A Suitor For Jenny

"When looking for a husband, it’s best to go where the odds are in your favor. And that would be Rocky Creek, Texas, 1880. But Jenny Higgins's plan to find husbands for her two sisters hits a snag when enthusiastic applicants fail to meet her stringent requirements. Rejecting her sisters' choices for mates and riding herd on her growing feelings for Marshal Rhett Armstrong, she refuses to give up. Jenny thinks choosing a husband is not a job for the heart. It'll take one strong and handsome marshal to convince her otherwise."

This book was okay as far as Christian fiction goes. I read it in just a few hours which shows that there was not a whole lot of depth to the story. It was a cute, entertaining story with too many plot twists to be believable. This plot of women going out west with hopes of snagging a husband and then falling in love with the most "unlikely" one has been done a few too many times. I liked the Marshal and I liked the three sisters. Their antics and the sisters' relationship made it enjoyable, if not memorable. I would definitely not recommend it or even consider it one of the better books I read last year, but it mildly entertained me for a short time. I would give it about 3 stars since the characters were so like-able.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Umm...Weird and Ridiculous

Immanuel's Veins by Ted Dekker

After all the hype this book got on facebook and Booksneeze before it was released, I was expecting something great. My expectations were unmet. In fact, I was extremely disappointed. This is the book description:

"This story is for everyone--but not everyone is for this story. It is a dangerous tale of times past. A love story full of deep seduction. A story of terrible longing and bold sacrifice. Then as now, evil begins its courtship cloaked in light. And the heart embraces what it should flee. Forgetting it once had a truer lover. With a kiss, evil will ravage body, soul, and mind. Yet there remains hope, because the heart knows no bounds. Love will prove greater than lust. Sacrifice will overcome seduction. And blood will flow. Because the battle for the heart is always violently opposed. For those desperate to drink deep from this fountain of life, enter. But remember, not everyone is for this story."

The story line was weird, with many vampirish overtones. I kept expecting it to get better, since I have enjoyed many of Dekker's books, but it did not. I didn't feel drawn to any of the characters. The mysticism and pagan themes and the vivid descriptions of Toma's desire for his love were disconcerting. I did not understand how any of the symbolism could be considered Christian without quite a bit of stretching. Try one of Dekker's other books. This was another lame attempt at a vampire story, a subject that is lame enough to begin with without adding "Christian" themes.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Skin Map

The Skin Map, is about a man who meets his grandfather who mysteriously disappeared years ago. His grandfather exposes him to the secret that there are tunnels in England that lead to different worlds. This book was very interesting and different than any other book I've ever read. I really enjoyed all the action. I found myself relating to Kit and cheering for him to make the right decisions. I would definitely recommend this book. I got this book free as a part of the Book Sneeze project through Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Beyond Opinion by Ravi Zacharias

Synopsis from Amazon.com: "Respected apologist Ravi Zacharias was once sharing his faith with a Hindu when the man asked: "If the Christian faith is truly supernatural, why is it not more evident in the lives of so many Christians I know?" The question hit hard, and this book is an answer. Its purpose is to equip Christians everywhere to simultaneously defend the faith and be transformed by it into people of compassion.

In addition to writing several chapters himself, Ravi Zacharias brings together many of today's leading apologists and Christian teachers, including Alister McGrath and John Lennox, to address topics present in the very future of worldwide Christianity-from the process of spiritual transformation to the challenges posed by militant atheism and a resurgent Islam."

This book was a wonderful synopsis of different worldviews and how to defend Christianity. I especially enjoyed the chapter on postmodernism. It explained about how there must be absolute truth. Each chapter was written by a different author with a separate topic. Therefore, I could have just picked and chosen which topics were interesting to me. I would definitely recommend this book. "Beyond Opinion," led me to a greater understanding of the many viewpoints in our world today and how to explain mine. It clearly conveyed Biblical truth.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz

Synopsis: "Morrow Little is haunted by the memory of the day her family was torn apart by raiding Shawnee warriors. Now that she is nearly a grown woman and her father is ailing, she must make difficult choices about the future. Several men--ranging from the undesired to the unthinkable--vie for her attentions, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to a forbidden love that both terrifies and intrigues her. Can she betray the memory of her lost loved ones--and garner suspicion from her friends--by pursuing a life with him? Or should she seal her own misery by marrying a man she doesn't love? This sweeping tale of romance and forgiveness will envelop readers as it takes them from a Kentucky fort through the vast wilderness to the west in search of true love."

This book is not from the Book Sneeze project. I went out and picked up one of the last copies from the local Christian bookstore, something I rarely do. I have been waiting on pins and needles for this book to be released after reading Laura Frantz's previous book, "The Frontiersman's Daughter." I absolutely loved her first book and was not disappointed with this one either. It was awesome. I couldn't put it down. I loved the descriptions of colonial life in Kentucky and was drawn into the characters' lives in a way that doesn't usually happen. So much Christian fiction is predictable and rote and this book was the complete opposite. You. Must. Read. It.

Driftwood Lane by Denise Hunter (A Nantucket Love Story)

Book description from the publisher: "Meridith can handle anything: guardianship of three distant siblings, a dilapidated Bed-and-Breakfast, even an ever-present handyman who's dismantling more than her fireplace--or can she?

When the death of Meridith's estranged father leaves her with custody of three siblings she's never met, she reluctantly goes to Nantucket to care for them--but only until their uncle returns from his trip. Little does she know, the uncle is already there under the guise of her friendly handyman, with plans of his own.

Will the love that grows between them be strong enough to overcome the secrets that brought them both to Driftwood Lane?"

Yes, I am a sucker for sappy romances. And so of course I enjoyed this book! I really enjoyed the characters and had trouble putting the book down. The descriptions of Nantucket made me want to go there. I really appreciated how each of the characters sacrificed something and turned out the better for it.

That being said. . . the book was predictable. You can pretty much tell from the back cover what is going to happen. And the religion seemed like an afterthought. Yes, the characters went to church and Meredith realized the need to pray and lean on God for support but I didn't feel like it was genuine. There was no talk about what is necessary for salvation, even the demons acknowledge there is a God! Also, as Meredith reconciled her past it seemed rushed and didn't really add much to her character. All the sudden, the past was behind her and she was ready to move on??? That being said, it is one of the better romances I have read in a while and would probably recommend it to friends.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sarah's Garden by Kelly Long

Synopsis from Amazon: Deep in the heart of Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains, shy Sarah King is happiest when working in her vibrant Amish kitchen garden, but new family responsibilities lead her into the confusing world of the Englisch.

Sarah finds her life turned around when she encounters the community's new Englisch veterinarian, Grant Williams. His blue-gold eyes and his obvious concern for her people attract her immediately. Sarah seeks solace and direction from the Lord as she creates a quilt pattern which details her struggle between two worlds.

The Lord is guiding Sarah to follow His will, but will she listen?

My Opinion: I have read a great deal of Amish fiction and noticed that they all tend to be the same. Although this one followed the same story line- Amish woman meets and falls in love with an Englischer, I found the plot to be more engrossing and the characters more likeable than most Amish novels. I enjoyed this book but I would only give it three stars because of its predictability and how the romance dragged in the end. Like seriously folks we all know you are in love. Get married already!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”