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After All: A Hanover Falls Novel
Deborah Raney
Release Date May 2012
In this final book of the series, Raney not only writes a compelling novel, she catches us up on the lives of those
involved in the earlier books and nicely wraps the story in an unexpected way.
Susan is still dealing with the aftermath of losing her husband, and four other firefighters, in
the fire that destroyed her homeless shelter. The small town has turned against the shelter and Susan struggles to help those
who need a hand up.
The person who caused
the fire is doing community service at the new location. But when one of Susan's sons returns home angry and still not dealing
with the loss of his father, when a former resident shows up insisting he talk to Susan about what happened and when things
aren't adding up, Susan finds she has to deal with still another loss--betrayal.
The fire chief, Pete, has no intention of getting involved, but Susan needs him
while Andrea excites him. As he and Susan begin to find common ground, the information Susan has discovered and shares rocks
his world all over again.
Can these two
find the truth (or want to) and can they let go of the past to enfold the future God has for them? A novel of hurt, betrayal,
faith, choices and love.
TO LOVE AND TO HOLD
By Tracie Peterson
and Judith Miller
Audrey hadn't wanted to return to the family
heritage, Bridal Veil Island, Georgia, though the place was a place of peace. It certainly helped her father keep his hard-fought
battle with the bottle. But things weren't as idyllic as they appeared--not when investors planned to build on the
island and their own home helped house the workers. When Marshal shows up as contractor at her father's request, Audrey didn't
understand her response. Neither did Marshall.
When things at the building site go from
delays to sabotage and when people start getting hurt, Marshall finds himself trying to protect a young woman who is trying
to help him. Will they be able to figure out what's really going on before someone is killed?
A story of romance with some fun, feisty characters so soon after the Civil War in the South that Yankees aren't always
appreciated.
HAWAIIAN CROSSWINDS
2nd in Dawn of Hawaii Series
By Linda Lee Chaikin
ISBN 978-0-8024-3750-1
Moody Publishers
Reviewer Laura Sherwood, PhD
The plot rivets with murder, passion, politics, and mystery all set in the fragrant Hawaii of the late 1800s. The
reader is glued to the twists and turns as Rafe struggles to keep his faith through deception, betrayal and his determination
to hang on to his green eyed beauty, Eden.
Characters
from his and her family weave throughout the story in a way that causes the reader to feel as though they know each one personally.
Chaikin has again made this historical fiction novel accurate and realistic. Most readers want a book that will
inspire or encourage, help them escape their reality, or provide some kind of take away value. This book does all that
and more.
A story that keeps you up all night wondering, what’s
going to happen next? A complete, satisfying read even though the second in a series.
Faith Element: High
RANSOME’S QUEST
By Kaye Dacus
ISBN: 978-0-7369-2755-0
Harvest House Publishers
Reviewer Carrie Padgett
Pirates.
Parlay. A young woman disguised as a Royal Navy midshipmen. True love. Kidnapping. Mistaken identity. RANSOME’S QUEST
has it all.
The third of The Ransome Trilogy, RANSOME’S
QUEST also works as a stand-alone title. I had not read the previous two entries of the trilogy and I had no problem understanding
what was going on and who the characters were. That’s a difficult feat and Kaye Dacus did it marvelously.
Julia Ransome has returned home to her sugar plantation in Jamaica. Her sister-in-law
Charlotte is with her. Julia is targeted by two different pirates, each with differing motives. Charlotte is also taken and
both women have to summon reserves of faith and strength to return to their loved ones.
I enjoyed RANSOME’S QUEST very much. The writing is strong with language that evokes
the time period. The characters are not caricatures of the typical head-strong woman. Charlotte does dash headlong into danger
at great folly to herself and others but it isn’t out of character given the other foolhardy actions she takes.
If you enjoy pirates, strong women, stronger men, and their love stories,
RANSOME’S QUEST is highly recommended.
Faith
element: Low
A GREAT CATCH
Lake Manawa Summers
By Lorna Seilstad
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3446-6
Revell
Reviewer
Cynthia Hickey
Emily Graham doesn't need a man to fullfil her. She's
a suffragist! She has plans to change the world. Carter Stockton wants to play baseball, not work in the family bank. Both
Emily and Stockton have their summer planned. And their plans don't include romance. Besides, what man could possibly want
a strong-willed, open-minded woman that trips over a chalk line on the sidewalk?
When Emily cooks up a plan to open people's minds to the fact that women can do whatever a man can,
she finds herself thrust into Carter's company more than she'd like. If she's dallying with him, she doesn't have time for
her suffragit work. Then, a crime points to Carter as the perpetrator and Emily's world is thrown a curve ball.
A GREAT CATCH is a delightful romance about dreams and waiting to hear God's
will for your life. How a person can follow His will and still find fulfillment.
High on the faith scale.
CANARY ISLAND SONG
By Robin Jones Gunn
ISBN 978-1-4165-8341-7
Howard Books
Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Carolyn
is finally free to pursue her own life after her twins remarries, taking with her, her two daughters. Carolyn's own daughter
tells her to get a life. But how can she when she still grieves the loss of her beloved husband several years earlier. Her
first attempt is a disaster.
Carolyn returns to the Canary Islands where she spent
one summer after graduation, where her roots lie and where her mother returned when Carolyn's father died.
She finds more than the warmth of family. She also reconnects with Bryan,
the young man who held her heart that one summer long ago—and crushed it. Has God given them both a second chance? But
will Carolyn release her grief and find the threads of her faith to risk being hurt again?
Warmth and importance of roots and family draw the reader to the lush setting, loving characters and
a love that simply needs a spark.
Well written with sensitivity, warmth and humor.
Faith element: high
SHE MAKES IT LOOK EASY
By Marybeth Whalen
ISBN: 978-0-78147-0370-2
David C. Cook
Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Ariel
Baxter has moved into a ritzy neighborhood, into the house of her dreams. She shares a gate with perfect neighbor, Justine.
A woman who teaches organization, is always madeup with freshly pressed clothes, a handsome husband, and two perfect little
girls. Ariel's home is always messy with three wild boys running around. When Justine befriends, Ariel, Ariel sees a way to
improve as a wife and mother. But then, things begin to unravel, and she questions the motives behind Justine's offer of friendship.
Can Ariel find happiness in her own God-given talents?
SHE
MAKES IT LOOK EASY sucks you in with humor, then slams you with a serious, thought provoking ending. After closing the book
on the last page, the reader is left stunned, shaken, and marveling at the skill in which the story was written. This is a
story about truth, and how things are not always what they seem. Bravo! Well done!
High on the faith scale
ON HUMMINGBIRD WINGS
By Lauraine Snelling
ISBN: 978-0-446-58211-7
Faith Words
Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Gillian Ormsby
is living the good life. At forty-five, she's been with the same company since college and making the big bucks. Then, her
younger sister calls and says their mother is dying. Gillian doesn't believe it, their mother is known for being dramatic,
but she hops a plane for the weekend, determined to get to the bottom of things. When she discovers her mother bedridden,
with no will to live, and receives a phone call saying she'd lost her job,
Gillian makes the decision to stay and help her mother. But only for a couple of months. It isn't until
she becomes acquainted with a handsome neighbor, his sweetheart of a father, and a kindly woman next door, that Gillian realizes
something huge was missing in her life.
ON HUMMINGBIRD
WINGS is a women's contemporary novel with just enough romance to satisfy romantics. Instead, it's a story of finding yourself,
no matter your age, listening for God's will, and honoring your parents.
Medium on the faith scale.
INDELIBLE
By Kristen Heitzmann
ISBN: 978-1-4000-7310-8
Waterbrook
Review by Cynthia Hickey
Natalie Reeve
watches as outfitter and former Olympic ski champion, Trevor MacDaniel, rescues her nephew from the jaws of a mountain lion.
The scene is imprinted in her memory, not to be released until she's sculpted it in clay. Trevor has an inbred need to help
others, Natalie tries to remain isolated. Together, the two are drawn toward each other to face an enemy that sees Trevor
as an avenging angel.
INDELIBLE brings us a predator so wounded, so seeking
for the good to his evil, that we can't help but feel for this menace, even as we hope for his capture. With literary skill,
Kristen Heitzmann crafts a story so intense the reader is left turning the pages late into the night. A wonderful suspense
novel with a beautiful love story.
Medium on
the faith scale
TOO RICH FOR A BRIDE
By Mona Hodgson
ISBN: 978-0-307-45892-6
Waterbrook
Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Ida Sinclair
wants to be a businesswoman and financially independent. And she doesn't need a man to help her obtain that goal. So why does
most men she meet think a woman belongs at home? Ida finishes business school and heads to Cripple Creek, Colorado to work
for successful businesswoman Mollie O'Bryan.
Problem
is, most folks think Molly's business practices aren't scrupulous. Now, Ida is in a quandary. To add to her difficulties,
she can't get her mind off the handsome preacher turned ice man, Tucker Raines.
TOO RICH FOR A BRIDE is a historical romance set during Colorado's mining period and booming stock
market. Ida is a spunky heroine and Tucker a dream of a hero. The reader is along for a delightful story of waiting to hear
God's will.
Medium on the faith scale
LONE STAR TRAIL
#1 Texas Trail Series
By Darlene Franklin
Moody Publisher
Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Wande
Fleischer isn't all that happy about immigrating to Texas from Germany. The trip has been grueling and takes a heavy toll
on the family. But when a Texas family not only stops to assist, but also takes her family under it's wings, Wande begins
to see another side of the move.
Jud has already
lost so much in his father and sister. Now Texas is joining the Union and Germans are invading the land. He wants nothing
to with them. But when his mother forces him into assisting the Fleischer family, Jud starts on a journey of healing.
Will these two join forces against their own prejudices to discover who has
it in for both families? Will they recognize the things that bind them together are stronger than those forces trying to tear
them apart--forever?
A story of grit, determination, struggle and faith
against perception and danger. Well drawn characters seeped in a realistic setting. While this is a romance, real-life struggles
aren't sugarcoated, but those very struggles and heartaches work together to create a memorable story of survival, faith and
love.
Faith element: high
RIVER'S SONG
By Melody Carlson
Abingdon Press
Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Anna
Larson is home. While she plans to go through her mother's things and decide what to with the land that is now hers, she feels
a pull inside, a release from years of tension. For the first time in years, she is out from under the thumb of her hateful
mother-in-law who always treated her more of slave than a daughter-in-law, a situation that only grew worse on the death of
her husband from injuries, mental and physical, sustained in WW II.
Her mother-in-law has even poisoned her daughter against her. But home calls and when unexpected company draws her
back to her native American roots, Anne begins a journey of healing, faith...and love.
The setting soothed, the characters dawn from a place of understanding and a plot that reaches beyond
romance. Moving and sensitive, drawing readers to healing as well.
For the first time in her life, Ada feels alive. Thanks to getting to meet and know the sister she
never knew she had, and taking her advice, Ada feels a full life is possible. Except the man she loves, Will, is courting
another. The teaching job she thought she had also went to another. There isn't much else for her in her small Amish community.
Going across the country to Lexie's wedding opens Ada's eyes to her discontent.
When she is given the opportunity to travel overseas with Will's grandmother and daughter to handle
a legal matter about land the families used to own, Ada goes enjoying the experience. But when things don't go as planned,
Ada must come to terms who she is as a person and whether her future is with Daniel or back home, even if that means never
getting to marry.
Characters with integrity seamlessly intertwine with
a story of discovery on many levels. The plot did present some surprising twists and turns, though parts of the story seemed
long. However, the ending was worth the read.
Faith element: medium +
BRIDGE TO A DISTANT STAR
By Carolyn Williford
ISBN 978-1-4347-6703-5
David C Cook
Reviewer Carrie Padgett
BRIDGE
TO A DISTANT STAR is itself a bridge between three stories, essentially novella islands that are linked by a looming disaster.
There will be death. There will be survival. There will be miracles.
The literal bridge is the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida that collapsed in 1980. Walliford’s novel
moves the tragedy to 2009 and her three stories converge on the bridge as it fails.
Maureen is a stay-at-home wife and mother struggling to find meaning in her life and her faith. Her
teenage daughter pushes all Maureen’s buttons, her best friend’s marriage is flailing, and even Maureen’s
husband is impatient for her to snap out of whatever is dragging her down. He agrees that she should take their younger daughter
and go away for a long weekend of prayer and communion with God. She heads to Sanibel Island.
Fran Thomason, her husband, and their son are also heading to the Florida coast for a weekend of healing
and reconnection. Thirteen-year-old Charles Jr. has just received a prosthetic leg after losing his to osteosarcoma. Fran
and Charles Sr. disagreed, nearly violently, about how to treat Charlie during his treatment and recovery. They’ve finally
come to an understanding and are eager to repair their family to help Charlie with the next stage of his fight to live.
Michal McHenry grew up in Ethiopia and is attending a Christian college in
Tennessee. She’s struggling to find God’s will for her life. Return to Ethiopia as a missionary? Stay in the states?
Two men are also interested in spending time with Michal and she is equally as lost deciding which one is God’s will
for her future. A crisis with her roommate compels Michal to flee to Fort Myers, Florida to seek her aunt’s comfort
and wisdom.
The three stories converge on the bridge on a Friday
in May.
BRIDGE TO A DISTANT STAR is a considered and well-told
novel about seeing ourselves as God sees us and what it means to be a believer who seeks God and His will.
Some readers may object to the culmination of the three stories, seeing the
wrap-up as too coincidental. I found the connections to be plausible and indicative of how God often works, so attentive to
the details of our lives. I do object to one character’s wondering about whether he would find love with another character
when his wife had just died. It would have been more effective, in this reviewer’s opinion, to leave their future to
the imagination of the reader. We could see where that relationship was headed, but it felt insensitive for him to think that
so soon.
Faith element: Moderate to high
SNITCH
By Booker T. Mattison
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3396-4
Revell
Review by Cynthia Hickey
A city bus driver for Jersey, Andre Bolden clips
a man with his bumper then witnesses the same man gunned down in the street. Afraid for his life, Andre refrains from reporting
himself as an eye witness and concentrates are reuniting with his son's mother. While Andre struggles internally with doing
the right thing and getting his life on track, he begins meeting with a counselor who ministers to those "on the streets".
What follows is an indepth examination of Andre, and he finds himself lacking.
SNITCH is a gritty, true-to-life account of life on a city's inner streets as one man searches for
his life's meaning and how it fits into God's plan.
High
on the faith scale
THE CONSTANTINE CODEX
By Paul L Maier
ISBN 978-1-4143-3773-9
Tyndale House Publishers
Reviewer Eli Linton
Harvard
Professor and Archeologist John Webber and his wife Shannon find themselves in the national spotlight when they make one of
the most remarkable Archeological discoveries since the Dead Sea Scrolls--the possible lost 67th book of the bible. If the
document is real, it could change the course of Christianity.
But as the Webber’s work to find the truth behind their discovery, they are forced to defend their faith and
the manuscript from an age old foe—Islam, whose leaders will stop at nothing to see them discredited. When the codex
is stolen en route to America, the John and Shannon Webber find themselves in a race against the clock to find the truth about
its contents, before they are lost forever.
Though
the plot story begins slowly, the story quickly picks up with an interesting parallel plot line. This book will enjoyed by
Christian-history buffs. THE CONSTANTINE CODEX is another masterful piece of work from Paul Maier, as he beautifully defends
the faith using fiction.
Faith Element: High
THE RHYTHM OF SECRETS
By Patti Lacy
ISBN 978-0-8254-2674-2
Kregel Publications
Reviewer Britley Eagleton
A
New Orleans southern belle is forced into a very delicate situation during the 1950’s. She passes for white, but then
meets the black son that she gave up at birth. Can she face telling her white minister husband the truth about her past and
who she really is?
How can you really know where you’re going
if you never acknowledge where you have been? Can you have a future without working through your past? Sometimes it’s
the individuals with the darkest past, who may have the potential for the brightest future.
THE RHYTHM OF SECRETS is a provocative story about a woman who has been through hell in order to reach
God and heaven, and God isn’t through with her yet. Excellent details and rhythmic plot. A story about a woman whose
heart screams Jazz.
Faith Element: Moderate
THE DEEPEST WATERS
By Dan Walsh
ISBN 978-0—8007-1987-7
Revell
Reviewer Dr. Laura Sherwood, PhD
Celebrating
their dream honeymoon, John and Laura sail on the SS Vandervere, scarcely believing the love they’ve found in each other.
Then disaster strikes and the ship begins to sink. Clinging desperately to one another, they consider their fate. Similar
to the Titanic, this tale is inspired by a true story. Different from the Titanic, the plot twists lure the reader into despairing
sorrow, and just as quickly, soaring hope and a satisfying resolution.
How can Laura face John’s high society family whose only concerns are appearances? Will the ache in her heart
ever be resolved?
THE DEEPEST WATERS takes the reader on a roller coaster
of emotions. Walsh has obviously researched the background and facts to make this story a living history. One of the better
reads I’ve had in awhile. Well worth the time investment.
Faith Element: Moderate High
LILIES
IN MOONLIGHT
By Allison Pittman
ISBN 978-1-60142-138-8
Multnomah
Reviewer Ericka Mingus
Lilly Margolis would rather be an orphan. At least, that’s how she feels toward
her unforgiving mother and absent father. After leaving home and failing to succeed at door-to-door sales, she is taken in
by a kind, but mentally ill, Betty Ruth. Lilly is a young girl who lives life for fun. She is the complete opposite of Betty
Ruth’s son, Cullen Burnside. Cynical, disfigured and solid, both in character and his spiritual walk, Cullen resents
Lilly’s sudden presence in his life. He is, however, attracted to her personality and appearance. The struggle between
his resentment and attraction for her causes strife and inconsistencies in their relationship.
And then, life suddenly
changes for both of them. Betty Ruth, who loves Lilly as the daughter she never had, slips further into dementia and it is
time for both Lilly and Cullen to search for their own paths in life. Lilly attempts to find the courage to search for forgiveness
in the form of Christ. Cullen wants to discover a passion for life once again. Will the search to find themselves draw them
closer or break them apart? Will Lilly be able to forgive her mother and will Cullen ever free himself from the past?
Encouraging and sweet, it is a story that cultivates the imagination.
FAITH ELEMENT: Medium
ANGEL SISTER
By Ann H. Gabhart
ISBN 978-0-8007-3381-0
Revell
Reviewer K. Miller
Fourteen-year-old Kate Merritt may be only a child,
but she tries her hardest to keep her fractured family together. Her alcoholic father, depressed mother and two sisters don’t
make this easy for her, despite their earnest intentions. When Kate stumbles across five-year-old Lorena, an abandoned child
in need of a home, the addition of a new sister somehow improves her family life.
But good things aren’t always easy to hold onto, and Kate must stand up against adults in her
church, led by her tyrannical and bigoted grandfather, who try to take the child away from her. Kate’s parents,
once teenagers in love under the spell of poetry, are almost too caught up in trying to save their own relationship to parent
their daughter.
I found Kate’s love for her family and for
her new sister heartening and realistic. However, some of the characters in the novel are strange and stereotypical caricatures
– such as the drunken father and the creepy town spinster. In Angel Sister, elements of dramatic sorrow and redemption
are mixed in a way that resonates.
Angel Sister
is a sweet, easy read that illustrates the miracle of hope.
Faith Element: High
AN OCEAN AWAY
By Lisa
Harris
ISBN 978-1-60936-107-5
Summerside Press
Reviewer Laura Sherwood, PhD
Portraying a stark contrast between the African
wild and the bustling New York City high society, Lizzie is torn between two worlds. Her heart as a missionary is with the
people of Zambezi. But Andrew is determined to bring her back to civilization at all costs. Her grandfather has
left Lizzie his fortune, but under one condition: she must return with Andrew and live in the custody of her Uncle and Aunt
with their wealthy lifestyle for a year.
Murder, the
mob, deceit and love haunt Lizzie as she makes her journey from Northern Rhodesia to New York City in the 1920s.
Who can Lizzie trust? Her Uncle and Aunt who insist they have “her best
interest in mind?” Andrew, who has been paid handsomely to bring her back to New York? Or her heart, that is torn between
her love for the tribe she’s know all her life, and her growing attraction to Andrew?
AN OCEAN AWAY paints a vivid picture of the African landscape and the culture, which is, indeed, an ocean away from
the cultured lifestyles of Lizzie’s extended family in New York City. Harris effectively captures both.
This novel will give readers an insight into how people of an entirely different culture
and/or race can become more like family than blood relatives.
Faith Element: High
A HEART DIVIDED
Heart of the Rockies
by Kathleen Morgan
ISBN: 978-0-8007-1884-8
Revell
Review by Cynthia Hickey
For years, the Caldwells and Wainwrights have feuded
over a thriving ranch. Now, both patriarchs are losing touch with reality and Sarah Caldwell and Cord Wainwright are caught
in the middle. When Sarah distracts Cord so her family can rob his ranch, Cord kidnaps her and holds her for ransom until
he gets his money back. Neither of them expect to fall in love and face the wrath of their families. Then, death occurs. Can
Sarah and Cord hold on to their love despite adversity?
A
HEART DIVIDED is a historical romance about forgiveness and doing what is right even when those around you insist on doing
the opposite. Despite the earlier time period, readers can relate to Cord and Sarah's struggles as they fight to hold on to
what is true without letting go of their love for each other or their families.
High on the faith scale
FALSE WITNESS
By Randy Singer
ISBN 978-1-4143-3569-8
Tyndale House
Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Bondsman Clark
Shealy liked his job, until he was forced to hunt down an innocent man or forfeit his wife's life. All because of a mathematical
equation called the Abacus Algorithm that would enable someone to control the internet. With forty-eight hours to find the
man responsible for the equation, Clark is thrust into a life and death situation that pushes his morals to the ultimate limit.
Law student, Jamie Brook finds herself defending a husband and wife in the
witness protection program. What began as a simple legal aid assignment soon puts hers, and the lives of her friends, in danger.
Who can they trust; themselves, the government, or a fledgling faith?
FALSE WITNESS keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with a roller-coaster read of violence, desperation, and
sacrifice for the greater good.
Medium on the faith scale
FAIRER THAN MORNING
The Saddler Legacy
By Rosslyn Elliot
ISB 978-1-59554-785-9
Thomas Nelson
Reviewer Carrie Padgett
FAIRER THAN MORNING
is a lovely, well-written, and engrossing novel set in Ohio and Pennsylvania in the early 1820s.
Ann Miller is busy raising her younger sisters after their mother’s death. Their father is
a circuit rider minister as well as a farmer and a master saddler. Ann yearns to accept the marriage proposal from Eli, a
kindred heart who loves books, poetry, and art. Alas, her father has forbidden her to marry until she is a bit older.
Orphaned William Hanby is indentured as an apprentice saddle maker to a cruel
and abusive master.
Three years pass and Ann and Will’s path cross
when Ann’s father is commissioned to make a saddle in Pittsburgh and the family comes to town. They stay with a friend
who lives next door to Will. His master Jacob Good demands that Will learn Mr. Miller’s techniques and to sabotage the
commissioned saddle.
Ann and Will’s story unfolds against the backdrop
of the incipient Underground Railroad, poorhouses, and industrial grit.
Over all, I really enjoyed FAIRER THAN MORNING. I had a few minor quibbles with the emotional logic of the characters.
Ann has always known her father to be loving and kind but when she observes him in a confrontation and he refuses to tell
her what was involved, Ann jumps to the conclusion that her father is untrustworthy and harsh. Her refusal to give her father
the benefit of the doubt rang untrue for me, even though it set up a further plot complication.
In an author’s afterword, Elliott clarifies that Ann and Will were real people who lived in
the 19th century. She altered a few details of their lives and stories to write an excellent novel of love, adversity, and
compassion.
Faith element: Moderate to high
A KILLER AMONG US
Women of Justice #3
By Lynette Eason
ISBN 978-0-8007-3371-1
Revell
Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Kit is a cop and
a negotiator. But how can one negotiate with the murderer who takes body parts? Noah already lost one female partner, he doesn’t
want to lose another, especially one who tugs on more than his guilt. As they gather clues, Kit and Noah realize the murderer
isn’t just on an undirected murder rampage, he’s targeted one of them.
Will they uncover the clues before one of them or someone they love falls prey to the murderer’s
wiles?
Interesting, complex characters lead the reader on
a roller coaster ride of danger and emotional turmoil. Suspects line up and are eliminated until one one overplays a murderous
hand. Hang on for the ride.
Faith element:
medium +
FREEDOM'S STAND
By Jeanette Windle
ISBN
978-1-4143-1476-1
Tyndale
House
Reviewer David
King
Relief worker Amy Mallroy returned to Afghanistan
to find that her “new hope” Organization is completely left in shambles. She then receives news that her Afghan
friend and Christian convert, Jamil, is in jail for apostasy. Mallroy feels compelled to leave her organization, but stays
in Afghanistan to help Jamil.
Mallroy goes to the only man she knows can help!
Steve Wilson is an independent contractor as the working head of security for an Afghan man named Khalid who is running as
the next president of Afghanistan. The rescue attempt doesn’t as planned, and many twists and turns occur in the last
half of the book that is sure to leave the reader on the edge of his/her seat.
In this realistic fictional story of love and faith, Amy has to choose in the end between Steve and
Jamil. Jamil has to choose between his new faith and risking, not only his life but also the lives that people close to his
heart/ This story is eye opening regarding the way woman are treated in Afghanistan. Although sometimes sickening to read
the way woman are treated, this story offers hope. A story of riveting injustice and passion
Faith Element: HIGH
BROKEN WINGS
By Carla Stewart
ISBN 978-0-446-55656-9
FaithWords
Reviewer LaJuana Bran
Mitzi and Gabe
Steiner are well known among the Tulsa, Oklahoma jazz community for their musical talents of past years. Now, with her husband
in the clutches of Alzheimer’s, Mitzi divides her days between volunteering as an aid at a local hospital and caring
for Gabe at the facility where he resides. Her evenings are spent alone, with only her memories, in the home they once shared.
Brooke Woodson is a young paralegal engaged to a political ‘rising star’
with connections to Tulsa’s elite. But the outer appearance of their relationship hides a sinister truth — one
that takes Brooke down a pathway of terror.
Through
a set of unlikely circumstances, Brooke finds her life entwined with that of Mitzi — a woman many years her senior and
previously unknown to her. They become a lifeline for each other as they work through difficult times. And in the midst of
it all, they recognize God’s providential working.
Stewart weaves a beautiful tapestry in this novel. While using the method of alternating her characters with each
chapter, she captures their individuality in depth, then plays them off each other. A delightful change of pace!
The most difficult trials in life can work to our good when we follow God’s
guidance in the midst of them.
FAITH ELEMENT: moderate
THE AMBITION
By Lee Strobel
ISBN 978-0-310-29267-8
Zondervan
Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Eric Snow built his mega church with Godly counselors, integrity and a heart for God. Only political ambition is
slowly taking over, edging out time with God. Snow has a chance to make a real difference if only he distances himself from
his church where God is moving in miraculous ways.
Bird dog reporter and unbeliever, Gary Strider, needs a dynamic story to keep his job. He's checking out Snow and
his megachurch for irregularities, even while his girlfriend is finding new life at Snow's church. Lawyer Tom O'sullivan finds
his bad habits have led him down the very road that destroyed his father. His search for help leads him to Snow's church and
the unleashing of a situation that leads to danger, death and the re-examination of hearts, minds and faith.
A story told from several different points of view, tangling a many thread
cord that draws the reader into the story and to the conclusions I wish lasted just a bit longer. Well written, memorable
characters and a story that is probably played out in the world of politics and churches all too often. I can't help but wonder
if this is the first of a series.
Faith element:
medium
LOVE FINDS YOU IN VALENTINE NEBRASKA
By Irene Brand
ISBN 978-1-61664-564-5
Summerside Press
Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Kennedy
Blaine is a Morgan on her mother's side. When her parents married, her mother's father disinherited her. Morgans didn't marry
Blaines. The action hurt so much, her parents left Nebraska for California. Her parents are gone, along with many ties to
California, and Kennedy is back in Valentine NE to see about the home ranch. What she finds is a taste of home, a handsome
cowboy ranch manager and someone who really doesn't want her to keep the ranch.
Can Kennedy and Derek discover who wants the ranch so badly they'll place lives in danger to get it?
As for Derek, what's he going to do when his past shows up to haunt him? Danger, romance and faith as well as the Nebraska
setting draw the reader into a story of forgiveness and new beginnings.
Faith element: medium
THE CANARY LIST
By Sigmund Brouwer
ISBN: 978-0-307-44646-6
Waterbrook
Review by Cynthia Hickey
An ancient
evil is hunting twelve-year-old Jamie Piper. When she runs to her teacher, Crockett Grey for safety, he takes her in, having
no idea the trouble helping her will cause him. When he realizes that his life, as well as Jamie's life is in trouble, and
that the world as Crockett knows it is in jeopardy, he puts everything on the line to find out answers.
He never dreamed the trouble would go as far as the Vatican or encompass an
evil so big it threatens the livelihood of everyone around him. A group of Satanists are running down a list of children who
can sense evil and it is up to Crockett, and a psychologist who believes in exorcism to put an end to the horror.
THE CANARY LIST is a page turning suspense that keeps the reader on the edge
of their seat. With heart-pounding adrenaline, the reader is taken from the home of a melancholy teacher interested only in
helping his student to the dark catacombs of Rome. A great read.
Medium on the faith scale.
THE RELUCTANT DETECTIVE
By Martha Ockley
ISBN 978-1-85424-985-2
Monarch Books
Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Faith
Morgan had no idea when she visited the church in Little Worthy, England that Sunday morning how her life would change. The
priest was retiring and she might be taking his place. What she didn’t figure on was the priest dropping dead during
the service or that she, as a former cop, would be the first to suspect murder. She also didn’t figure that the investigating
officer would be her former love interest, Ben, whom she left behind when she studied to become a Church of England minister.
Murder in a small town offers far more possibilities than Faith imagined.
As the new priest she is torn between her instincts as a cop, the tensions with Ben--an unbeliever and her role as pastor
and comforter.
The questions only grow with each new clue. How many
will die before Faith and Ben uncover the clues to the murderer’s identity?
A British murder mystery with some nice twists and an interesting relationship I hope to see develop
in other books in this series. At least, I assume this is just the first of a series.
Faith element: medium
LOVE AMID THE ASHES
By Mesu Andrews
ISBN 978-0-8007-3407-7
Revell
Reviewer Dr. Laura Sherwood
Dinah
has a gut wrenching decision to make: Stay in her childhood home or travel to the unknown land of Uz where she is promised
to one of legendary Job's seven sons in marriage. As a defiled woman, how can she be accepted as a bride for anyone? How could
she have known that Job's act of slitting a lamb's throat before her eyes, and the contrasting compassion in his eyes, would
lead her to redemption? When Job's world falls apart, Dinah begins to question Yahweh and His plan for her as well.
LOVE AMID THE ASHES compels readers to take a fresh look at the Biblical account
of Job through the eyes of Dinah, Leah's shunned daughter. Although historical fiction, the plot adheres to scripture making
the story line plausible. Andrews pulls the reader into the story with vivid character development and titillating suspense.
Any one who has ever felt rejected or dejected needs to read this book.
Faith element: High
AGAINST THE WIND
Zion Diaries
By Brodie and Brock Thoene
ISBN
978-1-60936-108-2
Summerside
Press
Reviewer Rachel Whitlock
Elisa Lindheim Murphy has been on a lifeboat in the Atlantic for ten days,
and all looks bleak. She is a German Jew in 1940, and the SS Newcastle, on which she had been accompanying evacuee children
from England, has been hit with a torpedo from a German u-boat.
Elisa recounts two tales--one that spans 1936 to 1938, and one that spans
six months in 1940. The main conflict of being a Jew in Holocaust-era Europe runs through both stories, one as Elisa deals
with the rapidly-changing political climate within the context of a Jewish concert violinist, and one as a wife of an American,
separated from both her husband and children. Elisa refuses to sit back and be swept along into the merciless Nazi regime,
instead choosing to help smuggle Jews to safe places and refugee children across the Atlantic.
The two years in between the parallel stories are unaccounted for, including
how she came to adopt her children, something that could be a point of irritation with readers. While the parts of the book
that deal with Elisa and the evacuee children are well-written, the quality of writing is inconsistent and emotions do not
ring as true when interactions between Elisa and other characters, as in the beginning of the book, are described.
Against the Wind is an arresting story of one woman’s perils in World
War II-era Europe, placing the reader squarely in the path of the same dangers that face Elisa Lindheim Murphy as a Jew in
1941.
Elisa's faith in God remains constant, though she does question, something
that adds a level of authenticity to her story. The events as they unfold take precedence over any sort of preaching that
could have been done here.
The faith level of book is moderate.
THE ART OF ROMANCE: MATCHMAKERS By Kaye Dacus ISBN 978-1-60260-990-7 Barbour
Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Artist and professor Dylan has come from a disastrous relationship that
has wounded him in so many ways. He's looking to heal, not find someone new. Caylor is an author with a secret in her past.
She's convinced romance isn't in her future. But when the artist meets the author some unusual sparks fly and secrets don't
long stay buried. Will these two be willing to find God's best in the midst of their embarrassment, wounds and fear?
A story that starts slow, but builds to a satisfying conclusion. With
the involvement of meddling grandmothers, humor adds another weave to the story of wounds, romance and second chances.
Faith element: medium+
A COWBOY'S TOUCH A Big Sky Romance By Denise Hunter ISBN: 978-1-59554-801-6 Thomas
Nelson Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Abigail Jones is an overworked investigative reporter for a small-time magazine.
She's in desperate need of a vacation because of hypertension. She's been ordered by her boss, who happens to be her mother,
to spend three months in Montana with Abigail's great aunt. Reluctantly, Abigail packs up and heads to the Big Sky State.
Abigail is in no way prepared for the laid-back ways or for the hunky
cowboy with a secret, Wade Ryan, who hires Abigail to be his daughter's nanny for the summer. Then Abigail stumbles upon the
story of her lifetime. Will she risk love in order to further her career?
Denise Hunter has crafted a beautifully
written romance that will keep the reader's heart pounding with tender caresses, blood boiling kisses, and skin-prickling
looks.
High on the faith scale
DEEP TROUBLE By Mary Connealy ISBN 978- Barbour Publishing Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Shannon wants to restore her father's reputation by finding legendary
cities of gold in the Grand Canyon. But those she hires to guide her on the trip leave her stranded. Gabe was on his way to
visit his brother when hears a woman scream. Why in the world does he allow this Eastern socialite with a goofy idea to lead
him on her insane quest? Does it have to do with the fact he's drawn to her?
Only danger hasn't left them. Several parties merge in a quest for treasure.
Will Shannon realize where her treasure really lies before it is too late for them all?
Connealy writes intriguing and sometimes laugh out loud stories of romance
and the Old West—all with lots of kissing and a twist of humor. DEEP TROUBLE is no exception.
Faith element: low
BATHSHEBA The Wives of King David #3 By Jill Eileen Smith ISBN
978-0-8007-3322-3 Revell Reviewer Britley Eagleton
An intricate tale of love between King David and Bathsheba captures the
perspective of young Bathsheba caught between loving her husband, who is always at war, and loving a king, who seems untouchable,
Bathsheba faces a haunting dilemma. Then one fateful night, the king notices her bathing from the rooftop of his home. Although
most know he admires Bathsheba, the story gives insight as to what each character may be thinking.
Did David feel compelled to talk to her because he was lonely? Did she
miss the touch of a man because her husband was gone much of the time? Was she scared when she found out she was pregnant
by another man besides her husband? How did her family deal with her deceit and betrayal?
Tangled between two loves, Bathsheba is forced to make either the right
choice or follow her heart. Her choice makes history. The story also details the life of King Solomon, other children, and
gives some historical context of the family of David.
BATHSHEBA is well written. Smith did an good job portraying all of the
characters in this love story. Excellent perspective and intriguing plot of an age old story.
Faith Element: High
THE FINE ART OF INSINCERITY By Angela Hunt ISBN 978-1-4391-8203-1 Howard
Books Reviewer Taylor Palmer
Mrs. Lillian Irene Harper Winslow Goldstein Carey James Bobrinski Gordon
George, seven time married grandmother of the Southern sisters, left behind an inheritance that none of the sisters would
have ever expected. She gave them the “Grandma Gene.” Grandma Irene had the tendency to ride the thrill of courtship,
rather than fall into the hands of intimacy in marriage. It seems as if she has passed this thrill down to three sisters who
now have 10 marriages between them.
Penny, Ginger, and Rose decide to have one last “girls only”
weekend at their grandmother’s beach house cottage. They hope to find more than just materialistic antiques and memories.
Instead, they want answers; answers to why Grandma Irene lived the life
she lived, and why marriage became so unbearable. The sisters find more than they expected, as they uncover the truth behind
the fine art of insincerity and Irene’s legacy of faith, love, and forgiveness.
THE FINE ART OF INSINCERITY is a good read for all women. It is a fiction
novel of sisterhood, as three sisters search to gain wisdom from their desist grandmother. They make the tough choices of
everyday womanhood.
THE FINE ART OF INSINCERITY is a book every woman needs to read to better
understand the thrill of courtship and of the intimacy in marriage.
Faith element: Moderate.
TOMORROW'S GARDEN Texas Dreams #3 By Amanda Cabot ISBN 978-0-8007-3326-1 Revell Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Harriet just needed to get away from the town that knew them in all the
wrong ways. She needed to get away to give her siblings a new start. Teaching school filled that bill. But Harriet soon learns
that changing locations doesn't make problems go away. But as she settles into the town and gains friends, she finds herself
drawn to the local sheriff—though she has no intention of trusting a man again.
Will Harriet allow herself and her siblings to find God's direction for
their lives or will she seek control and destroy everything she's gained?
A historical romance with manly men and feisty women not afraid to stand
on their own. A story of learning to listen to God's guidance and second chances.
Note: Especially since this is the wrap up of a series, I would have
liked an epilogue to firmly tie everything up.
Faith element: high
FINALLY A BRIDE Texas Boardinghouse Brides #3 By Vickie McDonough ISBN
978-1-60260-649-4 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Jacqueline, Jack, needs a big story if she's going to impress a newspaper
in Dallas and get a job in the city. Not easy to do when women mostly married and took care of their families. But Jack wants
more...and she did so want to escape her small town. But when she falls off a roof and must slow down, Jack has to reassess
her priorities, especially when the new pastor is so very handsome. But what secrets does he hold and how can she let her
heart rule her head?
A story with feisty characters and more than a touch of humor. A story
of second chances, restoration and God's grace.
Faith element: high
THE LIGHTKEEPER'S BALL A Mercy Falls Novel By Colleen Coble ISBN:
978-1-59554-268-7 Thomas Nelson Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
From one of the most prestigious families, Olivia struggles with wanting
to be loved just for herself and wants more out of life than to be a wealthy man's socialite wife. When her sister drowns
in far away California, Olivia needs to know the truth. She travels under an assumed name, but something is very wrong.
When she is rescued by her sister's ex-fiance, Harrison, she begins to
realize the plot against her is truly sinister. The question is, is Harrison a victim as well or her sister's murderer?
Even at the dawn of the age of airplanes, information made it back East
pretty quickly. The characters of this story are well-drawn within the exciting new age of opportunity for both men and women.
The author takes us into that era and brings the setting alive until we hear the roar of the engine and feel the spray of
ocean waves. We also shudder at the seemingly innocuous words whispered in the middle of the night.
A nice blend of history, mystery, faith and romance.
Faith element: Medium+
THE DAWN OF A DREAM At home in Beldon Grove #3 By Ann Shorey ISBN
978-0-8007-3334-6 Revell Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Luellen O'Connell thought she had a happy marriage. Then
her husband announces they're over and leaves Luellen with a difficult choice. Should she leave Beldon Grove and the town's
people's wagging tongues and fulfill her dream of getting her teaching certificate? Or should she resign herself to being
the last child left at home? Does she care what her brother's handsome officer friend thinks?
Luellen chooses
to follow her dream and the sake of becoming a spinster, then life throws her world into another spin. Will gossip forever
dog Luellen's steps? Thankfully, her brother's friend Ward sympathizes and encourages her through the many letters they exchange.
Is there a happy ending for Luellen, even though she's chosen the unconventional path?
THE DAWN OF A DREAM is
rich in historical detail and weaves a tender romance through one woman's search for significance and the fulfillment of a
dream.
Medium on the faith scale
CITY OF TRANQUIL LIGHT By Bo Caldwell ISBN 978-0-8050-9228-8 Henry
Holt and Company Reviewer Carrie Padgett
CITY OF TRANQUIL LIGHT is billed as a novel based on the life stories
of the author’s maternal grandparents. Yes, the book happens to be about missionaries. It’s also a love story
of great depth and tenderness and loss. Will and Katherine Kiehn are Mennonite missionaries called to minister and spread
the Gospel in China in 1906.
The novel follows their lives in the North China Plain throughout the
first half of the 20th Century. The Kiehns had front row seats for the cultural and political upheavals in China during those
years. They experienced great tragedy but also saw many of their new friends and neighbors come to faith.
I opened CITY OF TRANQUIL LIGHT with fairly low expectations. After all,
missionary biographies are supposed to be slow moving, but also full of faith and stories of great miracles of God’s
blessings. Caldwell’s story is gentle, but not slow. It is full of faith and blessings. There are even a few miracles.
But perhaps the greatest miracle is simply the Kiehn’s perseverance in difficult times, their continued faithfulness
in spite of loss, and their genuine grief at having to leave China after making it their home for twenty-seven years.
Caldwell has crafted an elegant novel. I’m eager to recommend it
to several friends who have grandparents and great-grandparents who followed the call to China.
Faith element: Moderate to high.
FADE TO BLUE
An Otter Bay Novel By Julie Carobini ISBN 978-0-8054-4874-0 B&H
Publishing Group Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Suz is still recovering from the divorce from her husband Len, in prison
for multiple offenses. She wraps her life into her son Jeremiah, her brother with whom she says, and her restoration work
at Hearst Castle. But when the first day on the job she runs into her first love, Seth, and discovers he's also working at
Hearst Castle, Suz realizes she must deal with the unfinished business between them.
Confusion reigns when Len claims a prison-house conversion and wants
another chance. What is God doing? Should Suz take a chance on the man who destroyed her heart and their life together or
has God put Seth in her life for a reason?
A story of two futures and learning to listen to God's leading. Clear
teaching on divorce while revealing the heart of a God of healing and restoration. And it all takes place on a beautiful California
coast.
Faith element: medium
THE CHASM
A Journey to the Edge of Life
By Randy Alcorn
ISBN 978-1-60142-339-9
Multnomah
Reviewer Clint Walker
Randy Alcorn has written extensively about the
reality of Heaven. In THE CHASM he focuses on developing an allegory that tells about the journey to get to Heaven. The result
is a simple fantasy story that clearly communicates the message of salvation.
THE CHASM is an allegory
of a journey toward Heaven, which is described as “Charis, the City of Light”. The story mixes elements of a Pilgrim’s
Progress’ ascent toward heaven with a supernatural fantasy thriller full of powerful beasts and beings. As the main
character makes his way along the journey, he has to learn whom to listen to, and how to overcome a massive chasm between
himself and Charis.
Complete with illustrations,
as the story goes along, this book would be great introduction to the Christian faith for adolescent boys or for people who
enjoy video games and fantasy novels.
Faith Element: High
WOLVES AMONG US By Ginger Garrett ISBN 0-7814-4885-7 David
C Cook Reviewer Carrie Padgett
WOLVES AMONG US is a book with a message. That’s not necessarily
a bad thing.
Set in the medieval German village of Dinfoil, WOLVES AMONG US is the
story of a lonely woman, a lost priest, and the evil that surrounds them.
Mia is married to Bjorn, the village sheriff. Mia is shunned by the other
women but she is so wrapped up in caring for her frail child and invalid mother-in-law that she scarcely notices.
When a double murder occurs, Bjorn is resolved that the guilty party
is a witch, but she is also dead. He regards the matter as closed. Father Stefan disagrees and calls for an Inquisitor, who
finds their sleepy village is full of witches casting spells on the men and bewitching them. Bjorn and the other villagers
are glad to have the evil ferreted out, but Father Stefan and Mia see the Inquisitor as he really is: a cold and calculating
opportunist.
Soon enough, the entire village is hunting for witches and several more
people die before the evil is stilled.
Ginger Garrett has done a prodigious amount of research and it shows.
She (mostly) does a good job layering in the authentic details on top of a compelling story. In the beginning, I felt the
lessons were hammered in a bit too firmly; I would have preferred a lighter hand with the admonitions about how women were
viewed as prone to imaginary dramatics and as gossips.
Mia and Stefan have a particular journey of faith that is similar for
both and I thought it worked well.
Garrett did a good job making her characters grow and change through
the story. Father Stefan in particular was not very likable at first, but he matures and learns. WOLVES AMONG US is a good
story, competently told.
Faith element: Moderate to High.
THE CAREGIVER Families of Honor #1 By Shelley Shepherd Gray ISBN
978-0-06-20206-11 Avon Inspire Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Lucy is going to Jacob's Crossing to help her cousin Mattie through chemo.
It is the least she can do after Mattie's help to her after her abusive husband died. But on the train, Lucy meets Calvin
and his little sister, and chatterbox, Katie. As Amish on a train of Englishers, it seemed natural to band together when problems
caused them to get off the train and wait for later transportation.
What are the odds that they are heading to the same destination? Is Lucy
too damaged to see beyond her fear and pain to consider a future with another man—a good ma? But when something happens
that resurrects all of Lucy's fears and when Calvin finds that he, too, has baggage with which he needs to deal, their budding
relationship sours.
With Lucy giving her time and energy to her cousin's needs, will there
be time to deal with her own past and a possible future? Can there be a future until Calvin deals with his own unforgiving
heart?
A sweet romance with characters of integrity whose faith is tested in
unexpected ways and with a story line that keeps the reader reading until the very end. A nice start to a new series. Can't
wait for the next in the series.
Faith element: medium
SURRENDER THE NIGHT Surrender to Destiny #2 By MaryLu Tyndall ISBN
978-1-60260-166-6 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Her past has left Rose fearful, especially of men. But when the War of
1812 brings British soldiers to the farm, Rose finds herself rescued by, of all things, Alex, one of the British naval officers
on her farm. In the process he receives an injury that keeps him from returning to his vessel. Rose finds herself drawn Alex,
though she has difficulty believing he is a man of integrity. Can she really trust an enemy to her country? Yet she can't
turn him in after what he sacrificed for her.
Alex does a good deed and puts his life and future as well as the enemy
family at risk. He struggles with their kind treatment of him and each other as well as their very real faith. Is he really
on the right side?
As Alex and Rose struggle with their wounded pasts and the draw between
them, forces and war moves to separate them forever. Will they listen to God's still small voice?
A description-heavy story that authentically takes you back to the second
war of independence. Characters are drawn with depth and sensitivity. A story of forgiveness, trust, hope and love.
Faith element: medium+
STARS COLLIDE Backstage Pass by Janice Thompson ISBN: 978-0-8007-3345-2 Revell Review
by Cynthia Hickey
Kat Jennings is the darling star of the sitcom "Stars Collide." Her handsome co-star, Scott
Murphy is the throb of women's hearts. When the two's characters kiss for the first time on screen, real life emotions are
brought into play. Then, Scott's character proposes to Kat's character and Kat's eccentric grandmother can't tell reality
from fiction. What comes next is a hilarious attempt by Kat and Scott to play along without misleading the paparazzi. How
can Kat and Scott keep their real romance secret and separate from the on screen one?
STARS COLLIDE is a sweet,
hilarious, backstage pass to Hollywood. From old-time glamor, to modern day glitz, the reader will laugh their way through
the antics of Kat's grandmother and cheer with the love of Kat and Scott. Especially with the surprising twist toward the
end of the story.
High on the faith scale
WHO IS MY SHELTER? Yada Yada House of Hope By Neta Jackson ISBN
978-1-59554-86-4 Thomas Nelson Review by Cynthia Hickey
Gabby Fairbanks and her two sons have been kicked
out of their penthouse by Gabby's gambling addict husband. But when Gabby's husband, Philip, is severely beaten by thugs,
Gabby must put aside her hurt feelings, for her boys' sakes, and come to her husband's aid. But where does that leave Lee,
the man Gabby has been seeing since her separation, or the House of Hope that Gabby helped set up for single moms struggling
to get back on their feet? Neither of the men in Gabby's life share her new-found faith, making her decision more difficult.
Will Gabby follow God's will, no matter how painful?
WHO IS MY SHELTER? deals with the pain of separation, the
devastation of living on the streets, and the indecision that comes from trying to discern God's will. With a deep message
of learning where to place your trust, WHO IS MY SHELTER? is a wonderful read of women's fiction.
Faith element:
High
HOME MADE HAUNTING By Rob Stennett ISBN 978-0-310-32192-7 Zondervan Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Charles Walker just wanted to live his dream of finishing a novel. He
quits his job and moves his family to save money while he writes. But when his scary story isn't so scary, Charles begins
to delve into first an Ouija board and then further into the world of the spirit. And, yes, what he learns makes his novel
much scarier.
But when his life and the lives of his family goes from scary to dangerous,
Charles realizes he is playing with more than nice little ghosts. But for a man who doesn't believe in God, how can he protect
his family?
A story that sounds a warning to a culture all too ready to delve into
spiritual things they don't understand. Very readable, balancing humor with a light touch of horror.
I would have liked to have more of a focus on Jesus. Still, I recommend
this book.
Faith element: medium
LOVE FINDS YOU IN TOMBSTONE ARIZONA By Miralee Ferrell ISBN 978-1-60936-104-4 Summerside
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Christy's brother writes to tell her to return home to help him take
care of their ill mother. But on the way, Christy's stage is held up and one of the bandits bandages her arm. Nothing is as
expected for Christy who finds her mother very ill indeed, her brother out of control, and the bandit not far away. When Christy
realizes she is responsible for the family's finances, she is left wondering if God really cares about a person with her past.
Nevada wonders much the same about himself. What he can do is reach out
to Christy who needs a champion. Will these two discover that God really does care and really does have a plan for their lives—a
plan that will lead to a future of faith...and love?
The author well catches the flavor of Old West Tombstone and the characters
who inhabited the town. She masterfully weaves her story and characters into the fabric of the historical setting, drawing
the reader into the past and into the heart of God. I especially liked the wrap up epilogue.
Faith element: high
FALSE PRETENSES Secrets of Roux River Bayou By Kathy Herman ISBN
978-0-7814-0340-5 David C Cook Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Zoe Broussard has a ten-year-old secret. One that
she believes will destroy her marriage and life as she knows it. When she starts receiving anonymous warnings, she decides
to come clean with the person she wronged. Unfortunately, things don't turn out the way Zoe planned and she finds herself
the victim of mistaken identity. Now, not only is her life in danger, but her husband and friends as well. How can Zoe turn
around a past bad choice and save her loved ones? Is it possible?
FALSE PRETENSES is a story of redemption and
righting wrongs. Of forgiveness and love. With the same suspense we're used to from Kathy Herman, the reader will be turning
pages long into the night and glancing over their shoulders.
High on the faith scale
TEA FOR TWO Teashop Series By Trish Perry ISBN 978-0-7369-3016-1 Harvest
House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Zach was at his wit's end. When his wife left him for someone else, he
threw himself into building up his business and taking care of his children. Only now that they are teens, he seems to be
losing control. Milly from Millicent's Tea Shop, to whom he delivers his produce, talks him into calling a counselor. She
talks the counselor, her friend and patron, Tina, into taking the case on an informal basis.
Only as Tina and Zach discuss the problems with his children, they find
themselves drawn together until Tina has trouble knowing if she's really counseling or embarking on a relationship. Along
the way misunderstandings and rumor complicate things as do the two teens. Will Zach and Tina be able to let go their hurtful
pasts to reach for the future God has for them?
A sweet love story with characters who like to meddle and a plot ripe
with misunderstandings and humor. Though the story wrapped up, I would have liked a epilogue. I wasn't quite ready to let
the characters go.
Faith element: medium
A TIME TO HEAL Quilts of Lancaster County By Barbara Cameron ISBN
978-1-4267-0764-3 Abingdon Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Chris needed answers and a time to heal from his injuries--physical,
emotion and spiritual. He came to talk to Jenny, who'd he'd met in the hospital. He did not expect to find peace in the Amish
countryside or find his heart beating faster when he's around Hannah.
Hannah is watching her life pass by with no husband and no children.
But the Amish men who've shown interest don't appeal. She has no intention of leaving her Amish community and Chris says he's
just passing through. Is there hope for healing and love between two who come from such different worlds? And what happens
when Chris' presence seems to bring danger to the community?
A sweet romance with characters of integrity and a plot that carries
a hint of mystery. Hannah's character truly stands out and makes this book a special read.
Faith element: medium
ABIGAIL'S NEW HOPE The Wayne County Series By Mary Ellis ISBN
978-0-7369-3009-3
Harvest House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Abigail loves delivering babies. But when she's called out to a hopeless
case, she finds herself caught between Amish tradition and contemporary law. When an unsympathetic judge seems to want to
"throw the book'" at her, Abigail must re-evaluate her actions and her life.
Will her faith sustain her if found guilty and put away in prison? Will
her husband and her Amish community still accept her if she goes to prison?
A story not only of perseverance and faith, but also of a love that accepts,
protects and learns to do what is best for the other. A sweet romance with characters not afraid to live their faith.
Faith element: high
THE JOB (I mean, this is bound to have happened somewhere) By Craig
Davis ISBN: 978-0-9829567-0-0 St. Celibart Press Review by Cynthia Hickey
Joe B. has a cushy job. It's
everything he's always wanted. But one day, it comes crashing down when, without warning, he's demoted to the mail room. How
could this have happened? What did he do wrong? And who are these people full of weird advice that doesn't help at all? Joe
B. decides to deal straight with the Big Boss.
Modeled after the story of Job, THE JOB, is a humorous, straight-to-the-heart
story of what happens when everything we hold dear is wrenched from us. With 130 pages, the book can be read in a day and
send us on the path to finding peace when our world crashes around us.
Faith element: High
AN EYE FOR GLORY The Civil War Chronicles of a Citizen Soldier By
Karl Bacon ISBN 978-0-310-32202-3 Zondervan Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Michael marched off to war sure it was God's will he fight with the Union
against slavery. What he didn't count on was the toll it took on his friends, on his stamina, on his outlook and on his faith.
But when a repel soldier asks him to read his Bible as he died, Michael found his hatred dissipate. What will take for Michael
to know God's forgiveness and release?
An in depth look at war, the Civil War in particular, without all the
rhetoric and flag waving. The author chronicles the war, moment-by-moment until you smell the blood soaking into the earth
and hear the deafening roar of the cannons. It is a story of horror and redemption.
But, the book isn't for everyone. The readers feels the story is more
a true-to-life daily journal, than fiction. The day-to-day, even war, scenes sometimes gets tedious. For those who like journals
and history or are researching this time period, I'd recommend this book. I did enjoy it and the conclusion was satisfactory.
I do wish I'd had this book for background information when I researched
the books I wrote set during this time period.
Faith element: high
WINDY CITY BRIDES Romancing America: 3-in-one collection By Frances
Divine ISBN978-1-60260-641-8 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carrie Padgett
WINDY CITY BRIDES is a whimsical collection of three novellas, each set
in Chicago.
"A Girl Like That" opens in the weeks before the Great Chicago Fire of
1871. Katie O’Shannon has arrived in Chicago to rejoin her father after spending a few years on her grandparent’s
farm. Katie joins the troupe of Irish actors and opens the show with a song. Up-and-coming attorney Sam Nelson is taken with
the lovely lass with the blonde curls. Their paths cross as Katie befriends some poor Irish immigrants, one of whom is suing
Sam’s high-powered client. Katie and Sam’s story is told against the backdrop of the summer of fires and the shantytowns
full of impoverished Irish refugees.
"Once a Thief" begins twenty-eight years later with Katie and Sam’s
son Blake catching a young woman thief. Danielle Grayson is part of an Oliver Twist-type gang of young pickpockets but she
is rescued by Blake’s neighbor. In spite of himself, he is drawn to the young woman who is hiding her part in the gang,
as well as her younger brother who is still in the clutches of their Fagin. Danielle joins the cast of Blake’s play
and her former tormentor realizes she can lead him to an even bigger payoff.
"Sugar and Spice" is Danielle’s younger brother Jimmy’s story.
Torn between law school and ministering to the poor living around the Chicago docks, Jimmy is shocked to see his and Danielle’s
childhood captor free from prison and roaming town again. High spirited Cici Willow chafes against the restrictions of being
a minister’s daughter. When she meets charming and handsome Jimmy Grayson, she’s attracted to him, but not sure
she’s cut out to be the wife of a pastor or a missionary. Her new friends seem so worldly and fun-loving. Especially
the charming man who invites her aboard the Eastland steamship. Jimmy and Cici work out their future while learning to trust
God’s plan for their lives.
WINDY CITY BRIDES is a diverting read. Each novella moves quickly. I
would have liked a bit more definition between the heroes and heroines. They could have been switched between stories without
much trouble. I tired of Devine’s habit of having her characters question themselves and dismiss their own observations
as mere “imagining.” In A Girl Like That, the Irish dialect became overdone.
Overall, WINDY CITY BRIDES is a fun read, a trip back to an innocent
time in our country’s history.
Faith element: Moderate to high
THE ARTIST'S GRANDDAUGHTER By Robin Bayne ISBN 978-1-61116-071-0 White
Rose Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Megan had never left her home town, living down a romance-gone-wrong
with bad boy Michael. All she wants at the auction is to buy the one piece of artwork left by her artist granddad. What she
doesn't expect is to find Michael, now an up-and-coming lawyer, back and bidding against her.
Why had he returned? Will she ever discover why he left her behind? And,
will her heart be able to deal with the truth?
A novella of romance, secrets revealed and forgiveness.
A BILLION REASONS WHY By Kristin Billerbeck ISBN 978-1-59554-791-0 Thomas
Nelson Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
After she publicly humiliated herself over her first love, Luc, many
years earlier, Katie ran away to a predicable life and a boring, predictable almost fiancé, Dexter. But, eight years after
her humiliation, Luc walks back into her life, insisting she return home as his date and to sing at his brother's (and her
old dance partner) wedding. Maybe it's time for Katie to lay old ghosts to rest in New Orleans. Or maybe not, when being near
Luc brings old feelings into the present. But being home reveals old secrets and motivations that shed new light on what transpired
so many years earlier.
Will Katie be open to the truth, open to understanding what really happened
and why and offer forgiveness, or will she opt for the colorless life she's tried to build for herself?
A story with all the fire of New Orleans and more than a few plot twists
along the way.
Faith element: low
THE CROSSING The Last Cavaliers: One By Gilbert Morris ISBN
978-1-60260-907-5 Barbour Publishing Review by Cynthia Hickey
Thomas Jonathan Jackson, aka "Stonewall"
Jackson was a decorated hero of the Civil War. A man with a broken heart, he receives healing when he falls in love with Mary
Anna Morrison. Yancy Tremayne, raised Cherokee, until his father takes him back to his roots in Amish country wants a life
of adventure. When he accepts a job with Jackson, he had no idea he would become one of Stonewall's closest friends.
When war breaks out, Yancy doesn't think twice about enlisting. Then
he stumbles across a wounded Union soldier and makes a decision that will change his life forever. Can Yancy and the soldier's
sister, Lorena, leave behind their differences and find true love?
THE CROSSING is a tale of two romances. Full
of historical detail, it is a story to be enjoyed by Civil War buffs. With the faith of the Amish, and the challenges of being
Christian during war time, THE CROSSING has a message for everyone.
High on the faith scale
LADY IN THE MIST By Laurie Alice Eakes ISBN 978-0-8007-3452-7 Revell Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Tabitha is an unmarried healer by virtue of the loss of her fiancé and
a profession past down through the generations. She is the last. On the way home she bumps into Dominick Cherrett, an Englishman
and an indentured servant with manners above his rank and too many secrets. While her head seeks balance, her heart says something
different when Dominick pays her marked attention.
But when her erstwhile fiancé returns, when too many American young men
are taken onto British War ships and her own skills are called into question, Tabitha must find a way to rekindle her faith
and figure out who she can trust—her fiancé or an Englishman who just might be a spy.
Well written story, set before the War of 1812, with a depth in characters
that draws in the reader. The line between heroes and villains gets a bit murky without the forgiveness Jesus offers. Lots
of intrigue, danger, romance and plot twists.
Faith element: medium plus
ALL FOR ONE Book 3: The Four Lindas By Melody Carlson ISBN
978-1-4347-6493-5 David C Cook Reviewer Carrie Padgett
ALL FOR ONE is the third entry in Melody Carlson’s The Four Lindas
Series. The four protagonists were childhood friends all named Linda. They went by their middle names, so it’s easy
to keep track of them. After drifting apart, the women reconnected as adults and have reunited in their coastal hometown of
Clifden. Some never left, others have returned for the second half of their lives.
Abby’s husband is recovering from a heart attack and she can’t
sleep because she’s afraid he’s going to die. She’s also rehabbing her old family home to open it as a Bed
& Breakfast Inn.
Janie will rent the bottom of the inn for her new law office. Her boyfriend’s
ex-wife just showed up in town, saying she wants to reconcile and she’s certain God expects them to honor their marriage
vows. Even though she had an affair and left the marriage years ago. Janie struggles to give Victor space to deal with his
ex.
Marley is busy with her art and helping her friend Jack with his granddaughter.
Her son is experiencing his own heartbreak and she brings him back to Clifden to heal.
Caroline is worn out caring for her Alzheimer’s afflicted mother.
When she does take a rare afternoon off, tragedy strikes.
Carlson does a good job weaving each of the stories together. Each chapter
is from one of the Lindas point of view.
I like that Carlson’s characters deal with issues and topics that
are real. Marley’s son is gay, Caroline’s childhood was abusive. The women have a glass of wine with dinner. Abby
and Paul are seeing a marriage counselor.
I had a hard time connecting with the characters. This is the first of
The Four Lindas series that I’ve read and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I’d been with the women from
the beginning of their journey.
Faith element: Low
VICIOUS CYCLE By Terri Blackstock ISBN 978-0-310-3314-3 Zondervan Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Lance is a good kid. He just wants to talk some sense into his pregnant
friend Jordon who has left the drug rehab program where his sister is being treated. He has no idea that “his friend”
will use him as a scapegoat to shelter her baby from harm or that her actions will cause a ripple effect, putting himself
and his family in serious danger.
With his mother and Kent, a detective that once rescued his sister on
his side, maybe there is hope. Or is there? When drugs and an international human trafficking is involved will help arrive
in time?
A story that takes the reader deep into the heart of addiction, into
a mystery where motivations become murky and into the redeeming grace of Christ.
Faith element: medium
A HEART FOR HOME Home to Blessing #3 By Lauraine Snelling ISBN
978-0-7642-0611-5 Bethany House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Astrid has come home to Blessing, but not for long. Not when the Indians
on the Red Bud Reservation need her doctoring skills. They are suspicious of her motives. She is angry that they are dying
not only of the disease, but also from starvation by a country who won't let them hunt and won't send them provisions.
She wonders if she'll ever marry, considering how she left her relationship
with Joshua who has difficulties with his aversion to Indians and to her call as a doctor that comes before their relationship.
Back in Blessing things are changing rapidly with more business and people
and needs than ever. Will this town, built on caring and faith, expand with the new arrivals? Will Astrid find her true heart's
desire? And will the dream of the new hospital, not only for patients, but also for training, ever become a reality?
Read A HEART FOR HOME and find a place in your heart for Blessing,
ND.
Those who are long-time fans of Blessing will feel they are chatting
with old friends about the events of the day. Those who are new to Blessing will find with A HEART FOR HOME they they
can read the book and find a complete story within the covers. A nice conclusion to this Blessing series.
Faith element: high
HEARTS AGLOW Striking a Match #2 By Tracie Peterson ISBN
978-0-7642-0613-9 Bethany House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Deborah is home with her family in Texas and studying medicine with Dr.
Christopher Clayton. Her heart is taken, but things are not right. Since the Civil War, some go after the Black population.
Hate is not confined to black-white relations.
When Deborah's secure world is rocked, she must decide if her faith is
strong enough to not only protect her family, but also to deal with Christopher's secrets.
A book with strong characters, a strong family and even stronger faith
who must deal with a changing world. As usual, Tracie draws the reader into another era and into the lives of characters we
don't want to let go at the end of the book. A story of faith, love and strength in the face of adversity.
Faith element: high
CODE OF JUSTICE By Liz Johnson ISBN 978-0-373-44434-2 Live Inspired:
Suspense Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
FBI agent, Heather was taking some needed relaxation time with her District
Attorney sister Kit when their helicopter goes down. The last thing Kit told her puts Heather, still in recovery, on the trail
of a crime that gets more dangerous every day. Sheriff's deputy Jeremy is on the case, but even working together, the two
keep finding more threads that don't make sense.
And what about the sparks between them that goes deeper than the case
and a passing concern for one another? Will Heather and Jeremy unravel the case before Heather ends up dead?
A mystery with lots of threads, a building romance and a past that needs
to be dealt with. A story of danger, romance...and forgiveness.
Faith element: medium
BLOOD COVENANT Mission Hope Series By Lisa Harris ISBN 978-0-310-33147-6 ISBN:
978-0-310-31906-1 (Check) Zondervan Review by Cynthia Hickey
Dr. Paige Ryan signed on to help doctor the
poor people of Africa. She didn't expect the fighting to happen so close to her and now wants only to go home. But, she gets
sent on one last assignment that puts not only her and a handsome medevac pilot in danger, but an entire refugee camp. Nick
Gilbert isn't new to flying under fire but when one of his crew is killed and several taken hostage, life preservation takes
on a whole new meaning. Can Paige and Nick save those under their care and themselves or will one of them pay the ultimate
sacrifice?
BLOOD COVENANT is a heart-wrenching story of hardship, death, illness, and sacrifice. Yet through
it all, faith and the human will to survive perseveres. The story grips the reader from page one and doesn't let go until
the last page. A thrilling read!
High on the faith scale.
A TRAIL OF INK #3 Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton Surgeon By Mel
Starr ISBN 978-0-85424-974-6 Monarch Books Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
When Master John Wyclif's book are stolen, Hugh has a new mystery on
his hands. Released by his employer to unravel the mystery, Hugh finds the trail leads to many unexpected places and puts
him in very real danger. But so does his pursuit of a young woman. Will Hugh discover the truth before he loses what is most
important—his very life?
Setting, characters and the way the story is written evoke the medieval
era in which the book is set. The story brings us Lords and Ladies, scholars and the worst sort recreants. Those who enjoy
medieval tales, especially this series, will really enjoy reading how Hugh solves one more mystery.
Faith element: medium
THIS FINE LIFE By Eva Marie Everson ISBN 978-0-8007-3274-5 Revell
Books Reviewer Clint Walker
After graduating from a high school, Mariette Puttnam returns home to discover
what life holds next. Mariette’s parents are an established part of the 1950’s high society in their Southern
community.
At Mariette’s father's company called "Fox and Hound," Thayne Scott,
a farm boy with a checkered past, works in the mailroom. Handsome and charming, he and Mariette make an instant connection.
Yet, no romance lasts long without challenges. Can two people from totally different backgrounds find a true
and lasting love with one another? Can love at first sight really bloom into a strong relationship that will last a lifetime?
As the story develops, so does a sense of God’s grace slowly moving through the character’s lives.
Faith Element: High
HEADING HOME By John Robinson ISBN 978-097974858-5 Sheaf
House Reviewer Casey Pitts
Nick Castle discovers saving faith and a message of Christ’s return
that rock his world. He and buddy CT Barnes are compelled to travel across the country carrying Christ’s message to
their Vietnam combat team. Urgency grows as end times violence escalates. After losing touch with one another across miles
and years, will they reach their comrades with the message of salvation before time runs out?
Castle’s opening memories show the parallels between his final
departure from war-torn Vietnam to his last days on earth before the rapture of the believers. Weak stomachs beware. Robinson
employs extremely graphic descriptions as murderers take the lives of men, women and children. I struggled reading several
of the scenes because the images were so vivid. In contrast, the story emphasizes beautiful elements like the blowing of the
shofar and closes with a heaven-bound message of hope.
Faith Element: High
OPERATION BONNET By Kimberly Stuart ISBN 978-0-7814-4891-8 David
C Cook Reviewer Clint Walker
Rebellion comes in a number of different forms. For Nellie Monroe, it means
rejecting the privileges that accompany her parent’s wealth, working at a 3-par golf course, and working toward her
goal of being a private investigator. OPERATION BONNET recounts Nellie’s first case. The investigation calls for
Nellie to infiltrate an Amish community to get information for her coworker Amos, who has recently left the Amish community
but has left an unrequited love behind.
The quirks of Nellie Monroe, and the character development that the author
does to bring her to life, makes the book a success. Nellie is a naïve, energetic redhead who is too smart for her own good.
She is headstrong and blunt to a fault. She is very observant, and the way she shares her observations had me laughing out
loud. Some of Nellie’s quirks and observations might offend some readers. She is not vulgar, but at times, like many
young adults, she may come across overly earthy and transparent for some.
What I liked about this book was the
energy of it. It is intelligent and playful. OPERATION BONNET is also very humorous. The youthful characters and their quirks
can easily be pictured and remind me of people I know.
Faith Element: Medium
Second Review:
ANGEL HARP By Michael Phillips ISBN 978-00-446-56770-1 FaithWords Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Harpist Marie Buchan feels her life slipping past. What happened to the
dreams she shared with her late husband? Finally taking charge, Marie visits Scotland. She has no idea that the harp music
she plays on the mountains for her own peace, will capture the heart of a young child or that a curate's gentle questions
will start a revolution in her own heart.
She certainly has no intention of getting embroiled in the life of a
duke or think that she'll become a catalyst for change. Will Marie truly find what she seeks before the village gossips turn
on her?
A deep, moving journey of faith and love and God's amazing love. Characters
are multi-layered. Faith is not portrayed as shallow ritual or tradition. The story draws in the reader and holds on until
the very end.
I do hope this isn't a stand alone novel as there are some threads of
more story yet to be told.
Faith element: High
ANGEL HARP By Michael Phillips ISBN: 978-0-446-56771-8 FaithWords Reviewer
Casey Pitts
Angel Harp acquaints the reader with Marie Buchan’s deepest thoughts,
a monologue of her life as she sees it, then moves into the gentle ebb and flow of daily life during Marie’s extended
stay in the Scottish countryside. It gives the feeling of a memoir, through a fictional account of one woman’s journey.
Marie ventures to heal her own pain and spiritual isolation. She evaluates
her relationship with God through new eyes as she visits a Highland church and stumbles into conversation with the minister,
an eligible bachelor. In the process, we learn about the hidden pain of others. A young girl. A bitter woman. A reclusive
father. The soothing melodies of Marie’s harp call out to heal broken relationships. Marie must maneuver the terrain
of hurt without causing more dissension in the process.
Phillips delves deeply into the history of Scotland through conversation
between Marie and an old sheep herder. Years of religious contention are explained and made meaningful by these personal stories.
I did find the Scottish pronunciation and vocabulary difficult to follow at times, despite the glossary included in the book,
but I could visualize the two discussing history in the dim light of a cottage.
Find your favorite harp music and a comfortable chair by the fire for
this inspirational read.
Faith Element: moderate
SPRINGTIME OF THE SPIRIT The Great War Series By Maureen Lang ISBN
978-1-4143-2437-1 Tyndale Publishers Review by Cynthia Hickey
The Great War (WWI) has ended and Germany
is in turmoil. Annaliese Duray has lofty ideas of improving the lot of women by voting and lifting Germany from the ashes
in which it fell. She joins a radical group and preaches fairness to all, especially the lower class. She's gone so far as
to leave behind the only life she's ever known; even the boy she'd loved for as long as she could remember.
Christophe
Brecht has had enough of fighting, but he accepts a plea from Annaliese's parents to bring her home so they can make amends
before they leave for America. Annaliese has no desire to see the type of people that sent Germany into the pit it now rested
in. In order to remain close to her and keep her safe, Christophe agrees to train guards for the group Annaliese belongs to.
His spirit is in as much turmoil as the city of Munich. Their lives are tossed into danger and Annaliese and Christophe must
rely on their love for each other, and their faith in God to pull them to safety.
SPRINGTIME OF THE SPIRIT is
a historical romance so rich in detail, the reader will feel the anguish of the German people, smell the powder from the guns,
and hear the cries of a suppressed nation.
High on the faith scale.
THE FIRE IN EMBER By Diann Mills ISBN 978-0-310-29330-9 Zondervan Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Bert was only trying to return a stolen mare when accused of the crime.
Only the quick action of rancher and deputy John Timmons was Bert spared from lynching. Not until after Bert started working
off the debt incurred to Timmons did he learn the truth—Bert was a girl--Ember, a girl on the run from who-knows-what
awful past.
But with cattle going missing from ranches in the area and bodies turning
up, Timmons has to discover from the reticent Ember whether or not she's in league with the rustlers. Can he do so when his
heart is now involved?
Old West romance with strong men and smart women caught up in intrigue
and danger. The story catches your interest from the first and carries you through to the satisfying conclusion. How could
it miss with the beautiful western, historical setting, interesting characters, romance and mystery?
Faith element: medium to high
THE SEARCH Lancaster County Secrets By Suzanne Woods Fisher ISBN
978-0-8007-3387-2 Revell Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
When Bess's father sends her to spend the summer with her grandmother
Bertha, she has no idea her life will change or that her presence will start unraveling long-held secrets of the past. Lainey
isn't Amish, but she's returned to the place where it all started. When her car dies, she finds herself a job in a bakery
and reunites with the Amish woman who made her childhood bearable—Bertha. Add in Bess's father and you have an explosive
situation. Will Bertha's interference bring truth to light or will revealed secrets tear people further apart?
A story of hurt, heartache, love and forgiveness with characters of depth
and substance who not only learn to deal with their own lives in a Godly way, but show us how to do the same.
Well worth the read.
Faith element: medium
THE THIRD TESTAMENT By John Eklund ISBN 978-1-4502-2503-8 iUniverse
Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Fred Sankt, college professor, wakes several times by a strange dream. Even stranger
is that he always wakes at three a.m. The dream leads him to believe there is something he should do, yet Fred is too busy.
Though finally recovering from his wife's death, he's faced with more devastating family news.
Add to that a financial blow and Fred realizes someone is trying to get
his attention. He turns to the Bible and wonders about the years after Jesus' resurrection. Fred calls it, "The Third Testament."
As he begins to put pen to paper, his life will never be the same.
In the tradition of other, "what if" novels,
and although based on some historical facts, THE THIRD TESTAMENT is a wonderful, fictional tale, that immerses the reader
into Fred's story.
BAKE UNTIL GOLDEN The Potluck Catering Club Series By Eva Marie
Everson & Linda Evans Shepherd ISBN 978-0-8007-3210-3 Revell Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
The ladies of the Potluck Catering Club ladies are at it again. After
their success in New York, the ladies return to Summit View, Colorado to a host of problems, not the least of which is death
and murder. When the evidence points to one of the ladies of the Potluck Catering Club, will the ladies turn their backs or
go to bat to find the truth?
A many layered plot line, nicely wrapped at the end, with flawed women
who still seek to put faith to practice in their everyday lives. For those hooked on books about this diverse group of women,
BAKE UNTIL GOLDEN adds not only more depth to the lives of the Potluck Club ladies, but also a mystery that entangles the
whole town.
Faith element: medium
WHEN ALL MY DREAMS COME TRUE Colorado Runaway Series By Jenelle
Mowery ISBN 978-0-7369-2807-6 Harvest House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
All Bobbie wants is a chance to be a wrangler. But in 1872, women stayed
in the home. Ranch owner Jace does give Bobbie a chance, and she's good, but she also begins to get into his heart. How can
he keep an eye on Bobbie without her thinking he doesn't think she can do her job and how can he let her out of his sight
when dangerous rustlers are on the loose?
Can Bobbie and Jace learn to trust their Heavenly Father really does
have things under control? Will they admit the truth before they lose everything of true value?
A sweet Western romance with a feisty heroine and a strong cowboy, dangerous
villains and some nice twists before the ending nicely wraps up the story.
Faith element: high
THE AMISH MIDWIFE Women of Lancaster County By Mindy Starns Clark
and Leslie Gould ISBN 978-0-7369-3798-6 Harvest House Publishers Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Lexie knew she was adopted. With the loss of her remaining adoptive,
loving parent, she feels the need to search out her birth parents. Her father left her enough clues to start her search, as
does her mid-wife mentor and friend. Only Lexie doesn't find the warm reception she hopes for and though her skills are needed
in the Amish/Mennonite community where she goes to find answers, answers are slow and frustrating in coming.
Why was she given up for adoption when other babies stay in the community
and what secret can be so dreadful that Lexie is repeatedly warned to let it go? Will Lexie find the answers she needs or
will the answers only open more wounds?
A story of too many secrets kept and the damage secrets do to individuals,
families and the community as well as the healing of revelation. I did get frustrated, along with Lexie, at the refusal of
those who knew to reveal long-held secrets. The ending brought the story and the characters full circle, not only wrapping
up the story line, but offering healing and hope as well.
Faith element: high
MICHIGAN BRIDES 3-in-1 Collection By Amber Stockton ISBN 978-1-60260-654-8 Barbour
Publishing Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Three lovely, spirited women, three strong men, three different stories.
MICHIGAN BRIDES is an anthology that spans years during Detroit's most progressive time. It spans the economical crash of
the late 1800's to the sinking of the Titanic.
In each story the characters must deal with prejudice, danger, and progress
that threatens their very livelihoods. Yet through it all, love prevails, faith overcomes, and right wins out over wrong.
MICHIGAN
BRIDES is a lovely collection of romance stories full of faith and love in turn-of-the-century Detroit.
FATAL JUDGMENT Guardians of Justice By Irene Hannon ISBN 978-0-8007-3456-5 Revell Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
US Marshal, Jake Taylor, thought he'd have a chance to recharge after
his Iraq assignment. But he's called to protect a sitting judge--Liz Michaels, a judge he believes responsible for her husband
and his best friend's suicide. Well, he'd do his job.
What he doesn't figure on was discovering Liz wasn't anything like he'd
been told. When the danger escalates, he finds he has become more than professionally involved in the outcome. Will it matter
when a killer makes the first move?
Faith element: low
THE LIGHTKEEPER'S BRIDE A Mercy Falls Novel By Colleen Coble ISBN:
978-1-59554-266-3 Thomas Nelson Reviewer Carrie Padgett
THE LIGHTKEEPER’S BRIDE is the newest entry in Colleen Coble’s
Mercy Falls novels, but it is a self-contained story. You don’t need to have read its predecessor, “The Lightkeeper’s
Daughter,” to enjoy the second novel.
Set on the Northern California coastline, at a time when transportation
was by horse and buggy, bicycle or roller skates, and phone calls were routed through a central switchboard, THE LIGHTKEEPER’S
BRIDE is part historical, part romance, part mystery. Coble combines all the elements into a satisfying story.
Katie Russell works part-time as a telephone switchboard operator. She
is expected to marry Bart Foster, a suitable young man. While at work, Katie inadvertently overhears part of a conversation,
a woman demanding money from a man with a familiar voice. When the woman disappears, Katie feels compelled to help in the
search.
Will Jesperson is the new lightkeeper, responsible for keeping the lighthouse
and foghorn working. He witnesses a ship taken by pirates and many of its crew killed. He is drawn into the investigation
of the piracy and also the missing woman whose child bears a striking resemblance to Will’s brother.
Will and Katie both fight to keep their family secrets hidden while sharing
care of the toddler Jennie. They are drawn closer together and closer to the killers until emotions and greed collide on the
rugged coast.
Coble’s prose is well-suited to the era of the story; she does
a good job capturing Katie’s and Will’s feelings. The mystery is nicely laid with enough clues for the astute
reader to follow.
My only criticism is I would have liked a date to anchor the story for
me firmly in a time. I know the general era, but I didn’t want to put down the book long enough to go research it myself.
Faith element: Moderate.
SHARPSHOOTER IN PETTICOATS Sophie's Daughters #3
By Mary Connealy ISBN 978-1-60260-148-2 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Mandy married a man who wasn't all he seemed and he'd gotten himself
killed and a blood-feud started with the Cooter Clan.
Mandy and her children were safe in her mounted fortress. A crack shot,
she and her silent Shoshone protectors, kept away those would harm her. She sent away friends and family so the Cooter's wouldn't
turn on them. But Tom Linscott wasn't going to allow the woman who warmed his heart to stay on that mountain. Scaling the
cliff to get to her, he brings her and her children off the mountain determined to free her of the Cooters on her trail.
Will they work together to make a life free of danger or is it already
too late?
A nice wrap up to this series as well as the previous two series "Lassoed
in Texas" and "Montana Marriages."
SAVE THE DATE By Jenny B. Jones ISBN: 978-1-59554-539-8 Thomas
Nelson Reviewer Carrie Padgett
SAVE THE DATE is frothy fun, perfect for a snowed-in weekend or mid-winter
beach getaway.
Lucy Wiltshire has returned to her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina,
determined to prove to herself and any former classmates from the snooty prep school where she was a scholarship student,
that she’s as good, as smart, and as successful as they are. Especially as Alex Sinclair, former NFL star who snubbed
Lucy in high school. She runs a struggling nonprofit, Saving Grace, for young adults who age out of the foster care system.
The city wants her building. With nowhere to move her girls, Lucy needs a miracle.
Alex blew his knee out and had to leave football. A family heartbreak
compels him to politics as a second career. He’s behind in the polls against his adversary for Congress. He needs to
prove to the voters that he’s serious, not the playboy the magazines keep painting him.
SAVE THE DATE is a piece of fluff, predictable because of its genre.
The predictability doesn’t make it any less fun. A few of the situations at the beginning of the story I found to be
just too over the top, but that is a mainstay of romantic comedy.
Jones has fashioned a likable protagonist and a genuine hero. You’ll
see the end zone as clearly as a halfback heading down an open field, but you’ll enjoy the run.
Faith element: Moderate.
MINNESOTA MOONLIGHT Romancing America: 3-in-1 Collection By Becky
Melby and Cathy Wienke ISBN 978-1-60260-635-7 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Casey Pitts
Join Sydney, April and Sarah as they uncover God’s plan for love
in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Sydney Jennet greets an ex-convict as he moves into town. Parolee Trace
McKay intrigues her. Fighting her own insecurities and the combined fears of her small town residents, Sydney embarks on a
tenuous friendship with Trace. Only the truth about Trace’s past will dispel the fear that threatens to tear them apart.
April Douglas faces a different fear. When her sister passes away leaving
an unfinished “bucket list,” April vows to fulfill her sister’s dreams. Unfortunately, one of those tasks
involves chasing a tornado with Seth Bachelor, local weatherman and the man April blames for her sister’s death. Which
will be more challenging, the tornado or the handsome weatherman?
Sara Lewis bounces back from a multitude of life’s difficulties
– being abandoned by her husband, homeless after a tornado, and humbly accepting help from a local church. Her dream
of owning the Stillwater Inn comes into focus, only to be blurred once again by the return of her estranged husband, James.
Sara must reconcile her new life with the man who claims he has discovered new life in Christ.
I especially enjoyed this three-in-one collection because the stories
were so diverse, yet drawn together by the common theme of love overcoming fear and hurt. Each story gives insight into the
prayers and hopes we cling to, and how God leads us to His truth.
Faith Element: High
DIGITALIS Discarded Heroes #2 By Ronnie Kendig ISBN 978-1-60260-783-5 Barbour
Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Colton can't seem to leave the things he's seen and done. His mind flashes
back and he feels more than a little wounded. How can he let any woman close? His life has got to be complete with his parents
and his daughter. But when his interest in Piper turns into something more, his life turns into disaster.
How could he have known the baggage she carries is as heavy, in its own
way, as his own? Can he forgive her for what she's putting his family through or can they forgive and work together on a mission
with international repercussions?
A story with tough men and love that isn't sentimental and sweet, but
forged in pain and faith and forgiveness. Action adventure that leaves the reader little time to take a break.
Faith element: high
THE SILENT ORDER By Melanie Dobson ISBN 978-1-60936-019-1 Summerside
Press Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Katie Lehman has a secret. A secret her family has killed for. Hiding in Amish
country for the last few years gave her a sense of peace. Now danger has found her. Can she keep her new family safe? Detective
Rollin Wells has been trying to bring down the gangs in Cleveland. Now, he's closer to bringing down the Cardano family than
ever before. But a stakeout goes wrong and he finds himself hiding among the peaceful Amish. Can he trust the beautiful Katie?
And what secret is she hiding?
Then Cleveland's two rival gangs meet and Amish country will never be the same.
THE
SILENT ORDER is not your typical Amish story. Full of romance, danger, and intrigue, it will have the reader turning the pages
far into the night.
High on the faith scale.
NIGHTINGALE
By Susan May Warren ISBN 978-1-60936-025-2 Summerside Press Reviewer
Cynthia Hickey
A few years earlier, Esther Lange succumbed to a moment of passion and made a mistake. Yet, her
daughter is a joy in her life. Why can't she love her daughter's father? Even her job as a nurse to wounded soldiers doesn't
bring her the peace she craves. How can she help them when her own insides bleed? Her letters to Peter, a man she's never
met, are the bright spot of her life. Until she discovers the horrible secret he carries.
Peter is forced into war against his wishes in the hopes of saving his
family. The war takes away his choices and chance at happiness, until he meets the beautiful Esther. Finally, life shows promise,
until the unexpected happens and they are torn apart. Will God's mercy be enough to save them?
NIGHTINGALE is
a brilliantly written love story full of romance that wounds, uplifts, and makes you cry. A roller-coaster of emotion. The
reader is taken to the brink of despair, then shown a glimmer of hope in the hearts of two wounded people.
High
on the faith scale.
DEFENDING GLORY Piedmont Island Trilogy series By Anne K. Albert ISBN
978-1935407959 Vanilla Heart Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Wounded former FBI agent, Mac McKeown, needed one big construction account
to get him known and on the road to a new career. Even so, he was more than a little hesitant about accepting the construction
of a Christian retreat center—especially since He'd turned away from a God he felt abandoned him. Yet, somehow, he couldn't
say “no” to the optimistic Glory Palmer.
What neither figured on was that someone wanted Glory gone. Someone who'd
do anything, even murder, to keep the retreat from being built.
Mac's protective instincts kick in to protect Glory, but can he save
himself when attention turns his direction?
A story of mystery and romance with strong, yet flawed, characters who
refuse to give up, refuse to quit and who find that, even in the worst circumstances, God really is there and He really does
care.
Faith element: medium
Love the title.
THE RELUCTANT PROPHET By Nancy Rue ISBN: 978-1-4347-6496-6 David
C. Cook Review by Cynthia Hickey
For seven years, Allison Chamberlain has asked God to reveal His will for
her. He does in an unlikely way. She clearly hears him tell her to buy a Harley. Once she does, her life changes as she brings
lost women and a wayward child into her home. Unfortunately, her friends think she's nuts and she is faced with skepticism
at every turn. How can she get her church members to open their eyes and live their faith? Allison embarks on a journey unlike
anything she'd ever imagined. She experiences joy, heartache, and love as she struggles to do as God asks.
THE
RELUCTANT PROPHET is a story of love. While there is romance, the love is more that of God for His people and one woman's
love for her God and the rest of His creation. Readers will never be the same after reading this powerful novel.
High
on the faith scale
HAWAIIAN DREAMS Romancing America Three-in-One Collection: By the
Beckoning Sea, To Love a Gentle Stranger, Sweet Joy of my Life By Carole Gift Page ISBN 978-1-60260-331-8 Barbour
Publishing Reviewer Casey Pitts
An island paradise plays host to three beautiful love stories.
Ashley’s fiancé, Ben, leaves her stunned at the altar. When she
starts life anew in Hawaii, Ashley is swept away by the dashing author, Anthony Adler. Still heartbroken by her fiancé, Ashley
cautiously opens her heart to Adler. Will her heart survive when Ben shows up to reclaim his bride?
Marnie Johnson suffers a traumatic brain injury from a near fatal car
accident. Without memory of Jeff, her husband, or their life as students at a missionary school, Marnie struggles to discover
her identity. With help from God and family, Jeff must romance his wife as if they had never met.
Kayli and her Aunt Jessie return to the land their ancestors and build
a home on the shore. Neither expects the architect and his son to be so attractive and unattached. As the dream house
is built, so is the romance. But when a handsome firefighter delivers Kayli from harm, her heart is torn between two men.
I enjoyed the diversity of the stories and the beautiful depictions of
the tropical paradise from the lush landscape to the Asian cultural influences. Each story lends itself to be captured in
the imagination. I especially loved the intense faith of each woman featured. Marnie’s story touched me deeply as she
sought an understanding of a Christ she knew before her accident.
Faith Element: High
THE CAMERA NEVER LIES Hometown Mysteries By Elizabeth Goddard ISBN
978-60260-627-2 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Polly and her mom are at beautiful Caldera Lake, OR resort for a wedding.
Polly has been asked to photograph the event. The awe-inspiring location assures Polly she'll get good pictures not only of
the wedding, but also of area, which she can sell to a magazine. Taking pictures is as natural to Polly as breathing. When
murder happens, Polly snaps pictures without even thinking about it. Then the circumstances of the murder make those she cares
about—including herself—suspects.
Will Polly be able to unravel the mystery of the murder of a man, she
herself disliked intensely, before there are more victims? Will her determination to uncover the murderer bring her the love
that's eluded her or destroy her second chance at love?
Murder with a light-touch, quirky characters and enough motives to make
finding the real culprit a challenge.
Faith element: low
THE WAITING Lancaster County Secrets By Suzanne Woods Fisher ISBN
978-0-8007-3386-5 Revell Review by Cynthia Hickey
Jorie King is waiting for Ben Zook to return from Vietnam.
Ben's brother, Caleb is dealing with the heartache of losing his wife to suicide. Together, they are all waiting to see what
God's will has in store for them. When trouble hits Beacon Hollow, Jorie and Caleb are drawn together in a bond more than
friendship. Amidst racism, mother nature's creatures, and man's stubbornness, Jorie's, Ben's and Caleb's faith will be tested
to the breaking point. Can Jorie and Caleb make the right decision?
THE WAITING is an Amish romance that is more
than an easy read about simple people's lives. Real life problems are faced within the pages of this book; choosing the right
love, fulfilling promises, standing up for what is right. Not your typical Amish book, THE WAITING is real.
High
on the faith scale.
A PLACE OF PEACE Kaufman Amish Bakery Series #3 By Amy Clipston ISBN
978-0-310-3199-5 Zondervan Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Miriam left her Amish community due to a broken heart, but returns to
mourn her mother. Returning home means she needs to face what happened three years earlier, but how can she discover the truth
when her father refuses to even acknowledge her and her one-time fiancé Timothy is seeing someone else? Does it matter that
what separated them were lies? Broken all over again, Miriam leaves again and doesn't return until her father needs her after
a stoke. But will anything ever really be the same?
The story shows the balance between Amish and the English life and that
good and bad are not in the community but in the heart. A story of lies and pride, forgiveness and what it takes to “let
go” and let God take the messes we make to heal and make right.
Faith element: medium
SARAH'S CHOICE Brides of Lehigh Canal By Wanda E Brunstetter ISBN
978-1-59789-434-0 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Sarah felt she had no place else to turn. As much as she hated the Lehigh
Canal, since the death of her husband, she'd taken the job of raising and lowering the canal gates—a dangerous job.
She wasn't asking much, just to get herself and her children away from the canal and all it represented in her life.
When Elias enters her life, she is drawn to his kindness and caring,
but she refuses to marry a canal man. Will Sarah and Elias find God's plan for their future before one or both make decisions
that will destroy everything?
A sweet romance from Brunstetter that wraps up nicely and brings us back
to characters we've enjoyed in previous books.
Faith element: high
EMILY'S CHANCE By Sharon Gillwater ISBN 978-0-8007-3354-4 Revell
Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Emily Rose wants only to be a curator with a big museum. Setting up a museum in the
small Texas town of Callahan Crossing is only a stepping stone. Chance Callahan wants to marry Emily Rose. He's known this
from the moment he rescued her from a burning building. Although Emily is beginning to love Callahan Crossing, she isn't willing
to give up her lifelong dreams, or her goal of finally gaining approval from her parents.
She's more than a little shocked when she discovers Chance's wealth matches
her own and that the handsome cowboy can hold his own in any social gathering. Can Emily give up her lifelong goal to settle
in West Texas?
Sometimes love at first sight does work. EMILY'S CHANCE is a delightful romance full of small-town
charm, handsome cowboys, and a gutsy heroine. Curl up and discover that God's plan is way better than anything we can come
up with on our own.
High on the faith scale.
TANDEM By Tracey Bateman ISBN 978-0-307-45717-2 WaterBrook
Press Reviewer Casey Pitts
Lauryn McBride stumbles upon mystery while organizing an auction from
an estate sale in her small town of Abbey Hills, Missouri. Even more curious, an equally mysterious woman from Louisiana pays
a visit to recover items from the estate. A series of unusual animal slayings and the discovery of a local woman’s lifeless
body spark rumors in the community. Are vampires at work in Abbey Hills?
In comparison to secular vampire books, TANDEM focuses on families and
redemption rather than glamorizing an already intriguing subject. The suspense of the story is well maintained without graphic
details of killing or teenage infatuation. Family are a primary theme as siblings, extended family and parent/child relationships
are strained through illness, separation and death. I found the variety of issues to be realistic and good for discussion
starters.
God’s love and redemption are mentioned casually throughout the
book. The presentation is thought provoking, especially when one character tries to decide if her mother is a “good”
voodoo priestess or if the possibility even exists. The reader is challenged to identify good and evil from several vantage
points. I am looking forward to Bateman’s future endeavors as she reaches young adults with culturally relevant stories.
Faith Element: mild
I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS When I Fall in Love By Julie L Cannon ISBN
978-1-60936-018-4 Summerside Press Reviewer Carrie Padgett
In 1943 Watkinsville, Georgia, Maggie Culpepper and William Dove have
been next door neighbors and best friends since childhood. William longs to take their relationship to a loving future. Maggie’s
doubts are overcome. But life never goes as planned. When Maggie loses a loved one, she decides God doesn’t care about
her since He certainly didn’t answer her prayers.
Maggie flees her grief, her home, and William’s comfort by enlisting
in the Navy WAVES to serve her country and help bring the soldiers safely back. William is devastated but tries to be supportive.
He promises to write every day. Maggie breaks his heart by breaking off their relationship.
New Jersey isn’t Georgia, and that’s fine with Maggie. She
loses herself in her work as an aircraft mechanic. William sends her packets of letters that she refuses to read. She meant
it when she said it was too painful to love someone and risk losing them.
Maggie discovers that even though she escaped Georgia, she can’t
run away from the reminders of home and love and family.
I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS is well written and well researched.
America at war is a presence throughout the story. It’s a beautiful paean to God’s sovereignty and a fitting reminder
at this season about what and Who is important.
Faith element: Moderate.
MAY COOLER HEADS PREVAIL Hometown Mysteries By T. L. Dunnegan ISBN
978-1-59789-676-4 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Dixie Tanner wanted away from her family. Yes, they loved her, but they
were, well, not quite right about things. But how can Dixie, a counselor, refuse to return home when they needed her?So, she didn't figure on hiding a murder, finding herself and a handsome stranger
on the wrong side of the law.
But Tanner's take care of their own and their own, her aunt, would be
accused of murder if they didn't find the murderer first. But will they find the murder before he finds them? It takes a deft
hand to write murder and humor and make both work. Dunnegan does just that.
Some parts were too good to keep to myself and I read them out loud to
my husband. I laughed as I followed Dixie and her more-then-slightly-off-center relations on a journey of discovery to find
a murderer and, for Dixie, to come to terms with who she really was. It didn't hurt that the stranger was very nice as well
as handsome and fit right into the family. A fun read.
Faith element: medium
SISTERS OF THE QUILT Trilogy WHEN THE HEART CRIES, WHEN THE MORNING
COMES and WHEN THE SOUL MENDS By Cindy Woodsmall ISBN 0-07-72995-8 Waterbrook
Individually, all three books were favorably reviewed by Author's Choice
Reviews. I am delighted to see all three books in a single volume for readers to enjoy these stories all over again.
WHEN THE HEART CRIES Reviewer Kay Tira
Though seventeen year-old Hannah Lapp has a strong Amish heritage, she
has not yet chosen to join the church. Among other things, her secret feelings for young Mennonite Paul Waddell make her hesitant
to commit to the Amish lifestyle and rules.
Paul proposes just before leaving for his final year of college, but
he and Hannah agree to wait until Paul can gain the trust and acceptance of her father before making their engagement known.
They say goodbye and anticipate a joyful reunion, but on her way back to the farm, the “unmentionable” happens.
Hannah’s parents’ response to her tragic situation is difficult
for an “Englischer” to understand. Denial, rejection, shunning and heartache look to be a part of Hannah’s
inevitable future. She faces loss of her family, reputation, and Paul’s love.
Hannah’s friend, Matthew, displaying loyalty beyond risk, becomes
one of my favorite characters throughout the novel.
Book One of “Sisters of the Quilt” is a delightful read,
and leaves the reader with a hunger for Book Two.
Highly recommended for teen and adult readers..
WHEN THE MORNING COMES Reviewer Sarah Sawyer
After suffering a series of heartbreaking events, Hannah Lapp flees her
Amish community. Out in the Englisher world, she must sort out what it means to relate to God apart from the Amish church
and how to continue living after so many losses.
As Hannah struggles to build a new life, her friends and family must
deal with the aftermath of her departure and the ramifications of their own actions. Within a tangled web of relationships,
each person grapples with issues of faith and forgiveness.
This story carries the powerful message that though our lives and dreams
may be shattered, God’s grace provides new life, new hope, and new dreams. The themes of this story and the issues the
characters struggle with breathe fresh life into the Amish milieu. A satisfying read with an ending that will compel the reader
to look for the sequel.
WHEN THE SOUL MENDS Reviewer Melanie Jones
Everyone
who read the previous "The Sisters of the Quilt" books by Cindy Woodsmall has eagerly awaited WHEN THE SOUL MENDS, to learn
which man Hannah Lapp chooses. There's the wealthy, worldly and loving Martin with his niece and nephew, or steady, Plain
Mennonite Paul, the man Hannah believes betrayed her.
Don't worry. You'll find your answers in WHEN THE SOUL
MENDS, but if you skim over the pages looking for the answers to your biggest questions, you'll miss something deeper. You'll
miss the journey to discovering what true love is. You'll miss the yearning for forgiveness and the struggle to forgive. You'll
miss the author's insight into the meaning of forgiveness.
WHEN THE HEART CRIES and WHEN THE MORNING COMES saw
Hannah, an Amish teen in love with a Plain Mennonite, betrayed by both an Englisher and by the people she loved. She left
her Amish community to make her way in the world, and made a strong life for herself. WHEN THE SOUL MENDS finds Hannah returning
to her community to find her family in a time of crisis.
If you haven't read the first two books, you can still
enjoy WHEN THE SOUL MENDS, but the complex relationships are best enjoyed as part of the series, and the richness of the story
of forgiveness rings truest when the memory of the pain is still strong.
Woodsmall crafts deep and complex stories
about a people we often consider having a simple way of life. She makes it clear that the absence of modern conveniences in
no way protects families from the turmoil of the heart.
The faith element is strong with its realistic portrayal
of the struggle of forgiveness and the need for restoration in our relationships with others, patterning our relationship
with Christ.
CAROL A Story for Christmas By Bob Hartman ISBN 978-0-7459-5336-6 Lion
Hudson Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
Jack O'Malley hates Christmas and everything about it. But when he walks
into a local coffee shop one morning, his life is about to change. He runs into the beautiful Carol who has a question about
music. Jack will do anything to get to know the woman better. They share a set of headphones and Jack finds himself transported
to faraway lands. He thinks. Carol leads him on an adventure of choices.
CAROL is a modern parable to the old
story of Scrooge and the age-old question of whether a person wants to be happy or change the world. Jack is whisked away
to his past, present, and future, and must make a choice to not only change his life, but to change others. CAROL is a wonderful
stocking-stuffer size book that is perfect for the holidays.
Low on the faith scale.
TWO TICKETS TO THE CHRISTMAS BALL By Donita K Paul ISBN 978-0-307-45899-5 WaterBrook
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Cora needed to buy a Christmas gift and ends up in a quaint little book
shop who offers the perfect book. While she's in the shop her quiet, keep-to-himself boss, Simon, also shows up for a book.
The bookstore has the perfect book for him as well. So begins a story of magic and romance for two unsuspecting souls. But
an impossible Christmas ball invitation is aided by cat and a very special young woman Sandy.
TWO TICKETS TO THE CHRISTMAS BALL reassures that God really does care
about the details. A story to warm the heart at Christmas. I hope to see more of these Christmas ball stories.
Faith element: High
THE HEALER'S APPRENTICE By Melanie Dickerson ISBN 978-0-310-72143-7 Zondervan Reviewer Casey Pitts
Rose serves as apprentice to the castle healer despite her queasiness at the sight of blood. To make matters worse, the
Duke’s heir, Wilhelm, has been injured and Rose must tend to his wounds. She is drawn to him, but wonders if a man like
him would even notice her. Chance encounters (and a few intentional ones), bring the two hearts together. What could keep
them apart? Only Wilhelm’s betrothal to a mysterious woman and his promise to protect her from an evil man intent on
murdering her. Could Wilhelm marry Rose instead?
I am rather partial to stories of medieval castles, the plight of a poor girl, and a prince who falls in love. This is
a classic tale with a few twists. Though the book is marketed to young adults, this “more mature reader” enjoyed
the flow of thought and beautiful story. THE HEALER'S APPRENTICE combines young romance and adventure with a bit of mystery.
I will gladly share this with my teenage daughters.
Faith Element: moderate
LOVE FINDS YOU IN SUGARCREEK OHIO By Serena B Miller ISBN 978-1-60936-002-8 Summerside
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Rachel lived and slept her job as a cop. As much as she loved her Amish
aunts, she also knew they were too old to run the inn any longer--until a bearded man showed up with his adorable son and
his aunts took him in. Though the man was a hard worker and respectful, Rachel just knew he was hiding something. But even
she couldn't predict what secret he hid or how his presence would change their lives.
A story of redemption and healing that only unconditional love brings.
A story of second chances and romance with a hint of mystery. With a solid plot and well drawn characters, LOVE FINDS YOU
IN SUGARCREEK OHIO is simply a good read.
Faith element: low
LOVE FINDS YOU UNDER THE MISTLETOE Two heartwarming stories of Christmas
past and present An Appalachian Christmas By Irene Brand Once Upon a Christmas By Anita Higman ISBN
978-1-60936-004-4 Summerside Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
An Appalachian Christmas: All Julia plans to do is to
take her nephew to see his grandparents in Mistletoe, Kentucky. She doesn't figure the family doesn't know about the boy and
haven't been right since hearing of the death of their son. There is no other place to stay until the WW II veteran takes
her to his granny. Will Julia find what she's really looking for in Mistletoe or will she turn her back on what is offered?
A sweet story of healing and hope with characters, who, though they don't
always do everything right, are still characters of integrity and faith.
Once Upon A Christmas: Her mother left her on the store
stoop, but Holly was taken in and raised with love. Still she longs to know more about her mother. Her best friend Owen encourages
her search, which leads her to say “Yes” to a handsome author who wishes to write her story. Will Holly get the
answers she seeks or will she find she's overlooked the most obvious answer of all?
A sentimental story of love that brings all the elements of Christmas
together in a story of chances finally taken. Will the truth be spoken in time before love is lost forever?
Faith element: medium
CHRISTMAS AT HARRINGTON'S By Melody Carlson ISBN 978-0-8007-1925-8 Revell
Review by Cynthia Hickey
Lena Markham, convict, and ex-wife of a pastor. She's hit rock bottom and takes
the bus to a strange town. During the ride, she meets a pleasant woman who engages her in conversation, despite Lena's desire
to be left alone. She just wants to check into a hotel and show up for her new job on Monday. Her new job turns out to be
the least thing she expected. She's asked to be Mrs. Santa at the town's department store. Lena makes friends. Life is picking
up, until somebody from her past reveals her secret? Will Lena ever be able to have a new life with Christ at its center?
CHRISTMAS
AT HARRINGTON'S is destined to become a Christmas classic. One of those stories you pull out to read year-after-year. It isn't
only a story of Christmas, but one of new beginnings and forgiveness. Of justice and God's love.
High on the
faith scale.
A PRAIRIE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION 9 Historical Christmas Romances from
America's Great Plains ISBN 978-1-61626-004-0 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Casey Pitts
Looking for a nice short story to read on a wintry evening? The finest
authors of historical romance have joined together to warm your heart. In A PRAIRIE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION you will find
stories of widows finding a new life, young love blooming in a small town, and schoolteachers choosing marriage over career.
Love abounds in the Midwest. Here is a taste of my favorite from the collection.
Elizabeth and Joel are sharing their first Christmas outside the bustle
of the big city. She vows to make this holiday season a joyous one despite the cold and loneliness of the prairie. When Joel
mentions his favorite Christmas recipe, Elizabeth sets out to create this home-cooked comfort food. A beautiful story of one
women’s quest to show her devotion to her one true love. As an added bonus, the recipe is included following the story.
Each romance gives a glimpse of the late 1800’s on the Great Plains.
I recommend perusing the book jacket and selecting a story that fits your mood. I found it soothing to read an entire selection
in one sitting, and then choose another story the next day.
THE BLACKSMITH'S BRAVERY Ladies Shooting Club By Susan Page Davis ISBN
978-1-60260-796-5 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Vashti was a new creature in Christ, not a saloon girl anymore. She had
honest work, but needed more. She loved driving horses, and, when Griffin advertised for drivers, she wanted to apply. He
said, “No.” As the second best shot in the area, she was allowed to ride shotgun while she practiced how to drive
a coach and six in a set up in the parson's barn. Eventually, Griffin, who was also the town's blacksmith, relented and let
her drive. He couldn't tell her he worried about her getting hurt.
When robbers decide to target the stagecoach line, Griffin and Vashti
must work together to save the line, stop the robbers and stay safe. As they work more closely together, will Vashti's background
keep her from the love she thought never to have?
A story of second chances and a willingness to take a risk with driving
a stage and with love. THE BLACKSMITH'S BRAVERY offers characters you aren't ready to let go even when the story wraps up
and the final page is reached. Hope to read more stories about the Ladies Shooting Club.
Faith element: high
ONE LANE BRIDGE By Don Reid (Statler Brothers) ISBN 978-1-4347-6508-6 David
C Cook Reviewer Carrie Padgett
ONE LANE BRIDGE is a delightful look at what might happen when a thriving,
focused, Type-A, kind of guy experiences something that cannot be rationally explained.
Part fantasy, part contemporary fiction, ONE LANE BRIDGE tells the story
of J.D. Wickman. He’s happily married, a father, a dutiful son, a successful businessman. Or is he?
Someone is stealing business receipts. His daughter wants to quit college.
His wife is worried about J.D. and the distance he’s creating between them.
To clear his head one evening, J.D. goes for a drive in the country and
discovers a new reality that leaves him doubting himself, his faith, and his relationships. As J.D. strives to discover what
he must do, he learns that God’s plans are always good, even if the ending isn’t the hoped for happy resolution
with all the loose ends neatly tied up into a pretty bow. When God assigns us a role, we must obey, even if we don’t
understand how or why and even if our loved ones think we’re crazy.
Faith element: Low to moderate.
THE GOD HATER By Bill Myers ISBN 978-1-4391-5326-0 Howard
Books Reviewer Carrie Padgett
THE GOD HATER asks the question: What if an antagonistic atheist had
to play God? Would he develop an understanding of what God feels when He sees His children sin and turn away from Him? Or
would the pseudo-God become frustrated and turn his back on his creation before they reject him?
Nicholas Mackenzie doesn’t just destroy his philosophy student’s
beliefs in a caring Creator God; he takes pleasure in annihilating both the student and his/her Christian world view. Nicholas
has no friends except a fellow professor, Annie Brooks, and her son Rusty. Annie is a Christian and Nicholas enjoys
her company in spite of that.
Nicholas’s brother Travis has created a computer program that is
destined to fail unless Travis can convince Nicholas to enter the game as a Law Giver. Dubious, Nicholas agrees and finds
himself touched by characters who seem more real than the flesh and blood people by whom he’s surrounded.
Nicholas, Travis, Annie, and Rusty are all drawn into a web of virtual
reality, corporate wars, and bloodshed with implications that will forever change their families and their faith.
THE GOD HATER is fast-paced and thought provoking. I’m a bit skeptical
that a corporation would go to the lengths Myers describes to secure their proprietary software, but he did such a good job
making the virtual world real to me, that I can believe in the Evil Corporate Machine as well.
Faith element: High.
UNCERTAIN HEART Seasons of Redemption #2 By Andrea Boeshaar ISBN
978-1-61638-023-6 Realms: Strong Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Sarah wants more than small towns and farm life. It is 1866 and she goes
east to teach music. When the position doesn't materialize she takes a governess position to four children, whom she quickly
learns to love and who love her in return. The Captain's right hand man, Richard, is more than willing to help her get settled
and to be her friend. He'd like to be more. But he wants to go home to farm. Sara wants life in the city. Richard must remain
just a friend, doesn't he? When the captain shows interest, Sara must decide where her future truly lies. Will her heart be
broken in the process?
All that glitters really isn't gold, but sometimes it is difficult to
discern what that gold is, especially when dealing with human beings who are far from perfect. An historical romance that
takes us to Milwaukee, the dawning of the industrial age and the cut throat policies of the movers and shakers. Even here
God is at work in the lives of those who trust him—including Sara. Will she listen?
UNCERTAIN HEART is a continuation of the MaCabe family story. I'm looking
forward to the next book in the series.
Faith element: medium plus.
DIVINE APPOINTMENTS By Charlene Ann Baumbich ISBN 978-0-307-44472-1 WaterBrook
Press Reviewer Carrie Padgett
DIVINE APPOINTMENTS is not your typical women’s fiction. Part lit,
part fantasy, part romance; it’s the story of coincidences that turn out to be anything but. It’s the story of
a crisp woman and a tender man. One of the divinely arranged appointments is the relationship between an older widow who mentors
and encourages a younger divorcee. And it’s the story of a snow globe that pulses with living water.
Josie Brooks is a hard-charging career woman. Lyle Waters is a mid-level
manager for the insurance company that hires Josie as a consultant. She makes recommendations, including that the work force
be reduced. Lyle, whose management style is to encourage and build a team, has to layoff co-workers and friends. Barb is one
of the longtime employees who is let go. Marsha has been with the company less time, but she stays and even gets a promotion.
Josie is such a focused and goal driven person that she is rather unsympathetic
at first. But as her job and the layoffs unravel, she grows more self-aware and caring. Lyle enjoys his job, but the company
reorganization has him questioning what happened to his idealism and the philanthropic ambitions of his younger years. Marsha
is angry and bitter about her divorce, but because of Barb’s gentle encouragement, she finds a way to cope and eventually
forgive.
DIVINE APPOINTMENTS has a huge heart and Charlene Ann Baumbich does a
good job laying the groundwork for the chance happenings that are actually a sovereign God at work in the lives of His people.
The ending didn’t feel contrived, which could happen easily in a book all about coincidences.
Faith element: Moderate.
ALMOST HEAVEN By Chris Fabry ISBN 978-1-4143-157-5 Tyndale House
Review by Cynthia Hickey
Billy Alman loves music. Especially Gospel Bluegrass. He has suffered one debilitating
blow after another in his life, yet holds onto his faith like a dying man. When Billy loses his job at the local radio station,
he decides to follow his dream and build his own station. Billy is battled at every turn by evil supernatural forces. He perseveres,
confronts a horrible event from his childhood, and faces a triumph he could never have imagined.
ALMOST HEAVEN
is not only about the trials faced in the physical realm, but also the spiritual. While Billy searches for answers, so does
an angel assigned to protect him. Chris Fabry has written an honest, soul searching novel that digs deep into the heart and
keeps the reader turning the pages and cheering when Billy "see's the light".
High on the faith scale.
A MAN'S HEART By Lori Copeland ISBN 978-0-310-28985-2 Zondervan Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Jules turned Cruz, the love of her heart down, twice. Now that she's
ready to commit, he's not about to give her the chance to hurt him again. But when they are faced with the care of his sister's
children, the two need to deal with loss, parenting and their relationship. Will they learn from the mistakes not only of
their own past, but also from those of her parents' or will they let unforgiveness keep them from a future of healing, wholeness...and
love?
Forgiveness is a key theme of A MAN'S HEART. Copeland writes stubborn
very well. Through her all-to-real characters, she draws the truth home to each one of us. How often do we let hurt and unforgiveness
keep us from the blessings God has for us? Nicely wrapped up.
Faith element: medium
DINING WITH JOY A Low Country Romance By Rachel Hauck ISBN 978-1-59554-339-4 Thomas
Nelson Review by Cynthia Hickey
Joy Ballard took over her father's cooking show when he died as a favor to
him. Problem is: she can't cook. Not a lick. She can't even boil water without scorching the pan. And her secret is about
to be revealed. When handsome chef Luke Davis enters the picture and helps her during a cook-off, Joy thinks her problems
are solved. But how can she let Luke in on her secret without him hating her? The foodies are a close-knit group with strict
codes and Joy has broken every one of them.
After the loss of his restaurant, Luke is ecstatic to be cooking again
and doesn't see the clues pointing to his co-host's secret until the taping for the new season is well underway. Can he set
aside his love for her in order to expose her? Or keep his mouth shut and hope it doesn't backfire on him?
DINING
WITH JOY is a heart-warming, often hilarious story of hidden secrets, learning to say no, and knowing when to follow God's
will. The book includes several delightful recipes for the reader to try at home.
High on the faith scale.
DRAGONS OF THE VALLEY By Donita K Paul ISBN 978-1-4000-7340-5 WaterBrook
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
The Grawl is loose in the country, leading soldiers from an enemy nation
into the country. Only no one knows what this creature is other than he is intelligent and very dangerous.
The danger to the country takes Princess Tipper, her artist friend, the
wizard and others on a journey to save the country. But will the statues they've taken be re-assembled in time to keep the
land from coming apart and Tipper's father, the sculpture of the special statues, from doing the same?
DRAGONS OF THE VALLEY, with all the interesting characters, settings
and a plot of danger and war, draws the reader back into Donita's world of dragons, wizardry and positive magic. Harry Potter's
world is a pale imitation of the world created by Donita K Paul, a world with a Christian world view.
LOVE IS GRAND A Walk in the Park #3 By Annalisa Daughety ISBN
978-1-60260-693-7 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
For two years since the death of her husband at the Grand Canyon, Ainsley
has been trying to deal with Brad's loss as well as raise their daughter. But it is time to return to a job as a ranger at
the Grand Canyon. She doesn't realize fears of losing her daughter, of the trails and canyons she used to love are keeping
her from moving on, from living her life.
Two men enter her life, good men. One tries to protect her and keep her
safe. The other, an old and dear friend, tries to help move beyond her fear. Both are men worthy of love, but can Ainsley
see beyond her need to begin to trust God with her life, her daughter and her future?
The story creates characters we'd like to meet and get to know, characters
with real problems that play out in how they interact with one another. It is a story that shows how God changes heart, lives
and the future when we trust Him. A sweet romance of challenge, trust, faith...and love.
Faith element: medium to high
BETSY'S RETURN Brides of Lehigh Canal #2 By Wanda E Brunstetter ISBN
978-1-60260-891-7 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Casey Pitts
Betsy Nelson moves to a small Pennsylvania town to care for her aging
father, pastor of the local church. William has come to replace the retiring pastor and escape a life of complication
and deep pain. The two must reconcile their expectations with the reality God places before them.
Brunstetter beautifully captivates the reader with compassion for both
of her lead characters. The interaction between Betsy and her father is precious. I especially appreciate the perspective
of the dashing young William as he wrestles with love lost and the emotions he feels about each person he encounters. Even
the glimpse of small town life reflects the bonds of friendship we experience in families, churches, and neighborhoods as
we work through struggles together.
Whether you face transition of moving to a new town, welcoming a new
family member, or a shift of roles in the workplace, this story will minister to your heart.
Faith Element: High
WRANGLER IN PETTICOATS Sophie's Daughters #2 By Mary Connealy ISBN
978-1-60260-147-5 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Sally just wants to get to her sister Mandy before Mandy has her baby.
What she doesn't figure on is having the party with whom she's traveling bushwhacked. Though left for dead, Sally is
rescued not by the stand up cowboy she's used to, but by a painter, of all things.
As the artist and Wise Sister tend her wounds, Sally has to deal with
the sort of man she always imagined she'd fall for and this artist who seems vulnerable, distracted with his work and strong
all at the same time.
Whatever the attraction, Sally needs to get to her sister. When the three
realize the bushwhackers are on the hunt for the-one-that-got-away and who just might identify them, they have to make plans.
Will they be able to evade the outlaws long enough for rescue Sally knows is in the way?
Another frontier story with rugged women as well as men, with deep faith
and hearts as caring as the great outdoors. A story that continues the stories of Sophie's Daughters, wraps one romance, and
readies the reader for the next in the series. WRANGLER IN PETTICOATS, like her other books, laces her frontier romance with
honesty, faith and more than a touch of humor.
Faith element: medium
NIPPED IN THE BUD Hometown Mysteries By Susan Sleeman ISBN
978-60260-573-2 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Paige Turner has returned to her home town to open a gardening enterprise.
The store is going well as is her radio show on gardening. But when she ends up in a public altercation with the city manager
about her job for the city in the city park, things take a turn for the worse. Paige later finds that same city manager buried
in the area she's been landscaping.
Everything points to her and the sheriff, still carrying a grudge from
high school days, would like nothing more than to slap her in jail. Her handsome lawyer isn't going to let that happen. Nor
is her best friend or Paige herself. But will Paige be able to unravel all the threads before the real killer decides she
also needs to be pushing up Daisies?
A light-heart mystery romance entrenched with flowering plants, information
and gardening advice Paige's radio listeners seem to get all wrong.
Faith element: medium
DON'T LOOK BACK Women of Justice #2 Lynette Eason ISBN 978-0-8007-3370-4 Revell Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Jamie has come a long way from the horrors of her past. But when she
begins finding new bodies being uncovered, she comes to a horrifying conclusion. As her past becomes her nightmarish present
can even her family and the man who seeks to protect her, do so without the loss of their own lives.
Mystery, suspense, faith and love collide in this story of a faith not
in the absence of pain and horror, but in the midst of it. Some nice twists right to the end.
Faith element: high
MAKING WAVES Lake Manawa Summers By Lorna Seistad ISBN 978-0-8007-3445-9 Revell Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Marguerite is excited when her father decides they will spend the summer
of 1895 at Iowa's Lake Manawa. The elite set up elaborate tents with all the comforts of home. Marguerite wants only to escape
the confinements put on the women of her time. She also wishes to escape the attentions of the suitor, Robert, foisted on
her by her mother.
What Marguerite doesn't figure on is being entranced by sailing or finding
herself drawn to the captain of the sailing vessel—Trip Andrews. But when her father's fortunes go south, can Marguerite
save them all by sacrificing her future or will she learn that the truth really does set one free?
The author draws us into a particular time and place where women were
just starting to break out of restrictive shackles of proper behavior. Marguerite is a breath of fresh air with her miss-steps,
determination, vitality...and life. She drags the reader into the heart of the era, the heart of the story and into the a
lesson in faith and truth...and love.
Historical romance readers will like this story.
Faith element: high
THE MAYAN APOCALYPSE By Mark Hitchcock and Alton Ganskly ISBN 978-0-7369-3055-0 Harvest
House Publishers Review by Cynthia Hickey
The world is on edge. For centuries scientists have studied the
Mayan prophecies regarding December 21, 2012. The countdown has begun. Andrew Morgan, rich, handsome, successful owner of
a prosperous oil company believes all the hype. After losing his family in a tragic accident, he can't believe in a loving
God. Beautiful reporter of an online Christian newspaper, Lisa Campbell doesn't.
The prophecies don't line up with the Bible. Yet, natural disasters are
occurring at an alarming rate. Who has the correct theory, Andrew or Morgan? And can their burgeoning love survive two opposite
beliefs? Especially when Morgan is investing millions of dollars to insure his survival when the world as they know it, ends?
THE
MAYAN APOCALYPSE is not just another "end of time" novel. It is a romantic adventure that leads two people to search their
hearts and souls for truth.
High on the faith scale.
LOVE FINDS YOU IN DEADWOOD SOUTH DAKOTA By Tracey Cross ISBN 1-60936-003-0 Summerside
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Jane just wanted to keep her homestead for herself and her son. Her husband
was less than what she'd hoped for, but knowing that was better than discovering, on his death, he'd left her deeply in debt
to Franklin. Franklin wants her land. Jane plans to work off her debt any decent way she can, even taking a load of supplies
to Deadwood—for Franklin's competitor. What she didn't figure on was that Bedlow was not a decent man, was not going
to allow Jane to work off her debt and would do anything to keep her close.
Can Jane figure out a way to protect herself and her son before the unthinkable
happens? Will her bull-headed stubbornness keep her from the love and future God has for her?
A story ripe with all the flavor and rowdiness of the Old West, with
bad women with good hearts, good men needing a little nudge and those willing to stand up for good even in the face of incredible
odds.
Faith element: low
FINDING JEENA By Miralee Ferrell ISBN 978-0-8254-2645-2 Kregel
Publications Review by Cynthia Hickey
Jeena Gregory has accomplished the goals she's set for herself.
She's risen above the poverty of her childhood; owns her own home, has a good paying job, a boyfriend, nice car. Then it all
comes tumbling down. The boyfriend chooses someone else, the job was too good to be true, and Jeena finds herself in the last
place she would have ever thought.
But the God she turned away from has a plan. Through the difficulties
of living a life she once despised, Jeena's eyes are opened and she learns the hard way what is really important in life.
FINDING
JEENA is a story of growth, maturity, and taking the long road to life's important lessons. It is a story of not judging someone
by the outside, but the way God sees them.
High on the faith scale.
CHARLOTTE FIGG TAKES OVER PARADISE By Joyce Magnin ISBN 978-1-4267-0766-7 Abingdon
Press Reviewer Clint Walker
Charlotte Figg's husband is dead. In order to escape her grief, her loneliness,
and her complicated feelings about her husband, Charlotte decides to buy a trailer.
Paradise Trailer Park is full of surprises. Residents of Paradise Trailer
Park are friendly, but a little odd. As Charlotte becomes involved in the lives of her neighbors, she uncovers long-held secrets.
Will Charlotte be able to keep the secrets of the people in Paradise
Trailer Park? Will she be able to get a motley crew of earthy gals to bond into a softball team that can actually win a game?
Will she be able to discover the new life she is seeking to find after the death of her husband?
This book is humorous, earthy, and fun. It is not as blatantly evangelistic
as some other Christian novels, but it does chronicle one woman’s slow journey toward faith in the midst of chaos of
real life drama and trauma. CHARLOTTE FIGG TAKES OVER PARADISE is one of the best inspirational novels I have ever read.
Faith element: Medium.
YESTERDAY'S PROMISE By Linda Lee Chaikin ISBN 978-0-307-45875-9 WaterBrook
Press Reviewer Casey Pitts
South Africa beckons to Rogan Chantry though Evy, the woman he loves,
remains in England. Rogan follows a mysterious map left behind by his murdered uncle, Henry Chantry, only to find that tribal
tension, colonial expansion, and Christian missionaries fill every corner of the nation.
While he leads a small group of men, Evy faces Henry Chantry’s
killer. Can they fulfill the promise to be reunited despite the dangers? Two worlds collide in ways that are surprising and
delightful.
Evy endears the heart as she struggles with this unique long distance
relationship. I found the supporting characters intriguing, although unfamiliar cultural names were a bit confusing at times.
Historical fiction fans will enjoy Chaikin’s style in presenting
a beautiful love story in an accurate historical backdrop. Catch a glimpse the life of early missionaries to Africa as the
Word of truth shines brightly in the midst of 1800’s superstitions and clever portrayals of African tribal culture.
Faith Element: moderate to high
EMBERS OF LOVE Striking a Match #1 By Tracie Peterson ISBN 978-0-7642-0612-2 Bethany
House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Deborah has studied business in order to assist her Texas family with
their logging business. After graduation, she returns home with her best friend Lizzie who is escaping a marriage she does
not want. Only “home” has changed...or Deborah has. She values education and feels guilt for wishing more for
her life than taking care of the family books. The new town doctor doesn't look down on her for her college education. He
sees in her the desire for medical knowledge, but he has his own problems when no one in town wants to use his services.
Lizzie, with all her education, is delighted to learn housekeeping skills,
skills that would horrify her suffragette mother. She is even more motivated by the response of Deborah's brother G.W. But
their lives are about to get more tangled that they are already with confusing expectations and assumptions. Will the young
women be able to trust God for the best future of all, one filled with hope...and love?
Tracie takes the reader back to the 1880s as her smooth style and genuine
characters draw the reader into the story.
EMBERS OF LOVE is a very promising beginning to Tracie's new series Striking
a Match.
Faith element: medium
FOR TIME AND ETERNITY The Sister Wife Series By Allison Pittman ISBN
978-1-4143-3596-2 Tyndale House Review by Cynthia Hickey
As an only child, Camilla Deardon is lonely.
Then she hears singing from those camped by the river. Those Mormons who people in town despise because of their beliefs.
But they can't be bad, can they? Especially when one of them is the most handsome boy Camilla has ever seen and he says he
loves her. He tells her stories of Zion and her heart leaps at his words. When she is forbidden to see Nathan, Camilla runs
away with him to Utah and is disowned by her family.
Life is perfect with her husband and her daughters, until Nathan brings
home another wife. Camilla seeks for answers in the Bible and can't accept the new life Nathan is asking her to live. Can
she give up love for truth?
FOR TIME & ETERNITY is a contemporary women's fiction about love and tough choices.
A woman's heartbreaking search for answers.
High on the faith scale.
STARS IN THE NIGHT By Cara C Putman ISBN 978-1-60936-011-5 Summerside
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Attorney Audra Shaeffer couldn't wait to try her first case, not something
often afforded women attorneys during WW II years. But when her sister who's trying to make it in Hollywood doesn't call,
she knows something is very wrong. Audra has no idea when she heads west that she'll be dealing not with the glitz and glamor
of Hollywood, but with the very nasty underbelly of Hollywood.
Will Audra be able to discover who murdered her sister or will she find
herself just another complication?
STARS IN THE NIGHT sets such a rich scene, the reader “feels”
the Hollywood of the times. The characters have dimension and depth. The mystery pulls the reader along into evil, danger
and murder. Nicely done. Nice wrap up.
Faith element: low medium
THE GATHERING STORM Zion Diaries By Bodie & Brock Thoene ISBN
978-1-60936-033-7 Summerside Press Reviewer Cynthia Hickey
As Nazis swarm across Europe, Loralei Kepler,
daughter of missionaries, finds herself fleeing before a storm of fire and death. With her father, her sister, and a handful
of orphans, they must make it to England before they succumb to the evil sweeping the land. Loralei receives a telegram saying
her husband died on the front line and despair threatens to engulf her. She can't give up. Others are relying on her. Who
is the man in the metal mask? Who is Eben who is everywhere and nowhere? What is this mysterious man's secret and why doesn't
Loralei's heart stay fixated on the danger and not on love?
THE GATHERING STORM is an adventure, a romance, a
fantasy, a tale of God's love for His people. With each turn of the page, the reader is thrust into the horror that was Hitler's
reign before America entered the war. It is the story of a love that spans generations.
High on the faith scale
LONG TIME COMING By Vanessa Miller ISBN 978-1-4267-0768-1 Abingdon
Press Reviewer Carrie Padgett
In LONG TIME COMING, Vanessa Miller has written a tale of two women,
as different on the outside as they can be, but both in need of healing.
Kenisha is angry and bitter and she has every right to be. She’s
been molested, abused, and neglected. She has three children from three fathers. She has terminal cancer. She is twenty-three
years old.
Deidre is happily married, with a fulfilling career and a nice home.
But empty bedrooms and an empty womb rob her of contentment. She also keeps a secret from her husband, afraid of what would
happen if he knew the full truth about their infertility.
Kenisha and Deidre’s paths cross and each learns valuable lessons
from the other.
Miller tells her story without overt sentimentality. Readers will take
this journey with Kenisha and Deidre all the way to the final scene, a testament to God’s healing grace and forgiveness.
Faith element: High
A SIMPLE AMISH CHRISTMAS By Vennetta Chapman ISBN 978-1-4267-1066-7 Abingdon
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
When Annie left her Amish community to live with her aunt, she left because
she felt a restlessness. But returning to help take care of her father after a serious accident raised questions, too. Could
she use her nursing skills in her own community? Should she even confess she'd gotten her nursing certification?
It is hard to keep her mouth closed when Samuel, who is the closest her
Amish community has to a doctor, treats her like a stupid child. That changes when her skills are called upon and she and
Samuel find they make a good medical team. But can there ever be more when Samuel still blames himself for the death of his
wife and child?
A story that doesn't hide the reality of life or choices. A story that
shows the strength of community and the healing brought by care, concern and love. A sweet romance that brings Christmas close
into a circle of love.
Faith element: low
WHEN THE DEVIL WHISTLES By Rick Acker ISBN 978-1-4267-0767-4 Abingdon
Press Reviewer Keith Scheidies
In WHEN THE DEVIL WHISTLES, Acker brings his expertise as an attorney
to this story about a professional whistleblower who uncovers fraud perpetrated on the state. Attorney Connor Norman represents
the whistleblower, Allie Whitman, in negotiations between the Department of Justice and the corporation that Allie claims
has defrauded the government.
Acker follows separate threads he skillfully weaves together into a unified
whole of suspense and intrigue. Along the way Acker “paints” Allie and Conner into several several impossible
“corners,” that takes imagination and innovation to escape the situations.
WHEN THE DEVIL WHISTLES begins with state fraud and widens into international
intrigue.
WHEN THE DEVIL WHISTLES is highly recommended.
Faith element: medium
I SHALL NOT WANT The Psalm Mysteries By Debbie Viguié ISBN 978-1-4267-0190-0 Abingdon
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Secretary of First Shepherd Church, Cindy finds herself helping out,
along with many others including Rabbi Jeremiah of the Synagogue, next to her church, at a charity event at the home of member
Joseph Tyler. With his love of dogs and his desire to help the homeless, he has put together a concept of matching a dog with
a homeless person.
Great concept and it wasn't only the homeless drawn to the needy animals.
But the event is marred when Cindy discovers Joseph's assistant—dead and one of Joseph's prize pups gone. So begins
a mystery of disappearing dogs and murder that entangles both Cindy and Jeremiah. Will they be able to figure out why the
dogs are disappearing before someone else is murdered?
As in the first book, the bodies pile up as Cindy uncovers clue after
clue. Add in some incentive to read future books, and a nicely wrapped ending and you have a mystery I couldn't put down.
With this book in the series, the author has found her stride with both
story and characters. Much better than the first in the series THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD. If you like puzzles, clues and mysteries,
you'll like I SHALL NOT WANT.
Faith element: low
THE VOYAGE OF PROMISE Grace in Africa #2 By Kay Marshall Strom ISBN
978-1-4267-8212-9 Abingdon Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Grace was at peace with life. She and her fellow Africans had prevailed
against the slave compound and won. Only it was a peace that could not last. The slavers came again, this time there is no
escape as her family is destroyed and her heart is taken away in chains.
Her chains are of another kind, when the evil slaver who once sought
her hand in marriage, has very different plans for her this time. But on the ship headed for London, Grace finds solace in
God's Word and determines she will not be enslaved and she will find her husband bound for the Americas. But what can a black
woman with few resources do to make her determination become a reality?
How easy for even Christians to make excuses for their behavior with
regard to things like slavery. How absolutely evil!
A story of immense courage, faith and strength with characters and situations
that will haunt your nights. Reading the truth about the slave trade isn't easy, not even in a fictional story. While not
an “easy” read, THE VOYAGE OF PROMISE is a good read. The ending is only a pause before the conclusion of this
series in the next book.
This is a series that should be read with humility and prayer.
Faith element: present, but low
CATCHING MOONDROPS Fireflies in December #1, Cottonwood Whispers
#2, this novel #3 By Jennifer Erin Valent ISBN 978-1-4143-3327-4 Tyndale House Reviewed by Cynthia Hickey
Jessilyn
Lassiter is no stranger to racism. In 1938, Calloway County, Virginia, racism runs rampant and slaps her in the face every
time she walks out her front door. With her family having raised a girl of color, Jessilyn wants everyone to see past the
color of a person's skin. Although Jessilyn's heart is in the right place, deep within her is a seed of hatred and rage that
begins to fester and threaten her romance with Luke Talley.
When the Klan commits an unthinkable act, Jessilyn's
hatred threatens to explode and put everyone she holds dear in danger. She wants nothing to do with a God that turns His back
and allows such horrible thngs to happen. It isn't until she, herself, is faced with a difficult moral act of forgiveness
that Jessilyn sees the threat to her soul, and that maybe she isn't any better than the ones who took her friend.
CATCHING
MOONDROPS is the most gut-wrenching, heart-wringing, wonderful story of forgiveness I have ever read. There is a permanent
spot for this book on my bookshelf. Jennifer Erin Valent has a new fan.
High on the faith scale.
THE HOMECOMING By Dan Walsh ISBN 978-0-8007-3389-6 Revell Reviewer
Carrie Padgett
THE HOMECOMING in the title is bittersweet. Shawn Collins returns home
to his young son and aging father after being shot down over Europe in World War II. His wife was killed in a car accident
at the same time Shawn was escaping German patrols and making his way across the North Sea.
The war effort needs the grieving pilot and Shawn reluctantly leaves
Patrick to travel with a war bond tour. The only thing that makes the trip bearable is knowing Patrick and his father are
being cared for two special women: their neighbor, Mrs. Fortini, and Katherine Townsend, a new friend Patrick made through
a social services agency while Shawn traveled home from England.
Katherine has loved Patrick since she first met him when his mother died
and his grandfather took him in. She is also drawn to Patrick’s father, but Shawn is firm about keeping their relationship
professional, for Patrick’s sake.
Eventually, Shawn realizes that his devotion and anguish for his dead
wife are keeping him from a second chance at love.
THE HOMECOMING is a warm and comforting story of trust in God and perseverance
in the face of adversity. It will welcome your heart home.
Faith element: High
THE BISHOP By Steven James ISBN 978-0-8007-3302-5 Revell Reviewer
Keith Scheidies
Means, motive and opportunity. Mystery fans have often heard this triad
referenced as a method of tracking down killers and eliminating suspects. FBI Special Agent, Patrick Bowers, follows a completely
different method. His method reflects those of real estate agents, location, location, location, as he studies patterns the
killers follow.
Steven James' THE BISHOP, is a story with several levels. It is mystery
suspense thriller on one level. On another, it's the story of a man's love for his stepdaughter and their variable relationship. On another level, THE BISHOP is an educational analysis of literature
from Sherlock Holmes and Shakespeare to Jekyll and Hyde. On still another level, it is a theological/philosophical examination
of the nature of good and evil within humankind.
James does an excellent job of bringing all the levels of the story together
into a cohesive whole that keeps the reader hooked to the very end when the reader, finally, understands the title.
Faith element: medium
IT HAD TO BE YOU Weddings By Bella #3 By Janice Thompson ISBN
978-0-8007-3344-5 Revell books Reviewer Clint Walker
IT HAD TO BE YOU is a Christian romance, and the third in the series
of novels entitled WEDDINGS BY BELLA. Bella is a young woman who has a full-time job as the owner of her own wedding planning
business. As the novel begins, business is booming for her in area around Galveston, TX.
The wedding that Bella is focused on coordinating in IT HAD TO BE YOU
has more of a personal twist than most. Her father’s older brother Lazerro is marrying her mother’s older sister
Rosa in a swing-era Italian styled wedding complete with the hits from Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra playing at the reception.
At the same time as she is coordinating this wedding, she is beginning to plan her own wedding to D.J., who is a down home
South Texas cowboy. Thus, the novel incorporates many of the cultural uniqueness of Bella’s Italian heritage and her
Texan upbringing.
Much of the tension in the novel revolves around a man named Sal, whom
the groom asks to be his best man. Sal is reputed to be a mobster, and is vocal about his disdain for religion. Lazerro asks
Sal to be his best man in the hope that the wedding will be an opportunity for him to lead Sal to Christ. He even goes so
far as to train Sal’s parrot to recite verses and sing hymns while he is babysitting him, which is something Sal does
not seem too pleased about.
Throughout the novel, Sal seems enigmatic and mysterious. Will he bring
trouble with him to this blessed event? Will he drive a wedge between Laz and Rosa? Or will Sal be moved to accept Jesus as
Lord and Savior? Read and see!
Faith element: High.
THE HOUSE ON MALCOLM STREET By Leisha Kelly ISBN 978-0-8007-3326-5 Revell Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
A young widow in the 1920s, Leah has no place for herself and her daughter
to go but to her Aunt Marigold, who takes in the hurting woman. But Aunt Marigold also has another boarder, Josiah, who wants
nothing to do with Leah or her pain. He has his own hurts. But Marigold and Marigold's God won't let either Leah and Josiah
live with hurt and pain and guilt. Will Leah and Josiah allow God to work a healing in their lives?
A book of deep hurts and the power of love. A story not so much of romance,
but of coming to understand God's love through the love of others. Moving.
Faith element: very high
PEARL IN THE SAND Biblical Fiction By Tessa Afshar ISBN 978-0-8024-5881-0 Moody
Publishers Review by Cynthia Hickey
With a childhood of poverty within the walls of Jericho, Rahab is sold
into prostitution by her father at the age of fifteen. Rahab poses one condition; that she pick the men she must give her
body too in order to succumb to as few men as possible. As her first "suitor" casts her away after three months, Rahab begins
to believe she is unloveable and prepares for her future by owning an inn in addition to her other activities.
When
two spies from the Israel army arrive in Jericho, she takes them in and hides them. She's heard of their God and wants to
know more. The gods of Canaan had let her down too many times. Her heart is convicted at their story and she helps them escape
if they promise to protect her family when their army attacks. They agree. Rahab and her family are safe and go to live among
the Isrealites. There, Rahab meets Salmone, a handsome soldier. Can she forgive herself as God has forgiven her and accept
the love that is offered?
PEARL IN THE SAND is a story of forgiveness, redemption, and our worth in the eyes
of God. It shows how God can use the lowest person to save His people.
High on the faith scale.
HER ABUNDANT JOY Texas Star of Destiny By Lyn Cote ISBN 0-06-137342-8 Avon
Inspire Reviewer Carrie Padgett
Lyn Cote finishes her Texas: Star of Destiny series with HER ABUNDANT
JOY and it’s a fine and fitting farewell to a beloved family of the Texas frontier.
Carson Quinn is a Texas Ranger, used to war and fighting, but longing
for peace and stability. He’s returning home from a cousin’s wedding, hurt and angry by a betrayal.
Mariel Wolffe is a young German widow immigrant. The settlers she travels
with cross paths with the tall and powerful Ranger. His family takes her in when her fellow travelers turn their backs on
her and begin to spread malicious gossip.
As their feelings deepen, Mariel learns to see herself as a beloved child
of God. Carson lets go of the hurts of the past. But war will never leave a Ranger alone and sure enough, it comes calling
at the Quinn ranchero.
Cote’s research into the period never overshadows her excellent
story. Her characters are a bit too progressive for 1846 Texas, nevertheless, their actions and speech sound authentic and
seem true to their created natures.
HER ABUNDANT JOY is an abundantly good read.
Faith element: Moderate
SECRETS OF HARMONY GROVE By Mindy Starns Clark ISBN 978-0-7369-2625-6 Harvest
House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Sienna was on top of her game. She'd brought big business into the company
who'd lured her away from her old company with promises of large income and new opportunities. But when the owners tell her
she's under government investigation, she's devastated and that is only the beginning of the disasters that befall her. When
she checks out her Bed & Breakfast she thought was doing well, the horrors continue.
Can Sienna uncover secrets old and new before those she loves are hurt
or worse? And why, when she loves Heath, does her heartbeat quicken when she's with the detective on the case?
A mystery with lots of twists that kept me reading even when I should
have been doing other things.
The World War II element is especially haunting.
NURSING A GRUDGE Hometown Mysteries By Chris Well ISBN 978-1-60260-344-8 Barbour
Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Jenny just wanted to get the grouchy Mr. Walker out of his room at the
home. She had no idea she's leading them both into a journey of murder, discovery and danger. But will Mr. Walker hide back
in his room or will finding the truth draw him not only out of his room and his shell, but also draw him back to life and
to considering the God he believes deserted him?
A mystery that revolves around choices made and not made and the determination
to discover the truth at any cost. Fun characters and a plot that seems to ramble...or maybe not.
Faith element: medium
ADVENT OF A MYSTERY By Marilyn Leach ISBN 978-1-60260-569-5 Barbour
Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Birdie is the wife of the English village vicar. She doesn't have time
for her old work as an investigative reporter. Or she didn't until one of their members is murdered and the wrong man is accused
of doing the deed. Birdie and her sidekick friend Lillie follow up on clues, getting so close that their lives are put into
danger. Can Birdie crack the case and bring the murderer to justice before time runs out?
An English cozy, high in mystery puzzle and low in emotional involvement.
It is a fun cozy with all the required eccentric characters, unexpected twists and an ending that jolts the reader.
A good read.
Note: I was dismayed to find the use of the word Kismet, an Islamic word
dealing with fate, in this book from Barbour.
SECOND CHANCE BRIDES Texas Boardinghouse Brides By Vickie McDonough ISBN
978-1-60260-648-7 Barbour Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Shannon and Leah were drawn to the small Texas town by two brothers,
Mark and Garrett, trying to help their cousin find a bride. But he chose his long-lost love instead, leaving the two women
embarrassed and without resources. Now they have to discover what God has in store for them. Could He have something better?
When Shannon falls for one of the brothers, will she find herself humiliated
all over again? And Leah, how can God offer her hope only to add the one thing she never wanted—children? Will these
two women wait for God's best?
Will love and romance triumph over humiliation and past pain as the women
learn to trust and rely on God's direction? Can they trust that God really does know best?
A book with some interesting twists in the journey to letting go, letting
God and finding God's best in the love department.
Faith element: medium
THE BRIDGE OF PEACE An Ada House Novel By Cindy Woodsmall ISBN
978-1-4000-7397-9 WaterBrook Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Lena, Old Order Amish, has a blemished face. Though she loves teaching,
there are those seeking to humiliate her and take away what she loves so much—her teaching job. Why can't anyone see
beyond her face to the heart that beats with love, a heart that longs for just one man to do more than either pity or
turn away?
When a series of school “accidents” ends in tragedy, will
Lena give in to the pain that separates her or will she reach out, one more time, to find the future God has for her?
A story with threads from the previous book THE HOPE OF REFUGE. Some
of those threads grow deeper and richer, other threads find resolution. THE BRIDGE OF PEACE takes us deep into the Amish culture
and deep into the heart of humankind.
While this sequel can be read alone, the story flows much better and
with more comprehension when read in conjunction with the previous book.
Faith element: low to medium
JUDGMENT DAY By Wanda L Dyson ISBN 978-1-4000-7475-4 WaterBrook
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Marcus and Alexandra are on the case of missing teens when a former college
girlfriend Suzanne, a less than ethical investigative reporter, is charged with murder.
Her attorney insists Marcus and Alex are the only ones for who have
the skills to clear her. But taking the job takes a dangerous turn when the body count rises and Marcus and Alex find themselves
finding ties to some very powerful people. Will they be able to clear Suzanne, discover who set her up and find the missing
teens before one of them becomes another number on the body count?
Nice balance of characters and plot that draws the reader in. More puzzle
and suspense than mystery, JUDGMENT DAY offers ethical detectives who'll go the distance to uncover the truth and a client
who discovers that faith may be her only way out. A good read.
Faith element: medium to high
CHOSEN The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther By Ginger Garrett ISBN
978-1-4347-6801-8 David C Cook Reviewer Clint Walker
With the book CHOSEN, Ginger Garrett retells the story of Esther for
modern readers in a way that is accessible and gripping. She succeeds in her quest. Although Esther's world and culture is
far removed from ours, Garrett gives her a voice that makes sense to modern Americans.
One must assume in Biblical fiction that authors have to fill in a lot
of gaps. Authors like Garrett write novels of two hundred pages that have 10-20 pages in original source material. A lot of
imagination is required to write these books, but it is also essential that the author remain true to the Biblical text. CHOSEN
does this with great adeptness and skill.
In addition to putting her novel in its proper Biblical context, Garrett
goes to great lengths to put the narrative of Esther in the proper historical context. She does this ingeniously by creating
a narrative around Esther’s narrative where archaeologists discover her “lost diaries”. The Introduction
alludes to the parallels between the Holocaust and what almost happened to the Jewish people in Esther.
As I read this book I kept going back to Scripture, rereading the story
to understand the Biblical history better in light of the novel. As a pastor, I was inspired to think about preaching this
story, and given some ideas on how to do it. I commend the book highly.
Faith element: High.
WITH HEARTS AND HYMNS AND VOICES By Pam Rhodes ISBN 978-0-8254-975-3 Kregel
Publications: Monarch Books Review by Cynthia Hickey
The BBC is looking for the perfect Suffolk village to
host Palm Sunday's "Songs of Praise" program. They settle on Sandford, and the peaceful village is turned upside down. Many
are excited for the opportunity to feature their hometown, others fear the disruption and do everything possible to throw
a wrench into the plans. Until they see the progress being made and how the program touches hearts.
From the
vicar Clive, to an angry teen with the voice of an angel, Sanford grabs the hearts of readers and draws them into the quirkiness
of small village life. With a roller-coaster of emotion, the reader sees into the soul of a small English village and emerges
changed.
WITH HEARTS AND HYMNS AND VOICES is the story of togetherness, faith, and forgiveness. High on the faith
scale.
MISSING MABEL Hometown Mysteries By Nancy Mehl ISBN 978-1-60260-398-1 Barbour
Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Hilde felt called to prepare the hair of the departed for their funeral.
She works for several funeral homes in Wichita. While on the job, she enters the wrong room and finds a woman different from
the one she came to prepare. She moves on with a shrug. But when the woman with the same name does require her services, Hilde
realizes this woman is not the same woman she'd stumbled onto by accident, not the same woman at all. Her attempts to discover
the truth lead to new friendships, good advice and danger she never saw coming.
A fun, romance mystery with big enough print not to strain the eyes and
with characters I hope to meet again. I kept reading just “one more chapter.”
Faith element: medium
ANGEL SONG By Sheila Walsh & Kathryn Cushman ISBN 978-1-59554-685-2 Thomas
Nelson Reviewed by Cynthia Hickey
Annie Fletcher returns to Charleston to celebrate with her sister, Sarah,
as Sarah is getting her master's degree. Tragedy strikes and Annie is left alone with her sister's last haunting words. As
Annie heads to her childhood home to make arrangements, she is thrust into the famous southern hospitality of neighbors. Even
more confusing is the boy next door with Down's Syndrome who constantly speaks of angels and draws pictures of the heavenly
beings surrounding Annie.
Annie doesn't have time for religion and fantasy. With a promising job in New York,
she just wants to sell her sister's house and get back to her real life. What she isn't prepared for is the emerging love
she feels for the handsome man who insists on doing her heavy repairs, or Annie's growing fondness to the little boy who sees
angels.
ANGEL SONG is a tale of supernatural forces at work in a woman's life. The story shows how God can reveal
himself through song, angels, and the love of community.
High on the faith scale.
A SUITOR FOR JENNY A Rocky Creek Romance By Margaret Brownley ISBN
978-1-59554-810-8 Thomas Nelson Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Jenny just wanted what was best for her two sisters—she'd promised
their father. The news article said that Rocky Creek had lots of wealthy bachelors. But that isn't at all what Jenny finds.
Something is very wrong indeed. What a mistake!
Jenny draws the ire of the townsfolk with her business-like approach
to marriage until even her sisters rebel. Her own heart rebels against her choice to remain single because of a secret she
won't tell anyone, but which gives her nightmares.
Can God get through to Jenny and work in the lives of three very different
women to provide just the grooms HE has planned for them? A story that deals with hurt, wrong choices and forgiveness with
sensitivity and love.
Old West, misplaced ladies, romance, faith, a theme of God's forgiveness
and humor is a recipe for a good read. Good book for that relaxing afternoon.
Faith element: medium
HER DAUGHTER'S DREAM Conclusion to the first book Her Mother's Hope By
Francine Rivers ISBN 978-1-4143-3409-7 Tyndale House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
This book takes up where HER MOTHER'S HOPE leaves off. Only now new generations
become entangled in the generational misunderstanding and hurt. Can one more generation “see” the problems and
be the bridge to bring the generations together?
From Germany to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury to war, generations of
the family feel marginalized and unloved, which leads to some very bad choices. Along comes a product of one of those choices—May
Flower Dawn. Though she suffers her own hurts and makes her own bad choices, Dawn finds redemption and in that redemption
seeks to bring the older generations together. Will she be able to do so or will her efforts lead to further and permanent
alienation?
Taking up the family saga in the 50's and bringing it to the present
day, Rivers weaves a story that is full and rich and cathartic. In this two book series, there is so much. Amazing how Rivers
has been able to tell a multi-generational story and draw it all together in two--long--books. Of course, I was tearing up
and swallowing hard at the end.
Not an easy read, but worth the effort. Can read this one alone, but
much better to read both books to get the whole story.
This would make a wonderful mini-series.
Faith element: high
REINVENTING RACHEL By Alison Strobel ISBN 978-1-4347-6774-5 David
C Cook Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Dedicated Christian, Rachel, all about righteousness and rewards, has
no idea what to do or where God is when her world crumbles. Confused about her life and faith, she leaves everything behind
to start a new life in Chicago only to find problems haven't left her behind.
As Rachel explores her new life, a life without God and what others believe,
she finds herself searching for the Truth. Will she find it before she loses what is most important of all—herself?
A story that explores different paths to God and how traditions and rules
of Christianity can mask the real thing—a love relationship with Christ.
Not an easy, shallow read, but one that can make a difference.
Faith element: medium to high
THE MAILBOX By Marybeth Whalen ISBN 978-0-7814-0369-6 David
C Cook T Reviewed by Cynthia Hickey
God gives second chances. Lindsey Adams visits the Kindred Spirit mailbox
at Sunset Beach, North Carolina on her first visit at the age of fifteen. The practice of writing letters to the unknown reader
quickly became a yearly pilgrimage as she writes of her first love, love's betrayal, and the monumental events that make up
the next twenty years.
Now, returning for the first time with only her two children as companions,
can Lindsey forgive and allow herself a new relationship with her first love, Campbell Forrester? Can Campbell forgive himself
for breaking Lindsey's heart?
THE MAILBOX is about more than love and forgiveness. It is a story of second chances.
Of waiting to follow God's plan for your life rather than the lusts of one's heart. Marybeth Whalen has crafted a contemporary
novel full of characters so real you're certain you've met them on one of your own summer holidays.
On the beautiful beach of Sunset Beach, meet the residents of this country
town and see God's work in the lives of two people. A wonderful read.
High on the faith scale.
LOVE REMAINS Matchmakers By Kaye Dacus ISBN 978-1-60260-989-1 Barbour
Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Bobby broke Zarah's heart 14 years ago after her father threw her out
for seeing him. What is he doing at her church, attending her singles group and invading the life she's built for herself?
Zarah broke Bobby's heart 14 years ago when she preferred her education
to life with an enlisted soldier. What is she doing in his home church, friends with his good friend and looking as beautiful
as ever?
When Bobby is given the task of investigating Zarah, her boss and the
organization she works for, he knows he cannot pursue a relationship unless or until she's cleared. But while he is still
angry at her desertion so long ago, his heart is ready to take another chance.
Can these two forgive and move on without discovering the truth about
the past and the plans God has for them for the future? They may be able to discount circumstance, they can refuse to listen
to God's leading, but with two loving, interfering grandmothers who want to see their grandchildren happy—I don't think
so.
A trademark sweet romance with a touch of both mystery and humor mixed
with faith.
Note: I like the larger print used by Barbour Publishing in their fiction.
Makes reading much less strain on the eyes.
A TIME TO LOVE Quilts of Lancaster County By Barbara Cameron ISBN
978-1-4267-0763 Abingdon Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Jennie King was shattered in mind, body and soul from the bomb that destroyed
her world and, possibly, her career as a correspondent in troubled places around the world. She highlighted the needs of hurting
children in war or hunger-torn areas. But the bomb leaves Jennie broken.
Her place of refuge is the home of her wise Amish grandmother. There
Jennie begins to heal, there she finds peace and, in the Amish community, she once more finds the strong, Amish Matthew who
held the heart of a girl who'd visited once long ago.
What is Jennie's future—in the English world or with the peaceful
Amish? If she stays who will tell the story of hurting children around the world? If she goes, will she leave behind her heart?
A sweet romance of conflict, faith and love, with characters that touch
your heart.
Faith element: medium plus
ALWAYS THE BAKER NEVER THE BRIDE By Sandra D. Bricker ISBN:
978-1-4267-0762-9 Abingdon Press Reviewed by Cynthia Hickey
Emma Rae Travis, as sweet as the cakes she
bakes, leaves a stable job to hire on as chief baker to a brand new hotel catering to wedding parties. From linens to suites,
the hotel caters to a bride and groom's every whim. She signs on, not knowing that the hotel is the dream of a dead woman,
or that the handsome boss still isn't over the tragic death of his wife. Needless to say, he's as off limits as the pastries
Emma Rae bakes. Being diabetic, she can't indulge in the delectable treats she bakes, and her boss has no desire to indulge
in another relationship, especially with a woman who shares his deceased wife's faith in God.
ALWAYS THE BAKER
NEVER THE BRIDE is as sweet and funny a read as the title promises. Full of quirky characters, this book promises a delightful
romance that will keep the reader smiling as they turn the pages. Sometimes our deepest desires don't even come close to the
plan God has for us. A plan that surpasses our highest dreams.
High on the faith scale.
VALERIA'S CROSS By Kathi Macias and Susan Wales ISBN 978-1-4267-0215-0 Abingdon
Press Reviewed by Cynthia Hickey
Valeria, pampered daughter of Roman Emperor, Diocletian, loves Mauritius,
brave soldier in the Theban Legion. When the entire Christian legion is martyred for refusing to sway from their faith, Valeria
is heartbroken. Even more so when she is ordered to marry Galerius, the man responsible for her loved one's death. But the
daughter of a political leader has no say in her own life. Valeria goes to extreme measures to prevent her marriage, and finally
succumbs to the knowledge that God will use her in a way she could never have imagined. God will use this young woman to change
the Roman Empire.
VALERIA'S CROSS is a historical story resplendent in detail, love, courage, and steadfast faith.
It shows the reader what the early believers endured in a time full of paganism, and how God can pull a simple girl from her
circumstances to fulfill his mighty plan.
High on the faith scale, this belongs on the shelf of every reader
who loves Biblical fiction.
MEDICAL ERROR By Richard L Mabry MD ISBN 978-1-4267-1000-1 Abingdon
Press Reviewer Carrie Padgett
One of Dr. Anna McIntyre's patients dies on the operating table. She's
suspended and investigated for narcotics trafficking because prescriptions with her signature are turning up all over Dallas.
Then Anna's credit cards are declined. Her professional and personal lives collide when she receives a lab report saying she
tested positive for a deadly disease.
Dr. Nick Valentine has lost his faith in God, but not in himself, not
in medicine, and not in beautiful Anna McIntyre. He helps Anna figure out what went wrong in the operating room and hopes
to help her put her personal life back together as well.
Ross Donovan is a recovering alcoholic and the attorney who defends Anna
against the charges of narcotics trafficking, negligence, and even murder. Ross is tempted by alcohol and Anna's green eyes.
Can he resist them both?
MEDICAL ERROR is the sophomore fiction novel from Dr. Richard Mabry,
a retired physician and medical school professor. Dr. Mabry knows his setting with an intimacy that shines through on every
page. MEDICAL ERROR is a well-written and well-plotted medical suspense. The only error would be to not add it your Must Read
list.
Faith element: Moderate
CORNHUSKER DREAMS Three-in-One Collection ISBN 978-1-60260-581-7 Barbour
Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Audrey wants to do something for the soldiers coming through North Platte
by train on the way to war. She helps start the canteen that provides a lift of spirits. Willard would do anything to be one
of those soldiers, but his father needs him on the ranch. He can't get Audrey out of his mind and heart, but his attitude
keeps separating them. Will these two let life's challenges and crushed dreams keep them from what God has for them—each
other?
Lainie, Audrey's friend, is determined to make a difference even if ill
health keeps her from going overseas with the nurses. But what can she find in Fort Robinson, a place where dogs are trained
and partnered with soldiers? When her already, to her mind, miserable life gets worse, will she allow herself to turn to Tom
who trains dogs and to God for answers and love?
Tom's friend, Sid, finds himself, not overseas, but outside of Holdrege
NE guarding German prisoners of war. With so many young men overseas, the German prisoners are used to help bring in crops.
But will Sid be able to get through the shell Anna has pulled around herself to protect her from a missing brother, a father
who has withdrawn since her mother's death and a farm falling apart around her, to find a basis of faith and hope and love?
Three wonderful romances seeped in World War history. I've said that
if I taught history, I'd assign good historical fiction so the students can relive history beyond facts and figures. I'd use
this collection. Accurate, well put together and stories that makes me wish to hear more from these characters.
Faith element: medium
COURTING MORROW LITTLE By Laura Frantz ISBN 978-0-8007-3340-7 Revell Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
Morrow lives in fear, had lived in fear since her mother and little sister
where murdered by Indians, her brother disappeared and her pastor father became a shadow of his former self. All grown up,
Morrow is returning home from out East ready to pick up the pieces of her life. But nothing is the same. Her father is ill.
Redcoats and Bluecoats fight for the country and Indians are on everyone's hit list. Not her father's.
He continues his friendship with a Shawnee father and son.
Morrow's looks engender jealousy, envy and some very unwanted advances,
but as her fear of Indians recedes, her heart takes a surprising turn. Can Morrow carve out a life of peace and love on a
frontier battleground?
A story of betrayal, war, and a sweet romance. Even in the worst of circumstances,
God's love can mold, mend and heal hearts.
Faith element: high
TWILIGHT'S SERENADE Song of Alaska #3 By Tracie Peterson ISBN
978-0-7642-0153-0 Bethany House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Beth has been around the world playing her violin, but now she is home
to make a decision about her future. Only her time at home brings her past into her life when she finds herself caring for
the daughters of the man she never stopped loving. But will Yuri ever be the man she needs or will Beth find her future far
away in the music that for so many years gave her joy?
As always Tracie brings the reader into the setting and into the heart
of characters who struggle and fall and find that God is both forgiving and faithful when we come to him.
A perfect ending to the Song of Alaska series. (I do so love prologues
for “the rest of the story.”
Faith element: high
WALKER'S WEDDING The Western Sky series By Lori Copeland ISBN
978-0-7369-2761-1 Harvest House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
All Sara wanted to do was get married and have children. Wyoming Rancher
Walker wanted nothing to do with women after his fiancée walked out on him. But he needed an heir and even a mail order bride
would do. But when Sara does a switch with the reluctant bride, Walker finds his life and his heart invaded by a woman who
only wants to love him.
Can he trust she is different, that she is who she claims? What happens
when both Sara's wealthy father and Walker learn of her deception? Will hurt and unforgiveness keep them from the love God
intended for His children?
A story of hurt, betrayal, forgiveness and second changes with stubborn
characters way too much like who we really are. A story with heart.
Faith element: low to medium
SIMPLY SARA Sequel to Plain Jane By Hillary Manton Lodge ISBN
978-0-7369-2699-7 Harvest House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Sara emerged from her Amish home into the English world by way of her
brother's fiancées' trunk. A real scare for Jayne, but a whole new adventure for Sara who wasn't ready to explain or deal
with her past. She wanted to design clothes, loved bright colors and textured fabrics. But is she ready for the English world
where not everyone understands, certainly not William, her boss at the bookstore, at least not at first.
School is wonderful. Friends are great, and Sara learns more about how
to live in the English world all the time. But an accident changes everything—her relationships, her finances and her
confidence. Is she really meant for the English world or was this just a step back to her Amish roots?
A sweet story of love, acceptance and finding God's purpose. A very enjoyable
read. Perfect sequel to PLAIN JAYNE.
Faith element: medium.
SHADES OF MORNING By Marlo Schalesky ISBN 978-1-60142-025-1 Multnomah
Reviewer Carrie Padgett
SHADES OF MORNING defies description. In a good way.
Marnie Wittier saves keepsakes of her past, not to remember good times,
but to remind her of her regrets and mistakes. Fifteen years earlier, Marnie ran away, leaving her first love, Taylor Cole,
and her sister, Rose, behind in Maine. While she's made a new life in California, the past won’t leave her alone.
When Marnie receives a letter from Taylor breaking the news that Rose
has died, she discovers her sister's will names her the guardian of a teen with Down’s Syndrome, she never knew existed.
Emmitt's arrival produces upheaval in Marnie's life, forcing her to confront the past and helping her to a place of letting
go, healing...and love.
Schalesky has crafted a tale of regret and hope, blending the elements
of real life into a contemporary fable.
SHADES OF MORNING is a surprising story of new beginnings and even better
endings. Marlo
Faith element: Moderate to high.
JORDAN'S CROSSING By Randall Arthur ISBN 978-1-590052-260-8 Multnomah
Review by Cynthia Hickey
Jordan Rau packs up his family and moves them to Germany to accept a position with
a European mission organization. He's got all the right answers to life's problems. God is in his pocket. Then, the worst
thing imaginable happens and his heart is hardened and full of hate. Jordan pushes aside God, his wife, his daughter, and
embarks on a vigilanti quest to find the brutal murderers of his only son.
While following a lead, he walks into a church and hears a man speak
a story similar to Jordan's. Except Jordan only focuses on the fact that the man has ties to the Jamaican mob.
After
an accident that almost ends his life, Jordan's family holds out hope that he'll be changed. Their hearts sink when they realize
he is still full of hate. Jordan is still hunting for the killers of his son. When Jordan comes face-to-face the men who ended
his son's life, he faces the most difficult decision of his life.
JORDAN'S CROSSING is a page-turning suspense
story where the good guy may not be much better than the ones he's chasing. But God does not desert us, even when we draw
far away from Him. This is a story of hope and strength under trials that can crush a person.
High on the faith
scale.
SATURDAY MORNING By Lauraine Snelling ISBN 978-0-307-45904-6 WaterBrook
Press Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Just when her Lavender business is starting to take off, Andy's husband
takes a corporate job in San Francisco and wants her to be his stay-at-home corporate wife. But Andy has no intention of giving
up her home that has been in her family for generations or her newly blossoming business for a husband who can't seem to see
anything but himself. She will compromise. That includes buying a house in San Francisco and flying back and forth. It isn't
the best situation and tensions rise.
Hope and her husband run Casa de Jesus, a home for those women who
need a hand up. But pressures are building and they need funds, lots of funds, to bring their building up to code.
Clarice arrives with nothing, no husband, no possessions and a shattered
heart. Julia leaves her practice to find her granddaughter she fears is on the streets. Brought together by hurt and pain
and confusion, these women have no idea that their friendship, prayers and actions will bring healing and hope not only to
the women of Casa de Jesus, but to their own situations as well. But is there any way to save Casa de Jesus before the city
condemns the building and forces them to give up the very place where they found each other?
A story of shattered dreams, of friendship and a story of the forgiveness,
and healing Jesus brings, even in impossible situations. Well worth the read.
Faith element: medium
THE PIRATE QUEEN By Patricia Hickman ISBN 978-1-4000-7200-2 WaterBrook
Press Reviewed by Cynthia Hickey
Saphora Warren's home is being featured in Southern Living magazine. Her
husband is a renowned surgeon. Life couldn't be more perfect in other people's eyes. But Saphora has her bags packed, plans
on leaving her seemingly idyllic life and spending some alone time at their coastal home in Oriental. That is until her husband
comes home from work early and lays a bomb shell on her. He's dying from brain cancer.
Saphora and her husband
spend his last days in Oriental surrounded by family, new friends, and a precious little boy with a deadly secret. Not only
does Saphora find that she still loves her wandering husband, she finds so much more in the love of a child and the arms of
a loving God.
THE PIRATE QUEEN is a poignant story about what truly matters in life and one woman's search to
finding answers. Patricia Hickman does an excellent job injecting some of the tough issues in today's world into a story of
Saphora's quest for meaning.
AS RAIN FALLS By T H Kirby ISBN 978-1-936127-19-1 Treble Heart
Books: MountainView Publishing Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
The baby endured mother's tears and father's abuse, but the final decision
of the parents is a killer. A short novel that touches on subjects that break our hearts. What is sad is how an outcome would
be different if we understood our value and knew we were loved not for what we offer, but just because we are—a special
unique creation.
This one doesn't take long to read, but it will be a story you'll be
passing on to someone who needs to read this special story.
Wish there were discussion questions in the book. This would make a good book for
a discussion or Bible Study group to consider.
WHISPER ON THE WIND By Maureen Lang ISBN 978-1-4143-2436-4 Tyndale
House Reviewer Carrie Padgett
WHISPERS ON THE WIND shouts God’s goodness to His followers, even
when His plan seems unknowable.
In 1916, Belgium is occupied by the German army. Isa Lassone fled Brussels
when war broke out but she has returned to save the family who loved her like one of their own. Isa is especially eager to
see Edward, the eldest son, who has lost his father and his faith.
Isa’s plan for the family to escape meets an unexpected snag: Edward
is involved in an underground resistance effort and he refuses to leave Belgium. The rest of his family resolves to stay with
him.
Isa becomes involved with the resistance movement, against Edward’s
objections. What happens next tests the faith and fortitude of Isa, Edward, his mother, and the German major who lodges with
them.
Lang has done an excellent job drawing her reader into World War I and
the stories of the brave souls who fought and perished on both sides.
Faith element: Moderate to High
AUTUMN'S PROMISE Seasons of Sugarcreek #3 By Shelly Shepherd Gray ISBN
978-0-06-185237-4 Avon Inspire Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Englisher Lilly has been through a lot during the year. Will her life
ever be “back to normal” and does she even want that? She has grown so much over the last year. But when the Amish
widower Robert shows her attention, will Lilly discover all she's been through disqualifies her for a future of love or will
God find away even through two very different cultures?
Two cultures clash in this story of love and redemption and discovering
God's plans and purposes aren't always ours. This is a fitting end to the Sugarcreek series that has taken our emotions through
the seasons as we've been drawn into the lives the English Allens and their Amish neighbors. Key
questions were answered and the plot wrapped up in this sweet romance. However, I would have liked an Epilogue as I felt I
needed more of a conclusion. Another series perhaps???
Faith element: medium
THE SISTER WIFE Brides of Gabriel #1 By Diane Noble ISBN
978-0-06-196222-6 Avon Inspire Reviewed by Cynthia Hickey
Mary Rose's grandfather is excited about the
new Western frontier religion known as the Saints, or Mormons. He drags Mary Rose from a priviledged life in England to one
of equality as a Sister. On the sea voyage over, Mary Rose meets Gabriel, the designer of one of the fastest ships to make
the journey.
While Gabriel embraces the new religion wholeheartedly, Mary Rose has
misgivings, often remembering scripture she learned as a child at her mother's knee.
Then Gabriel, as a promising priest in Mormonism, is ordered to take
Mary Rose's best friend as his second wife. Mary Rose must now make the most difficult decision of her life. Stay as the first
wife to the man she loves, or head back to England at the risk of being punished.
Although THE SISTER WIFE is
strong in Mormon beliefs and history, there is an underlying element of Christian truth. Especially when Mary Rose begins
to question her new-found religion. It took me a while to get past the Mormonism, but once I did, I discovered a story rich
in historical detail.
Low on the faith scale.
THE PRODIGAL PATRIOT By Darlene Franklin ISBN 978-1-60260-904-4 Heartsong
Presents Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
The Revolutionary War has begun tearing apart those who have been friends
and neighbors for years. When Sally and her family have to go into hiding on their own property because they are Patriots,
they wonder who they can trust. Will Josiah, who has already lost so much, help the family his father now despises? Is there
hope for two caught, because of family ties, on different sides of the revolution? Will Sally and Josiah trust that God has
a plan for their lives that includes hope, reconciliation...and love?
A sweet romance with memorable characters that showcases what we don't
hear much about, the heartache caused to families and neighbors who chose different sides and how quickly caring can become
hatred and worse. Considering the Revolutionary War was just in the beginning stages at the end of the book, I'd like to read
“the rest of the story” in another book.
Faith element: medium
TRIAL BY FIRE By Cara Putman ISBN 978-0-373-44359-8 Steeple
Hill: Love Inspired Suspense Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Prosecutor Tricia Jamison struggles with the latest case assigned her—a
battered, abused wife. She longs to put the perpetrator behind bars, but the case brings back too any personal memories. That
is only one of the things on her plate as her family seems targeted by an arsonist. As the fires and danger increase, Tricia
is thrown once more into the company of fire investigator Noah Brust, who hasn't forgiven her for her prosecution of a case
the year before.
But Noah can't get Tricia out of his head. Did he seriously misjudge
the situation the year before because of his personal grief and guilt?
The arsonist's attacks are increasingly violent. Can Tricia and Noah
work together to find the threat that ties the fires together before they or someone they love dies? Can they trust God enough
to allow Him to let go the past for a future of faith and love?
Nice balance of character and plot with a story that makes it difficult
to put down the book until the final page.
Faith element: medium to high
A SHORE THING An Otter Bay Novel By Julie Carobini ISBN 978-08054-4875-7 B&H
Publishing Group Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Callie walks the shore of Otter Bay, thankful the owners promised to
preserve this land. When she runs into men on the land with development on their minds, cause-oriented Callie, springs into
action. She'll do almost anything to preserve this land, but will it be at the expense not only of the land, but also of the
owners, the town and her heart?
Gage only wants to do his job. If the land was to be developed, he wants
to make it as environmentally friendly as possible. It was his big chance and he has others depending upon him. Why
can't Callie get beyond his job to work together and why can't he get her out of his mind...or heart?
A story of romance and love, but also of the danger of making assumptions
and jumping into actions before knowing all the facts and exploring all the options.
Can a developer and an environmentalist ever see eye-to-eye, or heart-to-heart?
A sweet romance that explores a serious subject, leaving everyone changed.
Faith element: low
A SHORE THING By Julie Carobini ISBN 978-08054-4875-7 B&H
Fiction Reviewer Carrie Padgett
A SHORE THING by Julie Carobini is a creative and fun story about real characters
trying to honor and preserve God’s creation without worshiping the sand and birds.
Callie Duflay is busy in her central California coast town of Otter Bay.
She works weekends at the local Christian camp while her weeks are full of family and community activities. She loves Otter
Bay and is dismayed to learn that the last undeveloped land along the coast is about to be sold and plans are being drawn.
Architect Gage Mitchell moved to Otter Bay believing his client, a local
builder, shared Gage’s values of green design and construction. Gage understands the community’s opposition to
the development, but wishes that attractive woman, Callie, would at least listen to his plans for an eco-friendly project.
At least her dog, Moondoggy, seems to like Gage.
Callie and Gage each learn secrets about Otter Bay’s residents
and businesspeople. They struggle to balance doing the God-fearing and right thing while honoring their promises to others.
I almost expected to shake out sand from between the pages of A SHORE
THING.
Faith element: low to medium; it arises naturally from the plot and characters.
TOUCHING THE CLOUDS Alaskan Skies #1 By Bonnie Leon ISBN 978-0-8007-3359-9 Revell Reviewer
Carolyn R Scheidies
It is the 1930's. Women grow up, marry and have families. But Kate isn't
like everyone else. She's been flying planes since she was small and she feels the call for more, much more. Leaving her home,
she heads to Alaska to become a bush pilot. Only she discovers being a woman and a pilot isn't quite what she thought it would
be, isn't easy and brings along it's own set of problems.
But even as she begins to acclimate she finds herself drawn to both another
pilot and a man hiding away in the bush. Can his secrets be more devastating than her own? What happens when Kate finds a
situation she can't control? Will her heart ever allow her to “fall” for the right man?
Kate has courage. She's willing to take risks and see where that leads.
She faces her fears, eventually, and helps others face theirs. A story of courage, letting go, moving on...and love.
The conclusion felt rushed, but the main story elements were tied up.
Since this is the first of a series, I hope to see more of these characters. Looking forward to it. Well drawn characters
and a story that kept me turning pages.
Faith element: low
STILL HOUSE POND By Jan Watson ISBN 978-1-4143-2386-2 Tyndale
House Reviewer Carrie Padget
STILL HOUSE POND is a gentle story that reminds the reader that even
the “simpler times,” weren’t so simple and that God is sovereign and trustworthy.
Copper Corbett is a nurse and midwife in rural Kentucky. She was widowed
with a daughter, Lilly, who is now eleven. Copper is remarried to a good man and has three more children.
Manda Whitt is Copper’s hired help. Manda yearns for adventure
and the kind of true love she reads about in magazines. This longing leads her into adventure all right, but not the kind
that ends happily.
Lilly Gray Corbett is a precocious child who loves animals and can’t
stand to see one in distress. This affection for creatures gets her into trouble. And saves her life.
Copper is uneasy when Lilly’s aunt demands to have Lilly visit
for a month. Copper reluctantly agrees to send her oldest daughter alone on the train. News of a train crash reaches the Corbett
home and Copper and her husband, desperate to find Lilly, rush to the crash site.
The story began a little slowly for me, but by midway I was engrossed
in the happenings at the Corbett home. The three threads come together in a satisfying conclusion.
Faith element: Moderate to high.
RANSOME'S CROSSING The Ransome Trilogy #2 By Kaye Dacus ISBN
978-0-7369-2754-3 Harvest House Reviewed by Cynthia Hickey
Charlotte Ransome wants to get to the Caribbean
to marry the man she'd corresponded with for over two years. To do that, she must impersonate a midshipman on a ship in her
brother's convoy. What she didn't figure on was the handsome First Lieutenant, Ned Cochrane, recognizing her. An attack at
sea throws the two of them together. Will he keep her secret until it's too late to turn back? And how can Charlotte marry
her intended, when her heart wants Ned? Once Charlotte reaches her destination, she is faced with a daunting choice and must
risk danger in order to follow her heart.
Not only is RANSOME'S CROSSING a story about Charlotte and Ned, but
it is also a continuation of Julia and William's story from Ransome's Honor. Kaye Dacus has masterfully woven the two romances
together in one seamless tale. Not only will the reader indulge in a wonderful story of love, but will be told a story of
truth and courage.
Medium on the faith scale.
SARAH'S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE By Mary Ellis ISBN 978-0-7369-2968-4 Harvest
House Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Sarah loves her home and likes that Adam has come calling. But when he
seeks a closer relationship, she hesitates. How could she handle it if one of their children broke her heart like her brother
broke her mother's heart when he not only left the Amish community, but also cut off all contact with his family?
Before Sarah can commit to the church or Adam, she needs to discover
why her brother left. But will her actions bring her the satisfaction she desires? Will her quest lead her to her brother
or just away from her Amish community? What about Adam, will he wait for her make up her mind...and heart.
A sweet Christmas romance of faith, love and second chances. A lovely
sentimental Christmas story.
Faith element: high
FATAL LOYALTY By Sue Duffy ISBN 978-0-8254-2594-3 Kregel Publications
Reviewer Carrie Padgett
FATAL LOYALTY is an intricately plotted story of revenge, love, forgiveness
and redemption.
Tony Ryborg is running for Governor of Florida on a law and order platform,
promising to crack down on the narcotics traffic in his state. This is his personal and passionate cause.
Andrea Ryborg is being stalked and frightened. The harassment is intended
to get her father to drop out of the election. Andie stymies the drug cartel by refusing to tell her father about the vandalism
and scare tactics. She feels alone and deserted by God, but doesn't see any way out.
Evan Markham is trying to save Andie while not betraying anyone. He has
chosen a lonely and dangerous path.
Everyone is caught in a web of deception and secrets. When the secrets
are revealed, everyone works together to overcome the evil. Andie and Evan discover that not only has God not abandoned them,
but they need Him and His protection over their lives.
FATAL LOYALTY shows that you can run from God, your family, your problems,
but you can't hide. God will always find you and see you through.
Faith element: Moderate.
THE LAST CHRISTIAN By David Gregory ISBN 978-1-4000-7497-6 WaterBrook
Press Reviewed by Casey Pitts
Imagine living in an isolated mission village for your entire life. Abigail
Caldwell emerges from the jungles of New Guinea to be thrust into the culture of the United States, AD 2088. Her calling to
simply share the gospel in this postmodern mission field is seen as a threat. Abby threatens political, industrial and scientific
agendas as she spreads the good news that living eternally without Christ is no life at all. Alistair Nichols, artificial
intelligence guru, intends to silence Abby and those like her.
David Gregory paints a believable, futuristic mural of our society. Breakdown
of committed relationships. Technological advancements that relieve people from a strong work ethic. Silencing of the gospel
of Christ in the name of political correctness.
Abby Caldwell is a heroine to be admired. A riveting story about how
one voice in a sea of apathy can change the hearts of mankind. This book rocked my world!
Faith Element: High
CLAIM: A NOVEL OF COLORADO Homeward Trilogy #3 By Lisa Bergren ISBN
978-1-4347-6706-6 David C Cook Reviewer Carolyn R Scheidies
Odessa and husband are rebuilding their ranch after a hard winter and
the events that brought her famous songster sister Moira to the ranch for hope
