The Runner

The Runner

by A. Wayne Gill

About the book (from the back cover):

Michael Knight had the perfect life - a perfect family, a perfect relationship and a perfect future. He was to follow in his father's footsteps and preach the gospel to the nations. But Michael has a secret...that will take him from being a small-town preacher's kid to the heart of the big city, where everything seems golden, glittery and glamorous. He will obtain the opportunity of a lifetime and he will walk down the corridors of power, influence and wealth. The whole world will be laid at his feet for the taking. But at what cost? Will he trade in all he has been for all he could become? A. Wayne Gill presents a breakthrough novel of suspense, intrigue and spiritual awakening. You will be drawn into the lives of the characters as their worlds collide, forcing them to make decisions that will impact generations. The Runner will grab you from its opening pages and will not let you go.

My take:

I have always enjoyed a good suspense novel. I also enjoy legal drama, so was excited to start reading this book. When I started reading though, I wasn't sure I would be interested in it at all. There were several things that were very distracting and took away from my enjoyment of the book. For one, the point of view changed quite often, sometimes by the paragraph. There were also so many characters, it was hard to keep track of all of them at times. However, the further I read, the more interesting the story became to me. I found myself wondering what would happen to Michael Knight (that name alone was distracting to me, as it is the name of David Hasselhoff's character on the old show Knight Rider). Overall, I am interested to read the next books in what the author said would be a 7 part series. This book has a lot of potential in its story line but I do think it could use some more editing.

I give this book 3 1/2 stars.


About the author:

When he isn't crafting legal dramas, Wayne Gill serves as CEO and Managing Partner of Gill Dion & Forsyth P.A., a law firm with offices in Florida and Georgia that serves some of the top companies in the world, including AT&T, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Sun Trust Bank, and American Express. This husband and father earned his B.A. in English from Trinity College and law degree from George Washington University. His first book, Tales My Grandma Told Me - A Business Diversity Fable, has been referred to as the "Bible" of supplier diversity. Wayne has been recognized among the 50 Most Powerful Black Professionals in South Florida and the Who's Who in Black South Florida. He's received Macy's Crystal Award for Outstanding Minority Business Advocacy, and he's received several honors from NMSDC affiliates and the local Bar Associations. In 2002, he received Northwood University's Arthur E. Turner Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Betterment of Mankind. He is a board member of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County and Secretary of the Board for the Southern Florida Minority Supplier Development Council. While practicing law, running a successful law firm, and writing novels keeps him super busy, Wayne is also a passionate, committed co-founder and legal advisor to Oasis Compassion Agency, a non-profit empowerment agency for the disadvantaged.

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."

Five Miles South of Peculiar

Five Miles South of Peculiar

by Angela Hunt

From the back cover:

Darlene Caldwell has spent a lifetime tending Sycamores, an estate located five miles south of a small town called Peculiar. She raised a family in the spacious home that was her grandfather's legacy and she enjoys being a pillar of the community...until her limelight-stealing twin sister unexpectedly returns. 

Carlene Caldwell, veteran of the Broadway stage, is devastated when she realizes that a botched throat surgery has spelled the end of her musical career. Searching for a new purpose in life, she retreats to Sycamores, her childhood home. 

Haunted by a tragic romance, Magnolia Caldwell is the youngest of the Caldwell girls. Nolie spends her days caring for her dogs and the magnificent gardens she's created, but when she meets a man haunted by tragedy, she must find the courage to either deny her heart or cut the apron strings that tie her to a dear and familiar place.

My take: 

I tried several times to get into this book, but each time I sat down to read it, I found myself disinterested. I don't know if it is because it is the type of book I am not used to or not. I do know that one of my friends really likes this book. I just can't recommend it myself because it bored me. I really wish I had a better review, because I would love to give this one 5 stars. But because I couldn't get interested in it, I have to give it 3. 

About the author:

Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With nearly four million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 100 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to non-fiction books to novels. Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine's Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark Channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. Also in 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree. She completed her doctorate in 2008 and was accepted into a Th.D program in 2009. When she's not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers' conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course. She is also an avid photographer, using her photos to help find homes for her local SPCA's shelter animals.

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."

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."

God Makes Lemonade

God Makes Lemonade

by Don Jacobson

From the back cover

In God Makes Lemonade you'll read stories from everyday folks - people like you and me who discover unexpected sweetness in the midst of sour circumstances. Some of these real life stories are laugh-out-loud funny, others are sobering, and more than a few will have you reaching for a tissue. But these true stories all have one thing in common: hope. 

There's no question that life gives us "lemons," like issues with health, employment, and relationships - truly sour circumstances we wouldn't wish on anyone. But when those lemons become lemonade, it's as refreshing as an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day.

God Makes Lemonade is a wonderful collection of stories from ordinary people who, with God's help, rise above unfortunate circumstances in their lives. This is the type of book I would want to pick up when I'm going through a discouraging time, or am having a hard time seeing the good in my life. 

One other thing that I really liked about this book was its unique cover, printing style, and fonts. It really is a beautiful book!

I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a spiritual lift. Five stars!

About the author:

Don Jacobsen's twenty-five years in publishing included serving as the president and owner of Multnomah Publishers, where he oversaw the production of more than 1000 titles and the sale of more than 100 million books. Now Don and his wife, Brenda - who has been mentoring mothers for more than a decade - are excited to encourage readers everywhere with God Makes Lemonade and support single moms through the LemonAid Foundation. 

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."

Homeward

Homeward

by Melody Carlson

Meg Lancaster has come home to Crandale. She hasn't seen her mother (Sunny), sister (Erin), or grandmother for 20 years due to the dysfunctional family. She is eagerly greeted by Erin and her family, but Sunny still seems to hold a grudge against her for leaving. And to her great dismay, her grandfather's beloved cranberry bogs have been severely neglected, almost beyond repair. Meg sets out to restore the bogs, but not without trouble - family secrets crop up and get in the way of her work. Then tragedy strikes and she is left with unforgiveness, regrets, and uncertainty. Will Meg make her way back to the God she once loved? And will she be able to save the cranberries?

I enjoyed this book very much. This is only the second book I've read by Melody Carlson (I posted a review on the first book I read here), but I am finding that I really like her style. Her themes of redemption and forgiveness strike a familiar chord with me. I also enjoy learning something new - in this book it was learning how cranberries are grown. Reading about the bogs was fascinating to me - so fascinating that I think I will have to visit a bog sometime! 

I would definitely recommend this book, and would love to read more of Melody's books. As noted in her bio below, she has written over 200 books, so I have some catching up to do! 

Of note, this Rita-award winning book was originally written in 1997, and is now available as an e-book for $2.99.

About the Author:

Melody Carlson published her first book in 1995 and she has been writing prolifically ever since. To date, Melody has published over 200 books, making her one of the top 20 most prolific authors of all time. With total sales of over 1.4 million her award-winning books include: Homeward, Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon; Limelight; the Diary of a Teenage Girl series; the True Colors series; and the Charter House Girls series.

In her professional life, Melody has worn many hats: from pre-school teacher to political activist to senior editor. Currently, she writes full-time, and freelances from her home. She has two grown sons and lives in Sisters, Oregon with her husband, Chris, and Bailey, her chocolate lab. They enjoy skiing, hiking, and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains. 

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."

River's Song

River's Song
by Melody Carlson

After the recent death of her mother, Anna Gunderson moves back to her childhood home to clean out her parents' things. She's had a hard life - she lost her husband at a young age, and she and her 18-year-old daughter have lived with her cruel mother-in-law ever since. At her childhood home, she meets old friends and  makes some new ones, and becomes inspired to turn the house into a bed and breakfast.

I wasn't sure I'd be able to say this, but I did like this book. The first few chapters were hard to get through - it was depressing to read about all that Anna had gone through, and it seemed as if the world was against her. In fact, if I hadn't committed to reading this book for a review, I would have put it down. In the end, I am glad I had a reason to finish. The story did get more interesting, and I enjoyed reading about Anna's "new lease on life." Interestingly, it's the first in a series of books called "The Inn at Shining Waters." The end of the book featured the first chapter of the next book, River's Call. What I read interested me enough that I would definitely read the second book.

About the Author:

Melody Carlson published her first book in 1995 and she has been writing prolifically ever since. To date, Melody has published over 200 books, making her one of the top 20 most prolific authors of all time. With total sales of over 1.4 million her award-winning books include: Homeward, Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon; Limelight; the Diary of a Teenage Girl series; the True Colors series; and the Charter House Girls series.

In her professional life, Melody has worn many hats: from pre-school teacher to political activist to senior editor. Currently, she writes full-time, and freelances from her home. She has two grown sons and lives in Sisters, Oregon with her husband, Chris, and Bailey, her chocolate lab. They enjoy skiing, hiking, and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains. 


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."

A Short Life Well Lived

A Short Life Well Lived

by Tom Sullivan

Brian O'Connor is an attorney who is married with two kids. He is also blind. When his 11-year-old son, Tommy, is found to have cancer after breaking his arm during a baseball game, Brian is devastated. Having no faith in God, he feels angry and lost. Rev. Clayton McRae, the hospital chaplain, befriends him and encourages him to train with him for the Boston Marathon, and raise money for kids with cancer. During his running sessions with Clayton, Brian vents his frustrations about his son being sick, and questions a God who would allow this to happen.

A Short Life Well Lived takes the reader on Brian's faith journey, which I found to be very honest and realistic. I have to admit this was a hard book to read. Any story about a sick child makes me sad. But overall I did enjoy the book. Working in healthcare myself, I was able to better empathize with parents of sick children by the end of the book. I think another thing that made the book intriguing was the fact that the author, Tom Sullivan, is also blind. This gave an authenticity to his character's experience with blindness. I would recommend this book to anyone who questions their faith in God, or just simply wants a closer walk with God.


About the author: Tom Sullivan

Tom Sullivan, known to many as an actor, singer, entertainer, author and producer, lives and works by “Sullivan’s Rules.”  As a young boy he found himself fenced in his back yard, but he refused to be fenced in by his blindness.  “Sullivan’s Rules” were invented by Tom and his father, Porky Sullivan, so that he could play baseball with the neighborhood boys without the benefit of seeing the ball.  It became the most popular game on the block.  “Sullivan’s Rules” became the rules to play by in the sighted world, and that meant playing almost anything.

One of Sullivan’s first rules is that any negative can be turned into positive.  Born prematurely in 1947, Tom was given too much oxygen while in an incubator.  Though it saved his life, it cost him his eyesight.  The “inconvenience” of being blind has never kept Tom Sullivan from competing in a world where he realized that to be equal, for him, meant that he must be better.  Even as he may have had to change the rules slightly, he has proven that one need not be limited by a handicap, whether it is playing backyard baseball as a youngster or any activity he’s pursued.  Tom is an excellent golfer.  (“I’ve never seen a water hazard.  I always have an open shot to the green.”)  He’s an avid snow skier and a marathon runner and has been inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

As a special correspondent for ABC’s Good Morning America, Tom became a regular morning fixture in millions of American homes.  His touching and insightful reports gave many that “you can do it” bit of inspiration to start their day.

Tom went on to be nominated for two Emmy Awards and has acted on TV series, such as Designing Women, Highway to Heaven, Fame, M*A*S*H, Mork & Mindy and WKRP in Cincinnati, just to name a few.  But to create the characters and fulfill the role of a blind man on prime time he also helped write and develop many of these stories.

Thanks to Tom’s public life, he has been privileged to become one of America’s most sought-after motivational speakers, communicating with over 3,000 corporations around the world.  His message of hope is best expressed in his quote from his ESPN special, Superior Beings:  “If extraordinary people can do impossible things, isn’t it reasonable to assume that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.”

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."