by admin | Jul 10, 2012 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingInescapableBethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012)byNancy MehlABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nancy Mehl lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband Norman and their dog, Watson. She’s authored thirteen books and is currently at work on her newest series for Bethany House Publishing.
All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “It’s a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”
She and her husband attend Believer’s Tabernacle in Wichita.
Learn more about Nancy and her books on her Website .
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lizzie Engel is used to running away. At eighteen, she left her Mennonite hometown, Kingdom, Kansas, with plans never to return.
But five years later, the new life she built is falling apart. Lizzie knows she’s being followed, and she’s certain the same mysterious stranger is behind the threatening letters she’s received. Realizing she’ll have to run again, the only escape Lizzie can manage is a return to the last place she wants to go.
Once she arrives in Kingdom, Lizzie is confident she’ll be safe until she comes up with a new plan. In reacquainting herself with the town and its people–especially her old friend, Noah Housler–she wonders if she judged her hometown and her Mennonite faith too harshly. However, just as she begins to come to terms with her roots, Lizzie is horrified to discover the danger she ran from is closer than ever.
No longer sure who to trust and fearful for her life and the lives of those around her, Lizzie finds she has only one place left to run–to the Father whose love is inescapable.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Inescapable, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Inescapable is a mystery/suspense set in the isolated old order Mennonite town of Kingdom, Kansas. Although the novel is a page turner with sufficient twists and surprises to keep most mystery lovers happy, I felt that its real strength was in its character development. The interaction between characters varied from loving and supportive to hostile which had a strong influence on decisions made by the primary characters.
As Lizzie faced various trials in her life. she was finally able to learn that the only way she could survive was by trusting God to take care of her situation. By letting go of her anger and unforgiveness toward her father and the people of Kingdom, she was finally able to find the peace she had been searching for in her life. Inescapable has a strong message of forgiveness and reconciliation and ended well. I found the details about the old order Mennonites to be interesting. They were an entirely different group than the Mennonites I encounter in our part of the country.
Inescapable was a satisfying read in all respects. I think that readers who enjoy Amish fiction and/or mystery suspense would find it to their taste.
by admin | Jul 7, 2012 | Books, Historical, Romance, Shakers
MY REVIEW:
Ann Gabhart’s latest historical Shaker novel “The Gifted” vividly details life in the Shaker village of Harmony Hill, Kentucky with Jessamine Brady as its central character. A resident of the village since her grandmother’s death when she was ten, Jessamine has become accustomed to their way of life and attempts to live up to their stringent standards. Unfortunately, at times her unfettered curiosity and abundant zest for life put her at odds with the strict group, especially when she rescues a young man from “the world”. When her circumstances change and she leaves the village, Jessamine has difficulty adjusting to her new way of life but she is thrilled to see Tristan again even though prior commitments may not allow them to act on their mutual attraction.
“The Gifted” is beautifully written and reveals a great deal about life among the Shakers. The legalism and deception of their beliefs is evident although related without judgment as an integral part of the story. Of particular interest was the restriction Jessamine felt while living among the Shakers and the guilt she experienced once free of their rules. Her story clearly illustrates the difference between following God or following a form of religion. I easily became involved with her story but wondered until the very end what her final choice would be – stay in “the world” or return to Harmony Hill. I knew the choice I wanted her to make but was afraid that she would not.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Bestselling author Ann Gabhart, most known for her critically acclaimed Shaker fiction, pours her personal experience and story-telling ability into The Gifted (July 2012). Set in 1849 Kentucky, this stand-alone novel follows Jessamine Brady who loves her Shaker brothers and sisters, but longs for life and love in the outside world.
Jessamine has been in the Shaker Village for half her life, but in spite of how she loves her sisters there, she struggles to conform to the strict rules. Instead she entertains dreams of the world outside. When Tristan Cooper seems to step out of those dreams to entice her into the forbidden realm beyond the Shaker Village, her life turns upside down. Will Jessamine be able to survive the storms of the world? Or will she retreat back to the peace of Harmony Hill?
The thousands of loyal fans of Gabhart’s Shaker novels will love this entrancing story of learning to trust the gifts God gives us and let him guide us through life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of several novels, including Angel Sister, The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker and The Blessed. She lives with her husband a mile from where she was born in Kentucky.
Available July 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
by admin | Jul 5, 2012 | Adventure, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingSerpent of MosesBethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012)byDon HoeselABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Don Hoesel is a Web site designer for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief Journal. He was born and raised in Buffalo, NY but lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with his wife and two children. The Serpent of Moses is his fourth novel.
Learn more about Don and his books on his Website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Moses built and lifted up the brass serpent, healing the afflicted Israelites of snakebites. King Hezekiah called the serpent Nehushtan. Long thought destroyed, it’s been buried for millennia, secreted under the region’s shifting sands. Now the Israeli government wants it back and they will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. Yet they’re not the only ones who covet the Nehushtan.
Archaeologist Jack Hawthorne travels to Libya intent on recovering the sacred object, but one does not cross the Mossad and expect to walk away without a fight. Jack and his friends must find the priceless “snake of brass upon a pole” before those who are also hunting it find them…and silence them forever.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Serpent of Moses, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Archaeologist Jack Hawthorne could easily be compared to a modern day Indiana Jones. His quest for biblical artifacts has taken him all over the world and pitted him against various others who were after the same thing. Much like Indiana Jones, he has narrowly escaped serious injury or death numerous times but he never gives up. As the title indicates, in this sequel to Elisha’s Bones, Jack has a bead on the bronze serpent created by Moses in the Book of Numbers and destroyed by Hezekiah in Second Kings. Unfortunately there are others, including some powerful Israelis who will stop at nothing to obtain the serpent of Moses. Before very many chapters have elapsed, Jack and his long-time friends ex-CIA agent Jim Duckett, Dr. Esperanza Habilla and her brother, Romero find themselves up to their eyeballs in a dangerous adventure that could very well cost them their lives.
Serpent of Moses had the same page-turning suspense that I found in Elisha’s Bones. I enjoyed following the separate adventures of each of the characters until they came together near the end for the grand finale. It was also intriguing to read excerpts from their antagonists’ point of view. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and hope to see more adventures of Jack and Espy in the near future. My only complaint is that it was unclear to me what the final outcome was for Templeton (I reread several times to be sure I didn’t miss something). Is this something that readers should decide for themselves or will it be revealed in a forthcoming installment? I’d really like to know.
by admin | Jul 3, 2012 | Books, Law Enforcement, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingNothing to HideBethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012)byJ. Mark BertrandABOUT THE AUTHOR:
J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years, earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after one hurricane too many he left for South Dakota. Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.
Learn more about Mark and his books on his Website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A grisly homicide. An international threat.
The stakes have never been higher for Detective Roland March. The victim’s head is missing, but what intrigues Detective Roland March is the hand. The pointing finger must be a clue–but to what? According to the FBI, the dead man was an undercover asset tracking the flow of illegal arms to the Mexican cartels. To protect the operation, they want March to play along with the cover story. With a little digging, though, he discovers the Feds are lying. And they’re not the only ones.
In an upside-down world of paranoia and conspiracy, March finds himself dogged by injury and haunted by a tragic failure. Forced to take justice into his own hands, his twisting investigation leads him into the very heart of darkness, leaving March with nothing to lose–and nothing to hide.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Nothing to Hide, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Nothing to Hide, Bertrand’s third Roland March Mystery, takes Detective March on a convoluted trail where nothing is as it seems, it is impossible to know who to trust or where their allegiance lies. Another tragic death that takes place during an attempt to track down evidence in a baffling murder places March on off-duty status. Despite his orders, Detective March takes it upon himself to ferret out the truth about the victim’s true identity in the midst of layers of lies. The more he learns, the more confusing the picture becomes.
From the streets of Houston to the back roads of Mexico, the plot of Nothing to Hide involves everyone from the Federal Government, to gun runners, to drug cartels, double agents, and other nefarious characters with agendas of their own. Narrated in the present tense, the story also includes flashbacks that connect people and events from Roland’s past to his present case. Nothing to Hide is fairly stark and graphic with several violent scenes and plenty of action and drama. Each character is well portrayed, especially Roland whose emotions and reactions give the reader an intimate look at what makes him tick. Although his friend Carter continues to challenge him with biblical truth, Roland is still resistant to his overtures. I personally think that his shell was beginning to soften a bit and look forward to the time he caves.
The plot has so many twists, turns, and surprises that it is difficult to keep it all straight and there is very little chance of second guessing Roland. There are some surprises that I definitely did not see coming. Even the final resolution was not tied up neatly with a bow. At least one remaining character was left with a huge question mark about their true role in the case. I suspect that character may make an appearance in a future Roland March Mystery.
If you are a fan of dark and gritty crime novels, Nothing to Hide and the other books of this series would be a good choice. However, you probably don’t want to lend them to your kids.
