Irises by Francisco X. Stork

As Mary and Kate's mother lays in a vegetative state once again the girls are faced with tragedy. Their minister father has now passed away and they are left with decisions too difficult for them to face.

Mary is an artist, but once her mother's accident happened the light has gone out of her paintings. Mary has devoted her life to taking care of her mother. Now she must give up her extra art class after school in order to be more available to care for her mother.

Kate has always dreamed of going to college at Stanford and becoming a doctor. It was her mother's dream for her, and her constant secret for the past several years. Now that dream is about to be realized but with the death of her father Kate is confused about her responsibilities.

Irises was an engaging story. Mary and Kate's struggles with what to do once their father dies kept me turning the pages because I wanted to find out how things turned out. There were so many other issues in the book though that I couldn't give it a better rating. I didn't care for the new minister(Andy) and his goal of some day being the head of a more affluent church. His willingness to allow Kate in his apartment with the idea that things may lead to a sexual encounter was just wrong. His preaching of love and faith without actual guidance of how to gain those things showed that he had no business being a preacher. The girls' father even though he had been a minister for years had led his family with rules and antiquated ideas rather than teaching them about faith. So I guess that the author's portrayal of the religious figures left a dis-satisfied taste in my mouth. Even with that I found empathy for both Mary and Kate's characters. Both struggling with what has happened in their lives, having to face giving up dreams, relationships that have turned disappointing, and the ultimate decision of what to do about their mother all were written to be very believable. Definitely not a waste of time to read this book!

I received my ARC copy in January at ALA.

Firethorn by Ronie Kendig

 

Things start to go terribly wrong for the Nightshade team. Griffin(Legend) is wrongly accused of murdering a high up official. He is in prison, depressed, wondering where he went wrong in life. He doesn't know how he will survive the rest of his life in prison, but he is determined to do it with honor and pride like the Marine that he is.

The Nightshade team are just back from a mission when their headquarters are attacked. They are separated and taken to different locations around the world. Two manage to escape before the others are whisked away. Their families are taken to a hidden location and given no information about where their men are.

Kazi has been hired to find the Nightshade team and get them back together. Nobody knows who is behind the setup to break up the team. Kazi's first mission is to break Legend out of prison. Kazi has hardened her heart to everyone around her because life has not been kind to her. She is afraid to allow her heart to care for anyone because that would make her weak in her goal. She is determined to earn enough money to allow her to buy herself back from the man that her brother sold her too years before. An attraction between Legend and Kazi could be dangerous to both their hearts.

One thing I like about the Nightshade books is that from the beginning of each book a person is in for a roller coaster ride of excitement! And then of course there is the romance in each one, I don't know that I could read a military style book if there wasn't a bit of attraction between the main characters! Firethorn is the last book in the Nightshade series. I don't know that a person has to read the books in order, but I think that it would definitely help if you did. I unfortunately have read them all out of order. I read Digitalis first, then Firethorn and I have Nightshade waiting for me to read and then I have to get Wolfsbane. While each book is about a different man on the Nightshade team I think it would have helped me to connect with the characters more if I would have started at the beginning. But still, I have enjoyed the ones that I have read!

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for my review copy.

After The Snow Falls by Carey Jane Clark

Celia and her husband Jeff are faced with a parent’s worst nightmare. Their son Caleb is diagnosed with a brain tumor. They must enter into a world of treatment with very little hope offered for healing.

Just as Celia’s life is crumbling around her she is also faced with her father coming back into her life. Alfie abandoned Celia and her mother when Celia was a young child. Alfie claims he is a “changed man”. Adele, Celia’s mother believes him; Celia though refuses to forgive him.

How far would a parent go to find a cure for their child? Celia explores the realm of alternative medicine while denying any spiritual intervention. Alfie wishes to share his spiritual change with Celia. He is sure that through prayer and forgiveness healing can begin.

Because of the subject matter it is hard to say, “I really enjoyed this book”. But when you take it apart and examine each character you find so much to like. Chapters are alternated between Alfie and Celia. What each one is going through during this process. The author has managed to capture heart-breaking emotions of parents faced with losing their child, consequences of choices that are made and the healing power of forgiveness. So despite the subject of the book, I really did enjoy After the Snow Falls because the characters and subject captured my heart as I read. 

Come back tomorrow(Friday December 16th) for a guest post by author Carey Jane Clark and a giveaway of her book After the Snow Falls for either a Kindle or ePub.

O Little Town : A Novel by Don Reid-Kindle

Mt. Jefferson in the 1950's was your typical small town where everyone seems to know each other and their lives are intertwined.

It is Christmas 1958 and the story opens with a local pastor's daughter being caught shoplifting in the local department store. Not wanting to raise too big of a scene the manager of the store attempts to keep the news from getting out. Unfortunately he has to call Buddy the Chief of Police in.

Buddy is having problems of his own. He has just found out that his 16 year old daughter is pregnant. The baby's father is the son of a well-known doctor in town. Louis Wayne wants to do the right thing and marry Buddy's daughter. 

Walter is in the hospital. His daughters Doris and Colleen are two very different women. Doris has always tried to win her father's love even though she already had his love. She is a strong personality. And she is married to a doctor. Colleen has always been the favored daughter, but something is bothering her that she cannot figure out. Things just don't seem right between her husband Milton(the manager of Macalbee's department store) and herself.

When Buddy brings Pastor Franklin's daughter home he and his wife Dove are both disappointed in their daughter's behavior. Millie seems to have no remorse for what she has been caught doing. Dove decides to march up to the store and defend her daughter. She has been wanting to move from Mt. Jefferson for a long time. There is one temptation that she wants to flee.

Another story is woven into the main story. That is Walter's story from his youth. It is about the tragic loss of his first love. 

Everyone gathers Christmas eve for service at Pastor Franklin's church. He delivers a message on forgiveness. Hearts and lives are touched and healing can begin for so many.

I enjoyed this story very much. Everyone's lives interwoven together and the ultimate gift of forgiveness shines through.

Dead Reckoning by Ronie Kendig(Kindle)

Shiloh's world is shattered when she is on a dive in India. Her best friend is shot and men are trying to kill her.

Reece is amazed at Shiloh's ability to get away from the men sent to kill her. He is trying to gain her trust and protect her while also protecting his heart from ever again falling in love with a strong-headed woman.

Shiloh doesn't know who to trust. Her best friend Khalid has just proposed marriage to her but she is unable to return his feelings. Shiloh has been estranged from her father for 15 years. She has no intentions of ever trusting a man in her life again. Why then, when she doesn't even know him, does Reece garner such trust from her?

Forced to be a player in a game she never wanted to be put in again, Shiloh must learn to forgive and open her heart once more to a faith that she abandoned many years before.

Ronie Kendig knows how to write a fast-paced, action-packed novel! I enjoyed this one from the very beginning.

The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

Gretchen and her children move into a condo to be closer to her mother. While moving in Gretchen and her children meet their neighbor Melissa. Melissa doesn't seem very friendly, but Emma and Ethan still try to make friends.

Shortly after moving a man shows up at Gretchen's door. He is Melissa's mother's landlord. Melissa's mother Ramona has died and her landlord is trying to find Melissa. He leaves it to Gretchen to tell Melissa about her mother. Gretchen doesn't know why, but she is compelled to go over and offer Melissa her assistance in helping clear out her mother's apartment.

Melissa has never felt love from her mother. Ramona went from one boyfriend to another and from one apartment to another Melissa's entire childhood. She doesn't know why she accepts Gretchen's offer of help, but she is grateful for this neighbor who insists on becoming part of her life. While cleaning the apartment Melissa discovers a note that her mother started to write to her. It indicates that Melissa has siblings that she never knew about. This is both exciting and devastating news for Melissa. She is angry that her mother never told her this while she was alive.

Gretchen has her own problems. After her husband was involved in a bombing while serving in Afghanistan she has moved her children to be closer to her mother. While starting over and trying to keep their family together she doesn't understand why she feels the urge to help Melissa. With the help of Gretchen's mother and her quirky friend Gloria, Melissa finds the love of friends that she has never known before.

This was a heart-warming, feel-good story that I thoroughly enjoyed. It had the "Happily Ever After" ending that I crave so much in stories. This is the perfect book for a cold winter day curled up on the couch with a fire going and hot chocolate by your side!

The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund

Priscilla White knows that she is called to be a missionary. After all, she knows she will never marry because of the heart-breaking secret she carries with her each day.

Dr. Eli Ernest has a dream to become a missionary in Oregon country. He too carries scars from his past. He also knows that the mission field is no place for a woman.

Unfortunately for both Eli and Priscilla the mission board is no longer sending out single people. They wish for only married couples to go into the field. With no other choice before them Eli and Priscilla enter into a marriage of convenience.

Eli resents having to take a woman across the hard trails to Oregon country. Priscilla is determined to show him that she is strong enough to make the journey. Neither one of them counted on the awkwardness that would occur when they met up with the other young couple traveling with them. Henry, a young preacher, and his wife Mabel have agreed to travel with Eli and Priscilla to Oregon country to start a new mission. Henry though is a former suitor of Priscilla's. She had told him that she would never marry, now she shows up married to another man.

The journey is filled with frustration for Eli, hardships for the entire party and near disaster at every corner. Will their determination to serve their Savior carry them through the many miles and hardships of travel? And what about Eli and Priscilla's agreement of a marriage of convenience? Will they be able to deny the attraction they feel for each other?

This is the second book I have read by Jody Hedlund and I must say that she is not afraid to delve into the cost of following Christ. Eli and Priscilla leave all that they know in order to bring the gospel to the lost Indian tribes in the Oregon country. They suffer hardships, illness, exhaustion and frustration(and fleas) at every turn and they still press on to serve Him. Ms. Hedlund is not afraid to show the weaknesses of her characters, their human-ness helps us to relate. If you are a Historical Fiction fan this book is for you!

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Finley is on her way to Ireland as part on an exchange student program. She is following her brother’s footsteps after his death.  Since Will was killed Finley has found herself in a downward spiral. She feels that God is no longer listening to her. Since reading Will’s journal and seeing how much he saw God while in Ireland, Finley believes that if she just follows in his footsteps that maybe God will meet her there also. 

Beckett Rush is a hot young actor heading to his home in Ireland to film his latest vampire movie. When Finley, being bumped up to first class, sits next to him on their trip to Ireland he assumes that she too will be one of the many girls that swoon over him. He is in for a huge surprise. Finley is uninterested in his notoriety. 

Finley’s host family runs a Bed & Breakfast. Finley is less than enthused when she finds that Beckett is staying there for the duration of the filming of his movie. Since Finley is without a car it puts a crimp in her following Will’s journal. Beckett offers to drive her around in return for her being his assistant. She helps him run lines. He finds her honesty refreshing.

One of Finley’s first assignments when she starts school is to adopt a grandmother from the local nursing home. She is assigned Mrs. Sweeney, a cantankerous woman who is dying. Finley tries to get out of the assignment or to get reassigned to someone else, but her teacher is not going for it. What Finley doesn’t count on is learning to love the woman and helping her find forgiveness in her last days.

With the mounting pressure of school, an audition at a conservatory, her mounting feelings for Beckett, and being unable to come up with an ending for her musical piece, Finley starts to spiral downhill. Will she meet God in this place or will she lose Him and herself in the process?

From the moment I picked up the book I had a hard time putting it down. Jenny B. Jones has a way of writing that captures the reader from the very beginning of the book until the last page is turned. I connected with the characters and empathized with both of them. Without being overly preachy Jenny B. Jones was able to show her characters struggle with faith and ultimate victory. 

Christian Fiction Book Club-The Preacher's Bride

This month's Christian book club is being hosted by Lydia at The Overweight Bookshelf .

My Review:

Set in the 1600’s amidst unrest in both political and religious groups John Costin is a young Puritan tinker/preacher. His wife has just died in childbirth and he is left with 3 other children and the baby that will surely die before too long. Filled with grief and knowing that the newborn baby will not live for long, John rejects the sisters’ offer of getting a housekeeper. What he doesn’t count on is the determination of one young sister to not only save the baby’s life, but to also take care of his other children. 

Elizabeth knows that she is overstepping her place when she intercedes on the baby’s behalf and finds him a wet nurse amongst the poor and rejected. Mrs. Grew, one of the other sister’s, believes that the baby would be better off dead than to nurse from the woman that Elizabeth brought for the baby. Mrs. Grew’s resentment of Elizabeth is seen throughout the story. 

At first John rejects Elizabeth as his housekeeper, but he soon sees what a blessing she is to his children. Since he is gone the majority of each day, he knows that his 8 year old blind daughter Mary would be unable to care for the younger children. He really doesn’t have a choice but to continue to allow Elizabeth to come care for them.  Being an unlicensed preacher of God’s Word John’s ministry soon brings persecution not only to Elizabeth, but also to his family.

When Elizabeth is brutally attacked John realizes that he is close to going to jail. He is willing to make the sacrifice for the cause of Christ. He also realizes that he has come to have feelings for Elizabeth. How far will the Royalists go though to exact their revenge on him and his family?

This is a fictional story on the life of John and Elizabeth Bunyan (John is the author of Pilgrim’s Progress). I didn’t know that until the end of the story in the Author’s notes. I have mixed emotions about this book. The characters have stayed with me since I finished it. But I find that if it wasn’t a book club book I probably would have closed it after the first attack on Elizabeth. I think if I would have read first that it was based on the true life of John Bunyan I might have been able to read it in a different frame of mind. It was hard for me to read about the helplessness of the young girl Elizabeth being attacked. It was also difficult to read about supposedly Christian people treating each other so evilly. I found myself skimming over a lot of the conflict in the book. I know that is what makes a book good for some people, but I just couldn’t take it. 

Discussion Questions: 

2.    Elizabeth believes if she serves the Lord diligently, He will reward her efforts. Often we too think we can earn God's favor by serving him. What’s wrong with this philosophy? Does God's love and blessing really depend on anything we do? Or does he bestow blessings because of his great love and mercy? I have found myself thinking sometimes “if I behave correctly then nothing bad will happen to me.” The problem with this philosophy is that it is “works” based. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. God bestows blessings to us because of His great love and mercy for us. I’ll stop there at the risk of becoming over preachy!
3.    John’s friend Gibbs encourages him to take the "hard path" because it will lead to greater holiness. What hardships have you faced lately? Why is it our natural inclination to take the easy way out of hard situations? How can doing the hard thing lead you to greater holiness? It is through the hard times that we lean more on the Lord, we learn more from Him, and we grow in our relationship with Him. Do I like the hard times? Heck no!! I do everything in my power to escape those hard times. My inclination is to have no bumps in the road. I like a steady path. But then I find myself at risk of becoming lazy in my faith. I become too comfortable and then that leaves no room for growth and maturity. I have to say that lately things have been going rather smoothly. I have heard that a person is either heading into a trial or coming out of a trial in their life. I’m not ready to strap on the seat belt yet for the next trial though!

Now it is your turn! Go to The Overweight Bookshelf and link up for the discussion. See what others are saying. 

Race Against Time by Kimberley and Kayla R. Woodhouse

While out exercising her sprint dog team Zoya witnesses a murder. Not only does she see the man being shot, but then the murderer turns and shoots at her as well. From that moment on Zoya's life is changed. She is plunged into an abyss of shaken faith that she doesn't know if she can ever climb out of.

Anesia is Zoya's mother. She owns a thriving business of raising prize sprint dog teams. Anesia and Zoya have always been close. They have always been able to share everything with each other. After all it is just the two of them. Zoya's father died before she was ever born. Anesia has had to be strong to face the stigma of never having been married to Zoya's father. Anesia would do anything to protect her daughter, but is at a loss as to how to help her out of the abyss that Zoya has plunged into.

Sean has trekked across the country trying to escape from his father's tyrannical rule over his life. When he arrives in North Pole, Alaska he senses it is time to stop traveling and settle down. He applies for a job in Anesia's kennels. Anesia hires him to care for the kennels, but also to protect her and Zoya from the men that are still out to kill her. 

Zoya has allowed her anger at God to fester in her soul. A question that she asks Sean at one point is, "Why does God allow the bad junk to happen?" She no longer feels that God is there with her. She resents that He allowed her to see the murder. She resents that He has allowed the killers to still be out there threatening her. She pulls away from her family and her best friend Andie. She doesn't want them to know how much she is struggling with her anger towards God. She feels that they would never understand. The only voice she seems to hear is the one telling her never to trust Him again.

Race Against Time is the sequel to the book No Safe Haven by the mother/daughter authors Kimberley and Kayla Woodhouse. Race Against Time starts out heart pounding and ends just as strong! I was on the edge of my seat several times. I have to admit too that I had to put the book down a couple of times because the action was so intense I had to get up and walk around before I continued! The action wasn't the only thing that held my interest though. Zoya's struggle with her anger towards God was heart-breaking. The relationship growing between Sean and Anesia was special. I loved that the characters from No Safe Haven (Jenna, Andie and Cole) were also part of Race Against Time. And I'm hoping that Kimberley and Kayla are working on a 3rd book to the series because I think there is still lots more of the story to be told!

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer-KINDLE #1

Hannah is a seamstress that has dreamed of having her own shop. When an elderly woman customer makes that dream a reality Hannah is thrilled. She moves to the town of Covington to open her shop in the building she was bequethed. She knows it will take time to establish a clientele but she is prepared to prove her worth as a dressmaker.

J.T. owns the livery across the street  from Hannah's shop. He is resentful that he was unable to buy the building that Hannah's shop is in. He had tried to buy it in order to help out the laundress-a proud woman who is raising 3 children on her own. When he learns that Hannah is opening a dress shop he is further resentful and prepared to dislike the new seamstress before he even meets her.  After all his mother left him, his father and sister because she preferred the outward beauty rather than inward beauty.

When Hannah and J.T. meet sparks fly. Unable to understand J.T.'s angry behavior, Hannah is determined ot make him smile. J.T.'s sister Cordelia befriends Hannah and becomes her first customer. Determined to gain the attention of the local telegraph operator Cordelia enlists Hannah's help is changing her appearance. When J.T. learns of this endeavor he has to ask himself some serious questions. Can a woman really be both beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside?

Hannah seems to be proving all of J.T.'s pre-conceived notions wrong. She has be-friended a man who recently lost his wife. It seems the man hasn't bathed since his wife's passing-the town hasn't reached out to him, but by first being kind to him each day, Hannah has managed to bring him back into society. She has also found small ways to help the laundress provide for her family. Surely someone with such a caring heart as Hannah can have beauty within and without.

I enjoyed this story very much. I did get a bit frustrated with J.T.'s struggle to not let go of his rigid ideas but ended up very happy with the outcome.

Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow

Tom Crane is working for a large Atlanta law firm hoping that he will make partner. His hopes are dashed though when he is "consolidated" instead. Finding himself without a job and girlfriendless(his girlfriend breaks up with him in a letter), Tom heads to his hometown to settle the affairs of his father who recently died in a drowning accident.

While Tom closes his father's law firm he stays with his uncle Elias. At first Tom doesn't want to hear anything from Elias about spiritual things. But when Tom has a spiritual encounter of his own in his father's law office he becomes more open and accepting of heavenly things.

Tom soon uncovers what looks to be an embezzlement scheme involving a client of his father's and an employee at the local Pelham company. Considering that he is best friends with Arthur Pelham's son Rick, Tom fully believes that his father's client was involved in the embezzlement. 

When Rick's wife Tiffany starts flirting with Tom he is flattered and tries to rationalize his attraction to her. After all she assures him that their marriage is on the rocks and she is willing to leave it all behind to be with Tom. Tom soon realizes his rationalization as sin and repents of it. He soon becomes attracted to Rose Addington. Rose refuses to believe that her father was involved in any way in the embezzlement scheme. She challenges Tom to do further research into the events that led up to their fathers deaths.

That research soon lands both Tom and Rose in jail and in serious danger. With his life seeming to fall apart before his eyes, Tom has a hard time calling out to the God that he so recently trusted.

First off the positive: Water's Edge reminded me of reading one of John Grisham's novels, but add in a more spiritual content. I was engaged in the story and characters from the beginning through to the end. The writing flowed and the story remained fairly consistent.

The negative: For me the spiritual content was a bit too mystical mixed with charasmatic. When Rose talked about Tom's office being a "thin" place(a place where there is less separation between heaven and earth) I was thinking, "WHAT?!" Another time Tom asked his uncle if he was a mystic. He described a mystic as being "someone who withdraws from the world and spends time having weird spiritual experiences." Tom's whole relationship with the Lord was based on emotionalism and when the emotion wasn't there then he easily fell away into despair. At one point when everything seemed to come crashing down on him he contemplated suicide. To the point of getting the gun out and having it under his chin to do the job. I understand that we all have our mountaintop experiences, but to crash so low to want to end it all did not seem consistent with Tom's character.

A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell

  

  Three young seamstresses work for Madame Fortier. Each one has a different specialty and a different background.

Julietta is the embroiderer. She comes from a loving home but is determined to shake the fetters of family and tradition and embrace the freedoms of America. 

Annamaria is the smocker. Being the eldest daughter her responsibility is to take care of her parents until their death. If she is lucky she may be able to eventually marry. 

Luciana is hired to do elaborate bead work. Her father was killed by anarchists. She and her grandmother have escaped to America, but they are still pursued by the murderer who killed her father.

Each girl struggles with the prejudices of the day, and the heart-break of forbidden love. 

A Heart Most Worthy is written in what I have read is called "Omniscient voice." I'm not exactly sure what that means. My understanding is that the author breaks into the story now and then and addresses the reader. At first it was a bit annoying, but as I became more enmeshed in the story and the girls' lives those break-ins in the story were less relevant than what was actually happening in the story. I enjoyed the book very much. I've read one other book by Siri Mitchell, Beauty Becomes Her. If you like historical fiction these books are a must read!

Book of Days by James L. Rubart

Lately Cameron seems to be losing parts of his memory. His wife Jessie has died and the memory of her is slipping away. His father's mind was totally gone when he passed away. Cameron is afraid that the same thing is happening to him.

Before Cameron's father passed away and before Jessie passed away both of them told Cameron about a Book of Days. A book that is supposed to tell all of a person's days, past, present and future. Both Cameron's father and Jessie believed in God. Cameron is skeptical about there being a God and also about the so-called Book of Days.

As Cameron's memory gets worse he decides he must go searching for the Book of Days to hopefully regain his memory. He asks Jessie's best friend Ann to meet him in a small town in Oregon to help him on his quest. Ann agrees because she has a quest of her own, to find out about her mother who abandoned her when she was 11 years old.

Every question asked seems to be met with some form of cover-up. Jason believes in the Book of Days as do his many cult followers. Taylor has more secrets than just the Book of Days. As their missions collide Ann and Cameron decide to help each other find answers to their questions.

I gave this book two hearts because it was so hard for me to get into it. I spent the entire book trying to figure out how many more pages I had to muddle through before I was finished with it. I'm sorry to the author, but this was not a book that caught or kept my attention.