Alison Strobel's Violette Between~Reviewed

Violette Between
By Alison Strobel
Published by Waterbrook Press
ISBN 1-57856-794-7

Violette is the quintessential artist: passionate, emotional, and full of life. Her husband, Saul, loves her sense of joy and she thrives on his love for her. But Saul’s sudden death shatters the heaven they’d created in their marriage. Violette quits painting and wallows in her sorrow until a friend pushes her to work again—and inadvertently introduces her to a new client, Christian.

Christian lost his wife years ago and not only knows Violette’s pain first-hand but offers her a chance to love once more. Soon Violette and Christian begin to feel something they both thought they’d lost forever. When tragedy strikes again, though, Violette retreats into her memories of Saul—and needs to decide if she wants to find her way back to healing.

Set in Southern California, Violette Between addresses the pain of losing one’s deepest love and explores how to move on from that pain to engage in new relationships.

Alison Strobel’s style in Violette Between is unusual. A bit confused at first, I soon caught on to her method of switching from Christian’s memory to Violette’s experience as she revisits her own memories. The majority of the book is spent in the past, Violette’s being a combination of first and third person, but Strobel pulls it off.

The characters are unique and real. I like the way Strobel handles Xavier, a homosexual who is one of Violette’s best friends. She doesn’t try to make a political statement by including him. Xavier just is who he is.

Violette’s deceased husband, Saul, failed to capture my heart. I felt myself wishing I could tell Violette that he’d never really appreciate her the way Christian does. That may have been Strobel’s intention.

Christian, on the other hand, is warm and humble with his own set of questions. He struggles with anger toward God for the loss of his first wife and now the potential loss of Violette. One of my favorite things about Christian is how he begins to notice beauty in the ordinary because of being with Violette and he credits her for it.

Violette is the most colorful character. She’s shy but straightforward and she lives to create beauty. Through art she brings nature’s beauty to those who need it most.

I was sad to say ‘Good-bye’ at the end and wished to have a little more time to see Christian and Violette together.

Violette Between is a wonderful novel of characters and their struggle through grief to the joy that waits on the other side.

Reviewed by Terri Thompson
http://www.imaginature.blogspot.com/
www.createdanew.com/Terri

F.P. Lione's, SKELLS ~ Reviewed

Skells
F.P. Lione
Revell
317 pages
ISBN# 0-8007-5962-1













Reviewed by Erin Valentine

Tony Cavalucci, one of New York's finest, has eleven years experience as a police officer dealing with the Big Apple's skells, those lost souls that make up the city's homeless and criminal population. As a cop, Tony deals with the skells, rookie officers, an arrogant inspector, and a society that sometimes seems intent on punishing the men and women in law enforcement for simply doing their jobs. As a new Christian, he grapples with his jaded co-workers, his own sobriety, a resentful family, and a commitment to chastity until he and his fiancée Michele are married. It can be tough being a Godly man in contemporary society, and perhaps doubly so for someone who is surrounded daily by the worst a city has to offer.

This novel, the third in Lione's Midtown Blue series, is rich in gritty details. The reader is allowed the opportunity to travel along with Tony as he completes his rounds with partner Joe Fiore. A typical night might involve a domestic dispute, a rape victim, or a mace-wielding robber. These conflicts, however, are only a tad more frightening than Grandmother Cavalucci and the engagement party she insists on throwing for Tony and Michele. In addition to the glimpse the reader is offered into the workings of a big-city police department, the novel delivers an unflinching, multi-faceted look at Italian-American family life.

There's no one overriding conflict in this novel. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, someone to die, a criminal to challenge Tony in a contest of wits, but to no avail. Rather, Skells is about one man and the way in which his own perceptions have changed as a result of his re-birth. Joe guides Tony with pertinent scripture passages as Tony struggles with old prejudices and habits, and the enjoyment of the book comes from a willingness to follow along with this young man as he accepts his new understanding of just what it means to accept a faithful God who washes us clean with His grace.

Jonathan Rogers Wilderking Trilogy~Reviewed

The Wilderking Trilogy
By Jonathan Rogers
Published by Broadman & Holman
The Way of the Wilderking ISBN: 0805431330
The Secret of the Swamp King ISBN: 0805431322
The Bark Of The Bog Owl ISBN: 0805431314

Jonathan Rogers has created a literary world that I don't particularly want to visit - it's pretty much swamp and full of creepy crawlies, snakes and gators.

But I loved reading about his world, and I would kind of like to swing through the trees - Feechie style.

I also had a desire to get my own Feechie. Though I don't know that we'd let it live in the house, it would be great to hang out with.

I recommend this series to adults as well as older children (eightish and up) of both genders. Omniscient point of view makes sure we aren't in the dark regarding any of the characters. This clever tale of war and integrity, and loyalty and brotherhood is inspired by the early life of King David.

Mr. Rogers (the author - not of the neighborhood fame) must believe that children are intelligent and creative and clever because he has written a series peppered with subtle humor that challenges vocabulary and the world's view of how we are supposed to live.

Lovers of Narnia and the Princess Bride should eat this up like rotten lizard eggs.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer
http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/
kelly.klepfer@gmail.com

R.K. Mortenson's Landon Snow & the Shadows of Malus Quidam ~ Reviewed

Landon Snow and The Shadows of Malus Quidam
By R. K. Mortenson
Published by Barbour Publishing
ISBN: 1597890448

Book Description: Landon Snow is heading into the darkness, hot on the trail of his younger sister Holly who has set off on a mission of her own. Emerging in the magical realm of Wonderwood, Landon discovers that Holly has been kidnapped by shadowy wolf-like creatures. With the help of his old friends-a horse named Melech, elfish Odds, and the poet/prophet Vates-Landon learns what he needs to do to set his sister free. But he'll need lots of courage. Will Landon be able to rescue Holly from the shadows of darkness and free the Odds from Malus Quidam's evil power?

In book two of the Landon Snow series, Landon has tells his sister Holly about his adventures in Wonderwood. His sense of relief at finally sharing his secret is short-lived when she refuses to believe him. Holly insists he must prove this strange world exists and the only way to do that is to take there. Landon agrees, happy Holly will finally get to meet his other-world friends.

But on this trip, things start to go wrong from the start. The talking books have developed an attitude. Black, worm-like shadows, dubbed "bookwyrmin" (German for bookworm) by the grumpy books, slither everywhere-Grandpa Karl's study, the secret tunnel and the Button Up Library (BUL).

Then somewhere in the library, Holly vanishes. Lured below the BUL, she is now a prisoner of Ludo, leader of the Odds and the keeper of the Great Coin. Landon follows her and is almost captured himself. He is rescued by his friends Melech and Hardy, but must leave Holly behind in Ludo's tree. As Landon, Melech and Hardy race to meet with Vates, he notices darkness covers Wonderwood. At his reunion with Vates, Landon learns that the night like daylight is caused by the Shadows of Malus Quidam, an evil ruler intent on conquering Wonderwood.

Landon also learns he is Wonderwood's only hope to defeat the Malus Quidam and his shadows. If Landon fails, he and Holly will be trapped in Wonderwood forever. But he won't face the fight alone. He knows the only way to defeat Malus Quidam is to remember where his true strength lies.

Randy Mortenson's fertile imagination is apparent in this second book in the Landon Snow series. Landon Snow and the Shadows of Malus Quidam, just like LS and The Auctor's Riddle is a fun read, great for all ages. I've recommended this series to several friends.

Book Review by Cheryl Russell

Marta Perry's A~Land's End~Reviewed

Land's End
By Marta Perry
Published by Steeple Hill, June, 2006
ISBN 0373873727

Confused and angry, Dr. Sarah Wainwright returned to the Georgia island of St. James in search of answers to her husband's mysterious death—in an apparent lovers' tryst with the wife of wealthy industrialist Trent Donner. Anger seemed to be the only edge Sarah had – Trent's control of the island and his protectiveness for his young daughter were enough to drive even this scandal back into the shadows.

A man whose life depending on keeping his secrets; a woman whose future depended on learning the truth—could her quest set them free, or would it destroy them all?

My favorite moments in Land's End were spent living in Marta's fictional world. The beautiful and lush part anyway. Some sinister and creepy moods also loomed a little too realistically in her narrative. Her word tapestry transported me to the deep south.

I won't give away any plot by sharing the following word weaving.

" A dolphin lifted from the water in a perfect silver arc, and her breath caught in her throat...Sunlight was warm on her shoulders, accentuating the golden haze that gleamed from the sand and sea oats. No wonder these were called the Golden Isles."

"The drapery of Spanish moss seemed to stir at her passing and then swing down, hiding Land's End from view, like Brigadoon vanishing into the mist."

"The rocker squeaked slightly, and a breeze off the ocean lifted her hair and bent the golden sea oats on the dunes. Bougainvillea rioted over the latticework that marked the end of the veranda, and sunlight danced on the water. Only the humans were miserable."

"Evening hadn't brought much coolness to the air once she'd gotten away from the shore. It clung to her, heavy and oppressive, as if she wore a wet, wool blanket.

With enough twists and creepiness to keep the suspense lovers happy, Land's End also offers a sweet love thread that is of course satisfying to the very end. Maybe similar to the southern version of iced tea -- sweet tea.

So if you like your sweet tea with lemon or your romance with a twist of suspense, this should go down real easy. Curl up with Land's End in your favorite rocking chair, on your wraparound porch, next to the climbing roses - just don't do it after dark.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer
http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/
kelly.klepfer@gmail.com

Lyn Cote's Carly~Reviewed

Carly
By Lyn Cote
Published by Warner Faith
ISBN 0-446-69436-3

Carly Leigh Sinclair is tired of being afraid, and she is tired of secrets. Plagued by nightmares resulting from a traumatic childhood incident in which she was kidnapped and held hostage, Carly decides to go against her mother’s strong objections and join the army, wanting to know if she “has what it takes.” This rebellious act adds stress to her already troubled relationship with her mother, Leigh, whose refusal to reveal the truth about Carly’s biological father has driven a wedge between the two.

As Carly struggles to survive basic training and the abuse of a fellow recruit and eventually finds herself flying to Kuwait to be a part of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, she wrestles with issues of faith and family, finds herself falling in love and discovers that she has more courage than she realized.

The author did a fine job capturing my emotions. I found myself rooting for Carly as she fought her way through basic training, fearful for her as she went to war and then sobbing over the last few chapters which were full of heartache and loss, happy reunions and restored relationships.

“Carly” is the last book in Lyn Cote’s “The Women of Ivey Manor” series, which chronicles the stories of four generations of women: Chloe, the family’s matriarch, her daughter Bette, granddaughter Leigh and great-granddaughter Carly. The series follows the women from the early twentieth century and the Depression, on through World War II, The Civil Rights and Women’s movements of the sixties, and finally Operations Desert Shield and Storm.

Reviewed by Janet Rubin
http://www.janetswritingplanet.blogspot.com/

Lorena McCourtney's On the Run~Reviewed

On the Run
By Lorena McCourtney
Published by Revell
ISBN 0800759567

Super senior sleuth Ivy Malone is spunkier than Miss Marple, with a curiosity that just won't quit. That inquisitiveness has gotten her into plenty of trouble, including murder, mayhem, and a place on a mini-Mafia hit list.

Now Ivy's headed across country with a stray cat and God as her only companions. But just when she thinks she's safe, two dead bodies turn up—discovered by Ivy, of course.

My mom loved books, especially mystery, so I cut my literary teeth on Agatha Christie. Mom and I discovered Mrs. Pollifax when I was in my teens, and she quickly became one of our all time favorite sleuths. I can't wait to introduce Mom to Ivy Malone.

On the Run is delightful, suspenseful, well-written and clever—petty much anything I could ask for in a book.

Wonder if Ivy is looking for a place to park her RV. Other than the unsavory characters she brings with her, I'd love to have her stop by for a long visit.

I recommend this great read to Lillian Jackson Braun fans who will love Koop the quirky cat. Mrs. Pollifax fans will enjoy Ivy's choice of weapons.
I could go on and on. Bottom line: if you like quirk and mystery and three dimensional characters, you'll have a blast On the Run.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer
http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/
kelly.klepfer@gmail.com

Sally John's Castles in the Sand~Reviewed

Castles in the Sand
By Sally John
Published by Harvest House, July, 2006
ISBN 978-0-7369-1317-1

When Susan and Drake Starr discover their twenty-year-old daughter Kenzie is pregnant, their lives are turned upside down. The news sends Drake, a pastor of a huge San Diego church, reeling—and he sends Kenzie packing. Susan finds herself caught in the middle. Does loving Drake mean cutting ties wither only child? What will this path mean for her daughter? For herself? When Susan seeks the refuge of a beach house, a secret from her past resurfaces.

Sally John delivers the perfect sequel to The Beach House in this captivating story. When I first read the description, I thought I wasn't ready for another emotional, gut-wrenching tale. But John's style and gripping characters pulled me in from the first sentence. I couldn't put it down. The cliché about characters walking off the page and into your heart is a truly apt statement in this case.

I compare Castles in the Sand to And the Shofar Blew. It's that good. Sally John has penned a memorable story of an imperfect pastor and his flawed wife making life changing mistakes, yet experiencing forgiveness and redemption—coupled with a message to allow our pastors and their families to be real. Too often the church expects its leaders to be so far above reproach, we cripple them emotionally, leaving them unable to admit even the smallest sin.

And when I turned the last page, I sighed. The book has a very satisfying end, but I didn't want it to be over. Like after a great movie, I sat for a while with the book in my lap, reviewing the characters and their lives in my mind. They had become friends.

Castles in the Sand is a riveting novel of God's mercy when our very foundations crumble, and in this reviewer's opinion, destined to be an award-winning book. I read the galley, but will purchase the book to keep in my library to be re-read and shared and loved. I also plan to give one to my pastor and his wife to read.

Sally John has earned a permanent place as a favorite author of mine.

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

Gary E. Parker's Her Daddy's Eyes~Reviewed

Her Daddy’s Eyes
By Gary E. Parker
Published by Revell
ISBN: 0-8007-3123-9

Just three weeks before she walks down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams. Allie Wilson stumbles across a photo of her long-lost father. In spite of her mother’s warning and her fiance’s growing impatience, Allie can’t shake the strange urgency she feels. She has to find her father…now. Is it a simple case of bridal nerves? Is it her curiosity, her conscience, her father’s wish that spurs her on? Or is it something deeper?

Risking everything, Allie joins forces with a handsome stranger in a cross-country search for the father she never knew. But is she following a call from God or tracking a bitter heartache better left untouched? And what does it all mean for Allie’s impending marriage?

All Allie knows is that she has a lot of questions—and there’s only one man who can give her the answers.

In this touching story, author Gary Parker hits on one of the greatest needs in a woman’s life—to be loved. Allie Wilson needs to know what happened to her father, and she feels she must know before her marriage, set to take place in just a few weeks. Along the way, Allie discovers a few things she never expected, like the need for hope in someone greater than herself—unimaginable to her fiancé—the fact that miracles can happen and the possibility that God cares enough about each person to get involved in their life.

Her Daddy’s Eyes is an easy read. Allie’s urgency to find her father gripped me, and I didn’t want to quit reading until I discovered the answers with her. The characters and plot are not complex but are believable and work together to produce a touching story with a satisfying end.

Reviewed by Terri L. Thompson
http://www.createdanew.com
http://www.imaginature.blogspot.com

Waking Lazarus ~ T.L. Hines

Waking Lazarus
T.L.Hines
Hardcover: 352 pages
Bethany House Publishers
(July 2006)
ISBN: 0764202049














Jude Allman isn't your typical hero. He's a mentally ill janitor who has an odd habit of dying and coming back to life. Everyone wants the same thing from him: to know what's on the other side. To run from his notoriety, he changes his identity and sinks into his own private world of paranoia and shadows. Until a woman who knows his past shows up at his door,forcing him to ponder things he never wanted to think of again.

Waking Lazarus is not a flowery, purple prose type of literary book. It's suspense written to be a page turner. The characters are real, quirks, flaws and all. The storyline of the serial killer stalking children is gritty, but not too much so as Mr. Hines is careful to keep the grisly details "off stage."

Waking Lazarus ended with a couple of unexpected twists, adding to the satisfaction of the read. All in all, I found this book to be a wonderful first novel and exactly the type of book I've been hoping would come out of the CBA. My highest praise both to this author and the editor who took a chance on it.

Waking Lazarus is tight, fast paced, gritty, and inspiring. A definite recommend.

Reviewed by Gina Holmes

Brandilyn Collins' Violet Dawn~Reviewed

Violet Dawn
By Brandilyn Collins
Published by Zondervan, Sept. 2006
ISBN-10: 0-310-25333-7

Paige Williams slips into her hot tub in the blackness of night—and finds herself face to face with death. Alone, terrified, fleeing a dark past, Paige must make an unthinkable choice.

In Violet Dawn, hurtling events and richly drawn characters collide in a breathless story of murder, the need to belong, and faith's first glimmer. One woman's secrets unleash an entire town's pursuit, the truth proves as elusive as the killer in their midst.

I am not a reader of suspense. I'm the self-dubbed secretary of The Big Honkin' Chicken Club (Deb Raney and Robin Lee Hatcher are the President and Vice President, although loyal fans of Brandilyn's women's fiction). My mistake came when I auditioned for the Kanner Lake town blog (be watching blogdom for the Scenes and Beans blog). I had to read the book. What a ride! Breathless (yes, I forgot to breathe) as a victim running from her stalker, I sprinted—literally flying from a scary page to scary page.

But Collins is a high-caliber writer. So much so that I couldn't put the book down until I turned the last page. Okay, I'll admit it—I cheated—at one point, I had to look ahead to the outcome, before I could go back and read every page. Hey—I'm in The Big Honkin' Chicken Club—we're allowed. However scary as it is, Violet Dawn has a great story and colorful characters you can't help but love. Well, all but the killer. Brandilyn Collins spices her seatbelt suspense with a dash of humor and heart-wrenching predicaments.

Who knows? When the next book in the Kanner Lake series arrives, I may try again. Oh yeah … don't forget to breathe.

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

Joyce Livingston's The Widow's Club~Reviewed

The Widow's Club
By Joyce Livingston
Published by Barbour
ISBN1-59310-069-3

The lovely widow Valentine Denay seems to have it all—a beautiful home in Nashville, adequate finances, good looks, a great persona. Nearly every day she opens up her home for coffee with her dear friends—and fellow widows—of Morning Glory Circle cul-de-sac. And when Val's pastor asks her to organize the church bazaar, she willingly gathers her friends to help her.

Everything is going well in Val's life until she gets a new neighbor—the flamboyant Barbie Baxter, her old high school rival, fresh from divorce number three and looking for husband number four. With Barbie's arrival, Val's life is thrown in to utter chaos as their old rivalry rears its ugly head. Barbie is not only mesmerizing Val's friends and confidants, but her blatant flirting threatens Val's unexpected chance at romance.

Livingston, a recent widow herself, pens a tale of five friends dealing with the struggles of widowhood. The characters are original if not somewhat eccentric, and the story juxtaposes humor with sorrow and angst. While I found Barbie Baxter to be slightly stereotyped, I must admit she added a few guffaws—some out of sheer astonishment over her antics. I found Val's reaction to Barbie grounded in reality. While desiring to honor Christ and win Barbie to Him, Val struggled with wanting to tell Barbie what she really thought. Hmm. That hits a little close to home.

The Widow's Club is altogether a delightful read, filled with characters you want to get to know. Well, perhaps with the exception of Barbie. I'm not looking forward to her to move next door to me any time soon. However I am looking forward to the sequel, The Invasion of the Widow's Club, coming Spring of 2007.

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

Nikki Arana's In the Shade of the Jacaranda~Reviewed

In the Shade of the Jacaranda
By Nikki Arana
Published by Revell
ISBN 0-8007-3049-6

When a couple faces a life-shattering situation, can love, commitment and faith keep their family together? After Angelica Amante defied her wealthy parents' wishes and married an illiterate Mexican stable hand, Antonio Perez, she thought their love had overcome the biggest hurdle they would ever face. But just as Angelica throws herself into her work as a defense attorney, she discovers she is pregnant—and her world is turned upside down.

As her husband struggles to save his fledgling landscape business, Angelica must juggle the challenges of a demanding boss and an unexpected pregnancy. Then their doctor becomes concerned about the health of their unborn child, and her relationship with her parents becomes troubled. Soon both Angelica and Antonio are confronted with decisions that shake them to their core. Will their faith in God and their love for each other sustain them—even when it seems their dreams are slipping away?

Although at first I doubted the probability of this wealthy girl marrying an uneducated stable hand, Arana handles the story in a way that I believed. She documents the difficulties of an immigrant, and the prejudices, with sensitivity. I found myself drawn to the prayer-warrior grandmother, and I liked how Arana portrayed the woman. The husband, Antonio, while uneducated is intelligent, and untainted by American culture, he reveals a strong, child-like faith.

The second book in the Regalo Grande series, In the Shade of the Jacaranda delivers a simple message wrapped in a story of love: Believing IN God isn't enough—you have to believe God.

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

Robert Elmer's The Recital~Reviewed

The Recital
By Robert Elmer
Published by WaterBrook Press, June 20, 2006
ISBN 140007164X

Gerrit and Joan discovered the beauty of second chances when they fell in love. But life isn't "happily ever after" when the widowed dairy farmer and big-city piano teacher get married. When they move to Chicago to pursue a teaching opportunity for Joan, Gerrit the country boy must find new purpose in an unfamiliar urban world. It's not an easy change for him, but his friendship with Zhao, a visiting Chinese musician, begins to give him a new sense of purpose. Meanwhile, Joan tries to accept her husband for who he is, even as she finds her place as a music professor in this clash between small-town values and big-city ways.

In this poignant sequel to The Duet, Gerrit and Joan explore the difficult questions of relationships as they redefine the meaning of love and home and learn painful lessons about mutual sacrifice.

The Baby Boomer generation is changing the definition of retirement. Younger at heart than their parents at the same age, fifty is the new thirty, and love can be just as exciting the second time around. And it comes with its own set of difficulties, including new careers.

Robert Elmer serves up a love story with a side helping of humor in this delightful tale of a second marriage as Gerrit and Joan explore their differences and similarities. I laughed at their "mixed marriage" discussions, comparing his Dutch Reformed to her fundamentalist Nazarene as they lobbed scripture-grenades at each other.

But I was most impressed by Elmer's deep understanding of Joan and her psyche. There wasn't a moment in this novel where I didn't believe her thoughts and feelings. His distinct voice for each character remained true throughout the book. His characters are flawed, real people who will steal your heart as they put off their pasts and go forward, often with disastrous results.

I didn't read The Duet, and I'll go back and do so, but it's not necessary to fully enjoy this book. Funny and tender, this is a definite recommended read.

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

Shepherd & Everson's The Potluck Club Trouble's Brewing~Reviewed

The Potluck Club Trouble's Brewing
By Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson
Published by Revell (June 2006)
ISBN 0-8007-3065-8

The Potluck Club ladies are at it again, and ace reporter Clay Whitefield is still trying to uncover all their secrets. But is he keeping a secret of his own? Hiding behind a tough façade, Deputy Donna is haunted by a failed rescue, but there's more to it than meets the eye. Evie has finally caught the man of her dreams, but the road to romance is unpaved and rocky. Vonnie's birth son has decided to come to Summit View, but his arrival may destroy her marriage. Lisa Leann is opening a Bridal Shop with a dating service. A self-appointed match maker and devoted gossip, she's wreaking havoc among the Club members. Lizzy's son, Tim, is having marriage problems of his own and wants to move back in with mom and dad. Goldie's estranged husband and her daughter are conspiring to get Goldie to take him back, but years of her husband's philandering have her wary. When she meets a man in her new job, will she find her heart to be trustworthy?

Trouble brews at every turn, and the ladies need prayer. But when the Potluck Club threatens to break up, can they find glue strong enough to mend it? Funny, endearing and poignant, the members of the Potluck Club walk off the pages and into your life. They're your next door neighbor and pew partner at church. One of them might be you.

I loved the first book of the series, and this second one is even better, if that's possible. What I find so fascinating, and frankly amazing about this book, is the way it's written (see tomorrow's interview with Eva Marie Everson). Each author writes three of the characters, yet their stories intertwine seamlessly.

As I turned the last page, I was delighted to see there is a third book in the works. I've grown to love the ladies of the Potluck Club, as you will, too. It will be fun to see if Clay ever uncovers all their secrets. Somehow I have my doubts.

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

David Gregory's A Day With A Perfect Stranger~Reviewed

A Day With A Perfect Stranger
By David Gregory
Published by WaterBrook Press – July 2006
Paperback 109 pages
ISBN 1-4000-7242-5

The last thing she wanted to talk about was God; talking to him had never entered her mind.

A devoted mother who feels abandoned by her workaholic husband, Mattie Cominsky gives her life new meaning by investing herself in her two-year-old daughter and her graphic-arts business. Exasperated by her husband's sudden new obsession with Jesus, she views an out-of-town business trip as a welcome opportunity to reflect on their marriage—and to decide if it's time to put an end to this painfully unrewarding relationship.

Aboard the plane, Mattie is relieved to find herself seated next to a passenger who shares her scorn for religion. After confiding her husband's unexpected turn, their conversation soon leads to a fascinating exploration of spirituality, God, and the quest for meaningful connection.

As Mattie's skepticism warms to the perspective insights of this stranger, she finds herself confronting the unspoken longings of her soul for true intimacy and lasting fulfillment. And when his comments touch on personal issues he couldn't possibly know about, she begins to wonder if she's mis-judged not only Nick but also the God he now claims to believe in.

The logic and non-churchy rhetoric of David Gregory's relaxed style takes evangelism to a new level in fiction. The main character is like so many women I've met, who think they have no need for God. This book will uncover the needs they won't acknowledge, even to themselves, with insightful answers to the life's tough questions. More important, is how it overcomes skepticism with logic and insight using everyday language.

Well written and entertaining as well, A Day With A Perfect Stranger is a must for every Christian's library. When I started the first page, I didn't put the book down until I turned the last one. In this reviewer's opinion, A Day With A Perfect Stranger, along with the first book Dinner With A Perfect Stranger, once discovered by the church will become as impactful as Prayer of Jabez.

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

Denise Hunter's Finding Faith~Reviewed

Finding Faith
By Denise Hunter
Published by Howard Fiction
ISBN 1-58229-491-7

It was only one day. But the resulting ripples are headed her way …

ONE WOMAN SACRIFICING EVERYTHING FOR HER CAREER
Paula Landin-Cohen, an investigative reporter, feels like a fish out of water in the small town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Then she's offered her dream job, as a TV reporter in Chicago. There is so much to gain and so much to lose … including the only man she's ever loved.

A YOUNG GIRL'S LONGING FOR ACCEPTANCE
Linn Caldwell has made a lot of mistakes—bad mistakes. She can never forgive herself for all the pain she's caused others. How can she dare to get close to anyone again?

AND THE ROAD TO FORGIVENESS …
What will happen if Paula and Linn's secrets are revealed? Will the men they love ever be able to forgive them?

While Finding Faith is the second of a series, I had no trouble following the characters' lives or understanding their pasts, though I hadn't read the first book. A story of pain and sorrow, Hunter colors the pages with dark hues of sin's consequences. But it's also a story of love and the promise of a future, blended with brilliant jewel tones of redemption and restoration.

Peopled with believable characters, Finding Faith is a haunting story. I was drawn into their lives and then, just when I thought I had things figured out, Hunter threw a curve ball I didn't see coming. A brilliant plot and well written, Finding Faith delivers more than I expected.

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

Mary DeMuth's Watching the Tree Limbs~Reviewed

Watching the Tree Limbs
By Mary E. DeMuth
Publisher: Navpress Publishing Group
ISBN: 1576839265

There are secrets in the peculiar town of Burl, Texas and one of its biggest is Mara. In Mary E. DeMuth’s poignant novel, Watching the Tree Limbs, nine-year-old Mara longs to belong to someone, but not to the bully down the street who calls her beautiful and says she is his. Down the sweltering Burl sidewalks, across racially segregated lines, and even beside her underneath the tree limbs, Mara takes readers on a heart-rending journey that will both haunt and inspire for days after closing the book and laying it on the night-stand.

DeMuth’s story is about breaking the silence of abuse and points toward grace and healing. Readers will be saddened by the amount of torment a broken and deprived soul can actually endure, but DeMuth promises hope; and that is the glory of Mara’s story. While the book is not autobiographical, the author’s true life experience with childhood abuse surely allowed her to delve deeply into Mara’s mind, letting readers know how it feels to be used and abandoned in a way that is unspeakable. But DeMuth lifts the reader back up with the promise of freedom Mara is destined for, if she will break her silence and let the true One love her.

The freedom Mara seeks from her silence is skillfully paralleled throughout the novel by various threads of the same theme. Through vivid images of the segregated southern town to characters who still feel the sting of racial division, enslavement to social injustice mirrors Mara’s yoke of abuse.

If there is one hang up about the book, and it is very minor to the overall beauty of the story, some readers could grow weary of repeated phrases seemingly meant to portray the commonality and down-to-earth personalities of characters. On the other hand, the predictive nature of the phrasing might instead be endearing to some who will see it as true to the setting.

This book will not only entertain, but will quietly compel readers to reach out to others who could be in pain, or more profoundly – reach more deeply into themselves.

Reviewed by Tina Gray

When Crickets Cry, Charles Martin

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: WestBow Press
April, 2006
ISBN: 1595540547














Book Description:

In a small town square of a sleepy Georgia town, seven-year-old Annie sits at her lemonade stand, raising money for her own heart transplant. At a nearby store, Reese flips through the newspaper, thinking about the latest boat he's restoring. As a beat-up bread truck careens around the corner, a strong wind blows Annie's money into the road. Reese looks up in time to see Annie's yellow dress fluttering in the wind as she runs into the road. What happens next will change both of their lives forever.
Richly atmospheric and evocative, with the kind of characters that move into your heart and take up residence, Charles Martin's new novel will resonate with fans of southern fiction, and with anyone who enjoys a solidly crafted, heart-touching story.

Reviewed by Gina Holmes

Annie is dying, but the little girl isn't the only one in need of a heart transplant. Her new friend Reese has a secret that could save them both if only he'll let go of the past and be the man God created him to be. When Crickets Cry is lyrical and lovely. I found myself dog-earing every other page because of some quote worthy line. This writer is amazing. With stunning prose, the story is fleshed out on every level. This is a book you'll want to curl up with, turn the phone ringer off and savor. When Crickets Cry is one of the finest modern novels out there. This book will be a classic and this gifted author will be listed among the literary greats of our time.

Deborah Raney's A Vow to Cherish~Reviewed

A Vow to Cherish
By Deborah Raney
Published by Steeple Hill, June 06 release
ISBN 0-373-78562-3

When his precious wife of thirty years received a devastating diagnosis, John Brighton's world fell apart. As his wife slipped from him day by day, his love was tested as never before, and he found himself confronted by a weakness he never knew he had. A confidante desperately needed in this dark time, a young widow named Julia Sinclair, seemed to understand his pain as no one else could. Torn between doing what he knew was right and what his heart told him could not be wrong, John soon discovered that the heart can't be trusted where true love is concerned.

Not often does an author have the chance to go back and rewrite her first book, but Deborah Raney had that opportunity. I read the original edition, saw the movie inspired by her book, and now I've read the new one. She has updated numerous things and added more depth, making an already good novel hauntingly beautiful.

John Brighton's wife has Alzheimer's, a cruel disease that afflicts entire families. I know. My mother died of Alzheimer's. I found Raney's book to be healing for me. With deep understanding and compassion, she exposes layer after layer of emotion a husband feels when his wife leaves him a bit at a time.

More cruel than sudden death or divorce, Alzheimer's robs the patient of their dignity as it robs the family of their loved one. After my mother died, daddy said he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. That hurt and I couldn't understand how he could say it. Until I read A Vow to Cherish. As Raney reveals John's deep love for his wife, she also discloses how the disease wore him down. No one suffers Alzheimer's alone.

Beautifully written and filled with credible characters, Raney once again demonstrates why she's an award winning author. A Vow to Cherish stands on my all-time-favorites book shelf.

Debra White Smith's Picture Perfect~Reviewed

Picture Perfect
by Debra White Smith
Paperback: 332 pages
Published by Harvest House
ISBN: 0736916679

Supermodel Kim Lan Lowery has it All; exquisite beauty wealth, an engagement to famous heartthrob Ted Curry, and a close circle of friends.
When a secret admirer sends flowers and love notes, Kim is flattered. As the letters become strangely possessive, she desperately searches for someone she can trust. While she grapples with the impact of her faith on her career, Kim senses the Lord tugging her to take part in a mission trip to Vietnam. But when trip coordinator Mick O'Donnel refuses her application because of her celebrity status, sparks fly. Their lifestyles clash and their values collide, but they also battle a deep undercurrent of passion.
Finally embarking on the trip, Kim feels secure until her admirer reveals his true identity.

The beautiful cover of this book captured my attention. I read the back and thought a story about a model going on a mission trip to Vietnam sounded interesting. The fact that she also had a psycho stalker made me want to read it. The story was fast paced from the beginning and held my attention to the end. The spiritual theme was strong, but not preachy. The hero was the ideal Christian man, and though he didn't have the drop-dead good looks that the heroine's fiance possessed, his love for the Lord is what attracted the heroine.

She and the hero couldn't have been more different, yet at heart they both wanted to serve the Lord. The heroine was very wealthy, and when Jesus impressed on her heart the need to give up everything to follow Him, she resisted at first. How many of us want to serve God, but with the conditions we impose firmly in place? We want to give Him most of our heart, but not all.

I enjoyed going on this journey with Mick and Kim Lan. I found the tension and romantic aspect of the story very gratifying. The fact that she had a stalker waiting in the wings made it an edge-of-your-seat kind of read. Overall, I'd say this book was a real winner, and it was so well-written it makes me want to read the rest of the novels in the Sisters Suspense series.

Michelle T. Sutton
Writing truth into fiction...digging deeper, soaring higher Great Beginnings finalist 2005 http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com/
Writer/fiction reviewer

Tamera Alexander ~ Rekindled

Rekindled
By Tamera Alexander
Paperback 334 pages
Bethany House Publishers
ISBN 0764201085
March 2006










In her debut novel, Rekindled, author Tamera Alexander takes readers to early Colorado Territory where she weaves a tale in which human matters of the 1850’s compellingly mirror issues faced by today’s society. Rekindled, as the name suggests, is a skillfully written story of second chances filled with warmth, grace, and intrigue.

Larson Jennings longs to be a better man, but when he is involved in a horrific accident that rips him away from home, his hope to give his wife the life he believes she deserves seems to vanish.

After waiting months for her husband to return, Kathryn Jennings grapples with how to live her life without Larson. Even as she grieves her husband’s absence, she can’t shake the feeling he is still alive; at least within her heart.

In Fountain Creek, where brothels, churches, and banks are within walking distance of one another, Kathryn struggles to keep her husband’s ranch from going under; all while warily fending off advances of unwanted suitors and risking her reputation as God leads her to befriend others in less fortunate situations than her own.

Every day that Kathryn and Larson are apart is a fight for their survival - and as they wrangle with life and especially with God, readers will be enticed by the plot’s twists and turns up until the very last page.

Lovers of historical fiction, as well as contemporary fiction fans, will be inspired by Rekindled as they are tenderly led to the promise of hope and redemption through God’s mercy in the lives of sympathetic characters that are well-drawn and similar to our own.


Reviewed by Tina Gray

DiAnn Mills' Leather and Lace~Reviewed

Leather and Lace
By DiAnn Mills
Paperback 316 pages
Published by Barbour
ISBN 1-59789-127-4

Casey O'Hare forsakes the years she spent in an outlaw gang for a chance to start her life anew. But no one leaves Dave Jenkins and lives. Pursued by the gang, Casey is trapped by a mysterious stranger who takes her as a pawn to get to Jenkins. A strikingly handsome lawyer, could this Morgan Andrews be an angel sent to deliver her—or the devil setting her up for the kill?

DiAnn Mills delivers up another gripping tale of faith and forgiveness wrapped in romance. Casey and Morgan both have seemingly insurmountable pasts to overcome. Casey has a price on her head in more than one state, and Morgan has his own ghosts to put to rest. Not an unusual romantic plot, except perhaps for Casey's former occupation.

What makes this story stand out is the way Mills creates characters who are memorable. While the title refers to the hero and heroine, I found Casey herself to be both leather and lace. Worn weary from running, she longs for a new life—to be ladylike. She delights in the new dress she buys, but is completely at home on the back of her stallion, Stampede, galloping at breakneck speed. When needed, she can handle a pistol like a gunslinger.

While hiding out from the law and outlaws, Casey encounters other characters that are terrific. From the wise Sarah, whom Casey nurses, to the irrepressible Bonnie, Mills has given us another novel that induces a sigh when you turn the last page—a very pleasurable read.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan

Debra Clopton's And Baby Makes Five~Reviewed

And Baby Makes Five
By Debra Clopton
Paperback 250 pages
Published by Steeple Hill
ISBN 0-373-87364-6

Two stubborn humans, his dog, her donkey … and a brand new baby.

A donkey with a penchant for breaking and entering … in search of alfalfa? Cort Wells had never heard of such a thing, until he and his dog moved to Mule Hollow. And the donkey's eight-months-pregnant owner was Lilly Tipps, raised by her man-hating grandmas. So when Lilly wound up in his barn—and his arms—Cort began to think the donkey was going to be the least of his worries …

Heart-warming and hilarious, Samantha the donkey nearly upstages the other characters in this delightful romantic comedy. She seems to have it in her mind to help her owner, Lilly, learn to trust men, and Lilly has much to overcome—three grannies who had been betrayed by the men they loved. Combine this with the other match-making characters in Mule Hollow and you have the ingredients of a comedic casserole.

Clopton's second novel is like the first—lighthearted and fun with as much humor as romance. We'll be looking for more of the same from her in the future.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan

Sharon Hinck's The Secret Life of Becky Miller~Reviewed

The Secret Life of Becky Miller
By Sharon Hinck
Out in June, 2006
Paperback, 242 pages
Published by Bethany House
ISBN 0-7642-0129-8

Faster than a speeding minivan, able to leap piles of laundry in a single bound … it's a bird, it's a plane, it's Supermom!

Becky Miller's vivid daydreams help her cope with the pressure to be a Wonderful Wife and Marvelous Mom. But she keeps hearing the inner tape play: "Your mission, should you choose to accept it: support your husband when he loses his job, nurture an eccentric group of friends, raise perfect Christian children, and live a life full of Grand Purpose, all while standing in your head and whistling the national anthem. Your fantasy will self-destruct in five seconds." When real life intrudes into her perfect fantasy world, can she turn off the tape and learn to trust God instead?

Christian authors are giving the literary world a run for their money, and Sharon Hinck is at the front of the pack. The Secret Life of Becky Miller, written in James Thurber's Walter Mitty-style, packs an Emeril-size BAM!

From page one, Becky Miller sneaks into your heart—she's every wife and mom who wants to do it all but discovers she's only human. Add to the mix a love for God and a strong desire to do BIG things for Him.

"I calmly and efficiently assessed the most severe trauma and tackled each crisis in order.
In my dreams."

Becky daydreams in the opening of each chapter, and those fantasies are a qui vive to her state of mind. Her journey to discovery and trust, filled with twists and detours and the help of some delicious characters, is a look inside the heart of a woman who loves God and her family.

Methinks Hinck has skirted this road herself; the insight she brings to Becky's spiritual journey brought tears to my eyes and left me gasping for air. Warning: Do not read this book late at night next to a sleeping husband. You won't be able to put it down and your laughter will awaken him.

The Secret Life of Becky Miller is a must read—a manual if you will—for every young mom, and a hilarious look back for those of us who endured those years and lived to tell about it.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan

Meeks' The Middle Aged Man and the Sea~Reviewed

The Middle-aged Man and the Sea
by Christopher Meeks
Paperback, 145 pages
Published by White Whisker Books
ISBN 1-4116-4761-0

I just finished reading The Middle-aged Man and the Sea and other stories by Christopher Meeks. Mr. Meeks has a wonderfully fun writing style—witty, cynical and often poignant. His stories are about the stuff of life: love and heartbreak, sickness and death, desires and struggles, spirituality and the search for meaning.

A word of warning: this book is not written from a Christian perspective and the language and subject matter reflect that. It was good however, for me, to be reminded of how the world and the issues of life appear when viewed through the eyes of one who does not hold to a Christian world view.

Christian or not, there is much to relate to in Meeks’ stories. In “Green River,” a couple and their son are on a road trip. The father muses, “One day, you’re young, laughing, eating Cheetos, the next, you’re locked in a car with your wife and 11-year-old son, no one talking to each other, the acidity of anger drip drip dripping at your insides if not your wives.”

The family arrives at a hotel and the father takes the boy to a nearby truck stop where they get candy bars. The father says, “The peanuts, caramel, chocolate and Harry’s look of concentration reminded me of when candy bars were all that mattered.” Who can’t relate to that feeling one gets remembering the simplicity of childhood?

As I writer, I ate this literature up like nourishing tidbits, underlining many terrific, descriptive sentences like these:

“It looked like an ad: silver body, chrome wheels, moon roof, sparkling on the red brick driveway under a sun that also shines across town on movie stars and next to a lawn so perfect and green you want to open up his trunk, pull out a golf club, and hit a ball so hard and imperfectly it leaves a divot the size of Texas on what otherwise is an emerald carpet. I know for a fact he keeps the grass so lush thanks to an automated sprinkler system that senses when the turf is thirsty, and valves open and probably spray Perrier onto each perfect pixel before anything is able to choke or strangle or die.”

Most of the stories in this book have been published in award-winning literary journals and the book has received good reviews.

Reviewed by Janet Rubin

Carrie Turansky's Along Came Love~Reviewed

Along Came Love
By Carrie Turansky
Paperback, 250 pages
Published by SteepleHill

After years of hiding from her past, single mom Lauren Woodman had finally returned to her Vermont hometown with her young son in tow. Reconnecting with her family and friends was Lauren's goal, until a snowstorm brought a mysterious stranger to town—and into her life.

Wes Evans was struggling to find the path to God's love and forgiveness, after his work as a missionary in the Middle East made him question his calling. But his search for redemption threatened to hurt the one person who could heal his heart and soul.

Along Came Love is a tender romance, and I was curled up with a mug of chocolate velvet coffee, enjoying an afternoon of reading. I loved Wes Evans, the former missionary, and understood his heartbreak. While I've never been a single mom, I appreciated the way Lauren put her son first. The adorable six-year-old Toby stole my hear, and I could relate to wise Aunt Tilly. I was having a lovely afternoon.

Then Ryan came on the scene, and I got mad. Sick and tired of his strong-arm approach, I nearly tossed the book aside. I dislike people like him. Then I realized Turansky had done exactly what she set out to. She engaged my emotions so strongly in the lives of her characters that I reacted to the situation instead of merely reading about it.

With a well written plot, a story that engages your heart, and true-to-life characters, Along Came Love is a satisfying read.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan

Rachel Hauck's Lambert's Peace~Reviewed

Lambert's Peace
By Rachel Hauck
Paperback; 174 pages
Published by Heartsong Presents
ISBN: 1-59310-847-8

Taylor Hanson longs for peace. Exhausted and anxious, she hopes White Birch will be the perfect place to regroup and refocus her faltering career. But her heart has unfinished business. Torn between the love she left behind and a lucrative opportunity, Taylor needs Jesus' peace more than she needs her next breath.

Will Lambert was a fool to let Taylor go ten years ago. Now she's back, and Will won't make that mistake again. He loves her, but the walls she's constructed around her heart seem impenetrable.

Can Taylor allow God's peace to protect her heart? Can she allow her heart to give Will a second?

Rachel Hauck has written one of the best romances I've ever read. From the very first sentence, she drew me into her story. She didn't give away too much in the first few pages, leaving questions to which I needed answers. I kept turning pages.

Hauck offers a modern-day heroine with a contemporary dilemma. Which does she want the most: A high-powered career that leaves no time for family—or love? This is the predicament millions of twenty-first century women face. Lambert's Peace offers one woman's story, and her path to peace.

I really enjoyed Hauck's ability to pull me inside her character's heads. I felt their emotions and their struggles. I could identify with them, and I appreciated the manner in which this author handled the conflict—with honesty and open confrontation that I found refreshing and real. She didn't use the typical formulaic misunderstandings. She didn't need to.

I read this book in one sitting—there was no way I could put it down. I loved the ending—it was absolutely perfect. I can't wait for her next book!

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com

Lisa Harris's Rebecca's Heart~Reviewed

Rebecca's Heart
By Lisa Harris
Paperback, 170 pages
Published by Heartsong Presents
ISBN: 1-59310-945-8

Rebecca's heart is open to love, but she discovers she's about to make the biggest mistake of her life. To avoid such a mistake, she cancels her wedding plans and moves to Boston. There she takes a position as a seamstress in a furniture sop where she hopes to mend her broken heart.

Luke Hutton longs to build ships for a living but is set to sail one last time before he can make his dream come true. He stops by the furniture shop on an errand for his mother and falls at once for the dark-haired beauty who works there.

Can Rebecca and Luke find a way to share the secrets that keep them from true happiness? Will Rebecca trust her heart to God, as well as Luke?

Harris brings innovative creativity to this historical romance. With the whaling industry as a backdrop, her research is evident in many places. She brings nineteenth-century Boston alive before our eyes with her hero telling the heroine, who sews slipcovers for furniture, about a yacht owner who "… had an electrically ventilated dairy built on his yacht where he keeps a cow…" Both caught my attention, and I had to look them up. I applaud Harris for incorporating little known facts that made her story all the more delightful.

Harris uses creatively apt descriptions that make you feel you're part of the scene and the lives of her true-to-life characters. They stepped off the pages and into my heart. This book is perfect for a cozy read before the fire, with a cup of tea. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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

Penny Culliford's Theodora's Baby~Reviewed

Theodora’s Baby
By Penny Culliford
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310265584

“In the third book in the Theodora’s Diary series, Theodora is happily married and life is on track—then an unexpected pregnancy changes everything.”

Theodora has recently married and is also unemployed. Now, she finds out she’s in for another major life change—a baby! In fact, the pregnancy follows so closely after the wedding that tongues are wagging, even at her church. Folks are busily counting the months until her due date to see if they come up with a respectable figure of “nine.”

Theodora’s Baby is the third in Culliford’s series about this character, following Theodora’s Diary and Theodora’s Wedding. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to appreciate this story, not having read the first two installments. I was, however, delighted to be wrong. Culliford quickly catches us up on Theodora’s life in a small town in England and the quirky characters surrounding her. Theodora’s snappy British phrasing and witty outlook lend humor to everyday life, including the indignities of job hunting and the horrors to be found in pregnancy guides. (Her husband Kevin eventually takes them from her and forbids her to read anymore, much as a mother might forbid Stephen King books to an easily frightened twelve-year-old.)

Of course, with the characters in Theodora’s life, it’s not hard to find humor. When Kevin catches an eel during a fishing trip, he’s determined to show Theodora what a prize he’s landed. His attempts to turn the eel into a culinary delight, however, end with the fractious eel tightly wrapped around his arm. The couple spends a cozy evening in front of the telly—with the eel still attached to Kevin’s arm.

One minor criticism would be Culliford’s tendency to make conservative Christians appear to be either judgmental or slightly ridiculous—for example, the group of home-schooling mothers that try to lure Theodora into their clutches, and the foul-tempered “fundamentalist” who spreads (false) rumors about her pregnancy not being legitimate. However, Culliford’s theme in Theodora’s Baby appears to be that of genuine grace versus legalism. Theodora herself becomes judgmental over the issue of abortion to a friend, not knowing the friend has been emotionally scarred by her own abortion. Theodora not only comes to a deeper understanding of her friend’s pain, but she also learns to be a true Christian servant when the curmudgeon who spread the rumors is injured and has no one to visit or help him—except her.

Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and gave me just enough hints of the mayhem in the earlier novels to make me want to go out and buy them, as well.

Reviewed by Robin Johns Grant

Tamara Leigh's Stealing Adda~Reviewed

Stealing Adda
By Tamara Leigh
Published by NavPress
ISBN 1-57683-925-7

New York Times Best-Selling Author and Historical Romance Writer Extraordinaire, ironically reads more like a country song than a bodice-bursting, breathes affair. For starters, she has no actual romance in her life. That might have something to do with the fact her husband—correction: EX-husband—ran off with Stick Woman, who everyone knew would never be more than a midlist author anyway. To add insult to injury (another verse to the country song), he not only took their dog but gave it to the new woman. If that weren't bad enough, Adda's come down with a horrible case of writer's block and finds herself the unwitting target of a romantic cover model's misdirected (and completely unreciprocated) amorous advances. Just when she catches the eye of a certain fabulously good-looking man—her arch-nemesis gives the pot one final stir.

'Hilarious' doesn't come close to defining the sarcastic wit of Tamara Leigh. She's created one of the most unique heroines I've read in a long time. I laughed out loud into the wee hours of the morning unable to put it down. From the battles of her conscience—which Adda nicknamed Prim and Improper—to her search for faith, nothing is safe from Leigh's tongue-in-cheek humor. Poor Adda is the walking example of Murphy's Law, especially when Improper eggs her on.

Using the publishing world as her backdrop, the stakes rise when Adda is accused of plagiarism by her arch-nemesis, Birgitta Roth—a.k.a. Stick Woman. But mirth reigns throughout the book, whether it's a love scene gone awry or snatching a handful of Stick Woman's hair, Tamara Leigh brings her readers along on a merry ride. She even handled the problem of cursing with humor. She merely bleeped them out. I got so tickled at the bleeps, I began to "hear" them (the bleeps, not the curses), as I'm sure Leigh intended.

Weaving a search for faith into this side-splitter was well done and never out of character. Adda remained faithfully Adda, even as she tried to be otherwise. One of my favorite reads of this year. I'm still giggling as I write this. Stealing Adda is a book I'll read again.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com

Karen Ball's Kaleidoscope Eyes~Reviewed

Kaleidoscope Eyes
Family Honor Series
By Karen Ball
Release date: April 3rd, 2006
Published by Multnomah
ISBN 1-59052-414-4

Wilderness and Weather Are Easily Overcome. But Betrayal? Annie Justice sees things differently. Her unconventional condition, synesthesia, helped make her one of the most sought-after stained-glass artists in the country. And teamed with her German shepherd, she's just as successful in her work with the K-9 Search and Rescue Team, finding people seemingly hidden from others' eyes. But no one knows her expertise for hiding the childhood insecurities that plague her - until Jed Curry comes along. Then the search for a missing child goes awry, and Jed must reveal his true identity. He's prepared for Annie's anger, but not the hurt. And neither of them is prepared for the real trial ahead - something far more sinister and dangerous than their search. Can Jed and Annie overcome their unknown enemy - and the insecurities and secrets keeping them apart - before it's too late?

Annie Justice, artist and SAR participant with her canine partner, Kodi, has a colorful view on life. Literally. Yet Annie's synesthesia doesn't overshadow the story, merely colors it, if you'll excuse the pun.

The hero, Jed Curry, struggles with his own demons. Complicating matters is his reality series, Everyday Heroes. He wants to feature Annie and Kodi. When she denies his request, he lies his way into her life. Then against his own will, he's drawn to her and must decide which is more important—his career or Annie. Karen Ball's plots are without predictability.

With the expertise of a symphony conductor, Ball orchestrates the tension and suspense in a story. She uses pacing like the conductor uses his baton, creating an arpeggio of action then an adagio of rest for a moment before the next onslaught. As the stakes rose, I found myself flying through the pages to reach the answer. I thought I had Annie's enemy figured out. All clues pointed that direction—then Ball surprised me. And when it was done, I felt completely satisfied.

I've said it before—I'm not a fan of suspense, even romantic suspense. But I'll read anything Karen Ball writes, even if it's a grocery list. I know I'll find humor and insight—even in the vegetable aisle.

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

Maureen Lang's Pieces of Silver~Reviewed

Pieces of Silver
By Maureen Lang
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications
ISBN: 0825436680

Liesel Bonner never questioned her devotion to her country. But because of her heritage, her country questions her. As her trust for others crumbles, Liesel finds that only God's loving protection, and the enigmatic agent who is tearing her world apart, can save her.

My grandfather was a veteran of the Great War, the 'war to end all wars.' Sadly, in the shadow of the horrors of WWII, this important era in our nation's history is often forgotten. The author does a wonderful job illuminating the intrigue of espionage on American soil at that time, and she weaves a powerful story of betrayal and sacrifice with a depth not often seen in fiction.

Sometimes doing the right thing doesn't feel right, but it still must be done. The heroine, Leisel, had some tough choices to make. As the story continues, you see her loyalty to America and to her faith supercede all others.

A very patriotic and uplifting story, Pieces of Silver was very hard to put down. I enjoyed every page and found the story fascinating and very well-written. I admired the hero, David, for his steadfast devotion to God and country as well. The way their plight brought them together was rich, and the love developing between them was truly powerful.

This story was worth reading, and unlike your typical war story, there was no actual war content in the story itself. It was more about espionage and the subversive tactics used at war time, and it had me on the edge of my seat. The coolest part of all was the ending. Methinks a sequel is in the works. I can't wait to read it!

Reviewed by Michelle Therese
Writing truth into fiction...digging deeper, soaring higher
2005 Great Beginnings finalist
http://michelletheresewrites.blogspot.com/
writer/fiction reviewer

Bright & Cavanaugh's Storm~Reviewed

*Bright & Cavanaugh
*Paperback: 368 pages
*Howard Publishing Company
*March 14, 2006
*ISBN: 1582294933













From the Publisher:

As the spiritual fervor of the Great Awakening begins to decline in America, a young student at Yale College becomes the target of both academic and personal attacks as he takes a stand for his faith. In time, he discovers that this is no coincidence but rather the work of a secret society bent on squelching a spiritual revival that breaks out on campus. Written with the intensity of a political thriller, this compelling novel-set against the historical backdrop of America in the late 1800s-reminds readers how the Holy Spirit can shape not only individual lives, but an entire nation.

Reviewed by: Gina Holmes

In 1798, Yale freshman Asa Rush is not your typical hero. He's not handsome, well-spoken or popular, but he does find favor with Yale's President, Timothy Dwight. Dwight makes no secret that he would like to see God put back into the curriculum and the student's hearts.

Asa soon learns that sharing that vision with Dwight would not only involve a personal sacrifice that threatens everything he cares about, but could even cost him his life.

Dwight requests a favor from Asa. Asa eagerly agrees until he learns the enormity of the request. He has asked Asa to befriend his arch rival, Eli Cooper.

Not only is Eli pursuing the same woman Asa is in love with, but he tries to humiliate him every chance he gets. The hatred between the two men provides excellent conflict throughout this novel.

Asa's amazing journey takes him from learning to obey God, to trying to prevent an insurrection to a final call to sacrifice.

Through it all, Asa learns that revival must begin in his own heart.

Gina's comments:

Wow, this historical novel is fantastic ! The characterization is the best I've seen. The story itself is engrossing. After reading this stellar work, I was left feeling entertained, convicted and inspired. If you enjoyed Randy Alcorn's Safely Home, I think this book will appeal to you.

Storm has made my top ten list.

Louise M. Gouge's Son of Perdition~Reviewed

Son of Perdition
by Louise M. Gouge
Paperback: 319 pages
Publisher: River Oak
ISBN: 1589190416


Timothy Jacobs, son of the infamous captain Ahab, has rejected his father's name and spends his young life trying to prove that he is not his father.

Certain of his own goodness compared to the misguided mariners he observes at the Seaman's Mission where he volunteers, he feels no need for the salvation of Christ, which his mother and stepfather encourage him to accept.
When he is tragically wounded in battle he is nearly consumed by rage at God, whom he now regards as unjust and uncaring. And only then in his darkest hour will Timothy discover if he truly is his father's son, or if he can find out the true nature of God.

I read Son of Perdition in two days. I would've finished it in one, but I've been feeling tired lately and going to bed early. What a great story! I liked this one even more than Hannah Rose. Louise has a knack for describing horrific war injuries. Sheesh, I could picture those shredded limbs and blood splattering everywhere. I'm truly impressed.

Also, this story has real depth to it. No pussyfooting around the issues in those days. Reality was men had temptations everywhere, and Louise includes that in her novel. I appreciate how that added to her story.

The most impressive thing about Son of Perdition was the topics of blame and forgiveness, and how Louise works through that within the context of this story is truly amazing. Oh and how often we have said to ourselves, "I'll never be like that person." We try hard to be just the opposite and sometimes despite all this, we look in the mirror and see the very person we never wanted to emulate staring back at us. What a sobering truth. Only God can fix that.

So if you want an emotionally deep and touching story about an era not often written about, which includes Navy battle scenes from the civil war, you'll want to read this book. The author has unique insight rarely observed in historical fiction. Oh, and her passion for the abolitionist movement and issues regarding slavery are truly inspirational. Great debates between Northern and Southern Navy brothers at the Naval Academy. I loved it!!!

Reviewed by
Michelle Therese
Writing truth into fiction...digging deeper, soaring higher
Great Beginnings finalist 2005
http://michelletheresewrites.blogspot.com/
Writer/fiction reviewer

Tracy Groot's, Madman ~ reviewed

*Title: Madman
*Author: Tracy Groot
*Paperback, 350 pages
*Publisher: Moody Publishing
*ISBN: 0802463622
*Release: April, 2006












Reviewed by~ Cheryl Russell




Book Description:



Tallis, servant to the Greek philosopher Callimachus, is sent to Palestine to check on the Decaphiloi-the League of Ten Friends-and the Academy of Socrates in Palestine, a Greek academy. Both were founded, and funded by, his master. Instead of an academy, he finds fear and silence. The Decaphiloi and the academy vanished three years ago, even though Callimachus received regular progress reports until a few months ago.

Of the League of Ten Friends, six have vanished. Of the four that can be accounted for: one was murdered in a macabre fashion, one is now a priestess to the god Dionysus, another committed suicide and the last, the brightest of them all, is now a madman, living in the Gerasene tombs.

Tallis is determined to find out what happened to the Decaphiloi and the academy. His search forces him to face long suppressed memories of his own horrifying past. Memories that re-awaken an evil and threaten to make Tallis a madman as well. But failure to conquer the demons of his past will result in the brutal death of the Zagreus, the child that lives at the same inn as Tallis, and reminds him of his now dead younger brother.

The basis for the book is the Gerasene demonic, mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Tracy Groot does a good job taking the reader into the mind of the insane man, showing us his never-ending agony. Her meticulous research into ancient Palestine is also evident, even though it is sometimes a little hard to figure out some of the ancient terms. But that research also shines through in her treatment of the god Dionysus and his followers, a theme that weaves itself throughout the story. Random points of view shifts are a little disconcerting, but overall, the Madman is a nice read.

Melanie Wells' When the Day of Evil Comes~Reviewed

When the Day of Evil Comes
by Melanie Wells
Publisher: Multnomah
ISBN: 1590524268

Reviewed by Cheryl Russell

Psychologist Dylan Foster is looking forward to the first day of the new school year. On faculty at SMU, she is putting in a required presence at a faculty retreat a few days when she meets the strange man, Peter Terry. Put off by his pasty white appearance and his lack of social skills, she seeks to distance herself from him. But there is much more to Peter than his strange appearance. Dylan has just met the supernatural, and he isn't done with her yet.

Bizarre events begin almost immediately. Everyone attending the retreat receives expensive gifts from an anonymous giver. Dylan's is a funky looking necklace, but it isn't her only gift. When she enters her rattletrap truck, another gift awaits her and this one is much more personal than the necklace. It is her dead mother's engagement ring and the last time Dylan saw it, it was on her mother's finger, right before her casket was closed.
Over the next few days, more bizarre, unexplainable events occur. Then comes the call all clinical psychologists fear. A client has accused her of inappropriate behavior and she's eventually placed on administrative leave.

Now she has time on her hands and decides to find out who or what has brought her life crashing down around her. Her search takes her from Dallas to Chicago and into the web of a powerful and violent man.

Through it all, Peter Terry moves behind the scenes to destroy Dylan and her faith. It's the ancient battle of the supernatural, brought into the life of one woman.

Melanie Wells does a terrific job in this first novel. When The Day of Evil Comes is a book hard to put down once you start reading. This book goes on my keeper shelf.

Dekker & Peretti's House~Reviewed

Peretti & Dekker
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: WestBow Press (April 10, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1595541551










Reviewed by Vennessa Ng



Kill or be killed.

It was hardly the advice Jack and Stephanie Singleton were looking for to save their marriage. A road trip to a counselling session in Montgomery, Alabama goes drastically wrong and finds them lost in the backwoods. As night sets in, the “Wayside Inn” seems a godsend to the weary couple.

The Singletons’ enter the genteel Inn, hoping to find help for their desperate situation. Instead they meet Randy Messarue and Lesley Taylor, who are also road trip causalities.

With no host in sight, the couples follow the instruction note attached to the front door and sign themselves in. As the foursome contemplate the dining table lavishly set for four, the lights flicker and die, leaving the guests in the dark. When the lights mysteriously come back on, the Inn’s hosts also appear; Betty, Stewart, and Pete.

It soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary Inn.

Welcome to White’s house.

Barsidious White has three simple rules for his house:

1) God came to my house and I killed him.
2) I will kill anyone who comes to my house as I killed God.
3) Give me one dead body and I might let rule two slide.

Jack, Stephanie, Randy, and Lesley are soon caught up in a cruel game in a house that seems to know their every move.

But this is not your average haunted house story. When you combine the minds of two of the masters in the supernatural thriller genre, you expect something beyond typical. Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker deliver an edge-of-your-seat plot encapsulating a theme that will leave you reflecting on its ramifications for a long time after.

Peretti and Dekker refuse to whitewash the true nature of evil or their villains. In HOUSE, Barsidious White is the embodiment of evil. As far as White is concerned, the guilty must die, and everyone is guilty.

In White’s house, evil is pitched against evil.

HOUSE sets out to epitomise the human heart. Nothing we do can clean our hearts of the evil that resides within. So if the wages of sin is death, and we have all sinned, then why should we be allowed to live? This is the question Peretti and Dekker tackle in this enthralling novel that touches the very heart of its readers.

As a reader more familiar with Dekker’s past work than Peretti’s, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed with this collaboration. The writing is flawless. The seamless continuity of this novel is testament to the two creative minds behind it and their commitment to a quality story.

Dekker fans will not be disappointed. HOUSE is tied into his current Project Showdown series by expanding on one of the characters from SHOWDOWN.

Readers concerned about the violence depicted in SHOWDOWN shouldn’t have a problem with HOUSE. The violence is still there, it’s no less evil, but I found it more toned down.

Peretti and Dekker invite you to enter HOUSE, where losing your life could be the only way to win.

Two authors, one exceptional story



To read an interview with Frank Peretti visit Novel Journey
(April 2006 archives).

David Gregory's Dinner With A Perfect Stranger~Reviewed

Dinner With A Perfect Stranger
By David Gregory
Hardcover; 100 pages
Published by WaterBrook Press
ISBN: 1-57856-905-2

A mysterious envelope arrives on Nick Cominsky's desk amid stacks of credit-card applications and business-related junk mail. Although his seventy-hour workweek has already eaten into his limited family time, Nick can't pass up the opportunity to see what kind of plot his colleagues have hatched.

The normally confident, cynical Nick soon finds himself thrown off-balance, drawn into an intriguing discussion with a baffling man who comfortably discusses everything from world religions to the existence of heaven and hell. And this man who calls himself Jesus also seems ot know a disturbing amount about Nick's personal life.

As the evening progresses, their conversation touches on life, God, meaning, pain, faith, and doubt—and it seems that having Dinner with a Perfect Stranger may change Nick's life forever.

This small book carries a significant punch. Nick throws his blunt skepticism at his dinner companion from the moment he sits down. Certain the man is an actor his buddies from work hired, Nick looks around the room, waiting for the guys to pop out from behind the lattice or maybe from the men's room. But this is no joke. Nick tries to leave, positive the man is a nut, but finds himself strangely drawn back into the conversation. And Jesus challenges Nick's skepticism at every turn.

I couldn't put the book down; I read it in one sitting. Then I gave it to my husband, who unlike me is not an avid reader. He read it in two sittings, then told me to buy three more copies to give to friends who were skeptical about Jesus. Mr. Gregory has written a powerful evangelistic tool—for thinkers. When Jesus talks about his childhood and his mother, Nick, thinking anyone with a modicum of Biblical knowledge and half an imagination could come up with the same story, tells Jesus, "You're going to have to do better than that."

"To do what?" Jesus asked. That was a good question. What exactly did Nick expect from a guy pretending to be Jesus?

Novel Reviews' companion site, Novel Journey, is going to be doing an interview with David Gregory, and I for one, can't wait to hear how he developed the imaginative idea for this herculean little book. A must read for everyone.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com