Susan Meissner's Days and Hours ~ Reviewed

Days and Hours (A Rachael Flynn Mystery)

by Susan Meissner

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (September 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736919163
ISBN-13: 978-0736919166

A newborn is found alive in a trash bin and a young, single mother insists her baby was abducted. While St. Paul police are skeptical, attorney Rachael Flynn's strange dreams lead her to believe the mother is telling the truth. But who would steal a baby only to leave it for dead?

When the baby disappears again, Rachael agonizes over her decision to allow the baby to be returned to his mother. Did she make a terrible mistake? And where is that missing baby? Who would wish the child harm? Rachael races to see past the deception that threatens to send a young mother to prison and a newborn to a terrible fate.

My Review:

Days and Hours is tragic, beautiful, awful and realistic. Susan Meissner has done it again. This is the first of her Rachael Flynn series that I've read, and I will be picking up those I've missed. Meissner writes with depth and compassion, honesty, and a poignancy that wraps around the reader, bringing her characters to life in the reader's imagination.

Rachael's life, like so many real women, becomes intertwined with her job. Bad enough. But when the job is gut-wrenching on bad days and difficult on good ones, Rachael is faced with choices beyond what most women are forced to consider. Several moments in the book go beyond "just a good story" into soul-tweaking.

Rachael's family, friends and life read real. Okay, maybe her husband is a little too sweet. Many young mothers don't face the choice of hiring a nanny vs. staying home in their cozy loft either. Fig, my favorite character, is over the top, but he reminds me of a few men I've known and loved. The situation of a baby in peril will likely disturb more sensitive readers. So beware if you fall into that category -- some of the scenes are brutal.

The Christian jargon is low level and once again borders on realistic. Rachael's reliance on God just happens to permeate her life and others also as she interacts with them.

Looking for an author who produces great book after great book? Meissner needs to be on your check it out list.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/

Kathleen Popa's To Dance in the Desert ~ Reviewed

To Dance in the Desert
Kathleen Popa
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Cook Communications Ministries (April 20, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1589190947
ISBN-13: 978-1589190948

Having witnessed the violent deaths of both her husband and father in one terrible day, Dara flees to the solitude of a secret house in a remote desert valley. But she's not alone, for a strange woman dances on the distant sands of the desert. Further, Dara's begun to hear a voice in the wind that whispers it loves her, and invites her to dance. Follow Dara as she learns the art of loving despite her fears, discovers the mother who abandoned her long ago, and surrenders at last to the rhythm of grace.



My review:

Kathleen Popa's debut novel blends a heart-twistingly beautiful tale of human frailties and ugliness with the love of God working through broken characters.

From the rigid Bible professor who has God all figured out and bullet-pointed directions for anyone else who might need help, to the inner whisper that tells Dara that she is sought by God -- this story is full of forgiveness and renewal.

Love blows through the narrative like a wind across a desert, lifting, shifting and rearranging thoughts and raising questions.

Grace abounds and amazing reconciliations and understandings bloom into joy.

The characters reached in and grabbed my heart, leaving shadows of subtle influence behind.

After an initial struggle to ease into Kathleen's rhythm and voice, I caught the nuances and rode it to the solid conclusion.

A sensitivity alert -- this novel contains grittiness that may be too intense for those looking for a simple escapist read.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer
http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/

Tracey Bateman's Defiant Heart ~ Reviewed

DEFIANT HEART
By Tracey Bateman
Published by Avon Inspire
ISBN-10: 0061246336

Orphan Fannie Caldwell and her twin siblings are trapped in an indentured servant relationship with a cruel master. Fannie desperately wants a better life for her siblings and to escape the abuse they have endured. Fannie comes up with a plan to secretly join a wagon train heading west. Her plan runs into a snag called Blake Tanner the wagon master. Seems he has rules about allowing unmarried woman on the train. But Fannie's determined to leave her abusive situation. She has planned and saved for 2 years. Tonight was the night no matter what that wagon master said. She had to be set free.

Fannie had not thought long and hard about life on the frontier as a single woman. Life on the trail tests every part of Fannie’s body and soul. Will the wagon master let her join the wagon train? Will she make the wagon’s final destination Oregon or have to settle for some other town?

Will Blake sacrifice his own dreams and guide Fannie to safety? Or will Fannie's stubborn independent spirit keep her from finding peace and true love in her life? Get reading to find out the answers to these questions. I could see this as a TV movie special. I look forward to reading the rest of them.

Reviewed by: Nora St.Laurent
Life Way Book Club Leader

Eric Wilson's Shred of Truth ~ Reviewed

In The Best of Evil, Aramis Black uncovered family secrets and historical conspiracies, hoping that his own dark past had come to certain resolution. But now, in the dark of night, he finds his brother unconscious and tied to a statue in Nashville’s Music Row …with the initials AX carved into his back.

A shadow from his former life has reappeared, casting threats of violence and retribution. And soon the attacker is swinging his blade of self-righteous judgment directly at Aramis, calling upon him to “face his sins.” Can Aramis finally break free from the guilt of his old ways… or will he succumb to the vengeance of an arrogant sociopath?

My Review:

Eric Wilson's Shred of Truth is a novel full of compelling writing, history and mystery.This is my first visit into the life of Aramis Black and I missed the in-depth story as shared in book one, but I believe I still got an accurate feel for the character and his life.

Told in first person POV, Aramis continues to struggle with his generational ties to Meriweather Lewis.

Shred has it's share of blood, so the Big Honken Chicken Club might not be able to handle it.

Wilson did a great job with red herrings and twisted motivations. Several paths veered into dead ends and the mystery remained intact until the end.

Historically the reader is treated to a blend of Knights Templar, KKK, Lewis and Clark, Masonry legends and the Russian Czars. These all add to the story, making it feel very much like the movie, National Treasure.

If you love Eric Wilson's previous novels you'll find much to like in Shred. Action, crime drama and history buffs might want to check him out as well as those who just like a good solid story.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com

Chuck Holton's Island Inferno ~ Reviewed

Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Multnomah Fiction (May 15, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590525035
ISBN-13: 978-1590525036

My review:Island Inferno is a page-turning suspense novel that you don't want to miss. I had not read the first book in the series and didn't feel like I missed out, so I think this can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel (though now that I've finished the story I'm dying to read the sequel).

The author takes you to numerous settings and countries and puts you into the heads of the good guys and the bad. In some ways this book made me feel like I was in Jurassic Park, but minus the dinosaurs. Island Inferno even had college students exploring the island, totally unsuspecting what was going on behind the vegetation. And that bottled water was downright scary because you never knew when someone would take a swig and possible blow up. I couldn't stop reading this book! It contained enemies who were just as frightening and deadly as man-eating dinosaurs, and you never knew when they would appear and kill someone. Very exciting and nerve-wracking.

I also totally loved the special forces and commando feel of the book. You can see that the author has experience because the details show that he knows what he's writing about, which makes it feel even more real. My favorite characters were Rip and Fernanda. The end of the story was fabulous and even a tad romantic, and while it wrapped up some details, it left just enough loose ends for a sequel.

The spiritual thread in this story truly impressed me--how the circumstances opened up situations where people truly wanted to know God in a personal way. It came out very naturally through the plot, and in my opinion was one of the best things about the story.

While packed with a variety of violent situations (I'm quite squeamish and the details were awesome), the story would be lifeless without the James Bond/Mission Impossible feel to it.

I highly recommend this book! In fact, I think it would make an awesome movie, too.

Island Inferno was published by Multnomah and released in May 2007.

Reviewed by: Michelle Sutton (pen name)
http://www.edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com/

Alton Gansky's Crime Scene Jerusalem ~ Reviewed

CRIME SCENE JERUSALEM
By Alton Gansky
Paperback: 318 pages
Publisher: River Oak (January 20, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1589190963

ISBN 978-1-58919-096-2


Alton Gansky never ceases to amaze me in his variety of styles in writing, and Crime Scene Jerusalem turns the tables again.

Crime Scene investigator Maxwell Odom is a troubled man. One of the best in his field of forensics, he is suffering from a few personal setbacks. He is “kindly” forced into a business trip to Jerusalem as a speaker and teacher to a special police unit. Here he was to teach some of the newest tactics in forensics. After a long tiring trip, he lays down to nap before his speech and suddenly finds himself transported to ancient Jerusalem.

His guide, Yoshua, escorts him throughout old Jerusalem to investigate the murder of an innocent man – the Son of Man. Taken to various significant places a few days after the death of Jesus, Maxwell attempts to work a modern-day crime scene investigation in first century Jerusalem.

Though he has become a calloused man through years of gruesome crime scene investigations, Maxwell is forced, to not only observe the facts of this crime; but to reevaluate his own beliefs as well. Given a unique opportunity to meet those who loved Jesus, traveled with him, and knew him personally, Maxwell seeks out the truth. He is now forced to see, what to him was only a story in history, as a reality and truth.

Alton Gansky has beautifully incorporated footnotes that reinforce the truth that lies beneath the fiction. This unique combination of fact and fiction bring together a wonderful marriage of words. Gansky has done his homework in the forensic field as well, bringing a vivid true-life picture of the death of Jesus.

Clearly, this is another score for Gansky as he presents this clever combination of fact and fiction. Cook Communications and RiverOak have found a winner.

Reviewed by Cindy Sproles, Mountain Breeze Ministries

Shepherd and Everson's The Potluck Club Takes the Cake ~ Reviewed

The Potluck Club Takes the Cake
By Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson
Published by Revell
ISBN 10: 0-8007-3074-7

Is the Potluck Club becoming the Bridesmaids Club? Wedding plans and romantic desires abound as the six friends continue to share food, friendship, prayer—and new adventures renging from hilarious to dangerous!

Shocking rumors, family secrets, and a mountain avalanche threaten the friends' sense of security, their relationships, and even their lives. As Evangeline's wedding day draws near, Lisa Leann's matchmaking ways threaten to cause trouble ion more than one relationship. Will the Potluck Club be able to put aside their differences and help each other survive the storms of life and love?

The church ladies live on, and if you liked the first two Potluck Club books, you'll love this one. I just know these ladies are members of my church, and if you look over your shoulder, you may see them in the pew behind you, too. The sometimes zany, sometimes crotchety, and sometimes out-of-control characters are always charming. Shepherd and Everson have delivered another fun-filled read with some unexpected results. Things I wanted to happen didn't, but it was okay. With surprises at each turn, this third book of the series does indeed Take the Cake! And the recipes are delicious, too.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com

Kristin Billerbeck's Split Ends ~ Reviewed

Split Ends: Sometimes the End is Really the Beginning

by Kristin Billerbeck

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 17, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1591455081
ISBN-13: 978-1591455080

She's armed--with hot irons, sharp shears, and a flair for color.

She's dangerous--truly bad news for bad hair.

And she's going to do whatever it takes to make a place for herself in the exclusive Beverly Hills salon.

Even if that means sweeping hair, emptying trash, scrubbing dummy heads, and making soy lattes for the stars that come to Yoshi's salon.

Even if it means hiding the fact that she's not really an up-and-comer from New York, but a drunk's daughter from small-town Wyoming.

Even if it means igoring her attraction to a tall, dark stranger in a fedora who just stepped off the elevator...and into her heart.

But can a talented hairdresser from the sticks really make it in image-obsessed L.A.? And can she ever find true love and real success in a town that wrote the book on fake?

My Review:

Kristin Billerbeck writes charming men and sassy, angsty women with such warmth and creativity that I can't help but sigh when closing one of her books.

Split Ends is well told and with seeds of truth that push the reader to ponder the things that hold them captive to messed-up thinking or burdens from the past.

Each chapter begins with a quote from a movie star from "back in the day." The day when all men were gentle yet tough and women felt protected enough to be vulnerable.

Those who are old movie fans, Hollywood hounds, into hair and/or fashion, or just love a sweet story will find much to like.

I discovered a time conundrum or two within the story. But since this is Chick-Lit and those of us who enjoy it do so for the escapism and the fun and subtle errors are easily overlooked.

For the more sensitive readers -- a wee bit of language and slightly indelicate mention of natural beauty enhancements occasionally pop up along the story line. However, anyone who watches television won't be put off unless they think that Christians don't know slang, or that it's a sin to use it.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer

http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/

Tracey Bateman's Catch a Rising Star ~ Reviewed

Catch a Rising Star
By Tracey Bateman
Published by FaithWords, (July 17, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0446698938

Book DescriptionWhen thirty-something Tabby Brockman has the opportunity to reclaim her role as a killed-off character on the nation's #1 daytime soap opera, she figures this must be God's reward. But back on the set, she's faced with the same hateful head writer who killed off her character in the first place, kids who drive her crazy, a stage dad who rubs her completely wrong, and and an unwanted boyfriend who can?t seem to get the message. Faced with this dizzying rollercoaster of challenges, Tabby has to wonder: is she finally a star on the rise or just on the brink of another spectacular fall?

Review
Tabby Brockman is a young girl who is getting a second chance to reprise her role on the nation’s number-one daytime soap opera. Right away Tabby’s faith is tested. She knows that she wants to make a different in the field she loves – acting; but is she have the courage to stand up for her principles? Will she be strong? Will being on the show be different this time now that she is a “Christian”? The story is funny, witty and believable. Tracey shows what Tabby has to deal with as a member of the soap opera cast on a daily basis. Tabby learns how to make Jesus - Lord of her life through a process of trial and errors (some pretty funny) Tabby also battles with “Lies” of the enemy about her weight and other topics that come up in that industry. This was a fun book and the first in its series called "Drama Queen".

Reviewed by Nora St. Laurent

LifeWay Book Club, Buford, GA

Ruth Axtell Morren's The Healing Season ~ Reviewed

The Healing Season
By Ruth Axtell Morren
Published by Steeple Hill
ISBN-10: 0-373-78588-7

Description:

Could a scarlet woman win the heart of an honorable man? Tough he'd found his life's calling, Dr. Ian Russell hadn't yet found his life's mate. Then the former Army surgeon encountered the enchanting stage actress Eleanor Neville.

Ian's good works and strong faith set him apart from other men Eleanor knew. But despite his fascination with her glittering world, Eleanor feared her notorious past would end their future together before it had ever begun. Could true love and faith overcome all obstacles and make their lonely hearts as one?

Review:
It wasn't until I neared the end that I realized this book is a retelling of Hosea and Gomer, albeit with a twist. Thoroughly engaging in story and style, Morren transports her readers to London in the early 1800s. Credible emotions and prejudices color both Ian's and Eleanor's lives, creating wonderful conflict and tension. The Healing Season doesn't have the predictability of formula romance; rather it's a beautiful love story of God's grace. A definite recommendation for your bookshelf.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
http://www.anemulligan.com/

Linda Hall's Black Ice ~ Reviewed

Black Ice (Fog Point Series)

by Linda Hall

Book Description

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (March 20, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1578569559
ISBN-13: 978-1578569557

They said she came in with the ice…

Lenore Featherjohn found the girl, frozen against a snow bank behind Lenore’s bed-and-breakfast. Some said she was a ghost, others said an angel.

Lenore knows better. Fearing that the police might look to her sons as murderers, she hires Jake Rikker and his crusty business partner, May, to investigate the suspicious circumstances surrounding her undesirable discovery. Their search leads them not to the strange girl–or to Earth’s final days, as many in the town suspect–but to Amy McLaren, the wife of a local minister. As Jake and May get closer to the truth, the tension between Lenore and Amy rises, forcing each woman to face the secrets they’ve hidden far too long.

Return to Fog Point in Black Ice, a gripping novel that asks, is any faith strong enough to survive the coldest seasons of life?

My Review:

I don't know how I've managed to miss Christy nominated, best-selling author, Linda Hall.

I will be rectifying this.

Black Ice wrapped around me and pulled me in, holding my attention until the very satisfying conclusion. Beautiful, haunting descriptions. Multi-dimensional and realistic characters. Page-turning, haunting plot.

The Christianity elements resemble the Christians I know, chipped, cracked and broken in progress and process.

Well done and recommended.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer

http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/

Susan Meissner's Sticks & Stones ~ Reviewed

Sticks & Stones (A Rachael Flynn Mystery)
By Susan Meissner
Published by Harvest House
ISBN-10: 0-7369-1915-5

Description:
"They're going to find a body at the River Terrace construction site. He deserved what he got, but it wasn't supposed to happen. It was an accident."

Lawyer Rachel Flynn has only been at her new job in the Ramsey County attorney's office for four months when she receives an unsigned letter with the startling message.

Two days later the predicted body is found, but to everyone's astonishment, the remains have been buried for at least 20 years. When the body is identified as that of a 15-year-old-boy, the police begin to dig for clues. Rachael continues to receive anonymous notes...and the questions keep coming...
Was it really an accident, or was it murder? Why has it taken so many years for this story to come to light? And why did the young man "deserve" to die?

As Rachael searches out the identity of the writer, she finds herself drawn to the neighborhood where the body was found—and to an abandoned house that no longer exists, but seems to call out to her nonetheless.

Review:
Brilliantly written, Sticks & Stones is one of the best books I've read this year! Meissner's characters step off the page, taking you by the hand to journey with them.

And that journey takes you into a dark past, where a bully made their lives a living hell. I found myself angry at the parents and the school officials for not stopping him. And yet what could they really have done? Nothing more than they did. And that's why this story rings so true. You'll feel the victims' helplessness, their terror, and see how each has the perfect motive for murder.

Each one a suspect, Meissner leads you through a labyrinth of twist after twist, not to mention plenty of red herrings, and leaves you be kept guessing until the end. This reviewer gives Sticks & Stones her highest recommendation.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan

http://www.anemulligan.com/

Palmer & Chapman's Summer Breeze ~ Reviewed

Summer Breeze
By Catherine Palmer & Dr. Gary Chapman
Published by Tyndale
ISBN-10: 1-4143-1166-4

Description:
Nothing spells disaster like a meddling mother-in-law. Unfortunately for Kim Finley, hers has come to visit...indefinitely. Not that Kim couldn't use the help: she recently returned to work, leaving the care of her ten-year-old twins to her new houseguest. What she didn't count on was Miranda's unwanted decorating tips and unending criticism.

Kim's husband, Derek, soon finds himself volleying between the woman he loves and the mother he can't escape. With increasing demands of his job as a Water Patrolman, Derek can barely keep from drowning.

Winter may be drifting into the Finley household, but summer is in full swing in Deepwater Cove, and the members of the Tea Lovers' Club intend to take full advantage. There are barbecues to plan, neighbors to help, and a new store owner to welcome. But when they lose the one person who brings them together, the community craves the calm only a summer breeze can bring.

Review:
I don't like to give away the story when I review a book. So instead of talking about the plot, I just want to tell you this second book in the Four Seasons series is as good as the first. The same quirky characters are back, along with some new ones.

I like how Palmer and Chapman deliver with a touch of humor, real issues couples face in marriage. There are really about four stories going on here, some of which are left unresolved. I imagine they will be the focus of the next books in the series. One can only hope. I want to see more of the residents of Deepwater Cove.

I think Palmer and Chapman have a winning series going. A great summer read. A great read any time of year.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
http://www.anemulligan.com/

Richard & Evangeline Abanes' Homeland Insecurity ~ Reviewed

Homeland Insecurity: A Novel

by Richard Abanes & Evangeline Abanes

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (July 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736914692
ISBN-13: 978-0736914697

With no warning, white supremacists launch the most devastating attack on America to ever be witnessed. In Los Angeles, journalist Frank Delafield narrowly escapes death and starts his own investigation to find out how the deadly plot could have been planned and executed right under the watchful eyes of law–enforcement.

Delafield is led to a clandestine group called Yahweh’s Holy Temple in the sleepy town of Rosamond, California. There he meets true Christians...but also those who twist the Bible’s words into a violent religion that reflects the hate of their own hearts. Even the hard–boiled journalist is shocked by their ambitious plans to destroy the U.S. government and replace it with a “Fourth Reich” based on Hitler’s teachings.

Will Delafield be able to find enough information to expose their plans...and will he find that information soon enough to prevent more deaths?

Review:

Richard Abanes is a known truth sifter. I have appreciated his careful handling in the titles I've read in his "... and the Bible" series.

Abanes (and his wife Evangeline) have wisely taken their research and passion one step further -- to fiction.

Homeland Insecurity is based on the truth behind the white supremicist movement and stretched, not too outlandishly, into what could and does happen when hate plays out.

This novel is not for the weak-hearted or already terrified. The horror of terrorism or a holy war where those who hate are willing to sacrifice it all for the cause is bone-chilling. The Abanes paint such a picture. The fact that one of the fictional sites for an act of terror takes place in my home state, and I've been in the building, brought it even more uncomfortably close.

One of the most frightening passages occurs during the sharing of the white supremecist doctrine. They claim Christ.

The Abanes dug deeper into their "faith" and exposed the truth behind the beliefs that drive the hate -- but it is unsettling to see spelled out so clearly on the page.

A Bible teacher at our church read from a book one Sunday. He asked if we agreed with the statements, and we did, they were true and Biblically sound. And then he shared the name of the book. Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler. That was my first taste of the insidiousness of hatred's twisting power.

Homeland Insecurity has given me another serving.

This is not a novel that you will read for the deep characterization because it is told in an omniscent point of view and many characters are involved in the telling of the story. This is not of work of literary beauty either. Some of the plot line was predictable. I'm giving this novel a 4 star rating because of what I learned and the amount of work the author's put into dispensing the information into a believable end result of the ugly facts they have unearthed.

I believe the author's intention and desire was to craft another avenue of the truth, and have discovered the value of parables. I don't learn by memorizing facts and dates, but only when I can see those facts and dates through the eyes of another human being who causes me to care.

Unfortunately, Homeland Insecurity is not purely historical fiction. There are elements, but there are also warnings.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer
http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/

Siri Mitchell's Moon Over Tokyo ~ Reviewed

Moon Over Tokyo

Siri L. Mitchell
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (July 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736917594
ISBN-13: 978-0736917599

Though reporter Allie O'Connor has lived in Japan for two years, she still barely copes as a foreigner. After an office romance ends badly, she prays in her lonliness one moonlit night for a friend. Just a friend.

Soon after this prayer she runs into Eric Larson at church, an old classmate from high school. Eric has been assigned to the U.S. embassy and lives in Allie's district. In school he had been a young Republican. Allie had been a liberal Democrat. He is not the friend she was looking for. And yet…here she is. Here he is.

Will Allie risk their fledgling friendship to find out if it can become something more?

Moon Over Tokyo is a charming story of girl-finding-what-she-never-knew-she’d-always-wanted.

I absolutely loved “The Cubicle Next Door” and couldn’t wait to crack the cover on “Moon.” I found an entirely different style story. This is a good thing in that Siri Mitchell is versatile and full-octave voiced, but sad in that I missed some of the quirkiness that made “Cubicle” so fun to read.

That said -- Allie’s story is sweet and full of angst but I think the lacking piece is the charm of the quirky support system in “Cubicle.” Allie is bound up and fearful and looking for something that she just can’t find, and her two female friends don’t offer much relief or hope. This is where it differs from usual Chick-Lit and I wouldn't give “Moon” that label.

Enter Eric who is exactly what she loathes and his confidence in his loathsome state frustrates Allie repeatedly.

Each chapter begins with a Haiku – an impressively appropriate Haiku. Japanese scenery, sights, smells, sounds and tastes permeate this novel, giving it depth.

Spiritually, this novel is enriched by the graceful and respectful way Mitchell shares Japanese customs and Buddhist beliefs. Mitchell creates characters who follow God but make mistakes along the way. The main characters drink socially so beware if you make it a policy not to read books with alcohol imbibing Christian characters.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer

http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/

Delia Parr's Day by Day ~ Reviewed

Day by Day
By Delia Parr
Published by Steeple Hill Books
ISBN-10: 0-373-78580-1

Description:

Three grandmothers bound by one common thread. Barbara lost her son, a single dad, to senseless violence. Judy's daughter fell into a black hole of addiction. Ginger's girl threw away motherhood for money, status and materialism. And the grandmothers had to pick up the pieces...

Miraculously, they found one another, a mismatched trio with no common history, yet with so much to share. Together they found wisdom, strength and courage—and rediscovered the true meaning of faith.

Review:

A timely novel for grandmothers raising grandchildren, but more than that, it's a great read. Day by Day is a heartwarming story of three women, dreaming of the day they retire and how they'll spend those years. But each of their lives gets interrupted and dreams are put aside.

Parr deals with the subject with honesty, not hiding the real emotions these women go through. A grandmother myself, I was able to relate to one or the other of these characters all the way through. And I love the characters she develops. They're all such different personalities if they hadn't the commonality of grandchildren, they would never have become friends. That's one of the things that makes this book work so well.

I'm not going to talk about the plot, but simply tell you to get the book. Parr writes wonderful stories that captivate and hold you spellbound until you turn the last page. She has jumped to my five favorite authors list. If you love Deborah Raney, Robin Lee Hatcher, Sally John or Roxanne Henke, you'll love Delia Parr. This reviewer gives Day by Day a high recommendation.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
http://www.anemulligan.com/