These are a few of my favorite things...

The following is a list of my all-time favorite books. After number one, the list is in no particular order. YOU.MUST.READ.THEM.ALL.


1. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
2. Black Cross by Greg Iles
3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
4. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
5. My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliviera
6. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
7. Worth Dying For by Lee Child
8. Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes
9. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
10. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
11. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
12. While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin
13. Eve's Daughters by Lynn Austin
14. All She Ever Wanted by Lynn Austin
15. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
16. The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen
17. Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz
18. The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund
19. Wish You Well by David Baldacci
20. Love's Pursuit by Siri Mitchell
21. The Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers
22. The Shiloh Legacy Series, the Zion Covenant Series, and the Zion Chronicles by Bodie Thoene
23. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
24. The Kite Runner by Khaled Housseini
25. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Housseini
26. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
27. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
28. Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank and Ernestine Gilbreth
29. The Family Nobody Wanted by Helen Doss
30. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
31. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
32. The Oath by Frank Peretti
33. The Visitation by Frank Peretti
34. Though None Go With Me by Jerry Jenkins
35. Riven by Jerry Jenkins
36. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
37. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
38. Go Down to Silence by G. K. Belliveau
39. The Princess by Lori Wick
40. The Love Comes Softly Series by Janette Oke
41. The Refiner's Fire Series by Lynn Austin
42. The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers
43. And the Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers

Black Cross by Greg Iles

This evening I finished re-reading "Black Cross." In the three years since I last read it I forgot how amazing it is. Historical fiction is my genre of choice and I have read many books about World War II. This novel surpasses them all.

During the war, Germany developed two poison gases, Sarin and Soman, which remain the most lethal gases on the planet to this day. By the end of the war, Hitler knew the Allied troops were closing in but neither Soman or Sarin were used. Why wouldn't a confirmed madman use these gases when backed into a corner, and with a certainty of losing the war otherwise? "Black Cross" seeks to answer this question.

At the start of the novel, Winston Churchill and others under his command had just learned of Germany's possession of Sarin and Soman. However, the Allies had no defense against those gases, and no chemical weapons of their own that match the lethality of Sarin or Soman.

The two main characters, Jonas Stern and Mark McDonell could not have been more different. Jonas was a German Jew who escaped Nazi Germany and fought against the British in Palestine. Mark McDonell was a chemist and medical doctor from Georgia, experimenting with lethal gases in Oxford, England. These two men were brought together on a mission to tip the scales in the Allies' favor.

Even when reading it for the second time, I could not put this book down! The descriptions of the atrocities committed by the Nazis, the willingness of many characters to risk their lives for the sake of a cause greater than themselves, and the well-developed characters made it one of the best books I have ever read. Almost six hundred pages kept my attention until the edge-of-my-seat ending.

Here is the first chapter from Amazon.com:

A Must-Read

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen is one of the best Christian fiction books I have ever read! I purchased this as soon as it came out on my Amazon Kindle. I do not regret buying it. I enjoyed it immensely, as I have all her other books.

"Mariah Aubrey lives in seclusion in an abandoned gatehouse on a distant relative's estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant by writing novels in secret, at a time when novel writing was considered improper and unladylike. When wealthy and ambitious Captain Bryant leases the estate, he is intrigued by the beautiful girl in the gatehouse. Will he risk his plans—and his heart—for a woman shadowed by scandal?"

I read this book in one day, I could not put it down. The characters were easy to relate to and the romance was believable. It was a delight to watch the characters develop and see them grow in their relationships with God and each other. I also enjoyed the references to Jane Austen and the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Any fan of historical fiction would love this novel.

Here is the link to read the first chapter from Amazon.com:

Better Than Expected- 3.5 Stars

Here is the synopsis for Kristen Heitzmann's novel "Indivisble."
"Battling his own personal demons, Police Chief Jonah Westfall knows the dark side of life and has committed himself to eradicating it. When a pair of raccoons are found mutilated in Redford, Colorado, Jonah investigates the gruesome act, knowing the strange event could escalate and destroy the tranquility of his small mountain town. With a rising drug threat and never-ending conflict with Tia Manning, a formidable childhood friend with whom he has more than a passing history, Jonah fights for answers—and his fragile sobriety. But he can’t penetrate every wound or secret—especially one fueled by a love and guilt teetering on madness. From best-selling author Kristen Heitzmann comes a spellbinding tale of severed connections and the consequences of life lived alone."


I have tried and failed many times to enjoy Kristen Heitzmann's novels, so I was not expecting to enjoy her newest novel, "Indivisible." I received this book free for review from the Blogging for Books program from Multnomah Publishers. Some of the things I look for in a Christian novel are characters I can connect with and a realistic view of Christianity. I do not enjoy long sermons or overdone, sappy Christianity. This novel did relatively well at addressing those issues.

The main characters, Jonah, Piper, and Tia are true to life, like-able characters. The issues they deal with are things many of us deal with such as past errors, learning from poor decisions, moving ahead towards goals, forming deep relationships, and practically living out Christianity. Their struggles are what redeemed this slightly odd book. I found myself wanting to know more about them and cheering them on in their goals. I was truly interested in watching them heal from their shattered pasts.

Also, the Christianity portrayed in the lives of the characters was not contrived. The three main characters were believers and struggled to understand the grace of God in dealing with their mistakes. They learned to rely on others and to accept the support of members of their local churches.

The only thing that detracted from the story was that of the ending. It seemed far-fetched a little disjointed. However, the story of the relationships between the main characters made it worth it.

Here is a link to watch the book trailer on YouTube:



Here is a link to the first chapter on Amazon:

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.