Rose’s Pledge is written by Dianna Crawford and Sally Laity and published by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Rose Harwood can not believe she is on her way to a trading post out west when only weeks ago she was selling all her family owned in England to help keep her father out of debt prison. Coming from England to America by boat and being auctioned off was not all she had hoped it would be. She and her two sisters are now separated and not sure when they will be together again. So far meeting a young man named Nate has been the only positive part of her trip! Nate is attracted to Rose and decides to go on the journey to the trading post with the fur trader and Rose.
I liked the descriptive writing in this story. It was not overdone and really helped me picture the people and settings talked about. The whole story moved quickly and entertained me as well. I enjoyed the writers’ style and thought this was one of the best western fiction books I have read. This is an excellent Christian fiction book to escape into!
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.
I gave this book 5/5 stars
The Mulligans of Mt. Jefferson is written by Don Reid and published by David C Cook.
The three main characters in this story are Cal, Harlan and Buddy. They grew up together in Virginia and were known for getting into trouble together. They were given a nickname, the Mulligans. This book is set in the late 1950’s and centers on the search for the recent shooter of Harlan. They work together to try to find out why Harlan was shot.
The story jumps around a bit from past to present. You can easily get mixed up on who is doing what when. I still enjoyed the story and thought the writing was very good. The story itself was interesting and the characters were well written. You aren’t into the book very far when you start to think you have met these men in real life.
I only gave this book 4/5 stars because I did get confused on some parts and felt it could have used more drama to move the story along. It was still interesting and is worth reading.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.
The Merchants Daughter is written by Melanie Dickerson and published by Zondervan.
Annabel is an indentured servant to Lord Ranulf. Their relationship changes over time as they get to know each other better and spend time in the evenings discussing the Bible. The setting is what makes this an especially enjoyable story. Set in a castle during medieval times the story will remind you of the classic The Beauty and the Beast.
The author draws you into the story with her descriptions and the intriguing conversations held between the main characters. Even the evil character was fun to read about! I loved how the story had different twists you weren’t expecting and how the story concludes. Overall it was an enjoyable read and one I have no problem recommending!
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.
I gave this book 5/5 stars.
Lost and Found is written by Ginny Yttrup and published by B&H Publishing Group.
Jenna Bouvier’s life is not all it seems. She has married into a rich family but money does not buy her peace and contentment. The story follows Jenna as she grows and becomes a woman rather then just someone only living for others approval. The other main character is a woman named Andee. She is looking for satisfaction in her life and work. It is the connection between these two main characters that keeps the story interesting.
The characters in the book are captivating. You will want to read more just to see how the characters react to each unique situation they encounter. The story itself is very in depth and moves at a quick pace. I enjoyed the story and even though there were parts that I found boring it still kept my attention till the end.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.
I gave this book 4/5 stars
The Guardian Duke is written by Jamie Carie and published by B&H Publishing Group.
Gabriel, who is the Duke of St. Easton, has been made a guardian of Lady Alexandria Featherstone by the King. The Duke has been made Lady Alexandria’s guardian because everyone thinks her parents are dead. She on the other hand decides they are not and goes in search of them. The Duke becomes aware that she is out looking for her parents on her own and goes out searching for her. As the Duke and Lady Alexandria communicate with each other we are able to see their relationship grow through the letters they write to each other.
This story has some interesting elements but is not like a lot of fiction I have read set during the Duke and Lady historical period. I did not especially like how the story concluded. I do not like when they end books just so they can start another one. They pull you along as a relationship grows and then just leave you at the end with no resolution. What if you can’t afford to get the next book or your library does not carry the book? You will never know how the story ends. I will say, however, that the writing style was nicely done and the characters were interesting but I don’t think I will read anything by this author again.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.
I gave this book 4/5 stars.
Desired is written by Ginger Garrett and published by David C Cook.
This book was not at all what I expected. That is not a good thing. The book is about Samson, the man from the Bible that we remember from the story of him getting his hair cut and losing his strength. This book comes from a different angle in retelling the story by centering on the viewpoint of three women in Samson’s life.
I felt like the details of some of the scenes were a bit much. It was an over dramatic retelling of the story. It is nothing like any Christian fiction I have read before. I would not recommend this book for everyone. The language is a bit graphic sometimes, not what you would call bad language but more in the descriptive words used.
The flow of the story helped make the read bearable. The book itself was well written meaning there were no scenes left out and the story made sense. I will not be reading this book again but if you want a different viewpoint of the story of Samson you might want to try it for yourself.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.
I gave this book 3/5 stars.
The Heaven Answer Book by Billy Graham is a compilation of questions on heaven and his explanation of what the Bible says is the answer.
The questions are all ones Christians have asked over Billy Graham’s time in the ministry. He has answered them on different occasions and this book brings them all together in one place for us to read. From will we eat food while in heaven to will we know our friends and family, each question is thoughtfully answered. Using scripture to support his answers you will learn everything the Bible has to say about heaven and our time there.
The plan of salvation is given and easily understood. This book would be great tool to use in presenting the plan of salvation to an unsaved friend. Not only will they read the verses about how to be saved but will have a better understanding of heaven and what it will be like to live eternally with Christ.
I liked everything about this book. It was easy to read. The questions were simple and the answers were easy to understand. I was able to follow each answer given. Meaning the steps and scriptures he presented solidified his answers. This book is a must read for anyone with questions about heaven!
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based solely on my opinion of what I read.
I gave this book 5/5 stars.
I would like to thank ChristianReviewofBooks.com and the publishers for the copies of these books I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based solely on my opinion of what I read.
Make Your Life Worth Living is written by Serge Roux-Levrat. This book has a lot of helpful information. It is written in an easy to understand and follow format. I loved his style of writing. I thought his process of explaining his ideas was well thought out and you could tell he has a very loving spirit. It is a non-judgmental book filled with lots of information for growing as a Christian. You will put the book down with a much better understanding of your purpose as a Christian and how to live your life for Christ.
Live Long Live Rich, Creating Your Retirement Paycheck is written by H. Craig Rappaport. This is not written with a Biblical emphasis but can be useful for anyone needing help with planning their financial future. The book is easy to understand which is not usual for a book about financial planning! I thought everything the author said was helpful and the book is definitely a starting point when needing help with your retirement money. If you want some ideas for where to put your money so it can grow into enough to live off of in your retirement this book has some great ideas.
The Walk, Reflections on Life and Faith from the Appalachian Trail, is written by Randy Motz and Georgia Harris. This is a very thought-provoking book. I liked the subjects brought up and how they related them to their journey on the Appalachian Trail. I liked the references used and the simple prayers at the end of the chapters. The book will teach you many lessons to help as you take this earthly journey to heaven. From enjoying the simple things in life to learning to rely on the Lord the lessons learned are all ones the direct you towards the Lord. I liked "The Walk" and will be reading it again!
Only You Can Be You, 21 Days to Making Your Life Count, is written by Erik Rees. My favorite part of the book was the simple and short devotions for each of the 21 days. Although they were short they were filled with encouraging words to help you be a better you. I liked the references used and how the author applied them to the principle he was teaching. It was an easy to understand book and the principles are easy to apply to your life. I really enjoyed the part in each chapter called "Making it Count." I thought it was a real asset to the book to have this section on applying what had just been talked about. Overall it was an encouraging book and I enjoyed it.
Danger Calling, True Adventures of Risk and Faith, is written by Peb Jackson and James Lund. This book would be great for a Sunday School Class or Bible study with teen boys. Anyone who reads and works through the questions in this book will enjoy and learn from it but I just feel it would be perfect for that age group. I loved the adventures and especially how the authors helped you really delve into the stories by asking questions at the end of each story. The last section in each chapter is called "Hitting the Trail" and is meant for personal reflection. If you take the time to work through those questions the book will really take on more meaning. I really liked this book and think it would be a great present for any young man to get so he can use it for his personal Bible study or with a group of other young men.
Broken-Down House, Living Productively in A World Gone Bad, is written by Paul David Tripp. This book uses the example of a broken down house and relates it our lives as Christians. It is the way the author writes this book that makes it so easy to understand and apply. I have heard this analogy before but this author does excellent at using examples and scripture to reiterate the principles he is teaching. You will learn how to live for Christ and be a productive Christian for Him here on earth.
God Is Not Like That, Making Sense of Christianity A New Look At An Old Faith, is written by Diana Spencer. I admit I could not get into this book. I tried a few times and finally made it all the way through. It is not that the author is a bad writer just the way the subject was presented. I found parts to be very hard to understand and confusing. I did get the main idea of the book, which are the authors’ ideas of Christianity in comparison to what is presented as Christianity. I think the author did well at presenting her ideas and using other text and scripture to reiterate her idea. Although not one of my favorite books to read I did learn about another persons view of Christianity.
I Used To Be A Dumpster Diver But Jesus Set Me Free is written by Scott R. Arnold. This book based on the true story of God’s grace and healing power in the life of the author. It is a very personal story and the author is very open and honest in his writing. He writes out the different scripture verse that he refers to. He may mention a passage in Matthew and then he has written out the whole passage in the book on that same page so you don’t need your Bible handy. This book was very detailed oriented and a good presentation of salvation is given throughout the book. It was an interesting book but not one I need to read again.
The Papers is written by Jason Atwood. This is book two of a three part series. The first title is The Bridge and the last one is called The Way. The story was a bit choppy for me. I do not think it flowed very well. The main character is Rube and this story is about some papers that he and his friends find. The papers are all about Satan’s plans for different countries around the world. Rube and his friends struggle with ways to help those around them deal with the issues of the world. The relationships between characters are well written though and the story is better because of that. I do not think I will read this book again but you may find the series interesting.
The Star Principle, A Faith-Based Approach to Achieving Your Full Potential, is written by Peter Adebi. This is such an easy book to read and understand. I liked the authors’ examples from life and especially from scripture. The author teaches that becoming the Christian you are supposed to be takes preparation. This preparation will help you as you seek to follow God’s will for your life everyday. Teaching you how to have a vision is also a big part of this book. I like how the author explains why we need to have a vision and how to make it in alignment with God’s will. If you are looking for a book to teach you how to reach your full potential as a Christian this is your book!
Spirituality with Style is written by Pat M. Baxter. This book has twenty-one chapters with each chapter highlighting a different person. The chapters highlight an area in the persons’ life that you can learn from. The author wants you to learn principles to live by from the different people she talks about in the book. I think the concept was good but I did not enjoy the book that much. I did like the short chapters and the different people highlighted each had interesting stories. Some of the people are John Wesley, Martin Luther, and Mary Magdalene. I would not read the book again but did find the simple stories helpful.
Death and the Resurrection, From the Grace to Heaven is written by Terri L. Watts. The theme of this book is gaining a better understanding of Christ’s death and what His resurrection means for Christians. There is also great information on chapters in the book of Revelations. The author does a great job of taking apart the verses she is using and explaining them in a very simple manner. This was not a quick read but if you can stick with it you will learn. I thought the book was well written but due to the in-depth content I don’t think I will be reading it again.
