The Hearts We Mend

Kathryn Springer has written a novel that will challenge the thinking of many Christian women. Evie is the women's ministry director at her church and she is always on the lookout for a way to reach out. But first, she has to get her son married off and get the garden walk off and running. While she was getting ready for the wedding, she met the fill-in custodian for the church--Jack Vale--and something sparks.

But there are a lot of hurting hearts that need a balm soothed over them--Jack's brother, Travis, is a drug addict, and he needs Jack to take care of his daughter, Lily; there are several people who just need a purpose; and Jack and Evie have no idea that God is leading them to a common purpose.

This is a sequel to The Dandelion Field that I reviewed here. Kathryn has continued her quality writing and developed some more characters to become the reader's friends. There are a lot of people to keep track of in this book, but it is not too hard. The major players are clearly defined and are completely developed. I loved this book and read it all at once. It is too hard to put down. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a garden walk to refresh your soul.

My thanks to Zondervan Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

The Prophetess

I have known that Jill Eileen Smith writes biblical fiction, but I've never convinced myself to read one of her books. The Prophetess is a great book to read for an introduction to this author. She has woven the historical customs into her interpretation of the years of Deborah's stint as a judge of Israel and used them to make a seamless story woven of whole cloth.

Deborah is portrayed here as one who listens to God and tries to follow His dictates. In her dreams all she sees is war, and she knows why God is showing her these thing--because the Israelites have gone after foreign gods and forsaken Him. Deborah's right hand man, Barak is given a mission to find and take out two cruel enemy kings--Sisera and Jabin. Because he wouldn't go into battle alone, Deborah told him that a woman would be given the honor of killing Sisera.

Jill has added a family and all the dynamics that go with children who are growing up and stretching their wings, especially a daughter for Deborah who wants to marry Barak. Talya, the daughter, often goes toe-to-toe with her mother, especially when her skills with a bow or a sling are in question. Talya especially wanted to be the one to take Sisera down, but there was another woman God had in mind for that job. When Talya sees what her willfulness has done, she repents. There are other conflicts that Jill works into her novel that aid the plot in keeping the reader involved and caught up in the action of the story.

This is a FIVE STAR book that I cannot recommend highly enough.

My thanks to Revell Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes

This book isn't exactly a Cinderella story, but Ruth Reid has written a story of miracles and movement by the hand of God.

Mattie Diener has all she can do to keep body and soul together raising two children after the death of her husband. When her son is in the emergency room because of blisters in his mouth, the doctor believes she is abusing her son. When he comes back a few days later with bruises all over his body, the doctor is sure she is abusing her son and takes legal measures to have her arrested and her children removed from her care. From there, things go from bad to worse.

Bo is Mattie's caseworker with the Child Services and tries to pull a few strings to get Mattie freed from all that is hanging over her head. While it seems he is only muddying the waters, he is helping her to the best of his abilities. But, while helping Mattie, he has to face some demons from his past.

I found this an easily readable book with very likable characters, and some completely unlikable ones. The plot dragged in a few places, but overall moved along quite nicely. I give this book a strong four stars.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this book.

A Fifty Year Silence

I guess I have been silent long enough on this book. I chose to read and review it because of the era it covered, but I found myself a bit confused as the author, Miranda Richmond Mouillot, bounced back and forth between history and current times, and between her grandmother and her grandfather. The ins and outs of her grandparents relationship was quite dramatic and somewhat over the top, but it was interesting to read about--just not interesting enough to compel me to read all the way through. I found it easy to put down and find something that held my attention more. I don't really have anything against the book, I feel that my criticisms have more to do with my own personal taste than with the author's quality of writing.

I can still give this book four stars and I thank Random House for allowing me to read and review this book.

An Unbroken Heart

This is the second book in a series by Kathleen Fuller. I didn't realize I'd read the first book until I went back and looked through my blog. I also saw how many other books I've read by Kathleen. I have to say that Kathleen catches attention with her first sentences and doesn't release it until the book is finished.

In this episode, Joanna Schrock is about to be released from the rehab center after the hit and run accident that took her parents and left her badly broken. Her long-time crush, Andrew Beiler, comes to ask her to marry him, and while it's the right thing, it's the wrong time, but she accepts anyway. In the time leading up to her wedding, Joanna has many doubts, nightmares, and quite a bit of confusion about her upcoming marriage.

The subplots include the hit and run that killed her parents, her sister's failed romance, secrets about Andrew's father coming out, and some former residents of Birch Creek returning.

The reader gets the impression that Andrew is not as anxious to get married as he lets on, but when Joanna wants to postpone the wedding, he is seriously hurt by her actions. It takes a while for him to get over his hurt and to really see what Joanna was trying to tell him.

Even though it has been a while since I'd read the first book in the series, this book does not lose any of its charm. It can stand alone, or just be a continuation of the story. I can't wait to have the third book in this series to come up on my e-reader. When I reread my review of the first book in the series, I gave it only four stars, saying that the characters lacked depth and the plot needed beefing up for substance. I feel that Kathleen corrected these minor faults in this book and garnered herself a FIVE star review.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this book. My only obligation was to tell my honest opinion.

Delighting in God

A W Tozer was a tremendous preacher of his day and he was one of those preachers who spoke against the grain of his time. I grew up during the times of hellfire and brimstone preaching, including pulpit pounding, shouting, and the depiction of God as a judgmental being ready to strike down any who would oppose Him. Tozer, on the other hand, preaches a God who loves His children, who delights in them, who gave everything He had in order to have a relationship with them. James Snyder researched Tozer's sermons and articles to pull together this book to show us that we can have that loving relationship with God. Before I go too much farther, I want to say that this is not a mushy, lovey-dovey type book, but it is one that plumbs depths of God's being to find out what delights God and how we can find our delight in Him.

One thing Tozer and Snyder make very clear is that if we can fully understand God, He's not God and he's too small to do us any good. His mystery should lead us to worship in the deepest way that we possibly can. It means that our prayers should be seeking His heart and His will in our lives. Having our prayers heard and answered depend on our obedience to God and our living our lives in the center of God's will.

I have already recommended this book to several of my friends, bought copies for my husband and children, and I plan to take another read through this book and make some serious notes to enhance my Bible study times. I wish I could give it ten stars, but five seem to be the limit.

My thanks to Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book.

Where the Heart Is

When you need to curl up with a good story for forty-five minutes to an hour or so, grab this collection of novellas. There is something for everyone here--cowboys, mail order brides, sheep herders, knights in shining armor(?), arranged marriages, and just plain, old-fashioned falling in love. Some of the stories have been published before, but they fit in with this olio and are as enjoyable as sitting down with old friends. I have enjoyed every minute of the time it took me to read the nine stories. The heroines were sassy, sweet, strong, and sublime. The heroes are stalwart, swarthy, strapping, and suave. Where the Heart Is is truly a great medley of stories to fill those few minutes in between projects or chores, or appointments. Five Whopping, Shiney Stars!

My thanks to Barbour Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.