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.

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.