a slew of book reviews.

Bear with me while I review umpteen books which have been piling up on my nightstand. I've been distracted by these sweet guys lately... ;)

 oh, and this sweet guy.... :)

I LOVE being a part of Bethany House's Blogger Review program. These were all sent to me, free of charge, to read and review. If you're interested in the program, check it out here.

The Jesus Story by Dr. William H Marty

I cannot say ENOUGH about this book. I was raised in church, so the Jesus stories could sometimes seem mundane. Is that awful to say?? I had heard them so many times, that I wasn't really HEARING them. This book breathed new life into Jesus' story. I found myself learning new things in every chapter.
This is a retelling of the New Testament, "in plain English" (Marty, 2013). I highly recommend it to anyone - Christian or not. It can bring new life to Jesus' life for you, and will do an amazing job of introducing anyone to Jesus for the first time.

50 Things You Need to Know About Heaven by Dr. John Hart

Excellent book. I chose this book to review in light of a loss in my life. Even though I knew some of the 50 things, it was SO encouraging to "learn" them again. There are SO many facts about Heaven that I just did not know, or did not think about before. Dr. John Hart answers most any question one can have about Heaven, using sound doctrine and the Word of God. 

This is an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand book.

I recommend this book to anyone, but especially those who have experienced loss. It proved to be a great enouragement to me.

Tide and Temptest by Elizabeth Ludwig

I must admit, when I chose this book, I couldn't wait to receive it. I really enjoyed Ludwig's second book of this series, but this third book lost me. I could not get into it. I pushed myself to read more, but I felt lost in the story. I had a difficult time connecting with the characters. I thought the storyline took too long to become interesting. The first part of the book is shrouded in mystery, but it was too myseterious for me - I couldn't figure out who was who or what anyone was talking about! Perhaps I need to reread the second book? I'm not certain, but I cannot recommend this except for a reader wanting to continue/finish this series by Ludwig.

Minding Molly by Leslie Gould

I made myself finish this book. I wasn't enthralled with it. I was bored by the predictable story line. I also had trouble placing this story in any particular time in history. At first I thought it was in the past, but the characters had cell phones, so I assumed it was modern day. I know it is an Amish story, but it seemed out of place and unattached to any specific time period.

It was an entertaining read, but it was predictable. I couldn't connecct with Molly, I really didn't like her character. I did, however, find myself more interested in the less developed characters of the story. 

I can only recommend it as an easy read. It's not a book I would read again.

Miracle in a Dry Season by Sarah Loudin Thomas

As a WV girl, I highly recommend this book. Partly because it's set in WV (I mean, how often does that happen?!) But, this is such a sweet love story. I couldn't put it down. The characters are easy to love and are perfectly developed. I felt I knew what I wanted about the characters and didn't find myself wanting more information - I felt I knew them. I was sad when the book ended, because I enjoyed getting to know them through this book. The plot was not predictable and there was no mention of a dramatic fire or near-death experience from which the woman needed to be rescued, only to finally fall in love with her rescuer. I really enjoyed it.

The first novella by this author was wonderful, too! I received it free and was on edge waiting for this sequel!

I highly recommend this story to anyone. It was so entertaining and interesting.

Appalachian Serenade by Sarah Loudin Thomas

The novella and prequel to Miracle in a Dry Season. Absolutely adorable! It's been awhile since I've read Christian fiction and been so drawn in by the characters. Thomas writes this story so beautifully that you cannot help but be caught up in their love story. Set in WV, this is a story of two unlikely people finding love in a small, small town. There are no dramatics or unbelievable circumstances that bring them together, just two normal people living normal life.

I highly recommend this book.

(all photos of books were found on Amazon.com...my favorite site to shop! Visit the site by clicking here)

A Book Review

Julie Klassen has become a favorite author of mine. I would put her in the same ranks as Francine Rivers (Redeeming Love, Mark of the Lion Trilogy). Both women do remarkable amounts of historical research for each of their books, and both write in such a way that I become attached to each of the characters in their stories. Both are Christian women, and that is evident in their work. Their stories, though not overwhelmed with scriptural monologues, like some Christian fiction, point the reader to God.

Klassen, in The Dancing Master, points the reader to God's unfailing love as a Father. This story is set in the same time period as Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Being an Austen fan, I was quickly caught up in the setting of The Dancing Master. Klassen beautifully illustrates her characters and paints a sweet love story between more than two characters. I found myself missing the characters once I finished reading this book - which was in a matter of a few days. I couldn't put it down!

I was so happy to have received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for their blogger review program. I am happy to recommend it to anyone - you will not be disappointed!

A Book Review

This summer, I received a special from Bethany House Publishers: 2 free books in one month!! I couldn't have been more excited. The first book I read, Rebellious Heart, was SO good, the second...not so good. I HATE writing negative reviews just as much as I HATE giving students negative feedback on their writing...but sometimes it MUST be done...

photo from Amazon.com (linked)

I have read Tracie Peterson books in the past. This book is not unlike the others I have read. It has an enlightening historical setting, which seems more interesting than the love story between the two main characters.
I felt this book was too predictable, like her other books. It was a sweet story and a nice lesson on loving others as Christ loves us, but the rest of the story was lacking. The characters did not seem developed enough for me to feel attached to them. I found myself wanting to skip ahead so that I could finish reading it and start reading something else. However, I made myself read every page, in hopes that I would like this book a little more, but in the end, I did not.
I hoped for a twist in the story, but found only the same storyline as her other books: two unlikely characters who were not supposed to fall in love, fall in love; one or both find themselves in perilous danger only to rescued, resulting in a complete change in emotion toward one another.
It has a happy ending, which keeps the book entertaining, but I can't say that the book was entertaining enough to warrent a referral to friends.

A Book Review.

I have so much fun reading books for Bethany House Publishers. I love getting them for free!
The most recent book I read was a Christian Fiction Romance/Mystery. I usually do not go for mysteries, but I know with Bethany House I do not have to worry about bad language or disturbing plots (let's face it, I'm disturbed by most movies with the exception of Disney films - ha!)

After reading this book, I am a new Jody Hedlund fan!
I was captivated from page one!
Hedlund paints a beautiful portrait of two characters in a vividly detailed historical background.
I was on the edge on my seat waiting for the story to unfold. I even caught myself trying to skip ahead to find out what happened next, but refused because each part of the story was so entertaining.

I highly recommend it. I stayed up WAY too late reading it, trying to finish it in one evening. But sleep won, and I was eager for naptime the next morning so I could finish it. I couldn't put it down! This is a new favorite.