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    Read Roseanna M. White's Column:

Those Were the Days

You know what I remember most from high school? All those people that said, “These are the best days of your life!” and me thinking, “Oh, I hope not.” Let’s face it—high school is a collection of achievement, failure, disillusionment, dreaming . . . in other words, conflict. Lots of it. Back in the day, I generally escaped in the pages of a good book—usually ones about people older than I was, primarily Christian romances. Now that I’m a reviewer, I love that it’s come full circle and I’m reading books aimed at the high school crowd. How do I know when one’s truly successful? When it transports me back to Those Days. Read the column

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Christian Book Reviews

 

Feature Reviews - View the most recently uploaded reviews


Fiction

Non-Fiction

Feature Reviews - The Most Recently Uploaded Reviews
 

A Prisoner of Versailles
By Golden Keyes Parsons
Review by Roseanna White

In her quest to keep her family safe in their Huguenot faith, Madeleine has a formidable foe: King Louis XIV. The Sun King is determined to bring her back to his side, and when he tears her from her family yet again, she must learn how--and when--to fight. In a world where even love could destroy her, how can her God save her? Read the full review

Double Cross
By James David Jordan
Review by B. Chenier

This is the first book I have read by James David Jordan and have found him to be an interesting author. His degrees in law and journalism lend well to the adventure content of this story. I understand this to be his third novel and I will be sure to read more of him. Double Cross stands on its own unless you (like me) have this enquiring mind that is not satisfied without asking a hundred questions to get a whole picture. Read the full review


Vengeance
By Donna Dawson
Review by Joseph B. Hoyos

FBI agent James Benedict, along with hundreds of other passengers, finds himself trapped aboard a cruise ship sailing from San Diego to the Hawaiian islands. Around him, passengers are mysteriously dying of what appears to be a plague of boils. The victims are part of a vast conspiracy instigated by a man determined to obtain vengeance for loved ones who died during the Vietnam War. James and his friends must risk their lives to uncover the identity of the diabolical man who calls himself "Nam" before more passengers suffer hideous deaths. Read the full review


Don't Miss Your Life!
An uncommon Guide to Living with Freedom, Laughter, and Grace
By Charlene Ann Baumbich
Review by Diana Rogers

I didn't know what to expect upon reading Charlene's paperback book titled, Don't Miss Your Life! I requested this particular book because I liked the cover art mostly. To be honest with you, I wasn't familiar with Charlene's writing nor the Dearest Dorothy Series. The very first thing that caught my eye on the book cover were these three young ladies who were jumping in mid air with colorful skirts on and oh yes, did I mention their bare feet?! If you are looking for a vision of what freedom within looks like or you might be longing to read a book filled with guidance to how one's life might feel to be free, then I encourage you to get a copy of Charlene's book because "walking barefoot in grass makes your understanding tingle." Read the full review

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 Fiction

General Christian Fiction

 

Arena
by Karen Hancock
Review by Dina Sleiman

Take a dash of Pilgrim’s Progress, toss in a good helping of The Matrix, and you get Arena by Karen Hancock. Talk about a book I couldn’t put down. My teenaged daughter highly recommended Arena to me, and it turned out to be one of the most fascinating and unique novels I have ever read. Sci-fi fans will go especially crazy for this book, but everyone will appreciate the finely crafted allegory of the Christian experience. Read the full review


The Passion of Mary-Margaret
By Lisa Samson
Review by Roseanna White

Mary-Margaret Fischer was born in disgrace and spent a lot of years haunted by it. More or less raised in a convent school, she knew all her life that she’d follow in her mother’s footsteps and enter the religious order. That determination, her soul-deep longing to dedicate herself to Christ, was always what stood between her and Jude Keller, the lighthouse keeper’s son. He was a wild boy, always seeking out trouble . . . and when he left their hometown on the Eastern Shore and headed for Baltimore, he found it in spades. Read the full review


Daisy Chain
By Mary E. DeMuth
Review by Ruth Curcuru 

One reason I like Christian fiction is that the books are usually light happy reads, and everything wraps up with a bow at the end. That may not be indicative of a sophisticated reader, but it is me. I read for entertainment and generally speaking, I choose happy books. Daisy Chain is not a happy book.  Read the full review


Waiting for Daybreak
By Kathryn Cushman
Review by Deborah Khuanghlawn

Paige and Clarissa are two women who work in a small town pharmacy. Both have different goals and pasts they are trying to hide. Paige wants to erase her past that cost her previous job while trying to help out her mother who is very sick. Clarissa wants to move away to the big city and open her own pharmacy but is stuck in the small town. When Clarissa's grandfather hires Paige, Clarissa deems her to be too good to be true and tries to find out Paige's secret. Determined to get away from the family business and into the big city, Clarissa tries to set up Paige and bring her down. Read the full review


Click here for more General Christian Fiction

Biblical Fiction

Journey to the Well
By Diana Wallis Taylor
Review by Teresa Konopka

Journey to the Well by Diana Wallis Taylor is a breathtaking novel full of twists and turns. As the title and cover imply, the story is of the Samaritan woman who was forgiven of her sins at a well by Jesus. However, this exact scene is not fully accounted until the last thirty pages of the book. Having to read a good 300 pages before this, readers are a bit hesitant. However, after reading the first chapter, readers are hooked. By the time those last thirty pages approach, the significance of the first 300 is remarkably clear.  Read the full review


A Stray Drop of Blood
By Roseanna M. White
Review by Julie Lessman
 

Haunting and powerful are two words that come to mind at the close of reading Roseanna M. White’s debut novel, A Stray Drop of Blood. Not since Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion trilogy has a book and its characters captured me so completely. From its rich, historical prose that depicts the era of Christ with startling reality, to a compelling love story that will both jolt and seize your heart, this is one of those rare novels that haunts you centuries beyond the last page. Read the full review


The Prince
By Francine Rivers

Review by April Gardner

Book #3 in Francine River’s Sons of Encouragement series, The Prince is the retelling of the life of Jonathan, son of Saul, first king of Israel.   While most church-goers are familiar with the story, Francine has taken a look at this historical character in an eye-opening new light.    Read the full review


John’s Story
Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins
Review by Deborah Khuanghlawn 

John, the disciple Jesus loved most, is the only disciple left. All the others have been killed for their beliefs. Currently in prison awaiting his sentence, John wants to get his story about his life with the Messiah out to the rest of the world. When an attempt to boil him in a pot of oil fails, John is sentenced to exile on Patmos. Before he goes, he dictates his story to Polycarp in hopes that others will listen to it and believe.  Read the full review

 

Mainstream Fiction
The Da Vinci Code
By Dan Brown
Review by Roseanna White

 

There are a lot of mysteries in this world that most of us don’t often think of, and Brown does a remarkable job of pulling them together in a thought-inducing and compelling story. His short-lived and long-reaching Louvre curator introduces the challenge that the main characters and the readers follow–don’t let the truth die. Through an infinitely complex series of symbols and codes, iconographer Rober Landon and cryptographer Sophie Neveu follow the clues left by the curator, the latter’s grandfather, through unfathomable secrets that arise in the search for none other than the Holy Grail. With each step of the way, the searchers come against information that challenges the general public’s preconceived notions about everything from the foundation of the Catholic church to the interpretation of artistic masterpieces. Without a doubt, this book is an eye-opening experience and a scintillating read. Read the full review

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Romantic Suspense

Breach of Trust
By DiAnn Mills
Review by Roseanna White

Paige Rogers knows better than anyone that things are rarely what they seem. So when a flashy car rolls into her small town, she has a feeling the driver isn’t the photographer he claims to be. Keary had to have sent him . . . she just isn’t sure why. She’s done all he told her to—she faked her death, adopted a new identity as a small-town librarian, retired from the CIA. And now that she’s a Christian, she’s glad to have put it all behind her. But until Keary’s brought to justice, will she ever really be able to have a life? Read the full review


Miss Match
By Sara Mills
Review by Roseanna White

Allie Fortune knows that trouble has found her again when Jack O’Connor calls and wants to meet her so badly he’s willing to go to her parents’ for dinner to see her. It’s been a while since they’ve worked together, but the moment she sees his face, she knows he didn’t contact her for a friendly get-together. And indeed it seems his past has come calling. He’s gotten a letter from his long-lost love, and answering it will mean giving up everything he’s worked for to travel to Berlin, one of the most dangerous places in the world, to save her. What’s Allie to do but go along for the ride and make sure he doesn’t do something really stupid? Read the full review


Deadly Exposure
By Cara Putman
Review by Roseanna White

Dani Richards thinks she was getting a night off from journalism when she takes her aunt to the theater—but that’s before she discovers a dead body in the next box. And before her old flame Caleb arrives, now an investigator for the local police. She gets to cover the case by default—but the deeper she digs, the clearer it becomes that the killer won’t rest until she backs off.  And that’s something she just can’t do. Read the full review


Healing Promises
By Amy Wallace
Review by Roseanna White

Clint Rollins never expected that a gunshot wound could save his life—until a trip to the hospital for treatment reveals a cancer already well progressed. An agent in the FBI’s Crimes Against Children Unit, Clint is used to standing strong and tall against evil and adversity.  So how is he supposed to handle being weak from chemo? Is it going to keep him from tracking down the serial kidnapper on the loose? Read the full review

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Historical Fiction

A Prisoner of Versailles
By Golden Keyes Parsons
Review by Roseanna White

In her quest to keep her family safe in their Huguenot faith, Madeleine has a formidable foe: King Louis XIV. The Sun King is determined to bring her back to his side, and when he tears her from her family yet again, she must learn how--and when--to fight. In a world where even love could destroy her, how can her God save her? Read the full review

The Days of Peleg
By Jon Saboe
Review by Stephen L. Rice

The Days of Peleg begins a a travel/adventure yarn set in the time of the biblical Peleg. The nature of the story shifts eventually into something more expository. Read the full review


City of the Dead
By T. H. Higley
Review by Rebekka Ramirez

I was ecstatic to get my copy of City of the Dead. Can I tell you, you are in for a ride! T.H. Higley has done it again! She takes the reader to the desert of Egypt, where secrets, romance and murder all collide. Read the full review


Fireflies in December
By Jennifer Erin Valent
Review by Irene Grove 

This story is told through the eyes of a young girl, Jessilyn Lassiter.  It takes place during the summer of her 13th birthday in the year 1932.  Her family takes in the daughter of a black family that has died in a fire.  The community reacts by ignoring the family, harassing them and even placing a burning cross in their yard.  Read the full review


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Thriller
 
Double Cross
By James David Jordan
Review by B. Chenier

This is the first book I have read by James David Jordan and have found him to be an interesting author. His degrees in law and journalism lend well to the adventure content of this story. I understand this to be his third novel and I will be sure to read more of him. Double Cross stands on its own unless you (like me) have this enquiring mind that is not satisfied without asking a hundred questions to get a whole picture. Read the full review


Vengeance
By Donna Dawson
Review by Joseph B. Hoyos

FBI agent James Benedict, along with hundreds of other passengers, finds himself trapped aboard a cruise ship sailing from San Diego to the Hawaiian islands. Around him, passengers are mysteriously dying of what appears to be a plague of boils. The victims are part of a vast conspiracy instigated by a man determined to obtain vengeance for loved ones who died during the Vietnam War. James and his friends must risk their lives to uncover the identity of the diabolical man who calls himself "Nam" before more passengers suffer hideous deaths. Read the full review


A Lever Long Enough
By Amy Deardon
Review by Roseanna White 

Israel’s independence is on the line, its social identity in danger—all because of the subversive Christian doctrine that is sweeping the nation. Their only choice is to prove once and for all that the religion is a hoax. So with the help of a newly developed time machine, Benjamin Feinan leads his team back to the first century to film the theft of Jesus’ body from his tomb. He has exactly seventy-two hours to collect the evidence . . . or he may face all-out war when he returns. Readthe full review

 


Daniel's Den
By Brandt Dodson
Review by Irene Grove 

The chase is on!  Daniel is out for his morning run and notices a van parked on the street he has never seen before.  When he comes back down the next street moments later and sees the van again he knows his life is about to change.  “Daniel’s Den” is a fast paced thriller similar to any John Grisham book.  The author, Brandt Dodson, keeps the story moving quickly and has the reader guessing as to what might happen next.  Read the full review


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Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Seed of Seerling
By Amy Kennedy
Review by Mimi Baker

Seed of Seerling by Amy Kennedy is a wonderful, and heart-wrenching fantasy novel. We are introduced to Astril, the first-born daughter of Isilian, a woman on the way to becoming High Priestess of Seerling. Isilian's birth mother, Sallian is what we'd consider a believer. She prays over the protection of her granddaughter, Astril, who becomes known as the Seed. Isilian is trainied under her aunt to serve the Great Goddess. Read the full review

 


Return of the Guardian King
by Karen Hancock
Review by Cathi Hassan  

This is the fourth and concluding book in Karen Hancock’s fantasy series, Legend of the Guardian King. Since I haven’t had the privilege to read the previous volumes,  I wasn’t sure how well I could follow the events and characters as I read. While I wasn’t always clear about relationships, connections, and events alluded to, I am happy to report that enough information was provided that I could figure out the path and follow the story nicely. Not  only could I follow it, but I didn’t want to leave it. Read the full review

 


The Restorer
By Sharon Hinck
Review by Cara Putman

The Restorer is Sharon Hinck’s first foray into straight fantasy and it is a wonderful read. First off, you need to know that I am NOT a fantasy reader. I couldn’t read JRR Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings or Hobbit until after I saw The Fellowship of the Ring. I simply couldn’t picture the worlds he created. Finally, my love for my husband and my sincere enjoyment of the movie pushed me to pick up those books. I enjoyed them, but I doubt I will read them again until my kids are old enough to enjoy them.  Read the full review

 


Flashpoint
by Frank Creed
Review by Cathi Hassan 

 

Imagine a book that combines the super-cool action of The Matrix with a portion of Left Behind, and then mix in a few tablespoons of Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness, a pinch of Robocop, and the powers of your favorite superheroes. This only begins to give you an idea of what to expect in Frank Creed’s Christian Speculative Fiction, Flashpoint: Book One of the Underground.  Read the full review

 

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Western

Beyond the Smoke
by Terry Burns
Review by Teresa Konopka

Beyond the Smoke by Terry W. Burns is a fabulous western novel about a lone cowboy. The story is very unique and the manner in which Burns writes makes every sentence flow to keep the attention of the reader. Read the full review


Unbridled Dreams
By Stephanie Grace Whitson
Review By  Deborah Khuanghlawn

Irmagard Friedrich was living the life her mother wanted. She seemed destined to live the life of a proper lady with finishing school in her future. That all changes when Buffalo Bill comes to town and Irma leaves home to fulfill her life long dream of becoming a rider in his show. With a new name and a new life ahead of her, Liberty Belle travels across the country and becomes the center of attention of two possible suitors. It's more than she could have ever dreamed of. Who wouldn't want to star alongside Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley as trick rider in the Wild West show? Read the full review


MEMORIES OF A DIRT ROAD TOWN
By  Stephen Bly
Review by Laura V. Hilton

Develyn Worrell is a fifth grade Indiana school teacher, divorced and later widowed, with one twenty-year-old daughter, Delaney. Delaney isn’t talking to her mother because she is blaming her father’s fatal heart attack on Develyn. Read the full review

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YA/Juvenile

Mumsi Meets a Lion
By Kim Stegall
Review by Roseanna White

Mumsi lives in a village in Kenya, surrounded by family and friends. All his life, he and the other children have been told fantastic stories about the most feared of all the jungle creatures—the simba, the lion. The lesson of the stories was always the same: if you see a lion, don’t move. Just look it in the eye and stay very, very still. Mumsi never imagined he’d need the lesson, until one dark night when he’s alone on the mountain . . . Read the full review


So Not Happening
By Jenny B. Jones
Reviewed by Stephanie Morrill

utside of San Diego—and runs smack into a few surprises herself.

So Not Happening possesses every characteristic I’ve come to love in Jenny B. Jones’s books—an effortless flow that keeps me turning pages, a wit that makes me laugh out loud, and wonderful, cringe-worthy catastrophes that make me both wince and chuckle.  Read the full review


Just Another Girl
By Melody Carlson
Reviewed by Stephanie Morrill

Aster Flynn wants a life of her own, and as a reader, I couldn’t help feeling for her. Read the full review


Me, Just Different
By Stephanie Morrill
Review by Roseanna White

Skylar Hoyt has it all and doesn’t know if she wants any of it anymore. She’s the leader of the popular girls, has a boyfriend who’s off the cute-meter, is known for her exotic Hawaiian looks . . . and is seriously wondering what it all matters. A near-disaster at a party when she had too much to drink scares her back to the straight and narrow—but when her family’s tossed into crisis, she has to think it’s too little too late.  Read the full review


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Women's Fiction
 

Sunset Beach
By Trish Perry
Review by Roseanna White

Sonny Miller has had her fill of secrets. All her life, her mother’s been dodging questions about her family, her background, and Sonny’s father. In Sonny’s mind, the time has come for answers. And surely now that she’s on her way to a master’s in psychology, she’s equipped to help her mom reconcile with her past, right? So she sets up a surprise reunion with her mom’s estranged sister at a beach house ormal"> Read the full review


Sunset
By Karen Kingsbury
Review by Irene Grove

“The power of a family’s love and the healing miracle of redemption.”  This quote, found on the cover of the book, perfectly describes the wonderful series about the Baxter family.  Sunset, is the last book in this Karen Kingsbury’s must read series.  She has written this book in such a way that you think the Baxter’s are a real family and she has written their stories just for you. Read the full review


THE FORBIDDEN
By  Beverly Lewis
Review by Laura V. Hilton  

Nellie Mae Fisher and her love, Caleb Yoder, are separated by a church split. Caleb’s father is not allowing Caleb to see Nellie Mae anymore since her father has left the Old Order Amish Church and started attending a New Order one. Nellie Mae assures Caleb she intends to stay Old Order, but she can’t deny the pull she has toward the New Order church her parents attend. Read the full review


A Matter of Wife and Death
By Ginger Kolbaba and Christy Scannell
Review by Deborah Khuanghlawn

The feisty foursome of Desperate Pastor's Wives are back! This time the gals are battling new adventures in their lives of serving God and their church. Felicia has to adapt from being a career woman to a stay at home mom. Jennifer continues her quest to become a mother with surprising results. Lisa is battling with a rebellious teenage daughter. And Mimi is struggling with a colicky baby and an attraction to her
kids' principal? On top of all that, mega PW Kitty Katt is still trying to outshine her fellow PWs and still getting on everyone's nerves. Will a PW retreat finally manage to bring all the women together?  Read the full review

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Mom Lit By Judy Baer
Review by Laura V. Hilton

The Baby Chronicles
By Judy Baer
Review by Laura V. Hilton

Whitney is now happily married to her doctor husband, Chase Andrews, and they are still enjoying the honeymoon status. The cats have adjusted to having an extra person in the house, and life is going on as normal.  Read the full review

 


@ Home for the Holidays
By Merdeith Efken
Review by Laura V. Hilton

For this email loop of stay-at-home moms, the weeks before Christmas are anything but jolly. Trying to balance housework, home crises and the husband without losing your mind needs therapeutic help. Better reach for your laptop—and your on-line friends. Read the full review


Balancing Act
by Kimberly Stuart
Review by Roseanna White

Heidi Elliott loves being a mom. Six-month-old Nora is an angel of a baby, and though, sure, life is a little topsy-turvy now that a third member has been added to the family, she and hubby Jake are taking it in stride. Everything’s all set for her return to the job, too—daycare lined up, lesson plans ready for her high school Spanish class, clothes almost fit... normal stuff for a woman getting ready to go off maternity leave. Read the full review

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Chick Lit
 

Sincerely, Mayla
By Virginia Smith
Review by Michelle GarlingerJ

Sincerely, Mayla was a great follow up to Just As I Am. At the beginning of the story the author expresses her hesitance in writing book two hoping that it will be able to stand up to book one that everyone enjoyed so much. Well, Virginia, no fears....it did! Mayla is back and is jobless. After the boss's niece moves in on Mayla job, Mayla begins to question herself. She has regrets about not going to college after high school and is stuck in a rut. However, after an interview in wet, snow soaked clothes (from trying to rescue a pet rabbit off the road), Mayla decides to head to Florida to visit the aunt and grandmother that she has not seen in years.  Read the full review


Just As I Am
By Virginia Smith
Review by Michelle Garlinger
  

Readers fall in love with Mayla in Just As I Am. Purple haired, four piercings in each ear, and two on her face, friends with gays...Mayla is not a character you are easily introduced to in Christian Fiction. However, at the beginning of the book Mayla is baptized and continues to live her life for Christ throughout the story. She is a good example of what a beginning Christian should be.  Read the full review


You Had Me At Good-bye
By Tracey Bateman
Review by Cheri Clay

Dancy Ames has your typical up and down life. Her father is an alcoholic and her mother is rather controlling, which is really the reason why her parents are separated. She is working her dream job at Lane Publishing with her eyes set on the Senior Editor Position and living in an apartment with her two best friends, Tabby and Laini. She helps out at the local coffee shop for the owner Nick, who she thinks is part of the mafia with his rough exterior but can’t help thinking of him as the father figure she so desperately needs.  Read the full review


Splitting Harriet
By Tamara Leigh
Review by Cheri Clay
 

Harriet Josephine Bisset—Harri—is a tattooed rebel, the preacher’s kid, the ultimate prodigal son come home again from the dark side past of cigarettes, sex and alcohol. But now she’s is back at her old church – First Grace. Totally clean and forgiven by her church and God, she cannot seem to forgive herself. She lives at the senior citizen mobile home park because it’s safe. There is a new preacher at First Grace since her parents are on the mission field, and Harri has been at odds with him since he took over, fighting mainly for the rights of the seniors and demanding things stay status quo with no changes, especially contemporary music! But changes must be made if First Grace is to survive.  Read the full review

 


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Inspirational Romance

Love Finds You in Romeo, Colorado
By Gwen Ford Faulkenberry
Review by Roseanna White

Claire Caspian comes home to Romeo, Colorado when her life is in ruins. Her Abuelita’s house is a haven for her, her professorship at the nearby college a comfort. All she wants to do is provide her son Graeme with a childhood as safe and happy as she can. But when she gets a call from his school saying they took him to the hospital, all Claire’s fears come crashing down. What if she loses her baby, on top of everything else? The doctor, handsome Stephen Reyes, assures her Graeme’s asthma is manageable. But the instant attraction between them just makes a whole new set of fears flares up. Read the full review


Long Journey Home
By Sharlene MacLaren
Review by Roseanna White

Callie May has sworn off men—it seems the wisest choice after her disastrous marriage to an abusive, cheating husband. She has her baby daughter to consider, and the last thing she needs is more trouble. Unfortunately, trouble seems to be what moves in next door. Dan Mattson, though handsome beyond compare, is draped in mystery and far too often in her way. She can’t deny a certain attraction; but that doesn’t mean she wants anything to do with the brooding construction worker. Read the full review


Return to Love
By Betsy St. Amant
Review by Roseanna White

Gracie Broussand’s only passion right now is her penguins. Her job is to care for them at an aquarium in New Orleans, and she’ll do anything she can to raise the funds for an expansion—otherwise, they won’t be able to take in more birds from upstate, and they’ll be homeless. But when her fundraising plans get off-track, her dedication is questioned too. Does she love them enough to face Carter Alexander again, after what he did to her eight years ago? Yes, he could save all her plans . . . if it’s worth another broken heart. Read the full review


Stand-In Groom
By Kaye Dacus
Review by Roseanna White  

Anne Hawthorne has turned planning a wedding into an art. And a ministry. She’s earned her reputation as the best event planner in Bonneterre, Louisiana through a lot of hard work—and if she occasionally wonders when God might bring her Prince Charming into the picture . . . well, she tries not to dwell on it. Just like she tries not to dwell on the heartbreak of her broken engagement—which would be so much easier to do if the jerk’s picture didn’t greet her from magazine covers. But when she meets George Laurence, hope finally sparks. Maybe this is the guy the Lord has for her. Or . . . maybe not. Read the full review

 



Finding Stefanie
By Susan May Warren
Review by Stephanie Morrill

Reading Susan May Warren’s Finding Stefanie left me wondering, “Why haven’t I read a Susan May Warren book before? And how quickly can I get my hands on the rest?” Read the full review


The Bride Wore Coveralls
By Debra Ullrick
Review by Roseanna White

Romeo and Juliet head south and take up . . . mud bog racing? In Debra Ullrick’s The Bride Wore Coveralls, two sworn enemies meet up at Swamper Speedway and prepare to go tire to tire. Camara Cole has to prove to the world that being a girl doesn’t make her any less a racer, any less a driver, any less anything. And Chase Lamar is out to prove to Camara that he’s a changed man. He may have sabotaged her in the past just to win a race, but now he’s starting to see what an amazing woman the feisty little Chevy mechanic is.  Read the full review

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Lady Lit
 

Sisterchicks Go Brit!
By Robin Jones Gunn
Review by Cheri Clay

Liz and Kelly, by chance meeting or God ordained, meet Opal in La-La Brew Coffee Shop ,which sets things in motion for Kelly to get her interior design company off the ground when Opal decides to hire her to redo her apartment. Opal wants to go back to England to visit her twin sister and drafts our midlife divas to help her get there.   Read the full review

HOT TROPICS & COLD FEET
By Diann Hunt
Review by Laura V. Hilton 

Maggie thinks everything is going as planned with her friend, Lily’s wedding—until Ron calls, concerned that Lily might be slipping away. He begs Maggie to do something, anything, so he doesn’t lose his bride-to-be. Maggie gathers her friends and they decide a girls’ time out would be just the thing.  Read the full review

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Mystery
 

Murder at Eagle Summit
By Virginia Smith
Review by Jane Squires

Fantastic. With every book Virginia Smith writes, she gets better and better. I read this book in 2 sittings so be advised. Read the full review

Fudge-Laced Felonies
by Cynthia Hickey
Review by Deb Kinnard

Ethan Banning is a murderer—of rosebushes, that is. Summer Meadows once had a prize blue rose until Ethan, Mr. Hunky-and-Unreachable, got close to it. When she and Ethan dig into the scene of the planticide, they find more than a rose victim—the plant's roots are entangled with a velvet bag full of diamonds. Read the full review


Rhapsody in Red
By Donn Taylor
Review By Sally DeStefano

Bills must be paid. That’s the only reason Gabby St. Claire takes the mold remediation job, when her specialty is crime-scene cleaning. And it is g-r-o-s-s. But in the interest of paying her rent, she shimmies into the nasty crawlspace under the decades-empty house. And comes face to blue-suede-shoes with the King. Who is, without a doubt, dead. Now, how can her police-detective boyfriend possibly expect her to keep away from a case like this?  Read the full review


Suspicious Minds
By Christy Barritt
Review by Roseanna White

Bills must be paid. That’s the only reason Gabby St. Claire takes the mold remediation job, when her specialty is crime-scene cleaning. And it is g-r-o-s-s. But in the interest of paying her rent, she shimmies into the nasty crawlspace under the decades-empty house. And comes face to blue-suede-shoes with the King. Who is, without a doubt, dead. Now, how can her police-detective boyfriend possibly expect her to keep away from a case like this?  Read the full review


Click here for more Mystery

Historical Romance

Hannah Grace
By Sharlene MacLaren
Review by Roseanna White

Hannah Grace, the eldest of Jacob Kane’s daughters, is determined to be reasonable. It’s time she settle down, so she accepts the suit of the doctor of her Michigan town. Maybe he’s more interested in himself than her. And maybe he could stand to be more proactive in his faith. But he’s a good man. Of course, when the new sheriff arrives with a small boy in tow, her offer to help the displaced youngster regain his ability to speak and learn to trust again doesn’t settle well with the doctor. And her growing attraction for the sheriff doesn’t settle well with her. Read the full review


Maggie Rose
By Sharlene MacLaren
Review by Roseanna White

The Daughters of Jacob Kane are back again, and this time we travel with second daughter Maggie Rose to New York City. Maggie has gone to volunteer in an orphanage, Sheltering Arms. She knew it would be a lot of work, but she also knows it's where God called her. What she didn't expect was Luke Madison, an embittered newspaper reported assigned to write a story about the refuge. He's the handsomest man she's ever seen . . . but will anything break through that hardened heart? Read the full review

 


Ticket to Tomorrow
By Carol Cox
Review by Jane Squires

When I won this book, I was expecting a romance and learning a lot about the 1893 World's fair. I got both but so much more. There was adventure, danger, shows, etc. to name a few.  Read the full review


Before the Season Ends
By Linore Rose Burkard
Review by Roseanna White

Oh, bliss! Beautiful, breathtaking bliss! I picked up Before the Season Ends and was immediately swept away into one of my most favorite places—England of 1813, when the Prince Regent reigned and Jane Austen’s pen wove its magic. Is there any better place to escape to in a good book? Read the full review


A Clever Disguise
By Kathleen Fuller
Review by Roseanna White

Emily Dymoke is heartbroken. The man she loves has left forever, fleeing his own heartbreak, courtesy of her sister. Begging him to stay results only in humiliation—made all the worse when she realizes that Michael Balcarris heard the whole pathetic thing. Once upon a time, she and Michael had been friends. She’d even entertained a few romantic notions. But then he’d returned from college a complete fop, and now she just wishes he’d go away for good, too, instead of bothering her constantly. Read the full review

Click here for more Historical Romance<

Non-Fiction

Inspirational Nonfiction

If I Could Only Write a Line: The Religious and Inspirational Poetry of Mary Southers
Selected and Edited by Charles C. Hagan Jr.
Review by Teresa Konopka

If I Could Only Write a Line: The Religious and Inspirational Poetry of Mary Southers, selected and edited by Charles C. Hagan, Jr., is a cherished book. It is composed of countless poems by Southers, the great-grandmother of Charles C. Hagan Jr. A brief biography about her is given in the first part of the book. Also, the compiler includes some historical information about prominent African American writers that paved the way for Southers. Read the full review


It’s All About Hymn: Essays on Reclaiming Sacred and Traditional Music for Worship
By Donn LeVie, Jr.
Review By Irene Grove

This book focuses on the view that the hymns we sing in church should be about bringing honor to the Lord and not bringing attention to ourselves.    Read the full review


A Requiem for Love
By Calvin Miller
Review by Rylan McQuade

Ever since Milton’s Paradise Lost was first published in 1667, it has been an enduring classic, which has been acclaimed by thousands as a brilliant piece of literature. Not many years ago, Calvin Miller wrote a book titled A Requiem for Love, based on Milton’s classic.   Read the full review


WIDE AWAKE: For Those Who Would Live Their Dreams
by Erwin Raphael McManus
Review by David Mundt

To each of His children God has given a task to accomplish in the days that remain before He returns or calls them home. Some call it a purpose, others a calling. McManus calls it a dream. And the dream that God assigns you may be seem significant in the world’s eyes, bringing visibility and notoriety, or it may seem insignificant in the world’s eyes and escape everyone’s notice, except God’s. The important first step is to determine in your own heart to pursue the dream that God gives you and not demand that God join your personal dream. At the end of the day, success will be measured by your faithfulness to God’s leading.  Read the full review


Click here for more Inspirational Nonfiction

Biographical

Fighting for a Life
By David Hadden
Review by Richard R. Blake

Fighting for a Life is David Hadden’s amazing story of determination, faith, and commitment to a cause. At age twenty-two David Hadden was hired to be trained as a conductor on Tri-County Rail Authority commuter line, a part of the Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTCD). After three years of determined effort, hard work, and loyalty to the company, David’s employment was unjustly terminated because of his race. David decided to fight back. This is his story, a story that parallels his fight for a life in three distinct different arenas.  Read the full review

Jesus, You are Quite the Fellow
By Tyrone W. Cobb, M.D.
Review by Sarah Katie  

Jesus, You are Quite the Fellow is the remembrance of a young man by his grieving father. Mr. Cobb’s retelling is both thought-provoking and touching. He has experienced many trials and heartaches. I highly respect him for his courage and strength. He encourages readers going through what he has encountered and those who have not yet lost a loved one. Read the full review

 

MISTRESS BRADSTREET
By
Charlotte Gordon
Review by
Laura V. Hilton

Many people find that Anne Brad
eet was the first published poet—either male or female—here in the New World. Back then, her slim volume of verse was a bestseller. In Ms. Gordon’s opinion, Anne Bradstreet was an electrifying personality period in our history. Read the full review

Click here for more Biographical Nonfiction

History / Academic / Instructional
  
Learn to Study the Bible: Forty Different Step-by-Step methods to Help You Discover, Apply, and Enjoy God’s Word
By Andy Deane
Review by Keiki Hendrix

Are you searching for a Bible study method that works for you? Would you like to see a wide variety of methods and choose the method that fits the way you learn? Then Pastor Andy Deane of Calvary Chapel Old Bridge in central New Jersey has the resource for you.  Read the full review


Learn New Testament Greek
By John H. Dobson
Reviewed by: E. Abraham
  

John Dobson, author of Learn Biblical Hebrew, continues his successful method of teaching foreign languages as he tackles the New Testament language: Greek. He applies the same methods and approaches that he used to convey the concepts of the Hebrew language to teach Greek. Read the full review


Learn Biblical Hebrew
By John H. Dobson
Reviewed by: E. Abraham

EMany books have boasted about its abilities to teach languages. However, from my experience, many books have not delivered. But this book, Learn Biblical Hebrew, has not only delivered but it also exceeded my expectations.  Read the full review


Bible Archaeology
By Alfred Hoerth and John McRay
Review by David Mundt

Hoerth and McRay have put together a helpful resource for people who want to know what kind, quantity, and quality of archaeological evidence exists for Bible times. Beginning with Mesopotamia and continuing with Egypt, Palestine, Persia, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, Hoerth and McRay systematically walk us through the archaeological finds pertaining to each of these regions and show us the significance to the Biblical narrative. Read the full review

Click here for more History/Academic/Instructional

True Stories
Murder by Family
By Kent Whitaker
Review by Sarah Katie

One night after a celebratory dinner, Kent’s family was met at the door of their home by a gunman. After the grief of learning of his youngest son and wife’s deaths, he vows to forgive the man who took their lives. What he didn’t realize at the time, his surviving son was the man behind the crime, hiring his roommate to stage a murder/robbery. Read the full review


More Pages from the Red Suit Diaries
By Ed Butchart
Review by Mimi Baker

I think we all have our own thoughts on the mall Santas. Mine was one of a guy who happened to look like Santa so he ended up with the job for a season. I have no idea if we’ve ever seen the same Santa twice. It’s always been a moment to cherish and then it’s over. We’ve never created a relationship with the mall Santas we’ve shared our lists with. Read the full review


Unbroken Curses
By Rebecca Brown and Daniel Yoder
Review by E. Abraham  

Many in North America think of Harry Potter or India when they consider the words “curses” and “occult”. After all, it seems like something that can only happen in movies or in places really far away. However, Unbroken Curses reveals the contrary to be true. In civilized and educated North America, curses and witchcraft a
re subtle and hidden. Read the full review


A Heart for Africa
By Annie E.J. Thorp
Review by Ananda Peters

A Heart for Africa is the story of Rafiki, told through the eyes of the Jensens' daughter, Annie (Jensen) Thorp. This short book (62 pages) features firsthand accounts of orphans whose lives have been changed, as well as the voices of house mothers and financial sponsors. As an inspirational book, it also features many pictures of Africans and the work Rafiki is doing. Read the full review

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Embraced by Love
By Dolores Mize
Portraits by Angela Talentino
Review by Roseanna White

Adding to one’s family is one of the most exciting parts of life. In her first book, I Know I Am Loved, Dolores Mize celebrated the coming of a new child and the miracle of birth.  In this second keepsake book, Embraced by Love, Mize honors another method of giving life: adoption. Read the full review


A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts
By Cathy Messecar et al
Review by Roseanna White

Need some Yuletide inspiration? A few stories to cheer you up, some ideas for decorations? How about some scrumptious recipes or interesting Christmas facts? Well, toss all that together into a gorgeous scrapbook style hardback, and you’ve got A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. Read the full review


I Know I Am Loved
By Dolores Mize
Photography by Angela Talentino
Review by Roseanna White

Looking for that perfect gift for expectant parents?  Something unique, touching, and inspiring? Then you’ll definitely want to check out this gift book, I Know I Am Loved.  Told from the point of view of the new baby, this book gives a delightful insight into new life, family, and love.  The pictures are positively enchanting, the script heartwarming, and together they create a memento that will thrill new or expectant parents. Read the full review


AN ORAMENT A DAY
By
Carol Field Dahlstrom
Review by
Laura V. Hilton

AN ORAMENT A DAY includes ideas to make 25 sparkling holiday trims for your tree or as gifts. Patterns and instructions are included for ornaments such as: Read the full review

Click here for more Gift Ideas

Devotionals

God’s Prayer Book: The Power and Pleasure of Praying the Psalms
By Ben Patterson
Review by Irene Grove 

Reading a Psalm can be encouraging and helpful to your spirit.  Praying a Psalm can help even more.  Jesus prayed from the book of Psalms and we should follow His example.  Read the full review


Lord of the Flies, Hooks, and Reels
By Ronnie Turpin
Review by Roseanna White

The first moment of the day has settled over you, and you sit up, ready to begin anew. Your mind is already heading out to the water, conjuring up the fish you hope to catch in the next few hours. But it’s not just about that—it’s about the time of prayer out in the quiet of God’s nature. Is that where the Lord speaks to you? Read the full review


Pursuing the Christ
By Jennifer Kennedy Dean
Review by Karen Higson
Pursuing the Christ is a 31-day devotional for the Christmas season. Beginning on December 1st and ending on the 31st, this Christmas devotional is rich in scripture that will put you in touch with the true meaning of Christmas, as well as help you to stay focused during a time of year when it is so easy to lose sight of that which we try to so hard to stay focused on: Christ.  Read the full review

Mommy Pick-Me-Ups: Refreshing Stories to Lighten your Load
By Edna Ellison & Linda Gilden
Review by Irene Grove

Have only a few minutes to spare?  Want to have devotions but are busy with a newborn baby?  This collection of 77 short stories is perfect for you.  Each story is relevant to issues mothers face in their everyday life.  Read the full review


Refresh: Sharing Stories. Building Faith
By Kathy Escobar & Laura Greiner
Review by Sarah Katie

Following in the steps of the recent Biblezine publications, this women’s Bible study is very easy and fun to read. I guess one could call it a “Studyzine”? The true story of a woman at the beginning of each chapter all serve to show the theme of the chapter, whether trying to seek acceptance or dealing with an unforgiving heart. The chapters have activities, discussion starters and some great additional resources. This would make a good devotional for quiet time.Read the full review


The Pocket Guide for Parents
Praying with & for Your Kids
By Bethany House Publishers
Review by Irene Grove

This pocket guide has a wealth of information about praying with your children.  You will learn the best ways to approach your children about the importance of praying.  You are given helpful tips on making prayer a two-way conversation with the Lord not just a list of demands.  You realize that by teaching your children about prayer you are giving them a gift.  The following quote from page 46 tells you the importance of prayer in your children’s lives. Read the full review


Join the Movement
By Alvin L. Reid
Review by Sarah Katie

I usually don't pick up a lot of non-fiction books, but this one looked really good to me. Boy, am I glad that it did! The very first paragraph grabs your attention and the book doesn’t give it back until after the last sentence. The author gives examples of God using ordinary people to do extraordinary things. God is ready to use you right where you are. It was amazing to read about the history of past movements, many of them I had not heard of before. Reid sums up prayer as "intimacy with God that leads to the fulfillment of His purposes." How true is that! When we truly stop focusing on what we want, God begins to create a movement inside of us. Read the full review

 

Click here for more Faith

Childrearing/Children

Hear My Voice: A Children’s Translation of the Gospel Readings of the Catholic Mass for 2009
By Jonathan Stampf and Robert Conrad
Review by Kimberly Gaudinski

This book is a manual for helping to explain the weekly Gospel readings to children. The format of the book is very clear and helpful. It begins with a color-coded chart showing the outline of the whole church year. The chart is organized chronologically and it gives the date, the name of each week (e.g. 1st Sunday of Advent), and the page number where that reading can be found. The color-coding indicates into which season the week falls. Unfortunately there is no key to indicate what the colors mean, so while it can be deduced that purple corresponds to the seasons of Lent and Advent, and green to the season of Ordinary Time, there are colors whose meaning is unclear. However that ambiguity does not take away from the chart’s ability to serve as a table of contents.  Read the full review


Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality: a Biblical approach to prepare them for life
by Jim Burns
Review by David Mundt
 

For most parents, the idea of having to talk to their children about sex and sexuality leaves them with sweaty palms and dry mouths. It’s not that parents don’t see the importance, they just aren’t sure what to say…or how…or even when, for that matter! Add to that the fact that very few parents today had conversations about sexuality with their parents and so there is no model, good or bad, from which to work. This leaves most parents feeling very awkward in unfamiliar territory. But in a sex-saturated society like ours, the consequences of saying nothing are steep and our children will be the ones to suffer. Read the full review

 


Pumpkins
By Ken Robbins
Review by Laura V. Hilton

Pumpkins is a beautifully done book for children, ages 4 – 8. It details through photography a pumpkin from the beginning to the final carved product. Read the full review

 


No More Jellyfish, Chickens, or Wimps
By Paul Coughlin
Review by Leslie Granier

This book is a must read for all parents, teachers and child caregivers. It is an informative and instructional guide to raising children to not be afraid of standing up for themselves or for others (to avoid bullying). Coughlin suggests that Christian children are instilled with the concept of being nice instead of being good, which leads them to being passive in situations where they really should be taking action. There we re several references to Bible passages to support his points.    Read the full review

 

Click here for more Childrearing/Children

Relationships
 

Turn Up the Heat
By Dr. Kevin Leman
Review by Roseanna White

For most couples out there, the intimate side of marriage is something rarely talked about but often wondered about. Is his sex-drive normal? Is she weird to react this way? Why don’t the same things always work? What’s a guy (or girl) supposed to do when the level of interest isn’t mutual? Dr. Kevin Leman, an expert on family and marriage counseling, uses his wit and experience to address the issues of a couple’s sex life from a Biblically sound point of view, answering questions from both men and women. Read the full review


The Man Whisperer:
Speaking Your Man’s Language to Bring Out His Best

By Rick Johnson
Review by Irene Grove

Do you want to positively influence your husband?  This book explores how to communicate better with him and change your marriage.  You will learn ways to encourage him and build his self-esteem.  By following the guidelines in this book you will have a more supportive and happy husband. Read the full review


CRAZY GOOD SEX: Putting to Bed the Myths Men Have About Sex
by Dr. Les Parrott
Review by David Mundt

Written primarily to men, Dr. Parrott intends to expose six prominent myths that have infiltrated our minds and distorted our thinking about sex. The myths include: men want more sex than women do, sex with the same person gets boring, size matters, porn is not addictive, the Bible is very clear on masturbation, and the sex drive is too powerful to control. These myths yield skewed ideas, wrong conclusions and, often, foolish behavior. The truth sets men free to pursue a healthy perspective and a satisfying sex life. Read the full review


Keeping His Pants On Until He Gets Home
By Joyce S. Oglesby
Review by Jennifer Bogart

Joyce Oglesby, a pastor's wife of 35 years issues a clarion call to women to passionately engage their husbands in the battle against infidelity.  A refreshing change of pace from books that often sweep the issues of adultery and subsequent divorce under the rug, Oglesby encourages women to fight the good fight for their marriages, and she's not talking fisticuffs. Read the full review


Click here for more Relationships 

Christian Living
Don't Miss Your Life!
An uncommon Guide to Living with Freedom, Laughter, and Grace
By Charlene Ann Baumbich
Review by Diana Rogers

I didn't know what to expect upon reading Charlene's paperback book titled, Don't Miss Your Life! I requested this particular book because I liked the cover art mostly. To be honest with you, I wasn't familiar with Charlene's writing nor the Dearest Dorothy Series. The very first thing that caught my eye on the book cover were these three young ladies who were jumping in mid air with colorful skirts on and oh yes, did I mention their bare feet?! If you are looking for a vision of what freedom within looks like or you might be longing to read a book filled with guidance to how one's life might feel to be free, then I encourage you to get a copy of Charlene's book because "walking barefoot in grass makes your understanding tingle." Read the full review


Hope: No Matter What
by Kim Hill with Lisa Harper                                  
Review by Amanda de León

While there are many Bible studies and devotionals written for children, many are not as focused as this one by singer/songwriter Kim Hill.  Many revolve around particular Bible stories, but this one takes one of eight songs as the guide for each section (CD of songs is available, sold separately).  Hill writes from her own experience as a single parent to offer comfort and reassurance to children dealing with their parents’ divorce. Read the full review


Your Mother Has Alzheimer’s
by Margaret Byers, Ann Guyer, and Nancy Willich
Review by David Mundt

If you are the primary care-giver of an Alzheimer's patient or know someone who is, this book is a must-read. Written by three sisters, this book provides an insider's look into caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. It is their story of caring for their mother. It is written with great sensitivity and provides down-to-earth insights that these sisters wished they had learned earlier in their journey  Read the full review

 

 

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