Book Reviews

by

A Light in the Wilderness review

A Light in the WildernessA Light in the Wilderness is an historical novel based on the true-life story of Letitia Carson, a former slave who made a new life for herself in Oregon. Known for fact-based historical novels from a Christian perspective, author Jane Kirkpatrick has continued her tradition with this newest title, published by Revell in the summer of 2014. Filled with details of both true and speculated events, this book would appeal to readers who love history, but are not necessarily looking for a riveting story.

The year is 1844 in Platte County, Missouri. Letitia is a freed slave, but her life is not much better than when she was ‘owned’.   The trials facing a person of color seem unimaginable in this generation, but are described in detail as readers watch Letitia search for true freedom.   As she wonders if life in Oregon Continue reading →

by

The Heart’s Pursuit review

The Heart's Pursuit imagePack your saddlebags, mount your trusty horse, and get ready for a westbound journey spanning hundreds of miles and a lifetime of emotions. In the new Christian Historical Fiction novel entitled ‘The Heart’s Pursuit’, author Robin Lee Hatcher takes readers on an old-fashioned adventure overflowing with uncertainty and danger, secrets and sacrifices, and maybe even love.

From the opening chapter, the story jumps into action when Jared Newman, a bounty hunter leading his current captive to justice, witnesses a young woman dressed in a satin wedding gown rushing from her own ceremony. Silvana ‘Silver’ Matlock was jilted at the altar, and not only did her fiancé skip town, but he took the savings and valuables of Silver’s father and stepmother with him. Without the money to pay back a debt, the Matlocks stand to lose their home, business, and way of life. In a moment of desperation and guilt, Silver resolves to bring justice to her family in anyway she can… Continue reading →

by

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days review

What Your Heart Needs image“We all have hard days. The kind that make us want to pull the covers back over our heads, move to Hawaii, or eat a dozen cupcakes. Deep inside we know those aren’t the best options for our lives or our thighs. So what’s a girl to do?”

With these words that so many women can relate to, Holley Gerth invites readers into the tea-with-a-friend atmosphere of her newest book, What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days, published by Revell in the summer of 2014.   Written as a daily (or weekly) devotional, this mini-sized book can easily be read by itself, or as a companion to Ms. Gerth’s previously released title, You’re Going to Be Okay.

Opening the cover for the first time, readers will be delighted with one of the best features of the book Continue reading →

by

Let’s All Be Brave review

Let's All Be Brave imageAre you brave? According to Annie F. Downs, the majority of people would answer in the negative – including me. But what if bravery doesn’t mean doing something earth shattering in its enormity… What if instead bravery consists of small, often insignificant choices we make every day? What if we are all braver than we think? These questions, among others, are the foundation for Annie Downs’ newly released book from Zondervan entitled Let’s All Be Brave: Living Life with Everything You Have.

Formatted as a series of essays, Let’s All Be Brave contains chapters that each feel like a separate, real-life conversation with Annie about various topics – all connected to the subject of bravery and courage. With bushels of humor, Continue reading →

by

The Butterfly and the Violin review

The Butterfly and the Violin image“She told herself that to have something of worth in a world full of chaos was the very definition of beauty. It felt like a spiritual liberation that couldn’t be silenced. These prisoners, the ones who painted or wrote poetry or played in the orchestra – they refused to let that spirit die. And this, she decided, is why the heart creates.

God plants the talent and it grows, sustained by a spirit giving strength to endure, even in the midst of darkness. It thrives in the valleys of life and ignores the peaks. It blooms like a flower when cradled by the warmth of the sun. It remains in a hidden stairwell in a concentration camp. It grows, fed in secret, in the heart of every artist.

The God-worship of every life – this was the art of Auschwitz.”

Excerpt from The Butterfly and the Violin pp. 277-278

In the summer of 2014, a new author named Kristy Cambron emerged from Thomas Nelson publishers with her debut novel – The Butterfly and the Violin. This story of incredible courage Continue reading →

by

Truth Be Told review

Truth Be Told imageAfter reading Carol Cox’s new releases from the past two summers, I was excited to read her 2014 publication from Bethany House, entitled Truth Be Told.  Similarly set in Arizona in the late 1800s, Ms. Cox’s newest novel revolves around the interesting – and clearly very accurate to history – elements of small-town newspaper publication.  Although the story begins at a leisurely pace, it continues to pick up speed until the climax when, well, let’s just say I do not recommend reading this portion just before turning out the lights and going to sleep… Continue reading →

by

Surviving Henry review

Surviving Henry imageAre you prepared to meet a dog who is so uncontrollable, so prone to accidents in the unlikeliest circumstances, and so full of energy that you just can’t help falling in love with him (while simultaneously being glad that he’s not your dog)? If this sounds like an interesting storyline, then you should DEFINITELY pick up ‘Surviving Henry’… Right now, without delay!

Erin Taylor Young has crafted a tale that cannot help impacting anyone who reads it. Overflowing with down-to-earth, laugh-out-loud humor, ‘Surviving Henry’ is unexpectedly seasoned with the tenderness and love, sweetness and grace that only a pet can emanate through your life. Published by Revell in the summer of 2014, the story of Henry the Boxer will bring laughter and tears, while causing you to alternately smile, gasp, shake your head, and groan at the incredible antics of one extraordinary dog.

With amazing talent, Ms. Young engages her readers in a unique, present-tense, first-person point of view to share a candid portrait of loving a dog who turns life upside down the day he comes home. Although primarily a humorous story, ‘Surviving Henry’ gently nudges readers to the truths God reveals to us through our pets. Truths such as living a life of love – even when you don’t feel like it, and persevering – even when you are on the verge of giving up. If you ever feel like your pets are too much work, ‘Surviving Henry’ might be just the lift your heart needs. Or, if you don’t have a pet but love animals anyway, Henry’s story is will touch your heart as well.

Although I can say very little on the negative side about ‘Surviving Henry’, the occasional mention of certain doggie anatomy proved a little uncomfortable, and references to the bodily functions of the same dog seemed slightly too commonplace… But I suppose, in a story about a dog, this is to be expected. Overall, ‘Surviving Henry’ is a delightful, frolicking story about a dog who wreaks chaos in the lives of his family – and ends up teaching them a few lessons along the way. Your only regret after reading this endearing tale will be the final words, indicating the story is over… Unless, of course, Ms. Young’s fans convince her to write a sequel!

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group”.

 

To learn more about Henry the Boxer check out this adorable book trailer, or visit his website.

 

 

by

Full Steam Ahead review

Full Steam Ahead pictureAre you looking for an adventure that is noteworthy and unique, filled with peculiar plot lines and out-of-the-ordinary characters? Or perhaps you most enjoy humorous interactions between hero and heroine, mixed in with story suspense and perhaps a little mystery. In either case, I know just the book for you…

Although it’s highly combustible, a little on the ‘unlikely’ side of believable, and may cause you to be late if you start reading before an appointment, Full Steam Ahead is a story certain to capture your imagination and hold it tight – from beginning to end. With this novel as her 6th full-length book, Karen Witemeyer adds to her repertoire of comedic, western adventures filled with unconventional characters who seem to emerge from the pages into real life.

Nicole Renard, the only child of a wealthy shipping magnate, and Darius Thornton, self-proclaimed scientist of steamship boilers, find themselves thrust into each other’s paths after a trail of events involving a jeweled pirate dagger and a jealous shipping competitor. As they work together to realize a dream of inventing a safer boiler system for river travel, Nicole and Darius face increasing dangers from outside threats – and impossible decisions for an uncertain future as they begin to care for each other.

Full Steam Ahead is an enjoyable, lighthearted novel filled with comedic escapades and thoughtful insight into the importance of letting go of your past, while trusting God with the future. On the downside of the story, the same issue occurs as with many of Ms. Witemeyer’s works – occasional scenes between Nicole and Darius border on inappropriate for conservative readers, and several descriptions are mildly uncomfortable to think about. Overall, however, Full Steam Ahead is a story with good intentions, and a fun adventure to enjoy during an afternoon of relaxation. From pirate daggers to boiler explosions, you won’t be able to stop once you get moving… full steam ahead!

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group”.

by

Life Changing Products by Dr. Caroline Leaf

Late in 2013 I requested a book from my reviewer’s program called Switch on Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf. Little did I know what this would lead to, and how it would impact me in so many ways! I have now read almost all of her books, watched most of her DVDs, and shared many of her ideas with my friends and family. All of Dr. Leaf’s products are amazing, but for now I wanted to share three of my favourites with you.

Switch on Your Brain imageSwitch On Your Brain

As the first book I read by Dr. Caroline Leaf, I found Switch On Your Brain to be filled with amazing ideas that showcase how science, specifically neuroscience, is catching up with what has been stated in Scripture for so long. One of the main concepts of this book is the research showing that the brain is neuro-plastic, which means it is malleable and adaptable, changing every moment of the day. Through her research, Dr. Leaf shares how she assisted patients with car-accident brain damage take control of retraining their brains and become successful citizens, even after neurologists had written them off as being unable to ever again function normally.

The first portion of the book focuses on many of the functions of the brain, how various scientific concepts correspond with Scripture, and what can lead to a healthy or unhealthy brain. The second portion features the steps to detox your brain from toxic thinking, using Dr. Leaf’s specialized program, the 21-Day Brain Detox Plan.   Overall, I learned so much from this book even after one reading, and I hope to go through it at a slower pace again soon.

 

Who Switched Off My Brain? Who Switched Off My Brain? image

This was Dr. Leaf’s first book to be published, and in some ways is similar to Switch On Your Brain. I found that it is written with a simpler approach, however, making it easier to read if you are unfamiliar with her ideas. The main focus of this book is how to promote a healthy lifestyle through your thought life, and how toxic thinking can cause sickness and unhappiness in many ways. Dr. Leaf discusses what she calls the ‘dirty dozen’, areas of our lives often targeted by toxic thinking (emotions, dreams, schedules, etc.) and how to do a ‘brain sweep’ to promote a healthier approach to thinking. In addition, I enjoyed watching the DVDs to go along with the information covered in the book. Overall, this book/DVD set is an excellent introduction to Dr. Leaf’s neuroscience research, without being too difficult to follow, yet giving ideas to start implementing healthy thinking into your life!

 

The Gift in You imageThe Gift in You

Without a doubt, The Gift in You program has been the most influential in my family. This amazing set teaches how everyone has their own unique sequence of thinking, made up of seven different areas of the brain: Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Linguistic, Logical/Mathematical, Kinesthetic, Musical, and Visual/Spatial. Inside the book is a Gift Profile questionnaire to fill out, which helps you find and understand your unique pattern of thinking – the ‘gift in you’. After you realize what your dominant areas are, you can better understand how you learn and communicate best. Although each person uses a sequence of all seven areas of the brain, usually only the top two dominant areas are obvious, because they are how you receive information, and build connections to that information (the other seven areas deal with confirming, integrating, applying, etc.). For instance, my dominant area of thinking (how I receive information) is Linguistic, which means I learn, communicate, and understand best with words. My second dominant trait is Logical/Mathematical, and so I build connections to the information through reasoning, organizing, planning, and strategizing.

The amazing part about this program is how it helps people to understand themselves, and the people around them, in a new and better way. It has helped me and many of my family members to realize how we can use our minds to the best of our abilities. I believe that many people could benefit greatly by reading this book, and watching the DVD set – it has truly changed our lives.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. Leaf’s research, programs, and products, you can visit her website.

 

by

While Love Stirs review

While Love Stirs image

 

“Well, you’d better get used to things getting messy, because when I’m cooking something up, that’s bound to happen.”

So says Charlotte Gregory, second eldest Gregory sister, graduate of Fanny Farmer’s School of Cookery, and heroine of ‘While Love Stirs’ – a new novel written by Lorna Seilstad and published by Revell in the spring of 2014. As the second book in Ms. Seilstad’s ‘The Gregory Sisters’ series, ‘While Love Stirs’ is like a cool cream-puff desert – light and airy, sweet and creamy, a delightful treat for a summer afternoon.

From cooking contests to twisting tornadoes, ‘While Love Stirs’ is filled with surprises and excitement, not to mention more than a few deliciously detailed foods. The novel’s other specialties include:

– Humour, and lots of it!

Many of the characters from ‘When Love Calls’ (Book #1 of ‘The Gregory Sisters’), make regular appearances, gifting readers with ‘what happened next’ scenarios.

Entertaining allusions to the art of cookery are ‘peppered’ throughout the book, and then ‘stirred until blended’… : )

Quirky characters abound, and many personalities combine together to create an interesting collage of human nature.

By acknowledging the novel’s many strong points, it is necessary to note a few of the downfalls, as well. In Charlotte’s disasters and dilemmas, readers will NOT discover many challenging insights or thought-provoking issues, and the light-hearted tone continuously prevails – even in situations that have the potential to probe deeper. In addition, the slight ‘mystery’ of the story is resolved quickly and unsatisfactorily, leaving readers with more questions than answers. Finally, although the characters have unique personalities, they sometimes appear flat and lackluster by using stilted dialogue and over-the-top gestures.

Overall, ‘While Love Stirs’ resembles a cream-puff in multiple ways… While it offers light and creamy entertainment, readers will not receive much nourishment for the mind or soul before reaching ‘The End’. Like any desert, a story such as this one is enjoyable once in a while, but probably should not comprise a reader’s primary diet!

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group”.