Deadly Devotion by Sandra Orchard

      

     I previously reviewed book two in Sandra Orchard's Port Aster Secrets series.  So, I was excited when I was offered the opportunity to review book three. The next day I learned that book one, Deadly Devotion, was being offered for free on the Kindle. It was great fun to go back to the beginning of Kate and Tom's story.  Even though I'd read book two, and knew some things were going to end well, the suspense was still great enough to keep me engaged with the storyline. While I thoroughly enjoyed Deadly Devotion, I must admit book two, Blind Trust, seemed more realistic. I can't wait to open up Desperate Measures. I feel pretty sure I have a good mystery waiting for me behind the front cover. I will be reviewing another book before being able to get my teeth into that one, but that will provide motivation to make time for reading. More to come...

As Love Blooms by Lorna Seilstad - A Book Review

No Place to Hide by Lynette Eason - A Book Review

     

     No Place to Hide is the third book in Lynette Eason’s Hidden Identity series. Eason is surely maintaining her momentum in this series. While I don’t like clichés I have to say she has hit another out of the park with this one.  The books in this series revolve around a semi-government agency, Operation Refuge, which works to help and protect those who can’t help and protect themselves. In this book it is one of their own, Jackie Sellers, who is need of help, but unlike their usual clients, Jackie has some skills developed at the police academy to bring to the table.

     Jackie’s childhood friend, Ian Lockwood, has found himself on the run from law enforcement and unknown assassins.  His only hope is to avoid capture long enough to prove his innocence and to discover who is really behind whatever is going on. That’s not going to be easy with his face splashed all over the news, and his name being linked to terrorism. What a surprise when Jackie breaks into his home after years having passed since last seeing her. Thus begins a tumultuous ride for both the characters and the reader. There is nothing predictable about the storyline in this book.  I repeatedly found myself saying, “Well, I didn’t see that coming!”

     I highly recommend this book and this author. I’ve read enough of her books to feel comfortable even recommending those I haven’t had the opportunity to pick up yet. There are only a handful of authors that I have that much confidence in.  I thank Revell Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for providing No Place to Hide for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

A Rose for Jonathan by Beth Green – A Book Review

  Since I was a little girl I have been enamored by stories.  My best memories involve books: being read to by my mom who also loved stories, waiting beside the roadside for the book mobile to stop, reading Alice in Wonderland while buried under the covers when my mom didn’t know how to work the thermostat our first day in our first home with central air conditioning, and making it through those dreaded camping trips with the help of a stack of books. As an adult I discovered Christian fiction, stories that enlighten as well as entertain.  I have always believed that God has a way of putting the right book in my hand at the right time.  At times it is a book that has been on my shelf for years, and at others it is a book recently acquired.  Some books are like the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin (Luke Chapter 15), with a fairly easy theme to recognize.  Others cause me to ponder at a deeper level and seek God’s wisdom, like the disciples in Luke Chapter 8, asking the meaning of the story.  Others spark a longing to dig deeper into God’s Word looking for truth.  A Rose for Jonathan is just such a book. 

     I belong to a closed Facebook group where Christian authors link up with reviewers.  I saw a post from Beth Green; while her book looked interesting, it was the fact that she was located in Baker, Florida that caught my attention.  I messaged her and asked to be considered for receiving a copy of the book to review, and asked whether or not she knew relatives that had lived in Baker.  As it turned out she and her husband were vacationing there, but I believe God used this to place Beth’s book in my hand. 

     As I am reading a book for review, I’m always thinking about wording my review.  As I got into A Rose for Jonathan, I was considering connecting with fans of Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker and maybe Randy Alcorn as the story is occurring in the earthly and spiritual planes.  I was thinking about incorporating the underlying theme of the importance of organ donation.  Then I was increasingly convicted that I was reading this book not as a way to promote Christian fiction, but because I needed a wakeup call in my prayer life.  When I first retired I felt God’s call to spend significant amounts of time in prayer, and to pray utilizing Scripture.  He gave me tools to assist me in this, one of the greatest being the book Prayers That Avail Much from Word Ministries, Inc. Over time I allowed a new kind of business to enter my life, and my prayer life changed.  I continued to pray quite often, but my prayers lacked the intensity that they’d had early in my retirement, and they included less Scripture.  To be honest they were less effectual, but as all things that happen gradually, it went unnoticed.  That is until God, through Beth Green, gave me A Rose for Jonathan.  

     Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 that we struggle against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  He instructs us in verses 13 through 17 to put on the full armor of God.  Beth Green points out that some of the armor is defensive in nature: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation.  Our offensive weapons are the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God and prayer.  Paul reminds us in verse 18 to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests, and that with this in mind to be alert and to always keep on praying for all the saints. 

     I most highly recommend A Rose for Jonathan. The story of Pastor John, his wife Lindsey, his daughter Rosie, and all those whose lives they touch will grip your heart. Indeed fans of Peretti, Dekker and Alcorn will be blessed to meet a storyteller who is their equal. Who knows, there may be a reason that God is bringing this book to your attention at this time, or it may simply be your time to enjoy a great read.  Either way, I couldn’t recommend a better book. 

     Thank you to Beth Green for providing this book for my honest review.  I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
      

The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness by Suzanne Woods Fisher – A Book Review

     It’s not often that I review a non-fiction book, but this one caught my eye after experiencing a wonderful vacation in the Amish area of northern Ohio.  Suzanne Woods Fisher has authored both fiction and non-fiction books about the Amish.  I have read several books on the topic of forgiveness, but this book approaches the topic from a totally different point of view.  Forgiveness is portrayed as being simple, but not easy.  Simple in that from the Amish point of view it is basic, not optional, central to their faith, yet not easy because, like with all of us, emotions do have to be dealt with.

     While the book was not written as a devotional text, the structure does lend itself to being used in that manner.  The twenty-nine sections are short, making a focused point.  They could easily be read day by day with time to ponder the point being made.  I must admit though that I found myself getting so involved that I would read several sections each day, underlining, adding asterisks, and making notes in the margins.  Each section begins with an Amish proverb and ends with a tidbit, or as the author labeled it a “plain truth”, about Amish life.  Sandwiched between are real life examples of Amish forgiveness, forgiveness of significant wrongs, among these: murder, sexual abuse, and theft of life savings. 

     Forgiveness is deeply woven into the Amish culture.  As Christians we all know that God calls us to forgive so that we, too, may be forgiven (Matthew 6:12). There are lessons to be learned from the Amish, and their teaching and modeling of forgiveness for their children, living it out before them.  Fisher gives us a window into this, a glimpse into how we to might live out forgiveness before our own children, how we might practice forgiveness in light of the significance Christ gave it as he taught His disciples to pray. 

     Whether you are aware of an unmet need to forgive, or feel like you are doing well in this area, I would highly recommend The Heart of the Amish.  It is informative, persuasive, and engaging.  It speaks to the heart.  I thank Revell Publishers for providing The Heart of the Amish for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
       

Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage by Kay Bratt – A Book Review

     

      Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage by Kay Bratt – A Book Review
     God led me to this piece of non-fiction years ago, long before I retired from teaching, long before I started blogging and posting book reviews.  God began then preparing my heart for the little girl who will be joining our family within the next eighteen months to two years.  Kay Bratt dedicated her book to China’s Orphans; stating, “You are not forgotten.”  Indeed they are not. Biological parents in China, for a variety of reasons, have made the heart wrenching decision to leave their children, and in the words of our soon-to-be granddaughter’s new parents, “There’s a lot we don’t know about our daughter, but we do know this: She has been left to be found, and our love will find her wherever she is.”  There are many parents out there whose love has led them to find their son or daughter wherever they were, and many who are being led by God to that wonderful discovery.
     In 2002 the author’s husband was transferred to China.  She immediately set three goals for herself: to learn to speak Mandarin, to volunteer in an orphanage, and to chronicle her time overseas by keeping a journal.  Once in Shengxi, and personally experiencing the day to day life of the orphans there, Kay began a volunteer group supported by friends and family stateside. This book is a collection of her journal entries during her four years in China.
     When Kay first arrived in Shengxi, volunteers were not readily welcomed in the orphanage.  A lady named Ann was the only volunteer at the time, and she laid the groundwork for Kay’s volunteering.  Without her, Kay may never have been able to reach her second goal.  The condition of the children, the living environment, and the lack of human contact was deeply depressing.  Kay’s description of the treatment of the children is vivid, and incomprehensible to most of us living in America.  While reading this book causes the reader great sadness, it is not meant for us to close our eyes and hearts to human suffering.  The reader can hold onto the portion of the title of the text: A Journey of Hope. Kay and her corp of volunteers did indeed slowly, and over time, bring hope to the Shengxi orphanage. The volunteers realized that change needed to occur little by little, move to fast and they would be told not to return.  
     Kay introduces us, her readers, to several specific children.  It is impossible not to get emotionally involved with their stories, driven to read on and discover their fates. Squirt a baby boy who stubbornly hung on to life for as long as he could.  Xiao Feng, a small girl with a beautiful smile and a missing hand. Two year old Jin Ji, a favorite of the ayis. Yue Hua longing for the comfort of human touch and understanding. Hei Mei with a minor heart condition, dimples and a sunny disposition. Xiao Gou twice abandoned.    
     A model of God’s love, compassion and mercy, Kay expresses an understanding of the ayis, the workers responsible for the children’s care.  By looking for ways to show them appreciation and to make their jobs easier rather than criticizing and arguing with them, Kay won their confidence and respect, building relationships one visit at a time.  This resulted in greater opportunities to impact the children’s lives and eventually changes in how the ayis treated the children. 
     Kay ends her book with letters that she has received by some of those who have been touched by her story, some who have gone on to adopt.  These letters are testaments to the power of the testimony contained in these pages, be they paper or electronic.  Whether you plan to adopt, love children, or just love a touching story, you will find inspiration and hope while reading Silent Tears. 

     If you want to learn more about what happens to children who age out of “the system” in China, you may want to visit http://www.brownwingfamily.com/2013/05/what-happens-to-orphans-if-they-are-not.html.

     If you want to know more about Kay Bratt’s continuing advocacy for children, you can visit www.kaybratt.com. If you want to know more about our son and daughter-in-law’s journey into adopting through China, you can keep up with their story at https://becomingafamilyof5.wordpress.com/ or http://www.gofundme.com/babycastenir.

The Creole Princess by Beth White - A Book Review

     In April of 2014 I reviewed book one in the Gulf Coast Chronicles series.  I am delighted to have the opportunity to review book two, The Creole Princess, in April of 2015. While characters from book one, Pelican Bride, are briefly referred to, this book tells the story of their descendents and is set in Mobile and New Orleans during the Revolutionary War. I had been previously unaware of two British colonies that remained loyal to the Crown – East Florida and West Florida.  White focuses on Spain’s contribution to the success of the American War of Independence as she tells this story. Many of us may be less familiar with Spain’s alliance with the Americans that with France’s, creating additional interest in this historical romance.  White’s research and attention to detail are clearly evident as she intertwines real and fictional characters in authentic and fictionalized events. 

     The Creole Princess tells the story of Lyse Lanier, daughter of a poor, drunken fisherman and granddaughter of a wealthy businessman whose family had settled in the Gulf Coast decades before.  Lyse is being semi-officially courted by a young, red-headed soldier named Niall McLeod, and unofficially by a Spanish merchant, Don Rafael Maria Gonzales de Rippardá.  Don Rafael has a way of appearing and disappearing, leading Lyse to be uncertain about their future, and wondering if there is not more to him than meets the eye. Beyond providing her readers with an intriguing romance, White expands the freedom theme inherent in a story set during the Revolutionary War to include the issue of slavery.  She does this by giving her heroine ancestors with French, Indian, and African roots.  Lyse, born to a freed slave, gives much thought to the difference between her life and her cousin’s, the daughter of Lyse’s mother’s twin who had not been freed. As Don Rafael quizzes Lyse about her family, she laughing tells him he would need to see a family tree to follow the relationships.  I agree with her and hope that Beth White will supply us with a Lanier family tree on her blog site.

     Fans of Jane Kirkpatrick books will likely also enjoy White’s brand of historical fiction.  Both authors tell engaging stories, mixing fact and fiction with historical accuracy.  Both have well developed characters and use beautiful language to create vivid mental images to hold their readers spellbound.  I thank Revell Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for providing The Creole Princess for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.