book review

“Return to Me” by Lynn Austin

August 18, 2014 by Amy

After decades of exile, the prophesies are coming true–King Cyrus has declared the Jews may return to Jerusalem. Iddo, a priest, is sure this is a sign of God’s renewed favor. For too long they’ve remained in Babylon, and many, including Iddo’s sons, are losing the faith that sets them apart. And so only a few choose to leave everything to return–return to their home and their God.

Nothing about their journey to the Promised Land is easy. As hardships mount, even the faithful, like Iddo’s beloved wife, Dinah, question the sacrifice of following God’s leading. Zechariah, Iddo’s oldest grandson, feels torn between his grandfather’s ancient beliefs and the family they left behind. But one life-changing encounter with the Holy One gives him insight that will change Zechariah–and history–forever.

Better than any book I’ve ever read, Return to Me answers the question, “What was it like to live then?” Austin describes the fear, reservations, and confusion felt by the Israelites as they leave Babylon after a 70-year exile and return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Never have I thought that the Israelites might have any doubt about leaving the city of their long enslavement, nor that they might compare this prison term to the time they spent in Egypt, but Austin sets up a scenario where both happen – and makes it completely realistic and understandable. The temptations to intermarry with neighboring clans, worship pagan gods, and bend God’s rules become clear and logical from the standpoint of these characters. While a fictionalized version, it makes sense to think about how and why these Israelites behaved as they did, and this explanation helps to understand their choices.

When I turned the first page of this book, I thought I’d get to read about Daniel, which made me sit up straight and read faster. I’m fascinated with the way that Daniel refused to change a thing about his faith practices with God in spite of the scary situations all around him.

Reading about Iddo and Zechariah might have been even better, though.

I love the way that scripture is carried throughout the story. I love how Austin’s research is evident as she takes what we know and fills in the gaps to create a plausible story of love, temptation, forgiveness, and redemption.

Zechariah’s story is inspiring. As a priest, he would have studied the scriptures and known them well – but I never thought much about that before. How did they study? Who taught them? How did they learn? The memorization implied in the book is impressive – and makes me want to sit down and get to work.

It is always hard to get to the end of a good book and know that I must leave the characters for a while. It has been a long time since I have been this sad to turn the last page, however. While we know the ultimate end to the Israelite story, I am enthralled at the details brought to life within these pages – and I can’t wait until the sequel is released.

Purchase a copy of the book here.

Bestselling author Lynn Austin has sold more than one million copies of her books worldwide. She is an eight-time Christy Award winner for her historical novels, as well as a popular speaker at retreats and conventions. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and live near Chicago.

I received a free copy of Return to Me from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

“Resurrect” by David Stephens

August 18, 2014 by Amy

Book 1 in the ResurrectTrilogy.

Preventing his burning fighter from crashing into a neighborhood, Navy Commander Josh Logan ejects … too late.
Critically injured, he’s offered a new life and mission exploit highly classified military technology to stop a global cataclysm. The price? He’ll be dead to everyone he knows.
He wakes in a city hospital with a genetically enhanced body and no identity. With the help of his brilliant, Neuro ICU nurse, and guided by nothing but a voice, he must infiltrate the military-industrial complex to develop the world’s most powerful weapon … to protect humanity?

Did you ever wonder what would happen if Dee Henderson wrote sci fi? I’m pretty sure you’d get a book that would read a lot like Resurrect. Technical but with deadline drama, Stephens writes an action-packed thriller, and that’s exactly why I liked it. I’m not a huge fan of the technical stuff, and I admit that when a paragraph moved in that direction my eyes began to skim, but the suspense more than makes up for that.

This isn’t your average Cliffhanger, though, and Josh Logan isn’t Stallone. With a totally new body and a mysterious voice that only he can hear to guide him through this mission, there’s definitely an element of the Twilight Zone in this story. As it progresses, however, the story takes on a more prophetic and less out there tone.

That was important to me. I like a good sci fi book, but the best authors make their premise sound so close to reality that it seems their premise just might come true, and that’s what Stephens has done here. It becomes totally believable that a scientist might be resurrected from the dead to save our planet from a collision with a giant comet, and that he could do so with virtually no resources. The way in which Stephens makes this happen, combined with his obvious technical expertise and flowing writing style, makes for a thrilling journey through these pages – one that you won’t want to end.

You can purchase your own copy of Resurrect here – and if you do so today, you’ll be entered to win a Kindle and a chance to be on the set of this movie!

A Navy fighter pilot with hundreds of aircraft carrier landings, Commander David E Stevens holds degrees from Cornell and the University of Michigan with graduate work in astrophysics. He test piloted new fighters and received an aviation patent. With a Top Secret clearance, Dave served as Strike Operations Officer for the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm and led classified defense programs. He’s traveled to over two dozen countries.

Find out more about David E. at http://www.resurrecttrilogy.com/.

I received a free copy of Resurrect from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

“Remembering You” by Tricia Goyer

August 18, 2014 by Amy

TV producer Ava Ellington can’t ignore her grandfather’s last wish: to accompany him to Europe for a tour of World War II battle sites. Uninterested in his old wartime memories but desperate for a good story to save her career, Ava agrees to go. The arrival of her first love, who just happens to be an old war buddy’s grandson, further complicates the trip as travel plans go awry and old war mysteries demand attention after 60 long years. Can Ava find closure in the past that will give her hope for the future?

I have always loved history, and the World War II era has fascinated me for years. I’ve read everything I can find about this era, which is why this book drew me – and why it kept me turning page after page. Goyer’s approach to this book is very different from most of those out there; she doesn’t dwell on the Nazi atrocities, though they are mentioned, and she doesn’t linger on how hard it was for civilians during the war. Instead, Goyer’s historical aspect is written from the perspective of an military man who has struggled with his wartime experiences throughout his entire life – and who sees all of those involved as other people, just like himself. Void of the hatred often contained in books about World War II, this story resurrects wartime memories of veterans and puts them in perspective.

Goyer’s main character Ava adds drama to the plot. You can’t help but like her sincerity, yet her self-centered, shallow outlook made me wish for more – and Goyer delivers. Ava grows spiritually and emotionally throughout this book, and many of her struggles (as well as her grandfather’s) make you wonder: how would I handle this situation?

Though much of this book deals with weighty issues, it is at heart a love story – a story of love between a man and a woman, between grandfather and granddaughter, between soldiers and victims, between God and His people.

This would be a great introduction to World War II history for those who want to learn more, as well as a reminder for the rest of us of the extent that others have suffered – both as war victims and soldiers – for freedom and equality. The stories of these soldiers should not be lost, and Goyer should be commended for her work in preserving them.

To read an excerpt, watch a video, and more, visit here.

I received a free copy of Remembering You in exchange for an honest review.

“The Reason” by William Sirls

August 18, 2014 by Amy

A storm decimates a large cross outside a local church. A young oncologist works with a beloved patient who doesn’t respond to treatment, and his young mother fights to have faith in what she can’t see. Meanwhile, the so-called construction worker who miraculously restored the cross has a hand in many unexplainable events throughout town. Could there be more to him than meets the eye? If so, does that mean that there is a Creator behind this life we try to control?

Sirls writes an exciting and suspenseful story showing what can happen when our mustard seed-sized faith encounters the One who makes it grow. Both fantastical and possible, this story will both stretch your faith and make you reaffirm your belief in a powerful, loving God.

As a kid I always thought that the amazing stories of the Bible were history accounts – stories of things that God did long ago but didn’t do anymore. At the same time, I was fascinated with the stories of angels in my great-grandmother’s Guideposts magazines. A few years ago I realized that God still does amazing things every day – we just don’t always recognize them as such.

That’s why I like this story. It’s like reading one of those amazing stories of angels saving the day, only this one is fictional. Reading it made me think about what I believe in terms of angels and prophets, about Jesus on earth, about miracles and heaven and hell.

It’s important that we know what we believe about these things – both the what and the why. The Reason makes you think about all of these things in a realistic and thoughtful way, all the while turning page after page to find each player’s outcome. I couldn’t put this one down.

I received a free copy of The Reason from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

“Ray of Light” by Shelley Shepard Gray

August 18, 2014 by Amy

Bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray brings inspirational romance to life in this sweet tale of love in the Amish community, Ray of Light, the second installment of her Days of Redemption series.

Roman Keim just wants a break from the family drama at his snowy Ohio home when he heads to an Amish snowbird community in Florida. There he meets Amanda Yoder and her daughter Regina who soon are warming his heart. But will Roman return to Ohio or will he stay and help the young widow embrace a second chance at love?

The author of the series Sisters of the Heart and Seasons of Sugarcreek, Shelley Shepard Gray delivers an honest, tender love story in Ray of Light, featuring the challenges of faith, family, and romance.

Shelley Shepard Gray has penned another winner. I love her books for the reality of the characters, and Ray of Light is no exception. Most of the events of this book could happen to anyone; they are real, ordinary problems that any of us could have – except Gray’s characters are Amish, adding another layer of interest to an already fascinating story.

When my truck-driving grandfather retired, he bought a van and set himself up as an Amish taxi driver. He spent his days driving people around, from work to errands to home, and had loads of friends and stories to match. He once drove some Amish to Florida to stay in an ‘Amish resort’ there, and I’ve been interested in the idea ever since.

That’s how Gray opens this story – with Amish from the North on vacation in sunny Florida, and while no special resort is mentioned, the idea is intriguing. The Keim family is from a much more progressive sect than the Amish I grew up near, but reading about work schedules and vacation dreams and love triangles reminds me that they are people just like us. With foreign missionaries, multiple family weddings, cross-country vacations, rehab, and dark family secrets, they’re certainly busier than my family!

Ray of Light is the second in this series, but while I haven’t read it, it was not difficult to pick up on the characters or the past that was disclosed in the first book. That doesn’t stop me from wanting to read it, however; I think reading the books in the wrong order actually makes me want to read that first one even more, and the same is true for the third. I can’t wait to find out what happens to them!

I hope you can type like lightening, Mrs. Gray, because I can’t wait to read the next installment of the Keim’s lives.

You can see other reviews from this bloggy hop here, or click here to purchase your own copy now.

Shelley Shepard Gray is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the “Sisters of the Heart”, “Seasons of Sugarcreek”, “Secrets of Crittenden County”, and Families of Honor series. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

Learn more at http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com.

I received a free copy of Ray of Light from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

“The Promises She Keeps” by Erin Healy

August 18, 2014 by Amy

Promise, a young singer trying to make her mark on the world before succumbing to a terminal genetic disease, actively pursues her singing and modeling career – and isn’t sure how she continues to survive the freak accidents that suddenly follow her. Porta, an aging sorceress hears about these accidents and decides that Promise holds the key to immortality for which she’s spent a lifetime searching. Chase, an autistic artist, suddenly changes his routine and reaches out to strangers, bringing a new understanding of life and love to everyone who knows him.

I couldn’t decide at the beginning of this book who I wanted to cheer for. Most stories have a clear hero and a clear villian, but several times these characters got a bit murky. The reasons for some of their actions are unknown at first, and I started to be a bit disappointed in this character or that one – until I realized that each one was only ‘human.’ The interrelationships between the cast of characters becomes more and more clear throughout the story, as do the themes of love and what eternal life really means. This book is in no way preachy but shows simply how to live out one’s faith – how to internalize what you believe until it just oozes naturally out your pores.

The Christian faith is not based on sunshine and roses, and Healy shows that while we live in a dark and fallen world, and may even dive pretty deeply into the nasty parts of this world, we don’t have to stay there. Redemption and love belong to everyone who chooses to accept them – and I love the way that Healy shares this message through Chase and Promise. If you’re looking for a story that will stretch your imagination and yet bring home a sound message, this is the book for you.

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson’s Booksneeze program in exchange for an unbiased review.

“Prayers of a Stranger” by Davis Bunn

August 16, 2014 by Amy

Amanda Vance loves babies. So much that she’s a nurse on the maternity floor – or was, until she lost her own just before Christmas last year. Now she’s trying to hold things together with her husband, who’s company isn’t doing well. Suddenly she’s given a trip to the Holy Land, where she meets a stranger and becomes an answer to prayer. Can Amanda then find faith enough to trust in answers for her own prayers?

Bunn has written an intense yet inspirational look at a couple’s journey through the loss of a child. Walking through mourning with Amanda as she searches for healing is both educational and inspiring. It’s all too easy to think that those who have suffered a loss should be ready to move on when we are, but we all must heal on our own God-given schedules. Bunn offers a very compassionate view of this dilemma, painting vividly the issues this can create in our families and friendships but also showing how valuable true understanding and friendship can be. I hope that I can be that same kind of friend if tragedy of any form strikes someone I know.

*Slight spoiler alert! Next paragraph only.*

While to me this was a side plot within the book, Bunn adds issues to Amanda’s husband’s life as he struggles to save the business he loves. I appreciate the description of the stress that Chris felt as he tried to support his family and the seriousness with which he took God’s calling to be a leader within the home. Even more, I appreciate the stand that Chris took for what he knew was right. It would have been easy to sell out for money, but much harder to hold firmly to what he knew was right. We need more people who do this when hard times come.

Prayers of a Stranger is definitely not a fluffy read, but it is a thoughtful, inspirational one. I’m glad I read it.

I received a free copy of Prayers of a Stranger through the Booksneeze Program in Exchange for an honest review.

“Queen of the Waves” by Janice Thompson

August 16, 2014 by Amy

When pampered Jacqueline Abington secretly elopes with the family gardener, she asks another woman to take her place on the much anticipated maiden voyage of the Titanic. Tessa Bowen hails from a poor corner of London but has been granted the opportunity of a lifetime—a ticket to sail to America aboard a famed vessel. But there’s a catch: she must assume Jacqueline’s identity. For the first time in her life, Tessa stays in luxurious quarters, dresses in elegant gowns, and dines with prestigious people. Then a wealthy American man takes an interest in her, and Tessa struggles to keep up the ruse as she begins falling for him. When tragedy strikes, the game is up, and two women’s lives are forever changed.

I liked this spin on the typical Titanic story. It’s almost like The Prince and the Pauper with a tragic setting and happy ending. Thompson describes the ship in great detail, having the main characters run into many real people who were actually on board the Titanic on that fateful trip. This dramatic flair felt right in keeping with the luxurious ocean liner’s reputation.

My favorite part of this book was the way that both Tessa and Nathan’s backgrounds created a similar spiritual need that they faced on board the ship. They each had struggles that they needed to confront, and the intricate weaving of these storylines together with those of the real Titanic passengers made for a fascinating story.

The love story was, perhaps, a bit predictable, but this only served to add a layer of coziness and comfort to the story. There is little else on board the Titanic that could be considered comfortable for very long! I enjoyed this aspect of the plot.

Like many Americans, the Titanic has always captured my attention. If you’re also fascinated by this amazing Queen of the Ocean, be sure to check out this book.

If you’d like to read other reviews of Queen of the Waves, click here. If you’d like to purchase Queen of the Waves, you can do so here.

Award-winning author Janice Thompson, who also writes under the name Janice Hanna, has published nearly eighty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children’s books and more.

She formerly served as vice president of the Christian Authors Network and was named the 2008 Mentor of the Year by the American Christian Fiction Writers.

Thompson lives in Spring, Texas, near her four grown daughters and young grandchildren. She leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends and two mischievous dachshunds.

Readers can keep up with Janice Thompson by visiting janiceathompson.com, becoming a fan on Facebook or following her Twitter.

Find out more about Janice at http://janicethompson.com.

I received a free copy of Queen of the Waves from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

“The Quarryman’s Bride” by Tracie Peterson

August 16, 2014 by Amy

Emmalyne Knox and Tavin MacLachlan were destined to be together . . . until the tragic deaths of Emmalyne’s youngest sisters. Family tradition mandates that the youngest daughter should remain single to care for her parents in their old age, and now that daughter is Emmalyne. Her father unyielding, Emmalyne surrenders to her duty, heartbroken. Tavin leaves town, equally devastated.

Years later, Emmalyne’s family moves, and she and Tavin meet again. Their feelings for each other are as strong as ever, but their painful past and Emmalyne’s father still stand between them. Soon both families are in the midst of the growing conflict rising between the workers at the granite quarry that Tavin’s father owns and operates. When a series of near-fatal accidents occur, Tavin must figure out who is behind the attacks before someone gets killed.

Bound by obligation, yet yearning for a future together, can Emmalyne and Tavin dare to dream that God could heal a decade-long wound and change the hearts of those who would stand in the way of true love?

The Quarryman’s Bride is a fascinating tale of love lost and faithful choices. I must admit, I found it hard to identify with Emmalyne’s choice but loved her faithfulness and spirit. That alone kept me turning page after page, hoping to find that Emmalyne’s choice was rewarded in some way. I’m not sure that I could have remained so positive or cheerful if so many things had been taken away from me, and yet that was Emmalyne’s charm.

While Emmalyne had a tough choice to make in the beginning, it didn’t get any easier later, when her family returned to the quarry. This time she purposely chose the hard road and tried to follow God’s wishes, not her own, and that upped the fascination factor for me.

I really enjoyed The Quarryman’s Bride. It’s a great story, full of faith, emotion, and taking up one’s cross – something that many of us don’t do enough. With side plots of union troubles relating to the quarry and the stereotypes relating to the mentally ill, this book is not lacking action or intrigue, either. It’s not just a great beach read – it’s a great anytime read.

To read other reviews in this blog hop, click here; or, click here to purchase your copy now.

Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over eighty novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her bestselling Heirs of Montana, and Alaskan Quest series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.

Visit Tracie’s Web site at www.traciepeterson.com

I received a free copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

“The Promise Box” by Tricia Goyer

August 16, 2014 by Amy

With her heart – and her loyalty – on the line, can she let true love in her life?

Every year, young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive ‘resident’ status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides! Lydia Wyse, a book editor from Seattle who grew up Amish, returns to the small community of West Kootenai, Montana to give comfort to her father after her mother’s death.

She is drawn back to the familiar Amish ways after finding her mother’s most precious possession, a Promise Box of prayers and scripture. What her publisher sees, though, is an opportunity for a sensational ‘tell-all’ book about the Amish. Lydia soon finds herself falling in love with Amish bachelor Gideon Hooley. She wants nothing more than to forget her past and look forward to a future as an Amish bride.

Will the pain of her childhood-and her potential betrayal of her community-keep her from committing her whole heart?

The Promise Box is an amazing story of faith and yet different from most other Amish books out there. Lydia doubts her own value in God’s eyes after learning that her conception was the result of rape – and it changes her entire life. While she questions her place as an Amish woman, her larger question of why a good God allows bad things to happen is one asked by nearly everyone at some point in their lives.

Lydia’s journey to find the answer to that question makes up the bulk of this book – which, of course, includes a sweet love story and a beautiful mountain setting. (Somehow reading books about ugly swamps is just not appealing to me! I’d rather live beautifully and vicariously through the characters.) Her journey, although full of hardship and loss, has a very Goyer-esque sweetness to it.

The book is titled after a special box kept by Lydia’s mother in which she wrote scriptural promises that she wanted to remember – a Bible diary, of sorts. I’ve seen this same type of ‘journal’ take many forms, but I especially like this one, and it made for an interesting tool of plot advancement throughout the story.

The Promise Box is a sweet journey of love, hope, and reconciliation. I love how Goyer writes about a realization that we each must come to: that we are all valuable in God’s eyes because He made us, not because of circumstances or anything that we’ve done, but because of who He is and what He has done. Lydia’s story is well worth the read.

Click here to read other reviews on this bloggy hop. Click here to go ahead and purchase your own copy now. 🙂

Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of one, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites. In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in Little Rock, AR. Tricia, along with a group of friends, recently launched NotQuiteAmishLiving.com, sharing ideas about simplifying life. She also hosts the weekly radio podcast, Living Inspired.

Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

I received a free copy of The Promise Box from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.