Book Review: Short-Straw Bride

Title: Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 365 pages
Release Date: June 1, 2012
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary: No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?

I loved the beautiful, fun cover of this book the instant I saw it and was hoping it would be good. I’m happy to say that Karen Witemeyer did not disappoint!

Meredith (Meri) Hayes has had a crush on the reclusive Travis Archer since he rescued her when she hurt herself on his land when she was 10 years old. Twelve years later, she gets the opportunity to repay him for his kindness and ends up with much more than she bargained for.  

I love historical romances where the main characters are thrown into a situation where they are compelled to get married and then get to know each other afterwards. This one is even more fun since Meri already has a major crush on Travis and he is extremely lacking in the dating and courtship department.

Meri is a great main character! She is smart, spunky, brave and very likable. I also love the relationship she has with her cousin Cassie and the high road she takes with people who treat her poorly because she limps from an old injury. The dynamics with Travis and his three younger brothers is also great.

I’m a huge fan or well developed relationships and love the way Meri and Travis slowly fall for each other. There is also a really great message throughout the book about loyalty to family, friends and completely relying on God even when the circumstances look dire. This book is not all romance, however. There is some action in it as well as you would expect from a historical novel set on a ranch in Texas.

If you are in the mood for a really sweet, clean and romantic read, Short-Straw Bride is definitely the book for you! It’s well written and thoroughly enjoyable. I’ll definitely be looking out for more books from this author.

Content: Kissing and some violence

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

Title: The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 412 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian

Goodreads Summary: Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?

Observing both brothers as an "invisible" servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?

On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of "serve one another in love."

The more historical Christian fiction I read, the more I love it and it’s all because of books like The Maid of Fairbourne Hall. I need sweet and swoony books like this to break up the monotony of all the paranormal romance and dystopian books that I read. Plus, its summer and light, fun reading will always win with me on a hot day.

Twenty-four year old Margaret Macy is a privileged, shallow and spoiled woman who will come into a significant inheritance on her 25^th birthday. Her stepfather (who married Margaret’s mother for her money) intends to keep that inheritance under his control so he moves his nephew into their house to woo her, plotting to have the couple married before Margaret turns 25. Margaret had unsuccessfully tried to escape her stepfather before but when she overhears a plot to force her into marriage by any means necessary, including having the nephew force himself on her, leaving her no choice but to marry him to save her reputation, Margaret takes desperate measures to hide away until her birthday.

An interesting set of circumstances leads Margaret to work as a maid in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch. Years before, bookish and slightly nerdy Nathaniel had courted Margaret, fell in love with her and proposed. Margaret had liked Nathaniel well enough until she met his dashing older brother Lewis. Hoping for a proposal from Lewis instead, Margaret turned Nathaniel down, breaking his heart. Now that Nathaniel is back from working his family’s plantation in the Caribbean and is considerably more buff and tanned, Margaret gets to see exactly what she missed out on.

While The Maid of Fairbourne Hall shows the harsh way people of means treated their servants, the book is light as it focuses on Margaret’s epic fail as a maid and the lengths she goes through to keep up her ridiculous disguise so she won’t be recognized (notice the bad hair of the cover model? Yep, it’s a wig!). Margaret’s circumstances are rough but she totally deserves it for the way she treated people prior to her going into hiding. Margaret’s character goes through tremendous growth and maturity throughout the book and it is great to see. I love how she gets to covertly observe both brothers and realize just how wrong she was to judge them on appearances. The secondary characters, especially the brothers, are also very well developed.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is a well written book with a sweet, wonderful romance, lots of humor and even a bit of action. Reading this book made me happy and kept me thoroughly entertained. I highly recommend it to romance lovers of all ages.

Content: Kissing, some violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Sixty Acres and a Bride

Title: Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 366 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian

Goodreads Summary: With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to Texas and the family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have only three months to pay. Though facing eviction, Rosa can't keep herself from falling in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. Learning the American customs is not easy, however, and this beautiful young widow can't help but catch wandering eyes. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, to what lengths will Rosa go to save her future?

I love the biblical story of Ruth and Boaz. It’s a perfect illustration of finding love and happiness after loss and devastation. Regina Jennings takes Ruth’s story and weaves a wonderful historical novel that delivers with a great plot and well developed characters.

Rosa Garner was only married for a month before her husband and father-in-law died in a mining accident in Mexico. Now a year later, she and her American mother-in-law, Louisa, return to the Garner’s Texas homestead hoping to start over and make a life for themselves. Unfortunately, they find out that they owe years of back taxes on the property and only have three months to pay it before the ranch is sold at auction and they are homeless.

I love Rosa! She is easily one of my favorite characters in Christian fiction. Rosa is beautiful, smart, spunky, hard working, resourceful and determined. She is also flawed and has issues with doubt and rejection stemming from experiences with her Mexican family and her first marriage. I did not like Louisa. She is the kind of woman that leaves all the tough decisions, especially the financial ones, up to her husband and since her husband was dead, the burden fell to Rosa. Louisa also made some inconsiderate decisions throughout the novel that really annoyed me.

Weston, our Boaz in the story, was the swoon worthy, tortured hero and I loved it! The relationship between Weston and Rosa is very well developed and filled with lots of romantic tension. The author writes the couple’s chemistry well and I could not wait for them to work through their issues and be together.

The story is a wonderful mix of romance, cultural differences, missteps in etiquette and a beautiful illustration of how God provides and redeems. I highly recommend Sixty Acres and a Bride to anyone who loves romance, historical or Christian fiction. This is Jennings’ debut novel and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Content: Kissing and some violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Halflings

Title: Halflings by Heather Burch

Release Date: Feb. 1, 2012
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 288 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary: After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with.

A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.

Halflings gets off to fast start. Our main character, Nikki Youngblood, is painting in the woods when she is attacked by enormous, otherworldly creatures called hellhounds. Even though her death seems imminent, Nikki bravely faces the monsters until three gorgeous boys come to her rescue. The boys Mace, Raven and Vine are Halflings: the product of fallen angels and humans and are outcasts in both Heaven and on Earth.

Nikki is an interesting character. She portrayed as a tough, no-nonsense girl, one who has a black belt in karate, drives a motorbike and prefers boyfriend jeans and vintage tees to dresses and make-up. I had a hard time identifying with Nikki mainly because I think the character rejects anything feminine. For the record, I think it’s possible to rock at karate and be into bikes while still being girly. In contrast, Nikki’s best friend, the one who is very girly encourages her to be more feminine, is portrayed as being shallow and boy crazy. I understand and appreciate the message that the author is sending to teen girls but this tomboy character is becoming a bit of a stereotype in YA these days.

While the author tells us that Nikki is a fighter, she does little fighting but gets rescued a lot by the Halflings. There isn’t a huge love triangle here, Nikki is more involved with one boy than with the other and insta-love is involved. I liked the boys. Mace, considered the good one, is more idealistic and while Raven is supposed to be bad, he just seemed jaded and snarky to me.

I didn’t find the angel mythology in Halflings offensive, especially after recently reading two angel books that I did not like at all (Embrace and Fallen). While the mythology had some holes in it, I just went with it and hope those holes will be filled in with the next book in the series.

The romance is Halflings is sweet and the action is exciting. Halflings will undoubtedly appeal to younger teens (its intended audience) who will especially like the three swoon-worthy boys, forbidden love, the quasi love-triangle and paranormal romance. I seriously doubt they will have the issues I did. Parents can also breathe easy as this is an angel book with no questionable content and even has a solid message about putting the greater good above serving yourself.

Despite my issues with Halflings, I do recommend it to teens who love paranormal romance. The ending leaves a lot of questions and a huge opening for the second book in the series, Guardian, which comes out in October.

Content: Kissing and violence.

My Rating: Just Fine

Book Review: Prophet

Title: Prophet by R. J. Larson

Release Date: April 1, 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 352 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Christian
Source: Won from LibraryThing Early Reviewers

Goodreads Summary: Ela Roeh of Parne doesn't understand why her beloved Creator, the Infinite, wants her to become His prophet. She's undignified and bad-tempered, and at age seventeen she's much too young. In addition, no prophet of Parne has ever been a girl. Worst of all, as Parne's elders often warn, if she agrees to become the Infinite's prophet, Ela knows she will die young.

Yet she can't imagine living without Him. Determined to hear the Infinite's voice, Ela accepts the sacred vinewood branch and is sent to bring the Infinite's word to a nation torn apart by war. There she meets a young ambassador determined to bring his own justice for his oppressed people. As they form an unlikely partnership, Ela battles how to balance the leading of her heart with the leading of the Infinite.

I love crossover Christian fiction. It gives everyone, even those who normally wouldn’t read a Christian novel, the chance to enjoy the genre without feeling that they are being preached to. Prophet is a fantastic example of really good crossover Christian fiction. This book easily appeals to YA readers, fantasy lovers and anyone who likes action and supernatural elements in their books.

In a vision, 17-year-old Ela Roeh sees the city of Ytar being attacked and burned to the ground by the rivaling city-state, Istgard. Ela hears the voice of the Infinite choosing her to be his prophet and go to Istgard, tell them to turn from their evil ways and free the women and children they look captive in Ytar. Even though she is afraid, Ela accepts this enormous and daunting task, one that changes her life in ways she could never imagine.

The world building in Prophet is awesome. Larson makes it easy to envision impressive ancient cities, bloody battle scenes and ferocious wild animals with deadly venom. I really enjoyed getting lost in Ela’s world and especially loved the characters.

Ela is not your typical main character. She doesn’t wield a sword (her staff is very cool, however) or is able to singlehandedly fight off armies of men. She is really just an ordinary girl who is chosen for an extraordinary purpose. I love Ela, she is brave, determined, completely trusts the Infinite and through Him, she does extraordinary things. I love that she is still human and works hard to keep her snark in check. Even though every prophet from Parne has died young, Ela still marches courageously into every situation not knowing if she will survive it. The other characters are very well written as well and I loved the sweet romance between Ela and Kien. I cannot wait for the next book in the series, Judge, to see where this romance goes.

Prophet is an exciting and sweeping novel that I highly recommend for fantasy lovers everywhere, teens and adults alike. Judge comes out in November and it’s definitely on my must read list for the end of the year. On a side note, the cover of Prophet is perfect! It looks exactly like how Ela is described in the book.

Content: Kissing and violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Love Amid the Ashes

Title: Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews

Release Date: March 2011
Publisher: Revell
Pages: 411 pages
Genre: Christian Historical

Goodreads Summary: Readers often think of Job sitting on the ash heap, his life in shambles. But how did he get there? What was Job's life like before tragedy struck? What did he think as his world came crashing down around him? And what was life like after God restored his wealth, health, and family? Through painstaking research and a writer's creative mind, Mesu Andrews weaves an emotional and stirring account of this well-known story told through the eyes of the women who loved him. Drawing together the account of Job with those of Esau's tribe and Jacob's daughter Dinah, Love Amid the Ashes breathes life, romance, and passion into the classic biblical story of suffering and steadfast faith.

I’m a huge fan of Christian historical fiction and love books based on people from the Bible. It takes a lot of creativity for a writer to take small bits of history and weave entire stories out of them and when it’s done well, it’s really enjoyable. Most times, the story is great and completely believable, other times if falls short and misses the mark. Unfortunately, Love Amid the Ashes missed the mark for me.

A story based on the Biblical account of Job is great material to work with. Mesu Andrews makes good use of the potions of Job’s story that we are very familiar with but Job is not really the main character in this book, Dinah is. Honestly, this surprised me as I thought the story would focus on Job more than anyone else.

Dinah is Jacob’s only daughter, the one who, according to scripture, was raped by Prince Shechem and whose brothers took revenge by killing the prince and all the men in the city. Andrews’ book puts a different spin on the situation. Instead of being raped, Shechem approached 15-year-old Dinah, proposed to her and the two eloped, all on the same day. In Love Amid the Ashes, Dinah was actually in love with her husband, her brothers slaughtered him and she was labeled and an evil temptress by everyone who heard the rumors. This is the first portion of the story that I had an issue with. I have a hard time believing that with the culture she lived in, this girl, with Jacob for a father and those 12 men for brothers, would be crazy enough to run off with a man from a different culture and religion who she had just met.

Now an adult, Dinah is pretty much unmarriageable because of her reputation but her grandfather’s dying request is that she become the second wife of Job’s oldest son. Job, being a distant cousin and a faithful man who trusts God decides to honor the request and takes Dinah on a lengthy trip to his family’s home.

The middle part of the book does focus on Job and his trials including his wife’s inappropriate relationship with another man, her idolatry and a host of other things, but the point of the story is muddled with the fact that Dinah is constantly in the picture, people treat her like a whore, a bad luck charm and the reason why calamity has befallen Job in the first place. I also have an issue with the fact that Dinah’s looks (she is tall and thin with blond hair and blue eyes) are mentioned several times, especially the blond hair. Her description sounds more like European supermodel than Middle Eastern woman but maybe that’s just me.

This book also has a lot of secondary characters, many of them I thought were unnecessary and the extra made this book way too long. Another thing I found surprising is the author’s extremely unflattering portrayal of twin brothers and patriarchs of their families, Jacob and Esau. I know Jacob did some conniving things but I would like to think that circumstances in his life, including physically wrestling with God, humbled and softened him. Not according to Andrews. She writes them as two of the biggest jerks and meanest fathers ever.  

Love Amid the Ashes is not a bad book by any means and this review may be coming out harsher than I intend it.  There is a very good message in the book that regardless of your past is, after you seek God’s forgiveness, you are free from the shame and embarrassment of whatever you did. But Job did not sin against God and so there is the second message that you should praise and trust God in all your circumstance.  The story just felt like several books mashed together and there is too much going on. Most reviewers seem to love it but it just was not the book for me.

Content: Kissing, some violence.

My Rating: Just Fine

Book Review: The Accidental Bride

Title: The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Christian Fiction

Goodreads Summary: Two high-school sweethearts, a wedding reenactment, and one absent-minded preacher. Is it a recipe for disaster or a chance for a new beginning?

Shay Brandenberger is a survivor. She's lived through a crazy childhood, a failed marriage, and single parenthood-with her confidence intact.

 But not for long. Because when Shay participates in her town's Founder's Day wedding reenactment, she finds herself face-to-face with the one man who takes her breath away and leaves her weak in the knees: Travis McCoy.

Travis is back in town after years way on the rodeo circuit. His one regret in life is breaking Shay's heart when they were high-school sweethearts. He's determined to get it right this time.

So when their Founder's Day "marriage" is accidentally made official, Travis seizes the day. Can Shay put aside her pride to let Travis help her, or will their accidental marriage be dissolved before it can begin?

As much as I like Christian fiction, cowboy stories are not my thing so reading The Accidental Bride was stepping way out of my comfort zone. Apparently, I need to go out there more often because this book was really good!

The novel is set in breathtaking Montana and Denise Hunter does a great job of taking you to the beautiful, wide open spaces in the book. While it’s hard to imagine how a couple could accidentally get married, this is fiction, I went with it and it worked. 

There is a lot of really good tension between our main characters Shay and Travis. Shay suffered horrible heartbreak and humiliation after Travis left her at the altar and more humiliation after the man she ended marrying (on the rebound) leaves her as well. As a character, Shay is very likable. She is a woman who is struggling financially and emotionally but strives to make a good life for her daughter and herself. Travis, on the other hand, had nothing but success since leaving Shay and even though she is ridiculously tough on him when he comes back into her life, it’s hard to feel sorry for him. I did end up liking Travis a lot and rooting for these characters to be together.

The Accidental Bride is a sweet, contemporary romance about second chances and forgiveness. The novel is the second in the Big Sky Romance series but I read it as a stand alone and it worked just fine. I recommend this one to anyone who likes a really good love story.

Content: Kissing and implied sex.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: The Merchant’s Daughter

Title: The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

Release Date: Nov. 29, 2011
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian
Source: Publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads Summary: An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings and when I saw that The Merchant’s Daughter was from a Christian author and publisher, I knew I had to read it. The Merchant’s Daughter is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in England during the fourteenth century.

As the title implies, Annabel was born the daughter of a wealthy merchant and was raised with money and privilege. The story suggests that Annabel’s father doted on her and indulged her, even allowing her to learn to read which was rare for most people and especially for women at that time. Annabel’s family looses their wealth when their ships are lost at sea and her father dies from the plague. Now 17-years-old, Annabel gets lots of unwanted attention from men who want to take advantage of her beauty and the idea that she must be desperate to marry so she can return to the lifestyle she was accustomed to.

Annabel’s mother and two older brothers are selfish, lazy and manipulative. In order to save the family home, Annabel volunteers to become an indentured servant to lord of the area, Ranulf, the story’s ‘beast.’ Ranulf is a rich man who has been scarred from a childhood encounter with a wolf. His first wife married him for his money and then rejected and cheated on him, telling him that no woman could ever love him because of how he looks. Ranulf is angry, bitter and especially unkind to Annabel because, like his wife, she is pretty. Annabel hates the kind of lecherous attention she gets from men and wants to go to a convent where she can read and study the bible. Both characters feel intense betrayal from their families and both need to love and be loved in order to be made whole.

Annabel and Ranulf are very likable and you root for them to find happiness after so much loss and betrayal. The romance between these two is well developed as we see how they get to know each other’s hearts through Annabel’s nightly Bible readings to Ranulf. There are very strong Christian elements throughout the story as we see how God heals both physical and emotional hurts and how He wants what’s best for us; we only have to trust Him. This being a story of Beauty and the Beast, we also see how a person’s good character always trumps the physical appearance.

The Merchant’s Daughter is a quick and romantic read that I recommend to anyone who likes sweet love stories, fairytales or Christian fiction. I enjoyed this and look forward to other books by Dickerson.

Content: Kissing, attempted rape and some violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

Mini Review: God Gave Us Christmas

Title: God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa T. Bergren

Release Date: Oct. 10, 2006
Publisher: Waterbrook Press
Pages: 40 pages
Genre: Christian, Children
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: As Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear begins to wonder… “Who invented Christmas?”

Mama’s answer only leads to more questions like “Is God more important than Santa?” So she and Little Cub head off on a polar expedition to find God and to see how he gave them Christmas. Along the way, they find signs that God is at work all around them. Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns about the very first Christmas and discovers that… Jesus is the best present of all.

This enchanting tale provides the perfect opportunity to help young children celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and to discover how very much God loves them.

God Gave Us Christmas was the perfect book to read to my four-year-old in the days leading up to Christmas. He loved the story and illustrations, and that’s saying a lot for my son. This is the boy who gave up story books a year ago in favor of ‘information books.’ If the book is not about space, plants, animals or insects, he usually wants nothing to do with it.

God Gave Us Christmas provides another way for parents to help children understand the reasons why we celebrate Christmas and Santa’s role in the holiday. The book simply and lovingly illustrates that through Jesus, God gave us Christmas.

I borrowed God Gave Us Christmas in ebook format from my library; I will be buying a copy of this sweet little book to enjoy with my kids for years to come.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: A Reluctant Queen

Title: A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf

Release Date: July 5, 2011
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical
Source: Publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads Summary: An inspired re-imagining of the tale of Esther, a young Jewish woman thrust from a life of obscurity into a life of power, wealth, intrigue . . . and tender love.

See the story of Esther in an entirely new way-with all the political intrigue and tension you remember, but told as a passionate and tender love story between a young man and woman. Misunderstood by many, King Xerxes was a powerful but lonely man. Esther's beauty caught the eye of the young king, but it was her spirit that captured his heart.

Imagine anew the story of Esther, one of our faith's great heroines, destined to play a key role in the history of Christianity.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Biblical story of Esther, how an ordinary girl could rise up to become queen of Persia and save her people from genocide. While A Reluctant Queen mirrors the main highlights from the Biblical account, it is important to point out that this book is VERY loosely based on the biblical book of Esther.

In order to properly enjoy and review this book, I decided not to compare it to the real story in the Bible. Standing on its own, A Reluctant Queen is very romantic, hopeful and filled with political intrigue.

Esther is a beautiful girl of mixed heritage (her mother was Jewish while her father was Persian) living in Susa with her uncle Mordecai. Fearing a plot to annihilate the Jewish people, Esther, at the request of Mordecai and other Jewish leaders, goes undercover into the King of Persia’s harem and competes with other girls to become his wife.

Young and scared, Esther never expects to actually like the handsome King Ahasuerus and is even more shocked when he chooses her to be his queen after only meeting her once. Ahasuerus is gorgeous, smart, kind, noble and completely swoon worthy. In other words, he is a perfect leading man. What starts out as a physical attraction grows into an awesome love between these two. The characters are very well rounded, especially Esther and Haman (the villain of the story). I loved getting to know Esther and seeing how she worked through her fears to get to the point of knowing that she was going to save her people or die trying. The political storyline in the book is very interesting as well.

I liked A Reluctant Queen and I think readers who like Christian fiction and romance would enjoy it as well. Just keep in mind that it is a retelling and there are significant differences between the historical account of Queen Esther and this book. 

Content: Kissing, drinking, some violence and implied sex but nothing even remotely graphic. 

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: There You’ll Find Me

Title: There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Release Date: Oct. 4, 2011
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: Christian Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher through NetGalley
Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Summary: In a small cottage house in rural Ireland, Finley discovers she can no longer outrun the past.

When Finley travels to Ireland as a foreign exchange student, she hopes to create a new identity and get some answers from the God who took her brother away and seems to have left her high and dry.

But from the moment she boards the plane and sits by Beckett Rush, teen star of the hottest vampire flicks, nothing goes according to Finley's plan.

When she gets too close to Beckett, a classmate goes on a mission to make sure Finley packs her bags, departs Ireland-and leaves Beckett alone.

Finley feels the pressure all around. As things start to fall apart, she begins to rely on a not-so-healthy method of taking control of her life.

 Finley tries to balance it all-disasters on the set of Beckett's new movie, the demands of school, and her growing romance with one actor who is not what he seems. Yet Finley is also not who she portrays to Beckett and her friends. For the first time in her life, Finley must get honest with herself to get right with God.

I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction. I’m more of an escapist reader who prefers fantasy, paranormal romance and science fiction but my friend KM from One Page at a Time raved about this book and recommended that I read it, and since she has never given me a bad recommendation, I thought I would give it a try. I loved There You’ll Find Me so much. It made me laugh, made me cry, made me think about all the things in my own life that I try to control when I should really just let go and let God handle it. While I did not know it at the time, There You’ll Find Me was exactly the kind of book I needed to read. 

Finley, heiress to a hotel chain and recovering party girl, cannot get over the death of her beloved older brother, Will. She is angry at God for not saving Will, a devout Christian and humanitarian who was working to rebuild schools in Afghanistan when he was killed by a bomb. Seeking closure and peace, Finley follows in her brother’s footsteps by going to Ireland for her senior year of high school, just as he did.

Finley is smart and snarky. She is also loving, kind and oh so flawed. I found her to be such a realistic and likable character. She considers Ireland a fresh start but for a girl who has felt that her life is out of control, Finley strives to control what she can (her diet, weight and her relationships with others) with disastrous results. There is an awesome romance in this book that is so sweet! Beckett is a teen heartthrob movie star (along the lines of Robert Pattinson) and the dialogue between he and Finley is hilarious. While I loved seeing the relationship between Finley and Beckett develop, it is not main focus of the book. There You’ll Find Me is really about Finley’s healing and finding her way back to a loving God who never left her in the first place.

The main characters and the secondary characters in this book are very well developed and I must point out that Ireland itself is like a secondary character. The descriptions of the country are breathtaking and makes me want to get there and see it for myself! I also love Jones’ subtle but effective writing, mainly the steady way we see Finley’s issues spiraling out of control. The pacing in the book is perfect, it’s never rushed and not too slow either.

There You’ll Find Me is not your mom’s Christian fiction. It’s fresh, funny, entertaining and extremely appealing to anyone who wants to read really good contemporary YA fiction. I want to thank Ms. Jones for showing me that a book about heavy issues can be sensitively written with humor and light. I’m really, really hoping that she plans on writing more books like this.

Content: Kissing.

My Rating: The Best!

Book Review: Kiss of Night

Title: Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguie

Release Date: Oct. 7, 2011
Publisher: FaithWords
Pages: 306 pages
Genre: Supernatural Christian Fiction
Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: Publisher

Goodreads Summary: Centuries ago, Raphael was a blasphemous knight who fought in the Crusades purely for his own mercenary benefit, and to satisfy his taste for killing. Now, condemned for his evil passions and hypocrisy, he wanders the earth a vampire, cursed with first-hand knowledge of the supernatural world he once denied existed. The powerful relic he still possesses from his days as a Crusader has been stolen by a rival vampire who has recruited an army of soulless underlings to aid him in spreading evil. At the time he learns this, Raphael has been hunting this vampire for nearly a century, and it seems the final battle is destined to take place in Prague. For help in this quest, Raphael must enlist the aid of two humans, David and Susan, who suddenly find themselves immersed in a world they never imagined, entangled with supernatural forces they can't control. Susan, in particular, finds herself conflicted as she struggles with her inexplicable attraction to Raphael. In the end, both Susan and Raphael will be called upon to exercise courage and faith, and in the process, the question, "What would happen if a vampire truly accepted God?" is answered.

Kiss of Night puts a whole new spin on the classic vampire story. Vampirism, it turns out, is a curse bestowed on men and women who are so depraved, they need more than a standard lifetime to turn from wickedness and be redeemed. Raphael is one of those men. A crusader who killed everyone in his path, Raphael killed for the joy and thrill of killing. Now a 700-year-old vampire, Raphael wants the help of Susan, descendant from a line of humans who can sense the supernatural, to defeat a group of vampires that have resisted redemption and have only become more evil as they age.

Kiss of Night is good supernatural Christian fiction, a genre that’s relatively new to me but one that I absolutely love. Along with the idea that no one is beyond redemption, the story effortlessly weaves in themes of sacrifice, love and prayer that flows well and is never preachy.

Raphael is swoon worthy and the budding relationship between him and Susan, though a bit quick, is still well done. I was (very pleasantly) surprised that the couple kiss passionately on more than one occasion, you don’t usually find that in Christian fiction. I loved the vampire mythology and Raphael’s flashbacks to times before and after he was turned.

While I enjoyed Kiss of Night, the book does have some minor flaws. The story is told from alternating character perspectives and I found the constant change a bit jarring. Additionally, as I mentioned before, the romances in the story develop quickly.

The story is fast paced, thrilling and leaves mysteries that will hopefully be unfolded in upcoming sequels. The book does end in a wicked cliffhanger but that’s what keeps us coming back, right? I will definitely be reading upcoming books in this series. I recommend this for anyone who is looking for something a little different in supernatural/paranormal fiction.

Content: Kissing and violence.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Merchant’s Daughter

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson
Publisher: Zondervan
Publish Date: Nov. 29, 2011
Genre: Historical, Christian

Summary: An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

I adore fairytale retellings and lately, I have been reading (and loving) more historical fiction. The Merchant’s Daughter is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and I am very excited about reading it. What books are you waiting on?

Crossover Christian Fiction

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed the awesome Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren (read my review here) where I commented that there were not enough YA Christian books on the market with the crossover appeal of Bergren’s River of Time series. While I enjoy Christian fiction, I know some people are turned off by the preachy quality of it. I want to highlight some upcoming novels that I can’t wait read and I think they will appeal to readers who normally would not be interested in Christian fiction. Not all these books are YA or would be considered paranormal, but they all look so good!

Title: Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee
Pub. Info: Sept. 13 by Center Street

An apocalyptic/dystopian story about the world being drained of all emotions except fear. While this definitely not YA, I love dystopia and am so excited about this book. Ted Dekker is a powerhouse writer and Tosca Lee is good too. We have a short wait for this one, it comes out tomorrow!

Title: Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguie
Pub. Info: Oct. 7 by FaithWords

About a girl who can sense things in the supernatural realm who is recruited by a vampire to wage war on his enemy in modern-day Prague. I have a copy of this book and am dying to start it! Plus, as other bloggers have pointed out, the guy on the cover looks a bit like Johnny Depp.

Title: There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
Pub. Info: Oct. 4 by Thomas Nelson

American girl goes to Ireland as a foreign exchange student after her brother's death, meets the teen star of the hottest new vampire movie on the plane ride there and starts a friendship with him. I am not a huge fan of contemporary fiction by my bloggy friend KM at One Page At A Time recommended this and she has never steered me wrong!

Title: Halflings by Heather Burch
Pub. Info: Feb. 2012 by Zondervan

After she is attacked by demons, a girl is protected by three half-human/half-angel boys and she falls for two of them and they for her. I have yet to see any Christian YA book like this one. Not sure if I can stand waiting until February to read it.

Title: Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore
Pub. Info: 2012 by Thomas Nelson

After a tragedy, a girl finds out the angelic realm is real and the boy who lives next door is one of them. This book doesn’t have a cover or a release date yet and I want it already!

How do you feel about Christian fiction? Are you looking forward to any of these books? Are there other crossover Christian fiction novels that I left out?

Book Review: Wolves Among Us

Title: Wolves Among Us by Ginger Garrett
Release Date: April 1, 2011
Publisher: David C. Cook
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Christian, Historical
Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: In this richly imagined tale, Ginger Garrett takes readers to a tiny town on the edge of the Black Forest in 1538. In a medieval German village, a double murder stirs up festering fears. The overworked sheriff is baffled, so the village priest sends for help to solve the mystery. But the charismatic Inquisitor who answers the call brings with him a deadly mix of spiritual fervor and self-deceptive evil. Under his influence, ordinary village fears and resentments take a deadly turn, and soon women are the targets of his crusade. Terror mounts. Dark secrets come to light. But in the midst of it all, a man and woman—the priest and the sheriff's unloved wife—somehow dare to listen to another Voice ... and discover what it means to love instead of fear.

Wolves Among Us is one of those books that starts out slow and you may be tempted to put it down in the first few pages. I know I wanted to but I’m glad I didn’t because it got more exciting as the story progressed and I did enjoy it.

Set in 1538, Mia is married to the small town sheriff. She spends her days taking care of her sickly three-year-old, Alma, and her husband’s sick mother. Mia attends Mass and prays constantly for Alma to be healed from what appears to be asthma. She works hard to be a good wife and keep a good house in the hopes that if she is perfect, only then will God heal Alma. I wish I could say Mia came up with this misconception on her own but unfortunately, this is what women were being taught by the church.

Mia lives a sad, lonely life. None of the women in the village will befriend her or even speak to her with the exception of the town gossip who Mia avoids. Her husband is harsh and unloving but all the men in this book are horrible, even the village priest who thankfully redeems himself.

Wolves Among Us is a darker novel than I expected. Yes, I realize the book is about witch hunts and innocent women being wrongly accused and burnt alive so what levity could I have expected? In addition to the accusations and persecutions, the life of the women in the story, the Inquisitor’s hypocrisy, the truth behind the murders and the real evil in the town is depressing. Thankfully, there is a much greater story/message beyond the darkness and I appreciate it.

Like I said, the book does pick up the pace and the ending is neatly wrapped up. While I was not sure what to expect when I began reading, I do like the story and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian historical fiction. I am looking forward to reading more books from this author.

Content: Violence and references to rape.

Book Review: Waterfall

Title: Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2011
Publisher: David C. Cook
Pages: 352 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary: Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

Bored and annoyed that they are going to spend yet another summer at an archeological site and not allowed to touch anything, Gabi convinces her sister Lia to sneak into the site with her where Gabi is accidentally sent through time and finds herself in the middle of battle between neighboring castles. The action starts right away as Gabi is rescued by the swoon worthy Marcello and his men. Not knowing if Lia traveled through time as well, Gabi works to find her, find a way back home and protect herself from falling for Marcello…

I have seen tons of glowing reviews for Waterfall and have been dying to see what all the hype is about but it’s not hype if the book really is that good! Waterfall is an awesome mix of time travel, romance, fast paced action/adventure and political intrigue.

Gabi is a very likable character. She is smart, resourceful and can ride a horse and wield a sword like it’s nobody’s business. Having archeologists for parents, she speaks Italian and has a decent grasp on medieval history. The novel is told in first person from Gabi’s point of view so while she has to speak in a manner appropriate to the time period, her thoughts are that of any modern teenager and she is hilarious. Gabi is devoted to her family and I love her relationship with Lia (who is very Katniss-esque with a bow and arrow). Clearly, the girls in Waterfall rock and while Marcello is clearly the leading man in this story, his older brother Fortino and his cousin Luca are awesome as well and I can’t wait to learn more about them.

The one and only thing that I did not love about the story is that when Marcello meets Gabi, he is engaged to someone else and despite the relationship being arranged by their parents and the girl being not very nice, it still bothered me just a bit.

Waterfall is the kind of book that as soon as you finish it, you need to read the sequel right away so I am very happy that Cascade has already been released. The books are classified as historical Christian fiction, a genre that I like a lot. I know many readers avoid Christian fiction like the plague but the Christian elements in Waterfall are not overwhelming and flow very well with the story.

From other reviews I have seen, Waterfall has immense crossover appeal and I hope publishers are taking note. Christian YA can have the heart stopping romance, adventure, cool supernatural elements, be fun and successful and still stay true to the genre. Waterfall, and the entire River of Time Series by Ms. Bergren, are exactly my kind of books and I would love to read more like them.

Content: Kissing and violence.

Free Ebook!

Title: Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
Publisher: David C. Cook
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2011
Get the free ebook at Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Summary: American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

Why I want it: I have heard amazing things about this book and the entire River of Time series. The combination of romance, time travel and adventure sounds irresistible. I have wanted to start Waterfall for awhile and getting the first book free is just the push I need to start the series. Book two, Cascade, is already available and book three, Torrent, will be available next month. I’m not sure how long Waterfall will be free so get it as soon as you can!

Book Review: Offworld

Title: Offworld by Robin Parrish
Release Date: July 1, 2009
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 368 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Christian
Rating: 3 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: Every Person on This Planet Has Disappeared.

Commander Christopher Burke and his crew are humanity's greatest explorers. They've finished their mission on the red dirt of Mars and now they just want to get back to Earth. To see friends, family, and loved ones. To be home. But even with communication to ground control cut and a perilous landing, nothing could prepare the crew for what they discover when they step foot back on planet Earth. Everyone...everywhere...is gone. It's not a dream. It's not a trick. Now Burke and his team have one mission: find out who or what is behind the disappearance of all mankind.

If you have not watched the new shows on the Syfy Channel, you really should check it out. Their old movies and series were cheesy, but the new shows are really entertaining and well done. Offworld reads very much like one of the newer shows on SyFy. Its action packed and the mystery behind the disappearances keeps you reading.

I did find the characters a bit underdeveloped. Since the astronauts are trained soldiers, they handled coming back to an empty world well on the outside, internalizing their fears instead. It is hard to get to know characters when they are putting on a brave front so no one will see how messed up they really are. I liked Terry, one of the crew members, the most. His sarcasm was funny and I could identify with his freakouts at being one of the only people left on Earth.

There are some good twists at the end of the book that I did not see coming. Overall, this is a decent read. The Christian aspects of the book are not overwhelming or preachy. Offworld is primarily a science fiction novel and can be enjoyed by anyone as such.

Content: Violence

Book Review: Pearl in the Sand

Title: Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar
Release Date: Sept. 1, 2010
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Pages: 336 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Source: ARC from Publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads Summary: Can a Canaanite harlot who has made her livelihood by looking desirable to men make a fitting wife for one of the leaders of Israel? Shockingly, the Bible’s answer is yes. At the age of fifteen Rahab is forced into prostitution by her beloved father. In her years as a courtesan, she learns to mistrust men and hate herself. Into the emotional turmoil of her world walks Salmone, a respected leader of Judah. Through the tribulations of a stormy relationship, Rahab and Salmone learn the true source of one another’s worth in God and find healing from fear and rejection.

Rahab’s story is not told in detail in the Bible. We know she helps the Jewish spies in Jericho and her faith saves her entire family. We know she marries into the Tribe of Judah and is in Jesus’ bloodline, but apart from this we really don’t know anything about her. Tessa Afshar takes the few facts we know about Rahab and creates a wonderful fictional story of faith, love, forgiveness and restoration that will stay with me for a long time.

When I started reading Pearl in the Sand, I expected some sort of Biblical fairy tale where the poor abused heroine is rescued by the dashing hero and they live happily ever after. Not so much. Pearl in the Sand takes you from the circumstances that force Rahab into prostitution to when she meets Salmone and they fall in love and marry.

But the book does not happily end there. Like a lot of married couples, Rahab and Salmone have a very rocky start to their marriage stemming from low self esteem, un-forgiveness, self-righteousness and unrealistic expectations. While I was reading, there were times that I was mad at Rahab for emotionally sabotaging her own marriage and annoyed with Salmone for being so angry! While I loved this book as a whole, the really beautiful portion was what happened with the characters after the marriage. Even though we have no idea what really happened with these people so many thousands of years ago, Pearl in Sand is written so well that you are left thinking it could have happened this way, or better yet, I hope it did!

Content: This is not a YA book even though I think it would be okay for older teens. The main character is a former prostitute and both she and her husband have emotion and sexual issues stemming from this.

Review of The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin

Release Date: Aug. 13, 2010
Publisher: AMG Publishers
Pages: 272 pages
Author Website: http://www.cslakin.com/
Genre: Christian Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC from Publisher through NetGalley

Summary: A young blacksmith must undertake a perilous journey to the four ends of the world to rescue his wife, who is held captive by the Moon. Along the way, he befriends a powerful wolf who encourages, protects, and ultimately saves his human friend. A stirring allegory of God’s love in classic fairy tale tradition.

Review: Joran is a blacksmith who longs for a peaceful life and to not feel like an outsider in his family and community. He has a fight with his wife and in a fit of anger, sends her back to her family only to find out she never made it there. Joran sets out on an epic journey to find her and is joined by a wolf, Ruyah, who helps him. Joran’s quest to find his wife leads in him find out a lot about himself.

Joran is such a human character. He makes grave mistakes and assumptions, he whines more than he should and wallows in his own misery. Regardless of all that, I liked him and was very sympathetic to his situation. While I liked Joran, I really loved Ruyah. He was such a loving and patient character and his sacrifice is just beautiful.

As with the characters, the fantasy elements of this book are great. Ms. Lakin’s descriptions of the journey to the houses of the Moon and the Sun and the trip to the cave of the South Wind are wonderful. Joran’s ability to telepathically speak to animals is very cool and is one of my favorite parts of the story.

The Wolf of Tebron is a really good fantasy novel. I enjoyed Ms. Lakin’s writing and am looking forward to her next book: The Map Across Time.

Content: Violence