Thursday, May 31, 2012

After All


















After All

by Deborah Raney

About the book (from the back cover): 

Eighteen months after the tragic Grove Street Fire took the life of her husband, David, and four other heroic firefighters, Susan Marlowe thinks she's finally beginning to heal.

But then she discovers that David carried a secret to his grave. A secret that changes everything she thought their marriage had been. For the sake of their sons, can Susan forgive the unforgivable?

Andrea Morley lost her closest friend in the fire. But she has no right to mourn him. Instead, she must forever grieve in silence—because her dearest friend was someone else's husband.

Peter Brennan carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. As Hanover Falls' fire chief, he was responsible for the brave firefighters who lost their lives that awful November night.

Can he ever shake the feeling that he should have somehow prevented the tragedy?

As he tries to rebuild the team at Clemens County's Station 2, it seems he might find comfort in the arms of the woman he least expected.


I loved the first two books in this series, Almost Forever and Forever After. I am happy to say that After All is a great ending to this series. Some situations got resolved that I wasn't expecting, and I enjoyed reading about the characters from the other books. The one thing that bothered me about the book was the cover. I thought Susan's eyes looked strange. But that was easily resolved, as I didn't have to look at the cover for very long when I had it open! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Christian inspirational fiction, with a bit of suspense. I rate this one a "5."


About the author:

Deborah Raney is a bestselling novelist whose books have garnered multiple industry awards including the RITA Award, HOLT Medallion, National Readers' Choice Award, Silver Angel from Excellence in Media, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. Her first novel, A Vow to Cherish, sed light on the ravages of Alzheimer's disease. The novel inspired the highly acclaimed World Wide Pictures film of the same title and continues to be a tool for Alzheimer's families and caregivers. Deborah is on faculty for several national writers' conferences and serves on the advisory board of the 2500-member American Christian Fiction Writers organization. She has written more than 20 novels, and her recent Hanover Falls Novels series is published by Howard/Simon & Schuster. Deb and her husband, Ken Raney, enjoy small-town life in Kansas.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Glass Road Public Relations. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Sixty Acres and a Bride


Sixty Acres and a Bride

by Regina Jennings

Publisher's description of the book:

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to their Texas family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have just three months to pay. Though facing eviction, Rosa falls in love with the countryside. She can't help but stand out, though, and her beauty captures attention. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable, and Rosa must decide to what lengths she will go to save her future.

My take:  

This is one of those books that took me a little while to get into, but once I did, I really liked it! I enjoyed the parallels to the Biblical story of Ruth and Boaz (one of my favorite stories, by the way), and also enjoyed the development of the characters. I liked Rosa's spunk and daring behavior in a town that was full of gossips. She really did have the same courage and perseverance that Ruth did.

I think this book would make a great movie! Maybe someday? I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian historical fiction. I rate this a "4."


About the author:

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English. She has worked at The Mustang News as well as Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She and her family make their home outside of Oklahoma City. This is her first novel.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The Messenger


















The Messenger

by Siri Mitchell

From the back cover:

Hannah Sunderland felt content in her embrace of the Quaker faith...until her twin brother joined the Colonial cause and ended up in jail. She longs to bring some measure of comfort to him in the squalid prison, but her faith forbids it. The Friends believe that they are not to take sides, not to take up arms. She is not allowed to visit him, even if she were able to secure a pass. Jeremiah Jones, a Colonial spy, needs access to the jail to help rescue men important to the cause. Upon meeting Hannah, a plan begins to develop. Who would suspect a Quaker visiting a loved one? But Jeremiah is unprepared for Hannah, her determination to do right, to not lie. How can one be a spy and not lie? Hannah, in turn, is surprised by Jeremiah...for the way he forces her to confront her own beliefs, for the sensitivity and concern that he shows her despite the wounds he still carries. 

Try as I might, I could not get interested in this book. I tried 4 or 5 times to latch on to some part of the book that would keep my interest, but to no avail. I was disappointed, because I have read and loved several of Siri Mitchell's contemporary fiction novels. I had high standards for this book, because I loved The Cubicle Next Door and Moon Over Tokyo. In these novels, her style of first person writing, excellent characterizations, and descriptions kept my interest the whole time. The Messenger seemed to drag, and I couldn't relate to Hannah or Jeremiah. I felt little to no emotion from Hannah's character (this might be the Quaker part of her character, but I didn't care for it). I also found it difficult to jump from Hannah's thoughts, to Jeremiah's thoughts, and back.Though it pains me to write a negative review, I will not let this keep me from reading Siri Mitchell's books in the future. And honestly, I think it might just be my personal preference. I am sure someone else would love reading this book. From now on, though, I think I will stick to her contemporary fiction.



About the author:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi. Her tenth  novel, The Messenger follows prior Bethany House releases: A Constant Heart, Love's Pursuit, She Walks in Beauty, and A Heart Most Worthy. She Walks In Beauty won the inaugural INSPY award for Historical Fiction in December 2010. Three of Siri's novels, Chateau of Echoes, The Cubicle Next Door, and She Walks in Beauty were Christy Award finalists. Love's Pursuit was a finalist for the ACFW Carol Award.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."