any secrets.  With no one to trust, she must keep looking over her shoulder and suspect everyone.

Park’s characters are interesting and well-drawn.  I was constantly trying to guess who the “bad” guy was because the story’s landscape was constantly shifting.  Parks had me fooled!  The setting and elements of the plot were fascinating.  The ending wasn’t entirely unexpected, but was still satisfying.  The plot kept accelerating towards the end of the story.  I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others who enjoy a different twist on crime and suspense.  Parks has become one of my new favorite authors.  I think others will enjoy her books, too.  The publisher gave me a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.  

Second Book in the Newsmakers Novels by Lis Weihl

The Candidate by Lis Weihl

I found this book to be far better than The Newsmakers, her first book in this series.  The main character, Erica Sparks, is the same.  She now has custody of her daughter Jenny, but is finding it difficult to balance the demands of her work and the challenges of motherhood, while trying to pursue a very demanding career during the election season.

Weihl uses Erica’s dilemma to introduce a few new characters, which heighten the reader’s suspicions and add a rabbit trail that leads nowhere.  The plot was easy to follow, but was intense enough that it kept the reader involved.  The ending was a surprise for the most part.

There were, however, a couple of times when the storyline seemed a bit far-fetched to me.  Erica’s escape and President Ortiz’s brainwashing were a little beyond the realm of possibility.

However, the story was very entertaining and I would recommend it for any readers who enjoy suspense, although not necessarily Christian suspense as there is no mention of faith or God in the book.  I thank the publisher for giving  me a free copy for my honest review.  

A Tapestry of Secrets by Sarah Loudin Thomas

This book is set in WV, my home state.  Her other books take place there also. Beside the setting, her writing style and the way she gently unwraps a character’s past made me want to read more of her books.

Her characters are lovable and relatable, even with their flaws.  She drew me into the Phillips family.

The ending wasn’t easy to figure out, but it was satisfying.  She writes of mistakes that people make, but also of the grace offered to continue and make a fresh start.    She made me want to read the next book

.

This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  I loved it and think that other readers will, too.

Robert Whitlow Legal Thriller

The Witnesses by Robert Whitlow

Robert Whitlow’s book The Witnesses, takes the reader back and forth between World War II and the present.  It centers on a young lawyer and his grandfather, and the special gift that they share.

 

The legal details of this book were often over my head and the author didn’t waste much time trying to explain them. I thought that they really didn’t play too much of a main part in the story.

The characters were interesting and I especially enjoyed getting to know Franz and figuring out his story.  I found Parker and Layla interesting as well. Tom Blocker’s actions seemed a bit far-fetched at the end of the book.

The plot was well-paced and kept my attention by switching between Franz’s past and the present.  The ending did have some surprises, too.

The author took an interesting approach to Franz and Parker’s gift and how it could be used selfishly.  It wasn’t as obvious how he thought it should be used positively.

If you enjoy legal thrillers, this book should be on your to-be-read list.  The publisher gave me a free copy in return for my honest review.

Excellent Biblical Fiction

Delilah by Angela Hunt

Angela Hunt is one of my favorite authors.  I find her novels to be thought-provoking, well-researched, and well-written.  Delilah is no exception.

 

Hunt made me want to re-read the Biblical account of Samson and Delilah.  She did a good job of filling in the literary details that knit the story together.  It made perfect sense.

  

It was obvious that she had done research on the time period when Samson lived.  The details regarding the loom, growing flax, and the Philistine oppression of the Israelites added credibility to the tale.  I felt that I went away with a greater understanding of what life would have been like then.

The story was well-written.  The story line kept my attention and moved the story along at a nice pace.  Her characters were fleshed-out with complicated motivations.  She definitely cast Samson and Delilah, despite their faults, in a positive light.  Though I was familiar with the tragic ending, Hunt managed to put it in a positive light.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Biblical fiction.  It was not only entertaining, but educational.  I received a free copy from the publisher in return for my honest opinion.     

Nun as a Private Detective

Sister Eve and the Blue Nun by Lynne Hinton

This book is the third in a series of the Divine Private Detective Agency mystery.  Because of that, there were some inferences that I didn’t understand.  Sister Eve, the main character frequently corrects the other characters on the pronunciation of her name, but never explains how the reader should pronounce it, which was confusing to me.  She doesn’t give much background information on Eve’s relationship to her father or why he was called Captain.

 

The other item which made it difficult to understand was the part about her being a nun and life in the monastery.  I have little familiarity with the monastic life and that made it harder to enjoy the story.

I found the characters, mainly Sister Eve, interesting.  The author included enough details about her that I felt connected to her, even if her dilemma and background was difficult to understand.

I was not mesmerized by this book, but did find myself wondering about the potential relationship she might develop with Detective Lujan.  The author did leave some possibilities open at the conclusion of the book.

.

In short, the book was okay, but not one of my favorites.  I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it were the first in the series and I had had the opportunity to be filled in on Sister Eve’s background.  The idea of a nun as a private detective is appealing to me, but the book did not quite meet my expectations.  The last few chapters of the book were exciting and fast paced, but the beginning and middle moved a little too slowly for my liking

I received this book free from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, and this is my honest review.

Thomas Nelson fiction

Sister Dear by Laura McNeill

Convicted of a crime she didn’t commit, Allie Marshall watches a decade of her life disappear.  Now she is out on parole, back in her home town.  All she wants is a fresh start … and a chance to prove her innocence.

McNeill writes a story which jumps forward and backward in time, allowing the reader to see the events that lead up to the present.  Not necessarily a nail-biter, but more like a step by step revelation of the plot keeps the reader somewhat engaged

.

I can’t say this story held any great surprises, nor did it make a great impression on me.  It was a pleasant read, but not a compelling one.

I found the sisters’ relationship to be interesting.  Emma seemed to be the “good” sister who held the family together during Allie’s absence.  As the story continued, Emma’s character was revealed and I was horrified by the secret life she lead.

Although published by Thomas Nelson, this story has very few elements of Christian fiction, which surprised me.  This has been true of a few of the books I have read from them lately.  There is a clear sense of good and evil, but no mention of God or Jesus.  It is a fairly clean book, but not one I would recommend for anyone other than adults due to some of the content.

I am grateful to Thomas Nelson, who gave me this free copy to read for my honest review, however, it did not give me the desire to read any more of McNeill’s work.

Biblical Fiction with a Twist

Counted with the Stars by Connilyn Cossette

This book was a great read.  I knew the Exodus story from the Bible, but the author gave the story from a totally different perspective.  Kiya, an Egyptian slave, gives her account of the plague in Egypt and the ensuing exodus and journey in the wilderness.

The twist in perspective had me pondering the story of the exodus and enabled me to see it more from the light of an ordinary Hebrew slave or in Kiya’s case, a recently freed Egyptian slave.  It was somewhat surprising to have the plagues happen without any preparation or foreknowledge like the Exodus account.

The characters captured my imagination.  I enjoyed seeing the growth in Kiya, her slow turning to Yaweh and her attraction to a Hebrew man.  Her friend Shira, amazed me with her forgiveness and love.  The developing relationship between Kiya and her mother added to the depth of the story.  My curiosity was satisfied with the author’s revelation of Kiya’s mother’s past.

I would love to read the next book in the series—or at least, I will be very disappointed if there is not another book.  The publisher gave me a free copy in exchange for my honest review and I appreciate being able to read this great book.

You'll- Ignore- Everything- Else Suspense

If I Run by Terri Blackstock

  Casey Cox is running because she left lots of dna evidence at the   crime scene where her best friend was killed. She claims innocence but there is no chance that the truth will set her free.  Kill her?  Perhaps.

  

Dylan Roberts, friend of the murdered man, is hired to hunt Casey down.  As he gets closer, he learns more about Casey and begins to question what he has been told about her.  But why did she run if she isn’t the killer?

This book was very well-written.  The characters were well-drawn.  Blackstock fleshes out their personalities with innumerable details and made them feel like friends.  I found myself thinking about them after the book was done.

The plot kept me reading, especially the way she switched between Casey’s viewpoint and Dylan’s viewpoint.  I could tell that a collision was coming between the two of them, but was surprised at the outcome.

The relationship between this crime and Casey’s past added another layer of suspense.  The author slowly peeled back events revealing more details to pique the reader’s curiosity.

I loved this book and was very happy to learn that it is the first in a trilogy.  Blackstock leaves too many questions unanswered and doors opened to quit now!  Besides, I really liked Casey and wanted to know what the rest of her story was.  If you love suspense, you will relish this book.  I received a free copy for the publisher and this is my honest review.