Book Reviews

Review of A Worthy Heart by Susan Anne Mason

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Genre: Historical Romance

Series: Courage to Dream, Book 2

Recommended.

25822027This is a double love-story set in New York City in the early 1900s. Maggie Montgomery and her fire-fighter brother Gabe sail from Ireland to America to visit their married brother and his family.

Convict, Adam O’Leary, is freshly out of prison, when he finds himself falling for Maggie–a match that is dissuaded by both families, especially since Maggie has just escaped a bad courtship in Ireland. The woman Gabe has eyes for is a likewise implausible match as she is above his station.

This charming story is a quick read that held my attention all the way through. While the romance is intentionally predictable, there were several surprising twists in the end that made the story more exciting.

Adam’s character was the most developed, and I enjoyed the development of his Christian faith, his struggle to find his place within his family, and his process of embracing forgiveness and new opportunities.

I would not say this is a “deep” story; but it is fun to read, lighthearted, and would go well with a bubblebath.

I did not read the first book in the series [Irish Meadows], and did not feel that I missed anything necessary to enjoying this story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House.

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Review of Step by Step by Candace Calvert

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978-1-4143-9034-5Genre: Romance/Medical Drama

Series: Crisis Team, Book 2

Recommended.

ER nurse and crisis team volunteer, Taylor Cabot, relocates to San Diego to get away from the painful memories of her late husband’s death and to have a fresh start. She has her new life nearly in control with a tight schedule, diet, exercise plan, and new romantic interest, when she is confronted by two acquaintances from the past: a fellow nurse who used to work with her in Sacramento, and the crisis team chaplain who had comforted her after her husband’s accident. The medical emergencies the team faces parallel the characters’ own struggles as they each deal with their own crises–and as Taylor especially learns to open up her heart to pain, healing, and love.

I enjoy reading lighthearted Christian fiction when I need to relax, and this one met that need, plus had a little depth with portraying the chaplain’s “ministry of presence,” and the grieving process.

The characters were vibrant, the romanic tension was palpable, the numerous medical cases were interesting additions to the story, and I enjoyed that the setting happened to be within cities I am familiar with.

This is a great book for those who love medical dramas, and want a Christian perspective and appropriateness. It has a great balance between light and fun, and truthful and relevant. This is the first of Candace Calvert’s books that I have read, and I would definitely read another.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers.

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Review of My Name is Mahtob by Mahtob Mahmoody

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Genre: Autobiography/Memoir

Recommended!

my-name-is-mahtobMahtob had a normal life in Michigan until her Iranian father suddenly transformed into an intolerable and abusive husband, kidnapping five-year old Mahtob and her mother into Iran, where they were mistreated in the midst of an already difficult time of war. Upon their escape, Mahtob’s mother wrote Not Without My Daughter, which was also made into a movie. Now Mahtob shares her memories of that part of her life, as well as her aftermath in living with the active threat of her father, struggling through Lupus, and learning to forgive.

Framed within the motif of No-ruz (the Persian New Year), Mahtob’s writing is elegant, honest, bold, and vulnerable. The details Mahtob shares from her childhood kidnapping are vibrant and touching. The emotional pain and fear she dealt with after those events in trying to make a normal life for herself are equally captivating, and written with the suspense of the moment.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mahtob’s memoir. It is an inspirational story that could help others overcome the traumas and unforgiveness in their own lives.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson.

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Review of A Thousand Shall Fall: A Civil War Novel by Andrea Boeshaar

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Genre: Historical Romance

Series: Shenandoah Valley Saga

Recommended.

unnamed(3) Set in 1864, a few years into the Civil War, the quick-witted and day-dreamy, Carrie Ann Bell, feels responsible for her family as she carries forth her missing father’s newspaper, and labors at the Wayfarer’s Inn to care for her ill mother and sisters after a fire destroyed their home. So when her younger sister runs away with a peddler, she protectively runs out to find her, disguising herself as a Yankee soldier to look for her in the northern Yankee territory. Unfortunately, she is caught before completing her mission, but sparks fly between her and the Yankee Colonel.

I enjoyed this story, especially for the historical element. I have read very little of the Civil War era, and was able to get a better grasp of who the major militarily and political leaders were on both sides of the war. I also appreciated Boeshaar’s use of authentic historical clippings interspersed throughout the narrative.

The romance was light, fun, and predictable, which is what I expected from this genre. The war aspect (violence, brutality) was also very light and easy to read, despite the many references to horrific events. I am generally drawn toward darker war history, as it seems more authentic in that style. But the historical descriptions, people, and locations, are strong and well researched.

The tone and “appropriateness” of the story make it ideal for teen readers, who would enjoy the story while also learning a bit of relevant history.

Carrie Ann is a charming character, especially for her open-minded intellectual approach to the war, and willingness to consider both sides of the conflict, including the questions of faith and humanity.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kregel Publications.

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Review of the Lion Comic Book Hero Bible by Siku, Richard Thomas & Jeff Anderson

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Genre: Bible/Graphic Novel/Children/Teens

Highly Recommended!

unnamed(2)This storybook Bible is written as a graphic novel, which is so appropriate for the younger generation (including many Millennial adults)! The stylistic illustrations are set with succinct captions, allowing the Bible to cover large spans (even whole books of the Bible) in few pages.

I was especially impressed with how this Bible captures the overall history of the Bible so thoroughly. There are many stories and details that are missing (as one would expect with a children’s Bible), but the historical outline is comprehensively presented in a linear format. This may be the best “big picture” storybook Bible I have encountered.

The transition between the Old and New Testaments is particularly well explained, and the 400 years of silence has its own full page. There is also a difference in the OT and NT illustrations (from dark and sketchy, to brighter and more defined), which presents a nice metaphor on the changing spiritual atmosphere with the incarnation of Jesus. The Bible even ends with (a heavily abridged version of) Revelation, which surprised me; but it is done quite well considering the difficulty of capturing such a complex vision. I would have liked a picture of the throne room and/or a more vibrant New Jerusalem (there is a small one)–but even so, I am impressed with how much is illustrated!

It is also fun that each of the character’s is given a “superhero” name (e.g. Adam is Earthman; Deborah is The Iron Maiden; Elijah is Rainmaker; Nehemiah is The Governor; John the Baptist is The Voice; some of the major characters receive more than one name). But as creative as the superhero names were, it might be less confusing to stick with the real ones, at least for practical purposes.

After reading the entire Hero Bible alone, I have now been reading it with my almost-six year old, and he is glued to the stories. We collect Bible storybooks and rotate through them, and this is one of his favorites right now. It is a bit dark–but then so is much of the biblical content!! Some of the stories (especially in the OT) have pretty graphic “bad guys”, war scenes, and violence. I like that the narrative does not glaze over the difficult parts of biblical history, and it makes for good discussion. But, this really is aimed more for teens than younger kids, and some parents/teachers may still be uncomfortable with parts of it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kregel Publications.

 

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Review of Angels: A 90-Day Devotional about God’s Messengers by Christa Kinde

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Genre: Devotional/Juvenile Nonfiction

Recommended!

_225_350_Book.1734.coverThis is an excellent devotional. Each of the 90 devotions are approximately two pages, starting with a Bible reference about angels, then an applicable Bible story, commentary on Scripture, or Q and A, and ending with questions leading the reader to consider Scripture, cultural relevance of the subject, or personal introspection.

Aimed at ages nine and up, I am impressed by the depth and scholarship of each devotion. A pre-teen would be engaged by this, as would an adult. Kinde brings out over one hundred verses about angels, and addresses common myths compared to what the Bible reveals, as well as detailing accounts of how biblical characters responded to meeting angels, and even going beyond angels to draw attention to larger spiritual truths (e.g. how angels demonstrate pure worship for us to model, or in understanding the work of the enemy through fallen angels/demons).

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zonderkidz.

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Review of The Aleppo Code by Terry Brennan

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Genre: Christian Suspense

Series: Jerusalem Prophecies, Book 3

Recommended!

9780825443893In the first book, The Sacred Cipher, a team of amateur’s uncover the mystery of a scroll hidden within an ancient mezuzah, and in searching out the truth of the message in archaeological tunnels under the Temple Mount, come across a phenomenal discovery!

Then in book two, The Brotherhood Conspiracy, the team recognizes a new coded message on the mezuzah, which takes them on another unbelievable high-risk adventure.

This third book of the trilogy leaves off immediately after the second book finishes, and so the stories should not be read separately! This time the team uses clues from the Aleppo Codex to search for the most powerful weapon in history: Aaron’s staff. But they are not the only ones looking for the staff: a league of evil men have been on the hunt for this power for generations, and will do anything to steal the power of God.

This is a fun series rich with actual historical and archaeological details amid the fictitious mystery, lots of high-paced action and suspense, and a deep and genuine glimpse into the Christian faith (and its struggles) in action. Some of the plot points seemed a bit far fetched, and yet the way the characters were written, the narrative quickly felt almost plausible. There is also a relevant underlying theme of how God works things out for His purposes. I felt like each book of the trilogy was stronger than the one before, and look forward to reading what Terry Brennan comes up with next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book (as well as the first two books in the series) from Kregel Publications.

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Review of The Power that Changes the World: Creating Eternal Impact in the Here and Now by Bill Johnson

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Genre: Christian Living/Charismatic Interest

Recommended!

9780800796860I have read and enjoyed several of Bill Johnson’s books, but this may be one of my new favorites.

Inspired by the story of Solomon, Bill teaches how godly wisdom can change the atmosphere. His encouragement that the church bring heaven to earth to influence the world is similar to his other teachings; but many of his insights regarding the nature and manifestation of wisdom in our lives are fresh and revolutionary.

I particularly loved how Bill connects wisdom to beauty, excellence, and integrity. He mentions, for instance, that when Queen Sheba visited King Solomon she proclaimed how she saw God through the seemingly mundane aspects of Solomon’s household like the attire and service of his servants, the food on his table, and the appearance of his entryway. (1 Kings 10:3-9). How interesting that she would have specifically mentioned recognizing God through these things, while also having sat at the king’s feet to receive wisdom and understanding!

I similarly enjoyed Bill’s interpretation of the passages that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He explains that salts primary purpose is not to preserve but to bring flavor; thus Christians should bring flavor to the world by exuding the Lord’s wisdom and character from within. Being the light of a city of refuge within the world is likewise essential.

This book gave me a new understanding of what wisdom looks like, and the power it has to bring influence when it is properly employed. It is a relevant and life-giving encouragement to activate the wisdom of God to “minister” through action in whatever sphere or profession that God has called us.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen Books.

 

 

 

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Review of Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke

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Genre: Historical Fiction

Highly Recommended.

25154582Hannah Sterling never had the close relationship with her mother that she desired; but when her mother, Lieselotte, dies, Hannah begins to uncover the war secrets that divided her family and plagued her mother.

Two parallel storylines complement each other in this beautifully written work: Lieselotte’s WWII love-story, and Hannah’s journey to Berlin in the 1970s to visit the grandfather she did not know she had, and uncover her family’s identity.

The romance, history, and complex themes are accentuated by the depth of the characters and film-worthy suspense. The reality of the Shoah can be difficult to remember, yet I did not want to put this one down. Gohlke has crafted a powerful portrait of courage and forgiveness in the face of hatred and darkness.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers.

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Review of Not by Sight by Kate Breslin

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Genre: Romantic Historical Fiction

Not Recommended.

51wZz3hh67L._SX321_BO1,204,203,200_It’s 1917, and wealthy British suffragette, Grace Mabry, desires to help her country’s WWI efforts in any way she can in order to bring her brother home from the trenches of France safely. At a costume ball she hands a feather of cowardice to Jack Benningham, heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke–a man she believes should be fighting for his country rather than attending balls and absorbing female attention. But Jack has secrets of his own, and is involved in a circle of espionage. As their paths cross again, they are each forced to confront true courage, vulnerability, and the romantic feelings budding between them despite him being engaged to another.

I chose to read this book based on the stunning cover art of the mysterious woman in a brilliant green dress. The mystery and enchantment of the cover, unfortunately, did not translate for me into the narrative. This is a cute, light-hearted story, but it progressed too slowly for me, and without real depth. There are some twists–the backbone of the story is good–but it was not written in a way that created much suspense or mystery. I easily anticipated what would happen based on the direct character cues and details. I also did not love the characters, and would have liked more historical detail.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House.

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